Wednesday July 23 2008

Nube takes a trail ride,

Taken by Gina a few weeks ago.

We figured Gloria hasn't been here since probably in about 1971. She and her family came to the Lodge for a few days. Her then husband got so swollen in the face, neck and arms from bites, I guess allergic to the mosquitoes, that they left on the second day. Anyway now we're having a good time and staying busy early to late. Not having time for much else, We had a nice rain again early this morning, still clear tonight. The moon and Venus have sure been beautiful.

Today I didn't feel all that great for whatever reason. Beverly had a headache which is better now. We were going to start for Mesa Falls and Yellowstone, but decided to just take it easy today. Beverly got us reservations for the first night in West Yellowstone, and at Gardiner for Friday. We'll come on home from there by Saturday night. We'll leave early in the morning. I'll take the laptop and blog each day. I worked on the photos today and am about ready to put some in for the last two days. This afternoon we got a pot roast ready for dinner and it is something that Joe will be able to heat up while we're gone. The washer and dryer went most of the day it seemed. Our bags are packed for the trip. Gloria and I went out and worked in the yard for a couple of hours, weed eating and weeding. I got a lot of the dead canes out of the raspberries. It did poop me out. Tonight I'm feeling tired. I'm already missing the dogs, but they have to stay home this time. Joe may go with us in the morning as far as Pinedale and bring his pick up home if the paint job is finished.

Tuesday July 22 2008

Chris, Jonita and Me

Charm's Cat

Boulder Creek

Today up early again. and we drove up to Boulder Lake to go to the Mixed Media meeting at Charm's house. The dogs got to go along. It was a nice warm day. About six member showed up plus the three of us. Cris had called this morning about stopping by to see us, along with Jonita and her husband George. I told her we were going to the meeting. So she said they were taking a picnic to Boulder Lake and wondered if they could come up to Charm's to say hi.

Bev and Gloria walked around the development and took the dogs with them. They tried to find Soda Lake, but probably didn't go quite far enough. They also checked on the dogs and let them out of the car every 30 minutes or so. We set up our paints, both inside and Kay and I were on the deck - bombarded by hummingbirds several times. Cris, George and Jonita showed up, and I didn't paint much after that. Beverly said "Do you usually get that much painting done?" Charm served a wonderful taco salad lunch, and co-hostess Sandy brought a blueberry cake with vanilla ice cream - you know that kind with the vanilla bean specks in it - yum! Charm invited the visitors to join us and I think they surely enjoyed the lunch and companionship too.

In the afternoon we had a meeting about the Fine Arts Center and were concerned that the plans had taken a turn away from the original concept, but I think in the end it will be fine - just getting through the politics of the whole thing. We had preliminary sketches (not drawings) to look at and a lot of comments about that. About 4:30 we packed up and started on our way home. We sure enjoyed the day in the mountains and being at Charm's home as always.

We fixed cheese tortellini and artichokes with salad and garlic toast for dinner. And later still had enough pie for a small piece each. About dinnertime there was another very nice rain shower, probably for most of an hour. Called Sheral and visited with her for a while. They had been over to Lander and have some more company now.

I fell asleep during the video we were watching - Ken Burns Lewis and Clark but soon was awake again after everyone else was in bed. I stayed up until about 3:30 before I got sleepy enough to go to bed. I downloaded the photos from the last few days and perhaps tomorrow will have time to get some pictures on the blogs. I got through about half the email that has piled up. Sorry not to be answering email very promptly right now, but will try to catch up after company leaves.

My TV won't get a satellite picture, just the blue screen. It wouldn't come on after we got home today. Perhaps lightning zapped it off or just knocked off a setting. Sat for an hour or more in the middle of the night reading manuals and trying to get it to work. Can't fix it so far, so will probably have to check with their tech support - Ugh!

Monday July 21 2008

Small Herd of Cow Elk

Tetons from the Boat

Boat from the Boat


Cabin Near the Boat Dock

Entrance to the Park

Gloria Virginia Lynn at

Church of the Transfiguration

Another Picture of the Elk

One of the cruise boats on Jenny Lake

It rained a little in the night. Seems we go from early to late every day. This morning we were up and gone by 8 a.m. to drive to Jackson for my appointment at 11 with the Huntsman's Doctor Ward. We enjoyed the drive up through the Hoback and Bondurant. Got some pictures along the way. Stopped at the Hoback Market. We got a few snacks and I bought some nice grapefruit. Their produce looks great.

Let Beverly and Gloria off on The Square so they could power shop while I was at the hospital. I got to my appointment a few minutes early. Seemed like a minimum of waiting. and had a cookie and small cup of coffee while I read the paper. One of their local mountain climbing guides had fallen on The Grand and was killed. It seems like there's been a rash of well known mountain climbers that have been killed by climbing accidents in the last few years, really devastating to their community.

