It is very cold and windy here but the sky is bright blue. Very California-y winter day.

We had a lovely Christmas and although I was going for complete minimalism, that didn’t exactly happen. But I think it was just the right amount of gifts and they were lovely. I received some new silicone spatulas( much needed), the DVD of Gone with the Wind, of course, the Vita-mix which I am absolutely loving and a Vitamix cookbook plus Ina Garten’s new cookbook too.

Gone with the wind by Margaret Mitchell was a book that shaped my outlook on life as an 11-year-old. Not the racist part of slave owners but the struggle to keep what was of value.  I was telling my children, that we actually went to NYC to see the movie at Radio City Music Hall. At least I think it was RCMH, not completely sure.  I must have read the book 10 times growing u along with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  Both were huge influences on me.

Anyway, then we had a great lasagna, cheese manicotti, a salad, and bread.  B is not drinking any alcohol with his treatment stuff so my daughter and I shared a nice chardonnay.

His numbers have been tanking and it’s mostly due to the chemo which is good that it’s working but until the good cells out do the bad ones, he will need more transfusions, unfortunately.

I drove down to Sacramento for my oncology appt and traffic was practically nonexistent and I made it in record time. All my labs are normal so I’ll see him again at the end of February. He was informative about MDS and did encourage us to have the brothers checked for being a possible donor. He said it’s a simple blood test to check that first. It will give B the best chance of success if one of them is a match. I guess we will swallow our pride and ask although I said that doesn’t mean I want to have them in my life. So we shall see.

It also appears the best route for working is not working and going on disability so we will do that next week.  At first, I thought B could work between appts but there is no letting up right now with needing transfusions and platelets. Plus he can’t risk being around anyone who might be sick.  So hopefully it goes quickly and smoothly which I think will happen.

Tonight I’m making a spinach soup using the Vitamix and it came out silky smooth. The recipe is one of made many times from the mystery cater stories by Diane Mott Davidson. I tell you, if you’ve thought about one and are undecided, I can tell you it is really amazing. Plus I’m baking potatoes and 2 small pieces of wild Alaskan sockeye salmon.

The tree is down and the ornaments away. The little live tree I’ll have B move this weekend as he will need the dolly to move it.  So, the house is back to it’s clean and tidy self.