Interesting Weather

We had some snow. Some meaning five to six inches thereof. That happened Thursday night into Friday morning. It was really heavy wet snow, the kind which makes getting around a little less than easy.

¶ I had a scan with radiation oncology at 8:15 Friday morning. Foolishly thinking that I would make the appointment with the medics on Friday morning I didn’t worry too much. My trust snow plower would have the job done when I was ready to leave. Well, the job was not done, but I needed to leave. Is was not pleasant getting out of the drive and was probably worse out in the cul de sac. The car informed me that it was overheating. It’s lovely having all that information. I finally achieved my goal only a few minutes late. ¶ I had related some of my problems the day before. Enough to bring concern to those involved. It was determined that I should have labs before I left. It sounded like my sodium might be off again. It turned out that my liver enzymes were in need of adjustment. ¶ Now I’ll need to see the the oncologist on Monday to find out what this new problem is and what to do about it.

¶ A friend usually accompanies me to each scan. She was with me on Friday. The problem on Friday was what to do about the parking. I could not make it back to the garage. I had thought there was no school but that was a wrong thought. We tried the local schools although what we would do in the school parking lot was a mystery lookin for a clue. ¶. After discussion we opted for a shopping center parking lot about three blocks from my house. From thence we would leave our cars and walk south for a bit. The problem was we did not take into account the distance, only three blocks, but part of it was uphill. ¶ About two blocks from home I went down and could not get up again. I knew that my snow people had gone by, so I sent my mobile friend to fetch the men and plead for help. No one struck me as I lay in the street, for which I was grateful. ¶ It only took two men and a woman and a truck to get me back home. I am truly grateful for the help provided.

Not the Best

I can’t say that this week has been my best. I’ve felt tired most of the time. All this began with the first whole brain radiation on Wednesday. The side-effects were to be mild. Most of the time they have been but with some irritating deviations. I’ve been nauseas nearly every afternoon. It’s one of those things that is predicted to happen but I am tired of it. I know that this was a particular thing that was forecast to happen, I’m just tired of it. ¶ Perhaps when the whole series is over and done with then I can relax again and get back to life in the normal sphere of things.

¶ Aside from the weariness of the perpetual exhaustion, life has not been bad. I have kept up with nearly everything. Although the trip to the mailbox seems to be exhaustion without any form of redemption, I’ve vowed I will persevere. ¶ Most of today has been spent in the recliner. I’m grateful for that. My place there seems to be good and comfortable and I see very little need to stray from that place. My place there turns out to be a place of rest and refreshment which I have needed to recover from the past three days. ¶ Tonight I’ll meet someone at the Pavilion of Arts and Science to view a program based on C. S. Lewis’s Christmas experience. It looks like it will be an interesting journey into the mind of one who began his Christmas celebrations early in his life. ¶ The week past has been a mixture of cold and warm days. The warm days have been pleasant. The cold days not so much. We have had enough snow to measure and enough cold to make us uncomfortable.

¶ I get to the point in these writings when I have to admit there’s not much more to say. When I look at the garden there is nothing to photograph anymore. It’s pretty much a wasteland. Perhaps I can find a picture of Sophia to bring a little cheer. ¶ I will certainly try my best. ¶ Thanks for all you do for me for which I am most grateful. Thanks for all you do for others. I hope they appreciate your efforts. Thank you.

Less Day Every Day

It is currently about 5 PM Central Standard Time. It is becoming dark outside. The day was very pleasant with 50 some degrees. Except for an occasional breeze, the last few days have been a welcome prelude to winter. ¶ The traditional shopping day is Black Friday. There was a longish article in the daily paper. One must remember that our paper is printed in Des Moines so the news is always one day late. Today there was a photo spread of the lack of Black Friday crowds standing in the dark in order to claim the most prizes when the stores open. The crowds were, indeed, minimal. Too many people shopping on-line rather than in person. ¶ Normally I would not venture out today having in mind that everyone would be busy. There were some things I definitely needed. Therefore I ventured forth trusting that the crowds would be minimal given the reports of yesterday.

¶ First I needed to go to Crossroads for Advent candles. One must always locate the candle man. He was headed to the back of the store and I quickly put in my request. He accepted my payment and volunteered to take the box to the car. That chore was, as they say, a piece of cake. ¶ Next stop was Costco for fuel for the car. There was an empty pump so that didn’t take long. ¶ I needed seasonal greens and a few other things within the mega-market and, having found a suitable parking place I ventured forth. Once I located everything I needed, there was only one person in line ahead of me in the checkout lane. My whole shopping spree was complete within one hour! ¶ I still needed an item from Target and knew where it was so I sallied forth once again, got the item and headed home. Target had the longest line for Black Friday and, indeed, they were the busiest today as well. Had I interest in something else I could have stayed and shopped. My interest was, however, nil. ¶ Thus the day after Black Friday became a shopping day with little angst. ¶ This was my first week without chemo. I have to admit that I was not overcome by ambition. Great things were not accomplished. I continue to have flu-like symptoms especially when tired. ¶ The radiation oncologist’s office called yesterday and set up an appointment for next Wednesday. I am assuming that will be the beginning of the whole brain radiation treatments. I was told that the schedule will be completed at my appointment on Wednesday. The doctor already told me that there will be two weeks of treatments. So my time will be filled with trips to radiation oncology for brief treatments every day. I’ll let you know next week how things are going.

¶ Now I need to prepare for the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new church year. There is always hope in the preparation. There is always joy in the anticipation of the birth of the Savior. ¶ May you rejoice with me that salvation has come into this world by the birth of the Son of God. ¶ Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for your thoughtfulness to me and others. I’m grateful for your kindnesses.

