October 14, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Home.

Part of my routine when coming home to Mississippi is going to have a PET scan. I do not really enjoy them but the technitians are excellent and friendly so I get through the process. Today was the day. The results were neutral, not much change from the last scan which was done in late June. The cancer in the bones are sre still there but we are continuing along with the same protocal, with Ibrance being the plan. The first time it took 13 months before the scan was clear so it is really too soon to expect much change. Ibrance is fairly new so I do not know if the body stops responding to the meds. More pleasant results of arriving home are my friends. Keshina, my helper worked on Monday to help me get organized and she drove me to my appointments today. My across the street neighbor send me dinner tonight, spaghetti and salad, to welcome me home. It was delicious and I ate the whole thing. Friend Eleanor has invited me to lunch on Friday, at Amerigo, the fine Italian restaurant. And my new friend Carrie, who lives down the street, will have coffee with me at 9:00 on Friday. We will drink coffee on their screened porch. Sunday I will have brunch with Christina and the girls. So I have been welcomed home in fine style. But next time I hope for a better scan.

October 13, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Aunt Eleanor.

I know few people who have lived to be 100, but Aiunt Eleanor did. She is the aunt of friend Walt MacDonald , who lives in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Aunt Eleanor lived in Hunts Point. Every summer for the past 21 years we would see Eleanor and her husband on special occasions at a dinner party at the MacDonald's home. They were a lovely couple and I enjoyed their company. In the early years, what impressed me the most was Aunt Eleanor's memory. When we arrived, she would make sure of your name. During dinner, she would call you by name and when we left, she would again repeat your name. At that time she was 80. I did not see her this summer but two years ago she could remember my name when we saw her for dinner. She had taught school all her adult life, mostly in Montreal. But after her husband retired from his financial job, they moved back to their place in Nova Scotia. After her husband died ten years ago, she lived by herself and did fine. Mary often took dinner down to her even thouigh Eleanor urged her not to bother. But when Walt arrived with the food, she could not wait to eat Mary's food. This year, after she turned 100, she got sick and was in the hospital. Her only son John decided that living by herself was dangerous so she moved into a Nursing home, where she lived two days. The morning of the third day she ate her breakfast. The attendant came to check on her and she seeme fine. In fact she asked for a second breakfast. By the time the attendant had returned with breakfast number two, Aunt Eleanor had died. And that was the thing I liked best about Aunt Eleanor. She was always looking forward to what was coming next, which she felt sure would be wonderfu. So Aunt Eleanor, RIP.

October 12, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. A Recovery Day.

The day after a travel day is always a recovery day. I have no idea why this happens after a journey but I know you are not at your best. I have noted a lack of judgement and energy levels the day after a trip, so I know not to make decisions or complicated negotiations the day after a flight or a car trip. For the last few years of Ken's life he always said that it took him two days to recover. So I know to be careful. Today the cleaning lady came as did my helper Kashina. Kashina fixed my breakfast, then we started in to sort the mail. We were effecient. She opened the envelopes and gave me a stack at a time. I made a pile of items I needed to read and respond to tomorrow. After she left at 12:30, I started on the magazines and catalogues. After lunch, I needsed to order walnuts from Sunneyland Farms and I did fine. And I spoke to the pharmacy to obtain my medications. After I put my feet up, I decided to order objects from Amazon. All seemed to go well. First I ordered long shelf milk and toilet paper. But after I had completed the order and looked at the order and arrival dates, I realized that I was soon going to be the proud order of 12 packs of applesauce once a month. Somehow or another I had signed on for automatic ordering. How it happened I have no idea but soon I must get it stopped. But not today. I am still in a recovery mode...obviously.

October 11, 2020. San Antonio. Moving On.

At just after noon, I will get on a plane. Final destination is Jackson, Mississippi. But my first flight is to Dallas where I will wait the two hours until my flight to Jackson. My bag is packed except to put in this computer and my backpack is ready. I am ready to move on. Our last dinner together was splendid. We ate steak, from the Allen Brothers steak place, along with a baked potatoes and broccili. It was a wonderful dinner, enjoyed while sitting at the table. No baseball means we dine at the table. David and Suzanne moved into this house when the twins were just a few monghs old so we had many stories to ell of events that occured in this house. We talked so long about the happy times in the house that Suzanne got tears in her eyes. But now the house is almost empty except for all the furniture. When all the furniture has gone, David and Suzanne will be moving on too for their sojourne in the tiny house. They are both looking forward to the next stage of their life. And so am I. Here I go.

