n o v e m b e r . 2 0 2 4

 getting ready

to give THANKS!

     so much turbulence but we need to be grateful for the serenity we can create for ourselves. 

     one of my FB groups offered a singular event that was only open two days this season.   a family opened their property, which they'd decorated with a fairy village along a winding path through their woods, and invited families with children especially to come enjoy the fantasy and be outdoors with God's creatures.  they have taken in several rescue animals, so besides their goats, they have pigs and llamas, chickens, ducks and turkeys, fluffy rabbits, and burros and donkeys.  here are some of the adorable fairy dwellings I saw on the sylvan trek.

o c t o b e r . 2 0 2 4

 birthday month! 

lots of reasons to celebrate

     wrapped up my work trip to the bay area.  got a good bit of organizing done while I was there, then I hit the road mid-day to beat traffic, and got home in record time with a quick stop to get lunch at the KFC in town.  

     I went for a check-up with my oncologist in her office.  not only was taking my blood pressure brutal - starting and restarting and squeezing unnecessarily harder causing my bp to rise too much - but the doctor then wanted to complain about my weight.  it was her instructions that told me to continue eating during chemo; in fact my weight had stayed the same throughout chemo, so I didn't even "over-eat!"  then she lectured me - a professional dieter and the daughter of both my parents - about how bad carrying too much weight is and how I should write everything I eat down.  skinny little twig of a child telling me!  now that will raise my blood pressure!  one thing I did start doing however, was to jump back on the exer-cycle in the garage so I can build up my leg strength again.  I have a vacation coming up! 

     that evening, an international ballet company was performing in Folsom one of my most favorite ballets, Swan Lake, and I had to treat myself for my birthday!  it was glorious seeing it again.  I hadn't been to this ballet since I was pregnant with Joyce, so about 35 years!  it was an excellent way to end what had started as a horrible day. 

     my last day of work before vacation was the day before our birthday.  of course it was a flurry of making sure everyone had what they needed before I headed offline for two weeks.  luckily it is the same team who has supported my last two years' of vacations and medical leave, so I'm leaving all in great hands.

     in the meantime, Joyce and Tim had gone to visit his family in the Orlando area, just as Hurricane Milton was taking aim!  they of course survived with no damage to rental car, dwelling, or selves, but that didn't mean that mom wasn't 3,000 miles away praying and worrying until it was over!  she got to spend a little time at Hard Rock and Disney Springs, but didn't go into the parks because of the various ride shut-downs (due to weather).  why spend the money and not be able to do anything. 

     I spent our birthday-day packing and waiting to hear from her.  Milton was scheduled to hit late on our birthday.  Craig made reservations at Crawdads on the Lake, which was our re-wedding day dinner location of Cliff House all renovated.  while my birthday drink - a Boujie Bayou Sour - and my dessert - chocolate cake - were just what I ordered, my main course should have been a BLT with avocado, and instead I got a chicken cobb sandwich.  just a wee bit of a disappointment having a giant slab of chicken breast in the way of other good eats. 

  

     around 10:30 at night Joyce texted when they were inside the hurricane, saying she was doing fine, just her ears hurt a little.  she texted again early the next morning around 5:00 to say they were fine.  Craig drove me to the airport and I could take my flights knowing she would be meeting me in Wyoming when their vacation was over.  Craig had booked my tickets using his airline mileage and upgraded me to first class on all the flights.  it was so enjoyable being able to have such luxuries served up by delightful flight attendants. 

     I picked up a 4-Runner SUV, since Joyce and the weather app had mentioned there was a possibility of snow while I was there.  checked in at the delightful Bavarian Inn for two nights.  loved talking with the ladies who ran the front desk.  this place, like many others nearby, are open for "the season" which this year pretty much ended the day I flew home.  whew, I just made it!  

     Day 1 - my first full day in SoDak, I drove a mile into the town of Custer and took pictures of the giant Dino the Dinosaur statue, as well as several buffalo statues scattered all over downtown.  I had lunch at the Purple Pie Place, enjoying chicken pot pie and raspberry rhubarb pie for dessert!  after that I was off to see the giant monument of Crazy Horse.  Mama had wanted to see this memorial in her lifetime, but I don't believe she ever made it here.  so I was here on her behalf.  

     back at the Inn, they provide a late afternoon snack of milk and cookies, and I enjoyed those and a chat with two boys traveling with their mom from the midwest to Reno.  after that I had dinner at the Buglin' Bull Sports Bar, where I had Tatanka - bison steak - with green beans & carrots, roasted potato slices, and washed down with cider.

     Day 2 - checked out of the Inn (promising I would return) and headed to the highly recommended Wild Life Loop on my way east to Chamberlain.  the Loop is a slow curving drive through wide open spaces where the wild life roam right in front of you.  the donkeys were the orneriest, not letting me pass until I fed them (I didn't); and I managed not to get into a tussle with a "fluffy cow" or bison that meandered slowly across the roadway in front of me, causing multiple vehicles to stop and line up before he finally finished crossing to the other side.  

