Wow. Just wow. I can't believe how long it's been since I last wrote. I really have no excuse other than - well - I've had too much to say I think. And because of that I stop talking. It sounds good doesn't it.
It may also be the new job. There's something about learning new stuff that makes me come home and be tired. The job is going great and I feel like I'm home again. It's 100% project management and it feels in a hole I hadn't realized was vacant.
In other news, frankly I'm not really sure how to say this. I guess the best way is to come out with it. I still may be slightly in denial and so am slowly coming to grips with this. I'm sure you'll be as stunned as I was to get the new. My BigBro has cancer.
It's okay. You can gasp. I did. Of course after I gasped, the gasping was the loss of air that had been knocked out of me. Even just typing it I'm still unsure that it's happening.
BigBro had been experiencing a persistent, and pesky cough for a couple of months. Doctors diagnosed it as pneumonia. He had all the symptoms. It was a fair diagnosis. It wouldn't go away. And being a good patient he pushed his doctor to do some more tests.
More tests and more tests and later we know that BigBro has Stage IV kidney cancer in his right kidney - and unfortunately it's moved to the lungs as well. On top of all that, what BigBro thought was a pulled butt muscle turned out to be a spot on the top of his femoral bone in the hip.
I know. Take a moment and take that in. I've had several moments. And I still can't type it or say it without a small amount of denial.
And yet, I know its real. It serious and it's real.
So what's next? Well, if there can be some silver linings in the cancer story, it appears to be all the same cancer and we've been told that since it started in the kidney and moved from there, there's a better survival rate. This Wednesday, Aug 28th, BigBro will be in surgery to remove his right kidney. Once the doctors can do some pathology they can better determine the chemo/radiation plan.
BigBro is showing all signs of positive attitude. He's in project management mode ... just wants to get 'er done. I wonder if he thinks if he keeps upbeat the rest of us will follow.
As for me, I'm choosing to be very positive about this. Thinking back 10 years when we had to deal with Blueberry and cancer I handled that entirely different. I took the emotional route. I did a lot of "what if's" and what not's. It was a horribly dark route to take. Now 10 years later we know more, we have a bigger support network, and well, we're all more mature. I'm facing this with an attitude of "just the facts mam". I'm doing my best to just listen to the fact, and work from there.
That doesn't mean, by any stretch, that I'm not reeling inside and am a bit heartbroken at the prospect of my BigBro dealing with cancer.
We've created a Caring Bridge that will be used to keep everyone up to date. You can check it or check back here as I'm sure I'll be filling you in.
So what can you do for me? You can live your life and tell the one's you love just how much you love them. Too quickly life can turn on a dime. Oh and never EVER give up an opportunity to pee. I'm just sayin'.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
August Sunday Dinner
Wow, I hadn't realized I hadn't posted for so long. Sorry about that. Things have been a bit crazy lately - I'll go into that later.
First let's review the weekend - backwards.
Last night was the 3 year anniversary of Sunday dinners. Its hard to believe that something I thought up while being bored at work has now gone on for 3 years. It's been a blast. Tons of fabulous memories. I love that each month it's almost guaranteed I'm going to see most of my favorite people.
The first invite list went out to 40+ people. My first Sunday dinner was 5 of us. My friend Heidi, her BF at the time, Blueberry, and I think the Pantry Goat was there. We BBQ'd and ate at the table.
Since then it's blossomed into guests from 6-14 at any given Sunday. I've tried a ton of new recipes, and have found a few go-to ones.
Now 3 years later - I have a nice little rhythm.
Last night I did "Make-Your-Own" French bread Pizzas. I got focaccia bread for the "French bread" and oh man was it good. I had WAY too many toppings but I'll use them in salads etc for the next couple of weeks.
Dessert I made 'Smore Dip. OMG...let's just take a moment to take that in. SMORES DIP.
I turned my back for a minute and almost - well did - burn the marshmallows. Still it smelled like a campground and tasted like 'smores. Delicious.
The "Make-Your-Own concept was new to my guests. They're used to me making their meals for them. They didn't complain, well one did but we'll ignore that. They all played along with me and piled their bread high with toppings.
It turns out that I'm a meat lover when it comes to pizzas too. I had three veggies: onions ( a must on any pizza), mushrooms (PhotoGirl asked why you would ruin a good pizza with mushrooms), and bell peppers (not for me, but for the few who like them - weirdos). Oh and olives - are they a veggie? The rest was all meat: pepperoni, Genoa salami, sausage, and Canadian bacon). Delish. And let's not forget the cheese. How best to put it all together was a topic and it was interesting to see most of us pile it about the same way. The sauce, a small bed of cheese, the toppings, and a bit more cheese on top for good measure.
