MARS AND MOON ARTICLE FROM NASA

Dec. 24, 2007: It's Christmas Eve, and you're snuggled cozily in your den. A glowing fire gently crackles and pops in the fireplace, and your head starts to droop as you nod off. Just then, something cold and wet nudges your cheek. You open your eyes to stare directly into a large black nose. It's time to take the dog for his walk.

Grumbling in vain, you put on your coat, snap the leash onto the wiggling dog's collar, open the door to a rush of cold air. You step outside and enter a magical landscape.

The night isn't dark, it's glowing with a silvery-white light. Up above, the 98% full moon looks huge and clear in the azure sky. It just might be the brightest moon you've ever seen. That's because it's the highest-riding full moon until the year 2023.

And not far from the beautiful moon glows fireplace-red Mars. This Christmas Eve, Mars is at its closest to Earth for the next nine years. Mars is also "at opposition." That's astronomy-lingo for "directly opposite the sun." It means Mars is up whenever the sun is down: on Christmas Eve, the Red Planet will be visible all night long.

As Christmas scenes go, it doesn't get much better. Gliding in formation across the sky, the moon and Mars seem so close you could almost reach up, grab the pair and bounce them down the street for Fido to retrieve.

Or maybe you could lasso them, as George says in the movie It's a Wonderful Life. "Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey! That's a pretty good idea! I'll give you the moon, Mary...."

Wednesday December 19 2007

This is a not very good photo of an old painting I've always liked of Norm and his dog, Freckles. I think I called it Old Friends or something like that.

Another day gone. None of those bad symptoms or pain have showed up this time. Much more subtle things, and my stomach upset or whatever it is that it does after the chemo. Mostly felt tired with no ambition, and just have to let it be that way apparently. I've given up even thinking of doing any Christmas cards this time, even a few. I tried to make some like I have for past Christmases, but can't do anything but waste the (expensive) photo paper, so gave that up. (I know, I HAVE to track down what is going on with the old comuter.) I'm sorry that I have no spirit for gift shopping either, and that's also just going to be how it is for now. The Christmas Spirit is in my heart anyway, probably more than ever.

This evening I made us some hash browns and a vegetable omelet with a little sausage in it for dinner. I used the new Vidalia Chopper that Debbie got me to do the vegetables and yes, I do like it. Joe is kind of wanting to know how to make some of the things he likes. I thought maybe I could make him a notebook with some of the easy recipes in it in big print.

LUKE HAS GONE TO HEAVEN

Sandra and Luke

Well, I lost my heart and soul today. Susie helped my beloved Luke to cross the rainbow bridge this a.m. He got really sick yesterday and it appeared his systems were beginning to shut down. So, the oldest mule in the county has gone over and I am sure his friend Mona was there waiting for the kiss he always gave her.

He was such an amazing mule as those who knew him can attest to. He had the biggest heart of any equine I've ever known. He taught my horses many things, he won ribbons at the county fair, he carried children, old ladies and this old lady faithfully. He will be so sorely missed by all who loved him.
Sandra

Luke was over 40 and had a long and varied life. He was truly unique.

Tuesday December 18 2007

Richie Road

A very uneventful day. It started off sunny and beautiful with no wind. Later clouded up and by night is snowing lightly. Did almost nothing but meals and used the quiet time for some spa treatments and badly needed manicure/pedicure.

I tried to make the copier give me some prints of a Christmasy drawing for a few cards, and it just didn't work very well. I haven't figured out how or why the laptop isn't recognizing the scanner in the printer since it knows the printer. I can just about only copy with the minimal copier program.

As for how I'm doing after the chemo day, pretty well. Just feeling tired and kind of listless, but didn't even nap this time. No shoulder pain so far. The headache was almost non-existant. I ate very little today until dinner. We had a nice dinner of salmon and artichokes.

Monday December 17 2007

Drifts on Road

Another day with chemo scheduled. I'm not sure if I dread or anticipate going. Up by 6 and got ready, PILLS!!, had some breakfast, Joe got the car out for me and I was gone to meet Charm at Boulder by 7:45. The roads were amazingly good, actually dry except right through the Hoback Canyon it was a little slushy and dry again going down into Jackson. Such a stunning winter wonderland drive, like floating through a Christmas card. This has to be one of the most scenic roads in the country and it makes the day pleasurable (as long as the road is good enough, and it was). It is also such a nice way for Charm and I to get caught up with what's going on with each other.

We got to the hospital about an hour early, but only had to wait a little until they took me in. All six chairs were filled all the time we were there. Everything went well, got the IV in on the first try, but needed to do another for drawing blood because the first vein was small. The blood work results showed the liver enzymes, biliruben AND TUMOR MARKER READING were all down, so that was good news. Nurse Judy filled out more paperwork on how I'd done in the last week and gave me more valued information. She is an angel. We waited for longer than before for the test results and the chemo cocktail to arrive, but then we were out by about 1:30. I don't go back again now until the 31st and that day will also see the Huntsman Cancer Institute's Dr Buys. The port in my chest may be done there at the hospital on the 7th or 8th by Dr. Poore.

