UPDATE and I tried to get creative Saturday morning taking photos in the roses at Albertina Kerr

UPDATE: I went to the Fred Meyer with Lamont today and walked quite a bit throughout the very large Hollywood store, using the grocery cart to provide rest when needed. That was good for me, to work on stamina. However, when we got home, I found myself exhausted which means that my oncology pharmacist's prediction that fatigue would set in even more between Chemo Round Four and Round Five has come true. I shall not give up. I shall walk and rest and repeat until I accomplish however much I am able to manage. I shall not overdo anything so as to put myself in jeopardy. And, as always, I thank you for every single prayer, for your love and concern.



I held my camera among the small blossoms in a large pot placed between two benches on the south side of the front walk up to the doorway of the Albertina Kerr Center. Sitting on the other bench and twisting myself to the right, not wanting to crush any of the flowers and not being able to see my tilt screen very well in the bright sun so I had no idea where the focus might lock, I held the camera as still as I could, depressed the shutter button half way, heard the focus sound, and took one photo after another, repeating the steps until I had to sit back and rest, enjoying the smell of the roses blowing in the breeze. None of the photos are exactly what I hoped to accomplish with such a haphazard process, but I am pleased with this one, so I'm sharing it with y'all.

UPDATE and a lamp post detail in need of some TLC

UPDATE: I made it better going to and from work. In fact, I went on an after-work field trip in search of fried chicken by catching a bus across the street from work--it let me out in the same block as my destination, then I caught one later on right across the street that took me downtown a little over a block from where I caught my last bus of the homeward commute. I found a fried chicken breast on the side at Pine State Biscuits, as well as a biscuit with butter and strawberry jam. It satisfied my craving but wasn't really what I was looking for--I'll have to keep looking around Portland for it 'cause I'm not gonna be cooking it myownself. After I got near home, I stopped by the Blue Diamond to visit a while and was there long enough to get hungry again, about four and a half hours after the chicken. So, I decided to see if I could satisfy another craving I've been having, for a steak. I ate almost all of a tasty small sirloin strip steak, nice-sized baked potato and a side salad. I haven't done anything like this is weeks. I walked on home and don't feel sleepy yet which is good since it's just after 8 p.m. I'll be walking in the building's hallway over the weekend and on Monday. Thanks for your continued prayers, love, and concern. Y'all mean so much to me!



Earlier this week I noticed this when the streetcar stopped to pick up or drop off. I thought it certainly worthy of a photo to share with you.



Here's a bit of a wider shot.



And one still wider which also includes the sign for the business on the corner. I hope you've enjoyed these three photos on the blog today.

UPDATE and if I were to need floor coverings, I'd include this business in my search

UPDATE: Well, I can tell you one thing for certain-sure. Even with chemo-induced fatigue, you need to get up and walk as often as you are able to make yourself because you won't do your so-called stamina any good otherwise. I found out for sure on my way to work and on my way home. Since the chemo last Thursday, I've taken a lot of naps, slept all night every night, but not walked much. I made it today, there and back, but I could tell right away that I should've been making myself walk in the hallway of my building, if not outside because some days it was in the 80s out there. Now, I'm smarter than ever, y'all, because I'm learning from my own experience. Thanks again for every single prayer, for you love, and for your concern!



Today on the way home, the first leg of the commute, I rode the Portland Streetcar north on SE Grand until I arrived at East Burnside where I got off and transferred to a 19 bus. While riding along on the streetcar, I took a few photos out the fabulously large windows. I decided, when I looked at this photo of Paulson's Floor Coverings that, if I were to ever own a house again--which will only happen if I win a big ol' lottery, y'all, and it won't be a house, it will be a building with a parking garage in the basement--that I'd have no qualms shopping here. Look how neat the building and parking lot look. Wouldn't you find that inviting? There used to be a Paulson's on NE Sandy so I'm familiar with their multi-colored sign which was on top of that store. I consider it to be mid-century in design--they've been in business since 1921, so it might be something introduced in the 1950s. What do you think? When the store on Sandy closed, I wondered where it would end up, if anywhere. Lo and behold, on my home bound commute, if I am able to catch the streetcar in a timely fashion.



By the way, here's the sign on the store on Sandy, painted over unimaginatively by the tenant at the time I took the photo, March 22, 2014. I haven't been by there lately, but whenever I do get close enough to take a photo, I hope it's been revived somehow, at least with some bright colors, for goodness sakes!

UPDATE and a bit more of a mural I noticed on the way home Wednesday

UPDATE: Chemo Round Five proved interesting, doable but interesting. I had to have the Taxo paused for an hour and a half, due to its impact on my blood pressure. After that pause and taking an additional medicine to relax me (which should help one's blood pressure even when one isn't aware of not being relaxed), the Taxo resumed and finally emptied. Then the second chemo, Carboplatin, flowed in like a charm which it has done all four rounds. Afterwards, tired and hungry, Lamont drove us to 3 Doors Down Cafe where we met Leland for a fine supper. Thanks, sons! Thanks, 3 Doors Down Cafe for being as wonderful as always, both front of the house and back of the house.



