Breaking the Back of the Beast

Chele broke the back of the beast this week, IT treatment proved challenging as it was followed by only one day of sickness. We are still in a learning curve on how to handle intrathecal chemotherapy. Next week she will try taking anti-nausea meds the night of treatment. Hopefully this will reduce the illness on the day after the treatment.

The rest of the week was good. Week 3 after chemo is always Chele’s strongest week. Her confidence continues as her strength grows each day. I have noticed more confusion and forgetfulness.  

Highlight of the week We went to Costco this week. Chele stopped at an end cap and was enjoying a free sample of Chobani yogurt. The Club Demonstration Services employee, otherwise known as a free sample worker, was working Michelle hard, trying to sell her some Greek yogurt. I had stepped away to grab something out of the freezer and I heard this guy’s sales pitch” It reduces your appetite and hunger while boosting your metabolism, Chobani prides itself on encouraging good mental health and lowering blood pressure. It's even been known to help improve bone health”. Michelle looks up at him from her Costco Shopping EV and gives him a crooked smile. He kind of stops mid-sentence and says, "uh umm don't feel obligated ma'am, would you like me to put one in your basket?" I was hiding by the nearby cooler when she caught me chuckling at her. She couldn’t contain her own laughter.

So, I'm loading this case of Chobani yogurts into the car in the parking lot and she says, “I will not eat those yogurts, if you want to return them. I did not want to be rude to the nice man.”  

Random Fact of the Week Oftentimes, patients believe there is a difference between bone fractures and breaks. Many people wrongly believe that "fracture" refers to a crack while a "break" is an obviously separated bone. However, orthopedic professionals have spoken out against this belief, explaining that "fracture" is the term medical professionals use to describe any crack or break in a bone. I feel mine when the weather changes.

Did you know? Michelle doesn’t like peanut butter. It’s always hard for people to believe that Michelle doesn’t like peanut butter. Treats are shared with Reese’s Pieces, and she will plain pass. What’s good for the goose is not always good for the gander.  

Throwback Love Story It was October 19th, 2022, our anniversary. We had a nice day. I did not take the day off work. Michelle and I planned on going to dinner that night. It was our 20th wedding anniversary, but it landed in the middle of the week. We had plans to spend the weekend babysitting the grandkids in OKC then it was off to Vegas for a 20-year wedding celebration. At dinner I asked Michelle if she heard back from the rheumatologist about side effects on a new drug she started. We noticed some slurred speech earlier in the week, but we were not too alarmed. The rheumatologist said there was no way the drug had anything to do with slurred speech and Michelle should see her primary care doctor or go to urgent care. I asked Michelle ~when~ she heard back from the rheumatologist, and she said it was early in the morning. She proceeded to tell me that she did not want to ruin our anniversary with this news and figured it could wait. Classic Michelle. We contacted her primary care doctor on Thursday morning, and she advised us to go to urgent care immediately.

Waiting on the results of the cat scan of Michelle’s brain, we were both optimistic we would be released shortly. The internal medicine doctor returned with the results and suggested we cancel our weekend travel plans and he made arrangements for us to spend the night in the hospital. One night turned into 6. Not having a clear understanding of what was going on, I asked the charge nurse for a better explanation. The internal medicine doctor called our room and was quite rude. He was wondering what information I needed. He continued to explain that Chele had a bunch of lesions in her brain. A bunch means, draw a circle on the ground and throw a handful of pebbles in it. Reality, harsh as it was. We did not expect our time with Michelle would be very long. 10 weeks of radiation calmed Chele’s neurological symptoms.

Blood thinners were prescribed after a blood clot was caught in her lungs this past January. Another round of directed radiation was ordered in early June after chest pain with deep breathing landed Chele back in the ER. It was then Michelle decided to start a chemotherapy regimen to try to stop the further cancer growth in her body. Chele had an Ommaya Reservoir put in, this past September. This delivers chemotherapy directly to the brain and spine to help with her neurological symptoms affected by the cancer.  

Maybe not the love story you are used to seeing in my updates, but a love story it is. We continue our journey, 1 year strong.

Deep Thoughts Positive thinking has the power to turn a day full of nausea and sickness into a dream date spent with my soul mate. While a delicious Crème Bismarck from Round Rock Donuts is always a good idea, there is something about just spending time with Chele that feeds my soul in a way that even the best cookie dough blizzard can’t do.

Daily Beast “Chicago Fire” (Peacock), "The Great British Bake Off" (Netflix), “Survivor” (Paramount +), “Amazing Race” (Paramount +), “Big Brother” (Paramount +) You? (Netflix)

Primetime Beat “Bad Sisters” (Apple TV), Broncos/Vikings/Longhorns Football, Twins Baseball, “Jessica Jones” (Disney +)

“Beauty and the Feast”

The Menu

Starters

 THC Gummies + (★★★★★) lol

Almonds

Beastly Bites

Chicken Sliders

Pizza (★★★★)

Frankenstein Stroganoff (★★)

Taco Salad

Salty Ass Chicken (★)

Turkey (★★★)

The Side

Veggie Mix

Protein Shake

Fries

Fluids

Enterade

Aldi Lemonade

Love you,

Brian

www.beastlybeautiful.com

Off Color

Michelle has been feeling a little off color this week. She has spent most days sleepy. 2-hour naps are not unusual. Keeping food down has also been a challenge. Chele describes this more as a stomach bug rather than a side effect. She has been dehydrated most of the week. I think she wants to punch me when I ask her if she has been drinking anything. Her blood pressure, temperature and blood oxygen levels are all normal. She has been eating breakfast every day and keeps protein shakes down on the days when she can’t keep solids down. I will bring her in for IV fluids on Monday if she does not improve over the weekend. 

The doctors will be seeing her for just one appointment next week, labs and intrathecal therapy. Hopefully rest and relaxation will help bring her strength back to “Michelle” normal. 

Highlight of the week Chele was able to see her granddaughter Abbie this week. It was Abbie’s birthday, and I was able to get Abbie to come over for a few hours to visit. Michelle was still feeling a little sick from the chemotherapy treatments but a visit from Abbie sure made her mentally healthy.  

Random Fact of the Week Color is an illusion, not part of the real world. We think of color as being a fundamental property of objects in life: green trees, blue sky, red apples. But that’s not how it works. “What color is not is part of our world,” says neuroscientist Beau Lotto. “Every color that people see is actually inside their head and the stimulus of color, of course, is light.” As light pours down on us from the sun, or from a lightbulb in our home, objects and surfaces absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others. “The ones that are reflected then land onto our retina,” says Lotto. There, those reflected wavelengths are transformed into electrical signals to be interpreted by our brain. So, we don’t really “see” color, but reflected light, as interpreted in our brain. “It’s a useful perception of our world, but it’s not an accurate perception of our world,” says Lotto. Doesn’t that just blow your mind?

Did you know? Chele was single for 10 years before her and I got together. 