We saw Betty, another Boulder lady there getting blood work done. She has sure had a most terrible time with her health and hip replacements that failed in the last several years, but she's still trekking along. We went to The Bunnery for lunch and they had a good hot vegetable soup, Charm had salad with hers and I had a half turkey sandwich. Its a bakery and we bought some of their OSM bread, which I know I'll enjoy. I only looked long at all the sweets but didn't buy. They are a beautiful treat even just for the eyes. Then we decided to walk through the Trailside Gallery and got a good art fix. And over to Smith's for some grocery shopping. I was slow and Charm got done before me. I thought she would also shop more, but she didn't. I was very glad to get the groceries and not have to go back during the week to Pinedale to get anything. Besides we have no stores like that in Pinedale and its awesome to see all the "stuff" there. I got some fresh salmon too and nice veggies.

The drive home was also beautiful. We got through most of the mountains before it was dark. There were two blizzards or squalls, one just outside Jackson we soon drove out of, and another as it was getting dark after we came over the rim and on almost to Daniel Junction. It was really putting down the snow for a while but Charm drove very safe and secure. As we got to that intersection we drove out of the storm and in the space of 1/2 a mile or so the roads were dry the rest of the way. We had started to think that we'd have to take Melita up on her offer to spend the night if ever necessary. Filled up with gas in Pinedale and got to Boulder about 6, already pretty dark and you know how I turn into a pumpkin if I'm not home before dark. But we did what we needed to do. I called Joe from Boulder and said I'd be home in an hour. Jim called him and I guess we were both in trouble for being late and worrying our guys.

I stopped at the mailbox for our mail (and the Vidalia Chop Wizard Debbie ordered for me had arrived. I'll look at it tomorrow.) Joe put the car away. He had the leftover lasagna heated up for dinner and after getting the groceries put away I sat down and ate - he already had his.

So.....I'm happy and feeling serene. Now it is to be seen how I get through the next couple of days - whether any shoulder pain, nausea, sleeping the day away, etc. Judy told me to be sure and take the nausea pills morning and night for two days, and pain pills as needed, so I will.

Sunday December 16 2007

Charm XC skiing

Sunday was another good day weatherwise, just cold. Got up, showered, shampooed, and had something to eat. Joe is still doing his own breakfast early. He's been having me tape the National Finals Rodeo and he watches that in the morning - its on for 2-1/2 hours.

Charm came over about 10 and gave me a haircut, and it really turned out cute. She did a great job, and boy did I need it. It looks so much better. We had a good visit and she stayed for lunch. I just shoved a Stouffer's lasagna in the oven to get hot while we played beauty shop and it was ready when we were done - very easy. Charm had brought the rest of my paintings from the Mixed Media Holiday Show that traveled over to Big Piney after it was in Pinedale. She drove over there Friday and got hers and got mine for me. Did I say that I sold three paintings from the show? That was nice and everyone else did all the work for me this time. Thank you guys everyone so much. You are wonderful. So I took those out to the garage and got them all nestled into boxes and on the shelves. In the afternoon I rested a while and read, but never did fall asleep. Then fixed our dinner, looked at the email and read some more of Judi's file.

I'm trying to figure out how to make some Christmas cards with my artwork on them from this laptop and I have most of the same programs that I think I should be able to and make the printer spit them out on some cards I have. I had it down so good on my old computer. Which by the way I have to track that down really soon, because I haven't heard a thing from Best Buy that they received it - remember Debbie sent it over UPS when she was still here. I can't find where I put the tracking number slip so have procrastinated....again.

BTW I am feeling pretty good by the end of the week. A day or two after the chemo I don't feel like doing much, so we will see if that gets better or what.

MARILYN'S ICE STORM SAGA

Where Marilyn Lives

I had been thinking of Marilyn, who lives on a farm in Iowa, all during the TV reports on the terrible storms they were having in the midwest last week. This is what she sent when the power came back on.

Ice storm put our electric out for 6 days starting last tuesday early morning. Never saw such devestation, looks like a war zone. No trees in my area were left unscathed, some of our 25 footers will be need to be cut, all limbs are broken off at the trunk and they kind of look like toothpicks now. The huge oaks around my house have lost many branches and takes a lot of weight to do that to an 150 year oak, one was just ruined, topped clear out and now leaning over as if to fall. Two nights we spent in the cold, 3 blankets so heavy you couldn't turn over (I remember when that used to be fun, now it's just a nuciance, dang!) Peanutbutter sucked after the first two days and Wednesday we couldn't go to town as the ice had frozen in the tracks of the machine shed where both trucks were housed and we couldn't get them out, with and inch of ice frozen all over the car in the front it was just forget it. Good thing for some camping equipment, we did have a small propance cylinder light to use, of course we ran out of those in the first two days and they couldn't be bought anywhere. Thursday night we finally got the generator up and going, could run everything but electric stove and water heater, still we tried to use very few light bulbs. Generator was using 5 gallons of perimium gasoline ever 7 hours, about 45.00 a day but at that stage it was very worth it. Hopefully won't use that generator again but I can tell you it still is NOT FOR SALE. Had to get my mom one, my brother has one and everyone up our road now has one, I think they are not for sale either. I can tell all of you out there that ever has to use a generator, use your crockpot, they are low wattage and can have some hot food. I now have hot water, I'm going in and shower again, had to go to my sister's last night, who had lights and take a shower, my hair was starting to "shed water", so while I'm clean now, I'm going to go do it again for some overkill because I can.
Love to all, Marilyn