The "RAT" project

I guess I did not previously address the “Rat” issue in a blog. This adventure all began when we put up the bird feeders (they are messy little eaters). We first spotted a “creature” munching away on the bird food that was on the ground. We tired to get a close look and it did not appear to be a rat – perhaps a large mouse. Actually it did the cutest little hop when it ran away and we enjoyed watching it. Unfortunately when we spotted TWO little creatures munching away at the bird food we instantly went to BABIES! We did not want to kill them, so we purchased a small animal trap. Well much to our surprise the wire openings did not keep the critters in. The trap was snapped, the food was gone, but the cage was empty.

Max bought some smaller wire and wrapped the entire cage (which was not easy considering the spring mechanism had to be free to work). Needless to say I was completely surprised when I checked the cage last night and found a FAMILY of five! We took them out in the hills and let them go. They were very happy little rats considering this morning there was a very hungry looking large cat sitting on the fence staring at them thinking about the possibility of a gourmet breakfast.

We will put the cage out again and see if there are any more critters to be caught. The critters drive Kodi crazy. He can be dead asleep and either smell them or hear them, but he is up like a shot and going into a frenzy before anyone can get to the door to open it for him.

Later . . .

A better day

Today was a MUCH better day. Max was able to get some sleep last night and is making a good recovery. It is amazing what medication that actually works can do. She is convinced she will be up and around tomorrow (which is probably true, but taking it easy). She is looking forward to doing some tying of flies. Kathy and Paul are bringing dinner over tomorrow night and Max and Paul plan to work on flies for our Idaho trip. I am hopeful that I will get busy on my sewing room tomorrow and get it up and running.

I found a new web site for embroidery designs and they really have some beautiful designs at reasonable prices. I want to at least download one to check it out and see how they look (of course pictures to come).

Later . . .

Max had her procedure

Max had her procedure today and I am very glad I did not have my knee surgery yesterday. I did not have any doubts about the pain factor involved with having one’s uterus filled with 194 degree water; however, the doctors seemed to think it was not a big deal. They sent Max home with vicodin and ibuprofen AND some serious PAIN! That combination proved not to win the battle with the pain she was feeling. I know you are not suppose to share medications, but thankfully I had some medication left over from my breast surgery that allowed her to actually bring down the pain level – not enough, but at least it became bearable. With better medication she will be able to get some sleep and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Later . . .

Sorting through the chaos

I decided to clean and rearrange my sewing room today. Whew – I may never finish this project! Actually all I really need to do is change a few things and get stuff put back in new locations. I need to do some serious weeding out of things that I DO NOT need (which seems to be a hard thing for me to accomplish). What I am trying to accomplish is to be a bit more organized with the things that I use all the time. The stack of denim jeans really needs to be cut into squares (would be MUCH easier to store that way). I finally painted the new thread holders that I found at the thrift store and I am expecting 90 spools of rayon thread (1100 yds each) to arrive in the mail any day now I really want to start doing some embroidery and I like using the rayon thread (it makes for more beautiful/colorful designs). Hopefully I will find a place for everything to live tomorrow! Pictures to come of the finished room WHEN it happens.

Later . . .

Knee surgery cancelled

Since I basically sniveled most of the weekend about having ANOTHER surgery, I guess "someone" up above decided to give me a break. I received a call from my doctor’s scheduling nurse this morning to tell me my doctor was very ill and had to postpone my surgery. Since I was trying to get this done with enough time to be recovered for our trip to Idaho, I am now scheduled for knee surgery on October 12th. I actually think it was a relief to have it cancelled. I will not have to worry about doing something wrong while on vacation to mess up the surgery and interfere with my recovery. At least if I do something to mess it up I will be coming home to surgery and have it fixed. I am beginning to get some energy back and it will be nice to be able to do some things before I am down again.

Later . . .

