Labor Day musings.....

Wow, what a fabulous Labor Day weekend we experienced here in the East. Blue skies, sunshine and warm breezes were how we got to spend our days. Keith, Kristeen and Maia came down and we spent a day at the beach....what fun it was...the ocean was warm enough for swimming and they all went in and swam in the usually chilly Atlantic. We also made sand castles, of course, and walked the awesomely gorgeous Long Beach in Plymouth. We did back to school shopping, walked to the waterfront for ice cream (not me!), and saw the goings-on of the Iron Man Triathalon event, and just enjoyed each other and the last long summer weekend.

Since our meeting with Malynn, the holistic MD/oncologist in Connecticut, K & K have decided to make eating/cooking a priority in their lives, rather than looking at it as something to get through quickly, so they can get to other things. They arrived, armed with cookbooks, and they cooked some wonderful vegan menus....I can't tell you how helpful this was to me, to be eating new and delicious dishes, made right in my "challenged" kitchen, that they put together when I didn't even think there was time to think about cooking, etc. It was terrific....we had vegan chili, a dish with millet, fresh corn, pepper and cilantro--both yummy, especially served together! Also, broccoli with tempeh, crushed cilantro, cashews, limes, I'm not sure what else, but it was delish. And a quick and easy lunch of black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and avacado...really good. They left me with the leftovers...we so enjoyed them on Monday at Carole's house, while visiting with Katie, just back from Las Vegas. Even non-vegans thought it was great food....they got that right! It was a great lesson for me, watching them put these recipes together so easily....we ate on the porch and had fun enjoying all this food together. Maia ate everything we did and totally enjoyed it also...she is the best... At one point at the harbor, while walking by a small take-out place, she asked what they had there, and when I told her--hot dogs and hamburgers, she asked if they had things that are "healthy for our bodies". She's a rock star. K&K are going to send me the recipes they used and I will try to get them here on the website.

I am actually going to take my beach chair and my book and go to Long Beach later today and tomorrow---it's so easy, living on the coast, to take its beauty for granted. This is a most beautiful time of year here in the East...the light in the afternoon on the water is awesome. My boss is urging me to travel, see the world, and I so appreciate his generosity in allowing me to still work, but also urging me to play, while I'm still feeling good. I am planning a few short trips here and there to visit far-off friends, and a trip to NY city, and a bigger trip later, but I find it difficult to leave where I like it the best...my home, my environment, my everyday life. I've discovered through the years that I can be alone and at home and not be at all unhappy, in fact be quite happy and joyful...for this I am thankful. So instead of running away to see the world (although I'll do some of that), I'm going to, at long-last, do over my bedroom....it is a lovely room with 7 windows, 4 that give me a terrific view of the harbor and ocean...it's time to make it a really nice room with a real bed, instead of just a bedframe. I don't know what I've been waiting for--I've been in my house for 5 years now and haven't touched it....it's time, and I'm looking forward to it!

I have completed the 14 days of pills and 2 infusions (link to clinical trial details) and am on my "off" week now. I am feeling great, with no side effects...well, just a slight one--my tongue feels a little funny and it's making water taste funny, but that is disappearing now that I'm off the drugs for 7 days. So it is going well, I feel great....energized, happy, eating right, getting a little thinner....life is good.