The new puppy continues to do well. She is super sweet and loves belly rubs.
I had a huge reaction to my allergy shot - this time I am suppose to take 4 allergy pills and 80 mg of Pepcid AC.
Heather sent me this awesome card to celebrate my no-BRAKA breast cancer genes!
It rains for about ten minutes sometimes. And sometimes a rainbow comes! Pookie/Minnie is getting use to us and us to her. She loves a belly rub and likes to curl up by you when you sit down. Josh and I met with the breast cancer surgeon and I got a breast/chicken pillow! Surgery Sept. 18. Ashley is looking cute!
Ashley went off to Snow College for semester #3 on Saturday. She got all organized and packed up and we raced Dad down to Ephraim. He won! Anyway, we got unpacked, got the bed made, went to lunch and the classic Walmart run. She has a fun group of roommates. They went to the campus free dinner and are going out together as a group tonight! Go Ashley!
We went to Cherry Hill (the greatest fun part you'll ever know......Cherry Hill Hill).
Been on the bucket list for 19 years now..... so Michael, Ashley, Taylor and I went last week. The slides were fun. The mini golf course was fun. The lazy river was refreshing. Then we drove home. Not even an hour away!
Apparently, eggplants grow UNDER the leaves (first year growing eggplants). So I got tons! I have been moonlighting as the eggplant-fairy. Aunt Wanda and Uncle Daryl came for dinner (and took home an eggplant!) That was super fun. They are on their mission at church headquarters until October.
We almost had a tornado! Then it just rained and there was a rainbow. All good.
We got a new dog! We have been looking at this one (in Idaho) for a while. And then I prayed about it and this is the dog for us! So Josh and I skipped stake conference and drove to Boise and got her! She is 8 years old and very snuggly. She was born "Snow White" but then became "Pookie" (Which is what I call my husband, not the dog), so we are in the process of changing it to Minnie. She likes to walk about the block. Loves cheese (reward for peeing outside), and liked to lay on the couch with you.
On the way back we practically drove through Bugs' new hometown - so we stopped!!!! Loved catching up. Bugs is so awesome, I am SOSO glad I invited her over to puzzle that long long time ago.
A tiny little spot (4 mm - smallest the mammogram can spot). I got a 'bad' mammography letter. Further mammogram/ultrasound/biopsy needed. Since the Tooele hospital could fit me in at the end of September, I went with the doctor mom and Heather used - Dr. Titensor (for real, that is her name). Got in within a week, had mammogram, followed right by an ultrasound. Then the tech started pulling out packaging. "The doctor will want to do a biopsy." Doctor came right in (Heather came with me for all of this). He grabbed out some tissue. When I asked (he retires in five years, and I figured he has seen about everything), he said "I am 90 percent sure it is cancer." Ok, good to know. Then he told me all about what comes up next.
Made lots of appointments. Got a nurse navigator. Met with the oncologist (Josh went with me). Seeing Dr. Titensor on Thursday (with Josh).
I am feeling very calm. We went to dinner with the Lewis's after the oncologist and Heather put out her welcome sign for me!
Michael is getting his driving hours in. He ALSO got a job at Menchie's selling frozen yogurt!! He says it is boring, but gets to keep a share of the tips! (Don't tip when you have to order standing up - that's our family motto).
Ellie and I went to a community watercolor night. Hers was super pretty. Ashley got a make-over and got some new face make-up. She is a cutie!
I put a pocket in a dress from D.I. I need my sewing machine back to finish the outside. I won a library reading prize!! Three free yoga classes AND a bowling pass - whoo!!
My art history class had a module about illustrated manuscripts - and we got to make a drawing. This is my letters showing things that have been going on/that I like. Josh found a totally gluten free friendly restaurant across from the World's Largest Costco! Yum!
More towels for swimming/hot tubs! Michael got his hair cut AND gave blood for the first time!
We get up early and get packed up at 5:30 a.m. We each have a backpack and the green suitcase. We check out and head to the street car - to the train station. In my big backpack is my little traveling backpack: sweater, leg warmers, head pillow, Kindle, food, glasses and medicine.
At the train station we buy random snacks for our bullet train ride. My neck is feeling GREAT! And my whole body is more relaxed. All that comfort for only $54!!!! Would totally do it acupuncture again.
On the bullet train, nice seats, good snacks, watching the country go by. Nice. Get to Tokyo - CRAZY!! We find a place (a karaoke bar at night and a baggage holding area by day - great business plan!) Josh wants to see if he can find a cool camera. Current problem is all the ones we have seen so far only have Japanese language instructions. So if can find the right year, you can do an upload or something. Many camera shops, no luck. Walking walking. There is a gf bakery right around here I say. So we look and look.Apparenlty it is in a shopping mall. So we finally find it. Oh my goodness cuteness!! Josh says I can only get one thing. See un-boxing pictures below.
