Getting going again . . . Keeping it Short and Sweet!

This is my current project - in progress.  I want to do a few blog posts now and then to share my journey as an artist and teacher. I will keep them short and to the point.

This piece is "Walking With Cancer - My Journey".   It has been a long year since I finished my treatment and since I started this piece.  I should finish it today, bury threads tomorrow - lots of threads, and do the facing on Saturday.

You can see lots of threads to bury in the closeups below, so watching a good movie will get it done.

       

       

It is one of my pieces for our "Journeys" show to open next week at the Zoot Gallery. 

Waiting a bit . . .

 Life is what happens on your way to do what you planned. . . . 

I am going to put my focused "book learning" process on hold for a week.  There has been a lot os things happening since last week.  You can go back to last week to see what I had hoped to do.  

Thursday of last week, I met with a group of artists, new to me, Montana Contemporary Arts Collective.  I am honored to join them as we work together to present our art and prepare for a small exhibit in our library in a month.  That is so exciting for me and present lots to do.  

On Friday morning, my son called and said my grandson, Walker, who has been really sick since having Covid in January, was heading back to Denver Children's Hospital for an unplanned scan over the Easter week-end..  Walker is 12 and was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015.  He has had some tough years with surgery, radiation, chemo and ongoing health concerns.  That unexpected, scary news put our next few days on hold.  We now know that his scan is clear and the best they can tell from the blood work and tests is that he is struggling with the effects of Covid long haul issues.  He will now be working with a medical specialist for a few months to see if he can regain strength and get well again.  

There have been a couple additional family issues that I am not going to go into here but it has been made clear to me that my work with my book selection was put on the back burner for a week.  

So now, I am back to getting more work done, being excited about the coming exhibit and working with dedicated artists to show and strengthen our work.  And I am so thankful that Walker had a clear scan and that his brain cancer has not returned.  

So - wait for a week . . . 

Looking forward to a new little learning trip . . .

It is almost spring - maybe?

The spring days might be coming although it is hard to tell from the weather here this week.  It is cold and very windy.  There is also a little snow, of course, but the wind here seems to be whipping every ounce of needed moisture from each flake.  

Here is our Scottish Terrier, BaileeB.  She is warming her back side to the fire after the windy, snowy, cold night.  

I am feeling "pretty good" as my dad would have said.  And I am looking forward to all the "renewals" that come with this beautiful season ahead. 

Time to "hit the learning road" . . . 

I am always inspired by books that bring new ideas, beautiful writing, engaging photos and illustrations. I want to commit time to really visit and enjoy each special book in a way that brings me the full experience I know is there for me. But, I rarely succeed. So, I decided to choose a book and try a new method. At least it is new for me.  

I am going to select a book and select specific areas for focused visits. I want to do a small study from each section.  I will commit to doing one small study each week from that section. And then, if my intentions match my actions, I will report back briefly each week here on my blog.  

How hard can that be? Well, for me, it will take some special focus because this is the time of year when there are lots of wonderful things happening - like green grass, planting, new leaves, family celebrations, and maybe even a few road trips.  

Book for this first journey . . . 

Here is the first book I have chosen. I want to spend more time with it.  I want to learn and try new ways of seeing, thinking and creating.

Process . . . 

I have a couple other books from Cas Holmes and I have not done them the justice I had intended. So I hope this new method will match my wants for the content of this one. I have previewed each chapter and I think each chapter will make a good focus for my new journey.

So here are my target dates for reporting back on each section  . . . 

April 19th - Chapter 1 - Drom: The Open Road 
April 26th - Chapter 2 - Nomad at Home
May 3rd  -  Chapter 3 - Windows to the World
May 10th - Chapter 4 - Changes in the Smaller Landscapes
May 17th - Chapter 5 - Threads of Connection
May 24th - Chapter 6 - Displacement/Discovery        

     

My self challenge is to read each chapter, think about it, and create something that connects me to the learning. This could be a fiber study, a mixed media study, a sketch, a painting or something written. I want it to create a bond between my art and my learning.  

I will report back here next Tuesday, April 19th for the first segment. I hope you will stop by and share your thoughts.  And, I hope I will have something posted here fore you to see.  