Throwback Love Story It was sometime in 2009, Michelle just had bunion surgery. She was walking around in an awkward boot. We decided to go shopping over the weekend, we spent the day getting the rechargeable motorized carts, so she did not have to struggle walking around as we completed our Saturday shopping. We had one last stop to make at Wal-Mart, then it was time to go back home and put everything away. When we got to Wal-Mart there were no motorized carts available but there were some regular wheelchairs available. It took some strong powers of suggestions, but she finally decided she would let me push her around the store in this rolling glory cart. I loved it. We can go fast, there is no waiting like there was for the motorized cart. I can get in and out of the isles with ease. At one point, Michelle asks me to slow down a bit “We are not in that big of a hurry” she says. To me it wasn’t about being in a hurry, it was about efficiency and getting things done at my pace. 

Yes, I know better, I slow down. Any husband in their right mind would take a clue, and I did. In my head I really want to go fast but I control my urge. I slowed the pace back down to what a normal person would probably be shopping at, not the Tasmanian Devil. Our cart is almost full as we are headed toward the check out and turn down the main isle. When I turned into the isle, I noticed another lady in her 70’s pushing her dad in his 90’s in a sweet looking sleek black and silver leather back wheelchair marked “Wal-Mart” just like mine. I thought -fair competition. I stopped right next to them, she stopped and looked over at me. The 90-year-old young man gently lifted his chin from his chest to see what I wanted. I looked at his 70-year-old daughter and I said “hey, nice wheels! Ya wanna race? Vroom, Vroom” I said in a raspy voice. Michelle was mortified and did not say a word. The nice 70-year-old grey haired lady just stood there and staired at me as she tasted my dust. I saw the right side of the man’s mouth slowly move toward his ear. At least I amused one person that day.  I had to promise Michelle that I would never again push her in a wheelchair, EVER. There are times now when I am pushing her at oncology where I will say to her, “Vroom, Vroom” She smiles about it now. Unfortunately, we do not race anymore. I am positive we would be the 1st place team! It’s a classic memory.

Deep Thoughts I do a lot of lucid dreaming. I don't control what I dream but I do remember the dream and can usually control the outcome. Knowing they are dreams, what would you control in your dreams, and would it matter when you wake up? Would you try to sleep and find the dream again? Many experts theorize that recuring dreams may be a way to work through unmet needs or process trauma. Do you still want to find that same dream?

Black and White Daytime “Flight 666” (Prime) 3 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★★) Unseen forces attack the passengers and crew on an international flight. As the people fight to stay alive, they realize that the unseen forces are the spirits of murdered girls. The spirits are trying to stop their killer, who is onboard the plane. 

“Big Brother” (Paramount +), “Survivor” (Paramount +), “Amazing Race – The easier leg” (Paramount +)

Primetime Living Color “Survive the Night” (Netflix) 3 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★★) A trauma doctor is forced to operate on a wounded gunman as he and his family are held hostage by the man and his unhinged brother. 

“Wheel of Time” (Prime), “Jessica Jones” (Disney +) NFL Football, Longhorn Football. 

“The Impasta”

The Menu

Off Color

THC Gummies

Almonds

Primary Colors

KC BBQ Chicken (★★) She liked the chicken not the sauce and hated the rice! Womp womp

Stir Fry (★★★)

Penne Parmesan Noodles with Sausage (★) I’d give it a negative star if I could. She hated it. I made her hotdogs instead, LoL.

Fried Fish (★★★★)

Lobster ravioli (★★★)

Shrimp (★★★★)

Vanilla Protein Shake with Frozen Fruit

RYB

Green Beans

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

Veggie Mix

Protein Shake

Frozen Fruit

Fluids

Lemonade

Water

Love you,
Brian

www.YellowMakesYouDizzy

Taking the Wind from the Turbine

 The chemotherapy took the wind from the turbine this week. Michelle had her 5th of 6 treatments of chemotherapy. This 3-day treatment was the most tiring of them all. After 5 hours in the infusion chair on day 1, she was not in the mood to eat and was ready for a nap. Day 2 she had intrathecal therapy and 1 hour of chemo in the infusion room. Finally on day 3 she spent 2 hours in the infusion room because of a faulty pump. Her blood counts were lower than normal and there is a slight concern about her magnesium levels. We are trying to supplement almonds so a magnesium infusion will not be necessary. Instead of watching a movie in the chair like she normally does, Chele napped instead. 

Next week we only have one appointment scheduled for labs and intrathecal therapy. It will be a good time for resting and recovery. This will be round 2 of intrathecal therapy. We are hopeful for positive results. 

Highlight of the week Michelle continues to impress. She spends a few minutes each day outside tending to a weed or 2. She also insists on walking part of the way to her appointments. She does much better in the morning.

Random Fact of the Week Wind turbines may be stopped because there is not enough wind, since this is an intermittent resource. Even though this might sound like a contradiction, too much wind also causes wind turbines to stop. Another reason for shutting down a wind turbine is to undertake preventive or corrective maintenance. The former involves scheduled shutdowns to inspect all the components. This is normally done every 6 or 12 months, when less wind is expected so a lower amount of potential energy is wasted. Corrective maintenance is undertaken when there is a breakdown and repairs need to be carried out.

Did you know?  Michelle wore boys’ shoes growing up. That was rough when she learned that after moving out and buying her first pair of shoes on her own.

Throwback Love Story In November 2012 I went on a mission trip to China. I was gone for 2 weeks. It was a lot harder than I thought, to be away from Michelle for that long. We communicated by email. I thought I would share a note I got from her one night during a long week away.

“I miss you so much.  I just feel in my bones that you are far away, and it is a really weird feeling.  It was so great to get your email when I woke up.  I felt like a little girl reading a note that was passed to me.  I know I am weird, but I just want you to know how you affect me and how much I miss you.  -Chele”

Memories of the time spent together and apart create a treasure that we both hold onto dearly.

Deep Thoughts I had some concrete poured to make my driveway a few years ago. When concrete is poured, it is very important to cut expansion joints in the concrete. By cutting control joints in the concrete, you can better control the random cracking that inevitably occurs in concrete slabs soon after the concrete is poured and set. These cuts do not go all the way through, yet grass grows in them. How? If grass can grow in an expansion joint, anything is possible - ANYTHING!

 Daytime Wind “Big Brother” (Paramount +), “Halloween Baking Championship -Physically Baking” (Food Network), AGT

Primetime Turbine “The Batman” 2 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★).  Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships mentally, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

“Wheel of Time” (Prime) 4 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★★★), “MasterChef” (Hulu), NFL Football

“Turbine Turns”

The Menu

Gas Engine Starters

Dark Chocolate Bars

THC Gummies

Swifty Main Blades

Chicken Tenders

Coq au Vin - 3 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★★)

Classic Chicken Sandwich

Ramen Tonkotsu - 3 out of 5 Michelle stars (★★★)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Buttermilk Pork Sausage Biscuits - 1 out of 5 Michelle stars (★)

Beef Sausage

Base

Green Beans

Veggie Mix

Protein Shake

Frozen Fruit

Munchies

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Ice Cream

Fluids

Gatorade

Water

Love you,

Brian

www.HowDoesTheWindmillStart.org

Grabbing the Bull by the Balls

Michelle grabbed the bull by the balls this week. 2 successful surgeries, 2 MRIs, poking and prodding for labs, an appointment with the neurologist and a spinal tap. That’s enough to put a lot of people in a loony bin, Michelle took it head on. Each day she was tired but mentally strong, weak but not weary. 4 of the past 7 days were filled with appointments, some days she had multiple doctors demanding her attention.  

