Martha's Musings

You can blame it on Facebook....it is so easy to just jot down a little note or express some thought without writing too much or too long. Busy? Yes. Lazy? Maybe.

So - time to catch up. Nothing really special going on. Did have a funny incident a few days ago.

My husband lost his cell phone. Now for those of you who know us well, we are home almost all the time. However, on this particular day, it was "Errand Day"! We took off early in the morning & stopped at approximately eight different places. The phone never rang all day & we didn't have to use it for anything.

Later that evening, my husband us looking for the phone to charge it before heading to bed. Couldn't find it! Then we started scratching our heads & trying to remember when we had seen it last & when we had used it last......could not even start to remember.

OK - so what is the first thing you do? Use another phone & call it, right? I got out my phone, dialed the number & heard absolutely NOTHING! Then my husband remembered that he had it on vibrate from the day before when he was at Jury Duty & he was required to "Turn off all Cell Phones!" (You know the routine.) I assured him that I had taken it off vibrate the night before when I noticed it. But - still no answering ring or buzz when I dialed.

Next - out to both cars to see if it slipped off his belt. Dial - wait - listen - nothing! So now we are getting a little worried. Normally, we find it right away somewhere around the house, so now we are getting a bit more anxious.

What now? OK - Let's sit down & write down every place we went that day & we will start calling to see if anyone has found a cell phone. Oops! It is now 9:30 PM & everyone is CLOSED! UGH! Now we have to worry about it all night long.....

OK - Back to the list.....after going through all eight places, we remembered we had tried out mattresses at Macy's & Mancini Sleep World! Our eyes locked & we both knew that crawling off & on mattresses would probably pull that little phone right off! So now we are pretty sure it has to be at Macy's or Mancini's.....(at least we HOPE it is there!)

First thing next morning (after much prayer) we head back to Macy's......and, thankfully, we found the phone under the first mattress we had tried.

CELL PHONES! Can't live with 'em & can't live without 'em!

Thankful for a happy ending.....

I have had a lot of inquiries about the photos from Western District (United Pentecostal Church) Ladies Conference 2009. I decided the fastest way to get them up for everyone was to post to Flickr.....So, here is the link! ENJOY!





http://www.flickr.com/photos/37200710@N07/sets/72157616463773073/

Well, it has been a long time coming, but today was my first day with the English as a Second Language program with the Benicia library. My first desire was to be a one-on-one tutor, but things haven't exactly worked out that way (yet).

I found that the greatest need right now is volunteers to help with the children of the Learners. So, I have now become a volunteer for the "Mommy & Me" program. Today was my first day. I met several lovely young mothers & their toddler offspring. Although it wasn't their normal program due to a Thanksgiving potluck, it was a good, casual way to get started. Their normal program includes songs, reading books, little "field trips" and general conversing & socializing. After about an hour, we walked over to the Library where many of the volunteers, tutors, learners, & teachers had planned a Thanksgiving potluck. The food was wonderful - with all the lovely colors & flavors represented from so many different nationalities - but the highlight of the dinner was when we went around the room & each person was able in just a few words to express their thankfulness. Many actually choked up as they thanked their teachers & tutors for helping them learn the English language....

It made me think about our many privileges here in America. We were born into this. English comes naturally, education is available. We aren't resigned to just "getting by" or struggling to exist on minimum wage. With just a little bit of desire we can learn & grow & change the course of our lives.....

I am glad I signed up for the ESL program. I know that it is really making a difference in the lives of many people in Benicia. I want to make difference in someone's life!

Robin & I were talking about the awesome carmel corn that Granny used to make. We were wondering who has her recipe & drooling over how delicious it was....

On that note, I did a little research for a good carmel corn recipe, found one that sounded wonderful & printed out the recipe....

Reading through the directions, I came upon the nutritional information. Calories: 1009.

Hmmmm.....Calories? 1009? Must be for the whole thing....NOPE! Calories 1009 for l/10th of the recipe (which was only 10 cups of popped corn). So (deep breath here).....ONE CUP of carmel corn is 1009 calories....Who in the whole, wide world could EVER stop with only ONE CUP??????

I am not about to make this carmel corn....TOO DANGEROUS!

After being closed for four years for a complete remodel, the Academy of Sciences is now open again! (Of course, being the dimwit that I am, I was not even aware that it was closed...) But, I regress...

Wednesday's weather in SF was spectacular - bright sunshine & warm enough to not even need a coat. My husband, his cousin & I took off around 9 AM for a quick trip into the city via the Golden Gate Bridge. We spent six hours exploring the new facility & realized that we really needed all day to see everything.

Highlights? EVERYTHING! We started by getting a pass for the 11:30 AM (ever popular) Planetarium show. Fortunately, the admission ticket now includes the Planetarium show - not an additional charge as before. The Planetarium show is now a state-of-the-art digital presentation "flying" out of SF to the outer regions of the Milky Way & beyond.....

Next was a walk through a three-story rainforest. We slowly walked up the spiral walkway to observe everything from the forest floor (with water & fish), to the top of the tallest trees where butterflies & birds fly through the mist. Interesting observation - as I was watching the fish glide through the water, I noticed that there were PEOPLE underneath! Finally figured out that there is a tunnel in the Aquarium in the basement where people walk through & look UP through the water into the rainforest....Very cool!


Can You See the People?

The Academy also is "going green". Check out the solar panels & a wonderful living roof.


Living Roof

There were also some very cute little critters in the rainforest area - especially some colorful tree frogs. One was bright red with bright blue legs & another one was bright neon green & black...So different than what we are used to seeing here!


Little Green Frog

The new penguin display was fun, too. The penguins kept diving & playing in the water close to the front of the display. The children especially enjoyed being "up front & personal"!


