Punctuality

Here I am writing about punctuality while I am procrastinating again. Why am I procrastinating? Because I am lazy. That is the honest answer. Walter has already gotten up and ridden his bike in the basement. I have played on the internet. He has taken a shower and gotten dressed. I am on my second cup of coffee. I said we would leave here at 10 ideally and definitely by 1030. I can still make it. I will be on time. He will be ready early and will be watching TV while he waits around for me.

Some people have a hard time being on time and make people wait around. I am not very good at that these days, especially. I get very tired if I am out too long. If I have to wait around for people, it cuts into my fun time. Last night, for example, we were supposed to meet at 5 pm for an early dinner. Well, dinner was delayed until 645 pm. We were ready for 5, no one else was. In fact, they were far, far away at the time. I ended up staying out too late and staying up too late. Crabbiness could appear. The people who made me late won't see my crabbiness. Walter will. He now informs me when I am crabby. (Gee, thanks. In case I missed it.)

The late people from yesterday said they text messaged my phone to tell us of their change in plans. That doesn't work if the phone in question is in a pocket down stairs. Text messaging is supposed to be so cool. My brother taught me how to text. So I sent him messages. He calls me back. Where is the logic here? He claims you can speak 180 words per minute and can text a lot fewer, hence the calls back.

Anyhow we are off to spend the weekend away just the two of us. Walter will spend lots of time waiting for me. He will be ready early. I will be ready on time. He doesn't get crabby and tired when he is out too long, I do. I am bribing him, we are stopping at the Gingerbread Construction Company for muffins for the drive up north. We have no idea of the nutritional content of these muffins and frankly we don't care. They are too yummy. Also, the B&B we are staying at features the home made muffin of the day and home made cookies in the afternoon. Like I said, we will diet next year.

Yes, I have a bigger suitcase today to put everything in.

PS My steri strips are starting to curl up on the ends and begin to peel off. This means they will start to ITCH!!!!!!!! Grrr!

PPS 957 am we are packing the car, closing the trunk, admiring all the space in the car... Whoops! Don't forget the snowshoes!!! DOH!!!! Now the car is full.

Packing panic

We are leaving tomorrow morning. I can't find all of my fun in the snow outdoor clothes. I have been digging around and they aren't where they are supposed to be. Well, its only been since last February that I used them!!! Perchance they are just stored in a safe place. I have found some but will need to sort through them and figure out if they are what I really need. I have piled a bunch of stuff on my open suitcase. I need a bigger one. They aren't going to fit. Why don't I just take my whole closet? That would solve my problems.

Yes, we are going away for three whole days. This is very exciting. Even if I feel crappy (being technical again) I can look out the window at something other than our back yard. I hope to go snow shoeing at least twice. I don't know how long I will last but at least I will be outside. Maybe it won't rain. That would be bad for snow shoeing. We will see.

Yesterday I did get rained on. I actually got rather wet walking in the rain. It was a cold yucky rain but I was talking on my cell phone for the duration of my walk (I was one of those rude people who talk on their cell phone on the bike path - but there was no one else on there - everyone else was inside warm and dry - and probably smarter than me) so I didn't really notice how wet I got until I was home. Then I wasn't very productive all day. Considering my morning walk didn't start until nearly noon that isn't surprising. I did watch a good movie - "Stand By Me" - which I had never seen before. River Phoenix as a little kid! I also managed my daily nap after dinner in front of the TV but did go to bed early. I do NOT have circles under or around my eyes today. Just to be clear. Lots of sleep - its the extra naps in front of the TV - that have cured those.

Today I will get over tired. My brother is visiting with his four children. I know they will tire me out. We are going to eat vast quantities of food and then probably go for a walk before eating more vast quantities of food. With small children around you have to eat lots of meals to prevent crankiness. (Crabbiness is what occurs in adults, crankiness is for kids. Creakiness in your muscles is what happens when you exercise to much and is very different. Crabbiness is caused general crappy feelings and stress.) Somehow I also need to finish packing and may need to do some laundry today. This sounds busy. Perhaps I should motivate and take a shower instead of procrastinating all day on the computer.

Not that I am keeping count or anything

But 53 doctor visits since my diagnosis. How's that! (I only know how many because I kept a spread sheet of doctor visits and medical expenses so we can deduct it on our taxes. Did you think I went through my calendar and counted them?) I think its a record. I think I should get a frequent visitor pass to the home of the OMWAHs - the Lahey parking garage. I start to have withdrawal when I haven't been there for a while. Its actually been ten days since I was last there - my surgery was at the hospital in Peabody which doesn't have a parking garage.