The results of the MRIs were not as good as we wanted. There was another new cancer “spot” in the brain. The neurologist wasn’t sure if this was something that went undetected because it was microscopic or if it is truly new. It is something she wants to keep an eye on. There have been some other areas that have shown growth in the brain. The lumbar MRI appeared to be unchanged. Dr. Gosling has ordered another brain MRI in 6 weeks instead of waiting 12 and this is when she will see Michelle again. 

The chemotherapy is definitely showing wear and tear on Michelle. She needs assistance walking significant distances. She gets tired quickly and sleeps a lot. She has exercises and stretches she does while not being mobile that help with her strength. Her brain is telling her she can, when she does, she gets tired quickly, then takes a break.

Highlight of the week Michelle has had a rough time getting around lately. We have been using her wheelchair more often than not, it stays in the car instead of the garage like it used to. This week she was throwing away a dead flower arrangement that was on the counter. Instead of throwing them in the trash, she decided to take them outside and throw them in the pasture. I talked her into letting me walk with her and we used the driveway instead of the bumpy pasture. It’s very difficult to describe how this small feat was such a big highlight.

Random Fact of the Week The “Rocky Mountain Oyster” is a bit of misdirection, as the delicacy is actually not an oyster at all, but testicles from sheep, bulls, or pigs that can be prepared in a variety of ways. (Breaded and fried might be the most popular.) Why the oysters label? Because testicles are rather slimy when raw. And probably don't sound as tempting when written on a menu. Many of you know that Bruce’s Bar in Severance, Colorado has carved out a niche as the premier place to try a plate. Michelle’s mom lives about 10 minutes away from Bruce’s bar.

Did you know?  Michelle doesn’t like Sushi. She loves fish and seafood but does not care for Sushi. After digging deeper, I learned that this was not a taste thing for her. The pieces are too big for her to eat, and it is difficult to cut.

Throwback Love Story From 2002 through 2005, Michelle and I lived in the Austin city limits. The raised ranch house was not too close to downtown. The house was built in the late 70’s so we were always doing upgrades it seemed. I added a storage area onto the back of the garage that we used for Christmas decorations and other things you might store in the attic but hate going up there to get. I also removed 2 tall evergreen bushes that grew 20 foot tall. They completely masked the view of the front windows and were starting to mask the view of our bedroom windows upstairs as well. I replaced the bushes with a concrete pad we used as a patio to enjoy cool evenings when we had them. This really brightened the living room up a lot. Michelle learned how to install laminate flooring at this house. I remember us working together on this flooring project and at some point, at the beginning Michelle saying “Ok look, this is not going to work. This is NOT going to be a 2-person job, so one of us must sit this one out” Hearing the passion in her voice, I knew what this meant. She did great! We also remodeled our kitchen. Michelle taught me how to tile floors at this house. She never ceases to amaze me.

After all these upgrades, one sticks out. The master bathroom remodel. We never take baths and have always wanted a walk-in shower. Knowing we could handle this job together; Michelle and I were aggressive with our approach. We tore out the tub and stripped everything down to the studs. We took all the cabinets out and removed the toilet. Starting now with a shell, we slowly pieced together our dream bathroom. One Sunday night, I almost burned the house down, trying to sweat a pipe in the attic leading into the bathroom’s soon to be shower. Needing a copper water fitting 5 minutes AFTER closing time, I snuck in the out door at Lowes, so we could get the water turned back on that night. No showers for the pre-teens before school could prove to be disastrous.

Getting the shower pan perfect was the hardest part of the walk-in shower project. Of course, I left this to Michelle. She did an absolute perfect job – both times. Forming the shower pan with concrete takes patience and great attention to detail. After 45 minutes of the perfectionist working, she finally got it perfect. Now it was my turn. I needed to get the electricity wired properly. The outlet was inside the shower area, so I was reaching around, squeezing wire nuts together, methodically working my electrical magic. One last thing to check I thought, let me look quick and “SPALT” size 10 footprint right in the concrete pan. My heart sank. My face turned red, and I could feel my body temperature rise.  I stood there for a second not believing what I just did. Michelle was not in the room at the time. I slowly removed my shoe, hoping the concrete would magically move back into place. It didn’t. I tried to cover up my mistake. I couldn’t. “MICHELLE” “Yea, um, you know how great of a job you did on that shower pan? Do you think you could do it again?” I slept on the couch for a week after that. Everything turned out okay, but it was never as good as the first time. I never heard the end of it either. 

Deep Thoughts If you had to give a speech detailing all the knowledge you have right now about cancer, how long do you think the speech would be? What would you say? Could you inspire change in “Big Pharma”? There is a shortage in chemotherapy drugs right now and Michelle's treatment was recently changed from carboplatin to cisplatin. We were told the companies that make the drugs do not make a profit on them. Who cares about the cancer patients, right?

Cowbell Daytime “Big Brother” (Paramount +), “The Challenge” (HULU), “Halloween Baking Championship” (Food Network), “The Rookie” (HULU), “Farm Life”

Primetime Heifers “The Challenging” (Apple TV) 4 out of 5 (★★★★) Michelle stars. Apollo and Emma's love story is a fairy tale, until Emma mysteriously vanishes; bereft, Apollo finds himself on a death-defying odyssey through a New York City he didn't know existed.

“The Rental” (Netflix) 2 out of 5 (★★) Michelle stars. Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying on them. Before long, what should have been a celebratory weekend trip turns into something far more sinister.

“Jessica Jones” (Disney +), “Bad Sisters” (Apple TV), “The Unit” (Hulu), “Volleyball” (YouTube TV), “NFL Football” (Multiple Channels)  

“Rocky Mountain Café”

The Menu

Delightful Starters

Dark Chocolate Bars

Fruit Slices

Mint Cookies

Kahoonas

Teriyaki Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

Casa Garcia Chicken Enchiladas

Jambalaya

Chicken and Rice

Fried Shrimp

Pizza

Mixes

French Fries

Green Beans

Veggie Mix

Cottage Cheese Parfait

Fried Corn

Mac and Cheese

Munchies

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Ice Cream

Fluids

Gatorade

Water

Love you,

Brian

 www.BunchOfBull.com

Keeping the Powder Dry

 Michelle has been keeping the powder dry this week.  Next week there will be surgeries, MRIs, neurology appointments and labs to be done. While the anxiety has been high, most days have been met with calm patience and perseverance. There was a lab appointment followed by an oncology visit. Later in the week it was off to PT. This was the first time she has met with the physical therapist in a few weeks, due to conflicts.  The weather is cooling off, so more time is spent outside on the patio. This unfortunately means more time to think. She told me this week that she missed me but could not explain what she meant by her statement. Some days are better than others.

Michelle was excited when she saw a live goose on Luck Lake. It is not a Canada Goose like you see up north. This is more of a domesticated swan goose. 

Highlight of the week Michelle got her nails done this week. They look beautiful and she always feels better when she has them done, and she should. We bought 2 new hummingbird feeders, so she spent some time watching the hummingbirds and the herons on Luck Lake. She did some garden cleaning as well. There were plenty of dead sunflowers in the raised bed that needed to be pulled up. Gatorade helped with the exhaustion, and she felt accomplished.