See you then . . . 

April is here . . .

I love April!  I always have loved April. In Montana it is not "really" spring but I know it is not too far away.  The snow that can still come is so appreciated in this dry country and I know the cold, cold weather won't last for 3 or 4 months.  It is also too early to do any planting but I can get ready.  It is also my birthday month.  As long as I can remember, I have loved April.  

The past week has been dark - inside.  It started a little over a week ago.  It was like a long slow sticky slide into a dark place.  And then, as sticky slides can be, little things appear and the slide gets stickier in places.  So Sunday came along and I knew what I needed to do.  I just started to climb back up that sticky slide by realizing I could clean and organize - re-organize - straighten - revisit projects envisioned - time in my studio without deadlines or shoulds.  I could talk to family and laugh about things having nothing to do with the sticky stuff.  I could move on.  I am not sure why it worked, but the shades slowly went up and the darkness parted. 

And - the sandhill cranes have returned.  

Did I say how much I love April.  

More sunlight with each day . . .

 Week 4 - And I continue . . . 

This is my 4th posting since I set my challenge to post once a week for 4 weeks and see how it goes.  I have enjoyed it and just knowing I get to blab once a week has been good.  I will now challenge myself to continue to post once a week through the month of April and then I will see how it is feeling again.  

I have really enjoyed going back through my "old" posts.  There were lots of fun times with the grandkids, the family, good friends and lots of creating.  I am glad I made some kind of record via this blog.

Book Blurbs . . . 

Yesterday I got this book as a special gift to myself for some 3D fiber inspiration.  It is captivating.  Each two-page spread has a brief bio about the artist and examples of their work.  I am loving it!  

I am starting a small "Book Blurbs" group with some other fiber artist friends.  Each month we will share our thoughts on the selected book and how it may or may not relate to our work as artists and makers.  We will read with some common questions and each of us will have a few minutes to share our individual thinking and inspiration.  We will then have open discussion and ideas on how the reading might integrate into our lives - or not.  We can decide to continue with the same book for another month and share more about our learning at the next meeting.  Or, if we decide nothing more is there, we will move on to a new book.  We will all contribute possibilities to select books we might want to delve into for discussion and inspiration.  I will write more about how it goes.  

More moon studies . . . 

Here on my design wall are several of my "moon studies".  Some are in in progress and some are just waiting for a solid idea to land

I am not as prolific with my moon studies as I had planned.  What else is new?  But I am adding more small study possibilities.  I want to do more with hand stitching and machine stitching, but the days are so filled with so many good things, I don't get as much done as I plan.  But I will get there.  

That is why I am glad there is more sunlight each day.  I need bigger days.  

See you next week. . . 

Still working on my weekly challenge . . .

March is filled with fun stuff . . . 

This is the third week of my challenge to myself to publish a weekly blog update through the month of March.  

This young deer has been enjoying our back yard every morning and again in the evening. 

Spring Break . . . 

This week is Spring Break for the public school and the university here. Our older grandson, Weston, is a sophomore and he is working but we have made a date with him for lunch and a good long visit  The younger grandson, Walker, has a full schedule with friends but we are hoping he can squeeze us in for a fun meal and a little shopping.

Good TV watching ahead . . . 

The Montana State University Bobcats basketball teams, men and women, both won their Big Sky Tournaments over the weekend.  We will enjoy watching them in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to our local favorites, we have several college teams we enjoy so Bob will be several games tand I will be getting lots of hand stitching time.  

Quilting with my A1 Quilting Machine and my Intelliquilter . . .

In August this past summer, I had my A1 quilting machine upgraded.  It has always been a wonderful machine and now it is AMAZING with a new motor, new wiring, a new tablet. new technology system, new stitch regulator, new lights and some additional upgraded parts.  Of course that then required that my Intelliquilter (robot) be reinstalled and with the COVID numbers high again through the fall and early winter it was tough to get an installer. In November, Bob and I rolled up our sleeves and with the guidance of the company we were able to do it ourselves.  

I haven't worked on it at all since we completed it.  So this past week I have reacquainted myself - again.  I am practicing and loading a couple donation quilts.  I will enjoy it again.

