Nom de Plume

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. And here I am at the ranch. Actually, I’ve been here for a week–came down because Millie has lung cancer. We went down to Escondido for her chemo last week–50 miles each way–to find out that her white blood cell count was too low, and back up the hill we came.

Actually, this sort of thing has characterized this trip. I have been fighting off a cold for the past month and a half, and the day before I came here, it finally settled in to stay with a wheeze and a hack–and that’s all I’ve been doing. The other thing is that all the various projects I have somehow converged into this past week, and I’ve been working insane hours. Which hasn’t helped the being sick part.

But enough woe! Millie, despite it all, SEEMS well. She certainly looks great. I went to the doctor here day before yesterday and got drugs–and I’m starting to feel better. It’s been raining, for which everyone in Southern California is always grateful. And of course it’s Thanksgiving! The turkey is in the oven, all sorts of family is coming over, and my mother is in the kitchen doing something with sweet potatoes.

Don’t understand CDOs? Here you go …

It’s really time for me to make that last post NOT my last post, wouldn’t you agree? Thank you to everyone who sent me a message or left a comment. I honestly didn’t know I had so many readers! And that everyone is so caring! Thank you. I really am doing fine now. It was hard going for a couple of weeks, but now–more than a month and a half later–the hormones have subsided and I am perfectly okay. Just been busy. So here’s an update:

1. I am out of the shack. Thank heavens. Aside from the obvious (shootings, theft), the shack didn’t really work out that well. I had thought I wanted more of a work/life separation, but in truth, it doesn’t work that way. I tend to work for a while, run a couple of errands, work some more, do chores, and so on. So I bought myself a nice rolltop desk and put it in the rearranged living room.

2. Lot of house stuff. The big bedroom (previously my office) is done. Well, except for trim. Steve put in a bunch of new windows, new drywall, new lights, new closet, new nook. It’s nice. Pics to come. Steve finally bought the leather furniture he’s wanted for so long for the living room. Of course, the kitchen STILL isn’t done, but we are trying to be grateful for what we have.

3. Crushing dryer disappointments. My neighbors hate me because I’ve been mooching dryer time. Ours died a month ago–bad heating element. I thought I could fix it but came to my senses rather quickly. We finally bought one, and it was delivered yesterday. And it didn’t work. So who knows?

4. Cute dogs. I love Harry. He’s such little furry pumpkin.

5. Bellydancing. Have I mentioned this? I started taking bellydancing about six months ago, and I LOOOOOOOOVE it.

I think that’s it. For now.