This and that . . .

It's a hot, muggy day in northern Michigan and I intend to spend most of it inside with the air conditioning and a good book. Besides, it's a good excuse to loaf. I didn't sleep well last night because Chessie is having a hard time. She's having difficulty breathing which means that her red count has fallen to the critical stage. I had to lay on the floor with her to get her to lay down and that's where we spent the night. It's so sad and we had hoped to prevent this but I guess we've waited too long to make that final decision. I know all of you who have pets will understand. There's no good time to say goodbye. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the day Chess became part of our family so we've had some really good years together ~ just wish it could have been longer still.

I don't want to dwell on the sad part of life so let's talk about something a little more cheerful.

John, my son, called yesterday with good news. He's really been hating his job a lot these past few months and hasn't earned the kind of money he's accustomed to and needs. He finally found a new job which promises to be much more enjoyable and comes with a larger pay check. Best of all, he'll be working with some people he's worked with before and likes a lot. His commute will be longer but I don't think he cares about that. ; )

Jenn and her kids have a new family member ~ Oreo, a tabby cat. He's really tiny, about 7-8 weeks old and they love him. Even Oscar, their dog, seems to be happy with him. I guess Oreo and Oscar curl up together and Oscar gives him kisses. The only downside is that Oscar has a tendency to eat Oreo's food when no one is looking. However, Oreo doesn't seem to be starving since he's gotten rounder in the week he's been with them. I suggested they call him Sir Tubbs but that went over like a lead balloon with my nine year-old grandson! The kids are thrilled with their new pet and like him to sleep with them. As you can probably tell, he doesn't lack for attention.

I'm enjoying my time away from the cancer institute. It's good not to have treatments and/or blood work every week. However, I do admit I'm a little nervous about not having any anti-cancer drugs in my system. I've been on them for 10 months now and, while the tumors are considerably smaller, they aren't gone. I worry that this break will allow them to grow again. But, I can't allow that concern to take over my life so focusing on the good aspects of the situation ~ food tastes good again, my hair is growing, I have more energy, I don't have to take medication to counteract the effects of the chemo drugs, I have no bone pain and my life is much more normal. : )

It's starting to look more like fall around here. It's been so dry that leaves are already falling from the trees and the ferns are all dead. We've had some rain the last two days so the grass is greener now but you can still sense fall in the air. It doesn't seem possible that school will be starting again soon ~ it seems like the kids just got out. However, they're beginning to be bored so I guess it's time. I know a lot of mothers who are looking forward to the occasion! LOL I guess they're tired of hearing "I'm bored. There's nothing to do." So soon it will be earlier bedtimes, arguing with the kids about doing homework, and all the other things that are part of the school year.

Since fall is my favorite time of year, I welcome it. I love the brisk, invigorating air and the leaves crunching under my feet. It will be time for fires in the fireplace, sweatshirts and jeans, wood smoke in the air, soups and stews, and, best of all, walks without bugs and sweat! I can have my bedroom window open and feel the cool breezes on my face as I curl up with my favorite pillow. Yeah, I think I'm ready for all that. Fall is such a beautiful season here.

Chessie has been standing here with her head on my lap and it's getting harder and harder to type so I guess it's time for me to close for now. I need some time to spend loving her.

I hope you're all having a peaceful, happy day.

'til next time . . . appreciate every joyful moment.

Drats! I did it again . . .

Sorry, guys! I had no idea it had been this long since I last wrote in here. No wonder so many people are sending me emails saying that they miss the entries! Nope, don't have a good excuse either.

I've been off chemo since the end of May ~ all except for the avastin which is not really chemo, it's an antibody that suffocates the tumors by preventing the creation of new blood vessels. My oncologist and I decided that I needed a break because I was getting so weak. It took me a while to start feeling normal again and even longer before I was able to eat like I should.

I started having physical therapy sometime in June and that's really made a tremendous difference. Instead of shaking at the least little effort, my legs are strong again and I can walk with a bounce in my step again. Trish, my physical therapist, says that I've gained back my strength and now we're working toward improving my balance and endurance. While I don't really look forward to the workouts, I feel wonderful, if tired, after they're over. ; )

I saw Dr. Mehrotra last week and she took me off the avastin too. I broke a tooth flossing ~ can you imagine! ~ and have to have it crowned. In order to do that I have to stop that drug too because of possible bleeding problems. I'm having that done next week and then, on September 1st, I'm having a CT scan and a bone scan. The results of those will determine what kind of treatment I receive then. Prayers are definitely welcome!

I've been feeling really good and have done lots of things that I hadn't been able to when receiving the chemo. Among them is cooking, shopping and eating out ~ I guess you could say I'm now part of the real world again. : )

We still enjoy watching the wildlife, especially the little fawns. They have been so cute as they run and frolic with one another. The deer come to our pond to drink (and to try and eat our trees) a couple of times a day. They nibbled off all our daisies and balloon flowers and I don't even know what happened to the black-eyed Susans ~ I never even saw them this year!

Dave got me a beautiful wooden swing for the backyard which we placed right next to the pond. It's so relaxing to sit there and enjoy the scenery and the tranquil sound of the water. It's a great place to just meditate, talk or read ~ yeah, even sleep! As you can imagine, I love spending time there.

My hair is slowly growing back. I'm not wearing hats or scarves these days because it's simply too hot. Besides, I've gotten over being self-conscious about my bald head. There is a lot of silver gray now and I'm not exactly sure what color the rest of it is ~ it's dark, that's about all I can tell. My lashes and brows are growing in too so I can wear make-up again. I'd forgotten just how long that whole thing takes and I was 10 minutes late for my last doctor's appointment! LOL Actually it was much easier before ~ every cloud has a silver lining. ; )

A week and a half ago, I had a wonderful visit with two good friends I worked with years ago. They came for the day and we had a great chance to catch up. We hadn't visited in five years ~ they live downstate near Detroit. I had so much fun; it was a truly fantastic day! Here is one of the photos taken that day:

In case you can't tell, I'm the one in the middle! LOL The other two women are Pat, on the left, and Linda R. Everyone should have such great friends!

Here's another picture that Pat took of a doe and her two fawns:

And, yes, any bare branches you see are definitely due to these scoundrels!

Chessie is hanging in there. In fact, she's better than she was when I last wrote here. I don't know how long this will last but we're enjoying our time with her. She's become my constant companion ~ following me everywhere I go. Casey isn't so sure he likes that and tries to nudge her away from me every chance he gets. So life with the dogs goes on! : )

Well, guys, I'm starting to get a little stiff from sitting here so long so I guess I should go do something a little more energetic. Thanks for sticking with me even though I've become a terrible correspondent. Thanks to all of you for the cards, gifts and phone calls ~ I'm more grateful than you could ever know.

'til next time . . . a serene mind creates a happy heart.