DAR (Days after Radiation) #2-#7

• Wednesday, March 10, 2010 12:48 PM, PST
DAR #2 (Days after Radiation. Not to be confused with Daughters of the Revolution.) The moment you've all been waiting for: award announcements. Each winner is required to give an acceptance speech. Trophies and cash awards will be delivered as soon as I ask Ellen if she can find nine trophies at Goodwill for me.


1) Nominees for the award for deadpan humor go to:
A) Pam, "Sara said Poo poo."
B) Mary D. "You are very funny....I did not know that."
C) Rebecca: "Katharine Hepburn spells her name with an 'a' instead of an 'e'." And "I just wanted to add that Pam is a fine one to be commenting on someone else's language." And "What are you doing in Vietnam, Susan, besides drinking warm beer?"
D) Jane Soder for telling the story of her doctor, "No wonder she's light-headed."
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Rebecca: "Katharine Hepburn spells her name with an 'a' instead of an 'e'." And "I just wanted to add that Pam is a fine one to be commenting on someone else's language." And "What are doing in Vietnam, Susan, besides drinking warm beer?"
Jane: for telling the story of her doctor, "No wonder she's light-headed."


2) Nominees for entries that generated the most response are:
A) Brother Matt for "Vaseline"
B) Sister Jennifer for "K-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E"
AND THE WINNER IS:
Brother Matt for "Vaseline"


3) Nomininees for best musical contribution:
A) Sister Jennifer for "Spreading Rumors"
B) Heather for "Fairest Lord Jesus"
C) Pea for "You're Okay"
AND THE WINNER IS:
Sister Jennifer for "Spreading Rumors" (Though "Fairest Lord Jesus" was a close second.)


4) Nominees for best corny joke are:
A) Brother Matt for "Two Blonds Walking Down Opposite Sides of the Street."
B) Forrest for "A Cheeseburger Walks into a Bar"
C) Sammy and Willie for "Armies and Sleevies"
AND THE WINNER IS:
Sammy and Willie for "Armies and Sleevies" (Sorry Forrest. A bit of nepotism here. You just can't beat out my nephews. Though if it had been "Two Fruits Walk into a Bar" that would have been tough.)


5) Nominees for best book review:
A) Sister Jennifer for "Through Mary's Eyes"
B) Jane for "Dazed and Confused"
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Sister Jennifer for "Through Mary's Eyes"
Jane for "Dazed and Confused"


6) Nominees for signing the guestbook from the longest distance in terms of space and culture:
A) Pea in Ballard
B) Angelique in Texas
C) Mom, Dad and Aunt Susie in NC
D) Sara in Belize
E) Brett in Austria
F) Susan in Vietnam
AND THE WINNER IS:
Susan in Vietnam (She is, after all, drinking warm beer, which is how she beat out Pam in Ballard.)


And a surprise: The annual Putting Up (not necessarily out) with your Partner goes to:
A) Dad for putting up with Mom
B) Mom for putting up with Dad
C) Ann for putting up with Mary
D) Todd for putting up with Jennifer
E) Kristin for putting up with Matt

I think you'll have to discuss this with your partner and let me know if you think you're a winner. I mean, you're all winners, but let me know if you're a winner in this category considering the stiff competition.

AND TOMORROW: THE UPDATED MOVIE PLANS. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER IDEAS! EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT SECRET FOR NOW.

Of course, you're all winners (but you don't all get a trophy and a cash reward). Remember that as you sweat over your classes, Tom.


