Wasn’t It Just?

I thought to myself wasn’t it just September? Then, all of a sudden, Christmas is next week. ¶ One can become even more confused with South Dakota weather patterns. I mean South Dakota weather, for there is no pattern.

¶ Last week we had heavy wet snow. On Wednesday of this week the temperature was in the mid 50s. Tonight the low is predicted to be 10º. And we had the high wind warnings and the truth of the high wind on Wednesday. We did not have the tornados that ripped apart several states in the eastern midwest. ¶ The street plowing in Sioux Falls is erratic, as has been mentioned before. Usually our cul de sac is plowed by the end of the first day of plowing. No so with the heavy, wet lard that fell the previous Friday. Going out to the public worship of the Lord on Sunday morning was a little tricky. Once again I was stuck in the big circle. I managed to free myself and found the main thoroughfares to be clear of snow. Finally, Sunday night, the maintainers roared into the cul de sac. ¶ The citizens of the city had complained for years about the enormous windrow of snow that the plows left across the driveway accesses in the residential areas. One of our city councilors waged a battle for snow gates, and she won! Snow gates are a device that is lowered when the plow passes a driveway to lessen the amount of the white stuff that is left behind. I watched as the plows went by my driveway and the operators never lowered the gates so I received the full benefit of what they were moving around. ¶ I contacted my snow person to come back and clear it and the mailbox which was inundated as well. Even they had a really tough time clearing the driveway. Looking at the city website I found the page where one can complain about the lack of snow gate use, so I did. I received a message later in the week that the situation had been resolved. What? They may have read the complaint and called that a resolution of the issue. Or it may be an automatic reply. I guess I can take great comfort in the fact that my situation is resolved. Will the operators take extra special care when next plowing Manor Circle thinking that I will surely be watching their behavior? Stay tuned… ¶ Any free time this week has been spent on the bench preparing for the Christmas services. There is no lack of music for the season. The difficult part is choosing the numbers to be played and then learning them. Even when one reruns a number, having not played it for twelve months requires some brushing up.

¶ I have an MRI on Wednesday morning. I’ve written before concerning the anxiety I have over the results of that noisy procedure. I don’t seem to notice any particular indications that the cancer may be recurring in my cranium. I didn’t realize it the first time around which only increases the apprehension. I’ll get the results Wednesday afternoon so all will be well after that. ¶ Sophia has taken advantage of some rather dark days to increase her nap time. Cats are notorious sleepers and she is one of the prime examples. She has certain vocations she has determined for herself. Watching the birds and the squirrels on the deck is one. The census of the rabbits in the front garden is another concern. The squirrels and birds in the trees seen from the bedroom window pretty well completes her duties for the day. This is followed by a nap. ¶ Goodies for the season have arrived at the door, for which I am very grateful. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. What you and I can do for others is very much appreciated at this special time. Thanks for reading.

Winter Has Arrived

It was inevitable. It was a few days early. Definitely, winter has arrived. The prediction for heavy snow yesterday was exactly that, a prediction. ¶ We all know that the weather prognosticators have been in error previously. Those of us who have been around for multiple circumnavigations of the sun are well acquainted with some of their miscalls. There have been many panic trips to the supermarket to purchase the necessary items for being snow bound. The purchases invariably include milk, bread, and toilet tissue. These items are purchased even by those who don’t eat bread or drink milk. They are just standard blizzard items.

