Currently...

I am

Reading... still working on that Nora Roberts double feature. I haven't been in the mood to read like I thought I would be while I'm off work.

Watching... yet another Hallmark movie. This time it's Texas Two-Step. It's not bad. Mostly I've been working my way through all of their mystery series.

Listening... to the country soundtrack of the above mentioned movie, the hum of the AC (it's going to be a hot one), and the click of the laptop keys as I type.

Eating... it was cantaloupe for breakfast today. We drove up the mountain on Monday to shop at a Mennonite market and came home with lots of goodies...fresh produce and goodies like pumpkin spice fudge.

Thinking... about what to do with the rest of the day. I'm thinking I'll wash dishes, try to do a load or two of laundry (I can't carry a basket so I have to take two or three items to the washer and go back for two or three more until I have a load), and maybe work on some more diamond art for the craft show in November (maybe I'll work on bookmarks).

Feeling... pretty good for being slightly less than two weeks past surgery. I'm moving more and getting out a little here and there. There's just a little discomfort now and then. Unless I sneeze, cough, or we hit a pothole while in the car. All of that still makes me feel like my guts might explode out.

Celebrating... the all clear from my doctor. The tests showed no spread of the cancer and the tumor was at an earlier stage than they thought so no chemo or radiation. I just have to get checkups for the next 5 years. 

Enjoying... having unlimited time to work on crafts, relax, read...do whatever I want.

Thankful... for the big manilla envelope full of "get well" and "we miss you" cards and drawings from the clients at work that came in yesterday's mail. It was so sweet and made my day.

Praying... for our daughter. She is having health issues again, but maybe, just maybe someone is going to listen to her about her feelings that she has a hormonal imbalance. That alone could account for a lot of the things she suffers with. Also keeping our friend, Dave, in prayer. He has colon cancer before (and a lot of other problems), but now he has pancreatic cancer. His wife told me last week that one of his doctors said it is stage 4/terminal. God can and does still work miracles so there is still hope. As a friend put it a long time ago, "As long as there is breath in the body, there is still room for hope."

Giggling...

Saturday 9: Working In The Coal Mine

1) In this song, Lee Dorsey sings that at 5:00 he's already on the job. What were you doing this morning at 5:00 AM?  I'm answering on Friday evening and since I am currently on a 6-week leave of absence from work, I was sleeping.

2) He's worked so hard all week that he's too tired to enjoy his weekend. What are you doing for fun this holiday weekend?  Nothing special as I'm not allowed to drive, lift anything heavy-ish, stand for too long, sit for too long, push anything, pull anythihng, etc. I'll probably finally drag out the crafts I've promised myself I'd work on while I'm off work. (Don't worry. If they are heavy I'll have someone else doing the actual dragging.)

3) Lee Dorsey was raised in Portland Oregon, home of the Portland Trailblazers. The NBA season kicks off next month. Do you have a favorite basketball team?  Nope

 

4) This song was written by Allen Toussaint, who had a long career as a composer and producer. He produced Fats Domino in the late 1950s and worked with Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney into the new millennium. What job have you held the longest?  School bus driver. I did that for 16 years while my kids were in school and beyond.

 

5) In 1966, the year this song was popular, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey was born. Are you a good cook?  When I want to be. Lately I've been more of a lazy cook.

6) 1966 was the year when more Americans purchased color TVs and black and white sets. When you were a kid, did your family have a black and white TV?  I remember us having a black and white TV when I was small. If I take a guess, I'd say we got a color TV (one of those big consol jobs) around 1973.

7) Labor Day is a big weekend for mattress sales. Do you plan on buying a new mattress before the year is out?  No, we just bought one 2 years ago.

8) Though kids go back to class earlier these days, store aisles are still full of school supplies. When she was a little girl, Sam was crazy about her big box of 96 Crayola Crayons with a sharpener in the back. Share one of your back-to-school memories.  Mostly I remember the marathon shopping trips with my mom and my aunt. I'm talking about them dragging me and my cousin from one store to another allllll day long. Everything had to be tried on and there were always multiples. We couldn't try on one pair of jeans if there were 12 to consider.

9) Labor Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of fall. Have you had any pumpkin spice yet?  It's like you don't even know me. Of course I've had pumpkin spice. Several times. Donuts, pancakes, bread, ice cream...

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions. You can play along here.

Thankful Thursday

There is a lot to be thankful for today, but I think I'm just going to drop two on you and call it a day.

First, I'm thankful to even be able to post tonight. We've had terrible storms rolling through all day and the ones tonight have just been the worst. Part of the evening was spent hunkering down in the basement with our daughter's family. 

About 6:30 this evening everyone's phones started exploding with weather alerts. They weren't messing around, just said to seek shelter NOW. Apparently, the heavy rains were hiding the cloud rotation so that only radar was picking it up. They said if you waited until you could see it or hear it, it would be too late.

Thankfully, we didn't see the expected 80 mph winds. The chairs and rug on the pool deck had to be fished out of the pool when it was over, but we had no damage. A quick drive around the neighborhood showed nothing other than a lot of standing and running water. Other areas were not so lucky and thousands in the region are without power tonight and will face a big clean up job tomorrow.

Second, I am thankful for the report I got from my oncologist today. The cancer was at an earlier stage than believed and they got all of it. I do not have to do chemo or radiation. I just have to follow up for 5 years. 

Thank you, Lord! 

And thank you to the army of people who have been praying for me!

Currently...

I am

Reading... Engaging the Enemy by Nora Roberts. It's a 2-in-1 book.

Watching... a LOT of Hallmark movies.

Listening... to the AC. Sweltering heat is back with us this week.

