Basal Cell Carcinoma ...... Oh-oh!

Getting older seems to bring a few not-so-great surprises with it. I had one Thursday.

I went to my dermatologist for my yearly "look-over." (Always makes me think of monkeys looking for bugs on one another.) Dr. Kelly checked my face, my hairline, my ears, my arms, my legs, and then while looking at my back said, "Oh-oh."

No, no, no....no "oh-ohs"!!!! He'd found a tiny basal cell carcinoma on my shoulder blade. At first I thought it was like the ones he'd frozen off on previous visit....once on my upper cheekbone and once at the top of my nose right where my sunglasses sit. But "No," he said, "those were pre-cancerous. This one is cancerous!"

I felt my stomach flip. Thank God I hadn't had breakfast. It just wasn't a very good feeling. I said, "So...what happens now?"

He said, very calmly, "We'll get it out of there...right now...today!"

As it turns out, it was tiny. I got a look in a hand mirror...and had I seen it before I went I wouldn't have thought anything of it. It looked like a tiny pink scratch..about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long...just slightly pink. Anyway, he removed it completely after numbing the area, and they'll send it in for a biopsy. I can call in for the lab results "if I want to" after a week. The nurse said, "If there's anything odd or unusual, WE'LL CALL YOU! But if you just want to hear the lab results, you can call in."

I was assured they don't think there will be anything odd or unusual and that it's GONE and nothing further will occur with this. However, now I go for checkups every six months instead of once a year.

I commented that I'd just a month ago sold the house with the swimming pool and that maybe it was just as well. He said, "Well, I can nearly guarantee you that this was caused by a bad sunburn at some time in your life." 'Nuff said!

Anyway tonight was the first time that I got to see the remnants of his work. Not bad. Kind of looks like I leaned back into a burning cigarette...about that big around and just a nice clean scab (does that qualify as an oxymoron?)

Well, now that I've probably grossed you out completely, here's my message: Go get checked out! Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, is usually caused by UV rays, and if caught early is almost always "fixable." Dr. Kelly said if you have to have a skin cancer, this is the best one to have!

Go get checked out! I counted my blessings that I went! Go!

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Yeah....I'm another year older!!!! SIXTY-SIX!!! How did I ever get to be this old?? I don't remember getting this old. It's been a great day though...full of fun and interesting things.

Started with breakfast with Mary, then ran into a guy I didn't remember who opened the conversation with, "So, who's that sexy old bag?".... and then had to tell me who he was.

Then I ran into my ex-husband at the post office and he was surprised today was my birthday. He always was surprised. He believed it was the 7th or the 12th...and never could remember it's the 5th!!!

I received a bunch of neat birthday cards...one especially emotionally moving for me. Sprinkle in a bunch of phone calls and a lot of laughs.

Then this evening the townhouse group went out to eat again....and they sang "Happy Birthday" to me....what a fun group.

After that I came home, walked the dog, decided it was too early to just quit...so I went over to a friend's house for a good visit. A great day, all in all. Happy Birthday to me!

Hope all of your's are as nice as mine was today...I count my blessings...and they're plentiful.

Clarification

Just a brief thing: the "Pat" that passed away was NOT the same "Pat" who I share craft show booths with. Pat that makes iris-folded cards is still alive and well...and ornerier than ever. She wasn't at the Lyons Fair on the Square because she woke up that morning with a sty on her eye.

Well, the weekend has passed and everything is moving on.

Saturday was Pat's funeral...it was a difficult time. It was a huge funeral and the procession line must have been 3 to 4 miles long. After the cemetary services, I spoke with her husband for a few minutes, then I headed on up to Lyons.

I didn't get to Lyons until nearly 1pm and thought I wouldn't set up, but while walking partway around the square I ran into some friends who questioned, "where are you?" I told them I have a booth but didn't think I'd even set up. Well, they convinced me to give it a shot. So I did. I was there about an hour and 10 minutes when it began to rain. Completely unexpected ... and totally needed! I tossed everything in cases and "hit the road." I'd had a fairly successful show and didn't want to get everything wet!

After a quick stop at the convenience store (for necessities: bathroom, cheese curls, and a candy bar) I headed back to Hutch. And it POURED on me!!! About Nickerson it kind of let up and I thought I'd be fine...just a normal light to medium rain. About 43rd and Plum it opened up again and by 30th and Plum I was doing 20mph and just guessing where the street might be. It was a toad-strangler! Someone said we had about an inch of rain...in about 15 minutes! I pulled in my driveway, sat there a minute, then pulled on into the garage. My car was ultra-clean...so I got out my chamois and started wipin' her down! Looked great! God's car wash!

Yesterday I went for a little bicycle ride (15.55 miles) and stopped by my friend's house to see how he's doing. He's just kind of in a fog - not sure what to do next - or why. Wish there was a miracle, fast cure for this.

