Monday, July 31, 2017

Things That Make Me Happy






We have had much beautiful weather, especially temperature wise. Although we could use some rain. We are installing a sprinkler system next week, which should help.

Really happy Megan is sneaking out next weekend for two days. Although we saw her in NY in April and will see her in Toronto in October, we never really get enough time with her unless she comes here.

DETROIT was an amazing movie although the Algiers Motel incident, which was the centerpiece, was the most harrowing 45 minutes I've spent in a theater in a long time. Maybe ever.

Happy that Phil is through 2 weeks of radiation and low-dose chemo without any real trouble. 3-4 to go.

16 comments:

George said...

I'll be seeing DETRIOT later this week.

I've reduced my stack of Library books to ZERO!

Diane returns from her visit to Montreal today.

Glad to hear you and Phil have a visit from Mrgan to look forward to.

Unknown said...

Hooray for Phil. It's an interesting journey.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I don't think he would define it exactly the same, Bill. We have so many friends with cancer right now, it is interesting to see how differently they approach it. Some of it depends on their age, I think. But some on how stoical you are. And also on how much support you get.

pattinase (abbott) said...

And the treatment. We have several friends who just have to take a pill. They seem to do so much better than those like Phil who have had surgery (2) chemo (2), and radiation (2). Too much.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Glad to hear Phil is hanging in there (and you too). This is just rough.

Happy we had a week with 5 straight days (6 overall) in the 70s, after a stretch of 90s. This is unusual for late July. Also glad we're not living in Portland like Rick and my brother, where they are expecting 107 degrees this week. Yikes! Welcome to the temperate Northwest.

Very happy we got [relatively] cheap, last minute floor seats for the Classic East concert at Citi Field on Saturday night. Five hours of music (it started at 5, ended at 11, with two intermissions) with The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and The Eagles (with Glenn Frey's son and Vince Gill taking his leads). The music was great, the mostly older crowd had a ball, the weather cooperated, it all worked out perfectly. But I'm glad we didn't get tickets for the second night (Earth, Wind & Fire; Journey; Fleetwood Mac) as back to back six hour nights is something I'll leave to the young.

We also enjoyed the new WONDER WOMAN. Tomorrow: WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES.

pattinase (abbott) said...

We don't do music enough.

Rick Robinson said...

I'm happy for those of you who are having nice weather, as here the week will be 99 (today), 100, 102, 107, 106, 100. There's nothing to do but stay indoors and run the air. Our electric bill will be heavenly. Still, I'm happy we have air, otherwise I'd be more miserable. We expect, even with sprinklers and how watering, to lose some plants. They said Thursday it will be hotter here than in Phoenix.

I've been enjoying the Hamish Macbeth books by M. C. Beation. I've read five in a row, a rare thing for me.

I'm happy Phil is getting through the 2nd Chemo okay so far. Small steps, small victories.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Jackie liked the Macbeth TV series, which was rather different from the books as I recall at this late date. Robert Carlyle doesn't fit my picture of Macbeth.

Jerry House said...

I'm glad Phil seems to be responding well and that you both are looking forward to seeing Megan soon. Family is such an important part of having a good life.

As for me, I'm glad we got to see Erin strut her stuff at her marching band/color guard preview for the upcoming football season. There are about a hundred kids in the band and seventeen (including Erin) in the color guard. (When I was in school, our band had maybe fifteen kids, along with six or seven cheerleaders.) This year, Erin (now a sophomore) performs with not only her flag but also with a rifle and a saber. It's amazing how she can spin that stuff around and catch it without getting hit, although she has a lot of bruises from practicing. During one part of the performance, Christina and the Kangaroo, along with other parents and relatives, joined the kids to "shadow" the routine. Fun.

We were also glad to get a chatty letter from Kitty's Aunt Charlotte, who lives with husband Don in Coeur d'Alene. She's 89 and he's 91 and the last survivor of kitty's father's siblings. They moved into a senior apartment earlier this year; until then, Don was still plowing out the neighborhood and mowing lawns for the neighbors. Don is the baby of the family; his last surviving sister passed away earlier this year -- she had been driving herself to and from dialysis for 16 years. Kitty's family comes from tough, old County Cork roots. Can't kill 'em with a stick.

Happy I have the new Nameless book from Bill Pronzini to look forward to this week, and a little bit sad that this is slated to be the last of the series. Nameless has been an important part of my reading for decades. Happily, Bill has many other books still inside him.

Doo wop music also makes me happy. And banjos. It's hard to be in a bad mood when there's a banjo playing.

We finished out MIDSOMER MURDERS binge -- now we have to wait for season 20. And GRANDCHESTER has finished its latest season. But there's always GAME OF THRONES -- for a few more weeks, anyway. And PREACHER is back.

Enjoy your week, Patti.

Rick Robinson said...

Lots of good things going on in your life, Jerry. I'm happy for you. Hope you have a great week.

pattinase (abbott) said...

And thanks to all of you for being a friend.

Jeff Meyerson said...

We have a long way to go, as we're only on Season 4 of MIDSOMER MURDERS.

Gerard Saylor said...

I spent all last week at Boy Scout camp in Rhinelander, WI with both my sons and 16 other Scouts. I am not a Scout Leader so I had more free time but barely got any reading done compared to last year's week long trip. We only had rain for one day and the rainfall was light and intermittent.

My 11-year-old did NOT want to go camping. The first couple days were tough for him but he adjusted quite well and had quite a bit of fun while there. My 14-year-old barely spoke 50 words to me all week and just did his own thing.

I am glad that my broken hand and injured shoulder are healing. That is nothing to the cancer treatments other are undergoing but I'm still happy about it. With a healed shoulder I've been able to start swimming again. I'm usually the fastest swimmer on the lake. I'm usually the only swimmer on the lake.

My wife says today is our wedding anniversary. Good thing I planned a gift ahead of time for this year.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Have a happy one, Gerard!

Rick Robinson said...

Believe me, Patti, it goes both ways.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear Phil's doing so well, Patti.