Embroidery on T-shirts

This was my first attempt to embroidery with my machine on t-shirts and it came out very nice. I had denim shirts for the kids while they were here, but did not have the energy to deal with the whole embroidery thing (doing squares is much easier than doing work on clothing). I finished the denim shirts with a dragon and swords for Devin and unicorns for Desirae. I had purchased a couple of t-shirts a while back to try some embroidery and decided I would try to get everything done so I could package them up with the videos I forgot to return and get them in the mail. No doubt you can guess which shirt is for which child.
I had a really good night of sleep last night, which made working on these projects a pleasure; however, it is 8:00 PM and my eyes are drooping and the bed is calling me.

Later . . .

Return of the Grandkids

It was difficult to return the kids to their parents, but it was worth it to get to have cuddles with Deanna. We had a great weekend even though all the adults, except Gene, seemed to be having some type of back problem combined with low energy. It was fun meeting Gene (Denise's brother). We missed Brad when he was out due to my radiation treatments.

It was great to get to go with Duane to the kids school to check out their teachers and classrooms (Denise's back was hurting and Gene stayed home with her). I had never actually seen the school or where it was located (very large layout and a long way for Devin to walk to his class).

Watching Deanna celebrate her 1st birthday was a real pleasure. She is so adorable and was covered with cake and frosting. She seemed to get the paper tearing idea with with the presents, but the whole thing was a bit overwhelming for her. It was hard to leave the kids (as well as Duane and Denise) behind, but we had to make the trip home early on Sunday. I have doctors appointments during the week getting ready for my knee surgery on the 29th.

Later . . .

Movie and Micky D's

We spent a nice quiet day at home yesterday until Max came home with Michael and we headed off to Dublin to see Barnyard. Of course we all munched on popcorn and enjoyed the movie. Michael treated us all to McDonald's and that capped off a good evening.

I stopped by Best Buy when we were done with the movie and picked up an Epson printer that I had purchased online. I decided that I wanted a separate printer for my notebook in my sewing room. It tended to be a hassle networking the printers because half the time my PC is asleep. I think it will work out much better once I find WHERE to put it.

Later . . .

The Deanna Project

I decided to pull out my sewing machine today and see if I could get the "Deanna project" at least started. Both the kids wanted to watch a video and, of course, they did not want to watch the same one; therefore, I was able to spend many hours working on the blocks. I managed to finished all six blocks before dinner!

Max treated us to BLT's for dinner and then we played some video game and Deving did EXCELLENT on a major fight. He won the fight all by himself with just a little friendly advice. Desirae a couple of times, but it was just over her head. I was impressed because it is my game and I usually have to have Max win the battle for me (which she actually did). Paul and Michael dropped by so Max and Paul could do some fly fishing talk. We had desert and headed to bed.

Hard to believe the time is almost here to take the kids back. I must admit I am fatigued, but we LOVE having them around.

Later . . .

Kodi's Turn

After we came home from pizza we had a little back yard time. Kodi and Darci were running and playing and Kodi loves to play in the water. He was jumping from one pool to the next and having a good time. Kodi loves to blow bubbles with his face under water (maybe he and Devin should blow bubbles together). The kids stayed out until it was time to get in jammies, have desert and hit the sack.
Today was really an exhausting day for me. I cleaned out some drawers and a closet (not much work). I think the energy expended having the kids her is catching up with me. Nonetheless, we plan on a movie tomorrow, rest on Wednesday and fishing on Thrusday.

Somehow we have to find a time to shop for Deanna's BD.

Later . . .

Another day

Desirae ventured out to the pools by herself today because Devin decided to watch a movie (Toy Story). He made that decision after lunch because it was his day to wear his eye patch and it would come off in the water (good boy). Desirae stayed out for a while, but was not very happy playing by herself - so she came in and had a nice long bath instead.

Darci has started being very cute with Desirae. We were all up this morning and Desirae was still in bed and Darci went in and woke her up. Darci is very much "my" dog, but she is having a hard time now that she thinks she needs to take care of Desirae too. When Desirae went outside in the pools Darci had to lay at the back door so she could watch me and Desirae at the same time (she actually sleeps, but she is near by nonetheless).

Once Desirae was out of the tub and Devin's movie was over, they changed places. Devin went into the bath and Desirae watched Toy Story. Max had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and was able to come home early and help with the child bathing, which made me very happy.

