Ten down. Six to go

Today marked Val's 10th radiation treatment, leaving six still to go. It's a tough haul, as Val is finding the emotional toll harder with radiation than she did with chemo. The daily trips to CancerCare are wearing. However, as my wise friend and colleague Teresa said, "If the fatigue and depressed emotions are the only side effects of radiation, it will be all good!" She's right. And here's hoping.

Chester is settling well into his new farm home/life. We've had positive reports from Gracie and also from Debbie, her grand-mother, who tells us that Chester is getting along very well with Sophie, the younger female cat who was already in the house. No news yet about whether they have gone outside, but why would they want to with the lousy weather we've been having here? Many thanks to each of you who has sent a message or shared a story of a beloved pet you have had to send to a new home. Each tale of happy endings helps us immensely in managing our missing of Chester.

Lake Winnipeg: still frozen, May 4, 2014

This is what it looked like at the cottage this past Sunday (left), when Yvonne and I took a whirlwind trip up there to check things out. All was in perfect order: no unwanted 4-legged guests in evidence, no burst pipes or anything. Phew and thank goodness!

Clifftop Cottage: ready for the season

I have put in a little bit of time on the city garden: My front perennial bed got some much-needed fertilizer and new soil around the plants. A few brave things are already poking their nose above ground, and I am hopeful they will spring into hyper growth with the double-digit temperatures promised for this weekend.

As has been true since the beginning of this whole cancer-recurrence-saga, we have been well supported these past few weeks: We have been fed by Erika & Jacki, Randa and Susan; flowers have arrived from Randa and Barb & Dick; cards have come from Nancy, Laurie, and Deborah & Judy. Every gesture and action is deeply appreciated. Thank you.

I am heading towards the final class in my night course; I do my last presentation on Tuesday the 13th at which time I will have completed all my course work towards my certificate in adult ed. I then will have only a final portfolio to prepare and submit. That will feel good. But I don't want to run out of brain work, so I have picked up a small writing project from a past client. It is always a good feeling when an email comes in asking for my skills - and it keeps my hand in with 'industry work', which is a very good thing for an instructor in an institution of applied learning. The deadline is end of May, so I will be long done by the time my holidays begin around June 19th. Yippee yahoo.

Count the days with us til the end of Val's treatments, which should land on May 15th...just in time for the May long weekend. Yippe yahoo to that!