Last night the townhouse group went out for dinner again. Dutch Kitchen. I promised myself I wasn't going to have a whole big meal because then I'm just miserable afterwards. So I had sweet potato fries. It was absolutely embarrassing!!! There was a HUGE tray of fries brought to me. I passed them around and still had way too many to finish. And they were delicious. They were served with ranch dressing...and I tried them both plain and with dressing. Much better just plain: I LIKE sweet potatoes and I could really taste them!

Well, that's all for now. Hope your week is going well. Don't forget to count your blessings! Even when you feel down and out, there's always something good. Walk in someone else's shoes for a few hours and you'll appreciate your own!

What a Week!

Don't even know quite where to start. Guess I'll go with chronological.

A week ago last night (Thursday) Mary Lou and I went to the Taste It Hutchinson event. It was a lot of fun, and quite a lot a pretty good eats.

The next morning (Friday) a friend called and told me a mutual friend of ours had had a stroke at work Thursday morning. This - throughout the week - only got worse. She passed away this past Tuesday morning. Tonight was the family gathering at the funeral home and tomorrow is her funeral. It was all extremely fast and unexpected.

The week has been full of thoughts and memories and concern for her family. Her husband and I are good friends from my old Home Depot days. He's about 12-13 years older than she was and has said several times that he always thought he'd go first. It's going to be tough for him, I'm afraid. Just last month they'd celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Hopefully, his faith and time will help him heal. He's a very popular, personable guy so he'll have a great support system there for him too.

On to other topics: The house is beginning to come together a little bit. I've hung pictures and an ox yoke in my living room...although I may change where they're all at yet. Today I deep-cleaned a bathroom, changing out the "picture frame" on the toilet, and using "Goof Off" on some uk-em-puck that was marring the side of the tub and the base of the toilet. It sure looks better! And I hung a shower curtain (we've had liners, but no curtains.) Also removed and washed the venetian blind in the downstairs bedroom. Man, it was filthy!!!!!

Slowly but surely I'm hoping it'll all come together and be home. I just keep telling myself that it'll be here when I get around to it! And sure 'nuff, it is!!! Darnit!

Monday night we had a townhouse association meeting. That was nice. Got to meet most of my new neighbors.

Then Tuesday night we all went out to eat together. We went to Carlos O'Kelly's and I wound up sitting across the table from Lou and Ed. Now Ed is an absolute riot!!! Very sharp, very quick...we were all laughing all the time at his comments! Someone mentioned that Lou does line dancing and she admitted that she'd danced at the State Fair last week. Really a neat couple. My guesstimate was they were probably about 80. She's 10 days older than him (he likes older women!) Well, before the evening was over, it was told they will be 93 in January!!! I would NEVER have guessed that!! THAT'S what I wanna be like!

I really like all my neighbors...I think I'll like it here very much, once I get my house in order.

Tomorrow is the Fair on the Square in Lyons, and Pat and I were to share a booth. Not sure whether I'll get there or not. I've loaded a couple of cases in my car, but I'll have to wait and see. The funeral is at 10:30...the cemetary is north of Nickerson...so I may go on to Lyons from there. (From Hutch, it's kind of Hutch-Nickerson-Sterling-Lyons...each about 10 miles further than the last.) Wait and see what time it is and how I'm feeling about it.

Well, enough for tonight. Count your blessings and remember that life is short and should never be taken for granted.

Getting settled....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Several of you have asked if I'm all moved and settled. Ha Ha Ha!!!! Not even close!

I closed on Friday, Sept 3 and moved that same day. All my stuff is located at the same address. That's about as close as it gets.

On Saturday, Sept 4 I was in the garage, picked up a dining room chair (light-weight) from my left side, lifted it over a tote, and sat it down on my right side, with a GASP! I truly looked upward and said aloud, "OK, OK...I got the message!" But then I brought all 4 chairs into the house. Then the coffee table...at which point I received a second message! Since then I've been to the chiropractor three times! Still hurting, but I truly believe I'm getting better. But no painting, no ladder climbing, not much bending over to pull weeds from the flower beds, etc. I can still iron a little at a time and can still do a few things, but not my "normal". I hate this. Getting old IS hell!!!

I told my doctor yesterday that I was going to try for a bicycle ride this a.m. and he was in complete agreement...but this a.m. it's drizzly here. Maybe later. Plus this is state fair week so the traffic is moronic! (Well...only TO the bike path...the cars don't drive on the bike path...well...they aren't SUPPOSED to anyway!)