AND AWARD WINNERS PLEASE REMEMBER to write your speeches. No speech. No trophy. No quarter. No exceptions. Mary

OMG! I had no idea Jane was so funny! I vote for her to write my speech, especially since she and I share the award. Rebecca

I have to write an acceptance speech!??! Somehow I missed seeing that requirement in the past!! How can I do it and be suitably humble at the same time? I'll write yours, too, Rebecca, if you insist. But you might be sorrrrrry. (I'll give you 48 hours to write it yourself.) Jane

Don't worry about it Jane. I'll write my own. We'll see who can be the most humble (humblerest?) Rebecca

...so yes, I am still claiming 100% because I want to and I think I deserve 100% even if I don't do all the work. (Isn't that the way kids think nowadays??) So I still don't get the Roth thing, but if I say it three times does that count for something? Roth, Roth, Roth....Jane and Rebecca definitely get the LOL award. Where did all that humor come from? Diana

Hello Dear One,You look marvelous. You have been thru so much. You have taught all of us what it is like to go thru this with more than a positive attitude. You are always a teacher at heart. Love to you and Ann. Auntie Susan

• Thursday, March 11, 2010 11:12 AM, PST
DAR #3: If you haven't figured out your birthday present to me on Saturday, March 13 yet, it's time to get on it :) In case you're wondering, I'm having enough fun with the blog that I'll keep going until my MRI next month, which will show if all of this has made a difference.
Thanks for your help fleshing out plans for the movie. Here's the update: (Changes are underlined)
Title: Can't Duck It
Writers: Mary Edwards with the Coen Brothers
Directors: The Coen Brothers
Actors and Actresses:
Hilary Swank as Mary Edwards (She's already made films as a lesbian and a teacher; she has short hair from The Aviator; she has big teeth. Perfect.)
Ellen Degeneres as Ann
Meryl Streep as Mary's mom Sylvia
Ed O'Neill, the older father on "Modern Family" and on "Married with Children" as Mary's dad Steve (confusing fact and fiction, he thought this meant he would be married to Gloria, but Gloia will be Alex and he will not be married to either Gloria or Alex. He will also not be married to Meryl Streep, who plays Mom. If he is lucky, he will continue being married to my mother.)
Penelope Cruz as Mary's sister Jennifer (as my niece Isabella pointed out, she'll need to wear heals. And she'll need an accent coach.)
Tom Hanks as Mary's brother Matt
Rachel Maddow as Mary's colleague in "el closet": Gangsta J.
Xena Warrior Princess as Renee
Sophia Vergara (Gloria from Modern Family) as Alex
Pea as Pea (though I still like Edna E. Mode from The Incredibles)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) as my Nurse Practitioner
Alan Alda as my Radiologist
George Wendt (Norm from "Cheers"), John Ratzenburger (Cliff from "Cheeers") and Woody Harrelson (Woody from "Cheers") as the receptionists at radiation
Kathy Bates as my minister (not really you, Jim. I just think she would have some compelling things to say.)
Judy Dench as a radiation technician
Research Editors: Rebecca and Marion --in charge of correct quotes, sources and spellings
Rebecca and Jane: in charge of Pea (good luck).
Original Music: The Dixie Chicks
Quotations and Words to integrate into the script:
"There's something nasty in the woodshed" (Cold Comfort Farm)
"We thought you was a toad" (O, Brother, Where Art Thou?)
"No capes" (The Incredibles)
"I'm not dead yet!" (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
"Up and at 'em" (Dad)
"Ooeehh" (Granddaddy Matthews)
"O, the Humanity" (The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon)
"So it goes" (Slaughterhouse Five)
"Let us go then, you and I" ("The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock")
Words: tasty, excellent, unpleasant, ablutions, You're the best, Vaseline
See you at the movies! Mary

Dearest Mary, Wow! How do you come up with all this? I'm truly amazed! All the characters seem perfect. Although, I might make Jennifer Sandra Bullock. She's beautiful and talented and has someone who watches her back. Matt should be Ryan Reynolds, adorable, funny and sexy! Love you both, Auntie Susan

In honor of your birthday, here are some of my memories of your childhood birthday parties. First, they were always so cool in that great house with the game room and the wall to wall WHITE shag carpet (however did your mother do it?!). Is that shag carpet still there? Then there was the year my mother made me wear a dress to your party. I kicked and screamed and protested but she was sure all the other girls would be wearing dresses. So I get to the pizza place where we were to eat before seeing a movie, and you guessed it, all of your other friends were wearing jeans. My weird (cheap) parents always made us pay for our friends' birthday presents out of our allowance. One year I did not have much money. I went to Hickory Farms at Cameron Village and bought you a bag of candy from their candy bin. Unfortunately it was a few days to your party, which meant that I had time to eat most of the candy myself. By the day of your party there were only 12 pieces left. I put them in an egg carton, one piece per cubby, and wrapped your present. I was a bad friend. Have a wonderful birthday, Mary! :) Heather