Penguins

And, then the really special treat at the end of the day. We were heading home about dinner time & decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner at Spinnaker's in Saucelito....Gorgeous place to eat right at sunset. Beautiful to see the city of San Francisco as the lights begin to twinkle across the water. BUT, our timing was perfect. The Maltese Falcon, the largest privately owned yacht in the world was sitting in the Bay waiting there for the upcoming Leukemia Drive....It was built in 2006 for Tom Perkins (super-rich guy who started Genentech & who knows what else) & used to be married to the famous writer, Danielle Steele......It is all computer operated & all it takes is one crewman to run the football-stadium sized yacht (which just happens to have three stories & twelve bedrooms - a mini-hotel). He has a crew of 20, but those are only there to "keep the hotel running"...Anyway, I went online to the 60 Minutes site & got some info....VERY interesting! Here's my photo to prove it!



Maltese Falcon

Great Day! When (not IF) you visit, be sure to plan to spend the whole day....Lots to see!

I have a wonderful friend who, unfortunately, is residing in the wonderful world of Kuwait....

This morning, the first email I read was from him. I had forwarded some quotes by President Ronald Reagan. I know that he is extremely fond of Reagan & loves the Reagan Library & all things "Reagan", so I sent them on...

Love his sense of humor! Here are his exact words....

My; we’re up a bit late, aren’t we? Of course it’s 7:30 AM here…and the sun; the sun is soooooo bright here. How Moses and his entourage ever marched across the desert in biblical flip-flops I’ll never understand! Obviously the climate was different, or people were just a much hardier breed back then!

Biblical flip-flops????? Where does he come up with this stuff?

Was checking the side effects of my medications yesterday. I am having a battle with trying to maintain my weight & not gain any....Of course, I would LOVE to lose some, but just staying the same is a challenge. I know that my Arimidex (to prevent cancer recurrence) can cause weight gain (slows the metabolism), but I wasn't sure about the other one that I use for the pain in my hands....

So, I checked the sheet that came with it, and, YES, it ALSO causes weight gain...AHA! Maybe I can get the doctor to cut that one down or even eventually eliminate it! I have a pretty good tolerance for pain, so I could probably just "take it"....

Wrote to my doctor & asked his opinion on the matter....He said since I still have pain, I should INCREASE it instead of decrease!!!!

BOY! Did that ever backfire on me!!!

Went to Marine World today. Why, you might ask? It really isn't one of my favorite places to go, even though it is close to home. Well, a free ticket with a September 30 expiration might have something to do with it.

Years ago, when they first opened (and my children were little) we loved to head out there for a Sunday afternoon stroll to watch the shows & visit the animals. We actually were Charter members for about ten years when they first moved from Redwood City to Vallejo. The ski show was fabulous with really talented young athletes performing. Now, even the animal acts are not so great. The announcing doesn't have the momentum & excitement as before.

Now, with all the wild rides, it draws a completely different crowd. You still see many families with small children, but also the young adult crowd who loves the fast roller-coaster style rides. The animals seem to be an "after-thought", which I find very sad. The joy of learning about our world and the animals and plants that God created don't seem so "exciting" to children anymore. They have to be constantly entertained & stay in a state of excitement all the time. I find that the peaceful areas like the flamingo pond are gone - replaced by more rides & lots of places to eat that really healthy stuff like cotton candy, corn dogs, & french fries.

One place I really enjoyed the most today was the Butterfly House. There were so many more butterflies than usual. The air wasn't quite so "muggy" & not so many people that you couldn't stand still & watch for the butterflies to settle in. Very peaceful & beautiful!

NOW I remember why I don't grow tomatoes!!!!






Found this guy on my plant the other day....He was quite fat - obviously had been feasting for a long, long time!

UUUUUGGGGGLLLLLYYYYY!!!!!

I think it is fascinating how two people can produce children with all kinds of different characteristics - both physical & emotional. Although my two girls were always mistaken for twins (most people thought they looked a LOT alike), their personalities are very different. Robin loves people, loves to travel, loves to be "out & about", and hates bookkeeping. Angela, on the other hand, works independently on a computer all day, sometimes likes people (teehee).....

I find, also, that people have other genetic traits that pop up every once in a while. I have noticed the children of our friends who have certain characteristics, habits, mannerisms that mimic their parents. Very interesting. I also have found some characteristics in my own personality that pop up every once in while that remind me of my mother or father. Their are two very specific traits that I really dislike about "Me". I think that one of them I can possible work on, but the other one - I don't know!

The first one is immediately adapting to the mood of people around me. When people (or a person) is especially excited, happy, or in a really fun mood, I instantly pick up on that mood. Soon I am also feeling happier, more excited, and enjoying life more. Unfortunately, this trait can also work in the negative! When I am around someone grumpy, depressed, angry, etc., it rubs off right away! Fortunately, I think that this is the one trait I can try to work on......I think I can consciously change the negative thoughts if I really become aware of them & work at pushing them away before they become deeply ingrained inside.

The second part of my personality that I don't like is the "worry-wart" in me! I am just like my mother in that respect! She used to get really uptight when she heard a siren in town & just "knew" it was my father or one of her children! Unfortunately, I am exactly the same way! When I hear a siren, I instantly run through a list of where is everyone right now! Is my husband home? Is Robin at work or home? What about Angela? Worry, worry, worry! Poor Robin has to "report in" every night when she gets home so Mama can get some sleep! I am afraid that this part of my personality might be harder to change! I do try to pray & give it to God, but find myself lapsing right back into the worry cycle! This one will be a bit harder to change.....

Just a quick update. I haven't posted in a while (just lazy, I think), and I wanted to report on my last Doctor's appointment. I am thrilled to report that everything still looks great. My blood tests were all good & my annual CT Scan showed no changes....

No signs of cancer! Still in remission! Working on my third year....

I am so thankful....

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." -- Maria Robinson

I read this quote on one of my SparkPeople notifications.....After really absorbing what it means, it really makes me think!

So many times we look BACK & beat ourselves up for all the things we "did wrong". Or the things we are doing "wrong" today.....Somehow, we get this idea that things have always been this way & they always WILL be this way....Why even try? Do we ever really think that, with some real thought & planning, that things just might change? That we really CAN make a difference in our lives? Or just give up & not try at all? Just talk ourselves out of it so that we won't "fail" again? If we don't start, we can't fail, right?