I haven't done a quilt for a "customer" for several years so I am practicing to select a good pattern and a good size.  This first quilt is queen size and some of my practice is shown in the picture below.

Plans for this coming week . . . 

I want to get this big donation quilt completed - my part anyway.  I want to get it back to the person who created the top so she can do the binding. 

I want to get more done on my "Walk" quilt and more hand stitching on the smaller moon studies.  

See you next week . . . 

Staying with it . . .

Showing up - again. . . 

This is Tuesday, but my intentions have been good.  

It is such a difficult time in the world that it is easy for me to get side-tracked.  My heart and love are with the innocent people in Ukraine - everyone there - all victims of the greed and need for power at any cost.  

I woke early, early this morning and realized I had not posted my "Monday post" that I committed to doing each week in March. But, I am here doing just that. My studio work has been hard this past week.  I came to my studio each day, but my heart and thoughts were somewhere else.  So I would just "show up" and do a "little something".  

Work from studies this past week . . . 

I keep working on my "moon studies".  I am taking a great class from Rosalie Dace - "Over the Moon".  It is online and offered through The Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon.  I really enjoy her teaching style of kindness, knowledge and inspiration. I am trying to get my chemo brain activated again and this class is a great way to do just that.. 

At first I thought I wanted to make a wall quilt with the phases of the moon.  But I couldn't stay focused on that idea.  So I decided to do "studies" of different approaches to capturing the moon from my heart.  

This one started from just painting across wet white cotton.  After it dried I added a bit more paint, fused on the little moon, and I will do some hand stitching to focus the scene a bit better.

These three are moons on fabrics I painted this past few weeks and I want to try some different ways to accent with thread - maybe hand stitching and maybe machine stitching.  I am not sure yet, but I will share as I do more with these. 

These three studies are moons on backgrounds - one is fused, one is appliquéd and one is painted.  I started with the fused moon below and have added some stitching.  I will work on this one this week to get it finished.  Below are the first few stitches.  I want to finish one each week along with my other work.  The hand stitching is so relaxing for me in the evenings.

And then . . . 

We had a little birthday party for my Bob on March 3rd. It was a fun gathering to help me remember all the good things that bring me endless love and happiness. It was wonderful to gather with family and feel the joy from laughter with shared memories and dreams.  

See you next week . . . 

Getting more work done . . .

Showing up . . . 

I have wanted to get going with blogging again and it seems to just fall off my radar screen all the time. And then I want to be more productive and that falls off as well.  

So - I have decided to use the blogging to share my work - ideas in my mind, in progress and completed. That just might provide the needed incentive to get more of my work completed and it will give me something to share in these blog entries with writing and pictures.  

I will make a commitment for the next 4 weeks to share a new blog post each Monday. And then at the end of March, I will let you know how it is going and what I need to change or forget or whatever.  

My dad always said, "Show up - on time - and do your work".  So that is what I am going to do!  I have defined the time and the work and now I just need to "show up".  

Work in progress . . .  

I have been working on the piece below for a couple months now and it is finally coming together. It is my story about my walk through breast cancer. The background is finally complete and now I need to sew the five panels together and show the path of my walk across, up, around and down using fabric and hand stitching. 

Each block and each segment have meaning to me as I traveled the journey. It was not a journey in darkness.  I created the log cabin blocks to show the stability, love and strength I gained from my home and loved ones. The love and good memories provided by friends and family throughout the 16 months are also told in other sections. And throughout the journey there was always light and hope. It is about 25 x 43 - at this point and it will be a bit smaller after it is quilted. 

Studies for things to come . . . 

The piece below is one of my "moon" studies. I am taking an online class from Rosalie Dace called "Over the Moon". I love the class, but I am not as productive as I would like to be. I wanted to try a simple, simple full moon with hand stitching - seed stitches here that represent mountains with the moon behind them. I originally thought I would do one of these for each phase of the moon and join them together in one piece. I will not continue with that exact idea in this format. I am still thinking on this as a project but in a different direction. 

