Spending Time at Laurel's

Did I foolishly say that I wasn't going to yabber on about my current life circumstances? What in the world made me think that?! I mean really, it is all that is happening in my corner. I'll try to take it easy on you, but I do have just a few things to say. Just a few...

Sometimes appointments jam up so badly that it is a whole lot easier to head for Laurel's and hang out for a few days. She lives about twenty minutes from the cancer center where I receive both chemo and bone infusions and also physical therapy. 

Besides, she has these gorgeous Campfire Roses. These babies literally turn heads.

 ~Campfire Roses Row~

 Laurel also has a whole lot of road construction going on at her house...beep*beep*beep. No rest for the weary there so as tempting as it'd be to continue hanging out with Laurel and Charlie... The first night there, a water main broke just a half hour after the crew had left for the day. They came bacccckkk and were there until 2:22 in the morning fixing it. This all transpired just a few feet beyond Laurel's driveway...beep*beep*beep.*

Course at Laurel's, she makes supper. Perfect! That night, I do believe we had grilled new red potatoes and onions in foil packets on the grill with steak and green beans. Yup. I still love a prepositional phrase.

 And at Laurel's, Charlie likes to sit with me while I visit blogs and Instagram...

or take pictures of his ridiculously handsome self.

~facial rose~

 So you want to know about how things are going? If not, run now. I don't believe that I was adequately prepared for chemotherapy. They tell you things, but it is all so clinical until you are the one experiencing whatever it is. I have learned a great deal and I hope to be better prepared going into it next time, which is a week away. This coming week, I know that I will feel my best so I am trying to accomplish the things that need doing and have a bit of fun, too. 

One of the things that surprised me is chemo skin. I have it. My face is broken out and feeling fragile. I have good, expensive medications for this, but they don't seem to actually do much. You can see from the photo below that my skin and lips are not in great condition. Kitty sent me the facial rose above made from very soft yarn. It really feels good to gently wash my face using it. Thank you so much, Kitty. What an awesome, timely gift. 

~my poor face~

 The hat is from Abby. It belonged to an Auntie in the family and I am honored to be able to put it to good use. I wear it every time I am out and about lately as my eyes are so weak and watery that filtered light works best and this hat definitely provides that.Thank you, Abby! Such a thoughtful, on-point gift. I love this hat!

~my sister Kim~

 Now life is not without its fun. I have enjoyed time in a garden, lunch out with Kim and Laurel, time with my niece and her family and one on one time with my son that I have not had since he left home all those years ago. So, I feel spectacularly blessed.

While at the garden, I found myself wishing that I had the energy to dig a hole and plant this spirea in it. It would add so much light to a dark corner. Not this year; perhaps next!

Arriving home last night, I found this one red knock-out rose in my own garden. It's no Camp Fire rose, yet I was grateful. The doe has taken all the others, but she left me one. Sometimes that's just enough.

Thanks for reading, my friend. I hope that I kept my wits and didn't overshare. ☺

Have a blessed weekend and a wonderful Independence Day week ahead. 

Thank You is Not Enough!

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.

~Chuck R. Swindoll

  

                   

 (If anything in this post sounds odd, please refer back to the post just before this one for clarification.)

Thank you so much for all the encouragements, prayers, Scriptures, and expressions of love and caring. You simply bowled me over. Many of you have been there done that. I am finding it over and over again everywhere I go. 

When I visited my hairdresser to order my new hair 👱 (Yes, I did consider becoming a blonde or a redhead), she shared that she is going through some health issues. Her receptionist shared that she is a five-year breast cancer survivor.

I hesitate to share this next bit only because I don't want you  to think that I need care packages, yet because I have always shared happy mail, I continue, though really, I have all a gal could want in your visits and comments.

Today, when I arrived home from physical therapy, I found a happy package on my doorstep.

 So cute...so intriguing...so Debby!

It was a box within a box...

filled with a chemo cap, comfort socks, tea...

 (Emoji lovers unite!)

 and Burt's Bees lip balm, hand cream, soap and Walker's Shortbread Cookies!

When I was first diagnosed, I reached out to two blogging friends. One was Debby who was and is going through her own health issues. I knew that she would understand my situation perfectly. And I was right! She has blessed me with her humor, her faith, and her friendship. Thank you, Debby! Everyone should have a friend like you. (You can find her at My Favorite Things.)

Debby, I am ashamed to say it, but I am so sick of those bandages. Must get them back on asap, but oh they are driving me nuts!

And it is a short trip after this dude has been bugging me for weeks.

Acckkkk! At least, he's not a vulture trying to get in...

Have a wonderful weekend! 

P.S. Found! One sweet wee book among the tissue paper... 

A New Chapter

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you...

1 Peter 4:13

Isn't it lovely when one is welcomed back? Ha! I have been away from blogging for some time. Let's see if I can explain where I have been and what I have been up to. I have been very busy indeed.

Years ago, my mother-in-law (Laurel and Adam's grandmother) had an unfortunate 

accident. She had multiple sclerosis and so had challenges from time to time with coordination. On that particular day, she was in her car when she realized that she had forgotten something so attempted to hop out of the car to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the car was still in gear and knocked her down and dragged her over an abutment. The car fetched up, praise God, but she was hanging upside down over that abutment. She told me that her first thought was this: So this is how you die. Her second thought was to pray. I am happily able to report that that was not how she died for God miraculously answered her prayer. 

At the end of March, I was sitting in a doctor's examining room when he, as calmly as possible, said that we could not ignore "the elephant in the room." My first thought was this: That is a most unfortunate phrase. His next comment came as no surprise whatever. Cancer.

And so began all the usual tests and procedures from scans to biopsies to blood tests, etc., etc., etc. At first look, I was told that if one had to have cancer, mine was a "good" one to have. A simple prescription would clear it all up and I would only have to take that little pill for the rest of my life and all would be well. On second look, it turned out to be a whole lot more complicated. This means that I will begin a course of chemotherapy treatments starting next week. I have already been having physical therapy three times a week and have had a port placed for receiving my "cocktail."

This is not something that I wanted to share with my readers and I don't want this chapter of my life to take over my blog just as I didn't want losing John to take over my blog. This is not a blog about illness, grief or any other specific thing. It is a simple collection of simple days lived by a simple woman. ツ

I will probably continue to be purposely vague just like always and only provide snippets of things. You don't really think I'm posting pics of Bald Vee do you?! Horrors! (I have my hairdresser on speed dial.)

Now allow me to share a few photos taken this morning.

Purple on Purple

Everlasting and Red Azalea

Geranium Experiment and Ivy
Patriotic Pinwheel from Target

Beautiful Lap Quilt Gift from Abby

I'll probably be under that cozy gift next week. Abby told me to imagine that she and her friend Judy were praying whenever I am under it. I like that. And I know that you will pray, too. Don't be wimpy about it! A good thought is lovely,  but does not have the impact I am believing for. 

Leaving you with this beautiful Scripture that has been on my mind often. I first mentioned it here.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

Job 14:7–9