Cards & Letters

Here's what's blooming today in John's garden.



I have a girlfriend who has a BIG basket that she has saved ALL her Christmas cards for the last 15 or 20 years in. Each year, they can look back at last years cards & letters - pictures of their friends children and reminisce.

I got so many nice cards & letters while I was recuperating. When my sister set up the basket for them, she immediately started to remove the cards from the envelopes. "No, don't do that", I cried, "If you leave them in the envelope, when you go back to look at them and it is like receiving a new card all over again. I love sending cards to people. It is done so rarely anymore, with e-mail and voice mail winning out. I am my mother's daughter though - like my girlfriend, I like to keep the cards and notes I have received. It is really hard to throw them out, but my sisters and my DH have been pressuring me to "clear out" a few things. S0, I guess, I'll just have to keep only the special ones.

Speaking of clearing things out, I called my favorite florist today & she said she'd take my old florist vases - even give me credit for them towards a new bouquet! Cool! Is that a deal or what.

Abby & Frodo go to their new home tomorrow. A neighbor who fell in love with our little brown sheep while she was taking her daily walks. They will have a good new home.

Here's a picture of Frodo & dJango when they were babies. See why Carolyn fell in love with him?

I need to put together a brochure on Shetland Sheep for the this weekend's "Sheep to Shawl" at the Skagit Highland Games. They will be using one of our fleeces from this year. I can't wait to see how it works out. Of course I'll take pictures! Later, T.

All kinds of company

HERE'S GWENDOLYN!
Here she is! We have our very own spotted sheep! Who's lookin for a way out here - poor little thing - it seems like animals as a whole are not very friendly to the "new kid on the block" and sheep are no exception - but she's doing pretty well, and Cimarron has certainly taken to her. Gonna have to wait, buddy...

And this is Parker - our grand-nephew - he & his mommy & daddy came for lunch today - all the way from Olympia. Isn't that a sweet smile?

He especially liked John.
But I think he thought I was OK too.

Well - my spaghetti sauce is calling - just Prego & hamburger - nothing fancy - hopefully there will be left overs so I don't have to cook tomorrow night...it's my first "regulation" day back at work.

Our Latest trip to the BIG city....and more

These two pieces of artwork are hanging in the third floor waiting room of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance offices. That is where my surgeon, Dr. Heidi Gray, has her office. She is such a neat young woman - & she was very positive about my progress. Everything is healing nicely, (I can start my swim class again) and she said that yes, I could go back to work - altho she only wants me to work 6 hours a day - Don't know if I can limit it to that, but I worked a full day today and I'm beat. So, I'll probably take her advice and just take off at 3:30 or so every day for a couple of weeks till I get "back into it".


This is a "Top Hat" blueberry - it is one of my husband's bonsai plants. It stands about 15-18" tall and if you look closely you'll notice that it is covered with blueberries. It sits on a shelf right outside the dining room window and this morning when I was working on timecards, I looked up just in time to see a beautiful green & gold cedar waxwing land on this plant. Then that little devil chomped into a berry and GULP, swallowed it down. I sat there in amazement while it ate 5 or 6 of those blues, then thought- what am I thinking - throw something at the window and scare it away - I don't know why I didn't pull out my camera & take a picture first - it would have been a cool one.

The lillies are starting to bloom - these are asiatic lillies - pretty but not scented. My favorites are the orientals & orienpets - they are so fragrant. Every year in June, we've had a "Lillies & Lambs" dinner for church friends - it has been postponed this year because of my surgery. It has been rescheduled for the end of July - I hope there will still be some lillies in bloom then.

We'll be spending tomorrow cleaning house because Sunday noon, my nephew and his wife are coming with their little boy, Parker. It will be fun to see them. AND Gwendolyn is coming tomorrow! Stand by for photos!




dJango says "Do you think she'll like me?" I'm sorry dJango - we have to find you a new home - you won't get a chance to dance with this diva.

Waiting for Gwendolyn...