Random Fact of the Week The origins of the phrase “dry powder” hearken back to the 17th century when military battles were fought with guns and cannons that utilized loose gunpowder in combat. In order for it to remain effective, the gunpowder had to be kept dry. Consequently, having stores of dry powder readily available was essential to keeping weapons functioning optimally. Hence, equating dry powder with being calm and ready for a possible problem in the future.

Did you know?  Michelle loves roller coasters. I am not a fan, so she always needs a partner if she goes on one while we are together. With my last name, I opt out

Throwback Love Story On our trip to California in 2012 we scheduled a few days in San Francisco. We decided to try this new trend called a Segway. They looked fun and there were plenty of Segway tours to choose from in San Francisco. I loved being outside and exploring. I think Michelle would have rather just stayed in a cocoon somewhere. I knew though, once it was all over, she would have something to talk about and in the end, it would have been a fun day for her. It didn’t start out well. I walked out ready to tour in jeans and a t-shirt, Michelle was smarter and had a decent sized coat on. I was almost late for the tour because I ran back upstairs to grab a windbreaker. I came from Texas where it was 104 in the shade, 70-degree weather was a walk in the park. I would never admit it at the time, but I wish I would have had warmer clothes on.

We got our Segway instructions and we were off. These things were quite simple to operate. San Francisco is a great place to have these machines too, with its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and amazingly steep topography, I was glad I wasn’t walking.  The guy in front of me did not share my sentiment. He did not think they were simple to operate. I don’t remember exactly what happened, all I remember is seeing a Segway without a body, headed down a steep San Francisco Street. A smart tourist would have stopped and helped the poor soul who fell off the Segway. Not Brian Luck, he was thinking, there were 14 other capable people to help that guy, I gotta save this machine! Off I went. I was weaving left and right, flying past light poles and people, slowly catching up to the runaway Segway. I just knew I was going to be the hero after this. Barely escaping danger, I reach out with one hand and stop the Segway. In my head I remember hearing cheers of gratitude. I was proud of my accomplishments, no medal needed, maybe a refund of my tour ticket would be sufficient.

When the tour caught up to me, I knew that I was going to get the hero’s response. Not only did I get the third degree, but I was also escorted back to the hotel and told my tour was over. Apparently risking my life for the machine is not something they encourage. Michelle said that the tour guides were freaking out when I took off and did not know how to handle the situation. She too was not happy with my decision that day.

I asked Michelle this week what love story I should write about. The first thing out of her mouth was “Segway”. I guess sometimes when you make bad choices, they end up being good memories.

Deep Thoughts Michelle was sad this week because she forgot what she was doing when she went outside. She started to cry. I calmed her down by saying it isn't the cancer it is CRS (Can't Remember Shit) We are getting old I told her. We giggled together and hugged; she called me a silly goose. Is it bad to think her happiness is essential to my own?

Daytime Powder “Big Brother” (Paramount +), “The Challenge” (HULU).

Primetime Talc “Jessica Jones” (Disney +) A chronicle of the life of one of the darker Marvel characters, the mysterious Jessica Jones. When a tragedy puts an end to her short-lived career as a superhero, Jessica settles in New York City and opens her own detective agency, called Alias Investigations, which seems to be called into cases involving people who have special abilities. Suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, Jessica wants to do good, but her primary interest isn't in saving the world, it's saving her apartment and getting through each day. Based on a graphic novel intended for adults, this is not a superhero story for the kids.

“Bad Sisters” (Apple TV), “The Unit” (Hulu), “Volleyball” (YouTube TV) “Thursday Night Football” (Prime),

“It ain't Dry Café”

The Menu

Crispy Delights

Dark Chocolate Bars

Orange Slices

Pears

Baking Powder

Pan seared Salmon

Tenderloin

Chalupas

Philly Cheese Steak Stroganoff

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Cajun Chicken thighs

Potato Casserole

Whites

Mixed Veggies

Green beans

Cauliflower Rice

Cottage cheese parfait

Afterwards

Ice Cream

Chocolate chip Cookies

Drinkies

Gatorade

Water

Love you,

Brian

www.Cornstarch-or-Talc.com

A Sinking Ship without a Lifeboat

This week we felt like we were on a sinking ship without a lifeboat. Michelle’s PET scan results came back, and they did not look good. The cancer is still ever present.  The oncologist seemed a bit surprised at the results, expecting more cancer to be gone. She said that normally after 3 treatments she sees a much clearer PET scan. At the beginning of our journey, we had memories of hearing, “There is no remission”. Now we get the feeling that seeing no cancer in a PET scan is to be expected. We are both still confused by the crossed signals. 

Michelle had another chemotherapy regiment this week. She says it sometimes feels like glue in her veins. No major side effects with this treatment except extreme exhaustion and depression. Her caretaker over medicated her one day, so this didn’t help either. The anti-nausea medication was to be given starting on day one of chemo x4 days not day one of chemo 4x a day. This medication is to be taken at bedtime because it makes you drowsy. Michelle was comfortably numb for a day until the meds wore off. Isn’t this the second week in a row where we’ve had a complaint about the caretaker?

Highlight of the week Some of you have asked why I did not send pictures of “The More Perfect Storm”. The pictures fell off the wall and broke. We brought them to Valerie this week to have her replace the frames and touch up any damage that may have been done when the pictures fell. Michelle was excited to see Val and enjoyed the time spent with her. Michelle bravely made the trek up the steep stairs without issue. It was a great time. The attached picture is of all 3 of us.

Random Fact of the Week The first aquatic lifeboat design was patented in 1785. Mariners before 1785 often couldn’t swim. Better to die quickly, they said. Lifeboats are painted international orange, which is the exact opposite of blue. This is why life jackets are also orange.

Did you know?  Michelle loves to drive. She has owned 7 cars since we have been together. Her favorite was the Solstice convertible. She wished it was faster but loved driving it. It holds a special place in her heart.

Throwback Love Story It was December 2012. Michelle and I were driving up to Minnesota. It was a rare winter appearance for us. Michelle grew up in Colorado, so she was no stranger to the snow or cold weather. She hates it. This was a special family gathering we did not want to miss, so we made the trip without hesitation. 

The worst driving conditions we hit were in Texas believe it or not. We drove the sports car of course, with 303 HP at the front end. I loved my Pontiac, but it probably wasn’t the greatest car for bad road conditions. The snow started falling just as we reached the Dallas metro area. 2 lanes, soon drifted into just one. Eventually it was just 2 tire tracks, most of you can imagine that. Being from Minnesota I know how to drive in these conditions, I fear those around me who do not. Michelle was crocheting next to me, trusting that even though the conditions were rough, I had it under control. 

We were traveling about 40 MPH when the tires lost traction and the car started to slide. I know not to brake and to turn into the slide. We are now sliding perpendicular down the interstate, I have my steering wheel cranked all the way to the right. I am looking directly at the southbound traffic and the ditch as we continue to gently slide forward yet perpendicular. I notice Michelle out of the corner of my eye, still crocheting. Finally coming to a dryer area in the road, the car responds, and we are once again facing forward. My quick sigh of relief was replaced with fear again as we started to spin the other direction this time. Once again, no brakes and turn into the slide. Steering wheel all the way to the left this time. I see the gas stations and hotels directly in my sights. Trying not to panic, I stay calm and hope for another dry patch. Again, Michelle is just crocheting away like nothing is happening. After what seemed like miles but was probably closer to 10 seconds, we hit a dry spot and the car corrected itself and we were back on course. No more issues for the rest of the trip. Once we were well out of the storm and the roads were clear I asked Michelle “How could you just sit there and be so calm, crocheting like you were watching the Vikings win the Superbowl?” Her response? “I stopped my stitch midstream and didn’t move. I was scared to respond, anything I said would not change what you were doing – I gave it up to God.” Classic Michelle.