The Last Sunday

As we race towards the end of the year, the truth is that the Church Year ends this coming week. Tomorrow is the Feast of Christ the King which means it’s the last Sunday and in one week Advent begins as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. It used to seem like it took forever to get to this point. Now it comes all too quickly. ¶ I mentioned last week that my MRI and the appointment with the radiation oncologist would occur this week. After my MRI on Wednesday I met with the doctor who gave me some not very good news. It turns out that the Gamma Knife has been successful in eliminating the lesions on the sides of my brain. Now there are a bunch of new lesions on the top of my brain. There are too many to deal with in Gamma Knife procedures. The next step will be whole brain radiation. ¶ So bright and early on Thursday morning I returned to the radiation oncology office and was fitted with a new pillow and a new mask for the upcoming procedures. Each one will not take as long as a Gamma Knife procedure but I will have to have more. The plan is not totally conceived yet, but the doctor estimates at least two weeks of treatments.

¶ In the meantime I will not be able to continue the chemotherapy. The chemo is not harmonious or compatible with the brain radiation. So, my last chemo for the time being was on Thursday. I think I was at the cancer center from 8:00 until 2:30 this past Thursday. It will be nice to not have such a long day at the center for a few weeks hence. ¶ The side effects from the brain radiation seem to be tolerable. One of the new ones may be short term memory loss. It will be interesting to discover if I have this affliction and if I remember that I do! ¶ The project mentioned last week has been newly undertaken. I had enough material that I was able to begin again and all has gone well so far. Sophia continues to be most helpful in assisting me. I’m taking a little more time and being a little more careful which does help. I can’t blame the cat for everything. ¶ I’m seriously considering attending the South Dakota Symphony concert tonight. It is not very warm and the wind is blowing, but it’s usually a short walk. The guest artist, Orion Weiss, is playing Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor. It would be nice to hear that in person. I get tired of sitting. My new plan is to sit through the first half and then hustle home and watch the rest on the live stream. That’s the plan for this evening. ¶ Now I need to finish the laundry and perhaps have a little snooze. ¶ Thanks for reading. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and prayers as I enter this new phase of treatment. Your support is very important to me and to others.

Not So Warm

The previous week I was bragging about our nice warm autumn weather. There’s been a change. For several days the sun has been lacking and yesterday, we had a bit of snow. There’s not enough of the white stuff to cover the ground, but there’s enough to remind us that this will most likely be the form of precipitation we’ll have for a few months.

¶ Time does go by rather quickly so winter will not be so long, I hope. I have my appointment schedule at the cancer center to keep me on my toes. This Wednesday I have an MRI and an appointment with the radiation oncologist who will give me the good or bad news about what’s going on in my upper story. I don’t worry a lot about the news. I’ve been through enough Gamma Knife treatments to consider them just another thing to be endured. ¶ The side effects of Thursday’s chemo have not been bad thus far. As predicted, Thursday evening/Friday morning was largely without sleep. I get a healthy dose of steroids in my blood stream before the chemo begins. A couple of other drugs are administered as well. All this is to help make the chemo tolerable. I did notice a lot of my hair flying around after my shower this morning. Evidently one of the side effects, for me, will be loss of my hair once again. I’ve saved a lot on haircuts during the past year. I, obviously, will being saving again. ¶ My usual time at the Pavilion of Arts and Science is Friday morning. This Friday we had 200 children that are being home-schooled and their parents and siblings visit us for the morning. The volunteer coordinator thought ahead and asked for a couple of other volunteers to be in the arts center with me. That was brilliant. We accommodated all that came to visit and the volunteer troops were sane at the end of the morning. I’m speaking for myself, however the other two seemed to be as rational at the end as they were at the beginning.

¶ The project I’ve mentioned the last couple of weeks should have reached a conclusion this afternoon. Now I find that I’ve done something wrong and will need to make extensive repairs and I don’t have a lot of time in which to do that. Sewing consists of a lot of planning, ironing, cutting out and placing of pieces and also a goodly amount of time rectifying mistakes. Very little time is spent at the machine, actually. Now I must determine whether to begin again or fix the mistakes. ¶ Miss Sophia has been a big help, especially today. If I want to sit and sew, she’s on the chair. If I want to press something, she’s on the ironing board. Every where I need to be she’s able to get there first. Now, at last it’s nap time, for her. I’ll miss the help but not too much. ¶ Thanks for your prayers and thoughts and kind deeds. They are precious gifts to those of us who need them.

Beautiful Autumn Days Continue

I have a couple of Zoom meetings this afternoon for which I think I am prepared. I say, I think, because one is never sure. Something may crop up for which one is not ready. I’ll trust that I am, ready that is. ¶ It’s been another week of mostly pleasant days with cool nights and lovely sun during the day.

¶ I made the initial report on the new chemotherapy last week. I spoke a little too soon for the side-effects had not manifested themselves completely. As I mentioned, things went fine through Saturday. Sunday morning upon awakening I felt like I had the flu. The body aches were not pleasant. I debated on whether or not to go to church. I did but during choir rehearsal I was sorely tempted to leave. I few minutes before the service began I felt well enough to remain so I did. The rest of the day was not pleasant. This continued on until by Tuesday afternoon the symptoms passed. I checked the medication website and found the issues I had were all typical of this drug. ¶ By Wednesday I felt pretty normal again. Thursday it was back for an infusion. Now I do not know what to expect or if whatever it is will be worse. The infusion went fine, again, and this is the second day following. So far I’ve not had the same reaction as last week. I’ve convinced myself that awakening tomorrow with no symptoms would be wonderful. We’ll see how that goes. ¶ The search! I mentioned last week that I was frustrated in my search for a particular item I knew I had stored someplace. Well, after beginning the project again I found that I didn’t have to do that. In a search for a different pair of shoes, I discovered a box under a closet shelf wherein lay the original project. How I missed that on previous searches I have no idea. The finding thereof brought a great deal of relief that my memory was not totally malfunctioning. ¶ I’ve been a great believer in the adage of computer science which claims by turning the blessed thing off and then on again most problems will be fixed. For several days I wondered what had happened to my bluetooth keyboard and mouse. They hadn’t been working and the attempt to reconnect them was futile until I finally did reboot the computer, and lo and behold they were just fine and worked very well. This may well be a “practice what you preach” episode.

