Already I have discovered my appetite is back. I want really, really GOOD raviolis. Which is weird, since I rarely eat raviolis. I guess cravings don't make any sense; you just know you want something.
Hey, have I mentioned that I'm sick to death of squash? We learned a great lesson this year on the farming front: try not to plant too much of any one thing. ;) Yes, the squash are still producing, but I think Sunshine Acres is going to be getting all the rest. I can't even LOOK at squash right now...lol.
Still, we have probably 25-30 chili pepper plants of various varieties and I don't have a problem with them. You can dry them, you can use them in every meal under the sun, you just can't get sick of chili peppers! Oh, and the tomatoes; how amazing that we did it all right this year. The flavors just explode in your mouth. When you cook with them, it's stunning. When you eat them just as is, with a little salt and pepper, heavenly.
I just need the larger chilies to mature, like the pasillas. I am dying for a spectacular chile relleno. I wonder if I could manage a trip to Tia Rosa's restaraunt this week? Despite it being my chemo week off, I'm still kinda weak from the chemo week ON. :D
Good lords, it is time for bed and all I can think about is food. See what happens when the chemo stops for just a bit? But, I think this chemo is working. And I say this because those referencing pains in my throat and shoulder are all but gone. Yes, I had something very like a muscle spasm in my shoulder today, but it was way different than the 'normal' pain. Still, it's early in this cycle, and while I do not want to get my hopes up, I refuse not to be optimistic. I can be just as big a pollyanna as anyone else!
Ok, before I think up more food items to crave, I'm going to play a little more World of Warcraft, then get to bed. I'm having fun with my undead Rogue, Ynez. I rarely play her, but today, I got her to level 84. Maybe it's all tied in with the weird cravings!
Love, hugs, and prayers for good health and long life to everyone!
Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I am the Epitome of Compliance
I think I must be every doctor's dream patient. I am compliant ... obsessively compliant. I may be naive, but I figure if a doctor tells you to do something, you should do it.
For years, I monitored my breathing with a little contraption that measured peak expiratory flow and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second. (FeV1) I had data out the wazoo, and trending charts back to 2003. :D Ok, granted, that kind of fell by the wayside when I got this cancer, because it was all I could do to cope with THIS.
But now, I can obsess about new things, i.e. how much water I am drinking, getting those eight Xeloda tablets down every day, and the two B6 and the Turmeric (which are kinda hard to get down. Stop making HUGE capsules, people!) All these things I write down as I take them, keeping my date book by my bedside. Yes, the glucose levels are recorded there as well, and I am happy to report that this morning I was down to 113. The decadron has definitely left the building. :D
Oh, and the lotion and emollient thing! According to the Patient Information sheet my oncologist gave me on Xeloda, I need to put an emollient on my hands and feet five to six times a day, and especially before bed. I love the Emu oil, I have to say. You use so little, yet it stretches one slight pump of the bottle to both hands and feet. No scent, thank the gods, and it absorbs quickly.
One of the common side effects of Xeloda is mouth sores, so of course, you have to pay extreme attention to your dental hygiene. Because I tend to get very dry mouthed from the chemo, I use a moisturizing mouthwash from Spry that contains Xylitol. The Patient Information said that I should avoid Citrus fruits and juices, tobacco, and... NOOOOOOOOOOO!... spicy foods. Dr. Fastenberg assured me that that part didn't apply to those of us of the latina persuasion. If you grew up and grew and immune to it, eat it. ;) Phew! Dodged that bullet.
In any event, today I feel pretty darned good. I feel strong; much stronger than yesterday. If I can get this chemo regimen through to completion, and it works to at least control this cancer, I will be so very happy.
Here is Jane on a hunt for squash. We put a basket up on the wall for the neighbors behind us and then she returns it empty with a sweet thank you note. It's good to share. :)
Well, I'm taking each day as it comes, keeping on top of side effects as best I can and hoping this is the one that does the trick.
Love to all!
For years, I monitored my breathing with a little contraption that measured peak expiratory flow and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second. (FeV1) I had data out the wazoo, and trending charts back to 2003. :D Ok, granted, that kind of fell by the wayside when I got this cancer, because it was all I could do to cope with THIS.
