Monthly Archives: July 2015

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

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It is my favorite place.

But when we arrived Sunday , whoa, five million people, mostly foreigners.

Monday there were a lot less people and today traffic not bad.

I tell you though, getting a reservation is practically like winning the lottery. Not sure how some of these people even get on computers, but they must since it’s all reserved.

so, even for all of August and all of September, absolutely nothing. Even October looks mostly booked and they close by October 15. Geez, I get next January I’ll be n the computer at 6:59. The amp host said that she knows people who have multiple family members trying for reservations, so maybe we’ll do that.

When we get home, we are going to look at some small hardbodies. I had another diarehea episode, I think not drug related, but could be, but food, so I need to have a bathroom. The camp one is too far for me to run to.

We’ve been saying we’d look for 2 years, so maybe now we will.

Theres a big fire down in our area, lots of poor air quality. Some evacuations, but we’re ok. But it’s going to be hot again. Here in Tahoe it’s quite breezy and only around 70, so nice but at home 104. Yikes, I hate hot weather.

Saturday updates

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“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” — Gandalf

via These 8 The Lord of the Rings Quotes Will Inspire You Every Day | GreaterGoodness.

This is my favorite  quote.

we’re heading to our favorite camp spot in Tahoe tomorrow. Reservations are so difficult. I was hoping for all week but it’s all booked. Starting in January I’m going to be on this like a dog on a bone. If you don’t you just can’t get in. So frustrating.

Some blogger I follow, http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/blog,Michelle, I think that’s her blog. Anyway she is enormously successful at a young age with blogging and other financial stuff, just bought, ok, are you ready… A Winnebago Itasca. I’m so jealous. Almost 100,000 dollars and so beautiful.

“The Little Paris Bookshop”

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” Books were my friends,” said Catherine, and cooled her cheek, which was red form the heat of cooking, on her wineglass.

“I think I learned all my feelings from books. In them I loved and laughed and found out more than in my whole life non reading life.”

Wow, I love this quote. The book is pretty good, but there are some great lines as this one. Books really did open the world up for me. Actually the Highland Mills library. Which you can google and is a historical building now. Yes, it was my life. I was able to be scarlett O’hara, or Francie, or Cherry Ames, or Nancy Drew.

Its a good read and a great bookclub book. Im not going to our library one now, it got to be too much of one person controlling it so. I liked it to be more free form. Where the conversation took us. But someone needed to have the stupid wikipedia questions answered. Hello… why not just let members talk about it.

Yesterday, I experimented with making jalapeño jelly. While it tastes pretty great, I used too much pectin so dislike jalapeño hard candy….Im going to try again today. I think it would make a great gift.

Today, Im off to do some errands in town and try that jelly again. Also, we had a major ant invasion last night so, so it was disgusting and I had to clean everything. Im putting ant traps out tonight and spraying. I really don’t want to wake up to a counter crawling in black things…. ugh

Perspective!

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Well, all things considered, I’m doing good. I think I’ve figured out mostly my feelings about things and its ok. I guess the thing I’ve gotten from my processing is that ,when I spoke out about how I was treated by Library admin in that email , they took my attitude and said basically, you need to go. We don’t want that kind of attitude that doesn’timage agree with us. Being I was only an extra help employee, they must have just wanted to cut the cord completely. If I had any status of permanent part time, they couldn’t  have done anything.

So, its all pretty clear to me the sequence of events. I think it started with them blowing it that day the money went missing and telling me to not work at the branch. They didn’t handle it well, but at that point there was no going back. Then my email about how angry I was they would treat me this way after 8 years of basically running that branch. So, it was my outspokenness that really sealed the deal for them. They don’t want any dissension. Remember the person who lost the money is still employed because she is permanent.

I’ve decided not to have anything to do with the library and just step away. I will help with our Friends big fall book sale because I said I would. But other than that i need to just not put myself in a painful situation. I know how I am and I’d just obsess every time I went in.  So, really its better for my health not to put myself in that position.

BTW, I love this quote by Mary Oliver!

This is my last week on Pomalyst and then I get a 2 week break. My doctors on vacation so I won’t see him till august.

Plus my neutrophils are taking @ 2 weeks to come back up. I’m really hoping my free light chains have gone down. We shall see.

As Arnold says, ” I’ll be back”

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imagehttp://crazyasaloom.blogspot.com/tI’m going to take a small break from

blogging.

A Break to work on some issues with not working. I am retirement age and I am getting my lousy under $300 ss, but what am I doing. ..??

I’m still have issues with my library dismissal. I guess I feel really rejected and don’t want tno feel that way. I need to reframe it all and for me that’s usually taking the time to journal, walk more, maybe take the kayak out by myself. ( working on will it fit in my van).

Next week we’re in tahoe camping so that should help. I know I’m not going to look for a job, so I need to reinvent my value and self worth.

Geez, how would think at my age I’d be doing this when just a month a go ,I was all together with the days I worked, felt needed, valued and new my job to the T.

Well, as the quote says…

Budget Thursday And more zuchinni!