¶ There may have been an uninvited critter in Sophia’s basement storage place. She refused to leave her “place” on Monday and most of Tuesday. She was not in her usual post on the top of the refrigerator. She was on the floor, refused her morning treats and the invitation to do something other than just be. I purchased some new mouse traps and set them. She finally, by Wednesday, was back to her normal habits. Thus, I think the problem has been dealt with and the daily routine has returned. She is a great believer in posing that the drape of the tale is very important. ¶ Thanks for reading, for prayers and thoughts and all you do for me and others. You have know idea how much it helps to know there are others who are aiding you from afar.

Windy and Warm

For most of this week we’ve had perfect autumnal days, fairly warm and breezy. I’m not sure that anyone has formally decided what a perfect fall day is supposed to be. I can be sure that this day and several others this week fall into my category of perfect fall days. The sun must shine. There is enough warmth in the air to remind one of lingering summer days. There must be a breeze to rustle the fallen leaves. This was today.

¶ It is always a delight to walk through the fallen leaves and to marvel at the change of seasons. There must be just enough of all of the fore-mentioned to qualify as a perfect fall day. ¶ Although my neighbor’s tree was a disappointment this year, there was another along my walking path that exceeded expectations. ¶ This was the week that began the new chemotherapy regime. I’ve suffered no repercussion therefrom. My only complaint can be the length of time. I checked in for labs at 8:45. After the doctor’s appointment I went to the infusion center. My nurse informed me that the infusion could not begin until I had my premeds for nausea and then a half hour wait. At any rate I was finally finished at 1:30 PM. The premeds did their job and I suffered no repercussions. The only irritating thing was the wait. Hopefully next week’s session will be just as tolerable. ¶ I’ve given up the search begun last week and have decided to start over. I’ve looked in every possible place where I could have stored the article. The whole thing has been an exercise in patience. I just don’t have much patience left to exercise. ¶ To add to any confusion that I might be experiencing I’ve discovered I’ve paid one credit cart bill three times and neglected to pay another bill. Property tax second payments are also due this month and I was determined not to be late with that. I sat down to take care of that task about midnight on Thursday. ¶ Sophia was determined to show me how well behaved she is (read: can be). She still has not recovered completely from my absence.

¶ There are several issues on the ballot for the election on the 8th of November. Some are pretty well clear-cut in my mind. Others will require a little more thought. It’s gotten to the point where many of us will be glad the whole thing is over. Something has happened to the call screening service on my land line. One is supposed to press a button if one is not a solicitor. Dozens of phone calls have gotten through. I think the solicitors have discovered some way of defeating call screening. For this I am not particularly grateful. ¶ Thank you for reading. Thanks for thoughts and prayers. Thank you for what you do for others and for me.

What Season Is This?

One might well ask this question. It is supposed to be 80º today. We’ve had some freezes so the flowers are mostly history. There’s still some color in some trees. The neighbor’s tree, pictures of which I’ve been posting, just turned brown. Its usual glorious color did not come through this year. ¶ Our pilgrimage to Wisconsin closed with snow! After the airport drop off in Milwaukee we checked into our hotel. The weather was coolish but we braved the walk to a recommended restaurant. The place was packed with a very eclectic crowd. ¶ The next day we’d planned to visit the art museum and then go to Madison and see the botanical gardens. The art museum is closed on Mondays, so that was out. It was snowing in Milwaukee and Madison which cancelled to proposed visit to the gardens. We headed for Sioux Falls and arrived in the evening. This gave my friends a day off before their return trip to the Denver area. ¶ We enjoyed a visit to the Pavilion of Arts and Science to see the Guild Hall exhibit. This exhibit is on loan from a museum on Long Island and features some fantastic works by world famous artists. The visit was more interesting because we got in on a tour given by the curator. ¶ The rest of the week I’ve been mostly looking for something I know I’ve worked on but what I did with it I have no idea. This seems to be a constant occupation—looking for something. I have a very clear memory of working on this piece. I don’t have a clear memory of what I did with it. It’s very maddening. ¶ There have been no health problems this week or last. I start with a new chemo drug on Thursday of this coming week. It’s always a mystery of how one reacts to the new drug. This chemo will involve an infusion every week so I’ll spend more time at the Cancer Center.

¶ Sophia seems to have missed my presence. She likes to be in the same room as I to make sure I’m still around. That’s the only clue I have. We’ve had several cuddle sessions whereupon she sleeps and purrs on my chest. She is definitely not a lap cat. She’s a chest cat. Thank you for all you do for me and for others. Your thoughts and prayers and kindnesses are much appreciated.

On the Road Again

I know that’s a song. It fits the current situation. The intrepid pilgrims are in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (Bratwurst Capitol of the World) for the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. ¶ We’ve been in church most of yesterday and today. It would be nice if it were just around the corner, but it’s not, so the getting here to go to church is a process.

¶ My friends from Littleton, CO, who are regular attendees began by driving from Denver to Sioux Falls on Wednesday. Thursday morning we left Sioux Falls to drive all day to the east coast of Wisconsin. We stopped in Milwaukee to collect another pilgrim at the airport and then finished the day by the drive to Sheboygan. We are grateful that the intrepid football fans were not on their way to Green Bay. That would have lengthened the trip considerably due to the traffic. After weaving our way through construction we finally arrived on the cloudy shores of Sheboygan. ¶ The sun has come out periodically today but it is certainly no heat wave. We did make the procession around the block in the semi-nippy weather. The church itself, Grace Church, just returned from a pilgrimage to Walsingham, UK, last Sunday. Some of those pilgrims continued on to the Holy Land. So, one would have to say the numbers were diminished this year but it was still a wonderful two days. ¶ Grace Church’s rector, Fr. Bolson, led the meditations yesterday and they were wonderful. He centered them on forgiveness and healing. The Shrines of Our Lady are noted for the healings that take place there. Father made the strong point that we must be forgiven if we are to receive healing. ¶ The music, both organ, organ with flute, and choir, was beautiful as it always is. It’s always a pleasure to visit with the organist and enjoy his very dry wit. He is a Gardner so some of his ramblings have to do with that. Example: If a rose bush dies dig it out and leave it in front of the others with the shovel so they can see what will happen to them, if they choose to go the same route.

