President-Elect Barack Obama!

At 11:00 tonight, when the polls closed on the west coast, the political analysts declared Barack Obama the winner of the Presidential Election. At this point it's a landslide - 338 electoral votes to McCain's 156. Only 270 were needed to win. There are other states that have not reported, so the numbers will change, but there's no ambiguity in this election. No waiting for days, no hanging chads, no Supreme Court decision.

Watching the exuberance of the crowds - thousands and thousands of ecstatic, cheering, crying, flag waving people of all ethnic and social backgrounds - was a moment like none any of us have ever seen before. It's remarkable and wonderful. I'm so glad it happened in my lifetime, because I never thought I'd see the day. What an amazing event.

Obama will be speaking in a few minutes, and I'm sure it will be a great speech.

May You Live in Interesting Times

Well, this was certainly a dramatic week. The failure of the bail-out bill in the House of Representatives, the subsequent 770 point fall in the DOW, shock and awe in Wall Street and Main Street, a credit freeze, yesterday's vice-presidential debate, and a new, even fatter bill passed by both houses of Congress. Whew! I can't add anything that hasn't already been said by people from all points of view. It's just been a roller coaster ride. Terrible.

I think it had to happen though - the failure of the bill to pass. Only when the "worst" actually happens can it finally convince people that the dire consequences we were hearing were true. Congressmen were deluged with angry phone calls, letters and e-mails from constituents who didn't want to bail out Wall Street from their own mess. They rightfully feared losing their reelections after voting on this unpopular solution. After seeing the free fall of the stock market and the loss of over a trillion dollars on Tuesday, we all knew that action had to be taken before the economy stalled completely. And it doesn't end at our shores - the stock markets all across the world were negatively affected. It's a global economy, after all. Now let's see what can be done to prevent this from happening in the future, and hopefully the taxpayers money can be recouped. What a mess.

The debate was riveting. I listened to every word, and some of Palin's answers and non-answers alarmed me. The bar had been set so low for her that anything she managed to do above falling flat on her face would be viewed as a success. I learned that she is very good at memorization. Anything not on her talking points was ignored. I was put off by her cutsie behavior - the winks, folksieness, using her femininely wiles - in what is a serious format and subject matter. She's not, after all, competing again for Miss Congeniality, but for the Vice-Presidency of the United States. The old "one-heart-beat-away-from-the-president" job, as we all know too well.

I blame McCain and his crew for putting her in this position. She's in way over her depth. Totally incapable. And by the way, McCain's positions are totally opposite of my own views.

I had another Herceptin treatment on Wednesday. I still have one or 2 more to go, and need to get yet another MUGA scan before the next appointment in 3 weeks. I've totally lost track of how many I've undergone so far - six? seven? More? The nurses at the oncology office are really understaffed just now. They are down from 4 to 2. Their shifts are normally 4 10-hour days, and since they are now understaffed, they are working 5 10-hour days. They are recruiting for another nurse, but by Wednesday, still hadn't found one. I hope they find one soon, I can see the stress they are under.

Had another art class today, and finished another painting. This one was a log covered with lichen. The point of the exercise was learning to capture the texture and colors of a basically mono-colored object. I enjoyed painting it, although it could have been done a lot better. Next week I'll be painting metal. That should be good.

PHOTO: An ivy-covered cottage shop along the shore of the Providence River in Rhode Island.

Chiming in About the Economy

I've been trying to educate myself over the past week about the economic chaos that we're all experiencing. I don't understand the ins and outs of investments and banking and short selling and high finance. I know I'm not alone in my ignorance, and what's scary is that those who should be in the know apparently aren't either. I do know that for a long time I've been feeling badly for the ordinary people who are having their homes foreclosed, and those whose retirement investments are dripping away like the melting ice caps. The ordinary people like me who see the prices at the gas pumps and the grocery stores rising alarmingly, and the price of prescription drugs skyrocketing - even with health insurance coverage. It's been like watching a train wreck - seeing it coming and not being able to look away.

Like everyone else, I'll be watching to see what happens tomorrow and the days following, as far as what the government, i.e. Congress and the current administration, will do to pull a rabbit out of a hat and save the economy. There is a lot of criticism going on now from all quarters as to how we got into this mess and who is to blame. Greed, of course, and lack of oversight. Deregulation. I think it's just gotten too complicated and convoluted. Just like our Federal Tax System.

I shouldn't dwell on these issues, it just depresses me.

I've been working on some beading this week, yet another bracelet, and I like the way it's turning out, but I'm having a heck of a time getting the beading needle through the beads. I'm using a monofilament nylon thread, like a fishing line, specifically made for beading. The seed beads I'm using have small holes in them, and between constant tangling, the beads breaking, and the needle getting stuck, I can't wait to finish what I'm working on. Next time I plan to use another thread, which should help a lot. I hope so, because it hasn't been much fun, and it sure isn't relaxing.

PHOTOs: Top photo: First bracelet I made, posted earlier, now finished after attaching clasp. Bottom photo: The second bracelet I made, more beads than first. I named it Mardi Gras Hangover because of the mix of colors and beads. Reminiscent of the day after Mardi Gras in the streets of New Orleans. Click on photos to view in larger size.

Freedom Log House Tea

Yesterday my Red Hat group met at a tea room and gift shop called the Freedom Log House in Spring Grove, PA. It was quite a drive from Maryland, but worth it once we arrived. The food was delicious - all home made by the owner, Victoria, and served by her daughter, Amanda. The place itself was historic and charming, with many rooms filled with primitive arts for sale - many of them made by Victoria and Amanda. After our tea, Victoria came out and gave us a the history of the tea room, a large log house with 6 bedrooms, located right on the railroad line coming up from the south. It was amazing - during the civil war era, the building was used as a safe house for escaping slaves. One of the upstairs bedrooms has a place under the floorboards where the slaves would hide. In addition, there are 2 other secret rooms that were discovered by a previous owner, who told Victoria about living there as a child, and hiding from his Dad with his brother when they got themselves into trouble. Victoria talked for perhaps 30 minutes, giving her family history and the colorful history of the house itself. It was amazing and very interesting. This is the website: http://www.freedomloghouse.com/

I'm working on a third freeform peyote bracelet, and rethinking whether I want to continue with it using the stringing material I've started with. It's a nylon monofilament, and it's causing the beaded lengths to curl. I've received some good advice from a beading group on the web, and I'll make a decision today.

My art class ended last Friday, and there is a one week break before the next class starts for the fall quarter. I'm going to continue, using it as an ongoing lesson, as do several in the class. They have been taking the same class from this instructor for a few years. Everyone gets individual instruction on whatever they are working on - watercolor, oil, acrylic, pen and ink, pastel. Every class ends with a critique of all the work, and that is a very valuable aspect of the class. Last time I started a watercolor still life of a beautiful conch shell, and I'll continue with that in the next class. I was pleased with the start I got on it, and received some very positive comments from our instructor and the other students.

PHOTO: A pony dressed as The Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz for the costume event at the 4-H Horse Show in Massachusetts. All the kids in their group dressed as characters from the show. It was very clever and cute. They won! The pony was adorable.

Carole's Turn

Howdy! I'm back, watching the news of impending Hurricane Ike and finishing off a nice glass of Chardonney. I spent the afternoon crafting with my friends at Carolyn's studio. While I finished beading a bracelet, Carolyn and Cathy worked on Photoshop, creating some great photos of Carolyn's new babies - her two Siamese kittens. Cathy is a master Photoshop artisan, and was teaching Carolyn how to use Photoshop. They came up with some gorgeous photos that Carolyn would like to use as note cards. Kittens are always cute, and the photos ended up looking like watercolored posters. Very creative. The kittens- Oliver and Roxanne, aka Ollie and Roxie - are adorable. They're about 3-4 months old and as cute as buttons. Sharon had to join us late, but wouldn't miss out on a chance for a 'Girlie-Girl Get-Together'. She has lots of irons in the fire right now, and we were just glad she was able to come at all!

