Having a great day!

From photo a day

I'm off on a Tuesday. Pretty odd. But, my boss had things to do out of town Wed through Friday and he thought I might like to have a day off sometime. (Amen to that!) So, I took a walk with lots of sweating. Ran a few errands including buying more chocolate and daffodils. Now, I'm enjoying the air conditioning while the dish washer washes up...then I need to get busy with making TACOs for supper. And, a kidney bean salad. (I'm supposed to be eating Red Food - but that is another story.) Then, we're off to see "District 9" at Chermside.

Oh, and best of all, I caught a second gecko in the bedroom. Maybe one day our bedroom will be free of gecko poo.

Medical Update

I came home yesterday to find a message from my "regular" doctor on our answering machine. She wanted me to know that she's trying to keep abreast of all my testing and to let me know that my latest test was completely normal.

Since the doctor is investigating whether I have a cyclic condition, that may not mean I'm "fixed" but just that I'm on the upside of my curve. Time will tell.

In the meantime, I've lost the doctor's order for one week of my labwork (two tests.) Kevin's concerned that the doctor will think I'm misrepresenting this in order to score two more blood draws like some sort of inverse-vampire-junkie.

Where did I put my leeches?

I'm melting........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While this should be a blog about "Wicked" which I just finished, it is, instead, about the god-awful heat we're having. Let's see. September marks the beginning of spring (and I know it is spring because I bought daffodils at the green grocer this afternoon. Yes, they sell yellow things there. And, red.) So, that would translate into Northern Hemisphere as March/April. As I was driving home with my loot I passed a time and temperature sign. It said, "35."

Let me help you. That's 95 degrees Fahrenheit!!!!!!!!

Zelda is parked in front of the air conditioner. She's feeling abused because I waited too late to schedule her summer hair cut.

Congratulations !

From EKKA 2009

to my test-taking husband. Way to go! Now you can explain to me what Native Americans have to do with Australian flag displays.

And, I won't tell ANYONE that you missed one question...

(Kevin passed his citizenship exam.)

Salute to the Great Darke County Fair!

I'm missing The Greatest County Fair on EARTH! Gee, I hate that.

I always go with my mother. And, on a good year, I go more than once. I don't have many photos worth looking at from the fair and even fewer have I scanned and brought with me. But these three will give you an idea on why I love the fair.

#1. Animals and art. Sometimes, they are the same. And, the best is the kids' art.

#2. Our favorite area is under the coliseum where they exhibit the flower arrangements, fresh produce, baked goods. (Though by the end of the week the baked goods are a bit scary.) I salute the creativity that Darke County folks put into things like displaying canned pickles.

#3. I share this with my mother. She buys my ticket and I buy her pie. Tradition. It's a terrible thing to waste.

#4. GIANT SQUASH and TALL SUNFLOWERS.)

I'm missing The Greatest County Fair on EARTH! Gee, I hate that.

August Birthdays!

Happy Happy Happy...

to Elaine,

and Dixie.

Carroll,

Joyce,

and Mary Kay.

Anna

and, once again, Veronica.

Looking under the bridge on Beams Road

I walked down to the "stream" to get a photo of the ocean of elephant ears that grow there, and discovered the underside of the bridge is covered with graffiti. Here's a taste. (After a while I started feeling a bit vulnerable down there.)

Australian flora

These are blooming now...on my walk to the lab this morning.

Blood letting

Friday. 21 August.

Forth sample taken. Two weeks down.

Today I had a different phlebotomist. A young man who asked me where my accent came from.

"The U.S."

"I knew it wasn't Canada. Let's see, not California."

"No"

"Not Texas"

"No"

"Where?"

"Come on. You've got 48 more guesses."

I asked him how he knew the difference between a Canadian accent and an American since I think it is very subtle and no one else seems to know.

He has a friend in California. And, he's learned that Americans and Canadians don't like each other.

I told him I didn't believe that. But, I admit here that I'm tired of people asking about my Canadian accent. Not that there is anything wrong with Canadians. I'm not racist. Some of my...

He told me he'd like to travel to the United States but he's afraid of all the people with guns. Then, he explained that if he did travel to the US the first thing he'd like to do was go to a gun store and BUY A GUN.

"Do you have to be an American? or can anyone buy a gun?"

"I have never tried to buy a gun. I don't know."

Well, he wanted to buy a gun and then take it to a shooting range and shoot it...and then sell the gun.

"I think you can probably just rent a gun from a shooting range," I told him.

"Yes, but then I wouldn't OWN one."

America's Favorites

From Singles 2009

have arrived!

Many thanks to USA foods in Melbourne!

EKKA 2009

From Singles 2009

Saturday (Aug 7) Kevin and I braved the "flu del swine" to visit The Exposition. We must admit that a widespread fear of contagion adds a lot to our enjoyment of the experience. There weren't many people wearing face masks. (Were they the sick? the fearful? or the children of Michael Jackson?) Instead, there were a lot of people staying home. Walking the midway, seeing the exhibits, viewing the showbags - these were all much, much, much easier for us than we'd ever before encountered.

We found ourselves largely incapable of watching any big ring competition. Each time we made it to the grandstand some contest was just finishing up. Same was true for the canine obedience trials. We did, however, get to watch the honey bee show and the Pekingese and Longhair Weimaraner dogs conformation competition. (I didn't even KNOW there were Longhair Weimaraners!)

This year we spent much more time enjoying the midway...even staying late to see the lights come on. We did not, however, ride any of the rides, see any of the freak shows, or play any of the games.

I hope you enjoy the photos. I went a little crazy.

Spring is coming!

While it is only just August, I am seeing signs of Spring. (You have to look closely around here since winter looks pretty darn green.)

The jasmine is budding.

My sweet peas are sprouted.

And, the mango is thinking of spiking up its unattractive flowers.

For the first time, I've succeeded in growing nasturtium. I was speaking with my mother today about them and she shared with me her memory of playing among nasturtium when she was a little girl- how good they smelled and how that smell still brings her a joyful feeling.

August 8 - Happy Birthday!

to my dear Grandmother, Veronica!

I love you.

Medical report

Finally, on Saturday I met with my hematologist about the bone marrow study he did about a month ago.

Fifteen vials of blood and who-knows-how-many dozen vials of marrow produced two unique values:

subnormal number of neutrophils (now 1.7, up from 1.2 but still less than 2.0) and
an elevation in T8 lymphocytes.

So, the investigation continues. For the next 6 weeks I will have a blood test twice weekly. (That would be 12 blood samples for the algebraically impaired.) On the final visit they will reassess the T lymphocytes, as well.

The T cells may just be a viral infection - and it may take months to clear that. The neutrophils may be just who I am. Nothing to worry about.

Listening to Kate tonight

Beautiful voice!

Medical Report

I don't have that yet. If you've been kind enough to be thinking healthy thoughts for me and my bone marrow, I thank you. I DO have an appointment this week on Saturday to get results. Until then, I am fine.

Winter color in Queensland