There are definitely areas of my life that I would love to change. Things that have "haunted" me for years....But, do I have the motivation to do it? Yes, temporarily......But, when that motivation runs out, what then? Where does the determination to continue come from? How can it be revived? Or am I setting myself up for failure again?.....

Hmmm.....It is not so easy to "start today and make a new ending"..........

I LOVE to read. I can sit down for hours & read books, magazines, newspapers......almost anything! I always have something from the library to work on. I have even started downloading (audio) eBooks from netlibrary.com. That way, I can "read" a book while I clean house or cook dinner. Most of the time I have two stories going at the same time - one in "black & white" to read when I go to bed at night & the other one on my laptop.

Yesterday I finished a book by a new author. The book was very well written, interesting - with little "mysteries" and interesting cultural items mentioned throughout the story. HOWEVER - I just finished the book without getting any answers to those mysteries! There were a lot of "loose ends" hanging with unanswered questions! FRUSTRATING! I will admit that the book has a number "1" listed on the cover, so it is probably intended to be a series. But, shouldn't each book be readable within itself? Should I have to read every one to get the full story? I will admit that I will probably get book number "2" just to see if those questions are answered....But what about those who happen to pick up book number "2" or "4" without ever seeing the first ones?

I think it is a shame that someone with great writing skills can't pull together a good ending......Very disappointing!

I just read this story from a newsletter I receive entitled "God's Daily Promises" from leftbehindprophecy.com

Thought I would share.....



Tricking Houdini

During his life, Harry Houdini had a standing challenge that he could escape from any jail cell within an hour. A small town in the British Isles had just constructed a new jail cell they thought was escape-proof, and they wanted to put it to the test. Houdini entered the cell and immediately went to work. After two grueling hours—an hour past his deadline—Houdini finally withdrew his file from the lock and leaned against the door in exhaustion. To his amazement, the cell door swung open.

The jailors had tricked the great magician by closing the jail door but never bolting the lock. He was free all along, he just didn't know it.

Satan has the same strategy, doesn't he? His greatest weapon is to make us think that we are trapped, when in reality the cell door is always open. Satan can't bind us, so he tricks us into making us believe the cell door is locked.



It always amazes me how our mental perception & attitude toward a situation make all the difference!!!!

I am sure that everyone has been really busy this weekend. With 4th of July falling on a Friday, many have made extensive plans to take advantage of the three-day weekend! Stay safe!

I consider the 4th of July to be a very special Holiday for me....Because I am so thankful to live in this country and am able to receive the many blessings of doing so....But also because the telephone call I received stating that, yes, you do, indeed, have cancer, was received on July 3rd, 2006....Two years ago!!! Can that possibly be two years ago????

As I gratefully receive the good news of my "negative" follow-up tests, I realize that many others (after receiving such news) went on to live only a few short months longer. I know that in some ways I am living "on borrowed time". That could have been me - Hit with the shock & full-force of the unexpected diagnosis & then gone soon after....

But, God had another plan for my life. He has given me many more months to experience His blessings - my life, my family, my world!!! I only hope that I can keep my eyes on those blessing each day & not cave to the feelings of discouragement that can come to mind sometimes....Especially when life has thrown some unexpected trials & stress my way.

It has not been an especially happy week. Some disturbing news & confrontations, but I still see His blessings and I am determined to stay focused on the good things of my life!

So, continue to celebrate the 4th of July weekend with me as we thank God for another two years!

Disappointed that I pulled a muscle in my back & hip today. Just in time for a little "going away" party tomorrow at our home for one of our military friends who is heading out to Kuwait soon. Why do these things always happen when you have something big planned? Oh well. It could have been much worse. At least I can walk, stand around, & lay down. Not too comfortable sitting, though....

Trying not to have my own personal "pity party"....

No - just kidding. I'm really doing OK. Just hoping to be able to sleep tonight so I won't be growling at everyone tomorrow...

Grrrrrrrrrrr.............

I didn't even realize I was holding my breath as I opened that little card.....I try to stay positive, but there is always that little voice at the back of my mind saying, "What if...."

Just received the results of my annual mammogram. NO SIGNS OF CANCER!!!!

Many thanks to all who are praying for me! It is WORKING!

Breathin' easier now!

In reading the Benicia Herald this morning, I was really disappointed to learn that many of the tenants of the Tannery Building downtown Benicia are moving out! There is a new owner as of last summer & apparently he has BIG PLANS for the building which DO NOT include the current tenants! I already know of several small businesses that have moved out because the rent has gone up so much (or their leases were not renewed for various reasons).

Well, to add to the confusion, I found out that my favorite local coffee house, Cafe Voltaire, is on the chopping block. They will officially close on Friday, June 13! I am so upset.....I really don't want to start going to one of the five (YES! Count them!) FIVE Starbucks in our city.

I loved the little cafe down close to the water where you could get a great cup of coffee or tea, lots of atmosphere, and a super friendly welcome.....It was just the perfect distance from my house for a nice, long walk with a little treat (coffee) at the end. It was a wonderful place to meet someone (usually Robin) to spend a few minutes catching up on things.

In my great disappointment, I will definitely be praying that Jan, the owner, will find a location that will have the same wonderful atmosphere, be close to downtown, and that her business will THRIVE in spite of the ones who pushed her out for their own selfish reasons!

Looking forward to hearing news of the the NEW Cafe Voltaire opening soon!!!





I

We attended a beautiful Memorial Day Service at the Benicia Historical Cemetery this morning. The cemetery was established in 1849. The cemetery is peaceful, with gorgeous lawns and flowers all around. We were blessed by speeches, patriotic songs, a gun salute, and "Taps" played by one of Benicia's 90-year-old native sons.



A military jet fly-by was also planned. (We HEARD them, but we couldn't SEE them through the Benicia fog!)

It was a beautiful, yet humbling experience. When you really stop & think about the tirelessness & the sacrifices our military personnel make, you wonder how you can be so shallow as to whine about little irritations or minor pains....