I finished a Freeform Peyote Bracelet this afternoon. I took liberties with it to put right some errors I had made, but the final bracelet is very colorful and pretty. I have named it 'Mardi Gras Hangover,' inspired by the wild mix of colors and various beads. I thought of what I imagine as the day after Mardi Gras, when the streets are awash in strands of multi-colored beads. You need to keep a sense of humor, you know.

On a more serious note, I have apparently eradicated my own bout with breast cancer, at least for now, but my older sister Carole is now battling an agressive kidney/urethral cancer, and will be starting chemotherapy on Tuesday of next week. She's had surgery to remove a kidney and the urether, as well as some scrapings on her bladder. This is the third cancer she has experienced. She's had lung cancer, then a year later breast cancer - both about 20 years ago - and now this. She has learned that with her chemo treatments, she will lose her hair, so I am sending her my wigs and more than 15 scarves that I used throughout my own bald experience.

Sigh ...

I'm very glad that I can help, but it's sad that our family is once again facing cancer. Our mother had breast cancer about 15+ years ago and only needed lumpectomy surgery to end her ordeal. Our younger sister Debbie lost her battle with breast cancer 5 years ago at age 50, only 20 months after her initial diagnosis. Carole had chemo for breast cancer, but that was many years ago, and things have changed a lot since then. She has confidence in her oncologist, which is key, and her daughter-in-law is going with her to her appointments to give her support and to translate medical jargon for her. Her husband and son are also being very supportive, along with her many friends and neighbors. Since she lives in Ohio and I'm here in Maryland, I'm glad her support system is close by and taking care of her.

PHOTO: Jim's fruit bowl, turned on his wood lathe. It's Box Elder wood and has gorgeous red markings throughout. It's 12 inches in diameter. What a gorgeous addition to our kitchen. Lucky me!

Back from Massachusetts

Jim and I arrived home to Finksburg tonight at 6:30, after spending the weekend at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA for the 4-H Horse Show. We drove up on Friday morning and arrived that evening. Saturday morning we surprised our granddaughter Madeleine as she was in line with her horse for the Fitting and Showmanship class. We had said we might be coming up, but with the hurricane Gustav weather forecast and the long trip, Maddy really didn't think we'd be there. She's 16 years old, and she's been riding and since she was about 6. In all that time, Jim and I have never seen her compete. Well, we finally did it - made the trip and spent the whole weekend watching the competitions - showing of the horses, games, and equitation judging- and loved it all. Maddy is amazing. She took ribbon after ribbon (7 in all) in various competitive events, and finally - for the second year in a row - she earned the title of Champion of the show! Out of all those wonderfully talented kids, she was on top. Hooray!!!

Maddy has her own horse, Cassie, and they have been together for about 5 years. Maddy is the only person who has trained her, and they are a great team. Maddy works at the barn with her many hours a week, in addition to school sports - soccer and track - and other activities, and maintains straight A's. I have no idea how she does it.

We experienced the wrath of Gustav starting Saturday afternoon and lasting all night. Thank goodness the competition was held inside. I have no idea how many inches of rain fell, but it was a deluge. Everyone looked like drowned rats, including us when we finally left to go back to our hotel. I felt badly for the kids, because they had to remain on the grounds to take care of their horses for the entire weekend. They weren't allowed to leave the grounds. Some slept in the barn stalls, some in horse trailers, some in cars. This is the first year that Bob, Maddy's Dad, didn't stay at the Fairgrounds. He went home and caught a few hours sleep in his own bed this year. Sunday the rain was gone and the day was perfect, even if full of mud and puddles.

Being in MA also gave us a great chance to spend time with the other family members and catch up on what's happening in their lives. Our granddaughter Hannah is now a sophomore at U Mass, having just started classes again this past week. This July she spent 3 weeks in Thailand with a group of students, learning about the culture and helping to plant a rice field. She became ill the day after returning to the U.S., and required hospitalization and surgery for an abdominal obstruction. Her case was so unusual that she needed to be ambulanced to a different hospital in Springfield, MA for surgery. It was an extremely harrowing experience resulting in a week's stay in hospital and a 9-inch incision from stem to stern, but she is healing well and looks as beautiful as ever. Thank God she didn't get sick when she was in Thailand, since it could have been far, far worse.

The cats were all glad to see us return, and have been voicing their complaints since we arrived. They have a cat sitter, but aren't allowed outside while we're away, and they hate it.

PHOTOS: I had an awful time trying to get pictures. Most all were blurry. 1) Maddy performing one of the commands during an Equitation Class. Can you believe her posture? She's wearing her brand new pink chaps, her first pair ever. 2) A closeup of Cassie. What a beautiful horse. 3) Proud Mom Cindy/Lee and Maddy, wearing her jean jacket prize with embroidered emblem for the 4-H Champion and holding the Champion ribbon.

Convention Over

It's the last night of the Republican convention. If only politicians would actually do what they claim they will in their speeches ...

We're leaving tomorrow for a trip to Massachusetts for the weekend. I'm not sure what we will run into as far as rain is concerned. Our granddaughter Maddy is going to perform in a horse show, I believe in barrel racing. I haven't seen that done before, so it should be interesting. She suggested we sleep in the barn with her, but I think we'll pass on that.

PHOTO: A poor photo of my first freeform peyote bracelet. Still without a clasp.

September Already

Hello! After more than a month, here I am again. Did you miss me? I'm sitting here listening to the Republican convention, trying not to wretch, and thought I'd use the time productively by posting a blog for the first time in more than a month. Well, let's see ... what have I been up to? As far as my cancer treatments are concerned, I've been on hold for a month while my Oncology office has been calling the insurance company daily, trying to get in touch with the doctor in charge of approving treatment at my insurance company's office. To bring you up to speed, I was supposed to receive a year of treatment of Herceptin. That treatment was supposed to consist of 12-months' worth of treatment, the first 3 months' worth were weekly, and the next 9 months' worth were to take place at 3-week intervals. The weekly treatments were of a lower dosage and the every-3-week treatments were stronger. With the stronger treatments, my heart valve function efficiency was affected. As a result, several times during the treatment I was put on a temporary hiatus until my heart function recovered. This in turn strung out my treatment longer than the 9-month time period, and my doctor's office was left trying to convince the insurance company that a calendar year and a year's worth of treatment are not the same thing.

I learned today that my insurance company's doctor has finally (!) approved 5 more treatments. Hooray!

We had a very dry August, with some surprisingly cool days and nights. I expect we'll be getting some rain by the weekend from hurricane Hanna coming up the coast. Jim and I may be going on a trip to Massachusetts this weekend, as if so, it will probably be pretty soggy. We're not sure about if we will make the trip or not.

So what else is new? Let's see - today 3 friends and I went to tea at Sweet Simplici-Tea Tea Room in Sykesville. It was wonderful. The tea, the baked goods, the presentation, the ambiance, the friendship, the Tea Room owners - everything was perfect. We all had a great time. It's such a nice place. We all love it.

I've been going to my watercolor classes every Friday and learning a lot. My assignments have been (1) paint a white painting, (powdered sugar doughnut on a white plate, next to a white coffee mug on a white doily, etc.) (2) paint the look of "old leather" in a still life of an old pair of shoes, (3) paint a still life of glass bottles. This week I'm supposed to paint a conch shell to learn blending of color. I've been improving and gaining confidence as I go along, but I'm still in awe of my fellow classmates who have been creating art much longer than I have.