• DAR #4: Still pretty wiped out but resting up for my birthday tomorrow (You do remember it's my birthday, right?) I'm going with a few friends to Alice in Wonderland at the IMAX and then dinner afterwards. Don't worry, I should be in bed by 8:30.

I loved reading your memories of my birthday parties, Heather. How funny that your mother thought we would be wearing dresses at my birthday party; we never wore them to church. And I don't remember the candy incident, so you can relax about that one. I think you're a bit rough on yourself: you were a good friend. After all, you came to my birthday parties.

And at your house I got to learn what it was like to have older sisters (I like being oldest best) and a very observant mother (not to say that mine wasn't). I remember once when your mom checked on us and knew that we were only pretending to sleep. I asked her how she knew and she said that people breathe differently in their sleep than when they're awake. I hae since studied people's sleeping breathing so as not to be caught again.

Now, when people think I'm napping so much, I'm really just practicing my sleeping imitation. I seem to have gotten quite proficient.

I'm glad we're back in touch again. I like you on email, too. Happy birthdays to us all! Mary

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY!!! I hope that 46 is going to be your best year yet! It's hard for me to imagine being that old---seeing as I'm still a boyish 45, in the early spring of middle age. I'm thinking that George Clooney would work well in the part of an old college friend, Forrest, who is now living in New York as a "confirmed bachelor," with salt and pepper hair (slightly thinning) and undeniable sex appeal. No need to let me know your thoughts on this... as I can imagine what they might be. Happy, Happy 46th, Mary!!! With congratulations and admiration, Forrest

Let's see . . . . you will be how young tomorrow? I can't remember if I was 7 or 8 years old when you were born. Your mom is 15 years OLDER than I and you are 7-8 years younger. I should really be your older sister, not your auntie. At any rate, I hope you like my gift the best. It's in the mail. If you don't receive it on your birthday, blame the US Postal Service. Hope it's a blast! Love, Auntie Cindy

Why I called Mary a Day Late to Wish Her a Happy Birthday:
a. It is rude to wake your sister up on her birthday, duh.
b. Lucie hypnotized me (most plausible) so I thought I was Michael Jackson and tried to call Janet.
c. The Vaseline on my fingers made the keypad slippery so I kept calling Australia on the 13th.
d. Journal readers had no idea March 13th was your birthday.
e. a, b, and c, but definitely not d.
Glad you enjoyed, you sound great! Brother Matt

Hi Mary and all her faithful readers! Boy, you travel around Vietnam for a few days and you really miss some great bolg action! Not to mention that Rebecca was picking on me for using technology that doesn't have spell check! Oh well, I'll forgive her if she writes a good acceptance speech. I am having a blast , and this afternoon I even found a COLD beer. It was still Vietnamese (no microbrews here) but I'll take what I can get! We are way up in the mountains of Northern Vietnam (near the Laos and Chinese borders) among the Hmong people. Very beautiful and fascinating. For the record, it is (according to my iphone) 4:00 pm TOMORROW here in Vietnam, so I am officially living in the future, while you guys are all in the past. That should give you something to ponder while you try to catch up. I hope you've had a happy, radiation-free, tumor-free birthday weekend, Mary! We'll drink some COLD beer together when I get home (unless you order a Guiness...).Susan PS to Rebecca--there is no spell check so if you could help me out I'd really appreciate it!

