Fires

Fires

#1 Our former neighbors returned last week to their home and were thankful that everything that they left was fine. At one point during the evacuation each entrance into their neighborhood had a humvee manned by Arizona National Guard troops to keep looters out of the neighborhood.

#2 The fire in the Chirichuca Mts is still burning but things are not as bad.

#3 Our son-in-law Terry returned from a business meeting in Taos, New Mexico and he could see plumes of smoke from the fire threatening Los Alamos, New Mexico. The winds were so strong that he couldn't fly out of Taos to return home. Terry had to take a bus to Albuquerque, New Mexico to catch a flight to Virginia which caused him to return home a day late.

Atlas Walk

Atlas Walk

Today Atlas Walk is an outdoor shopping center with many restaurants. It was built about 10 years ago and was named Atlas Walk in memory of the old Atlas Steel Mill that made steel beams for tall buildings. Some of the steel beams that were installed in the '70s in the two World Trade Center buildings in New York City came from the old Atlas Steel Mill.

The Big Granite Ball

The Big Granite Ball

Every time Jack Aidan goes to IHOP for his favorite breakfast of French toast and bacon he likes to take time to visit the big granite ball on Atlas Walk. Tomorrow I'll explain the historical significance of Atlas Walk in Gainesville, Virginia. Have a good day everyone. We just might get a much need shower this afternoon. Yeahhhh!

Jack Aidan, you can't lift that ball. Even your Daddy can't lift that ball.

Jennifer's June 14'th Birthday

Jennifer's June 14'th Birthday

Part of our Father's Day celebration was dedicated to celebrating Jennifer's Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

This is our daughter who most favors her cousins in Ohio, especially Deb Gariety Wirrig and Marissa Wirrig who live in Bradford, Ohio.

Jeanine purchased something for Jennifer from Amazon.com.

I forgot to ask what but Jenn seems thrilled.

Father's Day Celebration At IHOP

Father's Day Celebration At IHOP

Jack Aidan helped Grandpa discover what was in his nicely wrapped gifts.

There were new blue summer shirts from Jennifer and Terry.

And in the pretty bag

were two Harry Potter movies for viewing from Jeanine.

Barney's Chauffeur Got New Wheels

Barney's Chauffeur Got New Wheels

Barney is now riding in style and is the envy of the other labs at the dog park.

Jeanine drove out sans Barney to show us her new Hyundai Sonata in deep blue.The coast guard guys in the van pool to Buzzards Point in D.C. say they now need to give her a new nickname. They used to call her Bumble because she drove a yellow 2003 Mazda. Maybe now they will call her Blue Velvet though Jeanine says don't stop calling me Bumble. I like Bumble. (Short for Bumble Bee.)

Here's Jeanine doing a Vanna White pose by the car.

After three flat tires with the Mazda this spring Jeanine knew it was time to trade it in to get a safe car for all the coast guard trips she is making this spring to off site locations like Baltimore, MD; Chapel Hill, NC; and Charlottesvile, VA.

She likes how it drives and how it looks.

She let her father take it out for a spin and he liked how it drove too.

Our American Wisteria

Our American Wisteria

Our American wisteria is getting its second round of blossoms. It first bloomed in early May with blossoms about four inches long. Now in late June it is blooming for the second time. This time the blossoms are smaller---just two to three inches long. And this past month a pair of mourning doves built a nest in the greenery and raised the two cutest little mourning doves. I got to watch them as they were learning to walk around the swing. It was like watching a pair of human twins learning to toddle and explore.

Monument Fire Update: Our former neighbors in Sierra Vista may now be able to return home. Pueblo del Sol Village I and II has had a controlled ground burn of vegetation around homes the past two days while winds were mild. There is a three mile wide "firewall" now. The Monument Fire is now about 57% contained and they hope that if the mild winds remain they may have the fire totally out by this weekend. The fire has burned close to 30,000 acres and has destroyed over 57 homes, several businesses and many cars.

Jennifer Made Me A Quilt!

Jennifer Made Me A Quilt!

This Was My Birthday Present.

The Design Is Called Duck Head.

Even Barney Liked It!

Fish Report????

Fish Report????

No new Fish Report from Ohio since June 14. I wonder why.

I'm tired of looking at the poultry days picture.

News Flash: Fish Report Has Been Updated. Yeahhhh!