  

     hit the road again, stopping for lunch at Mickey D's, and then making another pit stop at Wall Drug.  if we've ever been here it was probably in 1975, on our cross-country road trip to NYC.  I had to get a souvenir John Deere outfit for the baby.  by mid-afternoon I was at Chamberlain, and stopped to see the Dignity of Earth & Sky statue next to the Lewis & Clark Museum, both located near the Missouri River.  

     the next morning I started my day at the town's locally owned coffee bar, The Purple Pigeon, where I had a true midwestern cinnamon roll with my morning joe.  then it was off to the Atka Lakota Museum where I wandered for some time through the hands-on exhibits and artwork telling the story of the indigenous people before, during and after the arrival of European immigrants.  

     I drove an hour east to see the famous Corn Palace!  started in the late 1800s, this building decorates some of its exterior walls with artwork made from corn!  inside you can wander through a timeline of the many events that have occurred during its long and storied history.  I had lunch there, enjoying - what else - a corn dog!  then it was off to find "the World's Largest Pheasant" in the town of Huron.  then it was back to Chamberlain and dinner at the Smoking Mule where I enjoyed ribs and fried pickles!

     this was my costume for Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos. 

s e p t e m b e r . 2 0 2 4

the end of summer

Fall begins

     late last month and early this month both Craig and Joyce were victims of their company's layoffs.  this current downturn is really playing havoc on business, and in turn people's lives.  we pray that these will be short layoffs for both. 

     because of her loss of benefits, the kids moved up their wedding plans and got married in a simple ceremony mid-month!  that made it easier for her to go onto his medical plan, for the baby of course. 

     three weeks into the month and I spied a bloom on my Queen E rose!  so beautiful!

     took an hour drive up to the small town of Lincoln to watch Titanic the Musical. one of my FB theater peeps played the architect character.  the music was luscious - their first time using a full orchestra - their performers were mostly solid and strong.  I cried at all the right places.  it was so worthwhile to make the drive to go see it!

     I wanted to be in Santa Clara for the last day of one of my team members who volunteered for a severance package during this pre-layoff period at work.  I didn't want to drive down and back, so I planned a leisurely trip down Sunday, stopping in Los Altos to catch the final performance of Waiting for Godot.  I even met the director, and briefly chatted with him, letting him know I was in an all-female production nearly 40 years earlier.  he said in no uncertain terms "that would never happen now."  apparently the Estate who manages the rights has specifically excluded women from any roles. Hmm.

     on the way down to Santa Clara afterward, I ordered a Firehouse pizza from Pizza Chicago, and had pizza and beer in my hotel room.  tried a new/different place this time, about 2 miles from work.  not bad.  

     the next day I went in to work early, knowing I wanted to get some organizing done while I was in the building.  we had a nice lunch at our "regular" gathering spot, Birk's, and had a lovely/melancholy goodbye lunch for our departing co-worker.  she will be ramping up what had been a part time realtor business, and getting married soon.  we are definitely sadder to see her go.  

     stopped by and picked up our mail at the mailbox in Santa Clara, and filled Chuck in on all that had gone one since the last time I saw him in January!  so much!!  then I drove to an old haunt from my HP days, the Duke of Edinburgh pub!  it was quiet, so I had a leisurely dinner of shepherd's pie and  a cider.  I had read that "any day" it could be closed and torn down and a hotel built in its place, so I knew I wanted to go at least one more time. 

a u g u s t . 2 0 2 4

mid-summer

the heat is the news

     as if the heat in July wasn't sufficient, August was also going to provide unbearable temps too.  we even had some thunderstorms late in the month that caused us to pause and listen! 

     I didn't watch many of the events of the Olympics, but I did catch the replays of some of the equestrian events.  it was fun to see Snoop all decked out in riding togs.  I found out that he was afraid of horses, but working with his friend and "clothes twin" Martha, he was overcoming that fear!  lots of wins going on at these games!! 

     our garden gave us plenty of Japanese eggplant so I whipped up a big batch of my favorite Panda meal, a spicy tofu eggplant dish. 

     the next phase of my cancer treatment will be years of hormone therapy that began at the beginning of the month.  as if I needed it, one of the main reactions is (more) hot flashes ... because the decades of warmth and flashes I've had so far haven't been sufficient?!

     we're in for disappointing months at work, which started with a pathetic quarterly bonus about the value of a cup of coffee.  they were also offering a voluntary separation package and an enhanced retirement package to interested employees.  but the cut-off date was literally 9 days before I could take advantage; is that a sign that it is not my time yet?  since Craig got laid off this month, apparently it is not. 