We are going to Mountain Mike's for a pizza party for Michael's 23rd birthday this evening so there will be no cooking in this place this evening (woohoo).

Later . . .

I guess size is NOT important

I guess my concern about the pools being to small was not a big deal. The kids played in the pools again this afternoon and went back and forth between the pools and ended up with both of them playing in one pool. I am guessing any combination of sun, water and some toys would make them happy. They finaly ended up sitting together watching the birds come and go at the bird feeder before they had to come in.

I was very pleased this morning when several of the birds decided to go ahead and use the bird bath for a bath instead of just drinking the water. All it took was one bird to bathe and others decided to imitate. The dove even went in for a little water splashing. Unfortunately, we could not get any good pictures because as soon as you open the door they fly away and we don't have any cameras with a significant zoom to get a good shot (guess I need to add a Nikon along with the Mac Duane is CONSTANTLY telling me I need). I think it is very fun to watch the birds bathe and the kids got a chance to see it from the kitchen window.

I had some other pictures to add to the blog, but I put my PC to sleep and cannot access my shared docs. I will try to post them tomorrow (I will make a CD for Mommy and Daddy of all the pictures we have taken). The day ended well with Devin and Nana being the exhausted ones.

Later . . .

End of the day

This is where Desirae ended up at 4:30 PM after a day of fun in the sun. She curled up in her bed and slept until the pizza arrived around 6:00. We ended the day with pizza and some fun doing dog fights and races on my Ratchet and Clank video game. Desirae actually won the dog fight, but panicked at the last minute and handed the control to Max who finished it for her. We played with the races and fights for a while and ended the night with ice cream and bed. Both the kids were tired and ready and actually crawled in before their 9:00 PM bed time. Overall it was a very fun day.

Later . . .

Lathered up and ready to go

After a morning of donuts for breakfast, video games, video conference with Mommy, Daddy and Deanna and lunch, it was out to the backyard for some fun in the pools. Those old pools are not much (we tried for a bigger one and there were none to be found), but the kids certainly find a lot of enjoyment and pleasure splashing around in them. If not for my cancer surgery and treatments, I would have been a bit better prepared for their visit (LARGE pool already purchased). It would appear that between the video games and the back yard they are having a great deal of fun.

Hopefully next week we will find the time AND energy for another movie and some fishing. If the weather stays nice the fishing will be possible after Max comes home from work. We will also have to venture out to be prepared with presents for Deanna's birthday.

Later . . .

Not much new to report

Unfortunately I did not get any pictures yesterday. The house cleaner was here and we spent time moving from room to room to give her space. We seemed to having a gathering in Desirae's room (aka my sewing room). Thank goodness I had moved the air mattress on to the king size bed because it was a bit crowded with Desirae, Devin, Kodi, Darci and me! We are definitely "packing".

I do believe the dogs are beginning to be very glad the kids are here. They both wait patiently at the dinner table for anything that happens to hit the floor and to thoroughly inspect the chairs when the kids are done. I am sure that Kodi has figured out the kids are the reason he is getting some "people" food added to his dog food, because we have more left overs. With the kids we are never sure what they are going to love (and eat a ton of) or hate (and take one bite). I am sure they will be disappointed when the kids are gone and so is the food.

I think Max is going to go in search of a larger pool when she gets off work today. We are hoping that WalMart will still have the larger ones (they come with a built in slide so we did not buy one for Kodi).

Unfortunately my fatigue factor is catching up with me and I am running out of energy, but hopefully Max can pick up the slack over the weekend and I should be ready to go again on Monday. My skin is peeling and becoming a bit tender again with the new fresh pink skin, but all in all I am hanging in there and doing well.

Later . . .

Movie Afternoon

Devin was a happy camper today because he did not have to worry about what he was eating or being careful to not touch teeth. It came in especially handy when we went to the movies this afternoon and he ate BUNCHES of popcorn. We packed in water and bought the big bucket to share (I took small paper bowls so everyone could have their own). Between the four of us we polished off two buckets! We saw The Ant Bully, which was actually very cute, well done and certainly carried a good message.

Later . . .

