Back From the Undead

No - I have not dropped off the face of the earth, nor have I been bound and gagged and tossed in the store room by my children (but if any of you give them that idea, I will seriously haunt you).

I have simply been living my normal, everyday life (if somewhat lazily).

We have had many large and small events in our collective lives since my last post (what year was that?). Homecoming has come and gone. Both larvae had dates and the photos are up on Flickr to prove it. It was all very cute. I don't know who the father of these two is, but he must be a handsome devil if the offspring are any indication.

We are fast approaching a long weekend school break here and the family is splitting up to enjoy it. Number Two is off to the north woods with his uncle for a rainy weekend of movies and music. Number One and I are heading to an adjoining state to look at their major university. It is a good school despite it's top 5 ranking on the all time best party school list. Not that Number One would give any credit to that.

Then it's Halloween, and then Thanksgiving, and then a possible ski week (for moi), and then Christmas, and then - who knows. It is non-stop party time around here.

I don't want to give the wrong impression however. We do have our serious moments and tomorrow is one for me. Tomorrow, I go in for one of my now regular chemo sessions. It starts with an early morning visit to the clinic (unfortunately located across town, a drive of 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, collapsed bridges, accidents, etc.) with a lab stick first on the agenda. Then I see the doc or the PA depending on who's available and they review the lab results, give me a poke or two, and hopefully give the OK for treatment. Mostly it is my blood counts that they keep an eye on. I am holding my own (so far), but you never know.

Assuming that I get the go-ahead, I either head for the in-house treatment center for six-hours in a plastic barco lounger, or I make a short drive to the associated hospital for six hours in a plastic coated bed (but there, I get lunch). So, tomorrow, it's the hospital.

Then I drive home feeling like puke and spend the next 48 hours in a state akin to a massive hangover. Not fun. But, not as bad as the other alternatives available. All said and done, I'll take this.

Sometime in the next couple of days, I need to get my car up on ramps and change the oil. I also need to do a timing belt and other related bits, but I think I'll wait for that.

In addition to all of this, I have a plate full of other things going on. I am trying to get back up north to the old home site on a more frequent basis. My folks are getting on and I want to spend more time with them. I am also thinking of relocating back up that way.

I have talked to the kids about it and although they are not crazy about the idea, Number One is off to college sometime this summer, and Number Two is mulling it over. It is a beautiful place in a savage weather kind of way and it would certainly put us closer to the country's best canoing territory and lots of woods for me to walk in. Plus, half of my family still lives there and that counts for a lot with me.

There are a couple of other reasons for heading back that way, but those are ones that I will keep under my belt for a while yet.

Till next time......