Deep Thoughts Something I am trying to focus on this week, which has been very hard, happiness is in my heart not in the circumstance. I am happy, I would like to say cheated but truly I have not been cheated. Next month will be 21 years of marriage and we are still going strong. I love you Michelle.

Daytime Floaters “Painkillers” (Netflix), “Big Brother” (Paramount +), “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix)

Primetime Lifers “Bad Sisters” (Apple TV). So far, we are enjoying the series. The Garvey sisters are bound together by the premature deaths of their parents and the promises they made to always protect one another. 

“Special Ops: Lioness” (Paramount +) The season Finale was intense. “Volleyball” (YouTube TV) MN vs TX and TX vs Stan. “Thursday Night Football” (YouTube TV).

“The Orange Vest Inn”

The Menu

Barometer Delights

Dark Chocolate Bars

Cotton Candy

Assorted Fruit Slices

Staples

Pork Skillet

Red Beans and Rice

Turmeric Chicken

Fried Fish

Luck-n-Wings

Italian Sausage

Signal Mirror

Peas

Carrots

Rice

Noodles

Mixed Veggies

First Aid Kit

Cookies

Ice Cream

Sea Water

Lemonade

Water

Fruit Juice

Love you,

Brian

www.WhoIsYourLifeboat.org

Cool as a Lollyfish

Michelle has been as cool as a Lollyfish this week. She went in twice for a PET scan. The first time she was rejected because she had food 5 ½ hours prior. Everything would have been fine if the instructions were read to the fullest. She should fire her caretaker. The second time it went smoothly. She was positive afterwards and said, “It wasn’t that bad”. What is a PET scan? Positron emission tomography (PET) is a functional imaging technique that uses radioactive substances known as radiotracers to visualize and measure changes in metabolic processes, and in other physiological activities including blood flow, regional chemical composition, and absorption. Plain and simple, it is a fancy scanning machine to look for cancer. We will have results next week. 

Michelle also had a meeting with the nutritional oncologist this week. Her last meeting with specialist Brown was in February, so this was a follow-up, and she had some questions on possible future treatments. Michelle is still struggling with balance and makes me nervous when she walks sometimes. 

Highlight of the week This week’s highlight was getting out and walking around Luck Ranch. Michelle enjoys watching the turtles this time of year, so she had the monocular at the ready. She was eye spying on the 20 or so turtles sunbathing on the manmade peninsula. I asked her if she had named them, and she looked at me like I had lost my mind. No response was warranted, I guess. 

Random Fact of the Week The Lollyfish is also known as an Atra Sea Cucumber or a Black Cucumber. Sea cucumbers use Cuvierian tubes as a defense mechanism. When threatened, they thwart attacks by creating a sticky network composed of elongated tubules within which the potential predator is entangled in a matter of seconds and thus immobilized.

Did you know?  Michelle likes to poke bruises. If you are here and she sees you have a bruise, she will poke it. 

Throwback Love Story Michelle’s PET scan was in the Northcross area of Austin. I was told it was going to be 90 minutes giving me plenty of time to stop by the grocery store and the post office. On my way to the post office, I noticed a familiar store front, Petticoat Fair. Some of you may know, this place is famous for it’s renowned for service, fitting expertise of women’s bras and swimwear. Some people say it’s the best in the country. Driving past it reminded me of a time when Michelle asked me to come along to “help” her decide which bras to choose. I was all in. I as thinking half naked women and I am getting a free pass from my wife to tell her what is best for her, man, I was so excited.

30 seconds after being there, I was bored out of my gourd. Michelle disappeared behind a back door somewhere, the parking lot was full, the place seemed to be busy, but nobody was up front with me. The people were nice enough, it was not what I expected professional bra shopping to be. I had to get out of there, I needed some air. Without telling Michelle, I just disappeared. I walked out and looked around and there was nothing but a half empty strip mall. There were 2 shops to explore, a secondhand kid store called “Once upon a child” and an art gallery. I walked into the kids store and looked around, uninterested I decided to check out the art gallery. There was some cool art. One booth intrigued me, so I hung out there and talked with the artist for a long time. Valerie had some great pieces that I fell in love with. She had one that was a 3-part piece, painted like a storm. The first picture was the storm coming in, the second was the storm as it hit, and the 3rd was the storm leaving. I had to have it, that was until I found out how much she wanted for it.

I made my way back to Petticoat Fair just in time to let Michelle know I approve of her selections and yea yea they look wonderful yup uh huh, great, lets go. They really did look nice; she did not need me there after all. It turns out you hire superior people to run a top-class institution. On the way home I told he about Valerie and her art. I begged her for the triptych I saw, which after she heard the price she laughed. 

We went back to the art gallery so Michelle could see the paintings and they were gone. Replaced with other beautiful paintings. Some other Lucky soul got to see those every day. Six years passed and every time she wore one of her bras from Petticoat Fair, I would think of the paintings from the gallery. I knew they were too expensive, but I really wanted them. I would mention them everyone in a while throughout that 6-year time. One day when Michelle and I decided to go to the Austin Art festival in Downtown Austin. Lo and behold one of the vendors was Valerie and on display was “The Perfect Storm”. The price went up $250 of course. I was beside myself. I could not believe it was there and it was still available. Not wanting to be an impulse buyer, we were in need of a discussion about this. We talked about it on the way home. We slept on it. The next morning, over coffee, Michelle gave me “the nod”. I was stoked. I immediately called Valerie. She told me the painting was sold 5 minutes after I left her booth. She had a feeling I was going to call. I told Michelle the news and we were both devastated. Later that evening, Valerie called us back and told us she would paint us a duplicate painting. Now in our living room we have hanging above the French doors leading out to Luck Lake – “The More Perfect Storm”.

Deep Thoughts I made some mashed potatoes this week. I was watching the water boil and I thought that same water that is softening the potatoes, hardens eggs. It’s not the circumstances, it’s what we’re made of that changes it all. 

Daytime Fridge “RED” (Hulu) After surviving an assault from a squad of hit men, retired CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) reassembles his old team for an all-out war. Frank reunites with old Joe (Morgan Freeman), crazy Marvin (John Malkovich) and wily Victoria (Helen Mirren) to uncover a massive conspiracy that threatens their lives. Only their expert training will allow them to survive a near-impossible mission -- breaking into CIA headquarters. I love that it stands for retired and extremely dangerous. It was a good show. There is a part 2. We will watch that at some point but decided to wait for the rain to come.

“Big Brother” (Paramount +), “Station 19” (Hulu)

Primetime Cooler “The Diplomat” (Netflix) We Binged the entire season this week! Amid an international crisis, a career diplomat juggles her new high-profile job as ambassador to the United Kingdom and her turbulent marriage to a political star.

“The Wheel of Time” (Prime) We just started this series. The jury is still out. Moiraine, a member of a magical organization, takes five young people on a journey, believing that one of them might be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful individual prophesied to save the world or destroy it.

