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What a Summer!

Forums General Melanoma Community What a Summer!

  • Post
    dian in spokane
    Participant

      I promised Cyn I would write about my travels, although it would take several posts to cover them all. It was the upoming ones that Rox referred to..but, that's for later.

      I promised Cyn I would write about my travels, although it would take several posts to cover them all. It was the upoming ones that Rox referred to..but, that's for later.

      I've been gone almost all summer, and while some have not been posting because of the board changes, my lack of posting has more to do with the fact that I've been using my tiny netbook, which is wretched for the board, and which..for some unfathomable reason, just suddenly changes pages on me halfway through long posts. I'm on my husband's 'bigboy' right now (the wide screen desktop) and it makes all the difference!

      Soon my brand new 17 inch laptop will be hooked up and running, and I'll only use the tiny one for travel.

      I've been gone since my trial started back in June (even before, we started traveling in may) The traveling back and forth from California for the trial has been tedious at times, with many wasted hours in airports and hanging around the Hoag, but many other hours walking on the beach, watching the sunset on the pacific and driving around to different destinations.

      I don't know if I shared our trip to Lake Arrowhead, a destination of my childhood. My family had a cabin up there and we would go winters and play in the snow, and summers and play on the Lake. I had my first frostbite there, and my horrible experience with nettles, and also a sunburn that made me so sick I had hallucinations..and probably gave me melanoma. I had a lot of wonderful memories of Arrowhead, but had totally forgotten the terrifying drive up there, along a highway called "The  Rim of the World Highway" It was a revelation..as the source of my long time fear of mountain passes.

      In between the many trips to California, and the many trips to Las Vegas, we crammed the summer full of music, going to one festival after another all summer. I would fly down to California, get a shot, come home, fill the motor home with food and off we would go.

      After many months of hard work, my band finally released our CD, so we spent a lot of time playing assorted stupid gigs and selling CDs. including getting to play a prime dinner time show at our town's local Labor Day Festival: Pig Out in the Park. Just as full of food and beer as you can imagine. If you are interested in hearing a little sample, you can check it out here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DeadFiddlersSociety1

      It's almost a relief to have summer come to an end. I've had a whole week here in my own house alone (Bob's been in Vegas) and it's been peaceful and fine, even though I get PET scan results tomorrow!

      My cats have thrived without me, growing fat and sassy. The orange girl is vastly entertaining, throwing her little squeaky mouses into the air 5 or 6 ft up. The tuxedo cat, who I am convinced was born wild, is outside hunting real vermin most of the time. He comes in for his daily dose of steroids. He and I were starting to get along until he ran between my feet earlier this month and brought me tumbling down in the kitchen. He was under me. Since then he's been steering clear of me again. The orange one is very lovable though. She's still not a lap cat, but she will come demanding attention. We got them a year ago this week, so it's taken a while.

      Mean Joe Greene…I'm sure you all remember that my 92 yr old father in law started driving his new RV from Vegas to NY last july and the folks at the the Flying J started it on fire. His insurance paid out on that, and he got another one from the lot next door in St George and drove it home to Vegas last month. Earlier this month he decided he would drive it up here to Spokane for the Jewish holidays. He's told me he doesn't really ever want to fly again, but he always comes here for Yom Kippur because he likes our temple. So…Sept 10th or thereabouts he headed up I 15 again…made it just PAST St George this time and blew a rod in the RV. I'm kind of hoping he gets a little Kia or something and gives up on the whole RV thing.

      The upcoming girlie travel Rox mentioned has to do with two exciting upcoming girlie events. Something I rarely get involved in. I mean, mostly I hang out with guys, just because most of the musicians I know are guys. But that's changed over the years, more and more women musicians have moved into my circle, and the last few years, some of them have become dear friends. One of them goes every winter to Hawaii for a few months and surfs. And another of them has managed to organize a group of us, 4 or 5, who have all committed to a trip over there to Hawaii in January. January is a pretty nice time to get away from WA state.

      Before that, next month, all of my sisters and I are having a weekend getaway on Vashon Island out there west of Seattle. It will be the first time we've all been together since my father's funeral, and the last time that before that we were all children.

      Also on the horizon, a possible trip east for a meeting with yet another group of women friends, who I sometimes call 'the chub club' We all 'met' on a message board 10 yrs ago and have continued a sort of email penpal group all of these years. In that time, our group has been touched by the death of a spouse, divorce, cancer, marriage, childbirth, kids graduating college, grandchildren being born. We've shared things with each other that even our families don't know. Only a few of us have met each other, but we still feel like lifelong friends. We are such a diverse group, that I can't quite imagine how we will all find the time to meet, but I'll try to be a part of it if it happens.

      OH..and I FINALLY get to meet the  DIVA! DebbieVA that is! She's coming to Seattle next month to compete in some millions strong vocal competition and DonW and I are gonna have some beers with her..or..wine..or something. And show her some NW sunsets and such. I'll play that Angel Band and see what it sounds like to have angelic adeline voices singing along on the chorus..Come and around me stand. ..or..maybe I'll find something more upbeat<G>

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    • Replies
        Kimmer
        Participant

          You have been busy!  Glad you are back home recuperating from it all and keeping you close in thoughts for a good result on your scan…

          Take good care, K.