See! Look at those topped pizzas. It was a bit hard to remember who's was who's when they came out of the oven. Luckily they were mostly the same. Except for the odd few who put peppers on their pizzas.
At the end of the night I had well fed, happy campers.
I don't know why I bother taking a normal shot. I almost always only use the "abby" normal shot. Still it's a fun tradition. I forgot the duck again in this photo. The cats can be this month's "duck".
It was decided that Sunday dinners are now going to go mobile. Each month if another guest wants to have Sunday dinner at their house, then so be it. Next month, Sunday dinner at The Yank's and PhotoGirl's house...and they're making carnitas. In fact, their discussion about carnitas is what got this idea off the ground.
This should be fun. I can't wait to see this new version of Sunday Dinners. It'll be Sunday Dinner 2.0.
In other sad, not related to Sunday dinner, news, my Uncle Bob passed away last night. He's The MomUnit's brother. He's the second of her siblings to pass and with each passing it's sadder and sadder to see another generation dying off. As a young person you never really think about your family dying. And as you get older and experience it, it dawns on you that they won't be there forever.
I didn't know Uncle Bob very well. I wish I did. We didn't spend a lot of time with the MomUnit's family. We moved a lot when I was a kid, and then with Dad it was the Wraspir's first almost always. I don't begrudge that, but wish I had a chance to know my mom's family a bit more. I suppose there's nothing stopping me from knowing them now.
First let's review the weekend - backwards.
Last night was the 3 year anniversary of Sunday dinners. Its hard to believe that something I thought up while being bored at work has now gone on for 3 years. It's been a blast. Tons of fabulous memories. I love that each month it's almost guaranteed I'm going to see most of my favorite people.
The first invite list went out to 40+ people. My first Sunday dinner was 5 of us. My friend Heidi, her BF at the time, Blueberry, and I think the Pantry Goat was there. We BBQ'd and ate at the table.
Since then it's blossomed into guests from 6-14 at any given Sunday. I've tried a ton of new recipes, and have found a few go-to ones.
Now 3 years later - I have a nice little rhythm.
Last night I did "Make-Your-Own" French bread Pizzas. I got focaccia bread for the "French bread" and oh man was it good. I had WAY too many toppings but I'll use them in salads etc for the next couple of weeks.
Dessert I made 'Smore Dip. OMG...let's just take a moment to take that in. SMORES DIP.
I turned my back for a minute and almost - well did - burn the marshmallows. Still it smelled like a campground and tasted like 'smores. Delicious.
The "Make-Your-Own concept was new to my guests. They're used to me making their meals for them. They didn't complain, well one did but we'll ignore that. They all played along with me and piled their bread high with toppings.
It turns out that I'm a meat lover when it comes to pizzas too. I had three veggies: onions ( a must on any pizza), mushrooms (PhotoGirl asked why you would ruin a good pizza with mushrooms), and bell peppers (not for me, but for the few who like them - weirdos). Oh and olives - are they a veggie? The rest was all meat: pepperoni, Genoa salami, sausage, and Canadian bacon). Delish. And let's not forget the cheese. How best to put it all together was a topic and it was interesting to see most of us pile it about the same way. The sauce, a small bed of cheese, the toppings, and a bit more cheese on top for good measure.
See! Look at those topped pizzas. It was a bit hard to remember who's was who's when they came out of the oven. Luckily they were mostly the same. Except for the odd few who put peppers on their pizzas.
At the end of the night I had well fed, happy campers.
It was decided that Sunday dinners are now going to go mobile. Each month if another guest wants to have Sunday dinner at their house, then so be it. Next month, Sunday dinner at The Yank's and PhotoGirl's house...and they're making carnitas. In fact, their discussion about carnitas is what got this idea off the ground.
This should be fun. I can't wait to see this new version of Sunday Dinners. It'll be Sunday Dinner 2.0.
In other sad, not related to Sunday dinner, news, my Uncle Bob passed away last night. He's The MomUnit's brother. He's the second of her siblings to pass and with each passing it's sadder and sadder to see another generation dying off. As a young person you never really think about your family dying. And as you get older and experience it, it dawns on you that they won't be there forever.
I didn't know Uncle Bob very well. I wish I did. We didn't spend a lot of time with the MomUnit's family. We moved a lot when I was a kid, and then with Dad it was the Wraspir's first almost always. I don't begrudge that, but wish I had a chance to know my mom's family a bit more. I suppose there's nothing stopping me from knowing them now.