“Severance” (Apple TV) This was a rewatch. We liked it even better the second time around.

“Special Ops: Lioness” (Paramount +) This is a weekly watch for us.

“Icebox Icehouse”

The Menu

Starters

Dark Chocolate Bars

Cinnamon Bears

Assorted Fruit Slices

The Mains

Chicken Spaghetti

Meatloaf

Filet Mignon

Chicken and Gravy

Spaghetti

Salmon

Classic Chicken Sandwich

The Crispers

Peas

Mixed Veggies

Corn

Tots

Rice

The Freezer 

Ice Cream

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Mint Cookies

Quick-chill zone

Lemonade

Water

Apple Juice

Love you

Brian

www.IsYourFridgeClean.edu

The Willow Bends But Does Not Crack

 The Willow tree bends in the wind but does not easily crack. This describes Michelle this week. Her emotions ran high at times, but she never did crack. The high stress of what seems like constant doctor appointments is driving her crazy. This week there was a lab appointment I rescheduled, just because. We also met with a neurologist, which is always stressful. We ended the week at the oncologist for a checkup and more labs. Michelle has a chemo port, which is a small, implanted device that is attached to a vein in her upper chest area. For the first time ever, it hurt when they attempted a blood draw from it. They did a port study on her port this week because it was not working properly. This meant taking x-ray pictures of the device and making sure it is still intact and the placement hasn’t shifted. She has had it placed in October 2022. The port study showed that the port was fractured and is not operable. It will take surgery to fix. The wind blew, my sweet willow bent, no cracks yet.

Highlight of the week Michelle was out in her garden picking weeds again. She was out in 100-degree heat almost every day this week, one knee up and one down. She is trying to keep up with the never-ending weeds. She enjoys the results but does not like the heat. She is staying hydrated and only spends 20-30 minutes each time.

Random Fact of the Week Weeping Willows Are Pain Relievers. A compound found in willow bark is similar to aspirin and consequently is a traditional pain reliever. Male deer will seek out weeping willows when growing new antlers to help alleviate the itch as they antlers develop.

Did you know?  Michelle holds a national record for .22 lever action rifle. She shot 91 out of 120 targets in small bore lever action rifle ankle match in 2018. Michelle says “Thank you” when I kiss her.

Throwback Love Story Back in 2008 Michelle and I had a very interesting day I thought I would share. I was enjoying my coffee sitting in my recliner when I heard a loud crashing sound.  It startled me as the house was quieter than the 6AM prayer at the local Monastery.  I ran to where the sound originated, my room, and saw Michelle's sleepy and startled eyes.  "I'll check it out," I said confidently as I ran to the restroom. This is when I noticed that the shower curtain rod had fallen.  Somehow the spring inside lost its tension and no longer was able to stay up.  So much for my morning shower I thought.  I guess I would have to stay stinky until I got that replaced.  I comforted Michelle and reassured her I would stop by Target later and pick up a new curtain rod.

Stephan, 18 at the time, was up before noon and this is when I remember it was his first day at a new job. I warmly greeted him and softly welcomed him to the morning life of the working.  Stephan soon bartered with me and Michelle eventually getting his way by us allowing him to drive the GrandAm to work, rather than the previous suggested walking of 2 miles. 

Soon Stephan saw his way off to work and Michelle and I were once again alone in a quiet and peaceful living room.  Both of us face down in our laptops, deep into our work as we so often find ourselves at this point in the morning.

Suddenly we hear a muffled explosion then a split second later the electricity turns off.  Wow, I thought, that is some curtain rod!!  Michelle looked over at me and lit only by the screen of her computer she said, "What the heck was that?"  Seldom did I sense fear from Michelle. I too was not only startled but was somewhat scared. 

I thought, I can handle this one.  " I felt my chest raise as I told Michelle, “Let me go check it out” I immediately jumped up from my leather perch, after lowering the ottoman of course.  I looked out the front windows to see if neighbors had lost electricity too.  Unable to determine this, I went into the garage.  This is when I noticed Stephan in a furry with piles of rock on the hood of the GrandAm.  "I had no brakes" Stephan cried out, "I had it in neutral and could not stop the car!"  Seeing that he had a choice of hitting my motorcycle or the garage I immediately thought, wow, I could have gotten a new Harley out of this. Instead, I have a hole in my garage wall.  We were very thankful he was not injured, and it was our garage and not someone’s car, house, business, or a tree.

Stephan's aim was perfect.  He squarely hit the conduit pipe that holds the main electrical wire that goes to the house.  The impact was so great that the conduit buckled and pulled the cable from the pole at the street. Luckily it wasn’t too difficult to restore the electricity.  This was a day Michelle, and I will not forget, and one that still makes us smile.

Deep Thoughts Michelle and I watched a few episodes of Quantum Leap this week. Watching the star of the show travel to the past "putting right what once went wrong" made me wonder what if it were possible to do a Quantum Leap to the future? Could a radical change be made to what hasn't happened yet? Make right what hasn't gone wrong yet.

Willow tree TV “The Rookie” (HULU), “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix), “Quantum Leap” (Peacock)

Weeping Tree TV “Special Ops: Lioness” (Paramount +)

“The Unit” (HULU), “The Cube” (YouTube TV)

“Severance” (Apple TV) Michelle and I are re-watching this. We missed a lot the first time around.

“Joe Pickett” (Paramount +)

“America’s Got Talent” (YouTube TV)

“Babylon Willow Diner”

The Menu

Leaves

Dark Chocolate Bars

Assorted Fruit Slices

Mint Cookies

Cinnamon Bears

The Trunk

Chicken Sliders

Parmesan Pasta Bolognese

Pulled Pork

Fried Fish

Chalupas

Grilled Chicken Breast

Italian Chicken

The Bark

Peas

Tots

French Fries

Potatoes

Willow Treats

Ice Cream

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Mint Cookies

Hydro

Lemonade

Water

Fruit Juice

 

Love you

Brian

www.WeUsedToWeepPaasingAWillowAsAKid.edu

Tough as Spider Silk

 Michelle had been as tough as spider silk this week. Because of the nationwide shortage of the chemotherapy drugs, the oncologist substituted Michelle’s regiment with a similar more accessible drug and adjusted the dosages appropriately. Michelle was in the office for 6 hours on day one. There were pump issues and more medicine with this regiment. There was nobody left in the infusion seats when we left that day, so it was very late. Day two went well and the infusion only lasted 2 hours which is typical for day two. Michelle started feeling nauseous around dinner time. I gave her some anti-nausea medicine with hopes it would disappear. Unfortunately, the nausea did not subside, and she went to bed feeling nauseous. I gave her some stronger meds and some a THC gummy hoping this would settle her tummy. She woke up several times to use the restroom that evening. Each time she said her nausea had gone away. This was a relief; I was afraid the nausea would persist. On her 3rd and final infusion day, they gave her additional anti-nausea meds through her port as well as additional fluids. The oncologist ordered a bag of IV fluids to close out the week, so she spent 4 of the 5 days at the doctor’s office this week. “I’m feeling great” she said when we took the elevator up to get the IV fluids. She is one tough cookie. I read her this week’s deep thoughts below and she cried. Happy yet fearful tears.