Lisa took my vitals. And then I got into the gown for the exam. Dr. Ward looked like he felt a lot better today

. My time with him was short, but sweet. He reviewed my tests since the last time I'd seen him and talked about the recent scan. It's good news - the pancreatic tumor mass is much reduced, and the liver lesions - some are gone and some are significantly smaller. He also looked at two liver function tests which they have measured at each treatment. It began with my first treatment in December until the present. Someone has made a graph of them and it is on the computer. It had spiked very high in December and gone down every time since to level off very low at present. Dr. Ward said he was very happy with the progress that has occurred since he last saw me. A couple of things he told me I had not heard before. The first cycles of Gemcitabean had not worked well for me (although I thought they had since the tumor marker test readings had continued to go down) however he thought the Full Fury was working very well. He said it is mainly a colon/intestine cancer chemo treatment, I had not known that either. He said to continue the Full Fury and have another scan in September.

Beverly made arrangements with Virginia to go to lunch with us. After my appointment, I picked them up at Eddie Bauer and drove them by the hospital so Gloria could see where I have been getting the chemo treatments and all. Then we went to Virginia's house and and picked her up and got to see Calvin. We asked Virginia where was a good place for lunch and she chose the restaurant at Snow King. I'd never been there, it was quieter than most places and the food was good. We inivted Virginia to go with us to Teton Park and she said she would like to go along.

We drove in to the park, and it always delights me to use my Golden Eagle Pass - just wave it at the gate keeper and save $25 entrance fee. We saw a nice herd of cow elk with only one calf. They must have hidden the other calves somewhere. We got some good pictures of them. We stopped to see the Church of the Transfiguration. The visitors were ringing the bell as they walked under the arch it's hanging in. It was really pealing in the quiet air. Then we drove to Jenny Lake and took the boat trip across the lake. Beverly and Gloria hiked up to Hidden Falls and enjoyed seeing that. It was mostly overcast and pleasantly cool all day. Sad to report that I didn't feel like I could hike over the uneven ground without a possible fall even though I've long wished to see the falls. Virginia waited along with me until they got back. It's only about 1/2 a mile so didn't take long. We got onto another of the boats going back and by then it was already 4:30, so took Virginia home and headed on toward home ourselves.

We didn't grocery shop in Jackson and didn't get gas there either. That was a mistake because it was $4.09 up there and $4.39 in Pinedale. We had some dinner at the Chinese Gourmet, that was also good, filled up with gas, stopped in Ridley's for a little bit of groceries and drove home in the evening light. It had been sprinkling on us more or less since we left Jackson, so was glad to have the moisture. We had another piece of pie and visited until about 11:30 I suppose. Beverly downloaded the Google Earth (virtual geography) software onto my computer and we looked at that for a while. Also googled some places to stay on our upcoming trip and checked out availability of rooms. What a pleasant enjoyable day we had.

Sunday July 20 2008

Rainbow below The Place

(not the greatest photo, but it was faint -

just to give the essence of the evening)

Watching TV

Beverly comforting Sparky in

the thunderstorm.

We're spending a lot of time trying to figure out what we're going to do while Bev and Gloria are here. Too many of those decisions. Tomorrow we have to go to Jackson for my Dr. appointment and are going to try to have lunch with Virginia. Then maybe up to Teton Park because Gloria hasn't been there or Yellowstone. One of the things we planned to do was go to the Mesa Waterfalls over close to Rexburg. From there we could drive through Yellowstone one of the many routes. Tuesday there is a Mixed Media meeting at Charm's house up at Boulder Lake. That should be fun. Driving over Union Pass to Dubois is always great and back over South Pass. We could get in the car and just keep driving! Of course we have to drive up to Big Sandy Openings and the lodge one day.

We got the house straightened up between the three of us this morning. I made a chess pie. We stuck around because several people were coming to look at the art show this afternoon. One never showed up Betty and Craig did come over, and it was so nice getting acquainted with them. They got several prints for now. They were more interested in mountain men and Indians, which at the moment I don't have any.

About 4 p.m. it began to rain, and came down fairly hard for a bit. I was glad the flower pots got some water, because they didn't get it yesterday or today. We drove out to The Place for dinner. The steaks were pretty good, but way more than any of us could eat. Gloria is vegetarian, and they sure didn't have much choice for her, but she had salad and baked potato. It started to rain again just as we left, and there were a couple of nice rainbows, although they were very fleeting. Back home, pie for dessert and watched a little TV. Sure seemed like a full day again.

Saturday July 19 2008

Yardwork - Bev's American Gothic Pose

Loading the Plants to Haul Away

Gloria Making our Grandma's German "Omelets"

Beverly

Gloria and Beverly got here yesterday afternoon. They arrived in Salt Lake City about 9 a.m. on different flights, and met right at the baggage claim, got their rental car and had a good drive up to the ranch. We didn't do much but visit, then fix some dinner - fettuccine, shrimp and zucchini.

