Thursday was still wet and drizzly, but four of us girls were meeting at the Apple Barn coffee shop for some fried apple pie and coffee. I've never had a fried apple pie before trying one at the Apple Barn, and that's so sad because they are soooo good.  Of course, they are not low calorie, so Donna and I were good and split one.  We had a nice time chatting, and then a waitress kindly took our picture.

Brenda, Cheryl, Donna and me at the Apple Barn.

After our coffee, Donna went off to the hospital to be with Ron, and Brenda and I went exploring near the Old Mill.  I took her into the Pattern Hutch where I first discovered the art of Needlepunch.  I asked some questions while she browsed the materials and other cool stuff in the store.  I got my answers and we headed over to her coach, where she thought of a clever idea.  Why don't I use stamps to create new patterns?  Brilliant! 

This is what I've begun so far: 


                                                 

 This is the front

And this is the back

                                                                                                       

I worked on my rooster for a little while tonight.  I love doing this! 

Friday was chemo day, and the Doctors are still very pleased with Gary's response.  His white cell count is too low so he will need some shots next week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to boost his immune system before his last treatment in this series on Friday.  Friday may be his last treatment (hopefully forever).  We'll wait to see what is supposed to happen for sure.  Happy, happy, happy campers!

We went to visit Ron in his hospital room and he was hanging in there.  Still waiting for things to move.  If they don't soon, they may have to go back in, but his Dr. is not too impatient and is still optimistic.  We didn't stay long, because a hospital is not a place to keep someone with a fragile immune system, so when Donna came back, we went to Walmart (but I made Gary stay in the car).  No need to go into that hotbed of germs!  We put away the groceries and had some tilapia with lemon sauce and angel hair pasta with sundried tomato pesto and broccoli for dinner.  Not bad.

Today I had to work, and it was a low key day.  It started out cloudy and cool, but then all the clouds disappeared and it turned out to be a beautiful fall day - great for the Shriner's Parade on the Parkway (read:  traffic headaches).

Close to six o'clock, Donna comes into the park and pulls up to the office.  She's all smiles and thumbs up - yay, Ron moved (if you know what I mean).  Doctors and nurses were never so excited!  So he got beef broth tonight for dinner while Donna took us out to No Way Jose's Mexican Restaurant.  This is us celebrating for Ron with large Margaritas and Dos Equis:

This is what my dish looked like.  I ate maybe 1/4 of it and boxed the rest:

Thank you Donna and Ron.  Next meal we will hopefully have Ron with us and it will be his choice of restaurant!

Oh, we have celebrities behind us.  Chris Perondi and his stunt dogs will be here for 5 days.  You can check out his website: www.stuntdog.com if you want to learn more.  This act gets around; they have been on Ellen, Oprah and Jay Leno.  Gary walked over to talk to him today and met four out of his 20 or so dogs that have traveled with him to get a contract with Dollywood (which he did for next year).  When he leaves, Ron's brother and sister in law will be moving into their spot.

We are still planning to leave the middle of October, but not sure exactly when.  Until then we enjoy every day!