But now, I can obsess about new things, i.e. how much water I am drinking, getting those eight Xeloda tablets down every day, and the two B6 and the Turmeric (which are kinda hard to get down. Stop making HUGE capsules, people!) All these things I write down as I take them, keeping my date book by my bedside. Yes, the glucose levels are recorded there as well, and I am happy to report that this morning I was down to 113. The decadron has definitely left the building. :D
Oh, and the lotion and emollient thing! According to the Patient Information sheet my oncologist gave me on Xeloda, I need to put an emollient on my hands and feet five to six times a day, and especially before bed. I love the Emu oil, I have to say. You use so little, yet it stretches one slight pump of the bottle to both hands and feet. No scent, thank the gods, and it absorbs quickly.
One of the common side effects of Xeloda is mouth sores, so of course, you have to pay extreme attention to your dental hygiene. Because I tend to get very dry mouthed from the chemo, I use a moisturizing mouthwash from Spry that contains Xylitol. The Patient Information said that I should avoid Citrus fruits and juices, tobacco, and... NOOOOOOOOOOO!... spicy foods. Dr. Fastenberg assured me that that part didn't apply to those of us of the latina persuasion. If you grew up and grew and immune to it, eat it. ;) Phew! Dodged that bullet.
Here is Jane on a hunt for squash. We put a basket up on the wall for the neighbors behind us and then she returns it empty with a sweet thank you note. It's good to share. :)
Well, I'm taking each day as it comes, keeping on top of side effects as best I can and hoping this is the one that does the trick.
Love to all!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Stuffed Squash
It's only 102 degrees at 3:30PM, but the humidity is up at 27%. Oh sure, sounds pretty good to folks in places like the southern states that get REAL humidity, but it's still yukky to us. :)
Oddly, yesterday I was getting my Thursday-after-chemo leg pains. It was very sporadic though, thank the deities. And I had another Ocular Migraine. At least in this round it's only been two of them. I'm beginning to feel antsy about the CT that I will be having on Friday. I can't tell you how hard it is to try to just keep these tests in perspective. The results of this CT will tell me if this very toxic chemo regimen is doing me any good, or not. I need to not think about it until Friday rolls around, and then I can be an anxious, neurotic mess until I see my Oncologist on the following Tuesday.
And on that Tuesday, the 12th, I am supposed to have my fourth chemo of this round. I'm feeling wildly ambivalent about that. I will not lie and say my body could not really use a break from all this. And if the results of the CT are bad, it will get its break. But if the results of the CT are good, we'll go for chemo four, and it'll be more pain, more feeling sick,, more creepy side effects, but I would still be getting RESULTS, I would still be LIVING.
But if the results of the CT are bad, will there be anything left to do? Let me clarify that; will there be anything left to do that I could survive?
Well, I had to get all that off my chest, and now I can move on to today's happier subject, stuffed squash! I looked around and found a decent recipe from the Food Network, and had to bastardize it. For one thing, there will be no oven use until... oh...around November, I'd have say. Unless we have one of this past year's winters from hell.
Back to the squash. I scooped the seeds from a round zucchini, a normal zucchini, an acorn squash and one I could not identify, but looks like a variety of turban squash, which is weird since I thought they were winter squash. After getting the seeds cleared out, I put them in a large glass bowl, with about an inch and a half of water in the bottom, and steamed them in the microwave. Each variety of the squash was done in its own time, so I had to watch them like a hawk. :)
After they were all cooked, I got out some ground, lean turkey, and with Jane's help, we made the stuffing. Once the meat was cooked through, we added a can of original Rotelle, sea salt, cracked pepper, corn, and let it simmer for a bit. We diced another zucchini, and a slice from that unknown turban, and added it to the stuffing along with some of the last of our collards and spinach. Finally, we had made our favorite brown rice mixture, and folded that in as well. Oh, and I tossed in some chopped walnuts for some extra texture and nutrition. I also love to use McCormick's blend of Greek seasoning, so I tossed a couple tablespoons of that after rubbing it between my palms.
Once we were satisfied with the seasonings, we stuffed it into our squashes, topped it with Parmesan and popped it in our Oster Toaster Oven on broil, just enough to get it all warm again and melt the cheese. I must say it was WAY satisfying; toothsome, flavorful and SO fresh! I love growing my own food. On the off chance that this cancer gets cured, I think my sisters and I should go buy a small farm somewhere cool. Dreams.... :)
Oh, and Happy Fourth of July to America. In honor of this occasion, I watched "John Adams" on HBO with the brilliant Paul Giamatti. In fact, I don't think there was one sub-par actor in that movie.
