Time Flies

Can't believe it's been so long since I wrote my last post. Am I having fun yet? Suddenly finding myself surrounded by a number of home renos as well as the need to deal with some serious changes in my mother's health/lifestyle. I'm also undergoing a few medical test of my own right now. Suspicion is that I have a bad cold, but the cough is of a concern so a CAT scan has been ordered - swear I'll turn into a feline sooner rather than later if I have many more of those! On the up side of life (and there is always an up side), much of the last week has been taken up by Mom's 90th birthday celebrations. The party continues this weekend as I'm taking her to visit close friends in Everett, WA. Might be the last trip for her, so I hope it's a happy one. Will post photos of all the goings on once I have access to Phil's camera.

My Photo Secrets Revealed

Since posting the bit about my New York adventure, several folks have remarked about my photo with Mary Poppins. While I would like to think my computer skills warrant the high praise, there really wasn't much to it. Really. All I did was stand in front of the over-sized poster hanging outside the theatre. The poster had been specially installed so that Poppins-wannabes and other fans could have their photo snapped alongside every child's dream nanny. Kinda felt like a wide-eyed kid posing with an assortment of over-sized plush-covered cartoon characters in so many Disneyland holiday photos. (Isn't it interesting that all those characters have a lot to say in their films but are absolutely silent in person? Must be amazing performance rates in their contracts!) But I digress.

Even though the photo posted on that earlier blog entry was created through no trick photography or computer magic, the result was surprisingly difficult to achieve. The following earlier attempts at publishable quality images underscore the point.

Here, a rather nervous me isn't quite sure I'll like the flying thing. Had a bit of trouble with the lift-off.

Mary makes it all look so easy, doesn't she? Well, since I do believe in magic, I opted to give it another try. Not sure if my pleading for assistance or the petting of her arm was gonna help, however.

Unfortunately, a bad camera angle makes my pre-flight practice session look like an X-rated groping session! The next image may not be suitable for all readers of this blog. Viewer discression is advised.

Looks like I'm as shocked with the result of that effort as Mary was. Thank goodness her parrot umbrella/security guard is well trained.

Finally, after four attempts, the camera, Mary and I get ourselves co-ordinated and the final photo was worth publishing. Gosh but posing for photos is hard work. No wonder stars try to avoid the papparazzi. On the other hand, the experience was good training should I ever decide to take to the stage. Now I only have to work on my singing and dancing. Thank goodness my parents had me in pantomime classes all those years ago. Excuse me while I get back to brushing up on those skills.

Butt

Gardeners are - let's face it - control freaks.  Who else would
willingly spend his leisure hours wresting weeds out of the ground,
blithely making life or death decisions about living beings, moving
earth from here to there, changing the course of waterways?  The
more one thinks about it, the odder it seems; this compulsion to
remake a little corner of the planet according to some plan or vision.
-   Abby Adams, What is a Garden Anyway

If we are to take Ms. Adams' word for truth, I'm not much of a gardener. The proof lies in the northwest corner of my lot. Some of the weeds there are taller than I and have the propensity of prolific procreation. Somehow, that is the part of the garden that receives the least amount of attention, likely because it is the one farthest from view and the area where I am least likely to pass by. But this is September, the month of new beginnings. And so it was that I stepped into the garden with renewed vigor and determination to regain control of said rampaging rough patch before the snow flies. I have little doubt my plan would have succeeded had it not been for a particularly menacing bramble root. No ordinary root this, it taunted me by allowing one end to be effortlessly extracted from the earth. It was soon apparent that I would have less luck with the business end of the bramble, and so I did what any self-respecting weed whacker would do - I tossed my head back with a demonic laugh that underscored my desire to kill the pesky plant once and for all and emphasized the point by putting my back into the next lethal tug. That's when I heard an odd noise. Faint though it was, there was little doubt the sound emanated from my back rather than from the ground. No doubt the rogue root got the last laugh as sciatica took hold. That was a week ago. Since then, I've popped more than a few Robaxacet tablets and sought comfort in the coils of Momzy's electric heating pad. While I can still feel the odd twinge when I think of bending or shifting from a sit/stand position, the worst of it seems to be, well, behind me. Note to self: judiciously prune roots in future. And use a hoe rather than subjecting my rapidly aging back to further abuse. And always, always, bend the knees. 