Cimarron says that he has heard a rumor that Gwendolyn is coming on Saturday morning - yup, he's right.

In the mean time, I have an appointment with Dr. Gray, my surgeon, tomorrow in Seattle. I don't have any reason to believe it will be anything but good news - and that she says I can be back at work full time on the 3rd. Hope so, that 's what I've promised my boss.

BTW, I tallied up the "retail" charges (ie. before insurance and all the "write-offs") on my little stay at the UW last month - it's up at about $25K Whew - thank goodness for insurance and AFLAC!


I need to get out and take some more
pictures in our garden, but I'll leave you with this beautiful rosa rugosa - Like Emeril the chef says, "If only there was smellavision" - these have the best rose scent that you'll ever run past your nose.

Oh, and GO MARINERS - what a great game tonight - and they are 17 & 7 for the month of June - hooray!

How We Spent our Summer Vacation

Since the early 1980's the third weekend in June has been the date of the Black Sheep Gathering, held at the Lane county Fairgrounds in Eugene Oregon - mecca for colored sheep and goat breeders, knitters, spinners, crocheters - just about anything to do with fibers. John has gone the past two years by himself, but I wanted to go along this year - It is always fun to see the other "sheep people" ...

AND to go thru the vendor show where you can find just about any color of wool or other fibers that you've ever wanted! I want you to know that I was very good and kept my pocket book under lock & key this year - I still have fiber from two years ago that I haven't processed!




So, does this look familiar - does this look like a man who is shopping. Yup, this is GIZMO - some people buy trinkets on their summer vacation - we buy sheep - John has his breeding program all figured out - we're changing from moorits to "pastels" - somehow, it makes me think we should dye all these little guys pretty colors with Koolaid - wouldn't that stop traffic on the corner?



BUT, before we went home we drove out to the coast and visited our friend Kathy H. and her partner Mike - they are refurbishing a 100 year old house in Gardner, Oregon - it is not much to look at now, but it's going to be great when they get it done - and check out the view from the front porch...







Way to go Kathy & Mike - we can hardly wait to see it next summer. :-)





When we left Eugene on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. it was nearly 90 degrees out. This is 7 hours later - does he look like he wants out of that crate? Let me tell you, that was one darn long trip, and we had air conditioning in the cab - none for the sheepies in the back of the truck though.





Introducing GIZMO - a new buddy for Cimarron and a new breeding program for Marietta Shetlands - Only time will tell, but I think he is particularly handsome, don't you?

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's Back to Work I go

For a few days, anyhow, because we're going on vacation on Thursday. Actually, I've been putting in short days for the past two weeks - I've got to get it ramped up so I'm ready to be back full time on the 3rd of July.

We're ready to go on vacation and John is getting sick. Do you think I'll be able to get him to gargle with some Cepacol to get rid of his sore throat? We'll see.

BTW, here's a nice background music that plays off your computer - http://www.solopianoradio.com/ Sometimes it's New Age, sometimes it's light classical - it's almost always enjoyable. They even give you links to the artist in case you want to buy the album that they are playing off of! Very handy.

I think I may have mentioned my friend Nancy's blog before, and if I can ever figure it out, I'll post a permanent link to it on my site - but it's called "A Shepherd's Voice". She has wonderful pictures of her sheep & her farm in Minnesota and her stories are just darn great. Here it is: http://shepherdsvoice.blogspot.com/


I'm fascinated by all the fun pictures that I can take with my little digital camera - it is so much fun - take as many as I want, until I get just the right picture. As you can tell, I'm into flower pictures right now. Get ready for sheep, sheep & more sheep when we get back from Eugene! Later, T.

Our Little Farm

Here is our little flock of Shetland sheep going out for a munch - that is dJango heading up the lead - isn't he a handsome little fellow?




I call this my color wheel - our flock has primarily a "moorit" or redish brown background - but we'll be getting a new ewe lamb from our friends Donna & Tom and she is white with black spots. She is actually the grandaughter of the first purebred shetland sheep that we owned.



