Summing it all up

These are posted backwards :(

We finished the weekend off on a grand scale! One of my longterm dreams has been dinner at Commander's Palace! It was all I thought it would be. Don's fish was swimming, unbelievable!!!!!

We started the last day off with beignets at Cafe' Du Monde. I'm glad I wasn't in any of these pictures, I had sugar, AND powdered sugar ALL over me. Silly me didn't think about sitting downwind.

I especially liked the art work behind Jack. I think he had the best view of everything. We were at a corner table, and he was facing Jackson Square.

The last two pictures were taken at the Old Absinthe House. We had just spent an hour wandering around the French Quarter, lost as only touristas can be. Check out our friend in the background. The blonde. She told Lenice she had just been "decked" by a drag queen while minding her own business walking down the street! Oh yeah-have I mentioned that I LOVE NEW ORLEANS?

We're laughing because we didn't have to sit next to the blonde!!!!!!!!!!

Houmas House

Front entrance of The Houmas House, facing the river.
One of many water gardens at Houmas House. There are sculptures of two giant herons in the background by the rock wall. I just love herons!

One of several waterfalls.

This pot was originally used to make molasses from the sugar cane grown here. Clever up-dated use for it, don't you think?

The back water garden.

Back of the house with part of the terrace, and water garden in the foreground.

Don, admiring the art. This is for "the boys"!

Here's another one for the boys. He really was trying to be a sport.

Lenice said she thinks that Houmas House must be what heaven is going to be for me. A place with lots and lots of blooming plants that I know the names of, and lots of water falls, fountains, sculpture, and butterflies. I hope she's right. It was so peaceful!

More Pictures! (For Joe!!!)

This is my favorite picture of Jack. He's standing on the levy just across from Oak Alley. The back gardens of Oak Alley Plantation.

The front entrance of Oak Alley, it's obvious where it got it's name!

Don enjoying the view from the front veranda.

Annaleisa and Lenice. It is hot, but we didn't know when this picture was taken that mint juleps were waiting for us downstairs!

Guess Where I've Been!

There are really tall horses, and nice policemen (at least the ones we met were nice to us. lol)

Unbelievable food

Great Company

Don and I just got back from New Orleans. I'm going to post a few pictures every day so I won't totally bore you all. We started out Wednesday night, and got back early this morning. There's never enough time there!!!! I LOVE NOLA. We met Jack and Lenice, and had a blast.

"Great Company", was shot right after we met up. We were at a brewery on Poydras St. Lenice and I had a Mojito, it was HOT down there! A whole 3 days and 2 nights to look forward to.

We had dinner at Landry's, because it was an easy walk. Don's back is still bothering him a bit, so we tried to be gentle on him.

On the way back to the hotel, we spotted the tallest horses I've ever seen. They were as tall as Clydesdales! Well, maybe not that tall, but remember I'm always the shortest person in the group, and they looked pretty big to me! More to follow.......

What I Want To Be

Bryan is still keeping us all on our toes!!!!!!
Sarah is happy, and doing well!

Joe is meeting his goals!

Last week when I did career day, a couple of the kids asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I've been thinking about that off and on since. I've pretty much met all of my early goals so far.

1. I've been blessed with a great family.
2. My children are successful, reaching their goals and getting close to their dreams.
3. I'm not often bored, but often have interesting day to day challenges.
4. I've had a wonderful, and creative career.
5. I've had the opportunity to meet wonderful and inspiring people along the way.
6. I'm happy.

I'm not much on bucket lists. It seems to me that a list like that would force me into a sense of urgency. I don't feel urgent. I'm not going anywhere right away. I have been thinking about what I want to do when I grow up though. Here's the rough draft:

1. I want to play the piano like Jerry Lee Lewis. I don't want to be like him, I just want to play like him, with wild abandon. I want to pound out the notes with gusto!
2. I want to sing like Janis Joplin. At the top of my lungs, and from the heart. Not church choir kind of singing, but loud, from the gut singing.
3. I want to start drawing and painting again. I haven't done a sketch in years. I feel the need to paint green, red, purple, and blue dogs!
4. This is the funniest one - I want to run a marathon. I know, I've lost it.
5. I want to see Italy, and the Greek Isles.
6. I want to master Italian cooking.
7. I want a Yorkshire Terrier. She should be named Sally Field. That's the cutest and spunkiest lady I can think of right now.
8. I still want to learn to drive an airboat. Look out Gator-Fest!!!!!!!!
   
9. I am a realist, I know some of this list won't happen, but it's fun to dream.

The "Sistas". Honored, Honorary Co-Chairs of Mt. Pleasant's Relay For Life, 2008. What a year it's been, right girls?

