Playing with dirt!
That's something that I could not do last year. My wife bought a bunch of pansies for the garden and I could assist her in putting them in this year. Dirt and fresh flowers were a big no-no last year. So, it's another step forward. Today was such a beautiful day - setting an all time temperature high as we got into the 80's.
For Easter, tomorrow, it won't be quite as warm but I'll take the mid-seventies. Since we always have an Easter egg hunt for the kids, tomorrow will be a perfect day for it. It's a lot of fun to put out the eggs and then watch the kids as they hunt for them. This year the egg count is 104 so it'll be a while before all of them are found. Another event that I'll certainly appreciate all the more.
I was interviewed for another local parper yesterday. The emphasis of the interview was the upcoming bone marrow drive on the 18th. It's just so important to get out the word and to be able to help the possible donor list grow.
Otherwise, it has been two days of beautiful weather and an early taste of what spring can really be. This time of year it can be beautiful like today or we could have a blizzard. New England weather is so unpredictable.
Again, I want to that all of you who have continued to support me with your cards, e-mails, etc. It is much appreciated as there is still a ways to go. But, thank God, I'm still continuing to do well.
Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate the day...
Bob
April 1, 2010 11:55 PM
No April Fool's jokes!
On the medical front, it's certainly been an uneventful two days. On tuesday night after getting home from choir practice, one of the springs on my garage door broke with a terrific bang! Fortunately, I got hold of somebody who got here early yesterday afternoon and fixed it. I might have been able to do it myself but you really need to fix both springs at the same time and he replaced a whole raft of parts. You have to be sure that you get the right springs and that you adjust the tension just right etc. So some people advise not doing it yourself. He also got it working with the Homelink setup in my car by doing a couple of things that aren't mentioned anywhere. So I received an added bonus. All in all, a better deal that a pro does it and it really didn't cost that much.
I had the telephone interview with the Milford Cabinet last night and the Bedford Bulletin called for an interview today. I'm getting to be quite the celebrity! Kind of a small fish in a tiny pond if you ask me!
I'm going to go forward with the training to become a peer-to-peer leukemia supporter. I think that it would be a good thing to do. Iknow that I didn't need such help but I found out that others with the disease felt comforted when talking about it with someone who had been through the wars. So I'm going for it! Training is to take place on the 17th.
My docent training also continues. That adds another dimension to my life that is outside anything else that I have ever done and its been fun.
Tonight was Maundy Thursday and it was great being able to sing once again. Tomorrow is Good Friday and we'll do it all over again. I really missed it and they were kind enough to say that they were glad to have me back this year.
My life just continues to expand...
Bob
On the medical front, it's certainly been an uneventful two days. On tuesday night after getting home from choir practice, one of the springs on my garage door broke with a terrific bang! Fortunately, I got hold of somebody who got here early yesterday afternoon and fixed it. I might have been able to do it myself but you really need to fix both springs at the same time and he replaced a whole raft of parts. You have to be sure that you get the right springs and that you adjust the tension just right etc. So some people advise not doing it yourself. He also got it working with the Homelink setup in my car by doing a couple of things that aren't mentioned anywhere. So I received an added bonus. All in all, a better deal that a pro does it and it really didn't cost that much.
I had the telephone interview with the Milford Cabinet last night and the Bedford Bulletin called for an interview today. I'm getting to be quite the celebrity! Kind of a small fish in a tiny pond if you ask me!
I'm going to go forward with the training to become a peer-to-peer leukemia supporter. I think that it would be a good thing to do. Iknow that I didn't need such help but I found out that others with the disease felt comforted when talking about it with someone who had been through the wars. So I'm going for it! Training is to take place on the 17th.
My docent training also continues. That adds another dimension to my life that is outside anything else that I have ever done and its been fun.
Tonight was Maundy Thursday and it was great being able to sing once again. Tomorrow is Good Friday and we'll do it all over again. I really missed it and they were kind enough to say that they were glad to have me back this year.
My life just continues to expand...
Bob
March 30, 2010 11:25 PM
And the old shall be new again!
We went to our friend's house last night for the Seder. Though we have seen them a number of times since my diagnosis, we had not seen their family at all during the past 17 months. Since they were all there for the seder, we got a chance to renew acquaintances again and bring ourselves up to date. Another step forward and great night. It was like we had never lost ties.
Today was even a little stranger. We received an e-mail from friends that we once had when we were living in New York. We lost contact with them when we moved up here to New Hampshire back in 1989. In any case, they kept on thinking about us and for some reason decided yesterday to try to find us via the internet. As strange as it seems, if you look up my wife's name in New Hampshire, she is the first item that Google finds because of her artists web site. With this information in hand, they had our e-mail address and proceeded to contact us.
As it turns out, the are also living here in New Hampshire - about an hour an a half away. My wife called and we're going to make a date to meet them sometime after Easter. It's a small world, indeed!
