09.26.09
Music
I went back to the Hayloft Thursday. There was another bass player. I was only asked to play back up for a really bad harmonica player. Another musician put on the spot was a blues guitarist. Neither one of us could follow the harmonica man. It was brutal.
The good news from the Hayloft is that when the harmonica player tried to do Summertime, the guitar player and me had a couple moments where we ‘clicked’. We decided to try a sidebar next week and perhaps perform together. I’ve been listening to some blues to see if I can pick up a couple more riffs to use between now and then.
Bucky
Bucky looking pretty gray
Bucky has graduated to intravenous chemo every week— in addition to all the other meds. Vet said she was so good that she didn’t need to be sedated when they put the IV port in her leg. Stuff seems to be making her feel a lot better.
Bucky is feeling good and is happy. The article I read said that the results of the protocol are spectacular— and then later the failure of the medicines is just as spectacular when the cancer mutates and no longer responds. The best success is with multiple drugs, but Bucky can’t use some because of the congenital heart condition all Boxers have.
Be easier on me if she just died in her sleep or something, but I don’t think I’m going to get that lucky…
Computer
Still haven’t figured out what went wrong with my G4 laptop, but I ordered a better high gain antenna and am using it to get online with my good laptop. Sure beats driving all the way to the library every time I need to get on line. I’m also getting phone messages again. Now I need to sort out my phone problems.
Rick and Ron finally got the boat back and back in the water yesterday. They caught a couple salmon this morning.
Weather
Starting to cool off now in northern MI. Very rainy and windy the past few days. Most of Sept was nice. Am hoping for more of that and some nice fall colors before I leave TC.
Bucky gets daily oral medication and once each week gets a dose of IV chemo. Vet said she was really good about it and didn’t even need to be sedated when the put in the IV port.
09.21.09
Weather
Still in TC. Colors are coming on slowly. Northern Michigan has finally had some nice weather for about 3 weeks— nicest weather of the summer claim the locals. We are finally enjoying the best sweet corn of the year and lots of tomatoes.
The cherries came so late that half (42%) were thrown away! Can you imagine? Seems like such a waste. Part of the problem was a bumper crop of earlier Washington cherries, but they never taste as good.
Joe Golder is up from Ypsi. He brought his dogs and a bike. We have been riding. We also took a beautiful drive out to Good Harbor and let the dogs run and swim.
Bucky
Bucky is getting chemo for lymphoma. I probably shouldn’t be spending the $, but she’s feeling so much better and acting happy that I can’t help myself. The vet warned me that some of the treatments for Bucky might cause a heart attack. Jeez, I’m thinking, sounds better than wasting away from cancer or having to put her down. Meanwhile she’s feeling good and back to being happy so I won’t have to worry about it until a little later I guess…
Little Gem
1970 Litte Gem
Bought a 1970 Little Gem trailer to fix up. It’s about 19′. The running gear is in good shape, it has dual axles, and it even has electric brakes. The coach is in pretty good shape, but the inside is a mess. Different people did different things to it, so it’s no longer vintage. I’m going to gut it and change the lay out. The head is in the back and the galley is in the front. I’m going to put my bed in the front so I can have a big one, move the galley mid ship so it will be close to the plumbing in the back.
Looking forward
Writing
Have been getting lots of writing done. Presently, I’m re conceiving the story The Hill Beautiful. I’m practicing with the techniques and structures that I’m planning to use for the Pitcairn project to get a feel for how it goes. Since the short story is a much small piece, I can see the work flow from start to finish in a (hopefully) short amount of time.
Looking aft
09.15.09
Music
Tim and Diana Glasson came up to TC for a couple days. They drove up in their RV. Tim was hoping to go fishing, but Ron busted the out drive on his boat.
Tim and I played music though. Last Thursday we played a famous local open mic at a place called the Hay Loft on M-72. We did a good job. After we performed, a local radio personality invited us to play a live set on his Friday public radio station program. Kinda thrilling to be celebrities. The radio performance went well too and was an adventure for us both. I am surprised to see how many people heard us.
The station burned a copy of our performance on a CD. As I listen to it, I have to smile when I think of how far Tim and I have come since first singing together.
Showed Tim and Di a few of the sights, but they only had a couple days before Tim had to go back to NC. I was a little sad watching them drive away. I know we had fun touring the area, but I would have been happy just playing and singing for the entire visit.
Bucky
Bucky is still feeling better. She seems to tire quickly, but when not tired, she dances and runs around. Best thing is that she’s obviously feeling happy. Still don’t know how much treatment she’s going to get.
Computer
Had my old G4 laptop set up for getting the internet. Pretty convenient. Saturday it died. My new computer isn’t set up for the high gain antenna, and the software for it is back in NC. So now I’ve to drive into town to get my eMail and check eBay or anything else I need to do on the net. Time consuming and inconvenient. Until I figure out a fix, I won’t be getting phone messages or anything else as regularly as I was. Replies will be delayed.
09.08.09
Central Lake
I’m visiting my cousin, Jan and her husband, Pat. They live on a farm near Central Lake about 50 miles from TC. Jan and Pat are both deaf. It’s interesting being somewhere that is quiet, yet can make as much noise as you like without offending anyone.
Nice weather in N. MI right now. IIt’s rained a lot here this year. There is a bumper crop of apples! Jan and Pat have about 10 apple trees of different flavors in the yard. Tomatoes are late here too. Because it’s been cool the trees are already beginning to change. Back in 02′, they didn’t have this much color until the 2nd week in Oct.
Jan’s son Alec is back home. Alec now likes to be called AJ. AJ is a very angry and negative person. Even when in a good mood, he talked about hurting people. At first he was pretty friendly toward me, but after I mentioned a couple times that I didn’t consider hurting people a good first choice for solving problems, he turned rather cool.
I’m at Short’s Brewing Co, in Bellaire on my way back to TC. My eMail wouldn’t go at my cousin’s place so I’m sending from them here. Probably won’t get back to town in time to play tonight. I’ll be playing tomorrow. Tim and Diana Glasson will be rolling in from NC at some point in the day and he always likes to play.
Travel
Time for all good snow birds to starting thinking about the south. Bucky has another month of chemo. So I’ll be in the area for at least that long. Guess I’ll find out soon if it is worth it…
09.03.09
Travel
Some friends are planning to come up from North Carolina to play music and go fishing with Ron.
Photography
Today I’m taking pictures of Ruthie for school.
Ruth Hines
09.01.09
Bucky
Bucky is doing chemo and is feeling much better. The current regime lasts 2 months. I’m not sure yet if we’ll do more after that, or just the 2 meds she is on now. I’m trying to find out today when the next treatment would be— if it’s after what we are doing now, or concurrent— or because all Boxers have heart conditions, just skip the 3rd phase.
Might be able to do some of it on the road. The vet is still weighing how much to do at her age. For me there is also a cost issue.