I've also been getting together regularly with friends to craft. So far we've been decorating/embellishing birdhouses, making tile pendant jewelry out of bamboo tiles, and now I'm making freeform peyote beaded bracelets. I've completed one and almost completed the second one. Freeform peyote is very creative and unstructured. The beads are randomly woven and strung together with intertwining "bridges" of strands that either complement or accent the other colors. In addition to seed beads, there are larger beads and crystals added for additional visual emphasis. It's very interesting and fun to see where the beading will go. For myself, I have no preconceived idea as to what the final piece will look like, just a vague idea of the color palette I'll start with. My first one has a loose weave and a variety of colors. The second one I named Mardi Gras for its vibrancy and festive look. There are more beads on this one. I still need a clasp on the first bracelet and have about an inch more to bead on the second one.

Oh, I'm back in a routine volunteering every week at the library. Things are in a state of semi-organized chaos there because the whole department is being moved around. All the books are being moved to different shelves in all the rooms on our floor, so it's quite busy. I'm enjoying being there, and of course there is plenty to do.

Jim has been working every day on his wood turning lathe. He's turned out some beautiful bowls. The largest so far is a fruit bowl made of box elder. It has some beautiful red streaking throughout the grain that contrasts to the pale color of the natural wood. He's also turned some spalted birch, maple, and two from cherry. He's working on some poplar now. One of the bowls has a "natural edge," meaning the bark edge is visible. He's been doing quite a bit of reading and looking at videos to learn as much as he can about the process.

The tomatoes are ripening and delicious. Some of them are nearly as large as a plate. Delicious on Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches as well as just sliced as a side with dinner.

The kitties are doing fine. Paddle recovered well from having her tooth pulled, and has been more frisky of late. She's enjoyed going outside now more than she used to. Normally she's a little house plant, but now she wants to go outside with the boys and lounge around on the patio. Pong especially loves being outside. He pushes his curfew limit daily, but since he won't eat if he doesn't come in, it's a good "leash" on him.

I'd enjoy hearing from you if you're reading this blog. I think some have missed my daily posts, and I plan to continue with the blog when I have something of note to say. Comment below if you do as well.

PHOTO: A tangle of kitties. Ming Poo and Paddle enjoying a nap, legs and tails mixed together.

Catching Up

My first post since Thursday. It was a full weekend, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Friday my friends and I met for an afternoon of crafting. We're making birdhouses, or I should say we're decorating them with paint and embellishments. They turned out really cute, and for the first time, all of us nearly finished a project in one sitting. That's really saying something for the 4 of us.

Saturday was a day of yard sailing and lunch out - our typical and treasured way of spending the day. Lots of great small treasures all around. We were thankful to end up in air conditioning after the heat and humidity. It was around 90°, and has been ever since each day.

Yesterday was a family day with David, Karen, and the boys. We had a simple but delicious meal cooked on the grill, but I stood firm on eating inside. I wanted to be comfortable, and I think everyone else did too. Jim and David spent a long time in the basement doing wood business with the lathe, while Karen and I had a good time catching up on our lives. She's got a great tan going from spending a lot of time taking tennis lessons and playing. I give her credit for being so active on the court with the heat we've had. She loves it and is learning quite a bit from the pro.

Today should have been our monthly book club, but the hostess arrived home yesterday after a week's vacation to find that her air conditioning had died. Totally. She made a decision to cancel the luncheon rather than have us over in the sweltering heat, a decision that I think was wise. She has a lot to deal with in taking care of the problem, and hosting a party is definitely a burden she doesn't need right now.

Tonight I got my birdhouse out and spent some time embellishing it. I'm pleased with what I've done so far. In a non-verbal way, it tells a story. A tongue in cheek story, but I think it's kind of humorous. It's definitely an art piece now, one with a somewhat dark side to it. I need a little more time to so some final painting touches, and then I'll take a photo of it and post it on the blog.

Tomorrow afternoon I will start back volunteering for Library Link. I'm looking forward to it.

PHOTO: Bunches of lavender at the Lavender Farm, Cape Cod.

Poor Little Kitty Cat

Poor little Paddle. Old Auntie Padoo went to the vet's today with a bad tooth. She's 12 years old. I noticed that her gums were inflamed and her right canine tooth was looking pretty grisly. It had a lot of tartar on it and was looking bad at the gums. I called our vet, and they are closed on Thursdays. I decided I really wanted to take her in, because I was watching her last night, and I thought she might be in pain. She didn't want to eat her favorite food - fresh rotisserie chicken - so I knew something must be up.

I called another vet a little further down the road from our regular vet, and he is really good. They told me to bring her and would work around their other appointments. Turns out, her canine tooth had to be pulled. It was infected with pockets of pus and infection. The vet did some blood work to check out her general health and extracted the tooth. He gave her some anesthetic and put her out for a short time, got the tooth out, gave her antibiotics and pain medication, and took very good care of her. Jim and I picked her up late this afternoon, and she has been walking like she's drunk since we came home. Her eyes are fully dilated and she's disoriented, but she seems calm and is not in pain. She notices the hole in her mouth and licks her tongue around it.

She looks pathetic trying to wash her face with her paw. Every time she takes a swipe, she falls over. What a sorry little cat! When we picked her up, the vet spent some time talking with us and showing us the tooth that came out, the hole in her jaw, and talked about what else needs to be done with her teeth. She has 2 more teeth that will need extracting, since they have cavities, and her other canine is only half there. It was broken off about 5 years ago and also has some infection. The antibiotics should take care of that. We will be talking to the vet tomorrow to hear the results of the blood tests and give him a report on how she's doing. We'll have to make an appointment to take care of the rest of her dental issues once this trauma heals.

Poor little thing. She's been crying a lot lately, and that must be the reason. The cavities are bothering her, from what the vet says. The probe caused her jaw to chatter when he touched the cavities (she was out then) so he knows the nerves are exposed. Poor baby!

I was very impressed with the "bedside manner" of the new vet, and will use him from now on. Our other vet doesn't communicate as well, so it's a good change. Paddle seemed very content curled up in his arms when he brought her out, so apparently she feels comfortable with him.

PHOTO: Paddle sleeping

Back to St. Joe's for Herceptin

Jim and I went into Towson today to St. Joe's. I had a Herceptin treatment that took forever. The appointment was for 11:30, but I didn't get out of there until after 2:30. They were short-staffed today, and I had to wait a while before I was called in. The treatment had to be given very slowly because they were giving me a "dose dense" amount - more concentrated. I took in a book, so I was entertained. I brought the nurses some of my art work - greeting cards and bookmarks.

We stopped at Sam's Club on our way home and did some food shopping. I loaded us up with fresh fruit and veggies, which we eat a lot of. We also picked up a rotisserie chicken that we had for dinner tonight. I've tried an experiment. I recently bought a package of special produce bags that are supposed to extend the life of fruits and vegetables from 1 to several weeks, as well as retaining the nutritional value. They're reusable and each bag can be used up to 20 times. So now we have a fridge full of all these green bags with strawberries, plums, grapes, melon, peppers, and mixed veggies. Bananas too, but not in the fridge. If it works, that's terrific. I don't know what the point is, but it must have something to do with the gases that are expelled. Stay tuned.

I did some painting again tonight. I started a painting from another of my Italy photos - this one is a blue door on Capri. It's coming along, but I needed to put it aside to dry until tomorrow. I have to do some more work on it once it's dried so that it doesn't bleed through. I have hopes for this one, if I don't mess it up. I find that painting is relaxing and fun to do, even though I still don't know what I'm doing. I've been collecting a nice library of watercolor instruction books, and I've gone through all of them, but I think maybe I should go back and re-read them.