¶ Tomorrow we will depart again traveling north first, then south to Milwaukee to deliver our pilgrim to the airport. We will spend the night there and then on to Madison the next day. ¶ I’ve felt well the past week, the nausea has been minimal and mostly psychosomatic, I believe. I did part of the driving in Wisconsin and was quite alert. This could be accounted for by the fact I was driving my friend’s car and wanted to be extra careful. HIs is one of those vehicles that practically drives itself. Once one adapts oneself to its behavior one can relax and enjoy it. ¶ Sophia was delighted that the ironing board came out of hiding. Of all places available, and they are legion, the ironing board is her favorite thing to be on. She feels the freedom to shed excessive amount when thereon. The master of the house, and I use the term loosely, is not so pleased. It is a high motivation for getting the thing put away in short order—.not quickly enough, this time, however. ¶ Thanks for reading, for your kindnesses to all who are in need, for your thoughts and prayers. Next week I’ll be back in South Dakota.

Not Much Change, but Change

There’s not much change in the neighbor’s tree, color-wise. Some of the ‘weather experts’ claim that there will not be much color this autumn because of the excessive dryness. ¶ We will be checking out the color in Wisconsin this coming week. The hardy pilgrims will be making their way to Sheboygan to participate in the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. It is always a wonderful occasion along with side trips to some of our favorite places. ¶ Once we get through the boring part of Minnesota and descend into the Mississippi Valley the foliage becomes more spectacular. I-90 goes through the very south edge of Minnesota which is the least interesting part of the state. The rest of the state is quite beautiful, the south not so much. Wisconsin with its plethora of forests usually presents a view not to be missed. ¶ Now, another change is in the health scene. I had a CT scan on Tuesday which revealed five new lesions in the liver. That means that this current chemotherapy is not working for me. I saw the doctor on Thursday before my infusion. He thought it to be a good idea to change the drug. I had my old drug on Thursday and the new will start in three weeks. I will have to have weekly infusions of the new drug which is not kind to my schedule, but is something that needs to happen. ¶ Side effects of the new drug may be fatigue, nausea, hair loss, nerve tingling, muscle aches, etc. So, it may be that my trips to the barber will have to cease again. I’ve not had many of the usual effects of the other drugs so I will, perhaps, evade them once again. ¶ Tonight is the first performance of the South Dakota Symphony for this season. The star performance will be Conrad Tao playing Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1. He will also play his jazz inspired “Spoonfuls.” The orchestra will also offer Brahms, Symphony No. 1, and Prayer for Ukraine by Pascuzzi. It should be an interesting program. ¶ The Symphony plays so well under its current conductor and has received good press, in particular, a feature article in The New Yorker magazine.

¶ Other than the medical hiccough, things have gone well this week. I’ve felt well and have gotten my exercise. Sophia has gotten her sleep and has been quite playful during her waking hours when she’s not concerned about the squirrels and birds on the deck or the rabbits in the front garden. She does not seem concerned about the rabbits in the back garden, they are too far away. ¶ Thanks for all you do, for reading, for thoughts and prayers, and all you do for others. I hope your week goes well.

Another Change in the Weather

The past few days we’ve seen temperatures back in the low 80s. Summer is not over yet. There is a little more color in some of the trees. If you look closely you may see that in my neighbor’s tree. I don’t know the variety but it is one of those whose fall color is spectacularly bright. ¶ The squirrels and the birds are continuing to stock up for the cold season. The birds in this part are going to be way too heavy to fly if they keep up their food intake to equal the past three weeks. ¶ Speaking of food intake, personally, the stomach acid pill the doctor prescribed for me, the praises of which I sang last week, continues to do its magic. I’m so grateful to be able to lead a semi-normal life again, food-wise. ¶ The first few days of the week were spent on the final preparations for the big event on Thursday. The fortieth anniversary of ordination is one of the milestones popularly seen as worthy of celebration. There were lots of friends present Thursday night for the Eucharist and many stayed to enjoy dinner. It was great to have time to visit a bit with some former parishioners and friends not seen often enough. It brought back many memories of good times past. Friends helped with the decorating and putting out memorabilia. Altar flowers, given by former parishioners from afar were spectacular. It was a lovely evening, made so by the presence and prayers of many people. Thanks so much.

¶ Not much excitement in the health world this week. I’ve felt very well, have gotten my exercise and made only one trip to the cancer center for labs on Thursday. The results of the labs were good, so no problems right now. ¶ This coming week I have a CT scan to reveal what is going on in my body. The last one produced a good report. Let’s hope and pray that this one will do the same. ¶ I’m divided in two parts medically. The CT scans check on the lesions below my neck. The MRIs do the same for the cranial part of my corpus. I’ll not have an MRI for a while, then we’ll find out what has gone on in my brain after the recent bout of Gamma Knife procedures.

¶ The devastation of the recent storms is beyond belief. First the storm that struck Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada. Next occurrence was the devastation in Florida. I pray that there may be recovery. The effort that must be expended to achieve normality will need to be heroic. ¶ Miss Sophia has been practicing several poses on her tree. It is very important that the tail be draped just so. I believe it has a lot to do with attitude. ¶ Thanks for reading, for all you do for me and for others. I’m grateful for you, your thoughts and prayers and your support.

’Tis Autumn

All of a sudden the temperature has dropped. Today’s high temperature predicted to be 72º. Last week we had 90s. The feel in the air is definitely autumnal. The trees are, for the most part, bright green. There are a very few who are just beginning to show a bit of color. You’ll have to look hard to see that.

