HVAC project

 The HVAC project took over our entire week last week.

They apparently re-scheduled the start to Tuesday, so we stayed home on Monday for no reason.

The thing was, no one called to notify us that the start date was changed.  Dave waited two hours after their supposed arrival time to call.  

Then, the crew arrived 2 hours late on Tuesday, and only stayed until about 3 pm,  because they ran out of supplies.  Really??

As the week went along, and they had to be here every day, it became quite clear that the promise of the job being done in two days was completely incorrect.

Through the week, we stayed home every day, except for short trips here and there (saw my Doctor on Thursday), and they still aren't finished.

Some of the noise they made was horrendous, too, and I had to go sit outside a couple of times.  I feel really bad for the cats. They mostly got used to the voices and activity outside, and under the house, but that noise was awful.

So, we still can't use our HVAC system, and the afternoons and evenings have brought a lot of stuffy, warm discomfort. Temperatures have been hotter than anticipated, and fans help move the air around a bit, but we don't have a big box fan or anything like that. 

This weekend has been no different, except that there was a lovely breeze this morning, for a change, that brought some cooler, fresh air into the house.

That breeze has stopped now, but, fortunately, they are forecasting that it will be a bit cooler outside today.

Let's hope that helps.

Be that as it may, I am grateful that we have a Weber kettle grill outside, and lots of charcoal, because my plan was to roast a chicken today, but the heat of the oven being on for so long is not going to help our situation!

We have the indirect heat baskets that put the coals against the sides of the kettle, and then we put the chicken in the middle, and it works perfectly.

I don't want to put in smoke packets this time, though, because I don't want SMOKED chicken, just COOKED, HAHA!

I am looking forward to making a new soup recipe with the left over meat, and then a nice, big batch of stock with the carcass!! 

The stock comes in handy for a lot of things, and I go through a lot of it.

Yesterday, we cooked our fish dinner on the grill, too, but even just making a butter and wine sauce for the fish, and steaming some veggies, I broke out in a sweat. 

Tonight, everything will be cooked on the grill.... there will be little potatoes, with butter and parsley, in a foil packet!

Anyway, Frank tripped me last Sunday evening, and I re-injured that one hip flexor in my left leg that I had trouble with back earlier this year.  I didn't fall, thank goodness, but in the twisting and catching myself, I hurt something.

The pain has been excruciating at times, but I am skilled at self care, thanks to 25 years as a bodywork specialist, and it's been cool enough in the evenings to get into our patio spa, which is also helping.

It seems a bit better every day, but I just have to keep at the myo-fascial release, yoga/stretching, and hydrotherapy. 

SO, sadly, the point is that I would not have been going to the gym anyway...but still.... It's been frustrating to have to deal with people under and around the house all week, and still not have our HVAC system up and running.

It's been nice to have the quiet house to ourselves this weekend, but the crew will be back tomorrow.

Today, I am hoping to FINALLY get some Halloween decorations up, at least on the porch.  I am very late again this year.

I also am getting my ancestor shrine put together, which I usually do at the new moon, and missed this time, so it will be happening at the full moon tonight. 

I am sure that the ancestors who look on me with kindness don't mind so much *wink*

I begin cycle #5 of chemo next Wednesday.  

Have yourselves a great week! 

Pens

 My treatment went just fine on Wednesday, though it was delayed by about an hour, so we didn't get home until after 6 pm.

It's so frustrating when that happens, but it seems to be the norm.  The one or two times that everything ran on time were definitely the exceptions! 

We've had a GORGEOUS few days here, with cool nights, and reasonable days!  

The recent rain brought us nearly 8 inches in 48 hours, which is, of course, too much to really nourish the land, BUT was good for refilling our water reservoirs. 

We are supposed to have 80s by the end of the week, but in the meantime, normal temperatures and light winds will be SUCH A TREAT!

I finally got my journal a few days ago.  It's smaller than anticipated, which is, of course, no surprise, since I learned that the company is NOT in the US, after all, but in China.