Back to work tomorrow for many of us. Have a great week, and I'm sure I'll be writing again soon. Love ti all!!!
Oddly, yesterday I was getting my Thursday-after-chemo leg pains. It was very sporadic though, thank the deities. And I had another Ocular Migraine. At least in this round it's only been two of them. I'm beginning to feel antsy about the CT that I will be having on Friday. I can't tell you how hard it is to try to just keep these tests in perspective. The results of this CT will tell me if this very toxic chemo regimen is doing me any good, or not. I need to not think about it until Friday rolls around, and then I can be an anxious, neurotic mess until I see my Oncologist on the following Tuesday.
And on that Tuesday, the 12th, I am supposed to have my fourth chemo of this round. I'm feeling wildly ambivalent about that. I will not lie and say my body could not really use a break from all this. And if the results of the CT are bad, it will get its break. But if the results of the CT are good, we'll go for chemo four, and it'll be more pain, more feeling sick,, more creepy side effects, but I would still be getting RESULTS, I would still be LIVING.
But if the results of the CT are bad, will there be anything left to do? Let me clarify that; will there be anything left to do that I could survive?
Well, I had to get all that off my chest, and now I can move on to today's happier subject, stuffed squash! I looked around and found a decent recipe from the Food Network, and had to bastardize it. For one thing, there will be no oven use until... oh...around November, I'd have say. Unless we have one of this past year's winters from hell.
Back to the squash. I scooped the seeds from a round zucchini, a normal zucchini, an acorn squash and one I could not identify, but looks like a variety of turban squash, which is weird since I thought they were winter squash. After getting the seeds cleared out, I put them in a large glass bowl, with about an inch and a half of water in the bottom, and steamed them in the microwave. Each variety of the squash was done in its own time, so I had to watch them like a hawk. :)
After they were all cooked, I got out some ground, lean turkey, and with Jane's help, we made the stuffing. Once the meat was cooked through, we added a can of original Rotelle, sea salt, cracked pepper, corn, and let it simmer for a bit. We diced another zucchini, and a slice from that unknown turban, and added it to the stuffing along with some of the last of our collards and spinach. Finally, we had made our favorite brown rice mixture, and folded that in as well. Oh, and I tossed in some chopped walnuts for some extra texture and nutrition. I also love to use McCormick's blend of Greek seasoning, so I tossed a couple tablespoons of that after rubbing it between my palms.
Once we were satisfied with the seasonings, we stuffed it into our squashes, topped it with Parmesan and popped it in our Oster Toaster Oven on broil, just enough to get it all warm again and melt the cheese. I must say it was WAY satisfying; toothsome, flavorful and SO fresh! I love growing my own food. On the off chance that this cancer gets cured, I think my sisters and I should go buy a small farm somewhere cool. Dreams.... :)
Oh, and Happy Fourth of July to America. In honor of this occasion, I watched "John Adams" on HBO with the brilliant Paul Giamatti. In fact, I don't think there was one sub-par actor in that movie.
Back to work tomorrow for many of us. Have a great week, and I'm sure I'll be writing again soon. Love ti all!!!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Nose is Shrinking!
Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I swear my nose, although still pretty red, is not as puffy as it was. I've been putting lotion on it, as it looks like I was out skiing and forgot my nose sun cream.
Happily, I haven't even taken a nap today; that's a good sign! :D I am taking it easy, listening to Cinemagic and playing some solitaire. Yes, still have leg pains, but very sporadic and the twitching is definitely toning down. It's weird to watch. :)
I just heard that Cinemagic is coming off XM Radio, but you can still hear it on-line. I'd be more perturbed, but I don't spend a lot of time in my car these days, and I do spend a lot of time listening to it on-line. What a bummer, though.
Tonight we're going to have Squash Soup with Pork and Green chilies. Yum. Imagine that, squash. Jane took a bunch over to Sunshine Acres Children's home last week, and looks like they'll be getting another bunch this week. The chef was reportedly very excited to get such a variety of squashes. :)
Well, all things considered, I'm feeling much better and much happier. I can see the lessening of the pain and hopefully, the return to normal of my poor nose. And tomorrow I have season four's premier of "True Blood," to watch; a guilty pleasure, but definitely a pleasure. ;)
Be well, all, and have a fantastic Sunday tomorrow!
