Thursday, October 31, 2024

Halloween Already!


Yes, it's me at long last..........here for a brief post after far too long. 

Bob is post surgery and now receiving chemotherapy, two weeks on one week off, through early next year. Living without a kidney, going back into the hospital yet again - following the surgery hospitalization - due to an infection, and then so many doctor and hospital visits have definitely taken a toll on us.........but we are managing and doing quite well at present.

It's Autumn and we're almost into November. Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, the clocks go back and the dark evenings arrive earlier.  Another year is quickly coming to an end. Where did it go? How could it pass so quickly? How come I haven't been anywhere new and exciting? Our lives, this year, have revolved around all those health and medical issues. We haven't traveled anywhere!

Today is Halloween. It's almost hot here - 79F will be the high in another hour. We've had no rain for so long that our lawn areas, back and front, are more like scenes from the days of the 'dust bowl' years on the Great Plains in the 1930's. When rain does come we pray it won't be like the storms of Hurricane Helene and Milton when we were almost washed away.

Today our lawn service is reseeding - hopefully we'll see green again come next Spring. Our tree removal people have done a great job this past week pruning, taking down one small tree, and then removing a gigantic 125 foot tall, 200 year old oak threatening to fall on the house due to a rotting base! Sad to see it go but necesssary..........our next door neighbors are happy too.

The kiddies won't require bundling up this evening as they go trick or treating. Hoping they all have fun and stay safe. My decorating for the season has been minimal this time around. Here you get the idea, my plans were bigger, the end result lesser, but I think OK.









In between all the upheaval I recently had a birthday. I really try to stay young in thought and action but have to admit I've struggled somewhat recently. My favorite times have been small, quiet moments where I managed to sit alone away from noise and commotion. These come to mind. . . . . . . . the koi pond in the peaceful hospital garden; knitting in waiting rooms - especially the ones in the Cancer Center that have no television sets; the front porch late afternoon with a cup of tea or a glass of rosé; the gazebo in the back garden, writing little thank you notes to all the dear people who have sent Bob cards and get well greetings, and me gorgeous birthday cards.

Enjoy your Autumn days. Stay well and be happy. 




15 comments:

  1. So good to see your post pop up, Mary. I have thought of you and Bob often these past few months and hoped that you were both doing well. I can imagine how challenging these medical issues have been and am glad to hear that things are going well presently. Sending my heartfelt thoughts for a smooth and full recovery for Bob. I recently spoke to a lady who was telling me she had to watch her salt intake as she only had one kidney. She shared that she and her husband both lost a kidney to cancer several years ago.
    On another note, you must be relieved to have that huge tree dealt with.
    Your Halloween decor looks lovely.
    Belated birthday wishes to you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dearest Mary and Bob,
    Glad to read you here again.
    You mention living without a kidney—guess that was an oversight as we NEED at least one functioning kidney!
    It will be rough.
    Went to see my insurance guy in regard to some water damage to the house but he too was at the Mayo Clinic for his bladder cancer chemo treatment. It is never easy for the patient—neither for the loved ones.
    Wishing you both all the very best and treasure those little moments with a tea or a rosé.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, so good to see you posting, dear Mary, and to get some news of your darling Bob!

    Halloween is not a big thing here, as you probably know, but we did in fact go to a party on the weekend, dressed as Mr & Mrs P in our batty glory, and did have some OTT grownup fun for a change! Your modest decorations, however, look very classy, if Halloween can ever be described thus :)

    Happy Birthday, too!! Xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Mary, so lovely to see a post from you. I think of you both often and hope that things progress well with Bob. I have a dear friend here who is going through weekly chemo and is so positive and brave.
    I did wonder if you were caught up in the terrible storms not so long ago, it must have been very frightening. I'm sure those quiet moments help to keep you focussed. Take care of your self as well. xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am so sorry you have been going through such a rough patch. Hope things get better very soon. Enjoy those quiet moments, you found perfect places to have them. Hgs.

    ReplyDelete
  6. How lovely to see you here, dear Mary! You and Bob are always held in the light with my prayers for healing and love. How hard it must have been to see your oak tree taken down. I love your paper mache pumpkins. Happy Halloween and Autumn days.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ok, wouldn't you know it. I left the first message and forgot my name.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for the lovely post, Mary. I've been keeping up with you on Instagram, but it's always nice to see your posts here as well. Praying for Bob as he receives chemo; and both of you as the process continues. I was happy to read you are managing things quite well at the moment. Yes, as you say, how did we get to November so very quickly! I always admire your home decor, whatever season. Wishing you both a very pleasant weekend with all the quiet and peaceful moments you need. Love, Sara

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's currently dark and rainy here this morning. We wait 6 months or longer for the rains to come each year. I like the drizzly kinda days but definitely not downpours as they cause way too many problems. My family in NC are doing okay but all around them there's still clean-up, the community rallying around to support and aid in recovery. Belated birthday wishes to you. I pray Bob will continue to heal and be well over these next months. Quiet moments are very necessary. I require more and more of them. We usually go to Friday Market in the morning but looks like it is a very nice day to cozy up at home. Take care of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dearest Mary, thank you for a beautiful post, and Happy Birthday greetings to you. I wish you and Bob all good blessings on the chemo pathway. You are in my prayers. I love to see your pumpkin collection and the white pumpkin painting, just gorgeous. All over for another year over here :) xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello Mary, it is so good to see a post from you!
    Your year has not been easy, that's for sure. When you say you have not been travelling at all this year, I could swear you've been somewhere by the sea some time this year, but maybe I am mixing things up with last year - time goes by so incredibly fast! In another two months we'll be writing "2025"...
    All the best for Bob and yourself, and of course belated Happy Birthday wishes to you!
    The Halloween decoration looks good to me - sometimes less is more, isn't it ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is so good to see a blog post again from you, Mary! I'm glad you're doing OK despite all the upheaval and stress and worry and many appointments that you and Bob have had. Your fall and Halloween decor is perfect: just enough.
    We have not traveled since right before Covid! All due to our cat. She is 15-1/2 and in stage 4 kidney disease. She requires way too much care (including subcutaneous fluids) to leave her. We'd have to have someone stay in our home 24/7 and administer all her meds, sometimes clean up vomit, and adhere to an erratic eating schedule. That obviously is not going to happen, sooo...we know we'll be able to travel once again when Clem crosses the Rainbow Bridge. And then we are done with pets. We've had them our entire 40 years of marriage and we need a break. I'm a huge animal lover, but I do want to travel while we're still able.
    Love and prayers to you and Bob...xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Mary. I’m glad that Bob is ok and I hope that you are too. I often think of you. It’s been a dull, wet autumn, here, after a mediocre summer! I still have the soap that you gave to me…its aroma fills my little craft room! Take care and love to you both! Sal 😁

    ReplyDelete
  14. So good to see a post from you Mary. It is a trying time for you both ..... I hope it has started to get easier and that Bob is reacting OK to the chemo. Look forward to the Spring when things will hopefully be on a much more even keel { and your grass will be looking greener ! }. Your Halloween decorations look perfect ..... as you know, we are more for Guy Fawkes night which was last night although, Halloween seems to be taking over here now.
    Make sure you look after yourself Mary and give Bob a boig hug and a kiss from me. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  15. It has been far too long since I last checked your blog ... please know I send every ounce of healing energy to your Bob ... and send a huge dose of optimism for both of you and a future that includes recovery / cure. Please take care.

    ReplyDelete

I would enjoy reading your comment - thanks so much for stopping by.