My plan is to make the best of it, though, and I have purchased a pack of pens in different colors.

Now, I just hope that I can find something to write about every day, even if it's just a line or two.

Today, we are going to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, and attend an Oktoberfest event at the fair grounds.

This event originated at a German restaurant out in the town of Choctaw, OK in the 1990s.

Dave used to go to it because he knew the owners of the restaurant, and they were fellow BMW auto fans. There was always a car show during the event, too.

When I first moved here, we went to it for a couple of years, both when it was at the restaurant, and then, when it got too big, and was moved to a park in Choctaw.

Unfortunately, the restaurant closed its doors in 2018, but the event still happens, and now is local to us, which is nice! 

I am looking forward to a Bavarian pretzel, and maybe some bratwurst and saurkraut, and a nice, cold beer.

Tomorrow, a major home improvement process begins.  We are having the ductwork for our HVAC system replaced.

It's all under the house, and there are areas of it that are collapsed and damaged, and full of moisture, which, of course, results in mold.

We are financing this through our home equity line of credit, so it will only increase our monthly payment by about $120, which is manageable.... AND, hopefully, it will reduce our chronic allergy symptoms, and reduce the amount of dust in the house as well! 

On that note, I am off to make some pancakes for our Sunday breakfast, and then to the shower, so we can go eat some more, later,  at Oktoberfest!

Have a great week!

What's cookin'?

 Well, the weather cool down did not last long.  That was what was predicted, though, so it was not a surprise.

Next week's mid to upper 90s, though?  Do we really need to do that?  Ugh.

They're saying, though, that actual autumn WILL arrive the week after next.  Once again, I will believe it when I feel it! 

My treatment went just fine last week, and, over this weekend, I have finally started sleeping again!

After weeks of intractable insomnia, I can't put into words how WONDERFUL it is to wake up at 3 am to use the bathroom, and realize that I've slept past midnight.... AND THEN TO GO BACK TO SLEEP!

I feel SO much better, in so many ways, just due to being able to sleep!

Anyway, as I have mentioned before, and as happens so often during this time of year since I moved to Oklahoma, I have gotten tired of waiting for cool weather to begin to enjoy cooking some of my favorite things.

Yesterday, using my new cast iron stove top cauldron, I made one of my favorite soups.  It's a recipe I developed when I was doing living history, and it's SO very good.

Butter beans, onion, carrots, celery, cabbage, barley or farro... It's so simple, but so nourishing and yummy! 

Today, I will be making pot roast with potatoes and carrots! 

Dave got the front yard mowed and edged yesterday, and it looks so much better.  He will be doing the back yard today.

I want to start putting Halloween decorations up soon, too! 

Have I mentioned that I want to start back with the practice of hand written journaling?  

It's been an urge bubbling away inside of me for a while now, so I have ordered a nice, leather bound, re-fillable journal, and gotten ink refills for my "fancy pen."

The pen is a Mont Blanc that I found in the parking lot of the carpet installation company where I worked WAY back in the 1980s.  

I know that one of my bosses dropped it, because they drove expensive cars, wore designer clothes, and used Mont Blanc pens......but I decided, then and there, that if they were so careless with a $400 pen, then it was meant to be mine!  Finders keepers, after all!  

Neither of them ever asked about it, so I kept it! 

It's taking weeks, however, for the journal that I ordered to get here.  

Even though the company I chose is supposedly in the US, their merchandise is shipped from.... you guessed it.... China.

The package was SUPPOSED to be here between Oct. 1 and Oct. 5, but, according to tracking, it is JUST NOW leaving China.  There's no telling when it will get here.

This disappoints me, and I am hoping that I can find refills of  paper the right size that doesn't have to come from China!

Despite the fact that I will be keeping a written journal, with memories, recipes, ideas, poems, or whatever I might feel like writing, I will continue to keep this electronic journal as well.

The idea of leaving something behind, some day, FAR into the future, that is in my own hand writing, appeals to me.    