¶ The prediction was for heavy snow on Friday. When I looked at the “CloseLine” on Thursday evening all the schools in the vicinity had been cancelled for Friday. Administrators, being aware of erring on the side of caution, had assumed the forecast would come to pass. It did. We received about ten inches of the white stuff. It snowed beautifully all day. Once in a while there was a breeze but nothing like a blizzard. The snow just fell, and fell, and fell. ¶ Being the first heavy snow of the season, and, in all likelihood, not the last, it is always a challenge being on the streets with others who have totally forgotten how to drive in such weather. I had to go for my final chemo infusion of the week. The cancer center is all downhill from my house. This is good because driving in the wet, heavy stuff was akin to driving in Crisco, or lard, or a similar substance. I made the journey to the Center with a minimum of white-knuckle experiences. ¶ Throughout the time at the Center the snow continued to fall. At the conclusion of the infusion and my expensive shot, it took many minutes to clear off the car. I always do a thorough job of that because I don’t want all that snow melting in the garage. I also do not want the snow from the hood blowing over the windshield. Nor do I wish the snow from the roof to blow over the car behind me. I wish more drivers would be so kind. ¶ Returning home was a different story. Since the Center is all downhill guess what the trip home is. That’s correct. It’s all uphill. The city varies in its haste to plow and deposit grit on the streets. They hadn’t been around any of the main thoroughfares on which I needed to travel. My current auto is not good in snow. My previous front wheel drive sedan was excellent. This one not so much. I’m smart enough to know not to try the hill which is my usual route. I made it to the cul de sac without incident where I promptly got stuck on the totally flat street! As I said it was like driving in lard. ¶ I finally made it into the garage. The secret solution was turning off the traction control thing. I remembered reading someplace that the traction control was not always helpful, particularly when neither wheel has any traction. Home safe and sound, finally!

¶ Today I went nowhere. I did rake the roof. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the snow sparkled in the sun. As long as I could stay home, it was lovely. ¶ The infusions during the non-snowy part of the week went well. The pharmacy was prompt. My doctor’s appointment was normal. I have a CT scan scheduled for the middle of January. ¶ A friend and I attended a the boys’ choir concert last week. The choir was very small. They sang well. The piano was too loud. Someone forgot to check out the acoustics before the performance. It would have been an easy thing to fix since the piano was electronic. ¶ When I was working with the boys’ choir it amazed me, as it did last week, that young people of that age can exhibit such discipline. Children can rise to the occasion. If you expect much from them they will produce. Yes, there are always exceptions. It was a source of amazement to me that some of the most disruptive boys could be the most disciplined during a performance. The choir brought back fond memories of the days of yore when we would be preparing for the Christmas Tea. ¶ Thanks for reading, for your thoughts and prayers, your messages, and all that you do for others.

’Tis the Season

Everyday there is a new pile of “asking” mail in the box. I can’t recall having received so many requests for year end gifts in past years. I think it may be more noticeable because there are multiple mailings from the same foundations, organizations, charities, etc. ¶ Monthly gifts go to those groups of most concern to me. I trust others will help fund the other worthwhile organizations. Most of them do a good job or provide a helpful ministry. Those charities who send gifts to me do not receive in return. I know it’s a ploy to generate more funds by the guilty conscience trick. One is supposed to think “this organization was kind enough to send me this gift, I’d better send them something in return.” ¶ Every day the news brings more dismay. Lately it is the teenager who killed some of his classmates with a gun purchased for him by his parents. This is unbelievable. The little town of Oxford, MI, is the post office address of the monastery where I was a novice. The monastery is in the country so the connection is tenuous, but the name, Oxford, brings back memories. Having been in the town many times, it would seem to me to be the least dangerous place on earth. May God have mercy on the souls of those who were murdered. May justice be swift and appropriate for the assassin and his parents. ¶ In this season of supposed good will, a friend received a letter from she who is governor of this state. There is not much “good will” in that letter. It is full of accusations and half-truths, and ends, of course, with a pleas for funds for her campaign chest. She claims to be a fiscal conservative. She has recently redecorated the governor’s mansion in the amount of + $60,000. She also felt the need to add a sauna which price was not figured in the preceding amount. The perennial question is “Do actions speak more loudly than words?”

