Friday, May 16 - Sunday, May 18

It's been a nice weekend after what felt like a very long week. Friday night we had the Clarks over for dinner. It was a beautiful night, and we sat outside on the deck. The kids, forced into togetherness as usual, played Uno No Mercy and of course ping pong. Lucia was at a friend's house for part of the evening but eventually returned home.

Late Friday night, I woke up and went into the bathroom, where in my half-asleep state I spotted a dark object by the bathtub. Closer inspection revealed the object to be Nutmeg, who had somehow slipped out of Greta's room and was asleep in our bathroom in a cute little loaf. It was an extremely windy night, so the pets were ill at ease; Farrah was huddled in our closet, behind my hanging dresses. I eventually got Nutmeg to follow me back to Greta's room.

Saturday, I woke the kids up early so we could go to the first neighborhood yard sale of the year, in Regent Square. We didn't find much, but the kids each found some clothes; Greta got a purse; and Lucia found some earrings. Then we picked up Andrew and went out for breakfast at the Belgian waffle place on Murray. 

Andrew and I went to Home Depot Saturday afternoon to get some mulch, potting soil, and plants for the pots on the front of our house. Then we weeded the front garden and spread the mulch. The kids got out all the chalk and made elaborate drawings on the driveway, and also pushed each other on the saucer swings. I repotted a bunch of house plants and planted some herb seeds I'd gotten at the Dollar Tree. I do this every year, with variable success; my herb garden is usually doomed since we go to New Hampshire for two weeks, leaving the outdoor plants to fend for themselves (aside from Mom and Dad's weekly visit to water the houseplants). We'll see how they do this year.

Andrew and I finally returned our Trumpy rental car, thank goodness. Our Volvo will be ready next week. I drove that car all around the yard sales this morning, cursing as I tried to park each time. It's hard driving an unfamiliar car, let along a car that sends The Wrong Message. 

Andrew grilled hamburgers and then the girls and I watched two episodes of This Is Us. 

Saturday just seemed like a luxuriously long day, and it's because the kids didn't sleep until lunchtime (or later). It felt like we'd lived a whole weekend in one day. 

Saturday night, late, Andrew went into the bathroom and spotted a dark object by the bathtub. "I think Nutmeg is in our bathroom again," he whispered to me. I said it wasn't possible; Greta's door was firmly closed and latched. Yet lo and behold, it was Nutmeg, again asleep in a cute loaf. Clearly she has some kind of supernatural ability to go through walls, OR she has found some sneaky pathway to escape. Again, I led her back to Greta's room. That bun!

Today, Sunday, Andrew and I leave for Houston, so I can have my appointment tomorrow at MD Anderson. This morning I watched one of the webinars this doctor has done; it's affirming to see his expert views on all things LGSOC. 

The webinar I watched was from 2023, so it was a little disheartening to hear him talk about all the research advances that have gotten treatments to where they are today, and how much research is still ahead--research into treatment options that could change so much by the time I might need them--and to know that the landscape now is determinedly anti-science, making everything more difficult. It stuns and saddens me (well, I guess at this point I'm no longer surprised) that anyone supports these choices, yet here we are. But I trust that scientists will find a way to carry on. 

Letrozole is so far going well. I still feel stiff and creaky, but nothing too terrible, and maybe not even related to the medicine? Who knows. But it's all good. Every morning I am grateful for this little goldenrod-colored pill. Thank you, science.