I have so few treasures that are in the hand of my parents or grandma...and I know how special they are.

That being said, I am so anxious to get started that I am already thinking of what I will write in my first entries.... It's sort of become an obsession, HAHA!  I'm really looking forward to it.

In other news, our oldest feral kitty, the one we named Luke Skywalker when he and his mom, Star, showed up in our back yard WAY back in the 20teens, has been coming around for meals again!

Our yard cat, Sammie, had driven him away about 3 and a half years ago.  He started staying with the other feral cat helper across the street, and we saw him only rarely, always on the other side of the street.

Now that Sammie is gone, though, he feels safe coming back to visit us, and we are SO happy.

He is doing GREAT for a street cat who is about 13 or 14 years old!!   That is because of us.

We trapped him and his mommy at the same time... in the same trap...when he was still very young.  

We got them both TNR'd, and they took up residence in our back yard for the LONGEST time.  They adopted the one we called Silver when her mom abandoned her.  They were fixtures. 

Then, they started wandering, as feral cats will do....going back and forth to the other cat friend across the street.

When her time came, Star came to us, and died in our back yard. We were finally able to pet her, and to comfort her, in her last hours.  Luke watched us bury her.

The year Sammie and her mom, who is long gone, showed up, Luke started coming around less frequently....but when Sammie had her kittens, and raised them in our back yard, she drove him off once and for all.

Anyway, I went to the back door last Sunday evening, just to look outside, and THERE HE WAS!  He has come almost every morning and evening since.

He has had recurring infections that have rendered one of his eyes possibly blind, but he's doing just fine otherwise.  He meows to us, and last night, he ate while I sat on the stoop just a few feet away.

Then he flopped down on the patio and rolled around, onto his back, feeling completely safe.  It did my heart SO MUCH good!

Let's hope he continues to thrive, and to safely come to see us.  I hope that I can get him to play with me again, like he used to, using one of those wand toys....basically a long stick with a strip of cloth tied to the end, and a little toy at the end of the strip. 

We used to play with one of those while Star watched. 

Anyway, I am off to make myself some breakfast.  Part two of my treatment is Wednesday.

Have a great week! 

The cool down

 This past week has seen MUCH cooler weather, and a goodly amount of rain.  The burn ban in our county has been lifted, so I can look forward to using the fire pit...eventually.

It's going to be in the low 90s by the end of next week, but we surely won't see 100 again until next year.

I AM reminded, however, that we had a 97 degree day this past March, as well as a hard freeze that killed the peach blossoms in April.

My scan process on Friday went smoothly.  They were even running on time, so I was done, and breakfast was eaten at the little cafe outside of the CT/PET imaging center, before 10:30.

Because it was Friday, there are no results in My Chart yet, but I don't look at them until after the doctor discusses them with me, anyway, and that appointment is this coming Tuesday.

My next cycle of chemo is on the schedule, too, so I was mistaken (or mis-informed, as has happened before with this doctor) that the doctor was going to wait until she saw the PET results.

Unless something changes, I will start my next cycle on Wednesday.

Last Sunday evening, I started feeling bad... I had a headache and that distinctive feeling in my throat that indicates an impending head cold, or the flu, or whatever..... 

I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately, and sometimes, I get that feeling when I am super fatigued.... but this time....I actually was sick.

Monday brought with it a low grade fever, and the clear fact that I had caught some kind of bug.  Cough, congestion, sore throat....

I am always careful to distance at the gym, or at the grocery store, or where ever, but it's impossible when in the chemo chair, or when getting my immune booster injection, and the timing indicted that I got it from a nurse in one of those situations last week.

Anyway, since the fever was so low, I didn't waste a covid test, and decided to just ride it out, and see what symptoms would develop.

Dave went to the gym by himself on Monday, and I skipped the whole week of workouts because of this.  I got plenty of rest, drank lots of broth and other liquids, and took extra vitamin C.