Marks and More

I continue to feel a bit more tired post-chemo than I have in recent weeks. The internist overseeing my treatment says that my body is having to readjust to the drugs after the two-week hiatus during my travels. Other than that, I'm doing okay. Have gained a bit of the NYC weight loss back, but that's not at all surprising since I am no longer walking 8+ hours each day in high humidity. Some of my "plumbing" continues to be temperamental, apparently a common side effect of the Vinorelbine. On the good news front, my tumour markers continue to decrease. For those who aren't familiar with the term, a tumour marker is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in the blood, urine or body tissue. It's level is elevated in the presence of cancer. Different cancers have specific and different markers. When I was first diagnosed in March, my particular marker level was 29. It is currently hovering around the 17 mark. This is very good news and another indication that the current treatment is working. Told ya I'd kick the two-year prognosis in the butt!

To sleep ...

The combination of an active couple of weeks, pleasant reduction in heat and humidity, and first chemo in two weeks have conspired against me. It's 6pm and I'm just getting out of bed. A quick something to eat, a check of the email, and I'm already thinking of a reunion with my pillow. Think I'll take life a tad slower for the next while. At least Phil is still around to help care for Momzy.

A Jolly Holiday

Home again after a whirlwind tour of Vancouver, Toronto and New York. Felt good most of the time without needing a daily nap. In fact, I managed to spend walk 10,000 steps (some days considerably more) each day I was away.

My tour began with an event that has long been on my "bucket list", seeing a Cirque de Soleil performance. Joined Penny, Marcia, Roz, and Roz's sister Jan at Kooza, the latest Cirque offering to hit Vancouver. It was amazing! Swear the contortionist didn't have a bone in her body. Gasped at the acrobats as they did flips while walking on a rotating wheel that was spinning around while attached to another rotating wheel. Others did amazing high-wire stunts, managed to balance on a unicycle while flipping a fellow performer about like an ice dancer, or other amazing feats. Laughed at the slapstick antics of the clowns/buffoons. The only slow/less-than-slick performance came from the slight-of-hand comedian. Incredible sets. Even more incredible costumes. Well worth the expense. Has increased my interest in hitting Vegas to see Cirque's water-based spectacle, O.

The next day I hung out with Roz and her sister Jan as it was my only chance to see Jan before she returned home to Florida. A fun day on Granville Island.

 
Spent most of the next day resting in preparation for the events of the next few days - travels to Toronto and New York. Good thing I was well rested as the flurry of activity came with a backdrop of very hot and humid weather. The only rain came as a sudden monsoon in Toronto - I was wearing my gardening sandals at the time and had trouble keeping my footing thanks to the water turning the dirt-stained foot bed into a muddied slick. The unbearable humidity was a good reminder of why I moved back to the West Coast after grad school.

Donna's brother was getting married in TO, hence the reason for starting the adventure there. Had a great time reconnecting with Donna's relatives whom I have met over the years and also enjoyed the chance to meet her parents and other family members. (Donna's sister Diane also introduced me to three members of her weekly prayer group who pray for me each week! I had no idea they did this and was very touched by their kind action. They were as happy to finally have a face to attach to the name as they were to hear that their efforts were having the desired effect.) I stayed with Donna's and my mutual friend Yuri and enjoyed catching up with her, too. I also took the opportunity to explore Toronto a bit. Much has changed since I was there last (1994?). I was especially interested in the conversion of the old Gooderman & Worts distillery area into a hip and happening loft/artist studio/design district. Many of the old structures have been given a new lease on life while retaining much of their industrial architecture charm. Also made a pilgrimage to the Textile Museum, but wasn't particularly interested in the exhibits that were on display. Not overly enamoured with the Alsop's addition to the OCAD. Nothing much of interest at the AGO - although I hoped to return on the weekend when the Drama & Desire exhibit (which examined the relationship between artists and the theatre) would include a live performance. Other commitments took me elsewhere, however. Oh, and I did do a bit of retail therapy - picked up some fabulous Japanese-made ribbons at Mokuba, some unique clothes at Kaliyana, and some letter fittings for knitted handbags at Americo. Also checked out the offerings at the G&S Dye shop near the Textile Museum.

Following the wedding, Donna, Yuri and I headed to New York for a few days of fun and frivolity. We stayed at the Pod Hotel on E 51st between 2nd and 3rd. A fun little spot that is geared to a younger clientele although there were several guests older than ourselves. There wasn't a room available with three beds, so Donna and I shared a bunk-bed unit with shared bath. The compact layout was perfect for our needs (we didn't plan to spend a great deal of time in the hotel) and boasted a tiny in-room sink, clock radio/iPod docking station, and flat-screen TVs mounted to the wall beside each bunk. Ah, TV. Ah, cable. Nothing like watching Seinfeld re-runs in New York!

Here's a shot of Yuri and Donna at Rockefeller Centre.