I am always astounded by the dedication & passion of the military men (sorry, I don't really know any military women) I speak with....They are committed to helping others. One man told me today, "I didn't join the military to kill people. I joined to give support!" (And I can definitely say his support in ALL ways is amazing!)

I was also extremely pleased to hear of the progress that is being made in Iraq. I know it isn't a popular war, but his version (not the media) is that improvement in the country is amazing - schools, water quality, availability of utilities, etc....



And then there are those who have made the "ultimate sacrifice" - they have given their lives so we can have the quality of life that we have today. A wonderful life that many take so horribly for granted. I pray that we can respect & remember the fallen soldiers & their families....



God bless our military heroes (and families) & God bless America!

The Volkwagen EOS that I have been driving is now not just "AN" EOS, but it is now "MY" EOS....It has officially been personalized! It doesn't look like every other silver EOS on the road (not that I see very many on the road, anyway)...

My new personalized license plate has been added to the little pink "Survivor" ribbons and the slim "pink ribbon" bookmark my sister-in-law gave me. I wasn't using it for books, but knew it would look good hanging from the rear-view mirror....Lots of little, glittery beads sparkling in the sun....



So, if you see a sporty little, silver car with pink ribbons on the sides



& this license plate, you will know it is ME!!



LOVIN' THIS CAR!!!!

Just a brief update:

I visit my oncologist every three months to just check in & (most importantly) take a blood test...

Latest report shows everything is fine....I think the most important thing they check is liver function. My understanding is that if there is anything weird going on in the body (cancer-wise) it will first show up in the liver test...

So - thankfully, I received a good report!!!!

Since breakfast is the "Most Important Meal of the Day", so "they" say, I have started eating breakfast most mornings. I usually have yogurt with Maple Granola for some crunch, or Trader Joe's Raisin Bran cereal. Today was Raisin Bran with 1/2 banana and l % milk. Sound good? Normally, I would say yes, but today? YUCK!!!


Here is the story:

I read several weeks ago that people who have diabetic neuropathy (numbness & tingling) in their toes & feet sometimes get relief by using Vicks VapoRub. So, since the Chemotherapy caused damage to the nerves in my hands & fingers, and they cause me havoc, I thought, "Why not try it?"



I found a tube of greaseless Vicks VapoRub in the cabinet and started using it several times a day, & especially at night, when it bothers me the most....

So, this morning, when I felt some tingling in the fingertips, I casually rubbed the Vicks into my fingertips & went to the kitchen to fill up the cereal bowl....sliced up the banana, sloshed in the milk, took a big bite & YUCK! (You know how important the sense of smell is to how much you enjoy your food?????

Vicks-scented Raisin Bran! YUCK!!!

This month is the first anniversary of the completion of all my cancer treatments. It was March 2007 when I celebrated my very last radiation treatment by ditching the wig!!! Life has rapidly moved on and a year of my life has raced before my eyes!!! WHEW!!!



I am very thankful that my health is holding. No signs of cancer. Hair is already to the "shaggy" stage. Energy is returning (though not nearly as rapidly as I had hoped). I still have a few "leftover" problems that tend to bother me (numbness & aching in my hands, slight dizziness & slow metabolism from medications, chemo brain memory gaps, bits of depression when I don't sleep well)....

But, overall, I am very, very thankful!!! I have learned to enjoy each day as it comes, not sweat the small stuff, & get my priorities straight!!!

I AM BLESSED!!!!

"Leucistic"


Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin. (Definition from Wikipedia)

That is the name for my "albino" house finch. Apparently, it describes a bird or animal that has a lot of white, like an albino, but is not a true albino in the sense that it has no color at all, & usually the red eyes, etc.



If you "Google" the word, and then pull up the images, it is pretty interesting to see all the critters in the "white" form. Especially the white snakes!!! ICK!!




Check it out!!!

Several days ago, I was checking out the birdies at the feeder in my backyard. My husband had just filled it & the birds didn't take long to discover the free food. We have a lot of goldfinches, sparrows, house finches, doves, mocking birds, and blue jays. I noticed one that was a bit different, though. It's markings were just like the house finches, but where it would normally be red, it was pure white!



Normal House Finch (male)


My husband grabbed his camera & got a few shots....I decided it might be an albino house finch....Here is a picture of the bird in our yard....



Albino House Finch



We took the photos to the Wild Birds Unlimited store for identification. They also believed that it is an albino house finch. They requested a copy of the photo be sent to them & to the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society for identification....

How exciting is that????

Robin & I signed up for a workshop at the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Pleasant Hill for Saturday morning. I was the one who mentioned it to Robin & I know that her time is very limited with all her many activities, so I was hoping it would be something she would enjoy. It was a workshop on how to plan a bird & butterfly-friendly garden. Sounded like fun, even though my yard is pretty birdie-friendly already. I figured I could always learn something new.



It was a really fun seminar. Very low-key, interactive and they had really yummy chocolate chip cookies & coffee! (A big hit with my husband, who got very bored after about 30 minutes & went downstairs to chat with the other employees - in a very loud voice that carried upstairs, I might add!)

We learned a lot about adding native plants to our yards. Natives don't require so much care - less water, fertilizers, and chemicals to keep them looking nice. Many of them are real "magnets" for attracting wildlife, too. Very eco-friendly! The instructor, Yvonne Breukers, of Yvonne's Plants (for birds, bees, & butterflies) explained how to start cuttings from the native plants & gave wonderful lists of California native plants that grow well in our area. She also recommended a book called Plants & Landscaping for Summer-Dry Climates....Great book published by East Bay MUD. Beautiful photos & great information specifically for our area. Robin & I both decided that is a "must have"!

I was a little hesitant about taking the workshop because sometimes you just don't know if it will be good information or just a ploy to sell products. This was definitely NOT a sales pitch! Robin & I both were extremely excited about the information and learned so much!