Eating... comfort foods. Tonight was Chinese. (Hey, I'm stuck at home and not allowed to do much. I neeeed comforting.)

Thinking... that I'm going to lose my mind over the next six weeks.

Feeling... pretty good, all things considered. I'm a bit sore, but nothing Tylenol and ibuprofen can't handle. I haven't taken even one Oxycodone and I don't plan to.

Celebrating... that my surgery went well and one preliminary report says no malignant cells were found outside of the tumor. I have to wait until my doctor calls to give me the official news and what the plan is going forward. He seemed pretty sure I'd at least have to do some radiation treatments.

Enjoying... time away from work, the shift to all things fall, and having an excuse to not do much in the way of housekeeping.

Thankful... my mom and step-dad have such good neighbors up on the ridge. Mom went to the ER the day after my surgery and ended up staying to get a stent put in because she has a kidney stone that is too large to pass. They sent her home the next day and she went back the following morning...courtesy of a neighbor driving her at 6:00 in the morning. She was sent home after a brief exam. We are dealing with the fact that she seems to think the stent is a permanent thing and she's "cured." We are also dealing with the fact that her thinking is beginning to show cracks. A lot of the stress over my step-dad's condition for all those months, we are now thinking was due to her not listening/understanding what she was being told. So, yes, very thankful for neighbors who keep an eye on them since we are at least 20 minutes away and they are exceptionally stubborn.

Giggling...

Currently

I am

Reading... something by Nora Roberts. It's a paperback I picked up used. I started reading it at the park today with a client, which means I had lots of interruptions.

Watching... nothing in particular. I'll be looking for a new binge in a few days.

Listening... I've been in the mood for oldies rock and roll, stuff from the 50's and 60's.

Eating... we had a beef noodle casserole tonight.

Thinking... about my surgery on Thursday, being off work for six weeks, how I'll manage things at home, etc.

Feeling... pretty achy since I've had to stop taking all my meds until after surgery...and maybe a bit nervous. They are taking out a good portion of my insides, after all.

Celebrating... nothing at the moment.

Enjoying... time with my work friends and the consumers I care for while I can. I'll miss them while I'm off.

Thankful... my stepdad keeps improving, mom's doctor said her falls haven't caused any damage to worry about, and as always for everyone's prayers, my family's help and support, and a great medical team.

Giggling...

Saturday 9: Shoo Fly Pie (and Apple Pie Dowdy)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) Shoo fly pie got its name from Shoo Fly the Boxing Mule. After the Civil War, the mule who could box was such a popular circus attraction that a molasses manufacturer started featuring him on their packaging. Since molasses is the key ingredient of this pie recipe, homemakers just began referring to it as "shoo fly pie." If we looked, would we find molasses in your kitchen?  No. I don't think I've ever used molasses for anything.

2) Apple pan dowdy is another uniquely American recipe from the 19th century. It's like apple pie, except it only has a top crust, which is broken up. Apples are a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Do you consider nutrition when choosing a dessert? Or are you just all about how it tastes?  Dessert...nutrition? Um, I'll take 2 words that don't go together for $1000, please. I can honestly say I've never considered how nutritious a dessert might be.

3) The lyrics describe these two desserts as the ultimate comfort foods, able to make "the sun come out when the heavens are cloudy." Do you find that the foods you crave change with your mood?  Not really. I usually crave comfort foods and those tend to be starchy so they just make me sleepy.

4) Singer June Christy pleads with her mama to whip up this "wonderful stuff." Did your mother have a dish you often requested?  I can't remember any. Mom wasn't a terrible cook, but she wasn't a great one, either.

5) June was born in Springfield, Illinois' capital. Have you been to your state's capital city?  A few times, but it's been a while. I've heard it isn't the safest place these days. 

6) June spent years singing with Stan Kenton's Orchestra. At one point, she gave 38 performances in 35 towns in 35 days. That's a busy schedule! Do you thrive on activity? Or do you find yourself rejuvenated by quiet time?  I tend to be an introvert and I need my quiet time to recharge. 

7) In 1946, when this record was popular, bikinis were first seen in Paris fashion shows. How often have you worn your swimsuit this summer?  Not as many as I'd have liked to. This has been a weird, crazy wet summer. The pool water is not warm.

8) Also in 1946, Elias Tupper invented Tupperware, a plastic container with an airtight top that's great for preserving leftovers. Are there any leftovers in your refrigerator right now?  No

9) Random question: Is there a day of the week that goes by faster than the others?  Saturday.

* All the hoops have been jumped through. My scan results finally came back yesterday. There are a couple of things to keep an eye on down the road (a nodule on my thyroid and one in my lung...but likely not cancer), otherwise, I'm good to go and my surgery will take place on Thursday. As it looks now, I will be off work following that until October 9.

* Today I am off to a fundraiser for a friend who has pancreatic cancer. I made and donated a gift basket of fall items for the basket bash portion of the day. Tim has to work so my daughter and granddaughter are going with me. Mom can't get away so she gave me money to buy more basket tickets for all of us.

Sunday Stealing: What's Your Favorite?

This week's meme was stolen from Country Dew. A decade ago, she shared these "get to know you" questions she found on Facebook. Let's use them to get to know you better. 

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE...?

1. Flavor?  Pumpkin spice...and that goes for just about everything.

2. Movie?  Dirty Dancing.

3. Piece of jewelry?  My wedding ring.

4. Place to be?  Home or Chincoteague Island, VA if I can get there.

5. Boy's name?  Jake

6. Girl's name?  Savannah

7. Candy?  Lindor truffles.

8. Sports team?  Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Color?  I don't have one. I like the whole pallet of autumn colors.

10. Month?  October