Happily, I haven't even taken a nap today; that's a good sign! :D I am taking it easy, listening to Cinemagic and playing some solitaire. Yes, still have leg pains, but very sporadic and the twitching is definitely toning down. It's weird to watch. :)
I just heard that Cinemagic is coming off XM Radio, but you can still hear it on-line. I'd be more perturbed, but I don't spend a lot of time in my car these days, and I do spend a lot of time listening to it on-line. What a bummer, though.
Tonight we're going to have Squash Soup with Pork and Green chilies. Yum. Imagine that, squash. Jane took a bunch over to Sunshine Acres Children's home last week, and looks like they'll be getting another bunch this week. The chef was reportedly very excited to get such a variety of squashes. :)
Well, all things considered, I'm feeling much better and much happier. I can see the lessening of the pain and hopefully, the return to normal of my poor nose. And tomorrow I have season four's premier of "True Blood," to watch; a guilty pleasure, but definitely a pleasure. ;)
Be well, all, and have a fantastic Sunday tomorrow!
Friday, June 17, 2011
A Cornucopia of Squash
Well, in fact, it's not a cornucopia, it's a basket, but it's a BIG basket! Today's haul had several types of squash, and it was distributed among the neighbors and Jane's friend, Lisa.
As you might imagine, tonight's dinner involved .... squash! Oh, and several leaves of our collard greens, which, if cooked correctly, are SOOOO good! I used Cumin, Garam Masala, ground Coriander and red chili flakes to spice them up. I can't tell you how wonderful this meal was. The freshness of the collards was so stunning; they were frankly luscious. I added some chopped Anaheim chilies and a couple of serranos, so it had a bite to it as well. Sauteed it all up in garlic infused olive oil. We had it over brown rice.
I had to have Nancy run out and get me some Ayr Saline Nasal Mist. My nose just is bleeding so much. In the box was a sample of Ayr's Saline Nasal Gel, which is now my very best friend in the world. :D There is a major problem having such low humidity here in the desert. Our sinus passages pay a big price.
Tomorrow, I would really like to sleep later... maybe until 7AM? Please? Oh well, I'll just be happy to wake up, as usual. ;)
Have a blessed weekend, all. Hugs to everyone!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Chicken Packets
It's still Spring for a few more days, and plenty of time to use that nice grill out in the back garden. So today, it's Chicken Packets with ... wait for it... squash(!) and my version of Mexican Pesto.
Using that lovely black opal basil that has grown so beautifully, I added pine nuts, olive oil, chili peppers, cumin, garlic, salt, smoked Spanish paprika, and Parmesan cheese. It's turned out to be a fantastic pesto!
We just spread it over the chicken and the squash, wrapped 'em in foil, and now they are out getting yummy. But we are again inundated with squash, and so Jane's taking a bunch to work tomorrow.
I'm getting some new and exciting chemo side effects, now, but I won't bore you with the details. And the second week's fatigue is catching up with me, now.
Beth, my friend from Maryland, I am doing the 7 day free trial of Rift. I'm on Plutonus. Look for Doranella the Dwarf. :) Your peer pressure did me in; that and my own curiosity.
Ok, so I'm not feeling fabulous, but I'm not feeling hellacious either, and so, life, in general is good! Take care, all!
Using that lovely black opal basil that has grown so beautifully, I added pine nuts, olive oil, chili peppers, cumin, garlic, salt, smoked Spanish paprika, and Parmesan cheese. It's turned out to be a fantastic pesto!
We just spread it over the chicken and the squash, wrapped 'em in foil, and now they are out getting yummy. But we are again inundated with squash, and so Jane's taking a bunch to work tomorrow.
I'm getting some new and exciting chemo side effects, now, but I won't bore you with the details. And the second week's fatigue is catching up with me, now.
Beth, my friend from Maryland, I am doing the 7 day free trial of Rift. I'm on Plutonus. Look for Doranella the Dwarf. :) Your peer pressure did me in; that and my own curiosity.