ALSO - there is a Garden Tour planned for May 4th (10 am - 5 pm) in Alameda & Contra Costa Counties that we really want to attend. It is a FREE self-guided tour of 60 gardens & native plant nurseries. For information go to www.BringingBackTheNatives.net..........I have DEFINITELY marked my calendar for that day!!! Anyone want to join us?????

Since having Chemo, I had found that there were little "jogs" in my brain where I just couldn't pull up a word that I should know. It was a bit disturbing, but I tried not to let it get to me. I knew it was Chemo-related and that there wasn't a thing I could do about it but wait & hope that the little fibers between the brain cells repaired themselves. I was told that "over time" they would grow back to some degree.

This weekend, however, I read an article in the newspaper by Jean Carper in USA Weekend magazine. She stated that there was firm belief, after many studies, that green tea will help your memory & brain function because it aids in re-growing the little fibers between the brain cells. I was very excited to read that there really IS something I can do besides pray & hope that the fibers grown back! I can actively do something to encourage them to grow back & (hopefully) more quickly. So, I am training myself to LOVE green tea!!!! Of course, the honey & cream aren't too bad either!

I have been also trying to keep my mind really, really active. I have heard that things like crossword puzzles, computer games, etc., can help keep the mind more alert & active. Angela bought me a Sudoku book for my birthday & I have been working on that. (Much more stimulating than being spaced out in front of Bejeweled 2 Deluxe!!!)

There is one other very exciting thing I have started. The Apple Store in Walnut Creek offers what they call "One To One" Training. Being a person who absolutely LOVES anything Apple, I signed up for these one-on-one personal training sessions. It is an extremely inexpensive program & gives individual training in almost anything on the computer that interests you. So, I have been going to my Apple "school" about once a week & learning so much! Can you imagine a schoolroom where you are the only student? Where they answer any question you have? (And you don't even have to raise your hand?) Where you have the teacher's undivided attention for a full fifty minutes without interruption???? So far, I have been training on making presentations on Keynote (like Powerpoint for you PC people), and just starting on iMovie to learn how to add music, titles, transitions, etc., to video.....Lots of fun & I hope it will be very useful in the future!

I really DO enjoy puzzles & learning new things! Hoping that an extra healthy brain will be the much-needed by-product of all this!

New convertible.

Coming home.

Husband driving.

Backing into garage. (Don't ask why. I'm not really sure, but he trained ALL of us - me & both daughters - to always back in!)

Halfway into garage.

CRUNCH!

OH NO! What did we hit?

Why didn't the back-up sensor warn us?????

Imagining crunched silver metal.

Stop car.

Get Out.

Check behind car.

See Kite.

SQUASHED!



Just glad I wasn't driving!!! (tee hee)

OK, so now I have my wonderful, little convertible & the sun has actually come out! Now I need sun protection. I want some cute little hats to protect my skin from Mr. Sun! Big problem! I can't find any cute hat shops close by! And I am NOT talking about the zillion baseball style hats I see in all the malls...I don't do "Lids"!!!

Long ago, I found a nice little shop in Mill Valley in Marin County that had tons of really different kinds of hats; but, I have no idea if it still even exists....I am really tempted to go find out, though. The only other shop I know of is in Carmel....Other than that, NOTHING! (Of course, that WOULD give me a REALLY good excuse to take a little trip down the coast, wouldn't it??? tee hee) Hmmmmmmmmmm.............Not a bad idea! Maybe I need to work on that one.

Anyone know of a place to buy hats? I'm probably just rushing the season here. The summer hats are probably not even out yet.....But, hey! I have a convertible! With heated seats! I am so ready!!!!

Yes! You read that right! NO MORE CAR SHOPPING! I finally DID it! REALLY!!

After researching for eight months (my husband is the KING of research!!), I have finally written the check & brought home my convertible!!!!

It was purchased two weeks ago. And why haven't you seen it or heard about it in all that time????? Because I wanted to take pictures (with the top down, of course!). And why haven't I taken pictures? Because there is something about the fact that when you buy a convertible it rains steadily for FORTY DAYS & FORTY NIGHTS!!!!! (Anytime anyone says the "D" word, as in drought, just forget the "Indian Rain Dance".....Buy a convertible! Produces INSTANT results! And those "bucket" seats aren't REALLY designed to hold rain...)

So - I am very excited, love the car, & am really anticipating some warm, sunny weather. We purchased the Volkswagen EOS - very cool hardtop convertible with sunroof..........The best of all worlds - coupe, sunroof, and complete convertible all in one!



I've Got the Keys!





Finally Got It Home!





I Put My Little Pink "Survivor" Ribbons on Each Side!




Down Goes The Top!




Lookin' Sleek!





And It Really IS Comfortable!



So - I am planning to really enjoy this car. No saving it for a "rainy day"......That doesn't work for a convertible, anyway!

Any time you want a demonstration of how cool the top looks when it folds down, don't be shy, just ASK! And I might even let you drive it!

My husband spilled rubber cement on his new pants this morning. Of course, it is water-repellent, so washing the stuff out is almost impossible! We scraped off all that we could get off & then I threw them immediately into the laundry thinking the warm water might "melt" some of it out....

So, as I was getting them ready to wash, he mentioned that there were things in the pockets. I emptied out all the coins, keys, hand sanitizer, etc. etc. and put them in the wash.

Later - he took them out of the dryer & said "Oh NO!!!" (Uh oh.....what now????) Come to find out, I only emptied the FRONT pockets.....and what do men normally keep in the BACK pocket. YEP!

I washed his wallet!

OH - WOE IS ME!!!!

Having just received information (for the SECOND time in one week) that a fellow cancer survivor has received the disturbing news that cancer has returned, I am desperately fighting the emotions that are washing over me.

First reaction is the thought that "if it happened to them, it will probably happen to me, too - in time." The ever present fear that those words will be spoken to me by my oncologist one day. That it is just a matter of time....

On the other hand, I feel the strong desire (and can I say NEED?) to push past the fear and hopelessness to embrace faith that it just doesn't have to be so in my case. That maybe it isn't really God's will for me. But why me? Why would I be any different than the others? Why would I be special enough to bypass the second round with cancer?

