The Summer Project Has Begun...

Just in time for fall. We had hoped to get to the front walkway and patio this summer, and we did... just barely. We know we won't finish before rain and cold weather sets in, but we are going to see how far we can get.

Our goal is to make the walk to the front doors inviting..

We had several pallets of bricks delivered. Don shoveled a pick-up load of sand. We are building a red brick pathway over the old concrete path and will lay square gray bricks to fill in the area, so people will not longer have to walk through muddy grass to get to the front doors..

The work begins with a trench for the solider bricks.

Don is the brick layer and Sami is the Sherpa. We are getting lots of exersise.

Return to Our Remodel Project

We have resumed our remodeling project.

In Multiple Myeloma lingo, Don is at "Day 171." That means the transplant happened 171 days ago, nearing a half a year ago. From the beginning they said it would take between six months and a year to recover from the transplant, and that is just what we have experienced. Our life seems almost back to where it was before Don began treatment. We are busy, busy, busy. For the last two weeks Don has worked hard most days to finish off the inside of the front entryway, a project began a year ago. He has wired in a new door bell, which involved work at both front and rear doors and in the basement, added insulation, put up new sheet rock and new window trim. Much of the trim he hand-made to match the window trim in the rest of the house.He painted the wall about three times, due to the fact that paint that was supposed to match what was there, did not. All that is left is to refinish the door.

Don has had some lower back pain, probably due to being so inactive for so many months. But that is lessening with the passage of time and exercise. Don can't push as hard or work as fast as he did before, but what the heck, there aren't many men his age (68) who can do so much as he does.

A couple of weeks ago we attended Don's 50th high school reunion. We led the group in dancing to some great 60s rock and roll. Last week we took grandson Oliver on a little trip to Enchanted Forest and the Oregon State Capitol.

We'll stop bragging now! Its enough to say that we are feeling marvelously blessed. Next week we will celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary with a motorcycle ride out to Edgefield and a couple of days of good food, music, and pampering. As Poo Bear wold say, "Life is nice and round."

Don and Oliver take a popcorn break from riding Salem's riverside Carousel.

P. S. we will post this blog entry to both this blog and our Stem Cell Transplant blog. http://donsunfortunateincarceration.blogspot.com/