That pretty much sums up Alex's treatments over the past couple of weeks. I haven't posted any updates on him because it's been pretty much up and down. The last round of a new drug two weeks ago didn't make a dent at all. In fact, one of his other lymph nodes under his chin started to grow. Last week the vet could not give him yet another new drug because the drug the previous week (the one that did basically nothing) has a tendency to attack the bone marrow and we had to give his blood cells a chance to recover. 

So, last week he received a round of the very first drug he got in the beginning. We noticed within 24 hours that the lump started to go down. By Sunday we could barely feel it. It felt good to see it go down so drastically. But by Monday it had grown again, and yesterday on his vet visit it was pretty much back to where it was before. We were discouraged but the vet was actually encouraged since the other lymph node was now "behaving itself" and was normal again. Plus, Alex had a really good week of feeling great and eating well, which to me it pretty darned important. He actually made progress instead of going backwards.

Yesterday he received a new drug which we are hoping will make his other lymph node "behave" for longer than a week. We just have to wait and see. He has another appointment next week to reevaluate where he is before we take off for the cabin.

We are still doing the Colorado cabin trip, but depending on what happens between now and his next appointment, we may have to delay by a few days to get another appointment in. It would be nice to leave on an "up" note!

Speaking of the cabin, my thoughts are whirling around in my head. I've started marking recipes to make while we are there, rounding up the books and knitting projects I want to take, and just gathering things in general in the spare bedroom. "To Do" lists have started to form. The truck had been serviced and is getting all nicely clean and detailed today. The girls will go the groomer right before we leave to get their "detailing" and Alex will get his bath and blow dry here at home this weekend. Preparations have begun! Can't wait.

Photo: Early morning spider web between the deck rails.

Ahhhh. The pool is luscious at 82/83 degrees. Now that the water has reached the set temperature the heater barely runs. Helping it along, however, is the oppressive humidity that we have had over the past two days. That and the warm nights. It only loses one degree overnight over the past two days. We really didn’t use that much propane either in bringing it up from 72 degrees.

I am sitting poolside right now looking out on overcast and gray skies. Rain has threatened and been all around us for the better part of the day, but has yet to do anything. It’s kind of an ugly day. It’s like sitting in an outside sauna. But I embrace it because I know that summer always has its last hurrah this time of year and then it settles itself back down.

We just got out of the pool from doing laps (or as Rick would correct me, two lengths make a lap). I did 30 while Rick did 40.

We haven’t been swimming that much for a while now my and body is not as used to it as I would like it to be. I did ten lengths and wondered if I could do more. On my ten to twenty I settled into a rhythm and the peace that only swimming can bring. At least it brings me peace and centers me, but I can’t speak for other people. By my twenty to thirty wind-up I was cruising. The last two lengths I bring it full on and go as fast as I can, ending up at the edge breathing fast. If feels good, like I’ve accomplished something.

Now I am sitting in the cabana accomplishing nothing except drinking a caphairina (THE national Brazilian drink) and writing this blog post. Once we go in I will publish it.

On this Labor Day weekend I really want to watch the movie “Picnic” which is kind of traditional for me since the movie is all about a character study of people at a traditional Labor Day picnic of 1955 starring William Holden and Kim Novak. I have it on a badly dubbed from TV to VHS tape but I was hoping to find it being broadcast on cable. But, alas, no. I might just have to suffer through it.

One thing I did not suffer through was the book I just finished: WOOL by Hugh Howey. Wow, that man can write. It’s post-apocolyptic, with what remains of society living in silos that extend deep underground. I won’t spoil it by saying anymore, but life in the silos is not what it appears to be. I have ordered the two sequels, the first of which goes back to the beginning to explain what took place before life in the silos and why they ended up there, and the third book in the series takes place after Wool. If you like that kind of thing I encourage you to check at least Wool out and see what you think.

Tonight and tomorrow are supposed to bring thunderstorms and more humidity. We shall see. They seem to have trouble predicting the weather this week. It rains when they say it won’t and when they say it will rain, it doesn’t.

We watched Star Trek II Wrath of Khan last night because I think it ties into the latest Star Trek movie which is coming available to rent soon. I had forgotten how good those movies were and the character development of all of the original Star Trek cast.

Live long and prosper.

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WOOHOO! The pool heater is up and running as of yesterday afternoon. The water temperature was around 72 degrees when it started (thanks to hotter weather and not so cool nights over the past two days). We also had one inch of rain on Wednesday, so it did pretty well on its own. The heater only ran for about two hours before we turned it off and it had already taken the water up to 78 degrees (temperature of the water running through the heater at the time). Warming up 30,000 gallons is no joke! This morning the pool stands at 76 degrees on opening with three frogs. I am thinking we are definitely swimming tonight!

Dad … here's one! (Bella helps with frog removal.)

Dad … he's getting away!!

I can't say enough good things about all the people that made it possible for us to have a warm pool for the Labor Day weekend. The propane tanks and all the necessary plumbing was done a week ago Monday and then we had to wait for the inspector who finally came on this past Monday. The electrician came on Monday evening to take note of what materials he would need, vowing to come on Thursday. That only left the delivery of the propane and the final hook-up of the propane to the heater. Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. the propane delivery truck was in our driveway. Rick talked to the driver and asked him to please give them a push in our direction so we could get up and running for the weekend.

Not one hour later after the propane delivery, the phone rang and it was Ken, the person responsible for the final hook-up. He said he'd be there in one hour, and he was.

Yesterday the electrician came and did his thing. (Ouch on the price tag, but he had to bring us up to code since everything was so old.) Dennis, our fab pool person, came yesterday afternoon and got the heater running and gave me a lesson in how to work it. It was so exciting to stick my hand in the water next to the jets and feel warm water pouring out!

This morning's read out with starting temp.

We only have two weeks left to enjoy it but we're going to try and take advantage of every minute we get!

Top Photo: Waterfall at Ringwood Manor.

We continue to get frogs every time it rains. If we don't have rain? No frogs! But now it's starting to get scary. I think they've heard that the pool heater will be up and running for the coming holiday weekend. (woohoo!!) They've morphed into a new species and they are bringing their babies with them!

Does anyone have any ideas of what to do next?

The figs are starting to come ripe, finally. They are a little bit late by about one week. Yummy! We are getting maybe three or four per day and at last count there were over 80 figs.

Our tomatoes are coming ripe at a rapid pace too. We have three plants, all heirlooms. They may not be pretty, but they are totally delicious. I don't know why they are cracking on the top. Too much water? Not enough water? They are just in big pots on the deck, so maybe they are root bound. They are producing though!