Things Settle Down

Roger is feeling much better. He stopped taking pain medication Friday night, and all is well. He's definitely on the road to full recovery. Life is starting to feel reliably safe again, and relatively normal for us. Well except for this... these two bucks seemed to enjoy Roger's company quite a bit. They didn't run or get spooked at all while he was busy pulling out thistle. They hung around for a long while just on the other side of the fence, eating the low grasses and checking out the new healthy guy.

Wordless Wednesday: The Genesis of Art

Stained glass, filigree, and lace.

The Difference Between Wednesday and Friday

So I was brazen enough to declare that life was sublime on Wednesday. Then Roger woke up Friday morning and really didn't feel well. He's not sure what's up, but says he still wants to take the morning hike anyway. He spots this little fawn in the woods.
But even before the hike is over, his energy is waning. When we arrive back at the house, he crawls into bed and pulls the covers over him. He feels chilled.

I had already called the doctor to make an appointment for the afternoon. Something is really wrong. Still, the butterflies and moths are flying around the yard as splendidly as they did the day before.

The doctor examines Roger and says, "You need to go to emergency, you have an abscess that requires surgery right away." Oh shit, we say. Friday afternoon is spent in the emergency room with ensuing lab tests and CT scans. He is admitted and surgery is performed Saturday morning. Our good friend Tara comes to stay with me, so I won't completely lose what's left of my mind. The surgeon wants Roger to stay until Sunday, just to make sure everything is okay.
Which it is. Everything is really okay. But shit. Enough already.

Wordless Wednesday: Life Is Utterly Sublime

Spring Happened, Finally!

After a relentless and endless deluge of rain, the clouds left Monday night leaving us with the bluest sky and temps in the mid 70s for three consecutive days. I cannot tell you how seriously grateful we are for this warmth and sunlight. Our garden appreciates it as well, shaking off the last bit of cold rain and sending out flowers and ripening pale fruit in celebration.
Not only that, but the beautiful orange moth that we first saw last year is back, in almost the same spot on the leaves of the waterlily. This year the wings don't seem as dark as last, but we're pretty sure this is a brown tiger moth. Sure wish it would spread its wings and give us a hint of its other colors and details. Oh well.
And then, of course, the yard is full of the sound of froggies. The sun awakens them and out they come from wherever they have been hiding. Just like the lizards. Our cold-blooded, fair-weather friends are back, and we're happy to see them too. All of them: the giant iridescent black bee that never lands, the crazy cranefly with its spindly legs, the yellow crab spider on the potato plants, the dragonflies down by the pond. They're all here.

It happened. Spring.

medicalworld

in one day i got a deposit and a withdrawal for my blood account. i had radioactive glucose added for a pet scan and gave up some blood from the other arm for various diagnostic stuff. didn't faint. didn't even blink. i think i received in my right arm and gave from my left. this was prep for meeting with the oncologist to wrap up this chapter of healthcare.

also.... SUNSHINE!!!!

Thoughts on a Thursday

This is Elena.
We've all posted a million images of our beautiful children, right?
In fact, you first saw this image of Elena here in this post.

This is an ultrasound image.

We've all seen a million ultrasound images, right?

It's just another fuzzy, embryonic view of an indistinct entity in the amniotic midst of becoming someone. That nose and mouth, a profile of a little living thing. Why would we even post such an image? Because this is one of the first images we have of our first grandchild. S/he is growing in Elena's beautiful body. Elena is going to be a mother. Her lovely partner Jason is going be a father. And, we are going to be grandparents. The baby is due on Halloween. Isn't that a delightful trick and treat!