Ok, so I'm not feeling fabulous, but I'm not feeling hellacious either, and so, life, in general is good! Take care, all!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Squash Soup with Chicken
Yesterday sucked. I couldn't take the pain anymore so I took the Vicodin, one every four hours... I think I got down four of them before I got so sick even my Compazine got barfed up. I haven't vomited in years; it's not pleasant, especially when you consider it's got to come past my tumor.
And why is it that when you don't eat, and you're sick, your glucose numbers go up? I see no logic in that! So I had to take a glipizide with my Januvia and that meant I had to eat and keep it down. I had a piece of sourdough toast. So far, so good.
The pain today is definitely not as bad as yesterday, but I have no energy. I went out to look at the crops, and barely got out there. Luckily, my sisters provided a chair so I sat and rested for a while. It's a beautiful day, but it's going to get pretty warm.
We gave a ton of squash to the neighbors yesterday, and Jane says she's going to make squash soup with chicken tonight. Nancy made me a light green beret out of some soft, soft felt material.
I'm trying hard not to get depressed, I'm not really the type to get depressed, but dang, pain wears you down. You just want to cry, but you're too tired to do even that. I don't even have the strength to sit here and play World of Warcraft. I cling to the sure knowledge that this pain is lessening, and will continue to lessen and I will get some strength back, and every day will get better. And then it will be time to do it all over again. :D See, that made me smile. It's crazy, I know.
Now I think I'll go lie down for a while. Maybe watch something on TV, maybe I'll sleep, maybe I'll read. Take care, all.
And why is it that when you don't eat, and you're sick, your glucose numbers go up? I see no logic in that! So I had to take a glipizide with my Januvia and that meant I had to eat and keep it down. I had a piece of sourdough toast. So far, so good.
The pain today is definitely not as bad as yesterday, but I have no energy. I went out to look at the crops, and barely got out there. Luckily, my sisters provided a chair so I sat and rested for a while. It's a beautiful day, but it's going to get pretty warm.
We gave a ton of squash to the neighbors yesterday, and Jane says she's going to make squash soup with chicken tonight. Nancy made me a light green beret out of some soft, soft felt material.
I'm trying hard not to get depressed, I'm not really the type to get depressed, but dang, pain wears you down. You just want to cry, but you're too tired to do even that. I don't even have the strength to sit here and play World of Warcraft. I cling to the sure knowledge that this pain is lessening, and will continue to lessen and I will get some strength back, and every day will get better. And then it will be time to do it all over again. :D See, that made me smile. It's crazy, I know.
Now I think I'll go lie down for a while. Maybe watch something on TV, maybe I'll sleep, maybe I'll read. Take care, all.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Well, it's Cool
The fallout from my hair was kind of making me a little crazy today. I had horrific bald patches, and then lots of baby chick patches, and long bits. I kinda had a Friar Tuck thing going, and while that might be fine for a Friar, it was less than attractive on me. :D
I had my sister, Nancy, take the clippers to me, and this is the result. And yes, it's nice and cool!
I felt good enough to make some dinner.. and guess what I made? Slumgullion! Or at least what one person described as "fusion slumgullion." Of course, I just took their recipe as a 'guideline' and went from there.
I had some ground turkey, portabella mushrooms, zucchini, several chili peppers, an orange bell pepper and an onion. I simmered them all in vegetable stock and Jane chopped up some roma tomatoes. I let it reduce and get all tasty from the cumin and chili powder I'd added, and then we had it over our favorite rice blend. It was great! Oh and I need to order some more of that rice.
The row in front of them has one section of squash, and the rest is all yummy chili peppers!
I must report that my sore throat is now a thing of the past, and the nasal congestion is still with me, but much more manageable. So I think there should be no problem in having the next chemo. Of course, that depends on the outcome of tomorrow's visit to the phlebotomist. ;) I'm feeling like it's going to be fine.
Now, I'm going to go play a little World of Warcraft and dream that someday, Diablo III will be out while I'm still alive and well enough to play it. Hear that, Blizzard? GET A MOVE ON!!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Sunny Day
It's Saturday morning, cool with a light breeze, and the veggies are going gangbusters. I counted five squash blossoms this morning, and the spinach is looking fantastic.