Speaking of bicycling...my goal for August was 400 miles. On August 31 I had several early-mid-morning appointments and went out early to get my miles. Rode through an area that I KNEW they had mowed the day before and sure enough, I had a flat. I can change a flat in about 5 minutes (literally) at home, and usually about 15 on the road...but I simply didn't have time nor inclination, so I called my son and he came and picked me up. I wound up with 390 miles for August...short of my goal by 10 miles...but I was still happy about it. However, since then, I haven't ridden..not once...too busy...gotta get back to it! I had lost about 14 pounds and was pretty happy about that. i got weighed this a.m. and the 14 pounds are still gone but they won't stay gone if I don't get busy soon.

Ok...back to the move....the woman (aka "pig" & "skank") that lived here wasn't much of a housekeeper...fresh paint and new carpet show well. But move in to filthy ceiling fans, EVERY ceiling light with 4 bulbs has at least 2, usually 3 different kinds of bulbs. The two spotlights over the fireplace: one orange, one blue. Lots of weeds in the uncared for flower beds. I think (and my son agrees) the new carpet had probably NEVER had a sweeper ran over it...canister filled up rapidly!

So, today I'm going to try to rearrange the living room a little. I may have to wait for J to help with the sofa, but I need to get a chair by a window. Schiz has no window view from which she can see the street...and she's needing a chair to sleep on/watch for company from/etc. Heck of a reason to arrange a room a certain way, huh?

I want to do some faux treatments here and there...not sure where/what yet, but somewhere down the road it'll happen. Not this week, I'm sure. Also my bedroom desparately needs painting. Everything was fresh paint...but my bedroom is a color I don't like AT ALL!!! Fresh paint, yes; color, NO!

I've met several of my neighbors and really think I'm going to like the area. Every Tuesday evening they all go out to eat together. I haven't gone yet. Considered it yesterday, but went to chiropractor yesterday and only craved ice and loafing last night. Maybe next week. Most of them are about in my age range, i think. Neat little group. There's one triplex and 6 duplexes in this townhouse association.

I don't know how many couples/singles yet. I do know the man right next door to me is single. He just celebrated his 96th birthday!!! He walks every day - at a pretty good pace! He's a pretty small man and wears hiking boots. Makes me think of those dolls with the really big feet. He's a cutie! He has a couple of terriers...may be Jack Russells...but I've never ever heard them even once...and that's GOOD!

The couple in Unit C (I'm in Unit A) have a Shih tzu, male, about a year old. First time Schiz saw him she was all set to play. About a minute, she quit. Don't know why. She looks at him and he'll sniff her and get in her face. She just stands there...no friendliness, no agressiveness, no growl, no NOTHING!!!! Just...hmmmmmmm. Maybe they'll become friends later.

Well..if I'm going to get stuff done I need to get started...so I better get after it. Remember to count your blessings. I do count mine...even if I'm griping about a bunch of other stuff. Yeah, my back makes me tired...but hey, I GOT a back and it'll be ok soon. Have a great day!

The Big Move

Tomorrow's the day!!!! This place is beginning to look pretty bare. 8 a.m. tomorrow morning I go for a "walk-thru" at the new place; 9 a.m. we close on the sale of this place; 10 a.m. we close on the sale of the one I'm buying.

The woman I'm buying from has movers from 8 am til noon, but supposedly she'll be all done by noon....at which time my trailer will get pulled to the new house...and over the next three days unloaded. At 2 p.m. I have movers coming to move the couch and chair, the armoire, and the washer and the dryer.

Currently the buyer is here cleaning out the shed and putting some of his things in it. They're really nice people and have been a delight to work with.

As my dad used to say, "I'm making three tracks!" I slept on the couch...too short...last night and my son slept on the floor in the basement. Beds with mattresses will surely seem wonderful!!!

And on a different note....I saw Carol go by on her bicycle earlier today and so I called and she's back from New York. Will have to have a complete update on that a little later but sounds like they had a really wonderful time.

Well...gotta go....still have a few things to pack and a lot of odds and ends to tie up. See you at the new spot!!!

Count your blessings......this could be you moving!!!!!!

Yoder Heritage Day

Saturday was Yoder Heritage Day. A big day in a very small town. Yoder is a settlement of Amish people. Many (probably most) of them drive horse and buggies and are very conservative. Some still do not have electricity. They have a very simple, pure lifestyle.

But once a year they have Yoder Heritage Day. And it's LARGE!!!! The estimate this year that I heard was that there would be over 7,000 people in Yoder. That's about 6,300 more than they usually have.

People come from miles around to set up tents and booths to sell their wares. I attended last year and had a booth right about in the middle of things....and it was good!

This year my booth was third from the end..with no one across from me even. A lot of people kind of looked down that way, decided they were at the end, and turned and went back the other way.

First two pictures show what the pathway looked like going toward Main street, and the third picture is the other direction. Big difference.

However....you won't hear me complaining...as I did nearly 40% better than I did last year even!!!! Great day!!! For a community who main residents sport long dresses and high collars and bonnets, they certainly brought in the people who like sterling silver jewelry!