¶ We’ve had a lovely, warm week. Today is gray and a bit nippy. There’s not much of a breeze, but the slightest whisper cuts right through when the temperature hovers just above freezing. ¶ My health has been very good this week. Aside from some slight swelling in my lower left leg there have been no problems. I’ve experienced this before and the doctor ordered an ultrasound. There is no problem showing in that test. I’ll bring it up again when I see the oncologist on Monday, the first day of another week of chemotherapy. There will also be blood work which usually doesn’t change from one test to another. The usual components affected by the chemo will be low but not low enough to cause the medics any concern. I do get a shot to boost my white cell count at the end of the week of chemo. ¶ When the discussion turns to the price of prescription drugs and medical care the following is offered. That single shot is billed at +$11,000.00. ¶ The errant iPad with the perpetual 6 AM alarm returned to the store on Thursday. After a through cleaning and reinstall I do not have a perpetual 6 AM alarm any more. For this I am grateful. ¶ I’m off to hear a boys’ choir this evening at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. The superb acoustic there will really be an advantage to the choir. I’ve not heard this Minnesota group before. I’m looking forward to it. ¶ Sophia and I play a game every morning following my emergence from the shower. She evidently looks forward to it because she regularly shows up for the fun. If I become involved in something before doing the morning clean up, she waits patiently for me. Well, as patiently as a cat waits for anything. She exudes the attitude of “are you ever going to take that shower so we can play, or not!”

¶ She also found it necessary to take refuge from “Roomba” the robot vacuum cleaner. She exhibits a distinct lack of trust in the machine. ¶ Thanks for reading, for thoughts and prayers, and for helping others. Bless you.

Happy New Year!

Not to jump the gun, but this evening begins the season of Advent which begins a new Church Year. ¶ The preparations have been completed for the most part. The greens have been strung outside and the wreath hung. I call them Advent wreaths and greens. Others may think they are ready for Christmas. That’s fine. I will not change their minds. I’m ready for Advent, however.

¶ The empty stable is on the living room mantel. The Advent candles are in place. I haven’t found the animals whose habitat is the stable. They will appear at some point in time. My feeling is they are at the bottom of the Christmas stuff box. ¶ The planting of the bulbs is complete thanks to my gardening friend. I look forward to seeing what they produce come spring. Firstly, we must endure winter. We will. We always do. It always seems like our longest season. ¶ The earth needs to rest. The winter season gives us an opportunity to rest as well. Throughout the pandemic it seems as if we had enough home-time, and rest-time. We could not go any place because most places were closed. Instead of wasting our time going to stores to look for what we thought we needed, we shopped on-line. ¶ Things seem a bit more normal this year. Yesterday was Black Friday following closely upon Thanksgiving. I was out and about yesterday and I was quite amazed that the traffic was pretty much like normal. I didn’t check out any of the parking lots or stores.

¶ My single errand was to MacPros. Having thoroughly smashed my iPad by dropping it on a very hard floor, I received a new one, courtesy of Apple Care+. It works just fine except for the alarm which sounds forth at 5 AM every morning. The purpose of the visit was to see if something could be done about the alarm. After some unintelligible explanation of why things are the way they are I was sent on my way assured that the 5 AM alarm was a thing of the past. Now the alarm goes off at 6 AM. I guess that’s an improvement.

¶ Following Sophia’s horticultural attempt last week. The plant has found a new home in a new pot which she will have some trouble knocking to the floor, I hope. The pot weighs in at something like ten pounds so any displacement will have to be intentional. ¶ The week has literally flown by. Having a holiday in the midst of the week seems to shake things up a bit. I had difficulty figuring out Friday was really Friday. I nearly forgot to go to my volunteer job at the Pavilion of Arts and Science. ¶ I have felt really well all week for which I am grateful. The exercise program has been a little sketchy mostly due to weather. There have been a few warm days and some cold ones made even more so by the South Dakota “breeze.” ¶ Thank you for reading, for thinking of me, for praying for me, for keeping in touch. All those things keep me on a steady path to healing, whatever healing may bring.

If I Don't, I Won't

It’s a strange title, I know. I’ve just returned from church having been there since 8:30 AM and it’s now 4:30 PM. I’ve decided to write the blog now because I know I’ll fall asleep as soon as I sit comfortably and will not feel like writing when I awaken. ¶ It’s been a rather long day for this retired person. The Dean of the Cathedral asked if I would do a pre-Advent Quiet Day. I answered in the affirmative. So that was this morning. There was a good attendance for such things. People seemed appreciative with several positive comments. That’s always nice to hear when you’ve spent quite a bit of time preparing. ¶ I had time to go through a drive-through for lunch, which was consumed along with a sample lemon bar from tomorrow’s bake sale. Then a journey to the organ console was necessary so I could finish preparing for the service this afternoon.

