RUSSELL'S DOING GREAT!!!

Well, Russell has finished all his treatments.......surgery, chemo (he did great!) and last but not least radiation. A partial scan was done about halfway thru radiation and the scan showed no sign of cancer. He finished the scheduled radiation treatments and now we wait and in about a month, he will have a head-to-toe PET Scan, from what I understand, and it will show NOTHING!!! His dad and I threw a HUGE picnic for Russell last weekend for all friends and family to just let Russell know that we are all behind him. It was also a way to thank everyone for all the support they showed Russell, Brandi and the kids during his illness. Russell looks great and everything in his life seems to be back to normal. Hailey has started summer soccer practice and Russell is, of course, one of the coaches again. Evan is talking up a storm and doing it very well. I can understand almost every word he says even when we are on the phone. He is as cute as a button and as active as a yo-yo! Brandi stays busy taking care of all the homefront while Russell works and provides the money. I truly don't know who has the toughest job but it sure seems like Brandi is constantly on the go. Cooking, cleaning, taking care of the household budget, running the kids around everywhere. I know Russell works hard, too, dealing with all the dogs in the business environment. But, all in all, they seems to be happy most of the time and that makes me happy. I am still working approx. 3 days a week. Its nice to have extra money for a change, especially in this bad economy. The California state budget is in a bit of a pickle this year and I'm hoping and praying that I don't get layed off as part of the new state budget in July or, if its late, in August or September. Again, fingers are crossed. Even if I do get layed off, although it will be quite a challenge, I will get back to the writing and see if I can finish the book. So there is an upside of getting layed off, after all. I will write here again as time permits....sorry that sometimes there is such a long break between blog entries. Until next time....

RUSSELL HAS CANCER!!

Yes, you read that right. On January 11, I got the news that no mother wants to hear. My son, Russell, has testicular cancer. I was at work when I got the news, Brandi was more than upset, and at first, I just tried to calm HER down. Then, after hanging up with her, I went outside and absolutely lost it. I went home, got on the internet, and learned everything about this awful disease. The first thing I learned was if you had to get cancer, this would be the one to get. Very curable...90% cure rate. But the whole thing is still way scary. He had surgery to remove the affected testical about 1 1/2 weeks later. Since then, while getting healthier by eating healthy, exercising, taking supplements, he has been tested, probed, imaged, etc. etc. to determine his therapy course. Finally, after 2 months, he is starting a rather new and cutting edge treatment today. The new treatment consists of one massive dose of chemo that enters his body intravenously over only a half hour's time. From what I understand, this is a full course of chemo but condensed into a half-hour treatment. 30 days from today, he will start a full 3-4 week schedule of radiation. Cancer will be completed gone or, at least, this is our wish. And there is no reason to think otherwise. This new treatment was developed in the UK over the last 10 years or so, with a 96.9% success rate. I believe Russell is the first to undergo this treatment in the USA. I need to add, also, that this new treatment was developed by the best cancer doctors in the world so they tell us there is no reason to doubt it's ability to cure my son's cancer. So here I am today, sitting on the edge of my seat. It is 8:30 in the morning, I've been up for hours, and Russ will start his one-shot chemo at 9. We have no idea how Russell's body will handle the chemo. Of course, I hope he sails right through with a minimum of discomfort. I will know soon. Fingers crossed. Prayers to the universe have been said. I will post again in a few days.

ITS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Only 3 days till the BIG day!!! Santa is pretty much ready at my house. Shopping is done, gifts are all wrapped, house is decorated and the carols are playing. The kids (and, of course, the grandkids) are coming to my house for din-din on Christmas Day this year. I am doing a 100% Italian dinner.....herb roasted turkey breast, butternut squash soup, dressing and cranberry relish from Corti Bros!(Ouch! Pricey...but it will be worth it!) The rest.....lasagna, Italian meatballs, cheese plate and a million and half appetizers....are all from my kitchen. I'm off to Patti's Solstice party tonite for a short appearance and then, early tomorrow morning, I'm off to the grocery store for all the fresh produce, etc. Then home and I start cooking. A little on Sunday, a little on Xmas Eve and alot on Christmas Day. Hopefully, I have all the cooking spaced out enough so that I can still enjoy it. At first, the kids were planning on spending the night on Christmas, but as it turns out, I lagged regarding a kennel for Princess and nothing is available. This means that Princess will have to sleep in my room (instead of Hailey) and Russell would have to sleep on a sofa. Of course, true to form, Russell has declined the opportunity and Brandi and I are playing it by ear. We think it might be possible to change his mind once he is here. We shall see.....

