1000 down. More to follow.

I awoke at 1:35am this morning to wicked, wicked lightning outside my window. Safe in my apartment, I closed the blind in my bedroom as if plastic slats would protect me from a strike (perception may be all). Nature is expending a lot of energy; reminding us humans that we are not in charge.

I started this blog a year ago, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, 2009. We are still at war. The news says that we (the U.S.) have reached the 1000-death level in Afghanistan. The dying continues. Our soldiers are still in the midst of man-made lightning on foreign soil and aiding in the midst of disasters on the home-front.

I offer my humble gratitude for, and pride in, the past, present and future service of our armed forces and the families & friends who support them.

God bless the USA.

Incident highlights irony and time ticks on

Had a bit of excitement at the infusion center yesterday. One of the nurses had just hung a bottle of chemo for a fellow patient. When she attached the tube mechanism to the bottle the assembly split and the medication started spilling onto the floor. She managed to flip the bottle before it completely emptied. Thus began the haz-mat routine. They called to report the emergency spill and got out the haz-mat kit. The nurse was already wearing her glasses and had on gloves so she didn't need to put on the goggles and gloves from the kit. She donned the face mask, plastic full-body apron, and shoe covers. Out came the large yellow disposal bags for the towels used to wipe up the spill. A man from Security arrived; his attitude so low-key that I decided this was just a small blip on an otherwise dull shift for him. A man from Housekeeping came with the haz-mat disposal container, mop and signage to mark off the area. I commented to the patient how ironic it was that 'here we sit with needles injecting the poison (yes, that's what it is) directly into our blood streams but wiping it off the floor necessitated protective gear with attendant alerts.' The nurses also had to fill out a report giving the date and time of incident, chemical info, what it spilled onto (clothing, floor, etc.).

About seven or so years ago, my brother got our mother an inexpensive Timex watch with a large dial and big numbers to aid her in getting to programs and meals at the assisted-living facility where she lived. After she passed away four years ago, he gave the watch to me and I stowed it away. I was looking in the drawer a couple of days ago and noticed that it was still running... the second hand moving past the numbers, marking the march of time. John Cameron Swazey was was right ... "Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

Celebrations, this, that, and the other

Celebrations...
Yesterday, May 4, was my son's 40th birthday. His wife pulled off a successful surprise party for him last Saturday evening. The weather was wonderful, the food good and plentiful, the guests my sons friends and relatives. Not as many people came as she had hoped, but all there had a great time. The men got to talk about guy stuff; the women got to visit and share family lore and talk about girl stuff. The kids played, computed, watched movies on TV... all without any disagreements...at least, none the adults had to referee.
Yesterday was also the 3rd anniversary of my official diagnosis. (When one gets a call from the doctor's office about the results of a mammogram with the message that it is imperative that one return the call as soon as possible, a less than favorable diagnosis is not a big surprise.) I look forward to celebrating several more anniversaries of the day.

This...
In a blog that I do for Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (subject to editing and rewriting by the Marketing Manger before being published), I mentioned a dream of a special garden with a gazebo. While going through a magazine in the Garden Library (I'm a volunteer in the Library most Tuesday afternoons) a couple of weeks ago, I saw a picture of the perfect garden house. Windows all around it and wonderful color. My first reaction was 'Wow!' My second was 'Wouldn't it be great to be in that house during a rain storm?' There is even a turntable available for it. (??)
You can check out my Garden blog at:
www.lewisginter.org/blog/2010/04/09/leaves-from-the-garden-beauty-for-sale/
You can check out the garden house at:
www.amdega.co.uk/summerhouses/chelsea-kingswood.htm

That....
On April 18th, Sunday Morning (CBS) did a piece on SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). They interviewed Jill Tarter. She was the inspiration for the character Jodie Foster played in one of my all-time favorite films, Contact. The search continues. SETI is still watching and listening. I've always wondered what kind of intelligence they are hoping to find. I assume they want a species that is smart enough to get here and communicate in a way we can understand. Stephen Hawkins has finally decided to agree with me... He recently said: "If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans."

The Other...
Who knows if, or when, aliens may visit Earth. Then again, they may have already arrived and been here for awhile. By the way, has anyone seen my copy of How to Serve Man?

I've got Mitts!

THE Mitts.
The red ones.
With the white maple leaf on each palm-side.
Olympics 2010 mitts!

I won them in a drawing. I hardly ever win drawings. Gave up on the Lottery. The last time I won the Lottery was several years ago. Won $30. Stopped by a 7-Eleven to claim my prize. I was on my way to pick up a friend to take her to the train station. I owed her $30. Love that serendipity.

So... don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I got Mitts!

MENSAJE!

Spring has sprung with a dollop of Summer added in. Yesterday, Easter Day, was glorious weather-wise. Add in lunch with the local contingent of my family and it was as near perfection as one can get. Flowers are in bloom; tree buds have blossomed. The beauty of the season is everywhere.

When I came home this past Friday, the red message-waiting light was blinking on my caller-id. While I was listening to the messages, there was an electronic crunch and the caller-id options popped up. I tried to get it straight but have ended up with MENSAJE! showing... 'Messages' in a language I don't recognize. And I can't get the red message light to stop blinking. At least the id shows in English when a call is ringing in. I love electronics.

So... the MENSAJE! of the day is... Life is an adventure. Enjoy.

It's finally Spring!

I'm enjoying my first 'official' storm of Spring. Lightning and thunder... means there is warm air in the atmosphere. Yeah! I've been in my upper-floor apartment for just over 8 years, and the excitement of being up in the midst of the lightning hasn't yet waned.

My fingers have been busy with tissues for the last three weeks, trying to stem the output of a cold. It may have morphed into the usual reaction to Spring allergens in the air, but that's okay... (did I mention it's Spring?). After the Winter season we've had, the sniffles and swollen eyes almost seem to be benefits.

Easter is on the way in a couple of weeks. Another harbinger of the wonderful season that's come. I harbor no illusions... Winter has been known to sneak back in and smack us up side the head. That's okay... Spring will win out in the end.

Happy Spring!

Weekends have been a study in contrasts

The past two weekends have spanned the spectrum of experiences for me...

Two weekends ago, feeling under the weather, I spent the entire time in my pajamas (or a reasonable facsimile) getting funkier as the days passed. Finally took a shower and dressed in clothes suitable for public viewing on Monday.

Last weekend my oldest daughter came into town sans younger children. She stayed with me and we had a Saturday to wander as we would. Had a wonderful brunch, then went to a fantastic store owned by a former classmate of my daughter. The store, Anthill Antiques on Cary Street here in Richmond, is full of jewelry collected by the owner. She is also a gifted artist and creates lovely necklaces from 'found' pieces. The reunion was warm and extended to me as I discovered that I knew the owner's mother (she works in the store). We realized that we (all of us, mothers and daughters) had worked at the same (now defunct) business together. Met more of my family for dinner on Saturday evening. On Sunday, my oldest grandchild arrived and we all had breakfast. On to my son's home were I had all my children and grandchildren together for the first time in over a year. What a joy to see and be with them all again! I intend to spend as much time as I can with all of them, as often as I can. They'll just have to live with it. After all, it won't be forever.

Had been waiting for an important piece of snail mail that was supposed to arrive by Feb 27th. I gave it a week extra because of the snow storm problems. Called them yesterday morning to request the mailing. They assured me it had been posted but promised to get another in the mail asap. I arrived home late yesterday evening after attending a meeting. About ten minutes later, I passed my front door and noticed a piece of mail had been slipped under the door. You guessed it... the letter I had been waiting for. It was postmarked Feb 25. Welcome to my world.