Highlight of the week This week’s highlight was a trip to Hobby Lobby followed by dinner at Chuy’s. We walked around Hobby Lobby for about 30 minutes looking for the right craft piece for a Christmas project we are doing for one of our grandchildren. When we got done shopping, we decided we worked up a hunger for some TexMex. We have not eaten at Chuy’s in well over a year, so it hit the spot!

Random Fact of the Week Spider silk is a wonder material that, weight for weight, is stronger than steel, tougher than Kevlar and can be more elastic than rubber. It's also flexible and antimicrobial. Scientists have used silk to make bulletproof armor, violin strings, medical bandages, optical fiber cables and even extravagant clothing.

Did you know?  Michelle worked as an admin for a Lutheran church after she retired. She was bored and wanted to pay her car off with money she earned.

Throwback Love Story I am going back to the Panama City trip in 2010 for this one.  We went to the rental car desk to return the keys and waited behind some lady telling the rental car employee about her cats, her dogs, where she lives, alligators and who knows what else. 30 minutes later and it is finally my turn. The rental agreement was wrong, so this had to be fixed. We head off to the Southwest ticket counter with a case of wine, 2 suitcases and a cooler with some freshly caught Red Snapper. We bought some bubble wrap for the wine and put that in our luggage. I thought I could have just used the bubble wrap and tape the box shut, but the airlines did not like that idea. We found room in our suitcases. We decided to carry the fish on. We were issued our tickets and off to our next obstacle, security.  TSA spent more time checking our IDs than it takes you to finish one of Brian Luck's stories. I felt a light tap on my shoulder and heard, "Sir, please step over to our secure area here, you have been randomly selected to be screened". Knowing we were cutting it close, I screamed out to Michelle “go catch the flight, I will meet you there shortly.” Michelle smiled and softly said, "as soon as I get done with this body search". She always gets searched when she wears her summer dresses. "Sir, is this your cooler?" I hear another man say. I was frisked and after a quick inspection I figured I would lose my fish for sure, this time to a bigger Dolphin that was in the Gulf (True but different story, no time to explain right now).

Michelle finishes well before me and has already boarded the plane by the time I get to the gate. "Hurry sir, they are about to shut the doors" was the last thing I heard before feeling the relief of boarding the plane. Not too unusual in today's times, the plane was completely full. I saw Michelle as I boarded and she mouthed, "no available seats next to each other, sorry". I asked the steward if there was any room in the overhead bins, he checked for me. We found some room, so I hiked up the suitcase and was unsuccessful in my attempts to make it fit. The steward suggested removing the contents of a bulging pocket on the outside of the suitcase. Liking the idea, I unzipped the pocket of the suitcase while it rested half in and half out of the bin. I grabbed the miscellaneous clothes from the pocket and out came bright red lacy panties, which fell on the poor soul sitting below the bin I was working on. Being the last person on the plane and the only passenger still standing, all eyes were on me when this happened. The steward stared blankly at me then said, "Wow, we know what's under your jeans don't we!" The entire plane roared in laughter. Ready to sit down immediately, I looked for an open seat, but I didn't see any.  I finally found a middle seat between 2 large men hogging the arm rests. Wishing it was tomorrow, yesterday or any time but now, I was happy that Michelle was comfortable and smiling, that is all that mattered to me.

Deep Thoughts We continue our journey and I learn how important it is to stop questioning why this is all happening. We are living for today with hope for tomorrow. Michelle always wins at rummy. Right now, she was dealt a crummy hand of rummy, only Michelle knows how to play out a poor hand well and win.

Spidey Daytime TV “The Rookie” (HULU), “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix)

Web Primetime TV “Special Ops: Lioness” (Paramount +) Joe attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror; the Lioness Program enlists Cruz to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism.

“The Unit” (HULU), “The Cube” (YouTube TV)

“Joe Pickett” (Paramount +) We started season 2 over. Michelle forgot what happened in the first 2 episodes and we forgot to get back to watching the show.

“America’s Got Talent” (YouTube TV)

“Spiderweb Obsidian”

The Menu

Crystal Starters

Dark Chocolate Bars

Assorted Fruit Slices

The Grounding

Salmon Teriyaki

Dirty Rice

Filet Mignon

Fried Shrimp

Sloppy Joes

Chicken Fajitas

BBQ Chicken

 The Side Balance

Carrots

Peas

Tots

Potatoes

Final Healing

Ice Cream

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Mint Cookies

Dranks

Lemonade

Water

Fruit Juice

 

Love you

Brian

www.SpidersDecorateTheirWebs-ForReal.edu

Busier than a Nurse Bee

 Michelle has been busier than a nurse bee on a baby bee’s birthday. Michelle started her week with another physical therapy appointment. Upon leaving her therapist suggested plenty of water and ibuprofen for the pain. Michelle smiled and said, “He worked me today”.

Michelle’s left foot decided to get an ingrown toenail. She had a small round red area showing a little infection but not as bad as last time. Different foot and less of an infection. This time after a quick numbing needle, the family foot doctor cut back the ingrown toenail and relieved the agony of defeat. He was so excited to see Michelle and raved about how good she looked and how great her new hair style was.

Michelle had an MRI of the Thoracic and Cervical Spine with and without contrast. The IV was not too painful and the contrast did not hurt this time going in. Finding the correct imaging facility was clutch. Michelle also met with her oncologist. She wants to get a PET scan after the next chemo treatment. We were also told that the chemotherapy medicine she has been getting called carboplatin is currently experiencing a shortage nationwide. I read that there have been manufacturing problems in certain plants. Sometimes even one drug manufacturer having a problem can disrupt the entire market for that drug. Michelle’s therapy will be replaced with a similar drug called oxaliplatin. Hopefully there will be no side effects with the new drug.

Michelle also saw the neurologist this week. She was happy to see Michelle and commented on her progress. She thinks that Michelle is stronger than she has ever seen her since being diagnosed with cancer. There was some growth in one area of the cervical spine, but no changes were seen in the Thoracic images. We will see the neurologist again in 6weeks, this time to examine the MRIs of the brain and Lumbar.

Highlight of the week This week it was a walk down to Luck Lake. The drought has caused the ground to crack, and it is very uneven. Michelle is not very agile on her feet anymore, so assistance was needed. If she starts to fall, I am there for her. Coming back to the house was tougher than getting down to the lake. We went to check on Diesel the duck. He had lost his color, so it was hard to tell if it was him or Salina on the lake.  When the breeding season is over, the colorful plumage of male ducks’ changes into plain plumage like that of the females, as it is more advantageous for them to be inconspicuous, even if just for a short period until fall. I noticed on Monday that unfortunately, he has been alone most of the week, which means we have lost Salina to the beasts of the night.

Random Fact of the Week Young female adult honey bees normally function as nurse bees. Their primary job is the feeding of young brood. Special glands in the head and mouth are well developed to produce the nutritious food needed by growing bee larvae. As the worker ages a bit, her wax glands and alarm pheromone glands starts to mature. This is preparing her for her role as a comb builder, a guard bee, forager and even a scout bee. Nurse bees have a stinger and can sting but they do not normally need to – it is not their job. Bee stings are reserved for hive defense and that is the job of older workers.

Did you know? Michelle’s first car was a ford pinto. She couldn't keep it because it was totaled. She rolled it and walked away with only a bum knee.

