Catching UP

I hope you haven't crossed us off your reading list.  Computer issues again.  Sheesh.

Gary's little operation went very well and very fast.  Before and after pictures:

Tiny little incision with glue instead of stitches.  He was a little sleepy, but felt pretty good.  We went home to rest.

The next day they used his port for his infusion:  Don't look if you're queasy, but he didn't even feel the poke because of a very sweet nurse who told him to rub a little emla (lidocaine) on the spot 1/2 hour before.  And it worked!

Since I'm writing this on the following week's Sunday, I can't remember what else we did that day - probably not much.  Saturday I worked at the CG office, and Sunday I went back to work at Dollywood - a beautiful day with tons of people.  Brenda had called and asked if we would like to meet at Huck Finn's for dinner with her neighbors, also Dollywood workers, and a couple from our campground, Graham and Jan from New Zealand.  We talked for hours filling our tummies with bottomless fish.  Took some home for lunch tomorrow.  Monday was CG office day again, and the weekend was over!  Donna made deicious chicken potpies for dinner and we had a bottle of wine and talked late into the evening. 

Tuesday we all drove to Knoxville to take the computer in for fixing and lunch at Panera.  The boys were very patient as we hit practically every store in Knoxville.  Then we had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate Ron's belated birthday dinner.  Even though it was chilly on the patio, it was freezing inside.  The wings were yummy!

Wednesday Gary and I had to turn in our two week notices, and run up to the cancer center to fill out some record release forms for when we head out of Pigeon Forge.  Then we met Donna and Ron at McAllister's Deli and chowed down on some sandwiches and soup.  It was not a pretty day, but the boys were shopped out, so Donna and I hit the outlet malls together.  We both love the same things, so shopping is so much fun!  The guys wanted Mexican, so we tried No Way Jose's five minutes from our CG.  YUMMY! 

Then we made plans for breakfast at Cracker Barrel before investigating the Beehive store and Knife Museum.  It was cold and raw out, so after our little adventure we headed home to do some w-o-r-k (a four letter word) but necessary.  I cleaned our cupboards and found things and tossed things, noting what needed using and what was going to storage.  I am a little impressed with myself because from the beginning of our fulltiming 18 months ago, I was very selective about what I really would use.  I had a house kitchen FULL of cool things, but knew that weight was very important to the safety of our rig.  Fortunately, in our position, I knew that, after we got weighed, I might want to add some things, and was lucky enough to have a storage unit to hold them if needed.  Well, I'm happy to say that I never needed to take anything out for the kitchen at all.  I just put back things!  Remember: items can do double duty.  A metal bowl and pot is a double boiler.  I only use two frying pans: large and small.  Wine glasses are also juice glasses (I have the stemless kind thanks to my daughter - smart girl).  Just cut back, right?

We had Reubens at our place for dinner and talked with Donna and Ron about our upcoming travels together to South Padre Island the first of January.  They had done some dance lessons last year, so we YouTubed the Tush Push, Cotton-Eye Joe, the Schottische, and Progressive Barn Dance.  It looks like so much fun.  I'm not that great at dancing (I've tried to master the Electric Slide at various functions) but it's too far in between, so I can't remember it.  So we've decided to practice before we get there, so we don't look like total imbiciles. 

Friday Gary had his regular infusion, and we had planned to vamooose the week he was off, over to Raleigh, get a couple of treatments there and then drive down to Florida to continue treatments.  Hopefully he won't need very many more, but then the Dr. said he needed injections of Nupogen to boost his white count.  This particular drug is very hard on the platelets.  Fortunately they have shots that counteract that effect.  We decided it was too difficult to get a Dr. in Raleigh for two weeks of treatments, so we will be staying in Pigeon Forge until November 29th.  That will be after his next three treatments (gosh, this is boring you, I know) when we will hustle down to Florida for his next three in December.  These days we are writing plans in barely legible pencil. 

We are going to try to make it to Raleigh for Thanksgiving inbetween treatments because they are closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Anyhow, I'll be posting what REALLY happens in future days.

Friday was my dear littlest grandson's first birthday.  It was so awful that we couldn't be there, but fortunately he won't remember.  Happy Birthday, little Henry.  After his infusion, we drove to Knoxville again to pick up our "fixed" computer.  Along the drive, Brenda and Larry invited us to dinner for Tortilla Soup which was Delicious with a capital D.  We hung out there for a little while, but Gary was yawning, so we called it a night around nine-thirty. 

Saturday:  me CG office and Gary to the Dragon Tail once again to return the 3XL shirt he bought by mistake for a L.  Here are a couple of pictures he took "on the fly":

 The leaves were really beautiful this time down the Dragon's Tail.  Donna and Ron still want to do this, so we may be down this road again! 

Today, Sunday the 23rd, was my last day working at Dollywood.  I was supposed to work 12-5, but they called me off at 4 pm.  I hugged everyone and said that we'd be by as guests next time we saw them.  I loved working with these people.  And I can't believe another six months of our fulltiming has flown by so fast!  You know the old saying:  Time flies when you're having fun!  It's true, it's true.