The Attic

We have mixed feelings about the trip to New York on Tuesday: there will be no more radiation treatments on the one hand, but on the other, we have no more trips to Manhattan until the next checkup in October. (The doctor made the decision that the full course of 33 treatments, already completed, pushed the Old Man to the brink. I can attest to that. Dr. H feels that further treatments don't offer enough benefit to outweigh the possibility that they could "push him over the edge".)

So, now we get to sleep late occasionally, loll around in jammies, and work on healing and getting strong. Already seeing some improvement in the dizziness/fainting situation as he gets farther away from the chemo (whew) and that gives ME a little more, uh, freedom. The other big goal is to get him trying to swallow things as the throat heals (doc was pleased on that front) and to build back some of the muscle he's lost. Physical therapist coming next week to deal with that.

Keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming our way....the PET and CT scans in December will tell the tale.

Off to see The Wizard!

The Wizard would be T's Radiation Oncologist at Beth Israel. Today we get his verdict on additional "boost" treatments that will target the main tumor and hopefully zap that sucker into history.

We also have an appointment with the chemo oncologist...strangely (or not) the dizzy spells and fainting have been fewer and farther between since the Erbitux treatments were suspended two weeks ago. Dr. C doesn't buy the cause and effect there but.....who cares!

Oh, boy, has it ever been a long time! Must do something about that soon. The reason the blog has been dark? Hubby has been battling throat cancer since diagnosis in February and we have been BUSY. Blogging again might be a good way to deal with stress and get info out, though, so I will give it a try. Soon.

A Little Improvement

These are the scores from two "practice" matches at the range yesterday. Whether it's the weight training finally paying off, or something else, this is the first time I've broken the 200 barrier! Now, why can't I do that in a real match?

Women and Heart Disease

Please check Barb Parry's blog  for some important information on heart disease and women.

In the What the Hell department, there is this:

"In Haynes v U.S. (1968), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that felons do not have to register illegally possessed guns, because the Fifth Amendment protects them against self-incrimination."

REALLY??!

Rhinebeck 2010

I have mixed feelings about Rhinebeck this year: I'm excited about my two inkle weaving classes on Friday, but the festival itself? Enh, not so much. The more I read on Facebook about the hoards of new spinners and knitters coming, from all corners of the earth, it seems, the more I think I'll stay home! We'll see...I do have free tickets, one of the perks of taking workshops!

My looms are ready. The used one has been cleaned up. My newer Schacht loom has been sanded, stained, Danish oiled, and waxed. Yesterday I spent the day trying to decipher the "homework" draft for the afternoon advanced class which must be done ahead. I had a few glitches, but it's ready to go and packed in the carry bag. (I made the discovery that the bag for my rigid heddle loom fits not one but both inkle looms, plus all the other stuff I will need. And to think I almost sold it!) So, a week from Friday, before the sun is even up, I'll be heading it north on the Taconic. Hope the weather is better than last year! Now, did I order lunch or not?

John Lott On Gun Bans

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/09/29/gun-bans-dont-work/

Baltimore Weekend

The big thing about any trip to Baltimore is spending time with our boy, Gus! We got to babysit twice this time, whoohoo! He seemed to like it, too! We were also there to attend Baltimore Concert Opera's kickass production of "Barber of Seville" on Sunday but when I discovered that The Pioneer Woman would be in town for the Baltimore Book Festival  I had to figure a way around the schedule so I could hear or meet her...and get my cookbook autographed!

Ree was scheduled to speak (fortuitously, right down the block from our hotel and brunch location) at one pm, so I arranged with the Club to switch our brunch reservations till 1:30.  It became obvious pretty quickly that I would not only miss about half of her program, but would probably also miss any chance of getting that cookbook autographed.  Here she is arriving....look at those boots!

I did have to leave halfway through, but when I got to brunch, I found that my dear husband had pretty much already eaten with our son, daughter-in-law, and a few others.  What the?  Heck, I could have stayed down at the Book Festival if I'd known that!  It was a good thing, though, because it meant I could wolf down a quick brunch (Eggs Benedict do not hold well in steam trays, just so you know) and drag the Big Guy back down the square with me to get that autograph!  I didn't lug that book all the way down from Connecticut, not to mention all day Sunday in my bag, to go home un-autographed, believe me!  Here is Ree (she is one funny lady!) posing for some pictures with people in front of us.

Now it gets tricky.  If you read her blog or follow her on Facebook, you know that Ree was also in DC on Saturday for the Washington Book Fair....and forgot her camera, forcing her to record the visit on her iPhone.  Gee, I thought I was the only one.  Problem is, BG knows how to work the various and assorted cameras we own.  The iPhone?  Not so much.  I gave him a quick tutorial in line, then proceeded to dump the entire contents of my Vera Bradley backpack onto the ground in front of the signing table just as I reached it.  Soo classy and cool.  We distracted her from my clumsiness by telling her about the place WE used to have in Oklahoma (okay, most of it was in Kansas, but we had to fly into Tulsa and drive up through Oklahoma).....that kept her busy while I retrieved all my stuff, fortunately!

BG actually got three shots (one is horrible and I will not share) although he doesn't recall taking this one or the one I'm not sharing, and I love this one.  (Wait a minute...when did my hair get that freaking WHITE??!)  We look like we are BFF's, don't we?  Eat your hearts out!  (She really is that sweet, by the way.)

And this one is not bad, even if I do look like a total dork.  Again, with the WHITE HAIR already?!

The End.

Warping Board

.....has arrived and has been assembled. Everything else will have to wait till next week.

Later....well, not everything!  I spent last evening sanding my Schacht inkle loom and put a coat of "sanding sealer" on it a while ago.  When dry, the whole thing will get another sanding, then a coat of stain (I'm thinking light cherry), and a few coats of Danish oil.  (Yeah, there will be more sanding.)  Should be gorgeous by next weekend, then I get to warp for the Advanced Inkle class at Rhinebeck.  Everything ELSE has to wait till we get back from Baltimore.

Did you know there is a big book festival in B'more this weekend and it happens to be located right in the block where our hotel is located?!  I was very excited to learn that Pioneer Woman will be there and I've rearranged things so I can try to get her to sign my copy of her cookbook.  Maybe even a photo?  Sounds like a busy, but fun, weekend, and even some time with grandson Gus!

Pictures of the inkle loom when it's all done.