Throwback Love Story As I have mentioned before, I like camping. We have made several trips up and down IH35 through Oklahoma to Minnesota. An area that intrigued me as we drove through it was called The Arbuckle Mountains in south-central Oklahoma. It was hilly but definitely not mountainous. As you drive through you see signs for The Arbuckle Wilderness Park and Turner Falls Park. I decided it we needed to go back. I thought I discussed it with Michelle but looking back on it now, it probably went a lot like “we should take a trip to the Arbuckle Mountains” her reply was probably, “ok”. This was enough for me to plan and execute the perfect mountain vacation for this Colorado woman.

We had purchased a popup camper and had it for about a year and I thought this would be a great time to put it to use. It was the summer of 2004. Chris and Stephan stayed home so it was just Michelle, Alanmichael and me who enjoyed the trip. The wilderness was great. We did not get to see any wild animals, but we really enjoyed the campgrounds, surrounding water and swimming areas, trails and random waterfalls here and there. Alanmichael brought me back to my childhood, making friends at every campsite near and far. We hiked to what I thought was Turner Falls, which was not impressive at all. I later learned Turner falls was in a completely different region that we were in, and this unimpressive waterfall was just that, a random waterfall. We never did see Turner Falls that trip.

I remember the temperatures reaching triple digits and finding Michelle under the awning of the camper crocheting. It was about 4pm and Alanmichael and I just got back from exploring the area. I asked Michelle, why are you out here? It is ONE THOUSAND degrees. She smiled and said, “well it’s TWO THOUSAND degrees in YOUR canvas camper”. We didn’t need an air conditioner in Minnesota, so I never gave much thought to owning a canvas camper and trying to keep it cool in the heat of the deep south. Luckily the AC was able to keep up at night, so we stayed comfortable. I look back now and think how naïve I was, not only did my bride hate camping, but she was also miserably hot and crocheting in triple digit heat was not her idea of fun. We made it back to Austin without melting and even better yet still married. The canvas ass camper (my words, not hers) was sold 2 months later.

Deep Thoughts The word determined is defined as to cause (something) to occur in a particular way; be the decisive factor in. It can also mean to ascertain or establish exactly, typically because of calculation. As Michelle and I continue our journey, we are determined to meet each day head on. I learned that she could do anything, but she can't do everything, at least not at the same time. We are making the best of what we have today and living each to the fullest. Timing is everything.

Honeycomb Daytime TV “The Rookie” (HULU), “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix), “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (Paramount +)

Capped Honey Primetime “Quarterback” (Netflix), “The Unit – Thoughts of the field” (Hulu), “The Cube” (YouTube TV), “America’s Got Talent” (YouTube TV)

“Bees Never Sleep Salon”

The Menu

Dancing Bee Delights

Dilly Bar

Mint Girl scout cookies

Fancy Marshmallows

Ice Cream Sundae

The Nectar

Fried Cod

Fajita Chicken stir fry

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Italian Sausage

Parmesan Cheese Chicken and Pasta

Jambalaya

Shrimp

Royal Jelly

Carrots

Peas

Mixed veggies

Fries

Tots

Sugar Water

Lemonade

Water

Love you,

Brian

www.1beeMakes-half-teaspoon-HoneyInItsEntireLife.com

The Ocean Liner

 Michelle continues to navigate this disease like an Ocean liner. Some days it is full speed ahead, all systems are go. Other days are slow and steady, calm seas make for smooth sailing. I won’t talk about the days when there are twists or turns to be made. Have you seen an ocean liner turn? This week we had a visit with a physician assistant at the oncologist. He was very helpful in answering questions about recent fatigue and weakness. He was supportive and helpful in reading blood test results.

Michelle also needed to navigate her Ocean liner at the new physical therapist. She did not want to go. Whoever wants to exercise anyway? I got into troubled waters trying to motivate her, doing the opposite and discouraging her – good job Brian. She really seemed to like the new therapist. He has her doing a lot of stretching, which we liked hearing because she was not that doing before. The plan is to see him twice a week for the next month and see how her strength progresses. 

Highlight of the week Michelle enjoyed sometime in the cold tub this week. The therapist suggested buying some water shoes for safety. Funny I didn’t think of that, duh! She is excited to try some new exercises she was given by her therapist next time. She will probably get in the cold tub again when she gets the urge to pick more weeds in her garden.

Random Fact of the Week The measurement that ships (and planes) use for navigation is the nautical mile. One nautical mile per hour is called a “knot”. The origin of the word “knot” comes from the olden days when the speed on the ships would be measured by throwing into the sea a log attached to a rope with evenly spaced knots. As the ship moved relative to the log, the number of knots during a certain period of time would be counted to measure the speed of the vessel. The device used to measure boat speed to this day is still called the “log” even though it has nothing to do with an actual log these days.

Did you know? Michelle ate eggs almost every morning with me for 20 years. You would think she liked them. It wasn’t until she got cancer that I realized she didn’t like eggs; she only ate them because I wanted them. She has not eaten eggs once since Oct 2022. Even I am amazed at that fact.

Throwback Love Story We Decided in 2006 that we needed a piano. We were expecting our first grandchild and knew that every grandparent has a piano, right? We found a local business that was closing its doors for good. They had a brand-new Mahogany Kawai that seemed like a good enough deal. We had it delivered to the house and we both started taking lessons. I took lessons as a kid and so did Michelle but neither of us retained much of it. We enjoyed playing for about a year or so. Michelle still plays around Christmas. We love listening to our grandchildren bang away at the keyboard. It will send their parents to the crazy farm before it even starts to get to us. I am hoping Michelle tickles the ivory some when December rolls around this year. 

Deep Thoughts Humility is a wonderful thing, it has been forced onto me many times throughout my life but most recently in the rudest of fashions as I dealt with life changing events. Life is so unpredictable, fast, and really, really short. I've learned to accept the ups, downs, and uncertainty in my current life. I am grateful for what I have, and do not focus on what I don't have. The joy and happiness that I hold from my memories in the past and the new memories I create each day, allows me to realize how great of a life I have lived and how great it is right now. I am so grateful for the smallest of things these days. Living life to the fullest in a new perspective.

Knots Landing TV “The Lincoln Lawyer” (Netflix) Idealistic lawyer Mickey Haller runs his practice out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car, taking on cases big and small to help your friends across Los Angeles.

“Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself” (Netflix) Caught between two warring clans, the son of a notorious witch responsible for a deadly massacre gets feedback and tries to find his place in the world, and his powers.

“The Rookie” (HULU)

Nautical Primetime “Secret Chef” (HULU), "Quarterback" (Netflix), “Hijack” (Apple TV), “America’s Got Talent” (YouTube TV)

“The Windjammer”

The Menu

Barometer Delights

Vanilla Ice Cream Chocolate Sauce Sundae

Cookie Dough Blizzard

Dilly Bar

HEB Mint Fudge Cookies

The Bacchanal

Fried Fish

Soy Sauce Chicken

Philly Cheese Steak

Pepperoni Pizza

Taco Salad

Beef Ranch Skillet

Chicken Nugget Sliders

Anchor Delights

Red Potatoes

Mixed Vegetables

French Fries

Peas

Corn

Rice

Sea Hydration

Lemonade

Water

Love, Brian

http://www.VeggiesNotOnShips?-LEEKS.edu