I've been thinking (scary idea isn't it?) Its been a while since I have been on my little cross country trip. At the last update, I was stuck in a lame-o gas station and trying to get to the beach. Well, now I have had surgery and am still recovering somewhat (a little sore, can't lift at the gym, etc) and feel like my beach vacation is no fun. Kind of like the awesome vacation you plan for a year at a really exotic location that takes two days, three planes and a really scary bus ride to get to and they lose your luggage on your arrival and then you get the stomach flu. By the time your luggage catches up and you recover, its time to pack up and head home. You got one day sitting by the hotel pool in the shade and that was it. Now I have to get ready to start the drive back home.

Next week (I already have three appointments for January 2), I go for a surgery follow up and then start planning radiation. That will be 5 weeks of daily full breast radiation followed by a boost for another 8 days to the area where the tumor was. (That would be basically 6 1/2 weeks of DAILY trips to Lahey.) I do still have to read up on radiation. I don't know much. I do know it can result in fatigue (now there's a change) and big burned patches of skin. I am so excited about this I can't wait - NOT! But that is next week (and next year) so I will worry about it then.

Actually I did already learn the most important thing about radiation. They have a separate parking lot for radiation patients. When you go in, you have to get your parking validated. This validation (unlike at chemo) does not give you free parking. It just saves you from a $10 surcharge if you didn't have a radiation appointment. Then you have to pay for parking. Then you leave. I didn't know this. I thought the validation paid for my parking. The nice security guard helped me. I caused a big line at the little parking lot. I have learned. Validation, pay for parking, then leave. Don't leave out step two. They make these things so confusing. Or is it my chemo brain can't comprehend this?

Today it rained and is supposed to rain/snow later. Just what we need, more snow to shovel. (Oh, but wait, I can't shovel snow this year. In the year of so far record snow, I can't shovel. Darn. I am so upset.) Anyhow, I am going to the gym to walk on the treadmill, unless I can dodge raindrops and walk outside. I will have to see. In addition, I have to think about packing for our trip, meaning where are my insulated boots? I think I am meeting a friend for lunch as well. Too exciting.

Yesterday we went for a big walk and tried to eat healthy. I had a salad for lunch. Dinner was mostly healthy and had lots of vegetables. Five jewelry stores later, I managed to get batteries for two of my five dead watches. Last night, apparently I didn't have big circles under my eyes. They were all black around them from being really tired. Hmmm... Maybe I will consider going to bed early tonight, instead of taking my evening nap in front of the TV.

Today we resume normal eating and exercise habits

We are feeling flabby. We ate too much the past few days - that darn socializing promotes bad eating habits! Once it warms up enough we are going for a walk (another death march according to Walter). I think we have eaten enough crap the last few days to allow us to death march for three days straight. Let's see - cookies, brownies, chocolates, (really good) cheese and crackers, bagels, salmon, cream cheese, cookies again, wine, three kinds of home made soup, pieces of a gingerbread house, Chinese food, miniature cheese quiche thingies, etc. You get the point. Do you see any nutritional/low fat/low calorie items listed? No! Today we will have a healthy breakfast, a light lunch, and (un)fortunately a giant dinner. We had decided to make a special Christmas night dinner for the two of us. We ate too much yesterday afternoon to eat dinner last night so we will have it tonight. Salad - lots of it, part of a brisket from a Texas smokehouse (a Christmas gift), and oven fries. Then we have ice cream for dessert - from the ice cream fairy. We have to eat our ice cream. We got ice cream of the month club (no joke) for Christmas too. We need to make sure we have room in our freezer for it. 4 pints each month. I think we will be dieting for a long time as well. (This isn't to say that ice cream of the month is a bad thing but just that for the duration of the deliveries we will have to watch what we eat to allow for timely consumption of ice cream. And bacon. We can't forget the bacon of the month as well. Sigh. I just won't let them check my cholesterol anytime soon. I think that will happen in April.)

In the meantime, kitty is recovering from his Christmas stocking. I think he needs rehab. Too much catnip. And there are about 6 more new catnip toys waiting for him in the freezer. (The freezer is the only cat proof container in our house.) This was a recommended storage area and I am using it unless we run out of room for our ice cream delivery.

Another exciting day in my life. Walter is actually off for a few days which may reduce his crabbiness. He really needed a vacation. He gets crabby when he needs a vacation. I am the proud owner of five watches with dead batteries. My goal is to get at least two of these repaired today so I can tell time again. It has been pointed out that I could just carry my cell phone around with me to tell time. That assumes I remember to keep it charged. I seem to have a problem with that and with keeping my camera battery charged. (I do manage to keep my car battery charged. Now I have probably jinxed myself by saying that but I do have a new car battery so I feel okay about saying it.)

We also need to go to the library and get ready for our upcoming trip to Vermont. We are going snowshoeing this weekend. A weekend away. We haven't been away for a weekend since the end of July when we went to the beach. This will be a little different. Snow covered mountains in VT. Either way it will be fun. A little snow shoeing, followed by a little window shopping, and more bad eating habits. Well, just for New Years, but we are staying at a B&B which I am sure has non-healthy breakfasts - they advertise their home made muffin of the day along with hot entrees such as breakfast burritos. And an afternoon snack of home made cookies. Just what we need. More cookies. Hmmm... We will resume our diet on Jan. 2.