This is the southern end of a mural I noticed the other day from the Portland Streetcar. It's the white shapes on the black and brown background. It's located at 525 SE Pine Street, just east of SE Grand Avenue.



Here's that bit of the mural, its northern end--you get just a glimpse of it at the right edge of this photo. It's one of the Forest for the Trees, 2015, public art offerings.

One of these days, like I mentioned earlier, Leland and I will go on an outing to find and photograph murals around Portland. The ones easiest to find will be those for whom we will get locations from the lists on the Forest for the Trees Web site. We're both excited at the possibilities!



By the way, here's what we ate last night at 3 Doors Down Cafe. Leftmost, Lamont's special of the evening which was braised rabbit over papardelle with cacciatore sauce. In the middle, my mini meatballs with marinara and mozzerella plus baked macaroni and cheese. Rightmost you see Leland's roasted golden beets with pancetta and comte cheese risotto. Each one of us ended up supremely satisfied.



Before our dinner order arrived, we received a couple of grand appetizers from the Chef. I'm proud to say that both sons used to cook at 3 Doors Down Cafe, Lamont as sous chef, Leland as line and prep cook. so we have a great relationship with the restaurant.

On the left, housemade blood sausage with cipollini onions and fingerling potatoes. On the right, molasses cured salmon, buttered grilled rye bread, capers, onions. Needless to say, not a morsel of deliciousness remained once the three of us dove into them. Thanks, Chef!

City Daily Photo Theme Day - Shelter, it's more important to me than ever while in treatment for cancer

It's a great day in the City Daily Photo realm. We invite you to join us! Click here to see Theme Day posts from around the world.



In a few hours I will be at the Oncology Center undergoing Chemo Round Four of the six prescribed for me. Since this journey into my new normal began in early March, the love of my two sons for me--Lamont on the left and Leland on the right in this photo that I took on January 7, 2012, one year to the day after my little Mama had died--has been the place to go in my mind, in my heart, and in person whenever I needed to be sheltered from the reality of my new normal. And that's important to me.

These two little boys who have grown into men who comfortably draw me in physically, up against their chests, holding me tight with their strong arms, murmuring their love for me until we let go and smile at each other before going in for one more hug before we part. Lamont and Leland, their father's two boys. I love them so. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland who have looked at me with their beautiful eyes and smiled at my bald head and my thinning eyebrows and eyelashes and answered me in a most believable way when asked. Told me that I look fine, that I look good, that that hat doesn't work. Told me so that I know I still look like their Mom to them, no matter what. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland who have taken my grocery lists to Fred Meyer, called or texted me photos from there to make certain the right items ended up in the cart. Since late June, they each have even endured a slow-moving visit to Fred Meyer when I felt like I needed to go with them, to hold onto the grocery cart and shop for some new earrings in addition to grocery staples and cravings for me. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland who have walked with me back and forth to the Blue Diamond for food and fellowship or have taken me in their cars to satisfy other food cravings to Killer Burger or Burgerville or Cha Cha Cha or Bijou Cafe or 3 Doors Down Cafe for those same reasons. Sometimes to places to be together out and about for a good time. So that I could enjoy riding along, looking out the window, feeling the fine Portland breeze, being out of my apartment and with one or both of them. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland, who with beloved friends, took my place in April when my Portland Trail Blazers played two home games in the first round of the NBA Finals, one loss, one win. Whichever son was at the game texted me photos of the good time had by all in that huge crowd of hopeful fans--the other son watched with me at home on TV. Those same sons and beloved friends took my place at a Portland Thorns NWSL soccer victory in August (a Portland Trail Blazer season ticket holder perk) and texted me fine photos from there, too. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland who have helped rein in my occasional ramblings and/or wonderings about not only the cancer, but also the two surgeries when the cancer quickly came back two months after we thought it was all gone, the chemo, the upcoming radiation, the slight changes in my currently part time work schedule and my successfully riding the bus and streetcar there and back, but also about my dealings with a short term disability insurance employee when I finally revealed to them her total ineptitude* once I got over the shock of it and could spell it out to them. And that's important to me.

Lamont and Leland, who as far as I can tell have believed me from the get-go when I have said that this cancer is not going to kill me; that my expectation is to be cured, that my positive attitude is as great a weapon as the medical ones I readily subject myself to endure. The cancer has changed my life, sure, but I'm in treatment for the cure. And that is most important to me.

Merriam-Webster says this about shelter, a position or the state of being covered and protected. I say this about shelter, that my sons provide it for me as if it were second nature, about which Merriam Webster says this, an acquired deeply ingrained habit or skill. Thank you, Lamont and Leland, for becoming the men you are today, who wear your second nature so lovingly.

While my City Daily Photo Theme Day post focuses on my sons, I shall not leave out for a single second the cover and protection in my new normal provided by each of you who continue to pray for me, for us, for my caregivers. I am grateful for your love and concern from afar as well as for the help provided by those of you in Portland. I love y'all and and thankful for y'all.

*She had my claim connected to the wrong policy the whole time and incorrectly told me that my going back to work part time would not impact the receipt of my short term disability benefits. Thankfully, she got it explained to her about the mess she was making in time to correct it before I ended up owing money to the short term disability insurance company from benefits she might have approved and released in error.