Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where warmer temps are once again keeping winter at bay.  Yay!  So far we have had rain only, although they keep talking about this big storm that may or may not hit.  Okay, then.  It must be the week of Thanksgiving!  Always snow somewhere causing delays.

 I remember one Thanksgiving decades ago when we were supposed to head north from our place in central MN to spend the day with Joel's family.  We got a huge snow storm and could not go anywhere.  We also did not have any food to prepare a Thanksgiving meal at home!  We were rescued when Joel's secretary at the time invited all of us to her home for the meal......so very nice!  Another time in the Philippines a typhoon came through and knocked out our electricity.  At the same time our propane ran dry and so we sat on Thanksgiving day without electricity, eating a meal of half cooked turkey, jello, and potato chips!  And of course pie.  We will spend a quiet Thanksgiving here, planning on most of the usual food choices,  but the number one priority for us will be pie.  Joel's choice is pumpkin and mine is sweet potato.  My pie crust is made with almond flour......Joel's is a Pillsbury Crust!

It is very strange, but since the chemo treatments, I have craved food I have not eaten in years!  I have a very limited diet, which eliminates sugar, most grains, and processed foods.  I have been craving tomato soup and grilled cheese, caramel rolls, old fashioned glazed donuts like Target's original bakery had years ago, and lately fried chicken!  I have not eaten oil laden fried food for decades.........SO I had this hair brain idea to make fried chicken using olive oil and almond flour for a crust.  I am still weak and fatigued, so Joel helped me out.  It turned out terrible.  Joel, who eats anything, said it tasted bad........and made the whole house smell of fried oil!  We have had a good laugh over it.  I certainly lost my taste for it as soon as I ate a bite.  I am not sure why the chemo has triggered old taste buds, but I am trying to ignore them!  Well, except for the fact that I have been craving salads too! 

Speaking of salads, what is with the Romaine lettuce recalls?  I am wondering why romaine has the most issues with bacteria?  Of course it is my favorite lettuce! 

Update:  Two weeks since the last chemo and I am still struggling with weakness in legs and fatigue. I nap 2x a day and sleep 9-10 hrs a night.   I am happy to report that last night I could get up the stairs to bed on my own again so baby steps!  This coming Monday we head to Mayo for a follow up with the radiology oncologist and will get more info on when the next phase of this journey begins.  I had good news with both the dermatologist and urologist appointments this week.  All is well, so no return to them for 6 months.  Yay. 

Joel will give his last sermon Wednesday night at a community service and then he is done with his Interim.  He is ready for a break, but will miss all the people he has gotten to know in the past 15 months.  There are some great people at the churches and they will be missed.

I have not had the brain power to read this week so have been watching too many Hallmark movies or HGTV shows.  What are you reading?  Hope your weekend is filled with sunshine! 

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from the upper Midwest where seasonal temperatures have returned making it possible for Joel to get in a 10 mile ride yesterday.  Quite a difference from much earlier in the week when I glanced outside to see him mowing in his fluorescent orange parka that alerts hunters and car drivers of his human presence when he rides in the fall.  He was mulching leaves while it was snowing!!   The next couple of days will be in the low 40's.  Yesterday we opened the back door to get in some cool fresh air.  So nice to enjoy the last few days of Fall.

Speaking of Fall, Thanksgiving will soon be upon us.  Joel will preach his last sermon the evening before at a community service.  His Interim will end Dec. 1st.  He has had three calls to either fill in or serve other churches, but he is taking a much needed break and plans to do so at least until radiation ends sometime in January.  Radiation in Rochester should began about a month after chemo ends.

Speaking of chemo, this last one really knocked me off my feet for the past week.  Today I feel more human again and plan to just keep getting stronger day by day.  I dropped nearly 8 lbs in 6 days, but know from past experience that it will come back.  (it is not needed nor wanted but it will return!)I am looking forward to leaving chemo behind.