I went to New Orleans for a week earlier this month and, per usual, had a great time. Larisa, Katie, Monique and Anna also went. It was loads of fun but, at times, a little wierd. Anna and Monique mostly hung out by themselves......due a little to Monique's shortage of funds....which meant that Larisa, Katie and I hung out most of the time....which was very cool. It was Katie's first time ever in NOLA and, need I say, she fell in love with my favorite city. Fact is that she is planning on going back with us in April. I really hope she does....I love Katie....and she really likes to do the touristy stuff which, apparently, doesn't really appeal to Anna. Its tough to get Anna off the bar stool, which I love bar stools, also, but I also love to go see the rest of New Orleans. So I am really keeping my fingers crossed that Katie will go with us.....

I need to clue you in on what is going on with my book. I've kinda gotten away from it since I went back to work (working 3 days a week, most weeks). But I have promised myself that I'm going to get back at it once the holidays are out of the way. I have alot of good ideas regarding where my story is going....so if I want to get it done, first draft, by the time I go to New Orleans for my 6 months...I have to get at it. The plan right now is to go to New Orleans in October or November of next year for my long awaited 6 month stay.

Well, that's about it....Happy Holidays!!! Ho! Ho! Ho! (who ya callin a ho?)
Til next time......

FUN WITH ONLINE DATING?

Yes, I finally did it! I signed up for Yahoo Personals!!! I have been 'active' in that arena for about 2 wks now and I can make the official announcement...........Zippo, Nada, Zero, Yuck. I have been looked at by about 20 men in those 2 wks. I have probably looked at more profiles than that. I have contacted 3 men (yes, I am a big chicken!) who have not written back. But all in all, it is kinda fun. I have actually been contacted by 4 or 5 men, none of whom I would be interested in. Although, I did reply to one, mostly to be polite. And I figured, what could it hurt? I had already read his profile and pretty much knew that it would go nowhere, but like I said, mostly out of politeness.......BIG MISTAKE! This guy, although we never took a step past a few emails back and forth, turned out to be an obvious control freak. From the get-go, he tried to arrange a face-to-face meeting, way before either of us knew anything about one another. And the more I found out, the less I wanted to meet him. Finally, I just stopped replying. Then after 4 or 5 days of our 'relationship' ending, he wrote me a rather testy email, lecturing me on my online capabilities, etc., why was I wasting my time online, I will never find anyone (probably true, but I knew that going in....), etc. Of course, I had to have the last word and shot back a rather testy but intelligent email of my own. The whole thing was actually pretty entertaining. On another front, I sent off a short email to a guy named Mark in Stockton that looked pretty interesting. However, he is 49 so probably looking for someone younger. I don't know if, at the end of the month, I will re-up for another month, right now I'm torn. I mean it has been kinda entertaining in a way, but we are talking $25 a month and I haven't decided if its really worth it. I would like to meet someone to have fun with, travel with, laugh with, etc. But, then again, I laugh alot anyway and am not sure I want to take that HUGE risk again. Yea, I know, my chicken feathers are showing again......until next time........

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

Heya! I've been retired for almost 2 months now and I must say that the whole thing is pretty easy to get used to. Yet I am in a quandry. I have contacted the BIG boss at my old office and told him that I would like to return to work for 3 days a week. I'm hoping that it will be enough, if I bank all the money I earn, to visit New Orleans for an extended stay of 3-6 months. However, he called a day or two later to let me know that it may be awhile before budget approval is secured. The problem is that if I can't get my butt to New Orleans by the end of January or so, the whole thing might be a mute point. You see, I need to get back here before the ugly hot/humid weather hits and thusly, hurricane season. I want to be back home by the end of May, probably, so I really need to get back to work soon to save enough money. And so I can leave for NOLA by the end of January. If it all doesn't happen soon enough, I'm thinkin I would still go back, but would have to change the New Orleans plan to a nice vacation somewhere else plan. If that turns out to be the case, I guess I could still visit New Orleans for a week or so now and then. I hate that I don't know how it will turn out. But I'm trying to get rid of any and all control issues (not many but some created out of necessity by working 9 to 5 for almost 35 years), and so I'm trying to become entirely "Go With the Flow". Per usual, I'll keep ya posted.

Now a little info on my second quandry. I'm thinking of adding to the armband tattoo I already have (see photo). Since I am so in LOVE with New Orleans, I am playing with the idea of a Fleur de Lis inserted kind of behind my armband tattoo. I want it to be feminine yet show strength, utilizing shading for depth, etc. Or maybe the whole thing should be in shading to rather signify that New Orleans is always in my thoughts. Or if I was really bold and courageous, I could do a Fleur de lis on the other arm and it could be bursting out of my skin. Obviously to signify that NOLA has gotten under my skin.

hmmmm........the photos I've included are examples of Fleur de lis' that I've stolen off the net.
I would combine these into a single tattoo.