Just praying that I can keep the right attitude & place my life in God's hands with peace in my heart that He will do what is best for me, my family, & all those around me......

I just opened up my Quicken program for my personal finances....

On Dec. 29, 2007, I entered a deposit. Normal thing to do, right? Nothing special....just a plain ol' entry. I started to enter an ATM withdrawal & glanced at the deposit listed above it. On the Memo line were two words: "Dorothy Lawrence". My (deceased) mother's name was typed in.....OK. Where did THAT come from? I thought maybe it was an automatic quickfill from a previous deposit a long time ago; so, I typed in the words deposit to see what would be filled in.....the Memo section was blank. It DID NOT come up with her name.....

OK - so now I am a little "spooked". A friend recently was telling me a story of seeing a ghost at another friend's house. They actually both saw a "mist" & there have been times when things have been moved in the house or the TV has been turned on in the middle of the night, etc. The owner of the house believes it is the ghost of her deceased nephew. Stories that boggle the mind a bit....

So, you can see where my mind is going....Not that I believe in ghosts. Demons, YES, ghosts, NO!

After a little more research, I noticed that the word deposit was misspelled! Aha! The explanation! When I typed in the word "depost" (sic), Dorothy Lawrence came up in the Memo section! Whew! Now I feel a LOT better!

I just added Verizon Wireless Navigation to my phone & I LOVE it!!! Silly me! I thought I had to add a big, expensive package in order to have the navigation system, so (being the cheap person that I am) I never even thought about having it....Come to find out, it can be added separately! YAY!!! I added it last Wednesday & started learning how to use it.

We were returning Home from Antioch Wednesday evening, so I turned on the Nav System to check out how it works. My husband asked if "that thing has a man's voice". I told him I figured it probably did, so I checked it out. Found out that it has five different voice choices - three female & two male voices. I switched it to "David" & we decided that the male voice was too low to hear well with the road noises, etc. So, we switched back through all three female voices. The original voice was "Michelle", the next two we tried were "Emily" and "Jennifer"...(we didn't even try "Andrew" because we discriminated against him because he was "male"! A case of profiling, I guess!) Finally settled on "Michelle" because her voice was higher-pitched & could be heard better when giving instructions.

So, off we go, Michelle chatting along at each exit; & we merge onto North 680 toward the Benicia bridge. As we sail through the Fastrak, Michelle suddenly comes alive & starts shouting, "Relocating" Relocating! You are not on a known road!" Hmmmmm............I thought that was a bit weird - but maybe we just lost connection for a minute & she had to start over.....Again I heard, "Relocating" Relocating! You are not on a known road!"

I looked down at the map on the screen. Here was the little round indicator showing our location as we are cruising through Suisun Bay! Looked like a little boat chugging across! Meanwhile, Michelle is still shouting that we are not on a known road! I was cracking up!!! Our little map did not know that we have a new "bridge over troubled waters" and poor Michelle was very upset with us!




Poor Michelle! She was trying so hard to find a REAL road for us to travel!

Last night we came in a bit late from Antioch. I was pretty tired & didn't really want to start working on my computer & paying bills, etc. So, I suggested to my husband that we put up my wreath. I thought it would be quick & fun to do! NOT!!!

I have always liked pictures in sales catalogs where the wreath is hanging over a big mirror. Since this year I have a "Big Mirror", I decided that that is where I wanted to put my wreath. (I have already noticed the wonderful "fresh greens" smell coming from it! YUM!!!) So, I pulled out a ribbon to use to hang the wreath. Next was deciding how long to make the ribbon. After much measuring & exact calculations (did I mention my husband is a bit "picky"?) We cut the ribbon, decided to staple the ends together & hung it up!!!! YUCK!!! Way too LOW!!!

OK - start over, shorten the ribbon this time & hang again! YUCK!!! Way too high!!!! OK - one more time. Oh NO!!! No more ribbon!!! Moan, groan, sigh. OK - back to the bag of ribbons & pull out a different kind....Cut, tie, hang, & FINALLY!!! We got it up & it is WONDERFUL!!!!




Not quick & fun, but I LOVE IT!!! (Now on to the rest of the Christmas decorations!)

Every Christmas I like to get a fresh wreath to put up either on the front door or somewhere inside the house so I can smell the fresh greens. This year, Robin had mentioned that Costco had really nice ones, so I put in my order when my husband headed out to shop.......

Robin was right. It was a really nice wreath. My husband, being a little on the "picky" side, spent a long time selecting the best one with the most added little touches like red berries & little white sprigs which added contrast to the normal greenery & pine cones.

I didn't have time to immediately put it up, so I laid it outside on my patio table to keep cool & fresh in the rain. This morning, as I was chatting with Robin, I glanced outside & was horrified to see the resident Blue Jay plucking red "berries" off my wreath!!!! I screeched & ran to chase him off. Unfortunately, he had opened up a few & the white insides were oozing out!

I have no idea what the berries were made of, but they sure looked weird! I am so glad I saw Mr. Blue before he destroyed any more!

Today, November 14th, is exactly ONE YEAR since my last chemo treatment. I remember that day so well!

I was dreading another session, but yet SO EXCITED that it was my last one! There was such a feeling of relief that I was actually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.....(Of course, surgery was right behind it; but, in my eyes, that was a separate journey to deal with later.)

As Thanksgiving approaches, I find that I am so very thankful that God has blessed our family so much. Of course, I am extremely thankful for my health - still cancer-free as far as I know. Thankful that my family is all healthy - Robin & Angela with sniffles today doesn't count. So very thankful that both my girls live close - Angela in Vallejo & Robin in Benicia. It was hard enough with Robin briefly living in San Lorenzo....Can't imagine what it would be like to have them living in another area or state far away.

I appreciate having good friends. Many who will be with us on Thanksgiving Day. I am blessed with a wonderful extended family - Brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews.....