Judy Hoffman, Worthie Witherspoon, Annaleisa Boggs

The results are in.....drumroll, please! All clear!!!!!!!!!!

There was much discussion between Dr. Prakash, Don and myself as to the exact term to use. Don thinks, NERD, no evidence of residual disease. I think NED, no evidence of disease. Dr. Prakash actually used the term medical remission. Don, I'm sorry but I don't want to be a NERD.

The dr. doesn't want to remove the port at this time. He said that there is a 30% chance of a reacurrance. The gambler in me told him right quick that that meant there's a 70% chance of me being completely cured! I like those odds.

So, I will continue to visit the center every 4 weeks to have the port flushed. I won't see Dr. Prakash for 3 months, then will have a ct scan to see what's up.

Still no word on radiation. I'm hoping they are getting all the kinks knocked out of that machine so that it will be smooth sailing when it's my turn.

Gotta run, Joe is flying into Longview today and we're gonna make a fast trip over for lunch.
I'll remember the camera today!!!!!

The scans went fine. Don took off and went with me so I didn't even have to face the "bloodsucker"! I can't believe I actually called her that. I'm so ashamed! lol!!!!!!

We got back around 4:00, and I was wiped out. I slept for 12 hours last night, and never even moved. When I got up this morning I couldn't even walk. I feel great now.

I think I just overdid yesterday. The career day was a hit, but it was exhausting. I don't know how I used to do it all.

Pops is having some problems staying asleep at night. He has begun wandering around at all hours, and he's fallen a couple of times. Looks like his level of care is going to be going up soon.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend off. I'll get the results of the scan on Tuesday, and will let you all know when I know something!

Sorry for the rant in the previous post. I'm all better now!

Don and I took the opportunity last Friday of driving over to Texarkana. Joe and his flight instructor flew in from Enid, and we took them to lunch. It was quite a treat to see the baby boy looking like "top gun".

We got home around 4:00, and my borrowed grandson was here with the weed eater. I now have the perfect family! A grand-daughter to bake cookies with, and a grand-son to help me with the heavy lifting. I could not have gotten this yard back in control without Cody. He is a god-send. My yard has been pretty much neglected for the past year. Other than a regular mowing and trimming, that's all the attention it's had. The flower beds had all gone back to their natural state, of berry vines, and a beautiful crop of weeds. Anyone who knows me, knows how much satisfaction I get out of a neat yard, plus where we live, weeds=snakes, and that's not acceptable!

We went over to Barry & Lana's Friday night, and then to Luigi's for dinner. It was a blast. Kryznechi, the owner, was training his nephew, so we had appetizers on the house, yum!
It seems that my weight has ALL come back on. Tammy, Don's cook told me I was getting some junk in my trunk. WHAT? She said it's a good thing! Don won't let me forget it!!!!!!!!!

Don and I hosted circle out here on Saturday night. We had 7 couples, and a really good time. Don cooked ribs, everyone brought a dish, and we had a little wine and great fellowship. Don had the brilliant idea of throwing the left over rib bones over the deck into the side yard. The dogs loved it, and are still enjoying the party. They haven't left the yard since that night, they have a "bone-hunt" every afternoon.

I haven't left the house this week. I've spent the last 2 days out by the pool. It's been so relaxing. Sam and Janet stopped by last night, and we had a nice visit. I love it when people drop in. I think that our lifestyles don't promote visiting like we used to do. Of course, we don't have any neighbors, and our place is a little out of the way for most people, but I do miss seeing folks.

I'm doing career day at a local elementary school on Friday morning. I've done this before, and it's so much fun to see all the eager little faces looking up! Who knows, the next great designer might be in the audience.

Friday afternoon, I'll be going to Paris for the PET/CT scans. I'm already dealing with a little scanxiety. I've been warned by many cancer patients and doctors, that I'll always get a little anxious before scans. Is it back, is it still gone? I won't know until Tuesday. I hope that Don will be able to go with me. I called the business office girl a blood-sucker last week, just before I accused her of withholding treatment, and slamming the phone down. I don't want to face her alone!

We don't have any plans for Memorial Day this year. Last year, I had just learned that I had breast cancer, and then on Friday, colon cancer. What a year it's been. I can't help but wonder what this year will bring, where we'll be at this time next year.

I'm doing ok all. Just in a holding pattern, and wondering what will happen next. Schedueled to have a PET scan tomorrow, and just got a call from the cancer center that the scan has been canceled. They didn't think I wanted to pay 4,000.00 out of pocket. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most upset, I'm probably an 8. Sorry, just needed to vent.