Photo: My inspirational photo from Capri.

Getting My Groove Back

Today was a mowing day. After all the rain we've had, the grass was pretty thick. I started out early, and the lawn was still pretty wet, so it was a little harder to cut than usual. It took over 3 hours.

I did some watercolor painting last night, and it was too complicated a picture, so I ended up abandoning it. I resolved to take on simpler subjects from now on, and that's what I did tonight. I enjoyed doing the painting. They were being sold in Stresa, Italy at a roasted chestnut festival. It was a really colorful event, and it was fascinating to watch. I love the photo, and the watercolor painting of it - well, not so nice. I'll take it in to my class on Thursday and ask for some advice from my instructor. I wouldn't mind doing it again to see if I could do it any better.

I'm going to be starting back doing my volunteer job at the library. I've gone in once in a while over the past year, but only a few times. Now I've made a commitment to going in on Tuesday afternoons. I'll enjoy getting back into it again, and it sounds as if there will be some moving around coming up that will mean a lot of extra work.

Tomorrow I have another Herceptin appointment. It's been a while since I've been there, and it'll be good to see everyone again.

PHOTO: My painting interpretation of the Stresa photo.

The Weekend

This has been a great weekend. Friday we were crafting at Cathy's, Saturday we went yard sailing followed by a great lunch, and today Cathy and Greg, Jim and I went in to Baltimore to The Book Thing. I think i wrote about this before, but to recap, it's a recycling center for books - a free, organized accumulation of shelved books, where anyone can walk in, take as many books on as many topics as you can think of, and walk out the door. There are thousands of books on all subjects. I think most everyone who uses the facility brings in books every time they come. We do. It's a large, one-story, many-roomed building. All 4 of us left with a full tote of books and magazines. Jim brought home several James Michener books he hasn't yet read, plus an assortment of other books, including Leon Tolstoy's War and Peace. That one alone will keep him out of trouble for months, I think. It's more than 1400 pages. His new book stack is about 3 feet high.

I was pleased to find several books by some of my favorite authors - Alexander McCall Smith, Elizabeth Berg, Elizabeth George, John Mortimer, Christina Schwarz - plus some unknowns and an assortment of craft books. How cool is that? The only negative was that it was so bloody hot inside that it was difficult to browse. I was dripping! They don't have any air conditioning. It was 90° outside, but it actually felt cooler than the inside when we finally left.

Cathy spent most of her time looking for books that would make good roofs for bird houses. It's a new craft we're working on. Sounds odd, I'm sure, but you should see how adorable the finished product is!

I completed another painting tonight, and would have put it on my blog, but I have a scanner that insists it has no software installed for scanning, although I have scanned with it many times. What a slacker! Every so often it does this, and sometimes I am able to get it to scan even so, but tonight it's defeated me. I feel like we should take in a computer geek for free room and board in exchange for full time computer upkeep.

Sharon had things to keep her busy at home today, so she wasn't able to join us. I think she planned to have her husband give her a hand around the house. They have some big remodeling plans coming up soon, and she's been trying to get her entire house organized before that happens. One thing she's completed outside is an entire new perennial garden of assorted flowering plants, spanning the entire side of her driveway and house. It looks just beautiful, and you wouldn't know it hadn't been there for years. Being a perennial garden, it will all come up next year on its own. There aren't any weeds either, since she put down 5 or more truckloads of mulch. I'm in awe, since I have a much smaller area to keep up and can't keep ahead of it.

PHOTO: A building at the Lavender Farm on Cape Cod.

Another MUGA Scan

Jim and I were so efficient today. I had a MUGA appointment in Timonium, and we had other errands in the general area, so I went to MapQuest and plotted out a point to point plan, starting from home to each of the stopping points and back home again. I figured Jim could drop me off at my appointment and he could carry on with the errands, come back and pick me up, and we'd go home.

Of course, nothing is ever as simple as that. First, Jim ventured off on the scenic route to Timonium instead of using the MapQuest highway route, and I panicked. I needed to be at my appointment at 2:15. He did get us there by 2:15 - just - and I went in. Long story short, it was the wrong place! I needed to be at their other office on York Road, about 7 miles away. I called him on the cell phone and told him about the mixup, and he came back a couple of minutes later and picked me up. We plugged the new address into Buttercup (GPS) and off we went. By this time I was a mess of upset. We finally arrived onto York Road, but had a few problems locating their address. Had to turn around and go back, and I ended up walking all around the building to find the entrance. It was just after 2:30 when I signed in, all flustered and a bundle of nerves. A few minutes later, Jim walked in. He had decided to stay with me for moral support instead of going on the errands. I convinced him that it would be better to go ahead with our original plans, since my appointment would be at least an hour and a half long. He reluctantly agreed, and after all that, I didn't get called in until nearly 3:00! So much for all the rushing around.

The first step in the MUGA scan is that the technician starts an IV and removes a small quantity of blood, which is then labeled with a radioactive isotope, and after a 20 minute wait, the labeled blood is re-inserted through the IV and into the vein. As I walked over to get onto the table, the technician said wait, you're bleeding. I looked down and blood had soaked through the gauze and was dripping all down my arm. YIKES! Back to the chair where she replaced the saturated gauze, put more pressure on the vein and cleaned me up. What a mess. I'm fine with needles, but I don't look at them, and as long as I don't see the blood, I'm fine. I tend to freak out when I see my own blood dripping.

Inside the machine, which is like an MRI machine - a tube - I was lying there with my hands over my head, with the machine nearly touching me all around, and I had an itchy nose. Naturally. I managed to wiggle my hand down and scratched my nose, then I got sleepy and nodded off. Woke up when the machine started beeping that it was finished.

The good news is that it appears that my MUGA percentage went back up again, so I should be able to have my Herceptin treatment next week at the Oncology office. I got out of there about 4:15, Jim was waiting for me, and we came on home. All the errands were taken care of, and Jim made himself a big Manhatten.

PHOTOS: More photos of Cape Cod. 1, 2, 3) Jim's brother's house on the Cape where we stayed. 4, 5, 6, 7) Photos taken in Sandwich. No. 5 is an old grist mill. 8) Jim taking the plunge in the ocean at Red River beach.

Hot and Sizzling

It's dusk just now, and I was out calling for Pong to come in. The fireflies, or lightening bugs as we used to call them, are out flashing their each other, and it looks so pretty. It's rather magical. We call our cats and clap our hands when we want them to come in, and although our neighbors must think we're rather weird, it does work. I hadn't seen Pong, and was just walking around a little in the back and I heard him. He was meowing and running from around the front of the house. I think he was across the road at the neighbors' house. It was so funny to see him so excited to come in. Usually we get an attitude from him, because he wants to stay outside after his curfew, but tonight he was probably hungry. That's the one "leash" we have - if he wants to eat, he has to come inside. No food is ever put outside. Now he's washing his paws and rolling on the carpeting. I think he must have had enough "outside" today. No complaints - yet, anyway.

I worked outside in the garden today pulling up weeds. It was so hot and humid. I couldn't keep up with the sweat dripping off my nose and face. It's done, anyway, and I'm glad about that. I still have more yard work to do and weeding in other areas, and I hope to get out again for a while tomorrow. I have a couple of mystery plants that I left. I'm pretty sure they aren't weeds, but I'll have to have one of my friends clue me in. I'm probably cultivating some well-nourished weeds.

Later in the afternoon we had a real downpour. It didn't last a long time, but it really came down. The sky looked ominous and we could tell it was going to rain. I was on the phone and reminded Jim that Ball and Pong were outside. He went outside and called them, and the dummies didn't want to come in, even though Jim could hear the rain coming towards us. He ended up tossing one cat in and chasing the other one around the patio table before latching onto his tail. Dumb as a box of rocks, as he said.