This is directed mainly to Susan and her sad lack of spell check. Personally, I find spell check hysterical. It has such interesting ideas about what I probably really mean. Whenever I type ok, it wants to change it to wok. Once I was telling someone about our new Marmoleum floor and it wanted to change that to mausoleum! OK, so maybe those don't count because ok should really be okay and how could it possibly know about Marmoleum, but I believe it has once or twice tried to trip me up by "correcting" perfectly ordinary and properly spelled words as well. Someday, I'm going to let it change everything to whatever it wants to and see what I wind up with. Rebecca

This message is directed mostly to Rebecca, who has troubles with spellcheck. I agree, Rebecca, that spellcheck can be a pest. But, nowhere near as much as a pest as Mildred. Mildred is our GPS location-finder, on whom we rely for how to get to important places like church, Greenwood Market, and the University of Washington. Mildred does fairly well with finding locations, but she is certainly not nice about it! She is always saying sarcatic things like "Where possible, make a legal U-Turn." When we don't want to turn left onto Holman Road in heavy traffic with no stoplights, she gets downright rude, with a touch of disdane in her voice. We have figured out that she doesn't really like us very much! My question to you, Rebecca, is how do you handle Spellcheck? Do you just ignore him, as I do, or are you considering firing him? Jane

• Monday, March 15, 2010 6:12 PM, PDT
DAR #7: Several of you have asked for a guest book glossary, so I've created one below. If I left you out, please accept my deepest apologies and let me know so that I can add you. On the other hand, if you'd prefer not to be added, don't let me know. Mary
Alana: Teaching colleague—In my earliest hallucination, Alana is the teacher who brought her seniors to the ICU to do their project presentations.
Alejandro: Amigo from the organization that connects our church community to a community in El Salvador.
Alex: Longtime friend; Worked as the receptionist in a school where I was working after brain surgery and often gave me rides to or from school. I liked the heat and the music up but not too high, so she called me “Goldie.” Please note that only Alex can call me that.
Ally: Work colleague who is an ELL facilitator
Angelique (“ique”): Freshman roommate from college; When I visited her a few years back, I didn’t sleep so well because her cat kept walking across my face. When I awoke in the morning, she said, “I should have mentioned that one of my cats like to pace across that pillow.”
Anna: My cousin. The first time she visited Seattle she would eat only bagels. So the next time, we bought a lot of bagels and she didn’t eat any. She said she likes Thai, Italian, Ethiopian, whatever.
Auntie Cindy: Closer to my age than my mothers’. When she was a teenager in the 70s, she was a flirt, but now she’s all responsible and pretends she is in my mother’s generation. I’m not fooled.
Auntie Susan: Cindy’s older sister. When a friend and I visited from college, she served us wine in a Styrofoam cup. It reminded me, unpleasantly, of a urine sample.
Bernard: Colleague from work who is the Director of ELL and co-survivor of an Administrative program at the university. For a while, his cubicle was near mine. I loved to ask him how he was in the morning: “Como estas?” He almost always answered, “Enojado.” (Angry). I love it when people don’t say fine.
Brett: Student from maybe 14 years ago. One day after a class that hadn’t gone well, he said to me, “Don’t worry. You care about it more than the rest of us do.” I think that was meant to make me feel better.
Brother Matt (“MattE”): My brother who has just turned 40, six years younger than I have just turned. When I was in college and he had just started driving, he and his good friend Ken drove me (in my black convertible mustang) home from the beach. Neither one of them said a word the whole time. Once, going through a small town, Matt grunted and nodded his head. Ken grunted back and they both laughed.
Bruce: Friend who brings his dog Abby to church sometimes. I love that.
Carinna: Colleague with whom I get to work this year.
Colleen: Longtime friend from church. A group of us went to the beach years ago. Colleen found a kelp that had washed onto the beach and made it into a trumpet, or maybe a didgeridoo.
Connections Class: Richelle, Yessica, Roger, Jose, Genesis, Alina, Victoria, Stephanie, Masud, Lacey, Leslie: Students and their current advisor who were freshmen in my Connections class the year I was diagnosed as with a tumor. Now they are seniors and I am lucky to have them still in my life.
David: Ann’s colleague, a math teacher, who stopped her at the reception to tell her about a great math article he had just read. They’re a great pair.
Declan: previous colleague from a school that was rough on its teachers. He and another social studies teacher decided that one relatively new teacher was too tense, so they did a puppet show in the window of her door while she was lecturing. She didn’t laugh. (That’s my favorite part.)
Diana: church friend with an amazing soprano voice. She traditionally makes a pink jell-o salad for Easter that we call the pink stuff. Very 70s and very tasty. Diana used to get frustrated with their puppy Banana Milkshake. Their then four year-old daughter told her, “Maybe you should talk with Katie about this because he’s a therapist and this is your issue.”
Donna: Twin sister to Ellen and longtime friend. Loves potatoes.
Ed and Bettye: Ann’s cousin Michael’s parents (but I don’t think they’re Aunt and Uncle; they’re in the cousins some number removed department).