¶ Last weekend was not pleasant as I explained previously. I wanted to watch Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the attendant pomp and circumstance. So I arose at 4:30 on Monday morning. It thoroughly amazes me that she was queen longer than any one in history. She was laid to rest with great dignity with crowds of people respectfully paying their respects to someone they obviously loved. Then they promptly sang “God Save our Gracious King.” There was no massive attack on the Halls of Westminster. There were no mindless mobs proclaiming that the whole thing was fake. There was simply respect for a gracious queen and the new king. ¶ The whole thing brought back memories from long, long ago. I remember from my late grade school days that I was obsessed with the Coronation happening in far off England. This was long before the days of television transmission from other countries. In Rapid City we were lucky to have transmission at all. Remember the days of the nightly sign-off with the National Anthem, etc.? My vigil was not concluded until the film of the Coronation had been flown across the pond and was able to be broadcast in Western South Dakota. It sounds like another era, and it was. ¶ Following my extended coverage of Monday’s events my mild problems continued. I was sure that the stomach problems were being caused by an antibiotic the doctor had prescribed to boost my sodium. Thursday, I had labs and a doctor’s appointment. The oncologist proclaimed that my sodium was way high off the chart. He reduced some medications, took me off the suspected cause of distress, provided a stomach acid reducer and things have been fine since. For the first time in weeks I’ve been able to actually cook and then eat a meal. What a treat! Consequently my mood is considerably better and I’m getting some exercise. ¶ The exercise thing is important. I find that if I don’t get out and walk I lose ground very rapidly. Simply walking my route twice a day improves my mood ever so much, as well as increasing my strength which is necessary if I’m going to fight the cells anxious to take over my being. ¶ While walking today a very sweet thing happened. There is a Ukrainian family down the street and I pass their home everyday on my walk. Today, as my father would say, the Mrs. crossed the street to bring me a bag of apples. She’d been to the orchard and wanted to share.

¶ Herself, Miss Sophia, gets a little put out when I don’t spend the requisite hours at home at her beck and call. Her attitude is obvious when she is not particularly pleased with me. This was “the look” I was granted last night. ¶ Thank you for your prayers, thoughts and support. Everything you do is appreciated.

Another Outstanding Day

Last Saturday was beautiful as is today. The temperature crested at 82º which is not bad, and there was a plenitude of sunshine. ¶ Part of the time today was spent on the deck, leisurely reading a bushel basket of mail from all sorts and conditions of people, those seeking help, and those rejoicing in help received, and some rejoicing because they simply are, which are the nicest ones to read.

¶ This week concluded my marathon of treatments. There were two more Gamma Knife sessions on Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday I was present in a place offering flu shots so I got mine and on Wednesday I wished I had not. I had a reaction which was unpleasant. ¶ Thursday I started with labs at 7:45 and finally finished the day with the medicos at 2:30. The oncologist who has been telling me to limit my liquid intake announced that I was dehydrated. My sodium was way high and I needed something done. It turned out that I had a whole bag of steroids, another of saline, plus the infusion and was then shipped off for an ultrasound on my legs. Steroids are not known for promoting sleep so I nodded off for about three hours the night following the marathon day. ¶ Now, today, I’m suffering from nausea that is not being well managed by the pills in which I’ve put such trust. I did make it through choir rehearsal this morning but just barely. I’ve no idea what tomorrow will bring. ¶Last Sunday I did attend a marathon music performance at First Lutheran Church in honor of their 100th anniversary. It was literally a cast of thousands. Those “where’s Waldo?” concerts, as one friend described them, can be daunting occasions. This was well done but could have used a room twice the size so the performers wouldn’t have to appear as sardines in a can, nestled so closely to one another.

¶ Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of the congregation that forms my parish. There will be a lot of brass and other festive music. I hope I’m up to singing and enjoying it. In addition there is an organ recital in the afternoon at the Augustana Chapel and another tomorrow evening at Our Savior’s Lutheran. Both of these will be great to hear if I feel a whole lot better than I do today. ¶ I will have to admit that some of what is going on is my own doing. The medicos encouraged me to put off chemo for a week but I wanted two weeks of recovery before the next big thing which is my 40th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. It will be a great celebration. I hope I feel well enough to enjoy it.

¶ The garden is beginning to fade a bit. The trees have no yet begun to dress in their autumnal splendor. It’s very much “mid-season.” With two more inches of rain on Thursday evening, the greenery is rejoicing greatly. For most of the farm crops the rain is too late, but for the home gardener it is a blessing. ¶ Sophia is concerned with the hungry friends on “her” deck who are fattening up for winter. The birds are emptying one feeder twice each day. They certainly sense that it is time to bulk up for whatever pilgrimage they are about to take. The cat is quite content, as I am, to stay home. ¶ Thanks for reading, for thoughts and prayers, and for all you do for others. Pray that my current ennui passes quickly.

What a Beautiful Day!

I’m sitting on the deck in the late afternoon enjoying a most pleasant, windless day with a high temperature of 73º. The garden soaked up 1.5 inches of rain yesterday on a day which seemed to be perpetual night. Today there a few wisps of cloud in a still, still sky. ¶ What is even more unusual is the fact that this is Sidewalk Arts Festival Day. This is a major thing for the Visual Arts Center where I work at the Pavilion. Artists of all kinds rent booths in the area surrounding the Pavilion and “sh

oppers” and viewers from near and far descend on the city center. Usually crowds of >10,000 appear. The weather could not have been better. The usual weather for the event is either a major rain storm or a heat wave exceeding imagination. ¶ Hopefully, all went well. The Cathedral youth rent out parking spaces in the Cathedral parking lot as a fund raiser. The law firm across the street allows the kiddos to sell additional parking there. I was lucky enough to get in the Cathedral lot for choir rehearsal this morning. ¶ Friday afternoon I completed my third Gamma Knife treatment. I will have two more next week followed by chemo on Thursday. Seven new “spots” showed up on the last MRI plus one more elusive one that appears and disappears on alternate films. We’ve finally arrived at tolerable form of music to help pass the time. The first attempt was “contemporary religious” which turned out to be revivalist country and western. That made the experience far less than pleasant. Once in while one has to pay the dues for being a musical snob.