The fabric here is recycled silk and is from a navy blue blouse and the yellow is from a tie. I like this one and will finish it with a facing. It is about 7" x 9". For me, this idea would be more interesting if it were big - like 40" x 50". That would certainly limit the use of silk from a blouse and a tie, huh?

See you next Monday . . . 

Life gets interesting . . .

Activate . . . 

This is a piece I completed a couple months ago.  It is painted on cotton with organza overlays and then quilted.  The story of the creation is beautiful to me and I will share that next week.  But it really captures where I am tonight.  It is time for me to "Activate".  

Intense Times . . . 

I want to share this piece of my work as it is titled "Intense". I created this the end of 2018 as a reflection of the intense feelings of life we were experiencing from the impact of a grand son's cancer - my mom's death - extreme drought and fires -  difficult life choices - difficult times in our country . . . 

From February 2020 until now, we have all experienced the impact of the pandemic and related extreme hatred, fear and divisiveness.  

From September 2020 until now, we have experienced even more "Intense" times from my own cancer fight!  

I am a believer that if you live a long life, as I have, you must go through lots of "Intense" times.  

My cancer update . . . 

I wanted to share where I am in my breast cancer treatment with my family and friends. I have not written in my blog since last May. This is a summary of the year and where I am now . . . 

I started my treatment for breast cancer in November 2020 after the diagnosis the month before. I had heavy chemotherapy infusions every three weeks consisting of 4 different chemical drugs through March of 2021. Two of the most fierce of the chemo drugs ended in March and my treatment plan was to continue with the other two drugs through infusions every three weeks through October.  

In April, after surgery, the pathology showed that I was free of all the cancer in my breast and the two involved lymph nodes. It was "highly recommended" that I continue with the chemo infusions and move forward with radiation once my surgery had healed. That combination was to add additional "insurance" for remaining cancer free. I decided to do both. The 33 days of radiation ended the first part of July and I continued with the infusions through October.  .  

I continued to have CT and MRI scans as well as echo cardiograms throughout the year as recommended with continued positive findings. Yesterday, I had a diagnostic mammogram recommended following the end of treatment and 6 months after the surgery. It showed no sign of cancer. I continue to be cancer free and my recommended treatment plan from over a year ago is complete.  

I am blessed and looking forward to continued healing, regaining my strength and my brain working better. I know I will need to focus my energy to continue to eat the right foods, stay at a healthy weight and become more physically active.  Those are the next steps of my "staying cancer free" treatment.  

What is next . . . 

I was a member of our local Artists Gallery but I left the end of August as the continued chemo was impacting my strength and our Covid numbers were so high again that I was not comfortable working in the public. The gallery is a cooperative where the members work shifts each month. I will not go back to the gallery as I want all of my time to focus on my life with my Bob, my family, my friends and my art.  

I look forward to becoming more prolific with my creating. I have lots of ideas and dreams and I am feeling I am "on fire" with so many things I want to do. 

I will be activating this blog on a weekly basis with it focused on my renewed energy and focused on my art. I have lots of ideas for creating new art.  I want to share more with other like minded mixed media artists. I will share more on all of that throughout the next months.  

Thank you so much for your love, your positive thoughts and for being with me on this journey.  

The changes continue . . .

Getting better with each day. . . 

Good news today.  I have decided to return as an "active artist" to our Artists Gallery in the Emerson Art Center here in Bozeman.  I want, and need, the motivation that this decision brings to move forward.  I will start in June and I am so excited about it.  

It is a co-op gallery so we all work together on it.  We move our exhibits around each month and work three half day shifts in the gallery each month.  I am looking forward to participating again and I know it is the right time for me.  They have assured me if I need to have someone take my work shift that is totally possible, but I feel confident I can do it.  The triptych that is hanging on the right was sold to a large, new, upscale local hotel that opened here last fall.  I was thrilled.  

I am the only "fiber artist" in the gallery.  The scarves hanging actually are done by one of the artists who paints landscapes.  But we have 3D and 2D artists and a new jewelry artist.  We also have an area for cards and an area in the hall that is secure and a hanging area for prints.  

Update on my cancer journey . . . 