I have a friend who is going along a similar path that I've been on with breast cancer. Our types of cancer are similar, therefore we have been through similar treatments - chemo, surgery, radiation, Herceptin - and on a similar time table. We met at Radiation Therapy and compared notes. She has experienced a similar side effect that I've had with Herceptin - a drop in the heart valve efficiency, detected with a MUGA scan. She surprised me today with a special bottle of wine. As she said, only she and I would be able to relate to the name of the wine. It's called "Muga." You gotta love it!

Photos: Images from our vacation on Cape Cod.

Vacation on Cape Cod

Jim and I arrived home last night, or I should actually say this morning, at 1:30 am. We really packed a full day at each end of the vacation. We left on a 6:50 am flight on June 30th and returned on a 10:45 pm flight yesterday, July 7th. It was a great trip. We were guests of Jim's brother and sister-in-law for a week at their summer house in South Harwich, Cape Cod. Everything went extremely well. The weather was great - it only rained once - and although it was hot and humid a lot of the time, it is summer after all. The cottage is 1 mile from Red River Beach, so we walked. Jim and I went together once. It was really windy on the beach, and the sand was flying low to the ground, but hardly any wind at all once we were off the beach. The water temperature was 65°, but Jim loved it and swam. I didn't have a bathing suit, so satisfied myself with sitting on a sand chair under an umbrella, watching all the people. It was perfect.

We visited with friends on the Cape, ate our fill of all the expected foods - chowder, clams, lobster, corn on the cob, watermelon, salads, ice cream - had a lot of family time, I did some sketching and painting, and on Sunday we had an old-fashioned clam bake for 15 people.

The clam bake started out with a hole dug in the ground. We started with some rocks, plenty of wood and a hot fire, wet seaweed, cheesecloth bags filled with onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sausages, hot dogs, Portuguese linguisa, ears of corn, and clams. More seaweed went on top of the food, and a canvas tarp covered everything. Lobsters were boiled on the stove top. For those who passed on the bake, there were cold shrimp, grilled burgers, potato salad and a green tossed salad.

Twenty-five years ago, the family had another clam bake to celebrate Jim's father's 80th birthday. That one took place at Grampa's and Nana's place on the Cape in Buzzards Bay. I have scanned photos of that event, and we all enjoyed looking back at the pictures, seeing the family members who had passed on, and how we had all looked so long ago. Well, everyone but me. Being the photographer, I don't end up in any photos! We hope to have another clam bake next year, and hopefully more family members can come. Everyone is spread out all over the map, so that may be a real challenge.

I took quite a few photos over the week, and will post more of them on my blog as time goes by.

PHOTOS: 1) The seaweed. 2) Getting the fire going. 3) Alan putting food on the fire while Jim looked on. 4) Steam escaping after the tarp was raised. 5) The table full of food. 6) The lobsters. 7) Raising a toast.

We're Off ...

We're out the door tomorrow at 4:45 am to catch our flight to Providence, leaving at 6:50 am. Ohhhhhhhh...... Just finishing up some household stuff and final packing before I get to bed. We'll be on vacation on Cape Cod with Jim's brother and sister-in-law Donna for a week. I'll catch up my blog when we return. Lots to fill in ....

Learning from a Pro

I had another haircut today. I like my new hairdresser. She's warm and friendly and is good at what she does. I'm trying to grow out the top part of my hair while keeping the back and sides short. It's a good haircut for me, and is a good style for the wavy hair I now have.

Cathy offered to help me today with the printing of my watercolor pictures to mount on greeting cards. She's amazing. She uses Photoshop to set things up for printing, and works so quickly I can hardly keep up. One thing is that instead of using a computer mouse, she uses a Wacum digitizer stylus pen. I learn so much sitting with her at her computer. She made templates in different sizes for me and put them on a CD so that I can print my own at home as I need them. What I intend to do is to cut the photos out and center them on a black mat, then mount them on blank greeting cards.

I learned why the paper is important when printing - the various manufacturers of printers put a proprietary coating on their paper to work specifically with their printers - and the evidence was just discernible when we used 2 different papers on the same printer. Not a great difference, but a slight variation in the color. Interesting. She worked with me for over 2 hours on this project, and I was very grateful. At a later point, when I don't need the end product for a deadline as I do for this Red Hat event on Sunday, I'd love to spend some more time learning Photoshop. It's amazing what you can do with it. Cathy has been using Photoshop for years. She's had it since it first came out, and I believe it's now in its 9th upgrade. She teaches Photoshop at the local community college.

I was very excited to see my own watercolor paintings printed out. It makes a lot of sense to print them, as Cathy suggested. That way, I still retain my original painting to do with as I want, and I can make more of the same paintings.

PHOTO: Ming Poo, looking very sleepy. I love the sleek shine of her fur.

Back Again

I took a break yesterday from my blog. I didn't post one, as I've decided to back off some from my daily blogging.

Had an appointment with my radiation doctor today. All is well - this was just a check up to see how I'm doing. The radiation burn left a tanned area behind, which should continue to fade over time. I'm also supposed to take vitamin E and another prescription drug to help with the softening of the skin and underlying scar tissue. He said I should be taking those for a year post radiation.

While in town, I made a few stops and did some shopping at Kohl's. I found several things I can use this summer and for our trip to the Cape next week. There was a big sale going on, and some clearance clothing that I poured over. Found some nice things. I really dislike clothes shopping - for one thing, trying stuff on. As a result, I don't clothes shop very often. Also, I have to go on my own. I know that a lot of women like to shop together, but for clothing, I want to go by myself. I've lost some weight, so clothes are looking better on me now than before.

I also picked up some note cards and photo paper. I'm going to print out copies of some of my watercolors to mat and mount on blank cards to sell on Sunday at my vendor table at the Red Hat event. I planned to do some of it tonight, but had to leave it in frustration. The scanner we have has an attitude, and every so often insists the software needs to be loaded. It's already loaded, and the proof is that it does scan - sometimes. Earlier I scanned a picture and had it on my computer, testing it out in various sizes. Now I can't locate the picture in my computer under the HP gallery. It's very strange. There's definitely something going on with the software that's really frustrating. The thing is, I've worked with the scanner and the gallery quite a bit, and now I'm unable to get anything to work. Naturally, since I need the computer's cooperation to get these cards printed.

PHOTO: One of the watercolors I think I'll use on my greeting cards.

Jim's Trip

There are loudenboomers going on outside right now, and flashes of lightening. The storm has passed by our house, but it's still nearby. The plants needed a drink tonight, and I thought it probably wouldn't rain, so I was out there this evening with the hose and watering can giving everybody a drink. Now they had a pretty good soaking from the rain.

I've been working upstairs in my craft room for several hours today. Went up again after dinner and listened to an audio book while I worked. I have to watch myself, because I often find myself dropping what I'm doing and sitting back and listening. I had kitty company as well, and they seemed to be lulled by the Scottish accent female voice, as I was.

Jim kept a low profile today after his busy weekend in Richmond. He stayed inside and read quietly most of the day - all his literature he brought back with him. The wood turners symposium was a huge success, with thousands of people from all over the world in attendance; classes, demonstrations, vendors, and tons of information to soak up. He was very impressed with it. There were people famous in the wood turning world - craftsmen, inventors, artisans, and authors who were mingling with the attendees. Some of them Jim has seen on DVD videos or read their books. His brain was on stimulation overload, and he was pretty exhausted when he got home. He brought home a couple of pieces of special wood and a turning tool that he was able to try on a lathe. He also learned about some dangerous or toxic woods that can cause various reactions, some severe.