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The bills are all in and done for the month except the water bill which we drop off at the water place. Not much left over but I’m still working on those 2 medical copays from my BMB. It’s a good chunk and I’ll be glad when it’s done. Also, we need to pay off the Seattle trip so that’ll take a little bit. I’ve added $100 to our annual bill savings so at least it’s something. Overall, it’s just keep going. If we’re going to make any headway towards retirement it’s got to be in the next few years so we need to be careful.

i returned a pair of Old Navy pants I bought on line since the cut was way weird. Then I found a pair of discounted jeans for $9.49, then they took 30% off that, so nice a pair of jeans for $7.00

I’m suppose to be not spending this week, but that’s hard to beat. Even goodwills prices aren’t that low.

then I researched freezing zucchini . Yes you can freeze it after its blanched. So I’m going to try that today , then cook it later this week to see how we like it. Plus you can shred the zucchini  and freeze that for breads etc. I’m going to try that too. So, with lots of zuchinni we will see how it works out.

Zucchini fritters!

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imageIf you grow a garden like we do, you’re probably getting a ton of zuchinni right now. As you also probably know you can’t really freeze zuchinni as it has too much water content. But uou can freeze zucchini fritters.

So this is what I do:

Use a box grater , and grate 2-4 zuchinni and summer squash. Add some salt so as sweat the zucchini (maybe 30 minutes), in the mean while you can chop up green onion, grate carrot. Then squeeze

e as much water out of the grated zucchini as you can. You’ll be surprised. Then add the onion, carrot, 1/4 cup flour or panko, salt pepper, even a little chili pepper, a beaten egg. I like too add a little feta cheese too.

Heat up a pan with olive oil, and make patties. Brown on each side , cool , and then I put the, in wax paper and then a freezer bag.

I’m making another batch today and looking for a zucchini bread recipe too. I think that should freeze well too.

I’m going to town today to get a few things.  I also have a huge load to bring to the food bank.

Tuesdays are hard for me now since that was my day to open the library. I sure miss my schedule, but I’m trying to find other things to do on that do to keep me busy. I miss my job, and the library, but it’s about going forward and finding the best of this situation.

SCCA

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imageHere we are at the top of the space needle. It was cool. When we went up early it was not so busy.Later, as we left it was so packed, so I’m glad we did it early especially after Dr. Cafey says if I’m neutropenic avoid crowds. Kinda freaked me out a bit.

So, SCCA , Seattle cancer center alliance. Wow, it is very big, overwhelming, and lots of very chemoed out people. I was definetly not liking being there. Somehow when you’re not on regular IVs or getting weekly treatments it’s easier to ‘forget’ that you are a cancer patient. At least I do. I’ve never been a gung-ho, I’m going to attack this with everything, I’ve just done what’s necessary and moved on.

So, Dr. Caffey, is probably young enough to be our kid, but very informed and took his time asking questions. The jist of it all is just keep doing pomalyst, then when that is not working, move to the other line of chemo that’s the Velcade and krypolis.  Also, unfortunately my BMB did have any genetics and so next time he asked to do that. It’s really too bad with the outrageously expensive ( co pay) we have we it wasn’t in the screening. Bummer.

All in all I am confident that my doctor is right on( I was anyway), but now it’s reassuring.

even at this point, he said I’ve barely begun to use what’s available, so that was kinda reassuring too.

Unfortunately, no clinical trials unless I live there. And he said if I did he would put me in one. Also, I’m not technically a patient of his as I don’t live there. So that was kinda weird, since I thought this was the idea, to bounce things off him.

I think my next plan in maybe six months or a year. Depending on how things go, I’ll check out going to Stanford or UCSF.

regardless, we both felt very pleased with the consultation, and hey, I got to mark Seattle off my bucket list.

💫✨🌟😀

Seattle!!

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image imageWe are having a lot of fun and doing tons of walking. You’d think with walking everyday in the JKWP , I’d be ready for this. So, not! I’m sore and my legs are like noodles. Well, this might just get us to do more walking on hills. So, we’ve been to Pikes place twice, the original starbucks, the very beautiful and modern library, out to Bainbridge island on the ferry and tons of other things.,today, though is the big day with the doctor. I hope they haven’t screwed up my appointment.  First we’re going to the space needle and will take the monorail there. Then we will have to get a taxi to the SCCA, as it is too far to walk.,

We had a very expensive dinner last night but worth it as the food was exceptional. Today we’ll keep it cheap with starbucks breakfast and something light for dinner. Tomorrow its home. Since I’m a homebody, I’ll be ready.

Squash and more squash!

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image imageWe are getting a lot of zucchini and patty pans. So, we’re eating lots of sautéed squash. B bought me an Oxo mandolin so I’m thin slicing the squash and sautéing. Last night it was squash curry with rice.

Im sure we will be tired of it before long but for now fresh from the garden is nice. Plus a few tomatoes are coming in

Our super hot weather has left and its a nice 88 something in the afternoon. I think today is less. We leave for Seattle tomorrow and I’m excited. Unfortunately it’s very hot there. That’s very unusual, as it’s usually like in the 70’s. Oh, well, we shall still have a nice time. Once I get thru the doctor appointment we can go have fun. We were going to rent a car, but then the travel books all said parking and driving in Downtown Seattle is a nightmare. So we decided not to and we will take a cab up to the cancer center then see how close things are from the hotel.

Well, off to do some tidying and meeting my friend to drop off eggs!!!