A Not So Good Week (but not Terrible, Horrible like Alexander's)

 Today is our 53rd anniversary.   We are going to celebrate with an outdoor dinner at Ruth's Chris with Jeff and Susan.  We could not get a table for six and we had to take the only time they had left which was 5 pm.  But it doesn't look like it will rain even though it will be very hot.  And I look forward to my petite fillet and cheesy potatoes.  And eating in a restaurant for the first time in months.

Last week was not a good one but maybe worth remembering anyway.   I had a mammogram scheduled on Monday morning.   I forgot my reading glasses so it was very hard to fill out the intake form but I managed with a little help from an aide.   I was told the xray would be read that very day and my doctor would call on Tuesday  and if I didn't hear from them on Wednesday to check with them.   I have never been very apprehensive about mammograms.  In fact, in the past, when the result came in the mail, I had almost forgotten I had one done!  But this time, because of Jim's cancer diagnosis and maybe my biopsy last fall, I was so apprehensive.   Of course, there was no call on Tuesday.   But Wednesday, while at Ocean Grove with Laura's family, the office aide called and said it was OK.  I told her how thankful I was and mentioned Jim's cancer.  She asked how he was and I could tell her we were thankful about his follow up results too.  I was so relieved.

The other medical issue was my possible poison ivy--on my upper right arm.  There were little blisters and redness and terrible itchiness--but how could one get poison ivy on an upper arm?   Maybe when I crawled under a fallen tree on the towpath?  And maybe it wasn't poison ivy at all.  But it was almost a constant discomfort and concern.  I didn't call the doctor because I really did not want to start oral steroids so I waited it out and little by little it improved--even if it did spread to more of my arm. 

I had been concerned about our second trip to Ocean Grove when we planned to help out with Laura's family.  I thought we would be in charge but thankfully they were able to do their webinar and conference call from the cottage so we could help out but were not totally responsible!   It was a joy to take Henry for a walk along the boardwalk as he finally succumbed to a little nap.   He smiles so readily and laughs heartily at Grandma's funny noises.  And as always, we had a great meal on the large porch--and then home to our own beds instead of spending the night.  We did have some hugs before we left but how sad it is to be wearing masks and avoiding close contact with those we love. 

I need to be less anxious about everything but that is not in my nature and it is not in the situation we find ourselves in with being more isolated and always concerned about Covid19. 

  So I will end on a couple of positive notes.  Jeff brought James back to RPI on Sunday and stopped at Dan and Alex's place en route.  I am eager to hear about their visit.  It makes me very happy when our children make an effort to get together with their siblings.   I hope those relationships continue long after Jim and I are gone.   

Sunday am we worshipped with both "our" churches--Nassau Presbyterian and Church of the Saviour in South Bend.  The service at Nassau was a children's chancel drama and maybe unexpectedly to us, it was a joy.  How the leaders managed to put it together via Zoom was amazing.  I wrote a thank you to Ingrid and she was so pleased to receive our thanks and said she would pass it on to the cast.   And then we did the live stream from CotS in which I can sing along with the praise team--and we can see our old friends.  

Later in the day I read a wonderful piece by Esau McCaulley, a Wheaton professor of New Testament,  in the NYT which led me to his blog and inspired me with his piece about Maundy Thursday and the stripping of the church which left the cross and that was all.   I believed in my heart and soul reading his piece.  As he did--it brought him back to fellowship in a church even if not the one of his youth.   I should write him as well--I have learned that even those who publish in the NYT can appreciate a thank you.