The Book Report

I give this book a double thumbs up.  I loved the message and it is so beautifully written.  

Favorite quotes.....there are so so many:

"Harold could no longer pass a stranger without acknowledging the truth that everyone was the same, and also unique; and that this was the dilemma of being human."

***

"I miss her all the time.  I know in my head that she has gone.  The only difference is that I am getting used to the pain.  It's like discovering a great hole in the ground.  To begin with, you forget it's there and keep falling in.  After a while, it's still there, but you learn to walk round it."

I have not yet read this...same characters, different narrator.  Does anyone recommend it?

A friend of mine recommended this book to me.  I did not like it....but what do I know?  It was hugely popular in France.  I will never forget this quote:

"Just 'cause she is farting though silk doesn't mean she can shit on people who don't have any money."

Katherine Pancol has written two more books with the same characters....this one has been translated into English.

"The Squirrels of Central Park are Sad on Mondays"  has not yet been translated into English. Je peux attendre.

The Waiting

T has wanted to be a doctor since he was a little boy....and this weekend he will find out if he matches in Orthopedic Surgery.  Friends, this is the culmination of years and years of hard work. 

He has taken all the tests, done all the interviews, worked all the clinical hours....now it is time to wait and to pray...and that can be the hardest part.  

Presidents' Day Skiing 2017

Big T and I spent Presidents' Weekend skiing with these guys in Breckenridge.

 Friends, I was a little nervous about how I would do with the neuropathy in my feet (courtesy of chemo)...but these new skis practically turn themselves!  It is definitely worth the extra money to get the demo equipment.  Getting back on skis, post-treatment, was a personal victory! 

Big T always makes sure we have ski-on/ski-off accommodations...it is the only way to go when you have a group of skiers with "varying enthusiasm".   I could take a nap after lunch and Big T could ski until the lifts closed.

We hit the Gold Pan apres ski (it was built in the 1800's for the prospectors)....we had some celebrating to do and some black diamond (yard sale) stories to tell....

March On 2017

M and Big T both have birthdays in March.  Since M will be in Japan on his big day, we celebrated early at the River Club. That banana cake was five layers of deliciousness.  I love celebrating birthdays...especially my own children's.

March is also Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month....and tomorrow (Friday March 3rd) is the day to wear blue.  

Early detection is always key...so please help get the word out.  And, when you celebrate your 50th birthday, please get a colonoscopy.  Ok... I am done now.

Bring on the King Cake

This fun surprise was sitting on my front porch this morning! Happy Fat Tuesday!!

My BFF, who really knows how to have a great Mardis Gras in NOLA, sent it.  To quote her, "King cake is addicting....Great with any beverage."  Thanks Vern!  Love you!

  

Scanxiety Survival

A lot of people have been asking me how I survive scanxiety.  Everyone is different....but here are some ideas I have picked up over the last three years.

Give yourself a certain amount of time to think about it...no more.  For some, you won't let your mind go there at all until the day of the test....others  need a week to process it.  Do what works for you...just remember that the worry is only allowed to visit---not move in.

Remind yourself that you have great healthcare...you are in good hands.  And remember that there is great research going on all the time.  There is always always always hope.

Distraction is an effective coping mechanism.  Distraction is not denial...it is a temporary escape. When it gets to be too much....distraction can be very helpful.  Big T is head of the distraction committee at our house....and he knows his job begins the week before the test.   

Pray.  It works.  I don't know how it works, but it does.  Ask others to pray for you.  Pray for all of the rest of us going through the same damn thing.

Think about all the people praying for you.  I like to focus on my grandmother, who I was especially close to growing up, and who I know is now in heaven praying for me.

Be gentle with yourself.  This is difficult for everyone.  Just getting through it is a victory!

C is Golden

Today this sweet baby turns 24!  For C, it has always been all about the cake.

Happy Birthday, C!

143