He stayed at the Marriott right next to the convention center. Turns out we had enough Marriott points that he was able to pay for his 2 nights with points. For a nice hotel, he thought there were quite a few chintzy aspects to it. For example, although there were newspapers outside the doors of other guests doors in the mornings, none was delivered to him. Also, no water fountains in the hotel - only bottled water sold for $1.75 each. Parking was $14.00 a day, and extra if you removed your car from the lot and came back. And no TV without paying for it. If you wanted to catch the news or just a program, you had to pay for 24 hours and it was $12.00 a day. Who ever heard of a hotel without free TV? I know some charge for "adult" programming, but I've always seen free TV in the rooms. It makes me wonder if those who are paying with points are in some rooms without normal amenities, TV and newspapers. It seems as if good service isn't something we can expect in a quality establishment any more, and that's too bad.

PHOTO: Moss-covered stump in Youghiogheny State Park, MD.

Forget the St. Bernards - Sharon to the Rescue!

Boy, did I get myself in a fix this morning. I saw in the classified ads that 5 yard sales were being held today, and decided to go check them out. By Sunday, most people are sick of their stuff and slash and burn the prices just to get rid of everything. I went off by myself, and actually found several really good things. At the last one, a cul-de-sac with 3 families participating, I left my purse in the car rather than carry it with me. My car (Christine) is a Cadillac that has a keyless entry, and as long as the key fob is in the car, it doesn't lock. I know this because I do it all the time.

Well, except for today. Today when I returned to my car after the yard sale and pulled on the door handle, instead of opening up, it was locked! I was in disbelief. This has never happened before. Often when I'm unloading the car in the garage, my purse is on the seat, and I can get in and out of the car without any problem. If I try to open the car and don't have the key fob with me, I go in the house, grab my purse, wave it at the car, and it opens. It's designed to open as long as the key fob is within 3 feet of the door, ergo, with the purse on the seat, it remains open.

I was dumbstruck, and couldn't think what I could do. Jim wasn't home - he wasn't expected until 5:00 tonight. Even if I could get a ride to my house, I was still in deep doo-doo because my house key is also in the purse, and our garage door keypad entry hasn't been working. Jim recently changed the battery, and it didn't fix the problem. We don't have a key to the house hidden outside. No neighbor has a key. I thought perhaps I had given a key to Sharon, because I have one to her house for taking care of her dog when she's gone. If I could get inside my house, I could get the duplicate key fob and open it with that.

The woman whose house I was parked in front of was very nice and tried to help. She offered her cell phone for me to make a call, but I don't know anybody's phone number - they're all programed in my cell phone, and I didn't have it with me. I couldn't call AAA - my membership card was inside my purse. I decided to take a chance and call Sharon, if her phone number was in the phone book, which the woman went in and got for me. Thank goodness, the number was listed. Being a nice day, I expected her to be outside gardening and her answering machine to pick up. I was amazed when she answered.

I told her I was in trouble and needed help, explained the situation, and asked if she had my house key. No, she doesn't. She offered to call AAA for me. She lives within a couple of miles from where I was, and said she'd be there in 10 minutes or so - once she got dressed. I was lucky with the timing of my call, as she was just about to jump in the shower and wouldn't have heard the phone. She soon arrived, and said she had already called Cathy for Greg's advice - yes, call AAA, and give them Sharon's membership number. We did, and since she was there to verify using her card number, it all worked out. I told the dispatcher that I had a keyless entry, and would the driver be able to open the car without doing damage to it? He assured me that the driver did have the proper tool, and would alert him that I have a keyless entry system to make sure he came equipped. With AAA on the problem, we decided to pass the time shopping, and Sharon managed to score several good buys from the yard sales.

After about an hour and a half, the truck arrived, and within 5 minutes he had the car open. We were amazed at how he did it. He inserted an inflatable pouch through the crack in the door, and filled it with air. The pressure eased the door open about 1/2 -3/4 of an inch, then he slid a rubber-coated steel rod through the opening. The rod had a hook on the end of it. First he tried to catch the door handle. That didn't work. He asked where the key fob was, and I told him in the purse. He proceeded to lift the purse up by the handle, and then slid open the zipper! That was spooky. I don't know how he thought that would do any good, dumping the purse upside down to fish out the fob. Maybe he would have poked the unlock button on the fob. Anyway, I asked him to try again to lift the handle, which he did, and this time it worked! It popped the handle up, and with it the door opened. Christine's alarm started screaming and I rushed to grab the purse, locate the fob, and shut the car off. We had silence. I signed the form, and he was off.

I can't say why the door locked this time, but when I started up the car, Christine told me that 1) there had been a theft attempt and 2) the trunk lid was ajar. I checked the trunk lid, and sure enough, it was ajar, and I closed it. I'm thinking that perhaps the trunk being open somehow messed up the computer's logic sequence. Either that or Christine was being vindictive because I recently changed the GPS voice from a female to a proper British male, and was calling him Jeeves. That's Sharon's theory. I think I agree with her.

I again thanked the woman who helped me out and apologized for all the screaming racket, and she assured me that she had been entertained with all that was going on. Sharon and I parted company, and she warned me against trying to yard sale on my own again. Point taken. I'm going to make some changes around here to make sure I never have to deal with this nightmare again. I think I may have also added a little excitement to Cathy and Greg's otherwise ordinary day. Cathy called me after I arrived home to find out if I had been able to get home, and for a rundown on the fiasco. We enjoyed some good laughs over my now hilarious predicament. Thank goodness for friends you can call in a crisis!

PHOTO: Weathervane on the horse barn/stable across the road.

Yard Sailing is More Fun that Holding Your Own

The day started earlier than I would have liked, but I was still late getting to our yard sale this morning. Sharon and Ron were out at 6:00 setting up. I wasn't there until after 8:00. I unloaded my car and set things out. Sharon had already unloaded her car full of things from my house that we packed up yesterday afternoon. The 3 of us sat under a canopy all day - great shade from the hot sun. The temperature was in the high 80's. We packed up around 1:30. What didn't sell or wasn't wanted by any of us ended up in Ron's van, and he took it to The Mission Store as a donation. We saved out a few things, not much at all - I didn't want the things back in the house again. I tried to entice people by telling them everything was 50% off the prices marked, but that didn't seem to make much of an impression.

This is it. After doing 3 yard sales this spring, we've had it. No more. Way too much work for a pittance of a return.

Jim will be coming home tomorrow around 5 pm from his wood turning symposium in Virginia. He called late this afternoon, but I was napping and groggy, and I don't remember much of what we said. I know he called David and talked to him for a while. He sat in on classes and demos and seemed to be enjoying the whole experience. It will be good to have him back safe at home. Oh, I did get pizza for dinner tonight - I brought home an individual one from the nearby Pizza Hut. Yum!

PHOTO: Beaver Run, a stream near our house.

Playing Bachelorette

Jim just called. He's in Richmond attending a symposium put on by the American Wood Turner's Association at the Convention Center. He's enjoying it so far. There are people in attendance from all over the world. Every year it's held in a different place. Last year it was Portland, Oregon. It's fortunate for him that this year's event is relatively close by - a 3-hour drive from our house. It's a 2 1/2 day event with demonstrations, classes, vendors, and lots of wood of different types. He's picking up lots of literature, for David and himself, to digest after he comes home. What he's seen so far has made him even more pleased with the lathe he bought. For one thing, it's a very good one, and the price he paid is cheaper than the "show special" price for the same lathe at the symposium. He thinks they jack up the price, then give a show discount, to make the customer feel like he's getting a good deal.