Ellen (E or El) Twin sister to Donna and longtime friend. She came to visit one day soon after I’d returned from the hospital from brain surgery. I was walking slowly with a walker. She knocked and I headed to the front door. Just as I got there, I heard a knock at the back door. So I turned around and headed back. Just as I got there, I heard another knock at the front door. I rolled my eyes and headed to the front. Just as I got there, the phone rang in the back. And then again a knock at the front. This time I just waited there (clever, eh). After that, she cut down coffee.
Forrest: college friend now an artist in NYC. Very hip and cute.
Gene: Colleague with whom I get to work this year.
George and Cory: church friends who have now moved to Atlanta. The day I returned home from the hospital from brain surgery, George had decorated the front of the house with green and yellow balloons tied to the handrails and a big “Welcome Home Mary” sign. I loved it. Each time I ascended a step, a balloon hit me in the face and made me laugh.
Heather: my longtime friend from elementary Sunday school. When I got my hair cut in sixth grade without having it thinned (teepee head), she mourned, ”Oh, your beautiful hair.” I had never heard anyone my age call my auburn hair beautiful before. Only old ladies in the grocery store.
Jan: Colleague at a school where I worked after returned from disability leave. Also a neighbor. When she got frustrated with a neighbor for loud house concerts, she threw a clod of dirt at their front door the next day.
Jane L.: Colleague from a current school where I work who has had the grace to sign in even though we don’t really know each other.
Jane P.: My brother’s mother in law. I’m sure in Spanish there must be a term for what she is to me.
Jane S.: Church friend who gave me rides to the university and to doctors’ appointments after surgery. She also read some of my reading requirements to me, but once I fell asleep. At the end she said it was interesting. what did I think? I said, “What did you find interesting?” Very clever.
Janis : Colleague in three different schools. Impressive.
Jannine: Church friend and fellow Storm basketball fanatic.
Jay: previous neighbor who has moved. We miss him.
Jerry: Church and pub night friend. Jerry and I are great together at an auction. Once we were bidding against each other for a vacation home and decided to go in together on it instead of bid against one another. Jerry upped my bid. Our partners don’t let us sit together any more.
Jennifer G. (“Jenny”) College friend. When I was having a bad night, once, Jenny journeyed from her dorm in the middle of campus to my dorm in the woods with a cup of tea. It took her a couple of hours to arrive. Jenny is night blind and got caught in a tree.
Jessie: Colleague with whom I got to work the year after I returned from brain surgery. Makes an excellent apple cake.
Jill: Colleague, amazing ELL teacher on a quest for wisdom.
Joanna ("gangsta J"): Colleague with whom I share a cubicle in our district office. Because we are fluent in Spanglish,we call it “el closet.”
John: Church and pub night friend. Excellent paella chef.
Judy B. Church friend who once told me, “I know how to handle the ladies.”
Judy E. & Kay: Church friends. I try to encourage them to sit behind us when they’re not in the choir loft.
Karen B.: Colleague and pregnant lover of Guinness.
Karen D.: Colleague from a current school where I work who has had the grace to sign in even though we don’t really know each other well.
Karen K.: Longtime friend. One year, for her winter solstice candle, she brought a candle made from a mold of her breast. Rose and I often wonder if she ever lit it.
Karen S.: Longtime friend of Pam and Kari’s and newer friend to us.
Katie (KT): College friend who came across the country for our commitment ceremony last year.
Kate: Colleague with whom I have gotten to work for several years. Kate moved here after a year or two in the Peace Corps in Namibia. One day, she returned to her basement apartment to find that the septic tank for the building had bubbled up through her bathroom sink. A turd lay across her toothbrush. After the manager had everything repaired and cleaned, she told Kate, “Um. We threw out your toothbrush.”
Kathy B. Church friend, another choir member with a lovely voice
Kathryn: My best friend from eighth grade. A gift from Facebook.
Kenny : My cousin
Kristin: My sister in law. When one of my nieces was in a phase where she was very interested in buttholes, Kristin scolded her, “Nobody thinks a potty mouth is funny.” As Kristin left the room, my brother said, “I thought it was funny.”
Leslie: Longtime friend who has just returned to church. It’s great to have her in our lives again.
Linda: Friend who taught me Tai Chi Chuh after brain surgery. It helps my balance. I should be better about doing it more often.
Marcia: Friend from church who once, by mistake, said a prayer of concern for me after the death of my father (who was not and still is not dead.) Dad didn’t think it was funny.
Marie : Longtime friend from church, originally a farm girl from Iowa. A few years ago, she stopped on her walk to a basketball game in order to help a drummer carry his instruments across a busy street where the traffic was backed up. They did not use the cross walk and a policeman stopped to ticket them. The policeman was rude, and Marie told him so: “No wonder people don’t like the police. What’s your name? I’m going to call that station to tell them how rude you’ve been.” The policeman said that he wouldn’t give her a ticket, but she persisted: “No, give me a ticket. I deserve one. I still want to know your name. You really shouldn’t be so rude.” The drummer drifted away as the conversation continued. In the end, the policeman gave Marie a ride to the basketball game and she decided he had learned his lesson and did not turn him in.