The crowd was great, the temperatures were perfect, and the wind was "do-able." It could have been a little less windy, but it really wasn't bad at all. It was the first time out for my new E-Z Up canopy, and it withstood the breezes and did very well.

My neighbor to the west of me was selling Joe's Special Blend. A spice blend made originally as a rub for meats, but you can virtually put it on anything. I listened for a couple of hours and all I could think was, "I have to go home and cook something....ribs, steaks, chicken, turkey, pork chops...." Then he started talking about putting it on sliced potatoes and putting them either in the oven or on the grill....and he went on to zucchini in butter sauce with this spice combo on it. Yeah...I bought a bottle. It's WONDERFUL!!!! So far I haven't even cooked with it...but I've used it like pepper (only heavier)(his mantra was "the more the better") on a deli turkey sandwich and even on some potato salad. Did I mention it's WONDERFUL!!!! Joe said he wasn't a salesman, just a "griller".....but listen to him for 10 minutes and you realize he's a great salesman....and/or his product is so good that it just sells itself.

The technique he used was something like this: Potential buyer approaches tent. Joe hands potential buyer the "sample" jar and suggests he smells/tastes it. PB does just that....and as the flavor began to melt into his taste buds, his right hand automatically began to reach for his wallet! Gotta have it!!! Joe's goal was to sell 50 bottles that day. By 4pm he had only one bottle left! Plus he was also selling his own cookbook and some really cute aprons! So...if you run into Joe from El Dorado selling Joe's Special Blend, check it out. It's WONDERFUL!!!!

All in all, a great day all the way around. Lots of fun, interesting people at these events and I absolutely love attending them. The negative people are few and far between and usually I find you get back what you put out there. (The only one that really bugged me was the woman who said, "Who does she think she's kidding?".....and...not to her face...but to her fat ass, I said, "You, Lardo! Mooooooooo") All in all, a fun, fun day...and profitable too!!! What more can you ask for? Count your blessings!!!!

A Note from Carol

Wanted to keep you all posted as to where my friend Carol is and what's she doing. (She's the one touring New York state for a month - by bicycle!) Today I received the following email:

Hi Barbara,
We're in Middlebury, VT, right now waiting for Barbara's bike cable to be replaced. We hadn't planned to come this far east, but she needed a bike shop so here we are, an additional 24 miles with hills added to our day.
It is very hilly here, we were through here in 2008 when we did the northern tier so we knew what we were in for. We will spend the night in Shoreham, VT, at the Shoreham Inn B&B.
Tomorrow it's back to New York to go south toward NYC. We plan to be there by 8-25-10, just seven more riding days.
We've had such a great tour spending much of the time on or near Lake Champlain. We've come across some very helpful and gracious people. It's amazing how the local people love to talk about their home town and area.
Keep in touch.
Carol


And as I've said several times about Carol, WOW!!!! You go, girl! Awesome!!!!!

Day by Day

Well, things are progressing right along!!! Sometimes I get confused what's happening on which house...inspection here, inspection there. Need to fill out paperwork here, answer questions there. Yesterday, for instance, I was upset somewhat because the termite inspection was scheduled for 10 am and the guy didn't show up until 2:45 pm. Then I read my calendar and found he really wasn't due until 1 pm...still late, but not nearly AS late.

Moving day is September 3, I guess. I've been trying to get early possession and my realtor seems to be kind of avoiding the issue. Finally I gave up and called a friend and am going to borrow their enclosed trailer (which I've used before) and so the 3rd won't be a problem for me. I haven't bothered to tell my realtor that!

Still riding every morning...and I've seen the mama deer and one baby (or maybe it's a whole 'nother family?!) a couple of times. I've been leaving very early because it's been so very, very hot here. I said this morning to some walkers I see each morning, "It's ridiculous to have to get up in the middle of the night to go exercise just so you don't fry!"

I'm still doing 15 miles...and am usually home well before 8 am. This am I did my miles, edged the back yard, took a quick swim, then a shower, and talked to a friend on the phone....and still made it to an appointment downtown by 6 minutes til 9! Yeah...I could use a nap now, but that'll have to wait.

A couple of weeks ago I thought maybe I was losing weight...just seemed like it. I finally brought my scales upstairs to my bathroom so I'd be reminded to weigh myself first thing in the morning. Sure enough...I've lost 11 pounds! I'm delighted. My diet is outrageous, so it has to be the bicycling. Another reason to continue...that and my knees almost don't hurt at all ever and I'm not limping and I just feel better all over.

The heat here is truly oppresive with most days hitting the three digits. My yard is suffering...as well as everyone elses. It's mid-August so soon we'll be shoveling snow I suppose, but this heat is really bad. I heard the other day if your shadow is shorter than you are, you shouldn't be out in the sun.

Gotta run...boxes to pack..garage sale stuff to find, mark, sort...you know the routine. Count your blessings...it's a beautiful world!