Finally . . .

After everyone went to bed last night, Devin was taking a drink of water and hit his tooth - instant removal. The tooth was so ready to come out all it needed was a little nudge. It was a bit of a surprise for us - hearing a VERY excited child yelling NANA! Max sleeps through everything, but she jolted out of bed immediately.

Devin was very excited about loosing the tooth and was already planning on having a bagel for breakfast the next day.

Later . . .

Smooth lazy day

Today started out chilly and then actually turned pretty warm. We managed to keep ourselves busy in the house most of the day and ventured out in the back yard for some play time with the dogs after dinner. We watched a couple of movies and played some video games. Prior to the video games Devin and Desirae wanted to play with the magnet toys. They soon had them spread around the dining room, but due to the desire to play video games every single ball and stick was picked up and put away (video games do come in handy).

Devin's smile should be looking better real soon. He had frosted mini wheats for breakfast and somehow managed to hit his loose tooth on his bottom teeth and that tooth is SO ready to come out. The rest of the day he decided to do "soft" food to prevent any more mishaps. He did eat some meat for dinner, but we cut it in very small little pieces.

While the kids were playing with the magnets, I managed to get the hooks on my new picture frames as well as hang the picture holder I picked up at a thrift store several weeks ago. It cost me a dollar and I could not buy the material to make one for that. I like it and I think it displays pictures quite well. I also managed to get some denim squares cut out for a project Denise and I are making for Deanna. I have the squares, but finding the time and space to sew may be a bit of a challenge. I think I can manage in my sewing room and work around Desirae's stuff. These are the times I truly wish we had a bigger house (and the situation will only get worse as the kids grow and Deanna is old enough to come for a visit with her brother and sister).

Later . . .

New Magnifying Lamp

Max is a very happy fly tying person with her new magnifying lamp. Also, I happen to be a very happy person because orginally she bought an Ott Lite from JoAnn's, which I get to keep since she found something she likes better. She took the chance on ordering online from Widget Supply for a cheap price ($25) and ended up getting a really nice lamp,which will work perfectly for what she wants to use it for.

The kids are outside expending some energy before bed time. It was very chilly around here today and they did not get to go swimming or play outside (they have no warm clothes - after all it is SUMMER and August is generally one of our hottest months. It was a blessing because it gave Devin a chance to rest his RED eyes (from opening them under water while he was holding his breath). Desirae decided to give us a concert (what a kick she is).

Tried unsuccessfully to connect with Duane for his birthday, but did leave a Birthday song on his voicemail. Ummm did connect with Duane and he was able to chat with the kids a bit. They were settled in their camp area and getting ready to go to dinner.

Later . . .

One tooth less

Devin arrived with two VERY loose teeth. He did not want either of them pulled and both the new teeth were coming in behind the baby teeth. He was working so hard to not bother the upper front tooth, that a chewy bagel took care of the lower one. He was totally shocked when the tooth came out - he bite into something hard and took it out of his mouth (glad he did not swallow it).

Had to check with the "Tooth Fairy" liason to ascertain the going rate for teeth under a pillow (inflation and all). We decided the Tooth Fairy goes wherever the tooth is placed under a pillow. He could save it and take it home or he could put it under his pillow here and she would find it.
Now we have to work on the other one.

Desirae let me braid her hair because she was getting so tangled with getting it wet and having a bit of wind blowing. She liked it, but with Desirae nothing lasts very long; especially when it comes to getting her hair out of her face.

Later . . .

Back Yard Work

It was time to do some work in the backyard - Max was VERY proud of her HUGE weed. When it first started growing we thought a bird had dropped a sunflower seed (last year a squirrel dropped a peanut and it started to grow). It was time to pull most of the plants out of the garden and get it cleaned up. The HOT spell we had pretty much killed off my flowers and a lot of the veggies.

We had an abundance of carrots and Devin and Desirae were good little carrot pullers. After Max cut the tops off we had to clean them and that turned into a group project. We had carrots for dinner and they were very tasty (a bit much for all of us - we will have carrots for days).