Now everyone check out the fire photos below from Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Skywatch Friday = Monument Fire In Arizona

Skywatch Friday = Monument Fire In Arizona

These photos were taken by our former neighbors in Pueblo del Sol in Sierra Vista, AZ. The fires burning in the canyons are just five miles from their home. If the fires travel further north, they may need to evacuate their home. Already 40 homes and 10 structures in the canyons have burned. This photo shows the fire after dark. Sierra Vista is near historic Fort Hauchuca.

Friday Morning Update: Our friends have both cars packed with valuables and financial papers and needed medicines because the fires are now just two miles from their home. Arizona is pulling firefighters off the Springerville fire up north to head to Sierra Vista because Sierra Vista has thousands of homes in danger while the Springerville fire is mainly in Arizona's remote wilderness regions. Please pray for the folks in Sierra Vista!

This is highway #92 heading south to Mexico which is just 35 miles from Sierra Vista.

Another view of the mountain canyons burning at night.

This is the burnt out Catholic chapel that a millionaire built and maintained for the public.

This is another view of the burnt chapel.

The Monument Fire has now burnt over 10,000 acres.

My friends say that it was set by someone. It was not caused by lightening.

You can learn more by doing a search for the local newspaper, The Sierra Vista Times.

*****************

Friday A.M. Update: The fire has now burned over 17,000 acres!

Monday Noon: The fire has claimed three restaurants and 27,000 acres!

And our friends have evacuated the home that they have lived in since 1976 since the fire is getting closer. Our former home that we had built in 1977 is in this neighborhood too and the owners have also evacuated.

All the horses on Fort Huachuca have been sent off post---many to Davis Monthan Air Base near Tucson.

June Book Club Read

June Book Club Read

Eleanore Brown wrote this novel about three sisters meeting up again under the parents' roof now that they are in their 30's and about their learning to live with each other without killing each other! Their mother's breast cancer complicates the already tense situation. The oldest sister is a control freak, the middle sister is facing the fact that she stole from her employer to buy designer clothes and the baby sister is the loveable hippie who has to learn not to run away but face her problems in the home town.

The setting for this weird story of the weird sisters is just east of Columbus, Ohio where the father is a Shakespearen professor at a small private college. What can I say----Ohio never looked so disfunctional as in this novel. LOL!

Learn more about this book by clicking on the left on my other blog: Piedmont Readers.

May Book Club Read

May Book Club Read

I read this over 400 page true story of Louie Zamperini's adventures in World War II in under three days. I couldn't put it down even though parts of it were extremely difficult to read because the detailed adventures were so horrific.

Louie Zamperini today is still alive and going strong skateboarding into his 80's. But during World War II Louie had many near death experiences as a twenty-six year old shot down bombardier in the U.S. army air force. He managed to survive the plane crash, being lost at sea for over 40 days and being held as a pow in a very cruel Japanese prison camp.

This New York Times bestselling book was written by famed writer Laura Hillenbrand who also wrote the true story of Seabiscuit. I highly recommend this book which also includes many photos of Louie's life before and after World War II. This is a five star book read.

Learn more by clicking on the left on my other blog: Piedmont Readers.

My World Tuesday = June Flowers In My Backyard

My World Tuesday = June Flowers In My Backyard

Click On The My World Tuesday Banner On The Right

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Thanks For Stopping By My Blog

Three Pics Of My June Garden

Three Pics Of My June Garden

Enjoy

I'm Off For More Chemo

Our Two Little Gem Magnolia Trees Have White Blossoms

Our Two Little Gem Magnolia Trees Now Have White Blossoms

The 90 Degree Days Did The Trick

Wish I Had Smell-A-Blog So You Could Smell The Blossoms

My Madcap 67'th Birthday

My Madcap 67'th Birthday Party

Jeanine arrived with her black lab Barney who was ready for action.

Jennifer and Terry arrived with lunch for everyone from the Olive Garden and a birthday cake from Wegmans.

And my Jack was the man who kept the madcap party rolling.

When Grandma couldn't blow out all the candles with one breath little Jack insisted that we light all the candles again so that he could try. Sure enough he did blow out all the candles at once even if Grandma couldn't help worrying that if Jack's lips got any closer to the candle flames his mouth would be singed. But he did it. He blew out all the candles with one breath so that Grandma's birthday wish would come true.