I spent some time in the past couple of days, looking through old family photos. It brought back many memories and made me smile. It's a bit sad, as well, seeing those that are no longer with us, but at least with the help of family photos, we'll never forget them, either. And then there are those people we never even got to meet, like my grandparents. Heck, my parents were old enough to be my grandparents, but it didn't help that both sets of grandparents died young. I wonder what they were like?
Finally began playing World Of Warcraft again, albeit half-heartedly. I'm restless. I had another ocular migraine yesterday, which was bizarre. I usually go YEARS in between them, and this was four days from the last. I know I've got some stress, which isn't being relieved in my usual manner of taking the NuStep through its paces. But I try to make circuits around my garden, so that I can be on my feet and keep moving. And that counts two-fold: some exercise and an appreciation of how lucky I am that I have such a beautiful garden.
Today we're heading back into the 90's. We've almost had a whole week off, and it was much appreciated. Soon we'll hit those triple digits and I won't want, or even be able to walk much in the garden. The high temps make your heart rate go crazy, and you can hear it in your head. But of course, living here, you know how to deal with it. Stay inside until the sun goes down, or get up and go outside before it comes up. Do what you can to minimize its intrusion into your home. I have Coolaroo shades on my bedroom windows, which face East. They really do a fine job cutting the heat without limiting the light too drastically.
Friday I go for my labs to see if that Neulasta shot has done its job and kept my white counts up. Then the day after Memorial day, it's back to Ironwood for my six hour infusion. I think I'll take the Netbook again. We'll see.
Have a great weekend, all.
I spent some time in the past couple of days, looking through old family photos. It brought back many memories and made me smile. It's a bit sad, as well, seeing those that are no longer with us, but at least with the help of family photos, we'll never forget them, either. And then there are those people we never even got to meet, like my grandparents. Heck, my parents were old enough to be my grandparents, but it didn't help that both sets of grandparents died young. I wonder what they were like?
Finally began playing World Of Warcraft again, albeit half-heartedly. I'm restless. I had another ocular migraine yesterday, which was bizarre. I usually go YEARS in between them, and this was four days from the last. I know I've got some stress, which isn't being relieved in my usual manner of taking the NuStep through its paces. But I try to make circuits around my garden, so that I can be on my feet and keep moving. And that counts two-fold: some exercise and an appreciation of how lucky I am that I have such a beautiful garden.
Today we're heading back into the 90's. We've almost had a whole week off, and it was much appreciated. Soon we'll hit those triple digits and I won't want, or even be able to walk much in the garden. The high temps make your heart rate go crazy, and you can hear it in your head. But of course, living here, you know how to deal with it. Stay inside until the sun goes down, or get up and go outside before it comes up. Do what you can to minimize its intrusion into your home. I have Coolaroo shades on my bedroom windows, which face East. They really do a fine job cutting the heat without limiting the light too drastically.
Friday I go for my labs to see if that Neulasta shot has done its job and kept my white counts up. Then the day after Memorial day, it's back to Ironwood for my six hour infusion. I think I'll take the Netbook again. We'll see.
Have a great weekend, all.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Squash Pictures
Well, I got home to an enormous amount of work completed on the 'farmland.' Now we have tomatoes, onions, artichokes, brussels sprouts, collard greens and spinach. A couple more chili plants have been added, and a beautiful black opal basil. Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks. :)
Here is one row of the squash. Looks pretty sandy and dry, I know, but it was 89 degrees when I got home. We don't water until the sun is heading down, otherwise half of it would evaporate before it did its job.
This is the black opal basil, below. He just got planted today.
Here is a further out shot of the entire 'farmland.' Don't worry, it'll get a good watering soon. The wind is blowing like crazy out there right now!
And here is a picture of another part of the back garden. My mom's sundial is there, surrounded by petunias. That's where I will be too, someday... but not anytime soon!
Finally, here is a photo of my sweet baby dwarf lemon, Fred. Yes, I name my trees.
If all this grows, we're going to eat like kings.. or rabbits, says Jane. :)
Peace to all!
This is the black opal basil, below. He just got planted today.
Here is a further out shot of the entire 'farmland.' Don't worry, it'll get a good watering soon. The wind is blowing like crazy out there right now!
And here is a picture of another part of the back garden. My mom's sundial is there, surrounded by petunias. That's where I will be too, someday... but not anytime soon!