Devin and Desirae helped pull seeds for the Marigolds so hopefully I will be able to plant the seeds next year and not have to go buy plants.

After the yard work, playing in the pools was the name of the game for the remained of the day (not to worry - lots of 45 sunscreen). Also, not to worry - Desirae is NOT trying to drown Devin! Devin is practicing how long he can hold his breath under the water.

We are having a good time.

Later . . .

Let the vacations begin

We now have possession of the Grandchildren (Denise arrived safe and sound Thursday afternoon), but I have not had an opportunity to do a blog entry because by the time I have the time to do one both the kids are in bed and my PC has been in Devin’s bedroom and my notebook in Desirae’s bedroom. I retrieved my notebook and have networked with my PC so I can get the pictures I loaded on my PC and hopefully I will be able to keep up with things.

It was great to get to see Denise and Deanna (boy has she grown since the last time we saw her (that would be in reference to Deanna because Denise is shrinking). Hard to believe that a year has gone by since she was born (ah, right, time flies when you’re having fun). Deanna is just fascinated by both the dogs.

I am very pleased to inform everyone that the healing of my radiation burn is happening much quicker than I expected. I know the doctor mentioned I was taking very good care of my skin, so that probably helps. The skin is peeling, but the blisters are not so painful. I still get tired easily and quickly, but the kids are giving me rest time (perhaps a little reluctantly, but bribes with video games and movies seem to work wonders).

I will try to keep pictures posted (for the family to be able to see the kids) and let Mommy and Daddy know they are safe and sound. I have the feeling this week will not be very exciting, but I must say Devin and Desirae both love playing in the backyard in “little” swimming pools. They love to play in the water and that keeps them occupied for a couple of hours a day. The weather has been beautiful – not too hot, but hot enough for the kids to play in the water.

Later . . .

The "Kodi tail" fly

Max finished her first fly AND she cut hairs from Kodi’s tail to do it! She did not have the ”beard” to add to the fly she wanted to tie; so Kodi hair did the trick. For her first effort it turned out really well. The whole concept is quite interesting and I have no doubt that between her and Paul they will come up with some really interesting AND perfect specimens of bugs. It is just really nice that she has the time to “play” now that school is finished.

Later . . .

Woohoo!

Woohoo – let the healing begin! I am finished with my radiation treatments and I already feel better. It was very cute; I was given a “Graduation Bear” and a big hug from the nurse yesterday and sent on my way. The people were all very nice and the doctor was very kind; however, I told them all I preferred to NEVER see them again. My doctor’s response was, “Well how about in the bookstore or coffee shop?” That I could handle. Max took me out to the Black Angus for dinner to celebrate the completion – what a weight off my shoulders to not have to deal with the traffic everyday to drive in for treatment.

Later . . .

One More Day

Tomorrow is the LAST radiation treatment and I am VERY ready to have the healing begin. I get a two week break before I start the hormone therapy. I actually have had a couple of good days where the pain was not so bad and I was able to actually stay awake ALL day!

The weekend was a fun one. Max’s birthday was on Sunday, but Max and Paul worked most of the day Saturday installing our whole house attic fan. We broke for lunch and a trip to Oakland to the Outdoor Pro Shop for fly fishing investigation (and some supply purchasing). The fan works really well and it is amazing the amount of air it pulls into the house. I know the idea is to cool the attic by pushing the hot air out and replacing it with the cool air, but I LOVE the fact that it completely cools the house while it is doing that! It is a very welcome addition to our household.

Sunday we ventured to Pleasant Hill to Creative Sports for more fly fishing investigation. I found a really good book, which I purchased for Max and she found a lot of “goodies” to add to her collection. She has set up her equipment and is tying a fly as I type.

The grandkids are coming on Thursday and we are very excited about seeing them and having them stay with us. I am very confident that I will be able to handle the fatigue factor while they are here (early bedtimes will probably be happening a lot).

Later . . .