Marilyn: Longtime friend and colleague. Makes great granola.
Mary C.: Colleague who is recovering from treatment for cancer.
Mary D.: Church friend who was a private eye. I can’t imagine being a private eye. Apparently, she tells me, lots of folks information and pictures they shouldn’t on facebook. So if you’re going to do something wrong, don’t post it.
Marion (“Miss Marion”): Longtime carpool partner and friend. The only person I know (other than me) who got lost going to the school where she worked (No, it wasn’t new.)
Michael (CCM “Cute Cousin Michael”, Party-in-a-Person): Ann’s somethingth cousin somethingth removed. Last year, we were watching a basketball game with Michael in our back room. Our neighbor heard all the noise and asked if we were having a party. “No, that’s just Michael.”
Myra (“Auntie”, pronounced ontee): My dad’s sister, my aunt. When I was little, she would give me big bear hugs when she came to visit. My dad would roll his eyes and she would call him Archie.
Pam (“Pea”, not “Pee): Longtime friend. When we went to see Batman at the IMAX a few years ago, we ended up in the 3rd row. As the row in front of us entered, a woman unhappy with her date said to him, “I told you I didn’t want to sit in the second row.” Pam spoke up, “The front row’s wide open.” The woman and her date seemed not to hear Pam, but I think I saw him smile a little.
Rebecca: church friend who is somewhat quiet in social situations that I’ve seen her in. I always suspected she might be thinking dastardly wicked things.
Renee: Longtime friend. Once, when another friend forgot he was taking me home, I emailed her because she worked at a school just up the hill and she said no problem, just to meet her in her room at 4 pm. It was cold and rainy and I was using a walker at the time. I could go up a hill but not down one. So I got up to her school and the front door was locked. I knocked but nobody heard me. A teacher leaving one of the portables went into the office and said, “Do either of you know someone wearing an eye-patch and using a walker? She’s sitting in the rain.” Renee came out laughing, so I did too.
Rick: Principal of two high schools I’ve gotten to work in and with for years. Once, he came to a meeting on time. That’s because he had written the time down wrong. He didn’t make that mistake again.
Rita: Longtime friend of both Ann and me, but longer for Ann—they were in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia together from 1966-68 and the three of us travelled together in Ethiopia a few years ago.
Rose: My first friend in Seattle. She brought me chicken and rice when I was in the hospital. I was so grateful I didn’t wait for a fork. I can get away with lots if people know I’ve had brain surgery.
Sara: Previous student who served as editor of one of the pages of the school newspaper. (I should remember this.)
Sayre: Neighbor, inspiring gardener, mother to two children, two dogs and three chickens.
Shari : Colleague with whom I’ve gotten to work the last couple of years.
Sister Jennifer (“Sistah”, “Sistah Jenn”) my younger sister who has always been a source of support and inspiration for me. When she and her friend Ellen were in high school, if they were talking to someone who had a bugger hanging out of their nose, one of them would blurt bugger. See. An inspiration.
Steve (“Big E”, “Dad”) My dad who loves investing and the stock market and simply cannot inspire his older daughter to pay closer attention.
Stef and Lin: Stef is a previous colleague of Ann’s as an educational consultant and is now an artist. Lin was a PE teacher (no stereotypes, please) who now works for the Forest Service. Their home is in a small town north of here where they get a lot of snow. When we were there a year or so ago, we cross-country skied around their yard, my first ski since brain surgery. Stef generously took a picture from her front porch that made it look like we were back-country skiing so that we could impress all of our friends.
Susan G.: Church friend (well, sort of, but she doesn’t go to church nearly as often as I do), pub night friend and Spanglish amiga. Susan accompanied me on my first kayaking voyage since brain surgery. She fell getting in the kayak.
Susan R. College friend who started a candle party tradition our freshman year that I morphed and have continued ever since.
Sylvia (“Mom”) My mother who doesn’t try to make me pay closer attention to the stock market.
Todd (”Toddy”) My brother-in-law who is kind and funny. At our reception after our ceremony, the kids wanted pizza instead of the food that was there. Todd called for pizza to be delivered, but the pizza guy kept getting lost and calling. At first Todd was irritated, but when the pizza delivery guy finally showed up Todd hugged him.
Tom: church friend and amigo in our community connection in El Salvador. Once when the translator left, I served as the translator for Tom with a family we all knew. Tom greeted them with a culturally appropriate, extended greeting that went on for some time. I turned to the family and said in Spanish, “Tom says hello with a lot of poetry.” They laughed and Tom was surprised I was finished so soon.
Tressa: A previous student and editor of the school newspaper, for which I was ostensibly the advisor. Tressa is now dealing with Lupus and I think fondly of her every day, even though she did always tell me what to do.
Val : A friend who has re-entered my life after many years.
Wendy: A colleague with whom I work as much as I can.