¶ My appetite has not improved much. I attribute that to the antibiotic I take for sodium retention. It must be taken an hour before eating. After waiting an hour my usual attitude is “why bother.” It does help with the grocery bill. ¶ The Chihuly pieces are complete in the Visual Arts Center and are beautiful. How fortunate I am to be able to enjoy them whilst volunteering.

¶ I would like to come up with some method of identifying the beast in the garden. What ever it is comes along and cleanly nips off leaves or blossoms leaving a totally unharmed stem. It also leaves no garbage behind. This week it completely denuded a holly hock, leaving the flowers and buds but absconding with the leaves. What it consumes is usually too tall for a rabbit or a squirrel and no stems are broken down in the process. Any ideas are welcome. ¶ Sophia is on the prowl for bugs when she is not resting. Prowling and resting consume her days. It’s a busy life, she says.

¶ Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and for reading my ramblings. I hope your week goes well.

Warm Days, Cool Nights

We’ve moved into the season where the days can be uncomfortably warm and the evenings “sweater cool.” Fall approaches rapidly. As always, it seems the summer was far too short. This summer, with its over-abundance of days unspeakably hot, will be remembered by unnatural phenomena, tragedies, water shortages, floods, and a plethora of other “stuff.” We are paying the price for what we have done.

¶ I’ve long admired the work of Dale Chihuly. I’ve encountered his marvelous glass creations in museums and other places. The one which fascinated me most was the glass ceiling in the Naples, Florida, art museum which holds several of his flat creations. It’s in a hallway, so one can walk along admire the beauty and hopefully not run into another person along the way while looking up. ¶ When I arrived at my post at the Pavilion of Arts and Science on Friday morning, electricians were hard at work installing two strange looking wire cages. Before the morning ended, many boxes were opened in the lobby and the curator and his assistant began installing glass pieces on the aforementioned cages. It was fascinating to see two Dale Chihuly creations being assembled right before my eyes. Now Sioux Falls will have its own Chihuly glass sculptures and they will be in my “office” where I spend my time at the Pavilion. What a blessing! ¶ It’s time for some of the new irises to break forth into bloom. They are large and magnificent. There would have been a new beautiful day lily to show you today but the rabbits beat me to it. I hope they enjoyed their salad.

¶ The sodium situation continued to improve this week. By Wednesday I was back to the normal range thanks to the expensive antibiotic. The drug, by the way, having gone through the gymnastics to get it and pay for it, will now be paid for by my insurance! Life is full of little surprises. ¶ I had my MRI on Wednesday and it revealed some new “spots” on the brain. I’ll be having three Gamma Knife treatments this week, plus another next week, plus chemo next week. That means I’ll be fit as a fiddle or truly wasted by the end of the treatments. But, it will be over.

¶ It’s taken a bit of time to get over last week’s chemo. Nausea strikes at odd times. Fatigue has not been bad. Appetite has not been good. All these are typical side effects which can come and go. About all one can do is complain and wait for the effects to fade away. ¶ Thanks for your prayers and thoughts, your cards and messages. Thanks for all the kind things you do for others. I helped serve at St. Francis House today for lunch. That was a blessing. I also made a trip to the gardens. That was a blessing as well. I have lots of good things to eat. Hopefully, I will be hungry!

Every Day is New

It would be nice if everyone could think this way. Each day would be a new day, with new opportunities, new chances to do good, new chances to forgive, new chances to make new friends. My sense is that we have forgotten that line from the Our Father, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”

¶ We have not forgiven each day so the bitterness continues to grow among those who have different opinions, politically, religiously, between races, countries, any group, person, faction with whom there is any difference. And the very sad thing is that we have refused to listen, learn about, learn from any person, organization, country with which we disagree. All of this is exacerbated by the constant assault of the news. People find the news broadcast that says what they want to hear and it blasts at them every waking hour. Walking around the neighborhood on a day when it is possible to have the windows open I hear newscasts streaming through every window. Every day is new. Would that we could act, we could believe that it is so. ¶ The medical news of the week is another sodium problem. I felt so confused on Monday that I requested a lab test before my scheduled test on Thursday. Indeed my sodium was way below normal. I saw the doctor on Tuesday who made some changes to my medication and prescribed again the antibiotic that I had used earlier. Its intended purpose is an antibiotic but a side effect is to increase sodium. Because it is “off label,” insurance does not cover it and it is very expensive. ¶ One must go through the gymnastics of “prior approval” before the pharmacy will consider dispensing it. I know the reputation some apps have. One recommended to me was GoodRx. It will give you the prices of drugs in your area so you can choose the store to handle the prescription. Less than a mile down the street there are four corners and three pharmacies. The app shows that the price is different for this drug at all three. The difference is not mere cents but a difference of $200 between the pharmacies ranging from $259 to c. $500. If I went a bit further I could pay $800!

¶ End of financial news, and moving along, by Thursday my sodium was closer to normal so I could continue with my infusion. Whether the actually improvement in the sodium count made me feel better or just the knowledge thereof improved my outlook on life someone with more knowledge than I would have to make that judgment. ¶ My gardener friend has planted several new day lilies which bloom at different times. I look forward to each plant revealing its color. This week a gorgeous one appeared that actually looked “good enough to eat.” ¶ Gardener friend brought a helium balloon for Sophia to enjoy. She took one look and decided it was not a threat to her existence in the house and promptly ignored it. One must meet certain expectations in order to be accepted around these parts evidently. ¶ Thanks for reading, for prayers and thoughts, for good deeds to me and others. Take some time to learn about someone else this week. Bless you.