We now have gone over 2 weeks without a microwave and I confess it is has been more than a little difficult.  We usually like to fix a good amount of food....meat and veggies......and then warm them up in the microwave at mealtimes, saving time and energy.  So no microwave?  No quick warm-ups.  After too many meals of yogurt, eggs, or even smoothies, our bodies were needing meat protein so we made a good meal and tried warming things in the oven......it dried out the ground turkey.  Live and learn.  Joel has searched high and low for a replacement as it is a small over the range space and most stores have to order ..........a friend is trying to fix the old one.  IF not, for now we will by a inexpensive counter model to tide us over.  Also, our appliances are white and you pay more now for white!  What is up with that?

Joel's cousin Charles died this past week.  Joel and his two brothers grew up with Charles and his two brothers and often spent time together as kids.  Joel's mom and Charles mom were sisters.  Harriet is still alive at age 107 I believe.  I remember visiting the "M." farm  when we were first married.  It is where I saw my first cow milked the old fashioned way.....sitting on a three legged stool using hands.  We went squirrel hunting in their woods one fall day and I kept hearing rustling in the fallen leaves when we walked.  As we stopped, all around us snakes lifted their heads up from the leaves!  Garter snakes were out sunning themselves and we were disturbing them.  It freaked me out!!!  That is the one and only time I ate squirrel too.  Yes, it tasted like chicken but I would rather have chicken.  Enough said.

Joel has many fond memories of swimming in the river by their house, sliding down their big hill in the winter, and skating on their pond. They spent many many hours outside year round together!  We went on to connect in other places and stay good friends with Joel's cousin Luther, Charles brother, through the years.  He holds a special place in our family's hearts.  We pray for them all in their time of loss.

No reading done this week.  Chemo brain and eye issues made it hard to focus.  Hope you have all had a good week and are looking forward to another week of fall weather!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from our part of the world where winter has arrived too early.  We thought we had escaped the snow that tracked more north, but Wednesday afternoon we got a good inch on the ground and woke up Thursday to a balmy 4 degrees.  Seriously.  Not ready for this.  Actually never ready for winter.  How we would love to be in Arizona during the winter months!  But here we are, so I will say that the trees look pretty coated in the white stuff.  And our house stays warm with an efficient furnace and gas fireplace.  Our car blesses us with heated seats that keep us toasty warm.  Definitely lots to be thankful for as winter settles in too early this year.

**In full disclosure, I have written much of this blog post On Thursday knowing the aftermath of chemo would be coming.  I am glad I did as this time around the chemo crap storm came early!

Thursday we cooked up some homemade chicken veggie soup to tide us over the weekend.  Friday was chemo day which means I will be laying low for awhile.  Saturday will be our warmest day in the next couple of weeks so Joel is planning to put up Christmas lights outside on the garage roof and porch roof and railings.  I would love to keep them up until Spring but the association would frown upon that I expect.  I have found myself pulled in to the Hallmark Christmas movies on the Hallmark and Hallmark mystery channels.  Our decorations will not be out until after Thanksgiving though!  Nor the Christmas music.  But the day after?  Probably!'''

Did you hear about the 6 year old boy who have his teacher $15 of his birthday money?  He wrote here a note that said he knew teachers did not get paid enough and he wanted to help her out!  She did not accept the money but thanked him for his kindness.  His mom found out about it when she saw the note in his backpack.....and she posted it online.  I just love stories where the hearts of children are so giving.  We could all learn a lesson from this little 6 year old "teacher" in his own right.

It is Veteran's Day soon and it always brings to mind the eight years Joel served in the Air Force.  He received his draft notice when we graduated from Bible college, so decided to enlist in the Air Force so he would not be expected to carry a gun and use it.  He grew up with a gun in his hand and was an expert in marksmanship they told him, but he did not want to be that expert on the front lines.  We were married in June and he went off to basic training in early October.  In eight years we lived in Illinois, New Mexico, Utah, Minnesota and The Philippine Islands, meeting some wonderful people and experiencing some amazing things.  We found those eight years to greatly shape and impact our lives.  So thankful and proud of Joel's service and for ALL who serve/served. 

Speaking of thankful, I am giving thanks for my last chemo treatment.  I rang the chimes when it was done, the sweet chemo nurses clapped and hugged us and as I told them, we will miss all of you, but hope we don't have to see you again in this place!  Also so thankful for a clean house, Joel's endless support, the prayers of others, and the privilege to pray for others.  For visual encounters with God, for His faithfulness and persistence in sending me new and continual reminders that He fights for me...for all of us on our journeys.  Grateful for a bowl full of colorful leaves that graces our table, for a TV with Hallmark movies, for books at my fingertips.