Thanks for signing in! My MRI will be on April 8 and my meeting with the doctors will be the following Tuesday. Mary

Not only is Katie not on the friend list (apparently she doesn't write in the guestbook...she needs to get on the stick!) and her gender has changed (since she is referenced in my bio as he.) Perhaps that will get her attention. I LOVED learning more about your friends. What an interesting bunch of people. I am glad to be one of them. Diana

I love reading about the community you have surrounding you. Now I have a little redheaded girl of my own whose head gets touched routinely by old ladies in the grocery store. Heather
For the record I am still a private investigator although I'm looking for work back in IT. You are unique in that almost everyone I tell says that they would LOVE to be a PI. You must know what they don't: that it's mostly very boring! A lot of people also ask me if I'm packing heat and I tell them only when I have a hot flash. Mary D.

Did I really tell you what to do? I don’t remember that part. Huh. I thought you just stood back and let my bossiness free reign. Sorry if I tried to boss you around. *contrite* Thanks for your thoughts. I think about you too! I hate Lyme disease. It still blows me away that I can be this sick. Do you get that too? The unreality. *sigh* Thinking of you.Tressa

Hello My Dearest, How do you do that? You know some things will never be forgotten. I'm glad we shared drinking that wine together. Otherwise you wouldn't have that great memory!! I think I drank everyone's because you and the others were laughing and being grossed out at the same time. I enjoyed all the little bios of everyone. Love you lots! Auntie Susan