And then there was the bang bang of a plate hitting the floor. Did little Jack just do that? Grandma yelled to Jack to quick run to the garage to get the broom and dustpan. Little Jack thought Grandma meant him so he made a mad dash to the garage. And who was it who broke the plate? Little Jack was an innocent bystander. It was Aunt Jeanine who knocked the plate against the back of the dining room chair in the breakfast room.

Then there was Barney who kept trying to figure out if he could get all four of his paws in this plastic bucket so he could go swimming like labs like to do. And then there was the moment went he dropped his tennis balls in the water to retrieve them and they got very wet. Sign of more trouble coming down the road. Barney later brought a wet tennis ball into the family room and the tennis ball started leaking black gooey water on the light carpet. So then we had three rug cleaners on hands and knees: Jack, Jeanine and Jennifer!
And when Grandma and little Jack played a game of pulling out the tissues from the gift bags dear Barney decided he would like to eat the paper. This led to Terry rescuing Barney from the tissue paper.
And who was chasing who around the coffee table is yet to be decided. Notice that Jack is sans his summer shorts. My Jack had to dry his shorts and socks in the dryer after he got them very wet refilling Barney's water bowl at least a dozen times.

Needless to say it was a madcap party. When everyone left Grandma said she needed to take a quick nap before she went off to bed. LOL!

Saturday Night Barbecue For The Birthday Kids

Saturday Night Barbecue For The Birthday Kids

My neighbor Scott's Birthday is June 2 and my birthday is June 5 so this past weekend we had a neighborhood gathering for five couples and a couple of drop-ins. The steaks were cooked to perfection after being marinated in garlic, lemon juice and a special low gluten Japanese soy sauce. Above is guest Rob in his Tommy Bahama shirt and hat. Very tropical and cool looking. Meanwhile, the hostess, Scott's wife Dickie, is refreshing the wine bar.

Here's Jack relaxing on the patio. See the yellow dolphin on his shirt. That is to keep away the bugs. I won't tell you where one lady put her two floral bug baits. LOL! I don't want this to become an x-rated blog. I got to take home one of the large floral bouquets that you see on the picnic table.
From the appetizers to the deserts all the food was a hit. Thanks Dickie and Scott for hosting!

Chemo Update

Chemo Update

I have had three chemo sessions this week of the drug Vidaza. I go today and Friday and then go back on Monday and Tuesday. Then I will be finished with chemo for this month. I must note that I can't wait to see what they bill our insurance for this drug Vidaza. All I know is that it is so expensive that the cancer center call each morning to see if I am able to come in for my scheduled appointment around 10:30 before they call the courier to deliver the drug to the center for my treatment. Apparently if I would not show up for treatment after the drug was delivered it would not retain its potency and the center would be out a lot of money. I wonder how much? I do know that the last time I did chemo each Neulasta shot cost $8000. Makes you wonder what is in these chemo drugs. I feel like I'm being infused with liquid gold!

Off To Morning Chemo Session

Off To Morning Chemo Session

I hope to write more later today about the weekend birthday parties and how chemo is going this week when I get back from my chemo outing.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelodysplastic Syndrome. I can't pronounce it. I can't spell it. I can't define it but I have got it.

Lucky me it has taken me in little over three weeks to go from 163 lbs to 146 lbs. The moral of this story is this: be careful what you wish for. My new years resolution was to lose some weight. LOL!

This condition may have resulted from my previous chemo for chronic lymphcytic leukemia from Nov. 2009 to May 2010. It may be the result of mutations on some of my chromosomes. At any rate it has resulted in all my important blood counts heading south: low level of red blood cells, low level of white blood cells, and low platelet count. And that means my immune system has reached a new low so I need to be around only healthy people. Bummer!

Right now I can't see my cute little grandchild, Jack Aidan, because he might expose me to his current fever which could be the result of another strep infection. Lucky for me my hubby Jack is still healthy so I can hang out this weekend with him. LOL!

I may have my last glass of wine tonight at book club at neighbor Dickie's house because I start a new round of chemo on Monday and I can't drink any alcohol for 48 hours before chemo treatment. Damm! Another bummer.

Final thought: you can google myelodysplastic syndrome to learn more about this crazy blood disorder development. If you understand it completely, I think you are a candidate for medical school.

My Flower Gardens On May 28, 2011