Camp in Progress

I get to spend another New Year's Eve with my most adorable and handsome husband, which is the icing and the cake. The big scoop of ice cream is being with our friends, and I'm happy happy about that. I'm happy for the folks who made it, and I miss the folks who couldn't, and I'm holding everyone in a big circle today.

Here are preliminary pictures of our craft-in-progress, which is only half completed. Ain't it something? It's created with mostly found objects -- although a few of the objects were "found" in my bedroom.







It's going to look awfully pretty all lit up with candles after the show tonight.

Eric is making breakfast now -- yummy homefries and eggs-as-you-like-them. It's a nice way to start the day that ends a year that has challenged me on every level. And next year promises to do the same.

Orientation

We had camp orientation last night for the early bird campers. It was fun. We passed out laminates which revealed this year's motto and the camper's angel card of the year. Tom received a Merit Badge for his fact checking skills. We drank champagne and went to the Paramount Theater to see The Wizard of Oz.

The Paramount is an old movie house that has a classic movie series on selected Fridays. It's a pretty place, with a full bar, a mighty wurlitzer, a news reel, and cartoon, then Dec-o-Spin -- a prize lottery based on the number printed on your ticket. So, we went to see The Wizard of Oz, but it was also the whole Paramount experience.

A pretty nice way to finish a day that started with chemotherapy.

And now to finish my coffee!

Home again.

Eric has been working feverishly since our return from Reno early this evening. It was a nice drive home -- typically lively conversation with one of the world's truly great road-trippers, L.L.

We arrived home then walked out the door five minute later, off to the hospital for a blood test. I have chemotherapy in the morning tomorrow, and house guests arriving in the late afternoon. Tonight Eric's taking down the Christmas tree, and I miss him, and miss taking down the tree with him. I'm just too tired to do it.

I liked being on the road and looking at the swirling snow drifts and icicles. I like being home, too.

Spoiled in Paradise

The Atlantis Casino and Resort, Every Player's Paradise, is treating us well -- I'm sitting here in my Atlantis robe, in my concierge room, but I haven't yet had use for the butler. If I do find that I require the services of the butler, I'm going to insist on calling him Mr. French.

Life is up & down here in more ways that one. I win a little, I lose a little.... but, also, I'm in ping pong mode between being happy to be in paradise with Eric and Lisa, and feeling sick and tired. Tuesday's post-chemo are the hardest, though, so I have some reason to believe that today will be a good day.

It's nearly 8:00 AM and I haven't gambled yet. I can't believe I'm wasting this valuable gambling time!

Christmas and Chemo

We had a nice Christmas -- good friends and food and stuff. Pretty tree. Plenty o' champagne.

Today we're heading out to Reno w/ Lisa... off to the Atlantis Casino and Resort, Every Player's Paradise. At this very moment I'd prefer to be sleeping, but I know it will be a good time.

Just FYI: I'm bald and my hair is not growing back. I will be bald until I'm lucky enough to have failed my current chemo, thus bringing me that much closer to my demise.

I don't understand why my peeps don't know that by now. So many of those around me ask me if I'm done with chemo... if my hair is growing back... etc.

I'm going to do chemo once a week (fourth week off) until I fail chemo or until I can't handle the side effects anymore. And then I'm going to do a different chemo.

People should stop asking me when chemo's over, and when my hair's gonna grow back.

Off to pack!

Almost Xmas

It's been a slow-moving Christmas eve for me. I've spent much of the day in bed -- the chemo seems to have exacted a greater toll than usual. From time to time I rouse myself and work on projects; there are place cards to make, laminates to create.

The house smells like Eric's good food. It's not been a slow-moving day for him!

I'll garner my energy this evening to attend a 10:00 PM church service. No fear... I hold my same ol' opinion of Christianity... but going to see the fabulous Mr. Tom Silva play on Christmas eve has become a favorite tradition of the season. No pressure to keep taking the gig, Tom!

Eric just walked into the room and informed me that if I liked to eat fish that we would be enjoying an Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes tonight. He's awfully cute.

That's all the news fit to type.

Wee Hours

The Hannukah dinner for 18 was fun. Eric outdid himself with brisket, latkes, kasha varnishkas (sp?) et cetera. The teachers didn't talk about work/students/math tootoo much.

The next day, Friday, I spent five plus hours in the blue recliner, watching the drip drip drip of the iv. Then my niece Luana and great nephew Dusty arrived from Las Vegas. They are delightful individuals! This is the second Christmas in a row we've been able to see them and it's such a nice present!

I'm not exactly sure what the plan for is today. Whatever it is, it needs to be low key, on accounta the decadron has me awake at 3:30 in the morning.

Eric is just a few feet from me. He's warm and Eric-ish, and it's hard not to wake him up to talk to him. It wouldn't be the first time. He's a good sport about it... about most things, really...

Off to try to sleep!

Hump Day

Eric is amazing. After work tomorrow, at 6:00 o'clock, 17+ folks (Eric's co-workers and their sig figs) are coming to our house for Hannukah.

We didn't even settle on the menu and go grocery shopping until after work today! Still, when the guests arrive tomorrow we'll be ready, largely due to Eric's efforts. I set the table tonight: one, long, table with holiday greenery, dreidels, and gelt. The briskets are cooking now.

As exhausted as I am (which is pretty darn exhausted), I'm still so happy to share this life with Eric... to be people who'll throw a dinner party for 20 on a weeknight.

Now if I can just reconcile that with my buzzing feet and aching bones.

How did it get so late?

Whew. It's been a busy few days, and it will only get busier. I've been extra-super remiss in returning phone calls, e-mails, et cetera.

It's a crazy time!

Yawn

I would say that my hands are ugly, but Eric would never stand for it. They may be calloused and peeling, but they don't hurt. That's better-than-fair to me, and I won't complain about how they look.

My eyebrows and I are parting amicably. We never had much of a relationship anyway. I plucked them just once, between the onset of puberty and the realization that I didn't give a damn. My eyelashes have abandoned me, too, even though I never tortured them with mascara.

It was s'posed to be a busy weekend, but it didn't turn out that way. There were activities planned for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, but only Friday came off as planned. I spent the rest of the weekend tired, tired, tired.

Another busy week starts tomorrow. Off to bed!