Today I had the simulation done for radiation and it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.  I actually start radiation next Monday and go through June.  It will be every day at 11 am for about 15 minutes with 5 or 6 of those minutes actually having the radiation.  Even though my pathology after surgery showed complete remission, it is still recommended that I go through the radiation at this time.  So I am going to do everything I can to stay cancer free.  I will also continue with the immunotherapy infusions every three weeks through October and that is also recommended for my type of breast cancer.  And that is enough about that! Now I am going to get back to my work and my life. 

Change Continues . . .

Connecting Again . . .

I wanted to share this today. It is "Firewalk". I completed it 5 years ago when my grandson, who was 6 at the time, was beginning months of chemo to win his fight over brain cancer. He was officially announced "cancer free" last summer after 5 years. He is now 11.

His journey has been an inspiration to me every day of those 5 years. But his words, wisdom and actions have been even more important to me in the past seven months as I have fought my own fight with breast cancer.  

I finished my "big chemo” in March. That consisted of an infused combination of chemo drugs, immunotherapy drugs, and 4 other drugs every three weeks to kill the cancer and not kill me while it was doing that. I have been plagued with debilitating anemia and have had several ER trips for some good old red blood cell transfusions. My brain, energy, and light seemed to be on permanent vacation from by body. And then, a week ago, I had my surgery - lumpectomy on the left breast and the removal of some lymph nodes. The good news is the pathology came back, the drug mixture had done the job and the cancer was gone everywhere.  So with that good news, I was encouraged by my doctors to continue with the original, best possible outcome, treatment plan for extra assurance that it will not return. I will have radiation that starts the middle of May and will continue with the immunotherapy drugs only - given through infusion. This will not be nearly as debilitating as the chemo and I am already beginning to feel my brain, energy and light returning to my body from wherever it has been.  I am so thankful and so appreciative of the prayers and positive energy you have sent my way.  

I am feeling "much, much better".  Bob says he can tell.  The "spit and vinegar" have returned and it makes us both smile and be thankful!

And Now - Next Steps  . . . 

I am not sure where this will all go as it relates to my continued blogging.  I want to continue from a place of joy.  One thing I am certain of though, I want to focus on my family, my friends and my art.  I want to enjoy being a maker and spend little time on the next steps of the cancer treatment journey. 

I am blessed in so many ways.  Thank you!

Change of Plans Here

I wanted to keep a regular conversation about my journey with this breast cancer.  As the months have gone on, it has gotten harder and harder.  Now, I am feeling a very distinct need to be more private.  At this time, I am not planning to do more entries about this journey.   

I continue to do pretty good and am preparing for the coming surgery, radiation and immunotherapy as set forth in in the original treatment plan.  

Please feel comfortable contacting me directly at any time. 

Thank you to those who have read along to this point.  

I am here - but not much more than that . . .

My great plans for how to write through this journey have fallen by the wayside.  Here it is the first week of March and I have not updated for several weeks.  This chemo stuff is certainly "cumulative".  Of course you hear that - read that - know that - but living with that is quite different.

I completed the last session of the "big chemo" this past Monday.  I am now going to continue with the immunotherapy infusions every three weeks for the next 8 months.  But the ongoing side effects from the two chemo drugs I have completed will not continue with me.  That is good news.  

I meet with my surgeon next week to determine surgery and then after recovery from that it will be on to radiation.  I am planning to have these invasive treatments completed by the end of May or as close to that as possible.  

I had a couple transfusions to help with the anemia and I will probably get another one in a week or so.  That does some help.  It is quite a journey.  I think I would have rather read about it than experienced it for sure.  But, it is what it is.  

I have the help of wonderful friends and family and that is a blessing.  The weather is getting warmer here and there and that brings great joy of renewal.  So it is onward.

Maybe more info with the making, loved ones and treatment stuff next week.  For now, this will have to do.  

Checking In . . .

 I am just posting a quick update.  I had chemo again on Monday and am in the downhill slide of chemo effects for a few days.  I will be back next week with more "making",  "loved ones" and "fight information".  

Love to you all.

A different kind of week . . .

Quick update today on the cancer fight journey . . . 

