November Newsletter

Well, as Garrison Keillor would say, it’s been a quiet summer here at Lake Wobegon… er.. make that Pottery Rowe.  There have been no newsletters, sales, promotions, and some orders that were placed online were delayed.

And here’s why:

I have been diagnosed with Rhupus Syndrone, a combination of lupus disease and rheumatoid arthritis.  It took several months to get all the appointments, see the specialists, and get all the test results.  I haven’t been able to throw pots on the potter’s wheel except occasionally in the evenings for several months now.

I have always prided myself with my professionalism.  I got the order out by the deadline, whatever it took.  Once I had to hire other potter’s kilns, and I had five kilns going every day, for a week.  Another time my wife drove overnight to make a delivery of trophy mugs to North Carolina to get them there by the event.  Only occasionally have I missed a deadline in over 35 years, so it has been really nerve wracking to let orders sit on the clipboard.

But there is good news.  Now that the diagnosis has been made, I am taking a new medication, Plaquenil, that should relieve the stiffness, tingling and numbness. I have been taking it about 2 weeks now, but it takes 6 weeks to take effect.

I want to thank all of my customers who have patiently waited for their orders and hope to be back in full swing soon.

Melvin Rowe