           

          PS Your band sounds really good…my FIL loves the kind of old time mountain music y'all play so I sent him the link!  (maybe a stocking stuffer for Christmas!)

          Kimmer
          Participant

            You have been busy!  Glad you are back home recuperating from it all and keeping you close in thoughts for a good result on your scan…

            Take good care, K.

             

            PS Your band sounds really good…my FIL loves the kind of old time mountain music y'all play so I sent him the link!  (maybe a stocking stuffer for Christmas!)

            TinaR
            Participant

              dian, I love your stories…especially the naughty ones from your youth!!!   I really enjoyed listening to your CD ( thanks for sending it) and I guess you already know that I live vicariously through you ….your travels and funny family stories keep me entertained. Even  though I've not been replying as much this summer to the email circle- I've been reading whatever you guys send my way. I'm thrilled for all…your relative good health that allows you to keep up your hectic schedule even through your trial appointments ( and I"m envious of your wonderful Bob's tender care and concern), Nancy's return to good health ( unless she's keeping something from us…and she's known for that!), Marie's stories about her teens, Jan's EXCELLENT news, Joyce's brother's rebound. I'm there in spirit with D and M  through their trials and tribulations. I love to open my rotten travel netbook and find you guys have sent new info ( I can't seem to type or keep pages in place on that darn thing, too!!! ! WHAT is the problem with these little machines ????).  

               

              I can't wait to hear all about your girly travels and hope that all goes well with your trial and that you can fill us in ..in real time if anything super fantabulous happens with the girly girls. I would loveto see  a matching pj pic of that group – any chance? Nancy's zebra striped crew still makes me smile when I see it!

              Have fun and thanks for sharing,

              R

               

              PS… loved the story you sent last night!! Funny… and that fellow, gotta spank em- tell him I said Hi, next time you talk to him !  

              TinaR
              Participant

                dian, I love your stories…especially the naughty ones from your youth!!!   I really enjoyed listening to your CD ( thanks for sending it) and I guess you already know that I live vicariously through you ….your travels and funny family stories keep me entertained. Even  though I've not been replying as much this summer to the email circle- I've been reading whatever you guys send my way. I'm thrilled for all…your relative good health that allows you to keep up your hectic schedule even through your trial appointments ( and I"m envious of your wonderful Bob's tender care and concern), Nancy's return to good health ( unless she's keeping something from us…and she's known for that!), Marie's stories about her teens, Jan's EXCELLENT news, Joyce's brother's rebound. I'm there in spirit with D and M  through their trials and tribulations. I love to open my rotten travel netbook and find you guys have sent new info ( I can't seem to type or keep pages in place on that darn thing, too!!! ! WHAT is the problem with these little machines ????).  

                 

                I can't wait to hear all about your girly travels and hope that all goes well with your trial and that you can fill us in ..in real time if anything super fantabulous happens with the girly girls. I would loveto see  a matching pj pic of that group – any chance? Nancy's zebra striped crew still makes me smile when I see it!

                Have fun and thanks for sharing,

                R

                 

                PS… loved the story you sent last night!! Funny… and that fellow, gotta spank em- tell him I said Hi, next time you talk to him !  

                Tim–MRF
                Guest

                  Dian:

                   

                  Great to hear some of your music.  It is a lot of fun; kind of makes we want to start dancing here in the office.  (Being a student of the Al Gore School of Dance, this is not a pretty sight!)

                  I loved hearing about your travels, and your 92 year old father in law traversing the country in an RV.  My parents are 80 and my mother has Alzheimers, but they recently drove from Nashville to Minneapolis, and then to California in a pick up with a camper on the back.  My mother did the driving.  The whole thing scares me to death, truth be told.

                  Let us know about the PET results.

                   

                  Tim

                  Tim–MRF
                  Guest

                    Dian:

                     

                    Great to hear some of your music.  It is a lot of fun; kind of makes we want to start dancing here in the office.  (Being a student of the Al Gore School of Dance, this is not a pretty sight!)

                    I loved hearing about your travels, and your 92 year old father in law traversing the country in an RV.  My parents are 80 and my mother has Alzheimers, but they recently drove from Nashville to Minneapolis, and then to California in a pick up with a camper on the back.  My mother did the driving.  The whole thing scares me to death, truth be told.

                    Let us know about the PET results.

                     

                    Tim

                    StanN
                    Participant

                       

                      Gee Dian,

                      your summer stories are a whole lot bette and funier than  mine,that's for sure.

                      I always get a kick out of reading your entries,as much as you may think I crack you  up  ,your always

                      one better,and ya  bring a little life to this funeral pallor.

                        I hope todays scans turned out ok,I'll look for ya in chat and give ya the low down when something new develops my way.

                      See ya Kid-o………What  a Summer

                                           StanN

                      StanN
                      Participant

                         

                        Gee Dian,

                        your summer stories are a whole lot bette and funier than  mine,that's for sure.

                        I always get a kick out of reading your entries,as much as you may think I crack you  up  ,your always

                        one better,and ya  bring a little life to this funeral pallor.

                          I hope todays scans turned out ok,I'll look for ya in chat and give ya the low down when something new develops my way.

                        See ya Kid-o………What  a Summer

                                             StanN

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