Tonight was choir rehearsal for the upcoming services of Thursday through Sunday. Four services and 9 anthems along with all the other music. A lot to sing but it's great to be able to participate once again. I'm not God's gift to singing - but singing is God's gift to me.
There really has been nothing but good things that have eminated from my illness. Not that I would have wished this upon myself - but having to deal with it and it's ramifications has been an adventure that that I would never have had.
Tomorrow night, in fact, I'm being interviewed by another local newspaper.
The beat goes on - let's hope it never stops...
Bob
We went to our friend's house last night for the Seder. Though we have seen them a number of times since my diagnosis, we had not seen their family at all during the past 17 months. Since they were all there for the seder, we got a chance to renew acquaintances again and bring ourselves up to date. Another step forward and great night. It was like we had never lost ties.
Today was even a little stranger. We received an e-mail from friends that we once had when we were living in New York. We lost contact with them when we moved up here to New Hampshire back in 1989. In any case, they kept on thinking about us and for some reason decided yesterday to try to find us via the internet. As strange as it seems, if you look up my wife's name in New Hampshire, she is the first item that Google finds because of her artists web site. With this information in hand, they had our e-mail address and proceeded to contact us.
As it turns out, the are also living here in New Hampshire - about an hour an a half away. My wife called and we're going to make a date to meet them sometime after Easter. It's a small world, indeed!
Tonight was choir rehearsal for the upcoming services of Thursday through Sunday. Four services and 9 anthems along with all the other music. A lot to sing but it's great to be able to participate once again. I'm not God's gift to singing - but singing is God's gift to me.
There really has been nothing but good things that have eminated from my illness. Not that I would have wished this upon myself - but having to deal with it and it's ramifications has been an adventure that that I would never have had.
Tomorrow night, in fact, I'm being interviewed by another local newspaper.
The beat goes on - let's hope it never stops...
Bob
March 28, 2010
Fame is fleeting!
Over the weekend, only 1 person mentioned that they had seen the interview on TV and I know that they had run it a second time on Saturday morning. That's OK! It's never been about me, it's the message! GET YOURSELF ON THE BONE MARROW DONOR LIST! To answer a question that my brother-in-law posed - about 20,000 allogeneic(not your own) bone marrow transplants are done worldwide annually. The 1 year survival rate has gone up to about 50% - based on a number of factors - better HLA typing, more reduced intensity bone marrow transplants, better after transplant treatment, etc. We're getting there and I am so lucky to be on the winning side of this contest.
I can't win the lottery - but I can get leukemia! Go figure!
Anyway, a great weekend - went to a movie yesterday, ate out last night, went to Palm Sunday services this morning, and celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday(it's really tomorrow) this afternoon at the house. Palm Sunday starts a week of intense singing as I said the other day. Tuesday night is rehearsal, Thursday is Maunday Thursday, then Good Friday, followed by the Easter Vigil, and lastly Easter Sunday. You have no voice left by the time Sunday night rolls around - but it's well worth it.
For the first time ever, we did the opening part of this morning's service outside - it was breezy and cold. It's a lot better when Palm Sunday is later on in April. As for our anthems - they seemed to go well.
Tomorrow it's off to our friend's for a Seder in the evening as we, once again, get deluged with rain over the next three days - 3 to 6 inches. It seems like we need that ark every week!
I'm feeling fine and am just looking to maintain the status quo. It's another month until my next doctor's appointment.
Simply hanging on...
Bob
Over the weekend, only 1 person mentioned that they had seen the interview on TV and I know that they had run it a second time on Saturday morning. That's OK! It's never been about me, it's the message! GET YOURSELF ON THE BONE MARROW DONOR LIST! To answer a question that my brother-in-law posed - about 20,000 allogeneic(not your own) bone marrow transplants are done worldwide annually. The 1 year survival rate has gone up to about 50% - based on a number of factors - better HLA typing, more reduced intensity bone marrow transplants, better after transplant treatment, etc. We're getting there and I am so lucky to be on the winning side of this contest.
I can't win the lottery - but I can get leukemia! Go figure!
Anyway, a great weekend - went to a movie yesterday, ate out last night, went to Palm Sunday services this morning, and celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday(it's really tomorrow) this afternoon at the house. Palm Sunday starts a week of intense singing as I said the other day. Tuesday night is rehearsal, Thursday is Maunday Thursday, then Good Friday, followed by the Easter Vigil, and lastly Easter Sunday. You have no voice left by the time Sunday night rolls around - but it's well worth it.
For the first time ever, we did the opening part of this morning's service outside - it was breezy and cold. It's a lot better when Palm Sunday is later on in April. As for our anthems - they seemed to go well.
Tomorrow it's off to our friend's for a Seder in the evening as we, once again, get deluged with rain over the next three days - 3 to 6 inches. It seems like we need that ark every week!
I'm feeling fine and am just looking to maintain the status quo. It's another month until my next doctor's appointment.
Simply hanging on...
Bob
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