I am pretty sure it was just a head cold, because the cough was only ever due to sinus drainage irritating my throat,  there was lots of goop in my head, and the fever of Monday never returned.

It has passed now, and I am just left with some lingering congestion.  I am also finally sleeping better.  The past two nights have been wonderful!

Then, last evening, Dave said he was feeling sick...UGH... but he said he was doing better already this morning.

He is going to get some stuff done around the house and the yard today, and I am going to wash bedding and towels, and finish the chores I didn't get to yesterday.

We need to take advantage of this gorgeous weather.... might go for a woods walk some time next week, before the heat returns! It will be the first one since... I can't remember when... May, maybe?

Have a lovely Sunday, and a great week! 

Three down....

 My third cycle of this chemo protocol is complete, and my PET scan is this coming Friday.

I looked at MyChart, and another treatment cycle is now scheduled.  I was thinking that my doctor was going to wait and see, but apparently not.

SO, onward we go.

I'm feeling the effects of this Neulasta injection, so took it a little easier at the gym on Friday, and only did my chores and cooking yesterday. Nothing "extra."

I will enjoy this week off from chemo as much as I can, once I start to get past the Neulasta funk.

We've had a little bit of rain overnight, and some comforting, distant thunder.  On Friday night, though, we had REALLY LOUD thunder and no rain.  Weird.

There's a hurricane in the Pacific that is supposed to bring us actual, beneficial, measurable rain next week, along with a temperature drop.

We've been back up in the 90s this past week. Yuck.  Last night's rain will basically just make it more humid today.

For now, though, it's still relatively cool outside, and the windows are open.  At least it's not in the 80s at night anymore.

Our policy has been to close up the windows when the A/C comes on for the first time.  We sometimes get a couple of hours of fresh air.

There's really nothing else to report this week. 

We'll be watching the last Cub game of the regular season this afternoon, and I will be making a pot of pasta fagioli soup.

The baseball playoffs start next Tuesday, and I hope we are able to see sone of the games, since the Cubs clinched a Wildcard slot.  The first game, though, is on cable, and we won't be able to watch it.

We paid extra this year for our MLB TV subscription on the advice of a friend, and I THINK having access to at least some of the post season games was why, but that was way back in March, and I've been through some stuff, and don't actually remember, HAHA!

Have a great week! 

Is the end near?

 The end of this horrible, hot summer, that is!

We have steadily had temperatures in the upper 90s and 100s since July.  

Today SHOULD be the last day hovering in that temperature range, with a predicted cold front due to pass through at some point.

The forecast shows a low of 68 for tonight, but, as I have said before, I will believe it when I feel it.

This has been the longest stretch of truly dangerously hot days on record.... They have never extended all the way through the summer, and so far into September (without a reasonable break) before.

They might not have been as intensely hot as the summer of 2011, but the stretch has gone later in the year than ever before.

There is supposed to be some rain tonight, too, but the chance keeps dropping... At first, it was 80%, then 70%, now 50%.... so the extreme drought may not end any time soon.

The forecast shows highs next week in the 80s!!!  Maybe we can get back out to the woods for a walk at some point.... I miss my nature time more than I can express.

Nature is the basis of my spirituality, after all. 

Plans are starting to come together for having a friend here at Yule and Christmas.  

In a way, I dread it a little, because she will be here for almost a week, and I don't know how I will be feeling....  

BUT, we have been friends for decades, and she knows me very well, and will pitch in, and entertain herself, when needed.  It should be a very relaxed, and pleasant, visit!

I REALLY look forward to having someone else-especially her- at the table for my medieval Yule feast, and then for Christmas Eve Ham, with our friends from Switzerland!

Since we canceled our plans to maybe go up to Illinois for Christmas, due to my needing full blown chemo again, this will make up for that disappointment.  For me, anyway.... Not for my family.

Sigh.

My treatment went just fine on Wednesday, and, while I did not sleep that night until some time after 5 am, I did not have any cold sweats! 

Maybe I am starting to tolerate the steroids a bit better?  My face also never really turned red and puffy the next day, either.  