From a Wise Friend

Quote from a Facebook post by a wise friend: “The No. 1 reason why America never learns from its history is that America never teaches its real history.” Well said, I say. ¶ I realize that my own knowledge of American History is sadly lacking through no fault of my teachers. The study of World History and particularly of European History was much more fascinating. Perhaps my background in music was a contributing factor. Even Music History was much more Eurocentric. I do not recall that such distinctly American forms such as jazz were even mentioned. When considered in the greater scheme of things American History was a very minuscule part of my education. In retrospect my last course in American History was in high school and that was a very long time ago.

¶ The week has gone very well. My energy level has been good, if not excellent on some days. My “fat ankles” continue to plague me. Even on the days I take my water pill they seem to swell up. I’ll see the oncologist on Thursday when I have my labs and infusion and all will be revealed—more or less. ¶ Yesterday was a busy day. Friday is my standing appointment at the Pavilion of Arts and Science. That kept me occupied until 1 PM. As I exited my car at the Cathedral parking lot my thought was that I wouldn’t need my umbrella. The thought was erroneous. About noon it began to rain. I was pretty thoroughly wet when I returned to the car. Who knows how many weeks an umbrella was in my case with my collection of magazines except for yesterday when it wasn’t.

¶ At 2:00 the church began preparation for serving The Banquet. This time around I volunteered to cook so was there until 5. It has been since the COVID thing that I’ve not volunteered. It was very good to be back. It is a wonderful ministry done strictly for the benefit of those who are hungry. ¶ Today was given over to marketing. By the time the tasks were completed two hours had passed and countless dollars in shopping as well as fuel for the auto. After much research I’ve found that it is much easier to go to Brandon to shop at the gardens.

¶ The growth of this city is truly amazing. I had not been south for several weeks. Whole towns grow up every few weeks. Apartment blocks sprout where there was once corn or soybeans. These are not six or eight apartments but fifty or more. Still there is a housing shortage. When I came here to attend college the population was 55,000. It is now 202,000. Amazing! The rains have been well timed. Traveling through what is left of the rural area east and north, everything is beautifully green. ¶ The gardens continue to do well. There are new blooms nearly every day. Sophia monitors the squirrel and rabbit situation. She doesn’t do anything to keep the critters away but finds it fascinating to watch them. Compliments of a squirrel who purloined some bird feed, we now have a sunflower taking up residence in one of the planters on the deck. There is always something new. ¶ Thank you for reading. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for keeping in touch. Thank you for all you do for others.

Really, It’s not a New Season

¶ Given last weekend and its coolness, one might be given to think that we’ve already entered autumn. This week proved that we had not. Today is relatively cool but the rest of the days have been stifling. Temps have been in the 90s and the humidity has been fierce. ¶ Sunday last set a record. The airport registered over five inches of rain designating that as a new record for Sioux Falls. I had six inches in my rain gauge. We officially set a new record for the amount of rain fallen over a given period. Remarkably, there were no reports of floods in the city. There were flash flood warnings. However, I heard no news of such things materializing in the city.

¶ This week I continued my recovery from last week’s chemo. There was nothing dramatic. I seem to have a bout of nausea every day for about 5 days. The blessed pills work rapidly for which I am grateful. The nausea seems to strike around dinner time. Why that happens, I have no clue, nor do the medics. ¶ The news of the week has been preoccupied with the search warranted issued and carried out on the former president’s home. Classified documents were found which should have never been taken under federal law. Excuses are abundant as well as theories concerning the existence of the documents. At he day’s end it is pretty evident that the law has been broken, that national security could have been threatened, and no number of excuses relieves the former president from responsibility. He has tried, but failed. ¶ This event brought back memories of a child in one of my classes many years ago. There always seemed to be some tumult in the area around him. He was well spoken, well dressed, and an extremely unlikely suspect as a trouble maker. Every class period there was a distinct feeling that something was going on and I could never put my finger on the cause. Finally, said student was caught in the act. He vociferously denied any part in the disturbance. The fact that he was caught, as it were red handed, did not prevent him from trying to wiggle his way out of the situation. The evidence was against him and his angelic demeanor did not save him from a trip to see the principal. The problem in class was no longer.

¶ The week has been relatively peaceful. There were few deadlines resulting in a leisurely pace for most day's accomplishments, if indeed there were any. ¶ Sophia assisted with a sewing project. I jest. She was delighted to have new things to turn into one of her perches. How she determines which item I am going to want next is beyond me. I turn around and she is comfortably ensconced on the very thing I need. She is obviously a reader of minds. Thank you for reading, for thoughts and prayers, for kind deeds done for me and for others. You are a blessing.

See-Sawing Through the Week

Remember those playground see-saws? One always had to chose a reliable partner lest the one chosen choose to depart without notice when one was at the top of the contraption. Unreliable partners enjoyed seeing you crash down to the ground with a resounding thump and related cry of pain. The week’s weather reminded me of a see-saw. We had miserably hot days interspersed with some quite pleasant ones. Today, for instance, it is cloudy with rain intermittently, and only 73º, versus yesterday with 95+º. ¶ Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration. Some of the Biblical events commemorated on the calendar of the Church bring back a flood of memories. No, I was not there at the original event. A couple of thousand years later I did visit the location. Scripture says Jesus took his three favorite apostles up to a very high mountain. Very high mountains are not prevalent in the Holy Land. Mount Tabor is quite high compared to the surrounding territory. We had to trade our small bus for an even smaller vehicle in order to navigate the switchbacks on the way to the top. After the trip up, I was not looking forward to the return. Like Peter, I would have chosen to stay at the top. ¶ I looked back at my blog from the day we went to the Mount of the Transfiguration. I wrote: “There are viewing platforms outside the church on both sides where one can take advantage of the miles’ long vista. It is truly in credible. I have no idea how long it would take or what it would be like to walk up this mountain. What took place here is beyond normal human comprehension. It is an overpowering experience to be here where Peter, James, John, Moses and Elijah all gathered around the Savior.” ¶ The attached picture a view from Mt. Tabor.