¶ A priest friend and a former student had asked me to play for a transgender memorial service this afternoon. The service was very nice, well planned and I will have to admit it was the first time I understood a “liturgical dance.” I didn’t have to play for that so I could actually watch it. ¶ It brought back memories from my early days when such things were first introduced into the church to the delight of some and the horror of others. One does not encounter them with any frequency in this day and age. We seem to have enough trouble getting people back into the pews let alone into ballet shoes and other costumery. ¶ Ballet shoes brings up another memory. I taught in same for many years. My elementary school principal was not pleased that I taught in bare feet. He was concerned that I would spread planter’s warts among the children who sat on the floor in my classroom. I did not have planter’s warts, but that’s beside the point. I didn’t have furniture because we needed the space for movement. The solution was something soft so I wouldn’t mangle some small child’s hand should I inadvertently step upon it. It seemed to work well. Everyone was satisfied and no injuries were incurred.

¶ Sophia has taken to gardening. Well, sort of. While I was away today she knocked a plant off the windowsill. When I pointed out that she had quite a lot of dirt to clean up, the responding gaze was, “I thought you had a housekeeper for that job.” The plant will need its displaced soil replaced and I really don’t want that dirt on the floor until said personage appears. Beside the fact that it’s my cat and not his, I suppose I will clean up the mess. She evidently expects it. ¶ This past week was chemo week which also accounts for the fact that I’m a little exhausted today. All went well. The numbers were good. Blood pressure all over the scale, as usual. The pharmacy was spot on most days. I really appreciate that the nurses mark me present before I arrive so the chemo shows up, compliments of TUG, shortly after I really do show my face. It speeds things up tremendously. It’s also very nice to have company while sitting around having poison pumped into my body. ¶ This afternoon is one of those dark and gloomy times which also contributes to my feeling of exhaustion. ¶ I thank you for reading, for prayers and thoughts and thanksgivings. I give thanks for all of you. Thank you for doing for others. Have a good week and a meaningful and joyful thanksgiving feast.

It’s the First

This week we had the first, the first of many to come. I’m speaking of a winter weather advisory which was proclaimed near the end of this week. ¶ We had our first snowfall which didn’t amount to a great amount but it did turn the lawns white. And we had wind. If we’d had more snow it would have been a blizzard. Now, after a couple of days of 32º or less, the prognosticators claim we’ll be back in the 60s in a couple of days. No more snow is predicted for the next week or more. Let’s hope the weather scientists are correct. The changing of the time and the first snowfall all in the same week are too much, too much, I say. ¶ Has anything exciting happened this week? Not really. Sometimes lack of excitement is good. I can keep up with the usual round. My schedule is far from hectic but busy enough to keep me up, out and around. I’ve been feeling really well and always looking forward to the next day.

¶ Twice each year the Washington Pavilion honors its volunteers with a dinner and entertainment. I avoided the crowd this year for safety’s sake. Pavilion staff and volunteers are again required to wear masks. One cannot do that when eating, however. There is usually a crowd so it’s not a good place for me to be. In spite of all the chaos of the last 18 months, several of us were honored for the number of hours that we contributed. It’s always a pleasure to be able to give my time each week, and occasionally at other times when I can fill a need. The Pavilion is such a wonderful addition to our city and I’m pleased to do what I am able to do. ¶ Next week is chemo week again. My but that comes around very rapidly. I’m sure all will go well. It always begins with blood work to be sure my system can take the medicine. There is usually no problem with that. Everything seems to be pretty stable. When the doctor came into my hospital room and told me the cancer diagnosis and that I had 3 to 5 months to live without treatment, I was shocked. Having heard about all the horrors of going through chemotherapy I said yes to the treatments with fear and trembling and partly out of shock. I have had very little trouble enduring the chemotherapy for which I am so very thankful. I’ve been going through this regime for over two years now and I have no complaints. ¶ The bulb planting has gone on throughout the week and there are still more bulbs to arrive in the post. My trusty right-hand man and I dealt with leaves on Tuesday. We have several bags in the garage ready to go to the landfill. The neighbor’s aspen on the east side refuses to give up its leaves until the bitter end. Friday’s wind put an end to that foolishness so all the trees are bereft of their leaves now. Kindly friends have volunteered to come over and finish the “leaf job.” ¶ In spite of the cold and darkness some of the sedum insists on showing its colors. Looking at it can bring hopeful thoughts of spring in a few more months.

