Adventures of the Poor, Little Boob

 

   This journal is about my journey with DCIS which began in January 2024. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. A form of breast cancer. I didn't tell many people. Family, a handful of close friends. I didn't even tell my bosses at the museum where I teach. Somewhere along the line after much prodding and poking, I decided the My DCIS Journey was too boring so retitled the journal Adventures of the Poor, Little Boob.

The Poor, Little Boob has been cancer-free since June 0f 2024, and still has another year of taking hormone therapy and being monitored by an oncologist. My target date for ending the medication and this journey is June1, 2027

On February 27, 2024 (morning), I had a phone appointment with the pre-op nurse. She went over all the do's and don'ts prior to surgery. She had a delightful Irish accent. She told me to purchase a product called Hibi-Cleanse for bathing prior to surgery. I had read using original Dial soap was okay and she said it was. The usual no eating or drinking after midnight except clear liquids. We both agreed that clear tea without cream and sweetener was uncivilized.

In the afternoon, I went to Dana-Farber in Milford to have blood drawn for genetic testing. I wished the pre-op appointment wasn't scheduled in the morning. Otherwise, I would have asked my friend, Teague to come and pick me up after the blood draw so we could have a play day.

T Stands for Ink's Birthday Dinner

 

With Ink's birthday on Halloween, I used to do a Halloween themed dinner especially when the girlies were little.

This year, I wasn't planning anything special until Himself showed me a Halloween version of Pigs in Blankets. That is a hot dog (frankfurter) wrapped in biscuit dough and baked. In this version instead of rolling the franks in the dough, you draped the dough over half a hot dog, poked eyes and mouth with a straw and baked with the hot dogs standing up. The pigs were now ghosts and so stinking cute.

This is the recipe I followed https://kidfriendlythingstodo.com/ghosts-in-a-blanket/#recipe If you can find the Crescent Roll sheets, the dough is easier to work with than the regular crescent rolls. You don't have to worry about pinching seams closed. While some of the hot dogs baked nicely standing up, about half of them fell over. They still baked the same, looked just as cute, and tasted just as yummy.

This year, Ink's birthday fell on a Saturday. A typical Saturday night supper in New England is franks and beans. The ghost variation was fun with beans, potato salad, a blob of yellow mustard and relish. For my beverage, I had water with Stur Lemonade Flavor Water Enhancer.

 Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s blog to find out what the rest of the T gang is up to. If you want to play, include a beverage or beverage container in your post. Don’t forget to link your blog from Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s page.

Monet and Me

 

Along with Bruce and Miro are admiring the Halloween postcard sent to us by Anne's Creative Cornucopia. She created this fun postcard digitally using vintage images.

For those who like stamps, this colorful Frigatebird issued by the USPS in 2015. At the time, the price of a postcard stamps was 34 cents before May 31 and increased to 35 cents after May 31.

Today, the cost of a postcard stamps is 65 cents.

Anne thank you for brightening up my mailbox. You made my day.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Getting back from the Ogunquit weekend, the week was busy as I tried to catch up. I didn't take pictures of my own garden. You get to look at the views from Ogunquit.

Walking on our way to dinner, the Blue Heron posed for me.

I've seen this movie before

A Loon (I think) looking out over the Ogunquit River through the restaurant window

Sunset. Reflections of the restaurant lights look like flying saucers

Sunrise from our balcony looking over the Ogunquit River to the ocean

Flowers at the parking lot

An area to relax at the hotel

Waterfall

Marguerites

A faded rose

On the walk back from the beach, Bittersweet

The moon from our balcony

The Beachmere decorates lobster traps according to the season

Estuary of the Ogunquit River and the Atlantic Ocean

Cat

Seahorse

Nevermore

On the way into our hotel, a waxing gibbous moon, and I can see the Man in the Moon!

All over town, the businesses were decorated with giant and mounds of pumpkins. Bye bye, Ogunquit. We hope to see you next year.

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Because today would have been Ink's 29th birthday, a fun video about black cats

Black Cats Are NOT Like Other Cats 15 Things Owners Never Notice

and Happy Halloween

The Friday Five Good Things

 

Five good things that happened this week.

1. My tote had a hole in it. We stopped at a gift shop in York and I found the perfect size tote and it was on sale!

2. On the way home Teague and I stopped at Dairy Queen for lunch. I had been promised ice cream

3. Himself and I voted.

4. The continuing Tuesday calligraphy students weren't thrilled with the project I had for them. As they started working, they really got into it.

5. I misplaced the new tote and found it under the computer desk in the studio

How was your week?

TBT Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

  In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Spread a Little Sunshine

Some days you just get everything right. Before the holidays, I had promised to take Ma to get her hair done. Between the holidays, bad weather, and my hairdresser being booked, the plan never happened until Friday.

There was a threat of bad weather, but the storm fizzled and a snowy mix turned to rain. Himself went to pick Ma up and bring her out. I’d take Ma to have her hair done, and then bring her over for lunch. Dad would have a welcome day off. That was the plan.

Himself called me just as he was getting on the offramp from the Pike. It was getting close to Ma’s appointment time so he dropped her off at the hairdresser’s and I bolted out the door to meet him. We executed a perfect Keystone Cops drill with the cars.

The hairdresser pampered and catered to Ma. She did a beautiful job cutting and evening out her previous do which Dad had done for Ma. That was the reason for getting Ma to the hairdresser. My bad, just didn’t think about her hair. Didn’t think Dad and a pair of scissors was a good thing. I could just imagine one wrong “you’re stupid remark” and pffft! Sweeney Todd.

I had also decided to invite Prissy over for lunch. I figured Ma would have a new face to talk and sing to. Prissy would have a change of pace. It was a win win.

Lunch went well. The weeble ladies had a nice time chatting with one another. As Hannibal used to say, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Let the sun shine!