On file

This weekend Jeff and I had a few quiet days together for the first time in a long while. We puttered around, companionably doing housework, watched a couple of movies, walked to the library. We've begun going through our household filing cabinet, set up twenty-five years ago with a great sense of control over our lives. Like all systems, it required (but never got) regular maintenance and grew less useful over the years. Tackling it is a good warm-up for hitting my writing files, which are gargantuan by comparison. The nice thing about this chore is it serves as a panorama of our lives together. The first batch of files contained School-Nathan, School-Jesse, School-Valarie, Plumbing & Wiring, Entertainment, Getaways-Washington, Getaways-Not Washington, Projects. We reduced them by a good 12 inches. Some of what got saved: the diagrams for how to dance the tango and the rhumba--someday we may dance again; the sketch of the rose arbor we built for our house in Port Townsend, the sketch of the reading couch and matching cabinet built for our Ballard house in Seattle; the sketch of the sweet little patio refuge we made with cedar, pebbles and a curving brick planter for our house near Children's Hospital. We realized in looking through them how much energy we had then, what an adventure it was to imagine and create, how important home has always been to us. The most intriguing thing we tossed out was a government pamphlet on How to Slaughter Beef. I promise you I have never had the slightest intention of slaughtering a beef, and now, without that pamphlet I can plead ignorance of having the slightest idea how to do it in the future. Amazing what a person can free themselves of with a little judicious sorting.

Today I'm seeing the smoothie naturopath to see what ideas he may have for dealing with my night time stomach aches. The lining of the stomach and intestines, as fast growing cells, take a hit with chemo just like the cancer. This past week I was given a $6800 shot to stimulate my bone marrow to make more white blood cells--a standard treatment after chemo sessions. Probably you're wondering like we do--what do people without insurance do??!!

May you have a nice Thanksgiving with someone dear to you. The Hamms are heading to Seattle for dinner with Jeff's brother and his family and all our children. I'll be packing along my healing quilt, a heating pad and a good book so I can slip away from the party when my head starts to droop. I can hardly wait for a piece of pumpkin pie.

Diane

Delicious Friday

Mom and me. A stroll down mainstreet for crepes. Home to sit on the couch. Cozy toes together, talking women's talk.

Valarie

If you wonder..........

If you wonder if you've arrived at the right blog, don't run off! Jesse Allan, who's returned to school to study web development, has itchy fingers whenever he stops by this site. Looks pretty cool now, but it could morph again, even as we speak. Cyberspace imitating life!

Diane

Sunshine at last!

Yesterday we headed over to the coast with Valarie and her Alex (whose birthday it was) and Jesse to celebrate the return of the sun after a solid week of rain. It was lovely to walk along our favorite beach at Pacific City where barefooted toddlers played in the sand and middle-aged surfers paddled out to catch "the big ones". My crew climbed the sky-scraper sand dune and did the wave from the top for me. Motion and fresh air are a big pleasure for me these days. So is having people at home in my kitchen. This past week my brother Dave and sister-in-law Lucy from Calgary were with us. Lucy baked and planned meals and spent a solid day on her knees weeding my flower beds. Dave flipped pancakes, fixed the dishwasher and suspended a golf ball from the ceiling of the garage so I won't crush the table saw when I attempt to squeeze the Scion in. It was great to have such loving caretakers with us.

This week I'll have my third chemo round. The cancer marker numbers are down, which is good. The naturopath, who concocted the protein smoothie I bravely--let's hear it for me!--force down each morning, counts us among his "hopeful realists." Hopeful realists enjoy daily life in between preparing for what may be a future not of their choosing. My family has their dips, but is hanging in there.

May there be sunshine wherever You are this week.

Diane

Times a changing! - a few words from Jesse

We touch only those that desire to be touched by our wisdom!




We seek only the moment of truth where there in lies a belief that we must hold onto that which compels us to never let go!




A glimpse into the future, reflects upon us a past untold!




Unwavering in our determination to shatter reality & defy existence, we conquer our fears, learn our desires, and set a path to that untold land of ever lasting bliss!

In Love, Hope & Peace!

Jesse

And Many More..........

This weekend we celebrated my 59th birthday in a mini family reunion secretly planned by Jeff--what an accomplishment! My three brothers, sister and two sisters-in-law, from Canada, Montana and Bend, cooked in my kitchen, set up slide shows, told family stories and caught up with each other and with me. It was a joyful time as well as a sobering one as the Johnston stoics confronted, each in our own way, the possibility that sooner than normally expected we'll be one less.

Jesse, Valarie, her sweetie and a family friend were also part of the party. I wish you'd dropped by! Join us here for a peek.

Post-election

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

- Maya Angelou, from "On the Pulse of Morning"


Valarie