Holiday Celebrations Begin

We finally got rain Tuesday!   What a nice change. Leaves are down because of the wind. I really like this. Since it has been so dry, it is a pleasant and much needed change. However, no rain for the rest of the week.

Linda Mather thinks I'm doing great in Occupational Therapy.  What I worry about is the pain in my index finger and the limits in movement in my wrist.  I want this to improve.  I was hoping she wouldn't end my therapy earlier than what has already been approved. So I did talk to her about it, but what I did find out is that I will always have to exercise this to keep movement in my hand. I was told the same thing about my back. I had this naive idea that I would just get back to before injury state and not have to exercise. NOT!  These things then become a part of my life. Oh, and she isn't ending my therapy early!

I went with my friend Barbara to a potluck fundraiser for the Audubon Society. I made a fruit salad and Barbara made a pasta dish with a homemade marinara sauce (delicious).   They had a silent auction and an auction caller for the other type of auction.  They had three items I would have liked.  One was a handmade quilt, the other two were tours by van through Tejon Ranch and through Wind Wolves Preserve each for several people. My friend and I bid on the tours, but it got way too expensive for us. But it was fun.   (I'm going to check out these tours because I would really love to do this with friends.)  They had never had such action in the past and everyone enjoyed it. I think they raised more money than they ever have. There were also students from Bakersfield High School who sang Christmas Carols. Lovely!

My Red Hat dinner was at the Hungry Hunter. We make our reservations way ahead of time and asked for this table in front of the fireplace where we do an exchange of Christmas ornaments. Well there was a large group of men at "our" table. In addition they put us at a table for eight, when there were nine of us and didn't respond to us when we pointed this out. Our leader Evelyn found a chair and made room next to her at the head of the table for the ninth person in our group. Though the food was good, the treatment was not. Our group will not go back there again. 

Me with my fellow Red Hatters Pamela and Vicki

We drew numbers to pick a present in order.  I got this Santa from Jo.  Love it!

So I saw my oncologist Dr. Tun this week before my chemotherapy.  Tests I had came out okay, but for some reason, I didn't get the test for the tumor marker. He said the next time I go in for blood work, this test will be done.   I did tell him about seeing a surgeon in Los Angeles who had asked me why I would overdose on calcium. I said to Dr. Tun, "why would I do this?"  So I had thought about what I had been doing and told him I have a lot of stomach pain and take Tums regularly.   He said "that would do it, since it is calcium".  He suggested I take Prilosec or Pepcid. He said to take Tums when this doesn't work. I told my nurse about this and she told me to contact my primary doctor about this. I told her I've had this problem for years and thought I was doing what I should do.  She made me promise to let my primary doctor know. I agreed to but said I wanted my vision checked by an ophthalmologist before I went for new glasses because I thought something was going on with my eyesight that might be more than glasses. I feel all these medical issues are getting a little ridiculous. Perhaps that is why she has suggested palliative care two years ago.  I'm waiting for a call back probably to see her first.  

I had a wonderful visit with my friend Janet. I told her I want to give a short speech at Helping One Woman (HOW) on what I have learned going through all this.  I like to bounce ideas off of Janet because she makes me think more.  My head is working on it, but she thought I needed to write some thoughts down because something very special might flit in and just as easily flit out. So true. I forget much when it isn't written down.  She also gave me a hook to hold my keys in my purse and a lighted pill holder. How ingenious!

My granddaughter Kayla and I went to lunch yesterday.  She wanted Mexican food, so we went to Mexicali's again (for me).  I could be in a rut here, because there are hundreds of Mexican restaurants, many of them excellent. When my brother Ben visits, he can't get enough Mexican food and he'd be willing to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Mexican restaurants. Connecticut has few Mexican restaurants and they don't taste like here.  We had a wonderful talk about books and reading. She wants to read the book before seeing the movie. She enjoys reading dystopias (some horrible event happens and how people try to deal with this new society.  I enjoyed our talk. It was very interesting.  I enjoyed Kayla very much.  I actually think this is the most conversation we have had at one time.  I told her that I hoped she and her friend would join me in June when I go to Martha's friends and family reunion.  She does want to go.  I hope I have no big issues going on then like last year (I broke my wrist and was in the hospital).

Today, my friend Barbara and I are going to a matinee performance of the Bakersfield Community Concert Association with Mark209 performing. They are influenced by country western music and sing hymns. They are from Nashville and do four-part harmony. There are lots of good reviews. We will also get dinner after the event.  We haven't decided where, but I want something different from Mexicali's.

So I have had plumbing issues that just continue to get worse. So I broke down and called someone to deal with this. I used Gundlach's Plumbing which said they could come out that day. Wonderful!  I really didn't expect that. I turned off the water to one toilet,  but I didn't clear out the cupboard under the sink to replace  the kitchen faucet which is also leaking.  There is always something to repair.  So he took all the stuff out and he put it all back. That was nice. The fill valve was broken and had to be replaced. Okay, it was not cheap. Each thing to repair has a flat rate charge, but it is all done and was done well. I wouldn't suggest buying a faucet at Lowe's or Home Depot unless you use their list of contractors or you are POSITIVE you can do the work yourself.  I certainly can't spend like this too often.  I did sign up for their Comfort Club which is $20 a month and they will come out twice a year to service the air conditioner, the heater and the water heater.  No other charges for this but all other charges will be reduced 15%.  

A 21st Century Faucet in a Circa 1950's Kitchen

My friend Janet gets the magazine Bakersfield Life.  In this month's edition there is a short article with mostly pictures entitled Deck The Zoo which is the California Living Museum's fundraiser Holiday Lights Extravaganza. Well Janet and I were there last year when this photographer went around taking pictures. He approached us to get our names and take our picture.  This is not the one, but another one.  We are a part of the scene in this one. I like it. So if you ever see the magazine, it is the smaller far right picture on page 139. Wonderful event by the way. It is beautiful and periodically the lights go to the music. It's very magical. Kids love it, but so do adults.

This is a a Picture of a Picture at CALM from Bakersfield Life, December 2014.
I'm on the right and Janet is on the left.
Much better picture if you can get the magazine
But, it is a wonderful shot of the lights you would see.

Here are the latest pictures of my great-grandson Conner. He has gotten his first tooth.  

There was this very cute picture of a little girl who looks like a future Red Hatter.  I saw it on Facebook.  The sentiment is right too!

So I hope you have a great week.  I'm going to be busy as usual.  I probably will have to take a break from my daily activities for the next big week, but I love it all and feel so fortunate I can still do these things.  See you next Sunday.                  Rachel