Several of our sheep will be going to new homes around the first of July. I always hate it when we have to get rid of some of them - but we don't have very much land, and can only support about 6 - as you can see - we have way more than that right now. Don't they look peaceful? You ought to hear them at 5:30 in the morning!



John's garden is coming into full bloom- he spent the weekend planting more beautiful plants here and there - these nasturtiums come up on their own every year from seed.





I never know what he's going to bring home from work - last week he brought home this old burned out stump. Now it looks like it has been here for ever. It willl be real pretty next spring when the narcissus come up around it.




Hope you enjoyed your tour of our little farm - Sinda says "Make sure you plan to stay a while and have a nice glass of iced tea the next time, OK?"

Summer time, ooh, ooh, ooh......

We're going to Carey & Wendy's for a Summer Solstice celebration this evening - when I started thinking about it last night the old Summer time song popped into my head - I added some additional reflections.

Reflections on Summer time

Summer time, summer time, sum, sum, summer time,
Long days that trick you into staying up past your bed time –

Summer time, summer time, sum, sum, summer time,
Remember how the harmony modulates?

Summer time, ooh, ooh, ooh

The young drivers check out one another, radios blaring as they cruise the road along the beach – it’s been the same Friday night for over 50 years…

It’s a time for fresh strawberries, little kids with “nuttin” to do & memories of lying in the sun with your girlfriends, optimistically checking each other’s tan lines every 15 minutes.

Summer time, summer time, sum, sum, summer time,
Summer time, ooh, ooh, ooh.

No More Pain Pills

Holy cow! Time flies when your're having fun, huh? I've been neglecting my duties here - I see that it's been a week since I posted last! If you are just joining me - make sure to read the archives - that's where the saga begins.

The newest of the news is no more pain pills - (although I have a few saved in case of emergencies...) Just taking Tylenol for Arthritis - that seems to be strong enough to dull the aches & pains I come up with during the night or day. It also means that I am allowed to drive, so I've been on a few short jaunts - to a spinner's guild meeting and into town to pick up perscriptions.

And I went into the office yesterday to finish up my payroll (print the checks & get them out to employees). I was surprised that everyone was so glad to see me - I even got hugs from some of the guys! Wonders never cease. Maybe it's my sparkling personality they have missed, do you suppose?

So, as this whole saga draws to an "end" I've been toying with the idea of keeping my blog up with just day to day stories and my thoughts on this or that - as I always do seem to have an opinion one way or t'other...ha, ha - maybe I'll be the next Barbara Kingsolver. Hardly.

I have a date with my sweet husband to go out to dinner and get groceries - resuming normalcy - it's been our standing Friday night date since we got married - it's a nice way to end the week. We plan our menus for the next week over dinner, go shopping and when we get home he carries in all the groceries. Such a deal. He's just the best.

So, I'd better go get ready. I hear the sheep calling, so he must be on his way home.

Things are "lookin' good"

I just can't believe how fast time is flying. I got home from the hospital two weeks ago yesterday! Two more weeks in "exile" here at home - (my boss has threatened me with something unimaginable if I set foot in the office.) Thank Heavens for computer networks.

Had a "check-in on the incision" appointment with my B'ham doctor this afternoon. She was very pleased at how it looks. Most of the redness is gone and I'm thinking I'm going to start putting the emu oil concoction that my friends in Spokane made for me. Emu oil is very beneficial at getting rid of scar tissue.

(I am, however back on antibiotics - this time for a bit of a bladder infection - I hope that's all it is. But I stocked up on yogurt at the store when I picked up my perscription so I don't run into "that problem" again, if you know what I mean)
It's really not so bad being "in exile" - John has worked so hard on our yard - it's like living in a park - and I am proud of him - I know he loves it tho. When I was looking for a new photo to post here, I realized that since I took the last batch of photos, everything has really leafed out and it all looks different again - Mother Nature has her early summer wardrobe on.