October 10, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. The Tiny House.

The Guest House is officially renames. Now we call it the "Tiny House" because I told them that once David and Suzanne move in, the Guest House is no longer accurate so I named it The Tiny House. And it has stuck. Today we took three trips to take stuff. Every time we went, the place looked more like home. A new television was delivered to their old house this morning, to be used in the tiny house. Our first task this morninf was to take more boxes to storage and deliver things to the tiny house. The first thing David did was to roll out the carpet in the main room, which is a small kitchen, table in the corner and the sitting area. Once the carpet was in place, it seemed like home. And he put a welcome mat outside the front door. Next he opened and put in place the TV. Their system of TV is a fancy one, using the internet to stream their programs. Yesterday he installed the fast speed Internet so once the TV was pluggen in and placed on the shelf, we got to watch football on TV. Pretty Fancy. So already with one journey, the tiny house was feeling like home. With two more trips came kitchen stuff, towels and paper towels and toilet paper. Next came hanging clothes and lamps. The old house is almost empty. Monday is moving day so first thing in the morning, the furniture will go to the tiny house. David will return with the movers where all the rest of their belongings will go into storage. Walk through with their sale is Wednesday afternoon with settlement on Thursday so they have a few days to finish up. This house on Bluff Lane has been a good and happy house for their family. Now David and Suzanne are looking forward to their next adventure, the first being living in the Tiny House for a few months. I wish them well.

October 9, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. My Days in Texas.

My day begins when I hear David and Suzanne going to work. I listen and luxuriate that I am able to stay in bed. After they leave juat around 7:00, I get up to visit the bathroom, then retrteat to my bed and fall asleep. And I feel fortunate. I get out of bed around 9:00 and after medications, I prepare breakfast of coffee, nuts, dark chocolate and three types of fruit. While I eat sitting in the living room I read e mails. Every hour I get up to walk around the house. Sometime around 12:30, David comes home for lunch. While he eats sitting in his chair in the living room, we talk. After David returns to work, I dive into Suzanne's fridge, which is full of goodies. I will miss that fridge when I return to my own Mississippi fridge. Next I read until time to put up my feet for an hour. I alternate reading and walking in the house until David comes home when we talk in the living room, unless there is a baseball game on when we watch in the TV room. If David has errands I accompany him just to go for the ride. Today he returned two items for the TV and the internet plus we dropped off his cheques at the bank from work. Finally we went to the tiny house so he could install a type of booster for internet. And we took 2 chairs. Finally, after Suzanne comes home, we eat dinner while watching baseball games. Tonight we ate smoked salmon and salad which was a perfect meal. And I ate ice cream for dessert. My days in Texas are not fancy but they are very pleasant. David goes out of his way to come home earlier than normal and he always takes me along with hie errands. Tomorrow I will again visit the storage units and I will go with them to take stuff to the tiny house. I am not much help but I can cheer. Tomorrow I will spend my last day this trip with David and Suzanne and I will enjoy every minute. They are good company.

October 8, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Decisions.

Soon I must make a decision as to whether or not to spend the winter in Mexico, as has been my habit. So I have been gathering information. The border into Mexico is now open so planes are flying in from both the US and Canada. And I have e mailed Cindy who overlooks the resort to find out what is open and closed. She had just returned from working at Paradise Village for ten days and she reported that the beaches and pools are open as are the restaurants. She attended the Mexican Fiesta at the hotel and she said that people had a good time. The tables were far away from each other and people were wearing masks. The shopping center is also open as are the restaurants. That was good news. Next I e mailed the conceriege, Marlin, at Playa Royale, the resort where I live. She reported that the pools and beaches are open as are the palapas. You must book the palapas through the beach club. The beach club restaurant is not open, nor the restaurant at the golf course, but the El Tigre golf course is open. She reported that masks must be worn and distances from chairs must be far away. But she said that people were there enjoying themselves. In addition she offered to go grocery shopping for me, which I appreciated. And she said that restaurants will deliver. Her news was good too. On Wednesday next week I have yet another PET scan to find out if the Ibrance has once again worked magic with the cancer in my bones. When I have had the scan and met with Dr. Sheehan, my Oncologist, I will decide. But not today. Now I have the information on which to make a decision. I am in good shape.