wow... a whirlwind week

We left Atlanta on Monday to go to Savannah to look for a place for GradGirl to live. She has a new job and will be relocating asap, as in next weekend! Wow! Monday we arrived in Savannah and drove around the city to quite a few craigslist listings, but the city being what it is, good areas and sketchy areas, she decided on a condo in the burbs. We've signed the lease papers and took notes on what she needs, and are now back home... already packing. This coming week will involve repainting a dresser, making an upholstered headboard, shopping for odds and ends, calling utility companies, and packing.

It's a good distraction for me too, as I've been making Doctor appointments, booking flights to Boston, faxing papers and arranging for pathology to be sent, and moving on with my own needs. So much going on...

I do love setting up a new place! Interior decorating has always been a love of mine. I wanted to go to school for design, but my Dad talked me into biology. Yeah, wow, quite the difference, I know. But no regrets because I actually worked in Pathology as a Cytotechnologist and know what I am reading when I get my path reports back. I'm in the know. That's why I burst into tears when I read my own first pathology report 3 years ago, when I was initially diagnosed with the evil C.

Design is a hobby of mine, and always will be. So next weekend we'll be putting all the pieces together on GradGirl's first big girl condo, making it "her" and making it comfortable, her new home. I'll keep you posted on our projects.

pity party... or basically cancer sucks!

Yesterday was rainy and stormy and basically a do-nothing day around here. Not very productive, almost like losing an entire day. Oh well... it was partly because of the weather and partly because I got some unexpected news on Friday. I'd had a follow up CAT scan on Monday, and yes... to wait until Friday to get the results makes for a long week. But the truth is I am feeling good and was expecting a clean report, and I wasn't worried. Not so though, my mistake. The scan showed I have another lung nodule, 8mm already, a suspected metastasis, just like what I had removed 5 months ago. Damn it. I have always thought I may have to have Thoracic surgery again, but not so soon, not twice within a year. For my type of Sarcoma though, that's the course of treatment, surgery. Not that I would want to do chemo, but there is no chemo they have found to work. There are a few clinical trials going on with drugs that are extremely toxic, for patients who have inoperable cancers, but my cancer is excluded. Not that I would choose that now anyway. So surgery again it is. I'm a "take the bull by the horns" type of gal, organized and with a plan, someone who likes to feel in control. But... once again cancer has made me feel weak and frail and fragile. It's that "roller coaster" all over again, where I go from being rational, logical and strong to being emotional, scared and fragile.

painting by Trish at TheOldPostRoad

And... I'm angry... I don't want to share my life with cancer.
So... yo' Cancer... you want another piece o' me?! You can have another piece, a small centimeter piece, but not without a fight. Just know this... you can't have all of me!

Today... the sun is shining again and the weather will be beautiful. I won't let this day pass me by. The pity party's over... I may take an occasional ride on the roller coaster but you can bet I'll be back to enjoying life!

Adding color to the outdoors...

It was a beautiful weekend here at Lake Oconee, and if the pollen doesn't bother you too much, a great weekend to be outside gardening. While the Hubs was powerwashing and tending to some rotten boards on the waverunner lift, GradGirl and I planted our seasonal pots.
We ripped out the dead annuals from last year and planted new ones.
My always reliable and easy to grow standby Begonias, and some Pansies, Dusty Miller, and a few new other varieties that we're giving a go.

Yes, pigs do have wings!

Our new $8 colorful Caribbean pots from Home Depot.

And our new $16 colorful Caribbean chairs that are actually quite comfy!

"Rusty" the flower pup.
Please Rusty... make sure the critters leave my plants alone and don't eat them for breakfast!

And while were we all outside working,
some of us were relaxing, ie. Bailey the napping pup.

Like my new throw pillows for the rockers from Target?

time to repaint so why not add color!

Our lake house is taupe with white trim and is in need of exterior painting. I like the taupe... but since we have to go to all the trouble to stain/paint it, I want to jazz it up a bit. I've been thinking some shade of aqua, like a house I'd seen in Coastal Living Magazine. I had already painted our wrought iron furniture out there a royal blue last year when the color bug struck me, and want it all to coordinate.

I painted a few color samples on the siding this afternoon... what do you think?

#5 is the current taupe. #3 is a gray blue that's already been ruled out, my neighbor across the street has that shade.
I would still do the trim white if I choose one of these crazy Caribbean colors.

Or... I could stain/paint the house white and add the royal blue color to the shutters that are currently black. But we do already have miles of white deck railing. So... maybe paint the house yellow? That goes great with royal blue too!
Just an FYI, I read somewhere recently that yellow houses sell faster.
What to do???

things to celebrate that happened today

my almost birdie, one of several lately...
I'm getting closer!

fellow Gal Pal Charlene's 50th birthday celebration
and the GP towel I embroidered and decorated for her

but... the best thing to celebrate today was the news that after
3 months of chemo Carolyn had a clean PET scan. No nodules, no cancer.
Now that's something to celebrate and we did!!!

still praying

anchors away for spring

not your typical nautical colors, but she's never typical....

Betsey Johnson

available at shoes.com

man on a mission

Congratulations to a very deserving 2010 Master's Champion!

Thank you Phil for being the loving family man that you are. Thank you for winning this year and showing the golfing fans that good guys finish first!

We share your joy.

I've been listening to the Golf Channel this 'morning after' about Phil's win. He did get into trouble on the course like he tends to do, but had the guts to go for the glory. Lucky number 13. I want to play like that, and thank Phil for the inspiration.
I'm so proud of him winning, this year especially. I feel like he was trying to prove a point... with all the media focus on one guy, that good guys are great golfers too. He wanted this win, wanted it for the world of golf, wanted it for Amy and his family. Amy will win out over her breast cancer this year too, I just know it.

Golf Gal or Biker Chick?

I had to do a golf post in honor of Master's week, right?!
Bad to the ball

I do love argyle!

It's all about attitude!

Skulls are not really my style,
but I could see smacking that bad ball around...
it's such a pretty shade of pink!
from
Tattoo Golf.com

Or how about hittin' these colorful balls from PunkRockz
...wouldn't they stand out on the course?!
I don't think we'll see these at the Masters!

sewing a basket liner

This was Carter's first Easter, and as his grandmother... I had to give him a basket, right?! And of course I had to make a basket liner for it and embroider his name on it, right?!
(kinda like if you give a mouse a cookie)
And besides, it's so easy to do with my Brother...

I actually embroidered the name on the fabric first before sewing the liner. I positioned it to make sure it would be right side up when I turned it over the outside of the basket, and then pushed start and the machine stitched away. I followed these directions using my basket measurements, but instead of using elastic I used ribbon in the casing.

the finished result...

The adults received candy filled Tervis Tumblers
as their Easter present
See how thrilled he is with his basket and all his goodies!

now... what to craft next???

linked to DIY day at A Soft Place to Land

and Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

one month old today

Happy 1 month birthday Baby C!
April 5th, 2010

love, Hattie

what's in your Easter basket?

I'm lovin' what the bunny put in this one!

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way...

Family is coming in tonight and tomorrow, so before life gets too busy, I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter and a wonderful holiday weekend with your loved ones.
We'll be baking & cooking, playing a little tennis & grilling out and just celebrating being together. Baby Carter will get to meet his great-Grammy Jane and his 2nd Cousins Rob and Steve for the first time. The weather will be picture perfect here in Atlanta and we plan to take full advantage of it! We are blessed indeed!
See y'all next week.