¶ Thursday AM was spent at the Cancer Center with Labs at 8:00 and my infusion following. I left at 11:30. All seemed well except for my sodium being a little low. So the oncologist increased my intake to six grams per day from four. No new repercussions from the chemo. I seem to tolerate it well, which is a good thing. There are some problems with the steroids, like lack of sleep, but I can cope.

¶ The garden continues to thrive with some lovely day lilies in various colors showing their beauty each day. There is one very unusual one that, seemingly, does not belong to the day lily family, but it does. I guess no one ever told it was different. That’s the way it is with a lot of things in today’s world. People, for instance, don’t know they are different unless someone tells them they are. ¶ Thanks for reading, for prayers, and thoughts and kind things you do. You are appreciated.

A Little Hot

The week past has not been as hot as the previous week, or so it seems. Thankfully there have been no storms. Most days have warmed up nicely but our weather has not been as miserable as some other parts of the country.

¶ My friends in Victoria, BC, have complained about the heat. They have every right to do that given that air conditioning is a rare thing there. I pity the poor folks in Washington and Oregon who are, in no way, acclimated to the heat to which they have suffered. ¶ We’ve had a little rain but not enough to revive lawns that have not been watered continually. My neighbors to the east do not water and their lawn is brown. I water a little, mostly to keep the flowers going. With an irrigation system it’s easy to forget about the lawn watering thing until the water bill arrives. Then one knows for certain that the system has been on and working. Between the cat who enjoys watching water running down the drain and the sprinklers this household owes the city a tidy sum each month of the summer and early autumn. I am truly grateful that we are not suffering the same kind of drought plaguing the west region of this state and other parts of the country. ¶ The week has flown by without incident. I’ve felt fine and have done a little exercising, mostly walking. The day to day obligations are enough to keep me busy. I am happy that I have regular obligations. It helps to keep me grounded. When the obligations infringe on my free time I tend to grouse about them. At the end of the day I am thankful for them.

¶ Thursday I will have labs and then my infusion, provided the labs are OK. The oncologist doesn’t feel it’s necessary to see me every three weeks now. That saves a bit of time. Infusion is in the morning so I should be all finished by noon. As always, the pharmacy being willing and able is the determining factor concerning the length of the process. ¶ I do plan to attend the docent meeting at the Washington Pavilion on Wednesday. A traveling exhibit called “An Adventure in the Arts,” will be opening soon. It is from the Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, New York. It looks very interesting. It will be nice to have some background information to share if people ask. I have not been to a docent meeting since the whole COVID thing began. I still don’t feel comfortable working with a group of youngsters especially with a resurgence of infections.

¶ Sophia has spent the week catching up on her rest. She was busy fretting over the roofing project last week. I hate to tell her she will have to endure the replacement of the siding when the material finally arrives. There will be more pounding! ¶ I hope you have a good week. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts and cards and calls. I’m grateful for your care.

Remember When

Today is St. Birgitta’s Day, the day on which she died. She was a Swedish saint who founded the Bridgettine Order of nuns, otherwise known as the Order of the Most Holy Savior of St. Bridget (another spelling of the saint’s name).

¶ It brought to mind a memorable occasion from years past. I had decided to try my vocation in a monastery in Michigan. It was connected with a monastery in Sweden. In my first summer in the monastery I traveled to Sweden to meet the Swedish brothers and see a bit of Europe. An American friend and I took the train from Stockholm to Milan and back. We arrived in time to celebrate this day in Vadstena, Sweden. It is a charming town next to a beautifully blue lake. It is where the first convent of the Bridgettine Order was established. ¶ There was a conference of clergy and religious from all over the world to remember the 600th anniversary of St. Birgitta’s death. This music teacher from South Dakota was totally amazed by the gathering. There were many speakers both formal and informal. The formal lectures were translated into major languages. The informal talks took place in meeting rooms and dormitories with small groups huddled around a person who would translate for the speaker. In any given space there might be six or seven languages heard. Questions would be asked and answered and translations flew around the room. It was an incredible experience. Obviously, it is something that I can’t forget. ¶ On Thursday the materials for the roof were delivered and on Friday the crew arrived to shingle the roof. They worked in the awful heat and humidity from 7:30 AM until 8:30 PM when the clean-up was finished. It is such a pleasure when workers show up when expected, do their job and tidy up after themselves. ¶ Sophia, however, hopes they will not be invited back again. The poor thing spent most of the day cowering in the basement. In her opinion the crew was far too noisy with their nail guns and pitch forks. It was very hard to sleep so most of today has been spent enjoying the peace and quiet and sleeping.

¶ Thankfully, I was away most of the morning and some of the afternoon. I had the excuse that it was my volunteer time at the Pavilion. ¶ We had such a crazy spring that most of the vegetables aren’t ready to be harvested yet. I braved the insane traffic to go to the Farmers’ Market here last week and walked away with nothing. One can eat only so many potatoes. It takes longer to get there, park, and get out again than the time one spends shopping. I’m happy it’s a success but it’s just too crowded. Today I went to Cherry Rock Gardens in Brandon. I arrived at 10:30. They open at 10:00. Most of the produce was already purchased. In both places there was no corn as yet.

¶ The week following chemo has been fine. There have been a few episodes of nausea which seems to strike in the evening, particularly if I don’t eat on time. Other than that issue I’ve felt well. I’m grateful for the medication that takes care of same in short order. ¶ My gardening friends deserve the credit but I’m the one who gets the compliments. Nearly every morning while I’m doing the watering, someone will walk by and compliment me on the front garden. I thank them and wish those responsible could receive the kudos in person. ¶ I hope everyone is coping with the heat and staying sane and safe. Thanks for reading, for prayers, for thoughts, for cards, and all that you do for me and for others. Bless you.