With Jim gone, I decided to make something from the freezer that Jim would never eat but I enjoy - Trader Joe's Tortellini with Pesto Sauce. It was delicious, and just enough for a single serving. I had a craving for pizza and thought of going to Pizza Hut, but stayed home and saved my money. I may still get that pizza tomorrow night. Haven't had one in forever.

I've been working pretty hard on my crafts that I plan to sell at a Red Hat Extravaganza on June 29th. I'm combining various crafts I do - crocheted wire jewelry, watercolor paintings, greeting cards, and bookmarks embellished with painting and stampings, beading, ribbon, and charms. There will be over 200 women at this event and 9 vendors. I believe the vendors will be selling various Red Hat clothing, hats, and accessories, so my items may be unique. I do have some bookmarks that are Red Hat themed. I asked my friends to help me in pricing the bookmarks today, and the overall consensus is that I can only ask about $4 or $5 each. They thought that even though it's original art, people just won't pay $8 or $10 for a bookmark, which is what I was hoping I could charge. Maybe I will be able to make it up selling the jewelry. My next step will be to see about selling them on Etsy.com, a website for people to buy and sell all kinds of original handmade things.

PHOTO: Yellow.

Perfect Summer Day

Today was a great mowing day. The temperature was very mild, skies clear. As I mowed, swallows were swooping down in front and behind me, catching the insects that were tossed up by the mower. There were probably a dozen of them, some coming pretty close to me. Jim mowed the last bit on the side of the driveway for me.

He was really busy today. He's nearly finished putting the solar reflective blanket in the attic. He's been going up every morning and spending an hour or two up there before the attic temperature gets too hot. It's also limiting because he has to get into contorted positions on his knees, on his back, on his side, balancing on the rafters. He's ended up battered and bruised, but he's conquered it. We're expecting to see the effects of this material immediately in lower energy bills and a more constant household temperature. We're looking forward to a cooler second floor in summer and more even temperatures throughout in the winter. Jim also set up our rain barrel today, although it isn't hooked up to the downspout yet.

We have some beautiful lilies in bloom now. They're a soft pink color. The blooms are on top-heavy stems, and some of them have fallen over. I probably should be staking them for support. The tomatoes are really taking off, and so is the yellow squash and pepper plant. Little flowers are showing up on the plants. I need to get out there tomorrow and attack the weeds again. You wouldn't know I weeded it a week ago.

PHOTO: Beautiful stained glass, Murano, Italy

Hold the Herceptin

Before I went to my Herceptin appointment in Towson this morning, I decided to call first and see if the MUGA scan results would allow me to continue with my treatments. As it turns out, the answer was no, so I saved a trip. My oncologist told the receptionist to tell me that he wants to wait another month, and have another MUGA just before coming in again. Sigh ... For those who don't know what this is all about, a MUGA scan measures the efficiency of the ventricular heart valve as it pumps blood through the heart. It's called the EF or ejection fraction. A side effect of Herceptin is that it can cause a lowering of the EF, having the potential to cause congestive heart failure. Some people have no reaction to Herceptin, but I am one who does, so I've had a lot of these MUGA scans. My doctor took me off Herceptin for 3 months from December until February to allow the EF to rise again, which it did, but apparently it's now down again, therefore the month wait.

I spent the day instead working in my craft room. Things were going along swimmingly, until I managed to dump an entire organizer box of beads upside down. Thousands of beads - all mixed together in a mess on the carpeting. It took me an hour and a half to get them all picked up and resorted. Paddle helped. She watched me the whole time from her perch on the chair.

PHOTO: Pig racing at the Maryland State Fair last summer.

Long Day

I went in for my MUGA scan today, but I didn't get the results while there. My Herceptin appointment is tomorrow, so I'll find out then if I've lost any ground with the heart efficiency. This time I had it at another facility - Westminster - instead of the place I usually go, and I took advantage of being in town to run a marathon of errands. Knowing I'd be there, I plotted myself a map from my errand list, and it worked out very efficiently. I took care of several things I've been putting off for months, like getting my ring checked at the jeweler's to make sure the diamonds were secure. It's my 20th anniversary ring, and less than a year after Jim gave it to me, one of the side diamonds fell out. I was very upset about that, but they won't guarantee it unless you come in every 6 months to have it inspected. So now I try to keep on top of it. I also took back something to Wal-Mart's that I bought months ago. Lost the sales slip, so I thought I'd have to keep it, but Sharon told me you can return up to 3 things a year without a sales slip. It worked!

All told, I was gone from the house for nearly 8 hours, and I was pooped! Everything is done, though, and that's good.

PHOTO: Iris in our garden. This year, however, lots of flags or leaves but hardly any flowers, and none this color. Perhaps from overcrowding. I need to divide them up and see if that will help next year.

Little P

For the second day in a row, Penelope has brought her new little fawn to our back yard. The fact that she seems so comfortable here with her baby makes me think she is proud of her and wants to show her off. This morning Jim saw Penelope standing up on the hill behind the house, keeping an eye on Little P (as Jim has named her - or him) as the fawn sniffed all around and frolicked at the edge of the woods. They stayed around long enough for Jim to grab his camera and take a couple of shots through the glass in the door. (That was his plan, however I found when uploading the camera that the setting was in movie mode instead of picture mode, so I don't have a photo to put on the blog.) Penelope watched Jim, but apparently didn't feel worried. I think it made him feel good that she recognizes that he isn't a threat - she has seen him often as he brought grain up to the feeder bowl. He hasn't been feeding the deer recently. For one thing the cost is getting prohibitive, and for another, there's plenty for them to eat in the woods now. Jim said Ball was outside when the deer came up, and slunk along on the patio to get away. Imagine, being afraid of a fawn. What a wus!

We had our monthly book club lunch today at Betty's. It was great - although we missed Sharon being with us because of a doctor's appointment. Geneva came in her place. I loved seeing Geneva again - haven't seen her for a while. I think she'll be 84 soon, and she's very active and engaged in lots of activities. Geneva goes to water aerobics 3 times a week, goes out to dinner, shopping or movies with friends. She's one of the women who were scheduled for a balloon ride a week or so ago, but it was postponed twice now because of inclement weather. Now it's rescheduled for the fall.

The book for this month was Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides. I didn't care for the book and didn't read the whole thing. Actually, I stopped about 75 pages into it. It was quite a lengthy novel - over 550 pages. I think the other women found it to be way too long and jumped back and forth, making it difficult to follow. Although they read it,they didn't care too much for it. Carolyn did like it a lot, and had read it a year or so ago. She said you have to read it like a Greek tragedy, which it is. We did spend more than our usual amount of time discussing the book, so it was given its fair share.

I have lots of errands and appointments tomorrow, starting with a MUGA scan at 8:15. Being a night owl, that's a little early for me to be out and about, but I'll be there. Creative erranding - all in keeping with gas usage economy and combining car trips.

PHOTO: A bouquet of tulips Jim bought for me a while back. I love tulips.

Happy Father's Day

We just returned a little bit ago from David and Karen's where we spent a great day with the family. The weather was perfect for an outdoor meal, and it was really delicious - rib eye steaks and barbecued shrimp on the grill, with all the trimmings. Loved it. David has been doing some beautiful bowl turning, and showed us his lathe set up and his work shop. He and his Dad now have matching lathes, and compare notes on chucks and gouges and finishes. It's a great hobby that they're both learning about at the same time. The kids are both out of school now, and gearing up for summer activities - Lacrosse camp for Chris, Scout camp for Alex, swimming lessons, and tennis. Sounds like a lot of fun. It was great to catch up on family happenings, and the guys watched the U. S. Open Golf Tournament. It was an exciting ending, with Tiger Woods pulling off a tie on the last putt, resulting in another 18-hole playoff tomorrow with Rocco Mediate. Doesn't get better than that.