1. The maker . . . 

I haven't done much to create anything new.  Well - yesterday I made some gluten free cornbread and muffin tops. We ate some and we froze some.  

2. The love . . . 

My Bob continues to amaze me with his support and taking care of everything while I am kind of off in the hinterlands with the ups and downs of the chemo.  Just to be sure to include a picture, here is a picture I came across of my mom's mom - Hannah.  She was is the one in the middle and she passed away before I was born so I never knew her.  She grew up in North Dakota where she was one of a family of 12 children.  Her parents came to this country from Denmark.  I can see a lot of family resemblance.  

3. The fight . . .

I continued to be really tired when I went in to the Cancer Center on Monday for blood drawing to make sure my "numbers" were ok for chemo on Tuesday.  I needed a transfusion and that was done in the ER.  We got home about 11 pm Monday night. Chemo was changed to today so we headed that way early this morning.  My heart rate was still higher than they wanted so no chemo today and I am rescheduled for chemo on Monday.  I will have my echo cardiogram tomorrow to see how things are going in that area.  It is just onward.  

This is a day of hope!

For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.     Amanda Gorman

1. The maker . . . 

I have continued with a 100 Day Creative group so I am doing a little stitching when I can.  If I am busy, I just skip it that day but I am enjoying the process knowing I have flexibility depending on how things are going.  

This is a great book for me.  It shows how to do lots of different stitches and I have lots to learn. 

I did get the hand stitching completed on this triptych.  I will now, at some time, finish the edges and mount it on a canvas.  I hope to be able to rejoin the Artists Gallery this spring or summer and I want to have more small pieces ready for display.  This will finish at about 9 x 12.  

I wanted to start a larger project inspired by the book above so I did some practice on a smaller piece.  This may bloom into something of its own or it may remain just a place to practice.  

And then I started with this piece.  It is a piece of sun printing that I did last summer and I will enjoy lots of experimenting with it as I move forward.  

2. The love . . . 

I continue to rely so much on the love of my Bob.  I am so thankful he is my partner.  

3. The fight . . .

With each infusion, I find new levels of tiredness and nausea.  I have the tools to manage it and I just keep trying to move forward.  I have different reactions each time.  Just when I think I know what to expect, it changes.  But, that is the reason, every hour of every day, that I am so thankful to have my Bob.

Keep on moving forward . . .

 But - it is getting harder with each infusion!  I am glad I am tough!

1. The maker . . . 

This week I started again to do a little hand stitching with an online group that goes for "100 Days".  I have done this a couple times and I rarely get something posted each day and I know this won't be any different, but it keeps me focused.  I am wanting to make some small pieces.  This will be a triptych.  It will be about 10"x 5" when complete I think.  I did a little stitching on the middle one the first day.  Then I filled out the stitching on that one the second day.  So you can see I am moving slowly.  

2. The love . . . 

I have been working on some short stories  as part of a Christmas gift that will be put together.  Each week I get a question to start a short memory story of my childhood and then they are all put together in a book form.  I can include pictures.  It has been hard for me to do.  But, I am getting some movement going and I know I will enjoy the process and well as the product.  Here is a picture of me when I was young with my mom.  We lived on a farm in the central part o Montana.  She was always so tiny and it amazed me that even when I was little, I was probably bigger than her.  

3. The fight . . .

Well, it continues.  What more is there to say?  I am more tired, but also tolerating it pretty well considering everything.  So I just keep on going forward.  

I can get the Covid vaccine if I am comfortable doing it.  I will get to feeling better in a couple days since my last infusion was on Tuesday and then go get it.  My doctors are pretty clear that I would not survive Covid so I don't see much choice.  They are not sure how the chemo impacts the vaccine, so I would continue to stay very isolated.  Bob will get his as soon as possible.  

Our new governor has opened up the state without restrictions and the vaccines are scarce so it is kind of a scary time. 

What a week!

Without going into what everyone already knows has happened, I will just do a quick update.  It has been a week . . . 

1. The maker . . . 

Not much made here this week.  I have even had trouble picking up my crochet hook.  But, I did make some "muffin tops" with almond flour and they are sure good.  They are gluten free, dairy free and sugar free.  I am back on eating what I know I should.

