It must be that everything happens at once. Property taxes, VW repair, smog, DMV, State taxes.. do I keep going??? And on top of it, the paycheck is quite low for some reason. So the nice bonus B got is really just covering this S#*!… oh well, one day at a time.

Yesterday went well, the computers were down in the infusion room soI got in there a little later than normal. But still in and out within 30 minutes. Next week is my last shot of this cycle plus my Zometa infusion. B has a prior engagement so I’ll be there alone. I haven’t ever done that. Driving is always an issue, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Today, I’m going into Grocery Outlet for milk and a few other things to get thru. I think we’re having some Costco hotdogs on the grill outside.

I’m stopping to check on the VW. It was suppose to be done yesterday, but he didn’t call and since it was my Dex afternoon, I didn’t feel like calling. So I’ll do that or stop in on my way to Auburn.

Also, today’s the coffee klatch, but I think I’m skipping and just come home after town.

Well, off then to figure out the budget or get frustrated.

So, after driving half the day on Saturday, the  VW still wouldn’t pass smog on Monday ,now because of another code. WE dropped it off at out local garage and I just found out he said its now the thermostat. Once that’s fixed it still needs to reset again. Boy, is this a PITA. Things like this make me just want to go buy a newer car and be done with it. If this doesn’t work then we’ll need to take it down to the VW dealer which is about 30 minutes away.

Tomorrow, I drive down to Sacramento for my shot. I’m not stopping anywhere else since I don’t need to go to Costco, or Trader Joes. I should be done and home in @ 2hours.

Today I went to pick up a prescription and go to Target.

Tonight we’re having tacos with a coleslaw.

My daughter and I took out the cruisers again on the American River Bikeway. It was a lovely day. There are lots of spring flowers now. In a month or so it’ll be too hot to do this ride so we’re enjoying it now. I went a little farther this time 6 miles round trip. My backs a little sore this morning but overall pretty good. We didn’t stop for lunch but went to Grocery outlet to get a patio umbrella I had seen there for $30. That’s a very good price. I bought one last season at Target for $60  and one of the bars is already bent. So I don’t mind buying a less expensive one that may last only 2-3 years. Plus it was Grocery Outlets semi-annual wine sale so we picked a few to try.

Today we are having to drive my VW as much as possible since it didn’t pass smog due to the battery having been recently charged and so the computer thing was reset. At first, this sounded like a BS story, but after I googled it is in fact true. We’ve had many electrical issues with this 2000 VW. Mostly battery related, and now a window doesn’t go down. And the this, because last week when I went to start it , it was completely dead. So B hooked up the battery and that’s what caused the reset, I guess. It still sounds hokey to me, but well see, after I drive it today, I’m stopping in to have a retest. Actually, we’ll try and just have a pretest to see if it passes. Also, the gas is suppose to be between 1/4 and 3/4 and B had just filled it so that may have affected it too.

Today is also suppose to be quite nice @ 70, but tomorrow clouds and a slight trend downward and a little rain even.

Yesterday went well. My shot went quickly and I was 30 minutes early as my husband had a meeting at the Sacramento Coop. I dropped him off and then went down to Mercy Cancer Center. It’s pretty close so I was ok driving in downtown. They were nice and fit me in for the shot, though they were trying to set up the IV for Zometa. I said no that’s not till April 6. They were fine with that.

Then we went up to Winco for things I can get cheaper there and then over to Costco. At Costco ,I was mostly trying to get the coupon deals since they are really unbeatable. For instance ,I got the 8 pack to Marie Callender chicken pot pies for my son .It was 7.99.I don’t think you can get them anywhere ate that price. Plus more non-food things.

I looked at hams for Easter but they were too big for us and we don’t eat enough to really freeze. I might check Bel Air for a small spiral one. Or just get some slices at the deli. I’m making Southern fried tofu, tartar sauce, potato salad, deviled eggs and then a few slices of ham. We don’t celebrate Easter as a religious day but more Welcome Spring!! Or I think it was Eostre in the old days.

Today, I’m off to the Koffee klatch lunch and dropping off the Aspca thrift store things. I don’t have a lot but I like to get it out of my car.

this is another historical fiction book based on Anne Morrow Lindberg. I really liked the way the author had Anne be the voice in the book. I was really astonished to find out that Charles Lindberg had 2 other families and fathered 7 other children. It’s also amazing that Anne did not find this out till near the end of Charles life when she discovered the letters he wrote to these woman. Really amazing what some people will do. It’s a good historical fiction and worth reading.

It’s mild out today with rain on the way. Our walk was nice and the park was empty except for the geese.