PS The crabbiness level is significantly reduced by 10 hours of sleep. (Well so far it is.)

Merry Christmas and all that

Yesterday, we went out to dinner. Yes, I went out in the evening. This was my first evening excursion since September. We got home and Walter insisted I go to bed. (I think I might have been cranky and had big circles under my eyes.) He was very insistent. 'Go to sleep.' 'Yes, dear.' Anyhow, I was tired. I did go to bed and fall asleep. Then I slept late this morning. I think he tried to wake me up a few times. He was sick of looking at the presents under the Christmas tree! We also went for a little walk yesterday morning. It was good for us! That might have contributed to being tired, as well as going Christmas caroling in the afternoon and then out to dinner.

Today, will be less energetic. I am still tired. The cat has lots of new toys to play with. (He will be intoxicated.) I have new pajamas and a new sweater, among other things. Walter has lots of new things (but he isn't spoiled, the cat is). We are going to my parents house which isn't far away. We will probably eat way too much food.

We are having a white Christmas. I am not sure when the last time was there was snow on Christmas around here. Its been a few years since we have had so much snow on Christmas and a lot melted in the last few days. It does add to the holiday feeling. Happy Holidays!

Recovering from socializing

We went to a party yesterday afternoon. Then once again I fell asleep in front of the TV in the living room for about an hour. I think I was tired from too many yummy appetizers. Then I couldn't fall asleep again until 1am. Smarty pants (a/k/a Walter) suggested that when I get tired, I should just go to bed instead of staying in the living room. Well, if I wasn't so comfortable watching TV and realized I was about to fall asleep, I just might. (He could also wake me up when I am falling asleep so I go up to bed, but that's another story.) Anyhow, I was up late last night. Crabbiness and big circles around my eyes may reappear.

Yesterday, I was looking over the cool stuff we got at the party on Saturday with the Yankee swap and a few other well appreciated gifts we received. The best item is what Walter got in the Yankee swap. I don't think he appreciates it very much. He wasn't inclined to take it to his office even though we said it was kind of military green. However I think it is pretty cool and one of a kind. A frog tape dispenser. Who else has one? It will add a bit of cheer to my office - which can use a hell of a lot of something... I will use it. I just have to find the refill rolls of tape - might take a special trip to Staples or someplace.

In addition, yesterday I went out for a walk. It was quite enjoyable. I also saw four little dogs (punting size/smaller than a cat) out being walked by different people, all wearing their cute little sweaters. I don't think we can get a sweater on our cat. He just sleeps under the blankets. Unfortunately, I realized I am unable to dress myself properly. I can blame chemo brain for this and I think I will. It can be said that I have a matching pair at home as well.

This morning we are going out for a walk. Walter calls these death marches. I dont think he understands that a walk in the brisk fresh air is good for him. Then we have one last Christmas present to wrap, it just was delivered this morning. Later today we have Christmas caroling and out to dinner. More socializing. Again tomorrow as well. It gives us bad eating habits. We ate lots of yummy appetizers yesterday and never had dinner. Saturday, we had popcorn for dinner. Today we will have some of our Bacon of the Month for breakfast and then skip lunch so we can eat cookies and then go out to dinner. We will diet next year.

I am consistent

I fell asleep in front of the TV three nights in a row now - that cat likes this part. Well, last night was just a little nap - just enough to miss the beginning of Ocean's Twelve so it didn't make as much sense as it probably does. However, I didn't like the rest of it enough to want to watch it again. I did like the scene where Julia Robert's character played Julia Roberts.

Anyhow, after my walk yesterday, we went to a party and socialized, ate way too much really good food, and came home. I didn't even have to stay up late as it was an afternoon event. We did a Yankee swap - which Walter called the New England way of stealing from your friends at the holidays. As a result, I got a really good gift box with something for each of us in it (which was swapped with me, and I stole back) that had catnip mice, an iTunes gift card and pink socks - guess who gets which item?). I also gave out all the cookies I had made this week. I really did make cookies about every day this week. At the last minute I decided not to make Maple Syrup cookies as I just didn't have time and they were the ones that were requested!! Okay, I'll make them next year. I promise.

Today, I am going for a walk again. The bike path was relatively clear - some packed snow - so it was very walkable, then laundry, and another party but not until late this afternoon. Maybe we'll get to the bookstore on the way as well. I may try to fit in a Netflix this afternoon - I have the Outsiders - full of all the 1980's young hunks of Hollywood. Maybe I can stay up and watch TV tonight or shall I still be consistent and fall asleep in the living room?