For some reason, though, treatment days continue to mean at least 5 hours at the cancer center.  My treatment itself is only about 2 and a half to 3 hours all together, and there's the hour wait for my labs to process.

However, aside from that, it always takes SO LONG for nurses to show up at my chair, and for pharmacy to fill my orders, that it inevitably adds an extra hour to hour and a half to how long we have to sit there.

Oh well...it is what it is, until it isn't.

I continue to take my iron supplement, and to eat high iron foods as much as possible.  My labs looked better last week, so I hope that trend continues this coming week, when I go for part two of this cycle of chemo.

Tonight's dinner will be turkey breast and beets.....roasted in the oven, despite the 100 degree weather.

Last night, I baked fish, and made a pan of sauteed beet greens and spinach with white wine vinegar. it was SO GOOD!

We got to the gym all three days last week, as per usual.  I am really pleased that the only day we have missed, so far, was that first chemo day, back in August, when I had to be at the clinic literally all day.

I am off to make us some brunch.... sweet potato hash browns, cooked in ghee, with Moroccan spices, and fried eggs on top!

Have a great week.  I hope the coming Autumnal Equinox brings you the changes you are seeking, too. 

Anemia

 Well.  I was so focused on my low sodium and white blood cell levels that I never looked at my lab results for hemoglobin.

WOW, have they dropped. 

When I saw my doctor last week, she was concerned enough to say that I might need a blood transfusion, if my dietary efforts aren't enough. She told me to really focus on upping iron-rich foods, again.

SO, on the way home from that appointment, I picked up some of the liquid iron supplement that I used to take when I was having really heavy periods, and was anemic.

I've been taking that every day since, and have also been focused on making meals that are high in iron.  

I ditched my menu plan for part of last week, and changed things up.  

I made a Brazilian style black bean soup with added spinach and lime juice, and OH MY GOODNESS was it delicious.  There is still a lot of it in the freezer, so I can have it for lunches.

Then, last night, I made a favorite Greek casserole, but with butterbeans (instead of chicken), rice, spinach, onion, lemon, and feta.  YUM!!!

Butterbeans are higher in iron than chicken.

I am also snacking on pumpkin seeds, and have had oatmeal with dried apricots for breakfast.  Both of those (pumpkin seeds and dried apricots) are good sources of iron, and there's a little in whole grain oats, too.

Prior to this focus, I HAD noticed that I was pretty pale, and that I was getting light headed when I stood up, and could hear my pulse in my head when everything was quiet.

Those can both be caused by anemia, but also dehydration.  

I try REALLY HARD to stay super hydrated, but I don't always succeed.  SO, I have re-focused on that as well, since the doctor mentioned it again, too.

The result is that I DO feel a bit better already.  I didn't get light headed yesterday upon standing, and I didn't notice the pulse sound last night, and yes, I was listening for it, because it had become disruptive to my sleep.

In the mirror this morning, I do not look as ghostly pale, either.

I will need to keep this up as long as I am on this chemo, and hopefully, will be able to stabilize my hemoglobin levels.

If not, there will be a transfusion.

In other news, it rained twice this past week!  Not very MUCH, but some is better than none!

It was 106F yesterday, before the storm, and will be 102F today, with high humidity, thanks to the rain.... YUCK.   

This is the latest into September that this area has EVER had this much intense heat, and there are still several days of it in the forecast ahead.  

However, they ARE saying that there will be a cold front on Autumn Equinox, as if the weather is paying attention, and realizes that it's time to get over it being a blast furnace down here.

I will believe it when I feel it, as I have said before.

Despite the heat, though, I am determined to grill chicken for dinner.  Tomorrow, there will be red meat and greens! 

Back to the chemo chair this coming week to start round #3.  Wish me luck with everything, and have a great week! 

(addendum:  my blog readership is back down to single digits.... I wish I knew why there were 20-30 something views, all of a sudden, last month, and now... almost none.  Weird.)