Finally, here is a photo of my sweet baby dwarf lemon, Fred. Yes, I name my trees.
Peace to all!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Perfect Weekend
The weather this weekend was awesome! Warm, but with a cool breeze; sunny, bright... perfect. :) But those triple digits are on the horizon. Alas, that's summer in the desert, at least this desert.
I'm charging up the batteries in the digital camera so that I can take some pictures of my 'farmland.' Sadly, I didn't mark which squash is where. We don't actually care; we'll just eat what grows. I did see signs of life on the second furrow, which is one squash and several chili pepper plants.
Happily, still no word on that PET Scan. This is a VERY good sign! Of course, it could also be that Dr. Fastenberg only works on Tuesday and Thursday, and hasn't seen the report yet. I'll go with the first thought. Besides, he probably had it before he went home last Thursday. I did the darned thing early enough.
Anyway, not much to report on the health front, but on the FUN front, my Xoom came today, and I LOVE IT! Got my Kindle app loaded, got signed into HBO GO, so infusions should just FLY by, now. :)
Good health and long life to all!
I'm charging up the batteries in the digital camera so that I can take some pictures of my 'farmland.' Sadly, I didn't mark which squash is where. We don't actually care; we'll just eat what grows. I did see signs of life on the second furrow, which is one squash and several chili pepper plants.
Happily, still no word on that PET Scan. This is a VERY good sign! Of course, it could also be that Dr. Fastenberg only works on Tuesday and Thursday, and hasn't seen the report yet. I'll go with the first thought. Besides, he probably had it before he went home last Thursday. I did the darned thing early enough.
Anyway, not much to report on the health front, but on the FUN front, my Xoom came today, and I LOVE IT! Got my Kindle app loaded, got signed into HBO GO, so infusions should just FLY by, now. :)
Good health and long life to all!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Squash is Our Friend
Yesterday evening, we planted the squash. I think we started out a little late this year, but it was all in the cause of making sure our soil was prepared. So we'll have to keep a keen eye on our crops this year.
Jane was out at one of the home stores today, and came back with Dahlia bulbs, so those are going to be planted in last year's veggie beds. Later today will see us (I'll supervise) getting the irrigation set up and finishing up the sowing of the remaining crops. We sound like such farmers. :)
Thursday, I had my Herceptin infusion, and my Medical Oncologist found me in the infusion ward. I told him, happily, that my PET was rescheduled. He said to make sure I bring my own glucometers, and not to worry, I definitely will! Yes, my PET scan is scheduled for Wednesday. I'm going to go into work on Tuesday and Thursday of this coming week. I am SO very happy with my ability to go places on my own. Autonomy is a gift; don't take it for granted.
On Monday, I'm going to go work on the GM reimbursement with my Chevy dealer. Bill Bonham is the best sales person with whom I have ever worked. He follows up WAY after the sale. If I live long enough to need another new car, that's the man from whom I'm buying it. :)
So, life is settling down to what's now normal for us, and we're enjoying every day. Soon we'll have to decide what to do with tons of squash, and isn't that a happy dilemma to have? I know a local food bank that will probably take whatever we have to spare.
Love to all!
Jane was out at one of the home stores today, and came back with Dahlia bulbs, so those are going to be planted in last year's veggie beds. Later today will see us (I'll supervise) getting the irrigation set up and finishing up the sowing of the remaining crops. We sound like such farmers. :)
Thursday, I had my Herceptin infusion, and my Medical Oncologist found me in the infusion ward. I told him, happily, that my PET was rescheduled. He said to make sure I bring my own glucometers, and not to worry, I definitely will! Yes, my PET scan is scheduled for Wednesday. I'm going to go into work on Tuesday and Thursday of this coming week. I am SO very happy with my ability to go places on my own. Autonomy is a gift; don't take it for granted.
On Monday, I'm going to go work on the GM reimbursement with my Chevy dealer. Bill Bonham is the best sales person with whom I have ever worked. He follows up WAY after the sale. If I live long enough to need another new car, that's the man from whom I'm buying it. :)
So, life is settling down to what's now normal for us, and we're enjoying every day. Soon we'll have to decide what to do with tons of squash, and isn't that a happy dilemma to have? I know a local food bank that will probably take whatever we have to spare.
Love to all!
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