I appreciate the fact that, even though our wedding photography business is now about extinct, God blessed us so much in the past & helped us be frugal with our spending, so that we did not end up with horrible financial problems in addition to the tremendous health issues.

And last, but not least, I am thankful for HAIR!!! (smile)

We made a trip to visit Filoli Gardens in the Palo Alto area a few weeks ago. I have been wanting to see this place ever since I heard about it on AM 560. I listen on Sunday mornings to the Bob Tannem Show (gardening) while getting ready for church.

It is a beautiful estate that was built "way back when" by a rich San Franciscan who had a very large interest in the Empire Mine during the Gold Rush days........

It was named Filoli because the owner had a little motto that he quoted often: "FIght for a just cause; LOve your fellow man; LIve a good life.” He took the first two letters from each phrase, put them together, and came up with Filoli.

Anyway, it has gorgeous gardens that are open to the public and the inside of the house was pretty spectacular, too. It has one whole wing that is mostly ballroom, another wing that is mostly servants quarters, about 14 fireplaces (that would take one servant all day long just to tend the fires!).



Garden House



Clock Tower with Reflection Pool



Garden Gate

I really enjoyed the gardens & plan to make another trip there, but I think it will definitely be in the Spring. They were planting a whole field of daffodils, which should be spectacular! October isn't the best time of year for checking out gardens.

Anyone up for a trip to Filoli & Half Moon Bay next Spring? (Hopefully in my new convertible!!!!)

Checked out my email this morning. Normal thing to do when you get up, right?

I now have 67,961 emails in my inbox!!!! Two to three copies of everything since January 26, 2006!!!

Hope I don't wear out my "Delete" button!


:-(

We made our weekly trip to Antioch to help out with my Mother-in-Law (MIL). After helping with some household things (laundry, mopping, etc.) we went out for our weekly gourmet dinner (at In N Out Burger), and tried to get her to enjoy a few hours away from her house. She loves to reminisce about "old times" and we can usually get her to laugh & lift her spirits a bit.

She started talking about her little Bobby when he was just starting kindergarten. She had walked with him to the neighborhood grammar school (only two blocks away) for several days to make sure he knew exactly how to get home. She showed him they way, where to turn, etc.....After a week or so, she felt that he understood how to get home by himself, so she sent him off to school with the words that every Mother uses - "Now, be sure to come STRAIGHT HOME from school!" Her little Bobby looked up at her with his big, dark eyes & VERY serious expression and said, "But I have to TURN!"......

After getting a big laugh out of her story (and telling it about five times), she suddenly, out of nowhere, asked if it was Halloween yet. Puzzled as to why she was asking about Halloween, I told her, "Not yet. Why?" She chuckled under her breath & said, "That was my wedding anniversary! I must have been jinxed!" (For those of you who don't know her, she had a really rough marriage & divorced long ago when her children were young.) But - getting married on Halloween? I'm not superstitious, but........................

Robin was baking brownies while I assembled the salads. Just opening up a new package of spring greens mix, I started piling the lettuce into separate salad bowls. Anyone who buys the mixed green salad mix, recognizes the feathery "lettuce" known as "frisee"....which I think refers to the curly look or something or other....I originally told Robin that I thought it was called radicchio....Haha.......not even CLOSE!!! That is the thing I have been calling red cabbage! (All you gourmet cooks, just bear with me here!)...




Anyway, I saw a little piece of the frisee on top of the container, and since most of our family doesn't really like the peppery flavor, I grabbed it to throw it out. Much to my surprise, the whole center of the package of greens came along with it!

I laughed, plopped it down in Robin's salad bowl, and said, "Here's your salad!"......






I think someone was in a REALLY big hurry when they assembled THAT salad mix! (And, NO, Robin DID NOT eat it!)

Well, we decided to check out another PT Cruiser convertible last week. Antioch Chrysler had a 2007 with a VERY nice discount. (Now if I can only make myself like the thing enough to buy it - even if it is CHEAP!)



Anyway - we drove in to take a quick test drive before it got too dark. The car had been sitting a while, so the battery was dead. After charging it up a bit, we took off to pick up my Mother-in-Law, go for a little spin, & then return the car & switch back to our car......

Since we had been in this particular dealership several times, & they knew who we were, we were allowed to take the car without the salesman.........Took off down Somersville Rd., right on Tenth, right on L Street, quickly switched drivers so we could both get a feel for it........And settled in the driveway on West Thirteenth to pick up Rose. We got her settled in the front seat, all buckled in, & turned the key to start up the car. "Click, click, click, click....(pause)....."Click, click, click, click." OH NO!!!! Forgot that the battery needed to charge & had turned off the key..........

Stranded AGAIN! Last time, we RAN OUT OF GAS (read entry for September 25 if you missed that story), and now the battery is DEAD!!!! Called the salesman. He sent out someone with a portable charger &, after about 45 minutes of trying, even HE couldn't get it started. They ended up taking us back to pick up our car & having the thing towed in!!! (Not too sure I want to buy a PT Cruiser after all........Is this some kind of warning?)

No more test drives for me! I QUIT!!!!

Who needs a new car, anyway?

Still haven't purchased that convertible! I am agonizing over this thing!



Some of the car companies are putting their convertibles on sale for up to $5,000 off because we are going into winter weather....So, now I have the decision to just buy something because it is a convertible and it is cheap....Or pay more & get something with more of the options I really want?

So, do I buy small, cute & cheap? Or do I wait & buy sporty, sleek, & EXPENSIVE???

Do I just buy any ol' thing to have a convertible? Or wait & get something a little bit bigger, more sporty, with more options that I really like?????

So, what do you think? Small, cute, & cheap? Or sporty & EXPENSIVE????

Give me some help here!

We have been car hunting (and my husband has been "researching") for over six months!

I have been wanting a convertible for YEARS! (I always said I would get a red convertible when I turned 50...Well, I'm pushing 60 now & still don't have my car!)

Since the cancer, we decided that maybe we should go ahead and get a car just for fun. (Hard to do when both of you are WAY too practical & almost NEVER do anything "just for fun"!)