If I actually end up doing this, I will do a post to my blog with the final art. I'm not going to do it unless I am TOTALLY excited by the artists design. Saturday we tooled around Midtown while Larisa's brother, Steve, got a cool tattoo at The Royal Peacock Tattoo Parlor. A guy named Jesse, a friend of Noah's, inked Steve's work. I am going to chat with Jesse sometime in the next few days and see what he can come up with. I will definitely keep ya posted.....well.....until next time......

I'M RETIRED!!!! YAY!!!

Well, hey there! Well, its official.......I am retired!!!!! YAY!!! I retired on my birthday which is in the first part of May. I am trying to decide now is I should go back to work as a sorta consultant on July 1st. I work for the government so its a program called Retired Annuitancy. They pay you your retirement benefit plus when they hire you back, they pay you at an hourly rate equal to your last rate of pay. Does that make sense? I've always wanted some extended time in New Orleans and the only way I can do that is to go back to work for awhile to pay for it. But it sure is fun NOT working. So we will see soon enough what my decision is. I need to let them know by June 15th and that date is quickly approaching.

Speaking of New Orleans, I just got back. I went with Anna and stayed for a week. We stayed in a new (to us) hotel called the Place d' Armes. It was just gorgeous. Old for sure, but clean and great staff. It had several gorgeous courtyards with fountains and pool and lush flora,etc. The room provided all the Frenchquarter charm you could ask for. And the price was VERY reasonable. I definitely will stay there again. This trip was mostly partying and eating. Didn't really do or see any of the extra NOLA stuff. I actually stayed up and out til about 1 or later (2:30 am once!) every night. Guess that proves I can still hang, huh? New Orleans is coming along nicely, albeit slowly. The Quarter and other touristy areas look better and better all the time. The rest of the city still has a long way to go, though. The next big thing for me will be when the St. Charles streetcar is up and running. I'm told that will happen in early 2008. Hopefully, I will be there to see it happen?

Back to my retirement......I have recently found out that I will not get my first check until sometime hopefully later this week. Nice of them to tell me that ahead of time, huh? So I am watching my pennies at the moment.....I paid my mortgage on the first, but very little $ left over so hopefully that check will arrive very soon. I am kinda keeping a low profile, hangin around the house, gardening, cleaning, watching movies......just trying not to spend money. It still beats working, tho!!! HA!!!! Until next time.......

1 WEEK AND 2 DAYS!!!!!

Yep, you read that right! Only 1 week and 2 days left til I retire!! YIPPEEEE!!! It all actually seems very frickin weird. I am so excited but it really seems very surreal. I only mean that I have worked for over 34 years, gradually working to get to this point of my career (the end!), tucking money away, working and waiting, paying the bills, and all the time wondering what it would be like if I ever am lucky enough to retire. And, what do ya know, that time has arrived! I keep thinking I am going to get hit by a Mack truck before next Thursday...just kidding....had my fingers crossed.....HA! Yes, that day in May will be a great day in my life.......my birthday, my retirement day, my last day of work, and the day of my luncheon!! So no matter what happens that will be an outstanding day for me. Then the following Saturday is my 5th or 6th annual Summer Gala BBQ and Trivia contest. THAT day also happens to be Cinco de Mayo, a day of major partying in California. So I will be making Jerk Chicken (I know...its not exactly Mexican food, but it IS spicy!?!??!) and Mardi Gras Dip. Friends are bringing sides and more alcohol and maybe some other goodies. Its always a good time...not a huge crowd, ever, but a fun day none-the-less. After that its a week of total relaxation....then a little hitch in the pleasure of retirement. On Monday, May 14th, I'm having a root canal....OUCH! Trying not to think about THAT too much. The next big thing comes along on May 22......going to, you guessed it, New Orleans!!! It will be so great to get back to NOLA (for a week!) once again. I am still tentatively planning to move there for 6 months in January. However, I am also considering the possibility of using the money that I earn, should I decide to return to work (all fun money, dear!), to travel to places as yet unseen. I will begin to seriously look at my options toward the end of June. I'm thinking that if I decide to go back to work part-time, I should do it around July 1st. Work for 6 months, part-time basis, try to earn around 15 BIG ones, and then put a plan into action. I'll keep ya posted. Until next time.......(just re-read this, I really need to post some pics, huh?)