So today Gloria made our Grandma's sweet omelets for breakfast. The recipe came from Germany and we always loved it when we were kids. When I would stay overnight with Grandma she would make them for me for breakfast.

We had our lunch sitting out under the trees. This afternoon we all went out and worked on the flower beds in back and got that project finished. We dug out all the old plants and iris bulbs. Kept the bulbs and trashed the plants. Loaded all the plants in the back of the old truck, dumped it on a pile of organic stuff where we're filling up an old hole. Then brought back a load of dirt from the creek to level out the flower bed. I cried a little. So sorry- everyone who said they would come and get plants for the last three years- you're too late now. I'm keeping the bulbs for a while. If you want some of those - let me know. Then I may leave them in a pink blanket on the nursery's doorstep, like orphan babies and hope they find a good home.

Dale and Becky came to look at the art show this afternoon, and we had a good visit with them. Dale hadn't been out here for over 50 years. This evening we watched Brokeback Mountain, none of us had seen it yet.

Recipe for German Omelets:

1 or two eggs for each person:

Separate the yolks and whites into two bowls.

Stir well into the yolks: 1 Tablespoon each flour, sugar and milk for every yolk.

(i.e. 5 yolks use 5 T each flour, sugar and milk)

Whip the whites to peaks as stiff as possible without getting them dry.

Gently fold the yolk mixture into the whites.

Melt a tablespoon of butter on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Make each pancake about 4 or 5" across. Add more butter each time you fry the next ones.

Fry more slowly and gently than regular pancakes, but you want to get the center done - so don't get the pan too hot.

We always served them with butter and sprinkled with sugar. But they are good with strawberry sauce, or fresh strawberries or other fruit, and whipped cream if you want it.

Note: To avoid the last of the batter going flat before it's fried, you can fold 1/2 the yolk and 1/2 the whites together in another bowl, fry that. Then after those are cooked, fold the second halves together.

Friday July 18 2008

Sally and Ann

New Painting
8x10 Oil Study of Sailboat

Beverly says: "I went to visit Debbie yesterday and she is OK, but sure looks very sore and not feeling well. She's afraid to take her pain meds because it may make her sick to her stomach, which seems to be the last thing she wants with her throat being so sore. I feel so bad for her and really feel terrible about leaving right now. Taylor was there with her though." I hope each day gets better

I haven't called today yet, to give Debbie time to just rest and not have to talk. So maybe will call and know more a little later.

Sally called this morning and wanted to come out and bring her friend from Arizona out to see the art show. We had a short but delightful time getting acquainted. Thanks for coming you guys! I really enjoyed the respite.

Beverly and Gloria called about noon from Kemmerer, so should be getting here any time now. Their planes should have gotten in to Salt Lake about 9 a.m. and they rented a car. I'm way behind on getting the house in shape. Still not recovered from the last treatments I guess, and kind of shaky. So much as I hate it, the fact is that we'll just have to live with things the way they are. It feels like I've lost a day, but haven't after all. So far, I got the bathroom cleaned, several loads of laundry done, some lunch fixed for Joe and a fresh strawberry pie made and thought I'd sit down with my glass of tea for a little bit, so might as well blog! Will catch up with any more new happenings later.

Thursday July 17 2008

East Fork River Valley

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Get Well Soon, Debbie!

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Contemplating Breakfast on my Willow Bush

Talked to Debbie this morning and she sounded pretty sore and tired, but doing o.k. She said the incision was bigger than she thought it would be. Tayler is home with her today. She will learn the pathology of the lump in a few days.

Boy I'm just a blob these last two days since Chemo. Not really feeling to bad, some nausea and feeling weak and unambitious. Just want to go back to bed. But have been sleeping better than most other times. My brain doesn't want to work, like I have to really think what day it is - but who really cares.

After lunch we drove in to Pinedale to get the pump taken off and get a few groceries. It seemed I sat forever in the clinic before they took me in then I sat as long again in oen of the exam rooms. I asked to go in at 4 but they said 3:30 and then it was an hour wait. I had a little nap sitting straight up. After groceries and getting gas and recycling, we went to the Cajun restaurant for dinner - shrimp and fries and even the bun was friend. Joe like the fried stuff though.

As we were leaving, Sherese came over to get some more flowers, so I told her and Ashley good by. We passed them out on the road. They are about ready to go back home now. Today is kind of hazy and some clouds, the weather report says it will cloud up more. The wind is supposed to blow tomorrow - that's when Beverly and Gloria are driving up after their flight to Salt Lake. I've saved sprucing up the house until tomorrow. And need to water my flower pots sometime today.