Counting the days

I know I have not done an entry in a while, but I am ready to admit it is official – I am addicted to my PS2! Actually I have been playing my video game a lot lately, but I think it is helping to keep my mind off the pain and itching I am experiencing from the radiation (It also keeps me awake). I like to keep things on a positive note, but that has become increasing difficult. The good news is I am down to 7 days left of treatment. The bad news is the radiation burn is so painful at times I cannot stop myself from giving in to the tears. The irritation and itching makes me want to scream, but what I manage to do is tighten up my muscles and grimace. It also does not help that we are having 115 degree temperatures around here! In the heat of the day it is difficult to breathe (needless to say Debby thinks the weather is grand).

So what can I say? Having cancer sucks! Cancer treatment sucks! But on the up side, I am VERY glad it was caught early enough to make surgery and radiation treatments a viable option. I am just ready for the treatments to be done.

Later . . .

Hmmmmmmmm

I swear this whole radiation treatment seems a little surreal. Believe me; I know it is happening due to the pain of the radiation burn and the fatigue factor. I will be very happy when the treatment is over and things get back to “normal”. Tomorrow I will start having my treatments at 8:45 instead of 12:15 and I am hoping I will get more out of my day. After my treatments I cannot seem to help but fall asleep for a couple of hours and I am hoping this way I can get a “nap” in the AM and be able to actually accomplish something in the afternoon.

It has been pretty hot around here, but the dogs seem to know what to do to battle the heat – they both find an air vent and sleep in front of it. Kodi plants himself in the bathroom on the cool floor and literally does not move unless he is forced to move. Darci still follows me around, but luckily there is an available air vent in the office where she can sleep. Is that what is meant by “The dog days of summer” and “It’s a dog’s life”? Obviously our dogs are NOT abused. I do feel sorry for Kodi if he has to go outside. I would NOT want to be running around in a fur coat or down jacket in this heat!

Later . . .

Not much news

I know I have not been doing much with my blog lately, but I have not been doing much except going to my radiation treatments and coming home and resting. I am playing a new video game, which I am enjoying – Rachet and Clank Going Commando. It is the next one in the series and it is enjoyable. I did manage to do a little sewing yesterday afternoon before fatigue forced me to lay down for a nap.

Brother Don came for a visit and that is always pleasant. We had a nice visit and dinner with veggies from the garden and catfish cooked on the grill. We went out for Sushi on Monday and then he was on his way early this AM. He came with some friends and they will be leaving after they finish with golf around noon.

Not much new around here except we are looking in to buying a whole house fan. Since the nights do seem to cool off enough to turn off the air, we decided we needed a way to get that cool air into the house. They are amazing the way they work and I believe will be well worth the purchase.

Later . . .

It is really hard to believe that this cactus started out a little tiny thing, which we purchased at the Poppy Festival MANY years ago for I believe less than $1. It is now blooming the most beautiful pink flowers and has grown quite well. I think the reason it survived and did so well is because it sat in this pot over at Debby's for over a year and the only water it got was from the rain.

I figured Duane and Denise would get a kick out of seeing this cactus after all those years!


I guess it is the smallest things that make me happy these days (cactus flowers and humming birds).

Later . . .

Three day break

Wahoo for a cancelled appointment for my radiation therapy! They called this AM to inform me their machine was “down” and I would not be having a treatment today. I am happy to have the three days of no radiation on my already terribly irritated red, sore skin; however, at the same time it will tack on another day for the finish date and I am already ready for this to be over. Now I will finish my treatments on August 1st as apposed to July 31st (I missed treatment on the 4th). Perhaps today I will be able to do some sewing and not be so tired I can’t keep my eyes open. I want to continue making my blocks of Celtic circles and that is pretty much an easy task – just time consuming. I would like to actually start cutting squares for a “real” quilt, but my focus and concentration level is not that great right now so I think I will just try to be patient and wait this treatment out. It is hard to say, but maybe I will not fall asleep this afternoon and perhaps I will be able to stay awake past 9:00 PM!

Later . . .

Wahoo for gambling winnings

Max is now in possession of a VERY cool fly tying kit. It is a Dyna-King Kingfisher and very nice. She has been wanting one for the longest time and since she was the BIG winner at Three Hand Poker = brand new toy! I think "free time" may be a thing of the past with all the projects and hobbies she has planned. Nonetheless, it is cool that she has the time to do some "fun" things instead of homework!