I’m cooking organic turkey chili for dinner and a vegetarian broccoli cheddar soup. I might do some more decluttering in the barn. The big let go was the futon couch in the barn. I put it for free on Craigs list and wow the sharks came out. Finally, a nice lady from not far from here came with a truck and picked it up. So now we have a good empty space to start working from. I think we’re going to build some shelves on the back wall to put my sons lego bins on. That would be nice to organize. Then he would know how much he actually has when he’s ready to move out. We’d love to pour a concrete slab out there but that would be a big expense we just don’t have right now.

I have a flat screen to get rid of and some dishes I’ve had boxed up. maybe this week, we’ll see.

Well, the budget has been stretched and money has come out of our EF. But some of this is due to us helping our son with expenses since he’s not working and going to school full-time (21 units ,which is a lot. I’m hoping he gets a job by July 1. He can go back to Grocery outlet where he was a manager but not sure that’s what he wants to do. He received his AS in multi media and so now he’s working on transferable units to a UC system.  We’re proud he works so hard in school, so we’re willing to use some of the EF for him.

B got a nice bonus, so it’s going to property tax due by April 10 and pay off the refrigerator we bought last month. A little left for some fun maybe.

I had a really good appt yesterday at the doctor. WE agreed to lower dex to 16mg. Not much but it seems like it’s made a slight difference this morning. Also, he’s impressed with how quickly Velcade has brought my numbers to remission even with the slight m protein of .2 .He’s thinking I may not even need to do the full 6 sessions. I’m not sure  but we’ll see. He didn’t think using Velcade as maintenance for me was really necessary as the research shows that OS and Progression in someone like me at 11 years out , probably isn’t made any better by maintenance.      so, I guess I’ll just wait and see when we’re at that point.

I’m going into town for prescriptions, a few items from the store then home.  I was going to go to Truckee with my daughter, but I’ll only have so much energy till the dex drop.

WE did great at Costco yesterday and got what was on the list, mostly non-food.There’s a few more things I’d like to get but will wait. I opted to get organic ground turkey instead of organic beef.

Today I see the doctor. Since I have all my numbers, it’s going in and discussing them with him and then I go to the infusion room for my Velcade shot.

At least it’s not raining. We really had a ton of rain and many reservoirs here in Northern California are at capacity. So good news on that front.

After the doctor and shot were going to Costco mostly for nonfood items. We need garbage bags, laundry soap etc.  Then we will get some lunch. Since I have to take dex when I get home, not much for the afternoon planned. I might sort another bin or two in the barn. I got thru one yesterday and put a series called ‘lemony Snicket and the series of Unfortunate Events’. I might try and sell them on eBay but usually, that just delays me from giving them to the ASPA bookstore.

But, I’m sure my son, now 21, isn’t going to reread them so off they go.. Looking at the other bins of star wars stuff is just too much, so another day. I’ve decided though we are going to clean out my son’s side of the barn he had been using when friends came over. It was great for a while. TV, futon etc. Now it just feels cluttered and grubby.  Usually,we take stuff (like the futon) down to the corner and someone takes it for free. But this weekend it’s raining so another time.

This is a great book about Truman Capote and the society women of NYC starting in the 60’s. I think actually it starts earlier in the late 50’s. It was quite interesting to read about Capote and his life. The women certainly  were elite and lived a life most of us could only dream about.

As historical fiction, it is quite good. I looked up Truman Capote and read a little about his life and the author used a lot of ‘true ‘things. I was intrigued by how he finally got ‘kicked ‘ out of his swan group because he published an article in a magazine that was a tell all. After that, his life went down hill. He started drinking seriously along with drugs.

I thought I’d read “The Aviator’s wife’ but it’s about Anne Morrow Lindberg, so I havent read it. I will get that from the library.

‘Twas in another lifetime’….. I loved most things Japenese and aspired to a Japanese house. I love shoji screen(still do) , tatami mats, the simplicity and clutter-free environment. There was a year where all we ate for dinner was miso soup with variations. Miso soup for breakfast too! many years later when I was pregnant with my daughter, I wanted a Japanese name. On the edge of the town, as it was then was a wonderful nursery called Yamasaki’s. In the back, in a low-slung house, lived the elder Mr. Yamasaki. I was probably 6-7 months pregnant and when I went in asked him for names. OR specifically,  I asked him what Sachiko meant. He said happy child but more , a blessed child. Well, I felt blessed because it finally took a fertility low dose drug to become pregnant. So Sachiko is my sweet 30 yr old daughter.

So what has this to do with wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is the understated. The piece of bark that’s the decoration or the stone from the beach as a center piece. I loved all things Wabi Sabi.

I wonder now if my returning to minimalism isn’t a return to something that shaped our young adult lives. I would guess so. So, no I’m not getting rid of our Ikea couch that I adore,( since I probably couldn’t get up from the floor if we just had pillows. But a little more danshari! Which, by the way, urspo let me know about in a comment. I’ve known of wabi-sabi but actually hadn’t heard of danshari , maybe since that was  more of the decluttering concept. Thanks, Urspo!!