     so I kept myself busy at both my office locations.  we had several of our contract workers' laptops returned, and I had to go in to the local office a couple times to gather those up and return them to our IT dept.  I also took two trips on our air shuttle over two weeks so that I could bring order to the chaos that has gone on in the secure lab office at headquarters where my desk is.  the paralegals haven't done much to keep things orderly, and I need to provide the tools for it to stay orderly going forward, whether I remain or not.  and to top off the chaos, one of our highest admins tried to "help" and instead generated more work, and caused the paralegal who treats me like her servant to have a royal hissy to boot.  nothing is boring for long at the office.  it took literally a week for me to sort out all the problems that resulted.  whatever will they do without me when I am gone.  I did have a good time one of the times I was in the local office, attending a fireside chat with one of our division's VPs and having a pizza lunch provided too.  I was warmly welcomed by several people in attendance, and the VP made two opportunities to catch up with me both before and after the meeting!  these co-workers make up for the one or two grinches that I suffer with from time to time. 

     lots of surprises going on in politics too.  I caught a small percentage of the nominating events - one can only take so much of that.  I know I will be prayerful about how it all turns out in November. 

     we love watching this little scamp most mornings, even when he knocks over the birds' food tray while he dines.  it cracks me up to see him gripping the stucco pillar with his back feet while he feeds his face with his front paws!! 

 

 

     as if I haven't gone through enough medical procedures this year, my GP decided I needed a colonoscopy too.  Went through the horrible denial of food and caffeine, and drank the gallon of power-wash for four hours - plus the 12 hours of those after-effects - but I got a clear bill and don't need another for ten years!  Maybe there will be less invasive testing by then <crossed fingers>  I especially won't miss the two failed and one successful attempts to insert the IV port!  the one in my hand hurt like a muthah, the middle one was a real gusher; the top one was successful.  

j u l y . 2 0 2 4

 firecracker hot! 

     it was a good time to stay indoors, as the week leading up to the holiday weekend peaked at over 110 degrees!   we also had several days in a row that were equally hot, so I kept inside to stay safe and healthy.  

     one of my colleagues at work was leaving, and the rest of the group was meeting at lunch for a going away celebration.  I knew I really wanted to attend, so I asked my manager if it would be okay to fly down on the corporate jet, which was finally back up and flying.  it was a long day, starting at 5:30 - driving in to the local office - and ending at 8:00 - when I drove back into our driveway - and my watch said I logged 2 miles walking, the most since before my surgery in March!  but it was great seeing colleagues again, and wishing one a heartfelt goodbye.  I was able to have my bi-weekly 1:1 with my manager in person this time, and she could see how much I really enjoyed being in the office,  and  how physically exhausted I was by the effort too.  

     I also met briefly with Janet, as I handed her back her chef jacket, the apron I had made for her, and a couple other little gifts that I thought she'd like.  we chatted for almost half an hour in the parking lot, enjoying the breeze while standing in the building's shade.  all in all it was an excellent day ... including riding in this beauty! 

     I usually like to watch Olympics opening and/or closing ceremonies, and of course my favorite will always be the one where Her Majesty and 007 dropped in on the 2012 ceremony.  but this year's celebration was happening in Paris, and I knew I would recognize many of the locations, having been there just five years ago!  I watched the entire 4 hour ceremony, and was enthralled, and at the very end was in tears at the amazing performance of Celine Dion.  this one ranks up there with HM and 007!  in the picture below, Janet and I stood on the balustrade overlooking the garden and fountain.  there were many other sites throughout the presentation where we walked or passed by on the tour bus.  it was wonderful reliving that adventure and watching this spectacular! 

     for the first time in four months, since the weekend before my surgery, I ventured out to see a show.  this one is one of my most favorite musical dramas, and formerly a bucket list role before I "aged out" of being able to play it.  this was the Broadway tour of Sunset Boulevard, and it was amazing! 

j u n e . 2 0 2 4

horses and hope

     hopefully this month ends with the last chemo session, but first we have an historic horse race!  I was still recovering from the 3rd treatment, so didn't "dress" for the Belmont.  of course I had to watch it - this is the first year it was run at the historic Saratoga Race Track, as they will be renovating Belmont for the next couple years.  it was another thrilling race and the favorite again didn't win!  

     my final chemo session fell on my company's holiday for Juneteenth, so I had the whole day off.  I bought a commemorative shirt to honor the day, and found an excellent audiobook to listen to while I was being infused, Dick Gregory's Defining Moments in Black History.  this is the first picture I've posted on FB showing the total loss of hair; until now I've shared wigs, hats and turbans.  

     when I feel up to it I have creative activities to fill my time.  I saw this beautiful pineapple filet crochet pattern - symbol of hospitality - and then got a great pineapple gold yarn to work it up into a lovely lightweight afghan.  

     I was happily astonished and surprised at work when I received notification that my manager had nominated me to the rarified group of admins - at the corporate level, not department or division - and had been one of the winners for this season!   my manager said she listed many, many of my accomplishments, but apparently it was the unique use of my extensive theater background that captivated them the most.  the winners in this group, and in another group in October, will be in the running for Admin of the Year in January 2025!! 

     the last treatment and recovery took so much longer than the previous episodes.  the pain was so much more intense and excruciating.  luckily, it was The Last (at least according to all info I've received).  I will return to work full time in July, and just use my personal time off when I need to take shorter days.  it will be so much easier than dealing with the Disability organizations.