Time to go get bag and get to the airport. Get a bus to the airport. We are trying so desperately to buy somethings to drink. We get one that is like....jello, but a drink. Josh downs it. An hour and twenty to the airport, getting to see more of the interstate/city roads.
Airport, get checked in. Josh can check our bag for free - yay! Find the right terminal. Josh still has money, so I go make sure they have my gf meals (yes, yes, they do!) (saves me from having to run around and find food in the airport). Josh is in a checkout line with seven boxes of chocolate (cheap and good). I check labels and add three more boxes - I mean, wouldn't you want to try strawberry/peach white chocolate? (Yes, yes you would).
Get on plane. Get food. I give Josh a sleeping pill. He sleeps. I watch Wicked 2. And listen to a whole book on tape. And sleep a tad. And get the baby-fits for the last five hours (remember, home is only 8.5 hours!) Maybe I am allergic to planes? I won't want to dope myself with even more allergy drugs, because not being able to sleep when you are so so sleepy because you have the fits is HORRID.
Arrive Seattle. HOME!! Words in English!! I understand it!! I happily pay $75 to bump my flight up two hours so can be on same plane as Josh. Feet SO SO sore. Have Wendy's!! Strawberry lemonade. (Still so thirsty). Wait a bit. Get on the plane.
SLC!!!! Been up basically 36 hours. Our suitcase is in the first 15 down the baggage claim. Our car is exactly where Josh left it (yay) and we walk right to it. Sail right out paying and are home in 45 minutes. Nice! Kids are excited we are home. Nothing burned down.
SLEEP!!!
Fancy cars on the streets of Tokyo on a Saturday afternoon, they will make chips out of anything! My gorgeous and delicious strawberry shortcake. There was even an ice pack inside so it did not get hot. We find the rooftop garden to eat in. Homeward bound!
Josh is off for his last day. My last goal is to get some acupuncture for my sore sore neck (and possibly feet). After an hour of consulting and waiting with the concierge, I get an appointment for noon!!! And a very nice hand written note about what I want. I go sit by my tree at the shrine, and think of the hard things I have done (I am also working on my letter to my missionary self - as per my therapist).
I walk over to the acupuncture place. They are very excited to see me. I take off my shoes and do some paperwork. Then she comes in and asks if I will put on their cute little jammie set. It is a button down, soft cotton set - with velcro on the back so they can work on your back with your clothes on. Smart! So I explain and she comes over and touches my sore neck and says 'oh, oh, oh, I can see.' Yeah it was bad.
So I get on my jammie and lay down. It does feel like little needles are being wacked into your most tender parts. Not bad, just a needle. I get a bunch on my left/bad side and some on the other side. Meanwhile, I am getting vacuum-sucked pressure on my legs (she also oh, oh'd on my feet). I do feel like saying "If you actually put a needle in my foot I will scream"... but the needles went on the sides of the leg. That was ok. Then the needles come out and I get a 'massage' a lot of rubbing pressure, with an extra towel even. I support modesty! Anyway. I am done. I sit up. I can MOVE MY NECK!! And my feet don't hurt! They are very pleased that I am very pleased. They ask if they can put my picture on their instagram. I say sure!
Lots of bowing. Back I go to the hotel and get ready to meet Josh at the Peace Memorial (he is skipping the afternoon 'good bye' session. It was well put together. Big panorama of the city before the bomb, and then one after. All the wood houses are gone and most of the stone building are at least partly destroyed. Personal stories and artifacts. Pictures of burn victims. Sad and haunting. It is crowded. Another hot day. There are more things downstairs about nuclear war/weapons. Interesting. Aug 6, at 8:16. Bunches of school kids were out (downtown) tearing down already destroyed buildings.
We walked down and saw the tower where the bomb exploded in the air (they set it to do that so the ground would not be so contaminated with nuclear energy). We walk and walk trying to find a place. Finally Josh makes me go back to a total tourist restaurant (on a river) and have risotto and tomatoes and mozzarella. Apparently I am hangry.
We walk around some more and buy some more stuff. We stop by another of the grill-your-own-meat places and they say they can help us. So we sit down and get our warm towel to wipe our hands. Then the first plate of meat comes with sauce on it. So my lovely honey explains that won't work and they bring us another. Humidity is exhausting. Tomorrow is home!
Grilling, those Godzilla movies where he is stomping on miles and miles of city - that is what Tokyo is actually like...miles and miles of high rises, sky scrapers, it is HUGE