I made dinner "all by myself" last night. We had hamburger stroganoff, with noodles, green peas and strawberry rhubarb crisp for desert. Yum. Every single one of the meals that our wonderful friends have brought over the past two weeks have been delicious, but it's almost been like eating in a restaurant - I've missed my own cooking. I definately have to be careful when I pick up my heavy Pampered Chef pans, that is for sure. Do you suppose they weigh more or less than a gallon of milk?

I've been up for a while now - I'm feeling like it's time for a siesta. Later. T.

And the Staples are OUT!

My surgery was two weeks ago yesterday. Somehow it seems like a lifetime ago.

I was just sitting here thinking that not much had happened lately to report, but DUH - I got my staples out yesterday! And a little more info from Dr. Otto.

- 1 - It was a difficult surgery because of the old scar tissue - and she (Dr. Otto) was extremely glad that I had been in the hands of such a competent surgeon.
- 2 - Most of the cells on the uterine wall were the pre-cancerous type. That is so "hugely good", if you know what I mean.
- 3 - My tummy is looking pretty good but Dr. O is concerned about the redness right around the staples - but now that the staples are out, I think the redness is subsiding. It is however, bruised where ever they gave me the Heparin (sp) shots - but those are fading too. (I want you to be proud of me that with all the pictures I have posted here, I DID not take a picture of my belly and I'm not going to - that would be too much information even for ME!
- 4 - The Japanese iris pictured here is called Japanese Harmony. It is the iris that I gave to Dr. O yesterday as a "thank you" present - you know, in the "old days" patients would bring a dozen eggs or a chicken - She's lucky I didn't bring her a ram lamb. Ha, ha, ha.

Mystery Muffins

If you go back into the archives (May 12, titled "Friends") you 'll see a picture of this little fellow on his "birth day" Shetland sheep are fun, you never know what you'll get and you'll never know what they'll turn into a month later-

It is funny the things that pop into my head - memories about before & after my surgery - Like when they show someone going to surgery on TV and they show the lights whizzing by - they really do that in real life too. At the UWMC, they have some automation for getting the doors open (handicapped openers), but I decided, as they were pusing me down to pre-op, that the people pushing the gurneys need a little beanie hat with a strobe on it like how a police car connects with the lights to make them go green - this little beanie hat would connect with the doors and open them automatically without the "driver" having to stop the gurney, push the door open button and wait for it to open - Sounds like a good idea? OK, get to it you inventors.

Thanks to our friend Margot's organizational skills, we have had all these wonderful meals brought to us - Fixing food - what a comforting community event. Reminds me of a verse from a song called "Three Women" by a group called Domestic Science Club:

"There's a light in the kitchen
There's a light in the land
Three women round the table holding hands,
They carry the burdens, bring food when they can
They're easing the leaving, and they're holding hands"
(c) 1994 Carrie Newcomer

One night in the hospital when I couldn't sleep (and my door was closed) I found myself singing that song and a few others on this sweet album - One song (that has spectacular acapella harmony on the CD) is called "Unseen Angels" -

"Sometimes when I find I cannot sleep in my bed
Angels come and stand here at my side in the night
Silent in the dark of my dread, unseen angels come stand at my side.

Beautiful angels, unseen angels,
When I'm by my alter and tried, here in side,
Silent in the dark of my dread, unseen angels come stand at my side.

Time and time again, when I feel lonely and low
Giving into anger and pride, here inside
Softly, like the mornings first glow, unseen angels come stand at my side

Wild imagination runs out of control
When I'm finding nowhere to hide, from the tide
Bringing a sweet peace to my soul, unseen angels come stand at my side"
(c) Steve Mote & Joseph Spence. Year?


Thankfully, my door was closed - I sang the gambit of all the songs I could remember - from the songs listed above, to Willie Nelson's song "Crazy" - now that would have made them wonder if they need to take me off some of those good drugs, do you think?

