Some questions should never be asked.

It's a good thing I find a lot in life to laugh about.

So this is the dealio: This morning I drove to Nashville for a clinical trial infusion. For many months I've intended to ask about the results of other patients at Vanderbilt that are in the same trial I'm in. In a very clinical (of course) and informative fashion the research person I saw today casually tossed out the following. Of the four other people who've been in the same trial as me, three are deceased.

I nary blinked nor did my left eye rattle off a chorus of tics. I absorbed the information like a rapt student studying the syntax of Latin verbs. Every so often I gave a barely perceptible nod or raised eyebrow.

Ya know, some questions should never be asked.

Truth is, as I was driving home, I created a stitch in my side from laughing so hard. Trust me, it felt far better than crying. In fact, I didn't feel inclined to get puny at all about the new information!

Something is gonna get me some day and it very well might be IPF. Something is gonna get us all. So rather than worry and fret and wring my hands right off my arms, I prefer to be positive. I prefer feeling like the healthiest sick person in the world. This is my daily affirmation: If I think healthy, I feel healthy, then I am healthy. Am I delusional? Maybe a tad bit, but my doctor has given me a hall pass on this issue because he sees how healthy I feel and act.

This week I did determine a new rule I'm going to try my best to follow: If I have to ask myself if I have the energy to do something, then the answer should immediately be, "No!" Over and over again I overextend myself. I have to stop.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and listening, and I hope you enjoy the photos below, which give you a peek of my beautiful life on the mountain.


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Hmmmm, can you guess which geranium was a tasty snack for the local deer?


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The back of my car is a billboard of schools and colleges etc that reflects choices made by my children: University of the Pacific (Rachel, Degree in Fine Art), Pembroke Hill (School my grandsons attend), George Mason (David, Masters in Education), Washington & Lee School of Law (David, Juris Doctorate), The University of the South aka Sewanee (Chase, Degree in English), Cornell (David, Degree in History), Army JAG (David's next destination).

UMKC is missing where Chase earned a Masters in Business.


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I have so much to do tomorrow to prepare to travel the next 3 weeks, so I doubt I'll get by the Crescent... drats! This week's menu:

Walnut burgers with roasted pepper sauce, Mediterranean rice salad with olives, spinach and sunflower seeds, Wrap with sauteed tempeh and tapenade and spinach. Triple berry smoothies, kale smoothies.


The song through the land hallows and heals.

Rainer Maria Rilke


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The following photos were taken at Morton Memorial United Methodist. The stunning blonde is Denise and she's leaving the mountain this week. She'll be dearly missed. (P.S. There are three stunning blondes!)


Denise



Denise & Reenie



June, Peggy, Denise



Denise with Richard & Peggy