¶ One of this week’s appointments was at the tire department in the local Costco. My front tires have been gradually losing pressure. It had become a ritual to purchase fuel and then bring the tires up to pressure. I finally decided to do something about it and had them checked. Corroded beads and a nail in one tire seemed to be the diagnosis. While waiting for the tire repair I was joined by my former personal trainer. Chatting with her made the time fly. How fortuitous that she had a tire appointment at the same time! ¶ Once again Sophia has been very helpful with the office work. Research seems to be her forte. She follows the principle that my first year German professor espoused. When something is difficult put the book under your pillow and sleep on it. For Sophia the method is also is of value when sitting on the volume and taking one’s bath. ¶ Thanks for reading, for prayers, and thoughts, and all you do. Thank you for all you do for others. At this time of year we need to be especially aware of all those in need. I give monthly to our local food bank. I know that you are doing something similar. There is no need in our society for anyone to go hungry. ¶ Have a good week.

The Long Night

Tonight is the great changing of the clocks. As the clocks move back we should all get an extra hour of sleep tonight. Well, all but one. My sleep patterns are crazy. I could blame the prednisone. Maybe that’s the culprit. Anyway, I sleep soundly for about four hours and then fitfully for the rest of the night. That’s if I go to bed at a reasonable hour. If I stay awake until 2 AM or so then I might sleep until a normal awakening time. I’m now trying to calculate the hour at which I should go to bed so that I won’t be awake at 2 or 3 in the morning. I refuse to get up, read, or do anything other than toss and turn which makes the whole thing worse. I’ve not had a nap, so far, today. Perhaps that will be the remedy. Perhaps not. I’m anticipating a long night.

¶ Today and yesterday have been beautiful. The high today was 66º which is phenomenal for South Dakota on November 6. The bulbs have arrived and are in the process of being planted. The newest part of the landscaping is again a work in progress. Come spring it will be lovely. ¶ Our governor wants to be fair, so she says. Therefore, she refuses to share the file concerning her daughter’s path to becoming a licensed real estate appraiser. Lest you forget, the daughter was refused a license. Then a meeting was called with the higher-ups in the department at the governor’s mansion, not her office. Her daughter was present. That is interesting since ostensibly she would have no reason to be present at the discussion of the content as it was reported. Following said meeting her daughter was issued a license and the person in charge of issuing same (for 30 years) was fired. She filed a wrongful termination suit and was paid $200,000 in settlement. Part of the settlement said she was not to testify disparagingly about anyone involved. Release of the file would allow the legislative panel investigating “possible” nepotism in the case to reach a conclusion. So once again the people of South Dakota are left in the dark, with unanswered questions. However the governor is being fair. ¶ The week has been a bit busy with Zoom meetings, our usual Benedictine Tuesday evening, and a trip to Yankton to participate in the institution of the new rector of Christ Church. Again it was a lovely day and a nice drive with good company. Getting out of town seems to be a real event after months of just staying home.

¶ I’ve felt really well this week. I think having an extra week off before last week’s chemo helped with the tiredness. After looking back at one of the doctor’s reports, he suggested that an extra week now and then would be helpful. ¶ Sophia has outgrown the length of her “tree top” perch. Unless she curls up she hangs over the end. It doesn’t appear to me to be comfortable, but I’m not her! ¶ Thanks for reading. Thanks for everything. Thanks for helping others.