2. The love . . .  

This past week has been just Bob and I - visiting, talking, and sometimes  -  even - ignoring each other.  But we are still here.  

3. The fight . . .

This last chemo that I had right before Christmas has been more debilitating.  I know it is cumulative in effects and I have felt it.  That is one reason I need to be more careful about what I eat.  If I stay on what my bowels can digest, I do feel a bit better.  

I have chemo again this coming Tuesday and I now know I need to be better prepared to rest more, eat more in line with what my body handles better and try to find good things in every day.  

Happy New Year - 2021

“Sometimes we can only find our true direction when we let the wind of change carry us.”  Mimi Novic

1. The maker . . . 

I woke up hungry today - it was day 11 from infusion so I am beginning to understand the cumulative impact of this journey.  We usually eat cereal - hot or cold - with berries but I wanted eggs and toast and potatoes so I decided I felt good enough to cook.  Bob was right there to help because I knew my "wants" are sometimes more than my "cans".   So together we made our favorite "egg scramble with toast"  and we added a mandarin orange.  It tasted good, but I could not eat it all.  

2. The love . . . 

And Bob, my love, was right there to help and clean up.  I am blessed for sure.   

Yesterday we spent our afternoon making phone changes.  Our cell service reception out here where we live has gotten really bad in the past couple months.  It is something Verizon is doing with the addition of 5G capabilities, or something, to their current towers.  They sent us a signal extender and that worked great for me with my iPhone 8,  but Bob's phone was too old to use it so he needed a new phone.  I wanted a new phone and he didn't care so I got the new phone, an iPhone 12 and he took over my phone.  AND, we worked together to make the changes of transferring data and records, and changing SIM cards from his old one to the iPhone 8.  We feel pretty darn capable!  Or else we just don't have much else to do in this isolated life.  

Love the new camera in it!  Now to get better photographing my art!  So I have a lot to learn!

3. The fight . . .

As I said earlier, it is Day 11 from infusion.  The last two times previous, I was better by Day 9 so I am starting to understand "cumulative".  I am way more tired.  Eating was hard for the 10 days.  And for those who know me, know I have rarely missed a meal or met food I didn't like.  Nothing sounded good or tasted good. And I have quite an army of "anti-nausea" remedies at my beck and call. It was a nice feeling to wake up this morning and actually feel like I was "wanting" something for breakfast. I now have about 12 days to feel pretty darn decent and to get some work done.  I am excited about that!  We are going for a ride today - I am going to drive.  I have not felt like driving for 11 days so that is also a good feeling.  It is all good!

Happy New Year!  

It was a good Christmas time filled with love and thanksgiving . . .

1. “I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks.” – William Shakespeare

1. The maker . . . 

I found this wonderful crochet book in my own library so I am anxious to get started on a few motifs.  Also, I am reviewing a Craftsy class on freeform crochet.  I bought the class several years ago and with the changes in Craftsy now, I have gotten more involved.  Of course, the fact that there are days I don't want to be very active is also a help to have some old classes waiting on Craftsy.  I have just enough energy to try a few things and then it is rest time again.  I will get more strength in the next couple days and I am looking forward to it.  For now, I am enjoying being a comfy chair "vegetable".  

2. The love . . . 

Weston gave us some good creamed honey for Christmas so I tried it this morning.  It was delicious.  I made a piece of gluten free toast, added some of my homemade almond butter with a little of that great honey on the top.  Wow!  It was amazing!  I am looking forward to trying that again - and soon

3. The fight . . .

Chemo was on Tuesday and I changed things up a bit so I did a little better this time, but I am deep in being tired - and I mean really, really tired for a couple more days.  The night and day after chemo, I am really "jacked up" from the steroids.  I needed to come down from that "softly" so I monitored better what I took.  I eased off on the nausea med that is also a steroid and I tried to take better care of water drinking and food intake.  My doctor gave me the idea with the meds part and I do think it helped.  Also, I have found I feel better if I eat very, very light in the evening.  Now, it will get a bit better each day and then it will be chemo time again on the 12th of January.  I am anxious to get back to my studio and some work on my art.