UPDATE and my little picnic Wednesday after work in my front yard

UPDATE: The difference between my energy/stamina levels yesterday and today is shocking. Today both are at an even lower level than they were on Monday and Tuesday. I've had to lean on exterior building walls and/or handrails to rest before continuing to walk on the sidewalk to get where I'm going. I even had to rest a bit at work when going to check the fax machine, one of the things I do twice a day--I stopped and rested on the locked shred bin that is near the fax machine. After such a great day on Wednesday when not only my muscles felt more normal than I expected, but also my brain seemed filled with clarity, I'm working hard at not being down in the dumps about how I feel today. The thing to do is take these side effects one day at a time, maybe one hour at a time, deal with each one the best that I am able. And to not give up! Here's to Friday, y'all!



Wednesday after work the weather felt perfect. So much so that when I got off the bus around 3 p.m. and walked by the Subway, I thought to myself, "I'm gonna go in there, buy myself some food and drink, and see if I can get it in my front yard with my folding aluminum lawn chair and my wooden snack table. I'm having a picnic!" If I hadn't been having a good energy/stamina day, I would not have been able to get everything outside without dropping something or spilling something. Here you see my food, a six-inch tuna on wheat with an extra scoop of tuna, shredded lettuce and tomato. Plus Lay's original potato chips and a cup of Coca Cola with no ice. I know it's boring, but that's what I always get when I go to Subway. It's reliably the same which I find comforting.

To say that I enjoyed my little picnic would be an understatement. I loved it! Plus, I got to visit with my neighbor Matthew and his dog Birdie. Then, Lamont found me out there when he came over after work. Sweet! He told me later yesterday evening that it made him feel real good to see me enjoying myself outside.

Today, I was in the recliner by 4:30 p.m., about an hour after I got home. Like my little Mama used to say sometimes, "I just don't have it." That's today, Thursday. We'll see what Friday brings. Next round of chemo is one week from today, Thursday, October 1.

Thursday, August 25, Part 5, the fun continues with a few views and a picnic in Parkdale, Oregon

Finally we tore ourselves away from the Columbia River Gorge and headed south on Highway 35 towards Parkdale and the site of our picnic lunch.


Pulled over to take a photo of this barn, on our way for a quick visit to Rasmussen Farms.


Mt. Adams, in Washington, to the north.


Rasmussen Farms. Mama and Marsha and I visited here a couple years ago, during the Hood River Fruit Loop Tour. That time, and this time, we shopped in their store for local fruit jams and jellies. Yummy.


One of my favorite sights at Rasmussen Farms.


Mt. Hood from the highway to Parkdale, Oregon.


We've just settled in for our picnic. How nice to have shade and a clean table. We're on the grounds of a park-like area, the site of the Ries-Thompson House, which had been built in 19100.


And a nearby grove of beautiful trees--we walked over there when we had finished eating and putting everything away.


Mt. Hood--that's one beautiful mountain!


A stunning wire sculpture, "Winning Team, Amber and Clyde," by Bernie Jestrabek-Hart.

After I took this photo, we walked back to the SUV, got in and went on our way. Next stop? Timberline Lodge, at 6000 feet, up on Mt. Hood!

Wednesday, August, 24, as Milton, Kay and I continue to enjoy being together in Portland

Like I said, Milton didn't get a good night's sleep Tuesday, neither did Kay. I myself slept like a rock.


We decided not to go out anywhere for brunch, so I suggested we ride the 12 bus to Whole Foods. Just as we were about to walk through the door, I saw this super pink sight. Click went the camera.


Inside we each found ourselves a couple of breakfast pastries--Kay got a blueberry muffin and a pecan sticky bun; Milton got a blueberry sticky bun and a cinnamon bun; I got an apple sticky bun and a plain croissant. Kay got coffee, Milton got coffee and apple juice, I got orange juice. We sat down at one of the booths at the windows that face out onto Sandy so that we could watch folks and the traffic passing by. And I have to report that the pastries were top-notch!

Once we finished, we rode the bus to Fred Meyer where we stocked up on some essentials--I only shop once in a while at Whole Foods and then only for fresh chicken, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, maybe some ground beef, sometimes a loaf of bread; things cost a good deal there, plus I hardly ever recognize any of the brands. They didn't have the pain killer Kay wanted, either.
Not to imply that Kay was looking for liquid pain killer, she had been wanting to make some sangria a la a recipe from a friend down in Mississippi. She had the ingredients written down, so we shopped for those as well as turkey and ham from the deli counter, flour tortillas, chips and salsa, some beer, and cubed fresh fruit. Since I had not brought one of my rolling black bags with us, we carefully packed our paper bags and the one cloth bag I always carry in my backpack as best we could for our bus ride home, which would come with only one transfer. Seems like Kay and I put some items in our backpacks, too.


As we waited for the first bus, we saw these two on a bicycle crossing the intersection with the traffic signal.


Well, not just a bicycle. A composite, as you can see from these photos.

What a hoot! I've seen plenty of what are known as "tall bikes" here in Portland, but this is the first one that seems half regular bike, half tall bike!


Check out this GMC I photographed on the walk from the bus to the apartment! Cool.


I took this photo from the chair where I sit at my computer table/desk--you can see a bit of the unfinished wood on the left of the photo. Kay and Milton's feet are resting on what we'd taken to calling the world's largest footstool! Actually, it's the AeroBed inflatable queen size that Kailey's parents had loaned to me for Kay and Milton's visit. How sweet was that! Plus they wholeheartedly approved of its comfort the entire time they were here. And behind Milton you can see both of my Expedit bookcases from Ikea which Lamont went with me to find and buy, then he put together one of them by himself but waited for Leland to come over after work so that they could set it up against the wall. They put the other one together out in the hall and carefully walked it into the room. Today I'm still trying out places for things to go, which is actually a whole lotta fun. Oh, the actual footstools stacked beside Milton's right arm and the little light-colored cabinet are not in their usual places. They had to be moved so that there would be plenty of room for the AeroBed. I set it up so that Milton and Kay could use the dining room table for their big rolling suitcases--I believe it makes for a better time on a visit if you can easily get to your own stuff.

Tired but feeling accomplished, we settled in for a restful afternoon of reading and checking e-mails for them, blogging for me, enjoying sangria for Kay and me while Milton enjoyed a beer. We ate tortilla roll-ups for supper along with fresh fruit from the Farmers Market and the store, then went to bed with the goal of a good night's rest. Our Thursday plans included a trip to the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, and Timberline Lodge up on Mt. Hood. I would be driving my first ever SUV and my first time up Mt. Hood! We decided to take the rest of our sandwich makings and fruit with us, plus some pop and water, so that we could have a picnic on Thursday!

Early to bed makes for a woman right in the head as she plans for a fun day as part of her friends' stay!