Graduation Week

So I panicked a little about going to two graduations in one day.  I asked Kayla what time I had to be there and she said 7:30 am.  Heather's graduation was at 7:00 in the evening.  I felt I would have to set multiple alarms to get myself moving.  When Kayla gave me my ticket, it said 8:00 am.  Relief!  A half-hour reprieve. It seems funny being this way since I used to get up between 4:00 and 4:30 am to go to work.  It took me
1 1/4  hours to get to work and I really needed another quarter hour to assure I could be at my desk.  But, I have not worked in months, and my body has adjusted very well to later hours.  All my kids knew never to call me after 8 pm.  I still like that, but I rarely fall asleep at 8 pm now.

Kayla's graduation went well and she was beautiful.  She was agitated that day, but she pulled it off and did well.  I would have liked to get a picture of us together, but she wasn't very cooperative to do more pictures.  I do like the ones I did get.  We had a nice breakfast at Cindy's (they have great breakfasts).  Her father Marvin, her sister Crystal and cousin Heather (who had her graduation that evening) joined us.  Here are pictures:

Kayla with her friends

Kayla with her special friend Maryah

Kayla with her older sister Crystal

From right to left: Heather Estes, her cousin; Crystal her sister, Marvin her dad and Kayla

Kayla, Maryah and I are going camping at my friend Martha Hense's home in June.  It is a large property and I did this last year with a girlfriend.  Kayla and Maryah agreed to go and when I asked them what cereal they wanted, they said Lucky Charms.  So it is.  There will be lots of food, a pool, dancing to a disc jockey. I'm taking Barbara Long's tent and we will all have cots and sleeping bags.  One thing we will have that I didn't have last year will be fans that run on batteries.  That will make it much more comfortable until the temperature drops.

After Kayla's graduation and celebration breakfast, I went home and rested.  I sent Shelley a text to call or text before coming because I was laying down.  That worked out well.

That evening Shelley picked me up and we headed to Heather's graduation.  Her father Chris and her grandmother Sandy were there.  Her boyfriend Wesley was also there.  Soon after, Alyssa, her sister and her boyfriend Jeremy showed up.  The line was incredibly long.  This time we parked behind Rabobank which was better since we didn't have to cross main streets.  When we finally got inside, the only place to sit was in the balcony.  We were very high and situated ourselves to be aligned where Heather would be sitting.  We waved at her, but there was no way she could know where we were.  The place was jammed.   It turned out great too, but I have to tell you, the parents of the junior high kids were so much more well behaved!  There were horns, whistles and screaming with the high school families.  Maybe they were stunned their kid made it this far.  I don't know.  I do know that for the next graduation (I understand in 2016), I'm wearing earplugs.  It got so painful at times and I was really trying to cover my ears!  Below are pictures after the event.

Heather at Wesley's graduation two years ago and Wesley at Heather's graduation

Heather and mom Shelley

Heather looking beautiful

Chris, her father; Heather; Shelley, her mother

Heather - It's official!

Shelley and Heather

Heather with two grandmas, Sandy and Rachel

Heather and Me

Heather and Wesley are moving into their first apartment together.  They said they would invite me over to eat when they get settled in.  I look forward to it.  Here's a picture of them at the beach.

Chemo on Friday was pretty much the same.  The only thing is that I feel tired that day.  That pretty much is my experience on the day of chemo.  They say that what I take would not have that effect.  I'm taking Herceptin for the HER2 positive part of this cancer.   I also schedule these first thing in the morning so I can get these over with and be free to do what I want.  I wonder if doing it earlier is a mistake.If anyone actually knows, let me know.  It is better for me not to do anything afterward. I laid down and took a nap.  Finally I was able to get moving, but I also had a solid nights sleep that night.  I really have to take breaks.  Also saw my doctor.  I need to get a MUGA scan within a week or so.  This measures the pumping of the heart.  I hope they call soon so I can take care of that.

I had lunch with my friend Janet Seinturier on Saturday.  We were going to go to Muertos in the alley (Wall Street), but they weren't going to be open until 4 pm.    So disappointing to both of us when you have in your mind what you are going to eat.  Janet loves their very hot hamburgers.  I'd have had a fish dish.  And,on our stomachs were not willing to wait.  We know that Mexicali's would be open and we went to the one downtown.  We talk about everything.  So I described how I headed in my bedroom to get something I needed and walked up to my nightstand.  I totally blanked on what it could possibly be, but usually if I just make it to the room, there is too much territory to cover thinking of what I came for.  So, I stood looking at my nightstand and it came to me.  Don't ask me now, I don't remember, it just flits through and if I don't come up with it then, it could be quite a while before I'll remember it again or perhaps never.  Janet has the same problem.  We know about the problem of coming into a room, but I felt it shouldn't take as long to come up with what  it was staring at my nightstand.

Today Kayla came over and helped to clean up and move a couple of things.  We had a late lunch at Loma Linda.  They do a good job, and, the price is reasonable.

My grandson Billy will be coming to lunch this week with his family.  So all I have to do is shop and cook the lunch.  It'll be good.  I have a lot of pictures to give him.  Here are a couple of pictures Billy sent of Conner.  He is seven weeks old now.  Sooooo cute!

My grandson Billy with his son Conner 6 weeks

Conner ready for church today 7 weeks

Liam Neeson was on 60 Minutes last Sunday.  This is the first time he has open up about the death of his wife who had gotten in a skiing accident.  He talked about his grief and the process of healing and getting a life again.  Well worth the watch.  I cannot put the link here, but it is worth looking up.  Go to 60 Minutes and when you see the one about Liam Neeson, that's it.  There is also a continuation of the talk on bereavement on 60 Minutes Overtime.  Well done.

That's it for this week.  See you next Sunday.        Rachel