54 and 77

Today is my 54th birthday. I’m feeling well and have gotten over the fatigue I was experiencing late last week.

Eunice took me and Dallas out for dinner last night to Murray’s for our birthdays. Dallas will be 20 on the 28th. We had the silver butter knife steak for three and I splurged on the garlic toast rounds. It was delicious. Dallas and I went to the ball game afterwards and the Twins won 4-0. The last batter for the Angels wore number 77, a minor league number. He needs a new number - this is the majors. Good food, good game, good company.

Later today I’ll head to Chicago for work and will be able to have dinner with Ann. She and the interns she is living with invited me for dinner. It’s a good birthday. Hope to have many more.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Murray's Garlic Toast

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Baseball, Baseball, Baseball…

I’ve been feeling pretty well although I still have a bit of a cough. But I felt well enough to take in some baseball games this weekend. We went to the Twins game on Saturday and that went well for 7 innings. The Rays scored 7 in the top of the eighth with the help of a pinch hit grand slam home run and went on to win 8-6. Bart Giamatti wrote that baseball breaks your heart and it was designed to break your heart. The game lived up to that.

We also went to the St. Paul Saints game on Sunday and they won 9-0. We were given tickets and sat on the warning track, yes, the warning track, in front of the wall. The area was “protected” by orange snow fencing and any ball hit in our area (not over the wall) would be ruled a ground rule double. We sat in the power alley and someone hit a home run, over our heads and the wall. We did not stay for the fireworks after the game.

I was thinking about Giamatti with the recent headlines during Elena Kagan’s confirmation about Chief Justice John Roberts' metaphor that a judge is like a baseball umpire who calls balls and strikes (balls and strikes was a really poor choice for this metaphor). Giamatti saw baseball as a metaphor for life in general (he probably would have chosen the infield fly rule for the metaphor). Where would Giamatti find a metaphor for cancer in baseball?

Who cares? I prefer to watch the game for the conversation. Maybe that’s the connection to cancer; the emerging patterns, connecting the dots, the creation of a story. Something happens on the field; we see it and wonder what might come next. Then another thing happens and the story gets another chapter. Then it becomes history. That’s the beauty of baseball and surviving cancer.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Grilled Steak Sandwiches: I can't have hot dogs or most of the other fare sold at the ball park. I had a steak sandwich at the Twins game and it was good but I had to remove the cheese. This sandwich has no cheese and is topped with a marinated tomato, onion, and watercress salad.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

What is a Normal Day?

After looking at the blog a friend, Sam, asked me, “When do you sleep”? I guess that’s as good as place to start as any. I go to bed around 10 or 10:30 and get up around 3 or 4 in the morning. Five to six hours of sleep seems to do the trick. I have a cup of coffee and work on this blog either jotting down some ideas for posts or cleaning some things up. The blog has helped keep me sane in the early morning hours.

I’ll start work around 5:30 or 6. I work from home for a company called Maritz. and the people I work are located in the Detroit area. My primary client is General Motors. I do Organizational Development work with their dealer network and a group of nationwide Facilitators to help improve work processes in GM dealerships. Buy American. I recently read an advertisement by the president of Toyota, North America extolling their commitment to quality and safety since 1937. I don’t think I would have gone back quite that far. Did I mention my father was a WWII vet? He was in the South Pacific. GM and Maritz have been very good to me.

I take a break around 10:30 and try to walk the dog and grab some lunch. Since the folks in Detroit are an hour ahead of me this overlaps with their lunch. The afternoon is more work, take a few breaks, and I’m generally done at 5 or so. I have a lot of flexibility. I also have a lot of variety and creativity in what I do, it isn’t physically taxing, and I’ve been able to continue working without a problem. Chemo brain interferes a little because I am forgetful and have some confusion keeping track of my schedule. The folks I work with have been very forgiving.

Especially when on Prednisone I tackle a variety of small household tasks throughout the day. I tend to think about the things I’m working on while I start a meal, clip some flowers, or whatever. Random thoughts get in too like thinking about painting the other bathroom. I watch many Twins games in the evening and try to do some needlepoint during the game. Baseball is similar to the blog; it helps keep me sane but in the evening.

I do interact with my family and there is no “normal” routine there. Eunice is in West Virgina for a family reunion. Ann and Dallas are working and keeping me company in the evening. We have dinner together. The consistent thing is they take great care of me. Sleep comes with a “love you, goodnight” for all.


Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Vegetables: a family favorite.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts