Another Week Off

The second of my two weeks of chemo-free life is ending.  Monday I have labs and the first of five infusions. I’m not complaining. I’m rejoicing.  This chemo is working according to the scans I had last Monday. The lesions in the lung have virtually disappeared. The liver lesions are a little smaller. My sodium is still above normal! All the prayers on my behalf have been effective. I’ve felt well all week. I could not ask for more.

Several years ago one of my parishioners declared that red was “my” color. She said this after a Mass which was celebrated in red vestments. A bit later she hosted a dinner party for which I was decked out in red.  Since then I’ve worn the red outfit on Pentecost. Even with no where to go last Sunday I was all in red. 

Summer has arrived in Sioux Falls. Two days this week we hit 95º. Today the high is 80º. We need rain again. Those high temperatures just destroy the moisture. 

Now that the planting is completed there is not much gardening to do, just weed control.  The weeds grow very well in hot weather and they don’t seem to mind the lack of moisture.

One part of the garden I seldom mention is the back garden.  I don’t know why. Perhaps I don’t consider it as colorful as the front. It is mostly hostas of various kinds and this year they seem quite beautiful. They are also delicious according to the resident rabbit population. Every hosta that doesn’t have a fence around it is missing a few chunks from one or more leaves. Location must have something to do with it as well. Those under the ash tree are not snacked upon as often as those under the spruce tree. I don’t know what the difference is.  

Last year I planted wild ginger which is supposed to repel rabbits. One of the critters snacked on a wild ginger plant.  So much for that theory. I have removed most of the fences and have left it up to the process of natural selection to determine whether the rabbits or the hostas win. Lest the back garden feel slighted I’ll include some pictures of that part of the landscape today. 

Another truth has manifested itself. I’m sure you are familiar with the absolute fact that shortly after the extended warranty expires the appliance, car, whatever will die. I noticed last night that the gelato was soft. I checked the temperature in the freezer and it wasn’t all that cold. The ice maker refuses to make its product. I called for service this morning and was informed that the extended warranty expired in April. The appliance purveyor is so inundated with service calls that the earliest available is 4:00 on Friday. The scheduler was concerned that I have another place to keep the food so it doesn’t spoil. I said I did but it was full as well as the offending freezer. So—you know how cleaning out the freezer is one of those projects easily postponed to another day? Today was the day for cleaning out not one but two freezers! By disposing of three garbage bags of frozen lumps I’ve made room for the food worth keeping or that which is at least recognizable as something I might eat. I count this as my achievement for the week!

Now I just heard one of the ice makers deposit its product. I wonder what that is all about. Perhaps it was all a conspiracy to get me to clean out the freezer! Well, it worked.

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes. I hope your week has been as good as mine.

The very picture of total exhaustion!