Oh, Mystery Muffins - I almost forgot - Yesterday when I was taking my shower, I thought I heard someone drive into the yard - what I actually heard was the loud "boomba, boomba, boomba" of a car stereo - so I thought it must have been someone out on the street. Later when I got hair all done, etc. and came out to the kitchen, there was a sack with 1/2 dozen home made banana muffins on the counter - more comfort food - but no note to say who they were from. So, Thank you, Mystery Muffin Maker, who ever you are. :-) T

Who Killed Cock Robin?

It might have been “I, said the sparrow” in the nursery rhyme, but it’s about to be ME with a rock in our garden. Those darn birds start chirping at about 4:30 a.m. – heck – they even wake up before the sheep!

Well, I’m “back in the saddle, again” – just finished up payroll – Didn’t even make any “huge” errors – and I’m sure everyone will like the fact that I forgot to have Tam bring me the draw slips – so they get to borrow that $$ for another couple of weeks.

And, NO, I didn’t tire myself out. “I have a plan, she says” – I’ll get up and take my shower, regular time (so I don’t get out of the habit…) work 8-10 then rest until noon – have lunch then work 1-3 and then rest for the balance of the day – then after a week or 10 days – I can build on that – You know I won’t feel better if I’m worrying about my work not getting done. So, there.

Thought I’d share some pictures of the beautiful flowers I have received.

If you look carefully in this picture, you can see the little angel that Jordin brought me in the hospital - It's called "Angel of my Heart" - and she is that.

Well, my eyes are slamming shut, a sure sign that it is time for me to get "out of the saddle" and take a rest before dinner. T.

The REST of the story...

REST - defined in dictionary.com as: 1. Peace, ease, or refreshment resulting from sleep or the cessation of an activity. 2. Sleep or quiet relaxation.

Do you know how hard that can be when you actually feel 1000% better than you thought you would and there is so much to do and so many people to talk to, and your sisters and your husband are practically beating you down with a stick. Hrmph! Well - it was actually my friend Bonnie who got through the thick skull when she said "That's OK, honey, just go ahead and play. Just know for every day you play, you'll have an extra week of recovery" All Right, All Ready! I'll REST!

Meanwhile - I'd like to express our immense gratitude for everyone's prayers, kind thougts, meals, flowers, visits, and for everything else, - you "guys" are just the best!

And the Story continued...

Actually, it wasn’t Dorothy who had headed to OZ that fateful day, but Auntie Em & Uncle Henry, who raced their little white truck ahead of that spring storm from the outskirts of “Hampsterville” into the center of OZ. Auntie Em hadn’t been feeling well and her doctor had recommended that she try to contact the lovely Good Witch of the North (or, GWN) - [that would be Dr. Gray] – whose surgery practice sat in a big building overlooking the Montlake bridge and the fabled Mt. Rainier and the author says fabled, as it was cloudy and rainy the whole time and she never did actually SEE Mt. Rainier with her own eyes. Anyhow, the GWN was assisted by a party of four – 3 pretty and able young women doctors and handsome student doctor Steve, (none of whom bore any resemblance to Toto, the cowardly lion, scarecrow or the tin woodsman but you see where I’m trying to go?)

The first day was fraught with waiting, and waiting…, and waiting…. When the whole thing was over, there was even waiting in the recovery room. For, when asked by Auntie Em for the third time “What time is it”, the recovery room nurse said “Christina (I mean, ...Auntie Em), did you have a bus to catch?”

When finally reunited with “Uncle Henry” in her plush private room in the towers overlooking the Montlake bridge, “Auntie Em” finally cried when she found out the results of her surgery – that was there was no cancer beyond the lining of the uterus – it had not even spread into the uterine walls! That meant no further treatment – radiation or anything – Auntie Em was genuinely relieved. The Wicked Witch of the West was dead!

There's no place like home, there's no place like home.....

