Holiday musings....

Around here, there is a street that has light balls in the trees. Usually, they start the day after Thanksgiving and take a few days to go up and down the street to all the houses, run wire from the back yard, up over the house to the large Chinese elm trees, and hang sparkily-twinkily balls.

They did it in one day.

One short, ten hour day.

We were surprised when we went on our walk tonight and the street was lit up.

Pictures and video later.

jc

Just a thought on our current CIC

When we lost that miserably run campaign, all I could hope for was a Clinton light presidency.

What we are getting is a Carter part II presidency instead.
joy.


Puppy Disaster!



Well, this is what happens when you don't take the beagles to dinner with you. Tissue Terror!

Esh, I gotta get the two legged girls to clean this one up...

jc
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Disneyland today

Today we went to Disneyland to see the small gap between Haloween and Christmas.

Well, the tree was up on Main Street, and New Orleans was awash in "bling". We found a small spot that was neither, and the girls actually allowed me to take a decent shot of them. After hundreds (perhaps thousands) of pictures, I got a decent one.

The park was quite busy and we left by noon.

Oh, and Jenna lost her tooth at lunch. She is so happy!

Gotta go pick up dog poop somewhere...

jc

Health update

Well, I saw Dr. Lee yesterday, and all seems to be going well.

The bone marrow biopsy came back as generally OK. He noted some elevated numbers in my IGD, but nothing else -- which seems like an anomaly and not much for concern. Yet.

He gave me the surgical pathology report, and while I am not a doctor (or even play on on TV) I can read this:
NO EVIDENCE OF MONOCLONALITY IN B-CELL POPULATION
I take that as something good.

My visits to the chemo lab for AREDIA are to be cut in half, and I don't see Dr. Lee until next January.

Generally good, eh?

My back still has its days, and my bone marrow is only at 50% or so. If I get sick (something I don't do very often) it will take me much longer to get better. I really notice that I notice faces, but absolutely blank out with names (very awkward, socially). I am quite stiff when it comes to movement, except when standing still: my back does an involuntary wiggle that seems like it is under/over correcting itself. My stamina is OK for a while, but it takes me much longer to recover. I seem to be just barely stable -- my balance is just not as balanced as before. If I do get off balance, I don't have the quick (or even automatic) muscle response to correct it in time. Not good when dodging beagle pups.

All told, I think I am doing quite well. Considering that in March of 2008 I could only walk with a walker, and could not get out of a bed without horrific pains in the back, I think that I am doing VERY well. Just wish these 100 little things would hurry up and stop making me feel older than I am.

Gotta go clean up puppy stuff --
jc

Tomorow I get more info

I have an appointment with Dr. Lee, my Oncologist. I will find out the results of my bone marrow biopsy and blood tests.

Things are going a bit too well, if you ask me.

jc

No, I havn't gone away

I have just been busy... puttering around and cleaning up pee and poo piles.

Since the dogs arrived, I have done the following:
*cleaned up numerous poo piles in the yard
*cleaned up several poo piles in the house
*designed, built, installed, and ultimately abandoned a barrier system to keep the pups away from the rest of the house
*put better latches on the gates
*put better closers on the gates
*took the two of them to the vet (all OK)
*fumigated the house (You try to keep 2 pups occupied for 4 hours)

I have gone to the store (Home Depot, Lowe's, Petsmart, Petco, Target, Anaheim Pet supply) every day for the last two weeks.

One good thing is that I have to walk them once a day.

It is so different having the pups around. I must admit, that when Jenna went to school the house was very quiet. Without Gipper, I had nobody to entertain me (or keep me company). Now, even when they are napping, there is activity.

AAAAAHHHHH! Gotta go clean up a mess

jc