Speaking of books,  I am reading a light mystery by Laurien Barenson and a new book written by Ana Werner (and Larry Sparks) called, "Accessing the Greater Glory".  One is light reading, the other stretching my faith.  Both necessary.  What are you reading?

Spiritual Blinders

Have you ever seen a horse with blinders on?  They are worn so that they are not frightened by what is beside or behind them.  The blinders keep the horse moving forward without incident and with the right perspective.  No panicky horses.  Lately I feel like I need those blinders .....just need to keep my eyes focused on moving forward.  Just stay focused on Jesus.......just keep walking forward one step at a time.....no worry.....no panic setting in.

It has been just over a year since this journey began.  It is easy for me to slip back to those early months and the turbulence involved in every test, every report, and what seemed like all bad news.  It shook our world and it can still bring about a physical response if I go back and think about all of it.  Like Lot's wife in the Bible, I want to look back over my shoulder, but I know that it will not be helpful.  I won't turn into a pillar of salt, but the distractions and emotions wrapped up in the past year can keep me frozen in place.  Especially since this November is filled with appointments and tests.  Chemo will be done after this Friday, and  I move on to the next phase......radiation.  Before that happens there are tests, a port removal, a visit to the urologist and dermatologist, and.......yeah......"Distractions!" Give me those blinders!  I need a new perspective.

So a horse with blinders, we know it is for its own good.  The blinders keep the horse steady, focused, and calm as it does the job set before him. Makes sense.

Makes sense for us too.  There are times in all our lives when we need to intentionally focus, stay steady and calm and just "do the job" set before us.  Keeping our eyes upon Jesus and His plan gives us the best perspective, and is a good way to accomplish all those things.  Of course blinders are not literally what we need, but knowing God is guiding us through life keeps us calm and less distracted by the world around us.  There are benefits to having spiritual blinders!

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light unto my path."

Ps. 119:105  NLT

Sataurday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from northern Iowa where chilly temperatures and nighttime frost have joined us as we enter into November.  Halloween was cold, and we had about half the kids we used to see here in our neighborhood.  Others said the same thing........fewer kids....more leftover candy.  We had one young teen here on stilts who came right up our porch steps, trick or treating.  Joel always enjoys having the kids trick or treat, and I think he was a little disappointed to see fewer young kids coming to the door.  It was cute though, when one young boy came and as Joel opened the door with the candy bowl he said to Joel...."I like your costume!  You are a cowboy!"  Of course Joel was just dressed in his normal attire but this young guy thought he was dressed up for Halloween! I guess he dresses for Halloween every day!

The frost brought with it a heavy blanket of leaves.  Joel ended up raking, mulching, and bagging from after lunch until supper on Saturday.  And it needs to be done again!  Joel took the above picture from our living room sofa.....it is a beautiful view of our backyard and the neighbor's colorful tree.  We have certainly enjoyed it!

Joel headed to Mpls. on Monday to attend the funeral of an old friend we have known since we met at church in Salt Lake City in 1970.  When the Air Force moved us to Duluth, they ended up moving to a suburb of Mpls.  We kept moving.......and moving..........but we stayed in touch mostly by mail with a few visits thrown in.  Dick died at age 89, having lived a full life of faith and love for family and friends. We are blessed to call them friends over the years.

 I was able to vote early this week and make a brief stop at the library.  Both my PT sessions for the scar tissue were cancelled due to my therapist being sick with the crud.  She was at work but coughing away and on antibiotics so cancelled our appointments.  Good idea........It is less than a week until my final chemo treatment.  Some of the symptoms have been less intense this time around. I'll take it!

I decided to keep an ongoing gratitude list for November.  So much to be thankful for........This week I have been missing nature......being able to get out and walk, pet a dog, just smell fall.  I am grateful to have the views we have from our home..........but looking forward to some fresh air!  Joel took me for a drive down by the river and today or tomorrow I am planning on a short walk there.  So grateful for where we live, having the river so close, and  for Fall....my favorite season!

Enjoy your weekend!