We had a special treat this morning. Penelope showed up behind the house, and scampering behind her was a new spotted fawn! We were thrilled to see them. I'm guessing it was Penelope, she seemed so tame, although we may have been mistaken. The fawn couldn't have been more than a week or so old, it was so tiny. That's the second fawn I've seen in 2 days. No time to grab the camera, they were gone in a few seconds.

PHOTO: One of the ornamental trees in our front yard this spring, with a bee pollinating it.

New Tea Room

Four of us went yard sailing today, this time with Shirley and without Carolyn, who wasn't able to come. I can't say what it is about yard sailing that is such a hit, but it sure is. Rain or shine, it's fun. While we were driving along, several men were cutting broken limbs from a damaged maple tree. We pulled over, I got out, and asked if I could have a log for my husband, who has a wood lathe and does wood turning. They were happy to oblige, and asked which piece I'd like to take. I made a selection, the chain saw was fired up, the piece was cut, and hand carried to the back of the van for me. They were so nice. We're always on the lookout for wood now, as well as yard sale signs. Jim's acquiring a stockpile.

We went to Beck's for a good lunch, then made a stop at a new tea shop in town. Today was the grand opening of the Sweet Simplici-Tea tea room in historic Sykesville, and what a treat. Two sisters have opened this shop, which had previously been a very sorry lunch place. It's been completely redecorated in a Victorian style, with lovely old furniture, curtains, and tea ware everywhere. They have seating for 25 people. The decor is just lovely, mauve walls and floral wallpaper. Even the bathroom is charming. The tea room also has a gift shop with beautiful handmade items from local artisans. All the food was free of charge today. We were served a delicious pot of White Apple Tea, with a lovely plate of fruits and sweets to sample along with our tea. The place was filled with customers all the while we were there, and from what the sisters said, it had been like that all day. They seemed to be thrilled with the response from everyone who came in, and I just know it will be a big hit. They deserve a lot of credit for all the hard work and planning they've obviously put into making their business successful. The local Red Hat Society chapters alone should keep them busy. I know we'll be back ourselves.

I wonder if there's a full moon tonight. The cats are racing around acting crazy. Ming Poo has been tearing around the house, growling in her tough girl voice, and Paddle is running around too. They seem to have some extra energy to burn off. Paddle is willing to play with Ming Poo tonight. Pong is pretending he doesn't know either of them, lying on the floor in his aloof sphinx posture. Ball is pretending to sleep on the the rocking chair pillow, his back to everyone.

PHOTO: Taken a couple of weeks ago. Our favorite doe, Penelope, who comes often to visit. Jim walked up to the shed today to bring Pong inside, since he'd been out all day and it was getting pretty hot. He was standing there looking into the woods as Jim was petting him. Jim looked up to see what Pong was staring at, and there was Penelope a short distance from them, watching Jim and Pong. Then she scampered away. On our way home this afternoon, my friends and I saw a spotted fawn peeking out from the woods on the edge of the road. I saw her mother going into the woods just before I saw the fawn.

Friday the 13th

I was just looking through my blog, and see that yesterday's blog was number 400. Wow! I knew I was chatty, but that surprises me. Now it's a habit, and even though I don't often have special news to report, it's become a daily journal, and I sometimes refer back to remember when something happened or just to reread what I wrote. I'm glad to have it as a resource to look back on, and as time passes, it will serve when my memory doesn't.

I went in to Towson today and was fitted with a silicone prosthesis and mastectomy bras. My reconstruction surgery won't be until near the end of the year, so I'll have this to use for the next 5 or 6 months. Luckily, my insurance company pays for the prosthesis and 4 bras, since they are expensive. The bras each have a pocket on either side so that the prosthesis can be slipped inside where needed. There were two professional fitters who helped me to get an accurate fit. Very nice women and quite helpful. I'm pleased with the natural look of my new bust line. The prosthesis is weighted so that it fits naturally. It's comfortable and feels fine. I was a little surprised at the heft of it when I removed it.

Cathy and I went to Carolyn's for crafting today. Sharon is visiting with out of town relatives today and couldn't join in. The three of us worked with polymer clay, making some clay box lids that we stamped and then baked. Mine was a tea cup and saucer that I will paint now that it's baked. Carolyn has an enormous number of crafting materials in her studio, and we were like kids in a candy shop with too many choices. It was a lot of fun. We snacked on fresh strawberries, apples with caramel, nuts, cheese and crackers, Rice Krispie treats, jellied candies - and cold drinks. We had a lot of room in her studio to spread out and work. Carolyn's whole career has been in teaching art, so we were in good hands. She works quickly and efficiently, has all the necessary tools, and knows what she's doing. How can we go wrong?

I was very saddened today to hear that Tim Russert, the Washington Bureau Chief of NBC news and moderator of Meet the Press, died suddenly today of a heart attack. He was only 58 years old. I thought he was an excellent journalist, thorough but fair, and obviously well respected by his peers and fellow journalists and throughout the world. I spent some time listening to the tributes offered up by his colleagues, who seem bereft and shocked, knowing they have lost a very special and talented friend.

PHOTO: My African Violets in our kitchen window. Taken before Ming Poo knocked off the taller crackled glass vase and broke it. Now it's less cluttered, which is probably what she had in mind when she knocked it off. Click photo to enlarge.

My Glass Jaw

Ow, ow ow ... Have you ever had TMJ? It stands for Temporo-mandibular joint disorder, and it's a problem where the jaw joint locks or is out of sync. I had a slightly uneven opening of the jaw for years, most of my adult life. It didn't hurt, but it would click. One day I bit down wrong on a nut or something, and that did it. I couldn't open my mouth fully, and when I did, it was uneven. I had to have oral surgery to correct it. After the procedure, it was lots better, but not 100%, and over the years it gets better or not as good, and recently it's been bothering me quite a bit. The more it seemed out of place, the more I would try to get it back, and I irritated it, I think. Now it's achy. The past couple of days I haven't been able to bite or chew normally because of the discomfort. Forget about taking a bite out of an apple. Impossible, and I've always been able to do that. I've made a dental appointment to have my dentist check it out and refer me to someone local who can take care of it. In the meantime, eating is difficult, and for someone who really enjoys eating, it's a major issue!

I had my last Drawing and Painting class today, and it was a great class. We used all the techniques and skills we had learned and painted a still life in acrylics. It was a brown jug, a cut orange on a plate, the knife, all sitting on a blue cloth. The arrangement was nice, and we started in with some small, quick sketches for composition, selected one and made it full sized, then went on to canvas paper and painted. No pencil on the canvas, that was a no-no. Our instructor said that would be like paint by number. We had to refer to our drawing, then draw with the paint brush. We were all intimidated initially, but dove in, and everyone ended up with a believable and fairly good painting. The other thing is that all the colors - orange, brown, background neutral, blue - had to be created from 3 primary colors (red, yellow, blue) and white. That's one thing I seem to be able to do pretty well. We didn't have enough time to finish or do the details, but we all got the basic painting done, and we were feeling pretty good about it. I'm going to take the next course this summer that begins in July.

Today was the day for the cats to be "slimed" with Frontline. I have to put it at the base of their necks and they hate it. It must be the smell they detest, although I hardly smell anything. They run when they see it in my hand. Ming Poo was performing such acrobatics trying to lick the back of her own neck that Jim said she'd be good in The Exorcist for the scene where the girl's head turns all the way around. I hope they don't think I'm dong this to torture them. Poor little things. At least it keeps them flea and tick free. I put it on Ming Poo even though she doesn't go outside, just in case she picked one up that dropped off one of the other cats. That's my rationale, but I really don't know if I need to slime her or not. I should check with the vet, I guess. Or Google.

PHOTO: My Sweeties!