Half Way There!

I started my fourth week of radiation therapy this Monday. It is truly nice to be thinking I am half way finished. It is difficult to keep a completely positive attitude considering I know it is going to get worse before it gets better and it is on the bad side right now. I am getting some good sleep during the night (thank goodness the doctor gave me something to aid in sleeping), but the fatigue factor is really presenting itself. The radiation burn is increasing and starting to be quite painful. So I have three more weeks of increased burning of my skin and increased fatigue to look forward to, but at least there is an end to the ordeal with a positive outcome to the whole cancer thing.

We now have a gardener for both the front and back yards and someone to clean the house once a week. I decided to just give it up for the next few months considering that as soon as I am over the radiation and have the grandkids for a visit I will be having knee surgery!

I am very grateful we have been having some REALLY nice weather because everyone knows how much Kodi and I dislike the heat. We have been experiencing nice breezes and cool weather for quite a while and it would be fine with me if it continues. I have been enjoying the humming birds and all the other birds coming for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a multitude of snacks.

Later . . .

Weekend Trip

We decided since it was Max's last Friday off (they are taking away the 9/80's) we would take a quick weekend and do a little gambling and relaxing. I am here to tell you Max got in the grove with Three Hand Poker! She was lucky enough to get THREE 2's and THREE 3's and THREE 4's! Three of a kind pays 30 to 1 on one bet and 6 to 1 on another and then 1 to 1. When we were getting ready to leave she decided to play one LAST time and bet $10 and that is when she got her 4's. Yes that would be $300 and then $60 and then $10 for a total winning of $370 on a $30 bet. Happy times were had by all. We had a really good time learning some new games and just playing Black Jack, Three Hand Poker, Four Card Poker, Let it Ride, Texas Hold 'Em and Craps. We even tried our hand at Pai Gow, but neither of us liked it much. I spent quite some time at the Crap Table and managed to make some money. All in all we did well, but you win and then play some more and end up giving it back. We both did well at the end of the trip and managed to come home with some money.

This is the first time we have been able to go away without the notebook and Max having to spend a substantial amount of time doing homework - NICE!

Later . . .

Bird Watchers

If I had a camera like Duane's, I could have gotten an actually CLEAR shot of the Humming Bird! I moved all the humming bird feeders next to the house and hung them from the rafters where all the wind chimes are hanging. The humming birds seem to like the idea of them being pretty much in the shade. We have at least two that we know of and they are going to ALL the feeders for a snack. Needless to say, I am very happy about knowing they are actually coming around and eating.

The other bird feeders are attracting a multitude of birds and they are going through the food rapidly (I don't care). They are using the bird bath for drinking water and have not to our knowledge used it for bathing. Our neighbor, who has a bird bath in her front yard, said it took the birds over a year before they actually started bathing (they used it for drinking water first).

We are truly enjoying watching the variety of birds and their behavior. We have a bird book and are trying to figure out the different breeds that we have, but we are both in agreement that we need some better binoculars to get a good look at them (if we had Duane's camera we might have a shot at actually seeing them). Nonetheless, I find they are giving me a great deal of pleasure throughout the day!

Later . . .

Free Time

Max is completely enjoying her “additional” time. She has started a new puzzle, which is way to hard for me to even think about putting together. Her philosophy for puzzles is “the harder the better”. She also purchased a new video game (Brother in Arms – which Duane’s friend Randy showed her), which she is playing when she is not working on the puzzle. The puzzle is on a card table right next to her computer for easy access! AND she has signed up for private guitar glasses, which she will start next Wednesday. Watch out world – she has FREE TIME!

I am into my third week of radiation and glad that I have the 4th off. I am certainly beginning to feel the fatigue factor and the tenderness, but all in all I am doing well. We usually go to Duane’s for the 4th, but since I have to do radiation tomorrow it was just not possible or plausible to try to make the trip. We are having Kathy, Paul, Michael and Debby over for dinner, but it will NOT be the same as Duane’s ribs and Denise’s dessert!
Later . . .