Last night we cruised out to Vacaville to check out some really cheap PT Cruisers (2006 model that they want to get rid of). Robert drove one, then another one with Turbo added, to check out the power of the engine. He asked me if I wanted to drive it. I wasn't really crazy about the PT Cruiser, so I said, "No."

After cruising twice around the dealership on the freeway, we decided (since we were already there) to take a used 2005 Soft Green Mustang convertible with tan leather for a spin. Gorgeous car with perfect paint & upholstery and only 14,000 miles on it. I immediately offered to drive it! Haha!







We put the top down, I took over the wheel & we headed out. Cruised down the street, hit the freeway, and immediately ran out of gas!!!! I have never run out of gas while driving, so wasn't really sure what to do, so I just coasted along, watching the speed drop from 60 mph, to 50 mph, to 40 mph, to 30 mph....I then decided I had better get on the side of the road before I was squashed by some 18 wheeler bearing down on me.

It was amazing how far we coasted! The car salesman said, "What is it running on?" I told them it was running on prayer! We finally coasted off the next off ramp & found a little area to pull off the road & park. It was only about l/2 mile from the dealership & right across the street from the gas station!

The salesman called someone to bring gas & we decided we needed to walk anyway - so, we took off toward the agency. After a nice brisk walk, we arrived just before the salesman showed up with the Mustang. The salesmen were shocked that we were laughing about the incident.....They said, "Can you believe these guys? Most people would have been MAD!!!"

So - bottom line here - I found a car I absolutely LOVE!!! And my husband can't stand it!

Can you believe that ?????

Went to the Opthalmologist on Thursday because I have a very slight infection in my left eye. Just enough to where I can't wear my contacts (and I am VERY sick of wearing glasses!).



I have had this infection for about two months & tried three different medications (all of which did not take care of the problem).

We finally decided it might be "dry-eye" caused by the medication I am taking for the peripheral neuropathy...The medication is known to cause "dry-mouth", so probably dries up all the mucous membranes in the body...

But, back to the appointment, as the doctor was inspecting my eye, he told me to look down, & then he grabbed my upper eyelashes & pulled up to look at the upper part of the eyeball. Then he quickly flipped my eyelid over & turned it INSIDE OUT so he could see if there was any redness there! Didn't hurt a bit, but felt really funny & surprised me....

Very weird!

I was reading about the Emmy awards & looking at the pictures of some of the actresses as they strolled down the red carpet. Of course, there were the normal "catty" little comments about their clothing choices - how they looked like they were wearing someone's kitchen curtains, were wearing their pajamas, had stepped out of the 1980's, etc.

One in particular (can't remember who) was listed as looking "sexy" & "demure".....

HUH? Something just didn't ring true here! Sexy & demure in the same sentence about the same person in the same dress????? OK - now I start analyzing these words and questioning myself on their meanings...Wondering if I was wrong in my evaluation...

So - Let's go check the old dictionary!

Here are the meanings I came up with:

sexy - sexually attractive or exciting.

demure - (adjective of a woman or her behavior) reserved, modest, and shy

Come on now! How can a woman dressed to be sexually attractive & exciting be reserved, modest, & shy at the same time????

Sounds like some reporter was just trying way too hard!

Yesterday I noticed that I was not receiving my normal email for the day. Seemed a little odd, but I was too busy to check into it.

Then this morning I was really happy to see that the email was up-to-date & I didn't have to research the problem.

HOWEVER - I then noticed that I had received all my emails for the last TWO YEARS!!!! So, now I have to start deleting them. Unfortunately, I can only delete a few at a time because the Mail program freezes up if I do too many at a time, & I have to do a Force Quit....

So - every time I walk by the computer, I delete a few hundred emails....

I only have 31,273 to go!

I was listening to Joani Greggins health talk show on KGO radio on Saturday. Her guest that day was a a mature woman who had taken up competitive figure skating (on ice) much later in her life (I think she might have been in her 70's). They were discussing the mechanics of figure skating - like how to come out of a spin & continue on to the next part of the routine without being dizzy....She was saying that the first time she tried it, she was very dizzy after only a couple of turns; but, with much practice, it doesn't even both her any more...

After hearing some of their comments & thinking about the passion she had for the new sport in her life, I began to wonder. You hear of young people who get up every day at 5:00 AM to practice their "sport" for hours before they go to school. There are football players who will give up parties, drinking, and even certain foods, in order to excel in their sport. What about very young ones (sometimes as young at 5 years old) who spend HOURS perfecting their skill - such as Tiger Woods, Shirley Temple, Michael Jackson? (I know I am dating myself here...) What about musicians that practice up to five hours every day and still love to perform several days a week besides?

What is there about people like that who have such a PASSION for doing something they absolutely love in their lives? What is the difference between the ones who seem to DRIVE themselves & others who seem content to just deal with the mundane things of life each day? Or are they REALLY content with everyday life? Do they maybe wish that there was something in THEIR life that would bring such pleasure & sense of accomplishment?

How do you find that experience you love enough to push yourself beyond the norm?

A few weeks ago, I had the semi-annual "mandatory" cleaning at the Dentist's office. Dental work during cancer treatment was an absolute "No-No!". The immune system is totally trashed during that time & any wounds could get infected very easily with no white blood cells to fight it! When I finally had the first Dental appointment, my gums were in pretty delicate condition.

As the Hygienist was scraping away (doesn't that thought just put your teeth on edge?), she casually said, "You are a regular flosser, aren't you?"

Hmmmmmmm. Gulp. "Well, not really. I never could quite get in the habit," I said (with a very red face.)

She very diplomatically showed me a little gadget for flossing without strangling my fingers & putting them into my slimy mouth. (Jannie! How do you do this every day?????) She said many of her "non-flossers" liked the item & actually became regulars. So, why not? I brought it home. LOVED it! And - can you believe it? - now I am a regular flosser.





Must have been MAGIC!!!

Rachel & Hayley try on "Grandma's" wig. With Bunny Ears, of course!!!!