The only disappointment of the trip came when Yuri developed a debilitating migraine and had to head back to Toronto after the first day in the Big Apple. The three of us did manage to do a few classic NY visitor must-dos, however, such as enjoying a pretzel from a street cart, enjoying time in Central Park, gawking at the high-end shops along Fifth Ave, and the like. I hadn't been to NY since 1990, so saw a lot of changes. Thankfully I managed to much of the touristy stuff on earlier visits - including taking in the view from the top of the World Trade Centre - so didn't feel any great need to rush around trying to fit a lot into a few short days. One very pleasant change since my last visit was the conversion of much of Times Square into a pedestrian-friendly area with lots of outdoor seating.

We also managed to take in a delightful Broadway show - for a mere $30/each.

A bit of personal trivia: Mary Poppins was the first movie I ever saw. The Sound of Music was the second. For quite some time I was convinced that Julie Andrews was the only actress in the world! A few years back, Donna and I attended the Sound of Music singalong dressed as brown-paper packages tied up with string (to be more accurate, our wrists were dressed as such). So it was fitting that Donna should be along when I reconnected with my inner Poppins. The musical was great fun. Lots of tunes not in the Disney movie. Fun sets, great effects, and good singing. I was especially impressed with the talents of the kids playing Jane and Michael Banks.

Since I had been to the Metropolitan Museum and the MOMA, I had little interest in repeating visits there especially since the exhibits were of any particular interest. We all managed to explore the Frick Collection before Yuri left. Donna and I also popped into the Guggenheim.

Did something of an architectural tour (on our own), taking time to view the Whitney, the Chrysler Bldg, Seagrams Bldg, Lever Bldg, and other notable structures. One day we met up with a landscape architect Donna knew. She took us to the Meatpacking District where an old elevated railway had been converted into a wonderful pedestrian walkway enhanced with extensive native planting that incorporated vestiges of the old railway structures. It's called the High Line.

One of the things the highlights of the trip for both Donna and me was spending several hours in Bryant Park. Much of the time was consumed with tackling the Thurs edition of the New York Times crossword puzzle, but we also did a lot of people watching and simply enjoying the park's vibe. There was a live music concert when we first arrived, followed by a massive outdoor yoga class. Folks nearby where we were sitting enjoyed an impromptu game of chess. It was a wonderful relaxing afternoon.

A stroll around Central Park was also very enjoyable.

Here's a lovely little bridge located near the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.

Also had great fun poking around the Garment District. Managed to locate Habu Yarns which was on the 8th floor of a rather obscure little office building. I arrived on Sat not expecting to find it opened (thinking it was an office only) but - voila! - it was! Some great deals on unusual yarns such as silk covered stainless steel, and linen paper. When in Toronto, I thought Mokuba was the most amazing ribbon shop I had ever been in, but it paled in comparison to the Zagat-rated Hyman Hendler & Sons. Wish I could have figured out a way to transport some amazing hat forms that were sold in the millinary supply shop down the block - they would make great hats even without added fabric and trim. Found some very cool buttons at M&J Trimming. Lots of clothing and textile art inspiration at Barney's and other high-end shops on Madison and Fifth Ave as well as the trendy and off-beat shops in Greenwich Village, Soho, and Tribeca. 

Of course, no trip to New York would be complete without some palate pleasers. Enter the amazing array of street vendors - Vancouver, take note. Also tucked into some authentic New York Cheesecake at Magnolia Bakery (the famous cupcakes were in very short supply when we arrived after 10pm - did I mention that there was a line-up outside the door at that hour? No wonder as the treats were more than yummy.) The heat had me eating a lot of fresh fruit, purchased from corner grocers and street carts. We didn't bother to hit a fancy restaurant as, after 8+ hours of walking in high humidity, we were both ready for a toes-up at the Pod.

A very fun trip. But it is nice to be back home. I have some sleeping to catch up on.

Encouragement From Unexpected Source

Back in the spring, when I first learned my cancer had spread, I felt it prudent to inform my birth family of the situation in case the info is of use to them down the road. On Friday I learned my information has been passed on. I also received some medical history of my maternal birth family (nothing is known of my paternal birth family). As it turns out, there is a history of cancer in the family. Of my birth mother and her four siblings, at least three have had cancer (kidney, lung, or colon). The encouraging thing is that all of them are alive years after the diagnosis and treatment. That information has filled me with great hope in terms of my own situation. I also learned there is a history of heart disease. This is good to know since Herceptin (a drug I took last time and one of the drugs I am currently on) is very hard on the ol' ticker. My medical team will now know to keep a close watch on any changes in my heart health. One cool detail about my birth father - he was a navy man. How cool is that? Guess I was destined to be raised by a seadog in any case.