Like Dorothy, I've returned from OZ - unlike Dorothy's experience - it was black & white in OZ - while it is brilliant technicolor here at home- I have many stories to tell - but they are going to have to wait - I'm beat. Love you all - thanks for your support - Tina

Update...

Hi Everybody,

Jordin here again, sorry to be so late in posting this update. I visited with Tina and John in the hospital this afternoon and she’s doing great! Despite being swathed in a hospital gown whose design featured a flower that I doubt has ever grown on the earth’s surface she had healthy color in her cheeks and gave me the brightest smile. When I asked her what she wanted me to include in this entry she said “You can tell them I’m able to belch and pass gas quite comfortably.” Obviously, the surgery (and that crazy hospital gown) haven’t hampered her sense of humor in the least bit. If all goes well, and it most likely will, she will be released Thursday morning. In the mean time though, she’ll have to rough it in her hospital room which features cable TV, VCR, private bathroom, and a breathtaking view of the well manicured hospital grounds and the rather pretty Montlake drawbridge.

Hurry up and Wait - Surgery Day

Hello everyone, this is Jordin filling in for Tina while she’s in the hospital. Although there was an hour delay in her surgery causing her to still be in recovery at this time, the doctor was extremely positive about the procedure. From what they can tell the cancer had not progressed past the uterine walls. In fact, things looked so good that the surgeon didn’t see a need to do a check on her lymph-nodes which is a great sign. John too is doing well, he sounded jovial if a little tired on the phone and was off to grab a bite to eat with Nan. Hopefully Tina will be awake (although probably not jovial) by the time they get back. I’ll submit another update as soon as I hear anything. Hopefully, if all goes well (and I don’t get lost - my directional sense being rather laughable at times even with a map) I’ll be able to give you an eye witness report tomorrow evening at the latest. Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and support. I know they mean the world to both Tina and John.

No Water after Midnight

Magnesium citrate - boy if anyone ever tells me again that I need to take some, they'd better have a DAMN good reason. I got one & about 1/2 bottle down, thought I was going to throw up - and its supposed to make stuff come out the other end!

Blech! And to top it all off, the power went off at about 8:00 - billions of last minute loose ends - clean off the kitchen table - vacuum - etc. - and John's jeans for the week in the dryer - wet! Obviously, it's back on now - I finally got the computer to boot up so I could email our church newsletter to the printer so it will be ready for next weekend. I was sweating it there for a little bit.

We're leaving early in the a.m. so we can get John checked into his motel BEFORE my surgery so he won't have to worry about what time he gets back there. Our minister, Nan, is going to sit with him during my surgery. If I know her, they'll have all of next year's services planned out by the time I'm out! (John is our Choir Director, if you don't know)

I have to take a shower tonight with some radical anti-bacterial soap and then again tomorrow a.m. so, I guess I'd better get to it. I packed my suitcase by candle light- hope I remembered everything. (that's why they made VISA cards, right?)

BTW, if you are just joining in, make sure to read the archives - the blog spot will only keep a weeks worth on at a time on the screen.

OH, I forgot - we bought a new lamb today - her name is Gwendolyn and we used to own her grandma - what goes around comes around. I'll see if I can't get a picture of her on here when I get home - she is black & white spotted - kind of like a little dalmation :-)

Night,
Tina

Vitamin Water and J - E - L - L - O

It was really hard to cook John's steak tonight while I had a "Keto-Slim" shake - I did put some Ghiradelli chocolate and some DQ ice cream in it though - I don't REALLY start the liquid diet thing until tomorrow - so I really wasn't cheating.

We have a potluck at church tomorrow - (this is a picture of the memorial garden that John has landscaped there)
This is one group of people who really know how to cook - and there are "signture dishes" that you always hope that one person or another will bring - But tomorrow, as everyone feasts on Reah's salad with mandarin oranges and sugared almonds - or those yummy scalloped potatoes that someone always brings - I'll be drinking green tea "Vitamin Water" and eating my Sugar Free Jello. (Clear liquids only) Yum!