Fall

I love fall! I love the crisp, cool air and the fall colors and the leaves that rustle under your feet. I love apples and pumpkins and squash and corn mazes and fall fairs. And I love that it's my birthday too! It's not about getting older, it's about spoiling yourself, and letting others do so, for one day out of the year!! And since it's fall...time to apply a more fall-like design to this blog!

So today is my birthday and we were planning to go to the Big E. I love the Big E even though it rarely changes from year-to-year. Maybe that's what I like--the tradition of the Big E. I remember when I was in junior high and high school, I could always take one day off from school and play hooky and go to the Big E. My mother worked in West Springfield and had to drive right down Memorial Ave past the entrance and she would drop me and a girlfriend off on her way to work. At 8:30 in the morning only the cow barns are open! We got to spend the entire day at the fair and then she'd pick us up on her way home from work sometime late afternoon/early evening. What a tradition and I always had a great time! And back then you'd get so much free stuff from the state houses!! I still remember when my girlfriend Val and I bought matching Barretta t-shirts (TV show in the late 70s with Robert Blake and a cockatoo). We actually wore them to school the next day thinking we were so cool!!

Anyhow with tropical storm Nicole upon us and the heavy rain, we ended up deciding not to go today. Yes, I'm a little disappointed--but not really. Truth be told, if I really wanted to pay $40 to get into the Big E ($15 per person + $10 parking), and walk around with an umbrella and raincoat and dodge the rain, Ed would have gone. But I like strolling around, checking things out...so we decided to just stay home today and be a bum. There will be next year for sure!!

Besides, last weekend we went to the southern coast of Maine and so that served as a mini vacation. We have never been (I know, hard to believe). But a friend of ours has a place in Wells and offered it to us for the weekend. So we got out of work early on Friday and off we went. We arrived sometime Friday night (I honestly don't remember what time) after hitting traffic on 495 (I should have known). Saturday was beautiful (in the 80s) so we ventured out, picked up some coffee and donuts from Congdonn's and then went to Wells Beach and Drakes Island beach and then to Kennebunkport. After dinner Saturday nite, we stopped by to see our dear friend Theresa who moved to Wells a short while ago. We had a great time visiting with her for a couple hours and then got together with her and Richard Sunday for breakfast/brunch. We then started the trip home and drove through Ogunquit on our way home. Sunday was a rainy, windy, cold day and it was already early afternoon so we just drove through town, down to Perkins Cove, and then down to the beach and checked out the surf before heading home. There was still so much to see and we weren't able to stop at the Front Porch and see our friend Dennis perform, nor did we really get a chance to walk around Ogunquit. I guess we'll save that for our next trip to Wells! Yes, we will plan to go back. We had a wonderful time. The area is beautiful and seeing Theresa and Richard was the cherry on top!

We do keep in touch with Dan and he's keeping quite busy with his studies. We haven't been back out to Bristol to see him since he officially moved into his apartment in August. We were thinking of going to visit him Columbus Day weekend, but he's decided he's coming home this weekend to see some sustainable/energy efficient buildings in Amherst for studio. So we'll play next weekend by ear. It's Ed's birthday so it will be his choice what he wants to do. It has become tradition that we head to Newport in October and do some shopping so we'll see!

And speaking of Ed, I know what you're all wondering...how is he? I mean, isn't that why I started this blog? To keep you all updated on his progress and his health? And now here all I'm doing is talking about fairs and vacations, etc. That's because we are blessed and this is what our lives are. Yes, Ed continues his biweekly chemo treatments. And he continues on Avastin and Xeloda (still not taking Irinotecean at this time). In October he should have another CT scan just to keep an eye on those tumors and make sure they're not getting any larger. At that time we can also assess whether we should reintroduce the Irinotecean or not. But, with the exception of a cold we both got, he continues to feel good. So we try to enjoy such things as fall fairs and visits to new places and old friends.

So with continued good thoughts, may you all have a wonderful fall and enjoy each day and appreciate it as the gift it is!

Where we stayed in Wells. Looking across the Marsh from Atlantic Ave. (Thank you, VP)


The view Sunday morning from the deck of VP's place.

Ed at Drake's Island Beach. The day was beautiful and warm; the water was cold, though!

Ed at Pier 77 in Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport

Jeanne at Kennebunk Lower Village--shopping!!

Followed a couple asses on our way home!! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Labor Day Weekend

Okay, so we can all agree that I'm bad about updating this blog?! It has been on my "to do" list for several weeks and since it's a three-day weekend, I'm committing myself to get through my "to do" list.

The good news is that I'm not compelled to update this on a frequent basis because there's not much to report. Ed continues on his biweekly chemo treatments and doesn't have any serious side effects.

He had another CT scan on 8/9 and this showed no change. No new tumors and no change in existing tumors (same size--not larger or smaller). As you'll recall, we eliminated the Irinotecan in June to give Ed a break. Since there has been no change, we could reintroduce the Irinotecan or try something else. After some discussion, we decided to just stay with the Xeloda and Avastin. We can't ask that Ed feel any better. He has so few side effects (and nothing serious) and he looks and feels good. So we figured we'd enjoy this "good" period for a little while longer (enjoy it while it lasts). If we introduce a new drug, we might not be as lucky with side effects and since there's no reason to make a change at this time, we decided to wait.

Of course, some of you might be asking why we don't want to attack the tumors more aggressively? Well, Dr. Bowers has always been clear that Ed won't be cured of cancer. Instead we are prolonging his life. So the fact that he is living a good life and the tumors are not getting any worse, we really couldn't ask for much more. So we'll enjoy it while it lasts and cross the next bridge when we get there.

For those of you who don't see Ed, you frequently ask me how he's doing and my response is "He's doing great!" and I mean that. I'm not avoiding your question or just trying to respond positively. It's the truth! Except for the biweekly appointments, the regular prescriptions to fill and take, and the aches and pains he experiences, there is little evidence of cancer in our lives. We are blessed at this time and we can't be more thankful.

Here it is Labor Day weekend--summer is over. At the beginning of this diagnosis, I didn't think beyond Dan returning from Italy. My goal was for Ed to survive that long. And here we are with two vacations at the beach behind us and Dan back to Bristol and starting his 5th year towards his Master. I no longer think in terms of "I hope Ed makes it to the next..." (insert whatever milestone). Instead we are living life and I'm reminded that none of us know when our time on this Earth will end. It could be tomorrow, next month, next year, whenever... And as much as I'd like to tell you that I live each day as if it were my last and I make good decisions about how to use my time, that is not always true. Life happens and that is what living is about. The good, the bad, the people who touch our lives and, more importantly, those lives we touch.

Life is good! And now, some pictures to share what we've been up to the past couple months!

Where Ed plays golf, they had a Hawaiian Shirt/Wacky Outfit night. Can you believe Ed did NOT win?

We moved Dan's furniture into his apartment at the end of July. Here Ed and Dan are having some lunch after the work was done.

Panoramic shot of Dan's bedroom. Door to kitchen is to the right.

Panoramic shot of Dan's bedroom.

Ed hung up the Hummingbird feeder since we've got 2-3 that are always visiting our flowers. This picture shows two of them visiting the feeder.

Auntie Gingy celebrated her 80th birthday in August. Her kids threw her a party at Barnes in Westfield.

Ed and Theresa at Gingy's party. CHEESE!

Cassie, Dan, and Grandma on the front porch of the cottage. (August 2010)

Uncle Eddie with Amanda and Lexi at the beach (August 2010).