Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Accentuating the Positive

With the Russian madman causing mayhem in the world, I am really trying to maintain a positive outlook.

The war news is dominating and it’s difficult to avoid. But am very aware of how my mental health can affect my physical health, so I am attempting (and so far succeeding) to limit my news watching/viewing. I look at just enough to get a very superficial overview but even that is more than I want. I feel so sad for all the people affected by this megalomaniac!

Accentuating the Positive
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo is Doing its Thing

Time flies by, even the chemo treatments. Yesterday was #5 of the planned 6. The results of my blood tests continue to be good. The cancer marker went from 301 to 187 this week. But not low enough to move on to the next stage. Dr. McCleave said they want to see it at around 30 which is quite a long way yet.

Chemo is Doing its Thing
Susan Colby
There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT

When I came back to South Africa in 2019, I naturally gravitated to where I was born and grew up. And actually ended up in the what we used to call the village of Kloof. (It’s no longer a village!) Kloof is about 18 miles/29km from Durban and just on 1600ft/500km above sea level, giving the area a more moderate climate than Durban, usually being a good 10F less which was the case when I took Rodney to the park this afternoon. Plus less humid.

There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go

The fourth treatment went as planned. Mick came with me so he was able to meet my doctor. It’s always good to have another set of ears in a consultation but this one was very straightforward because everything is going so well.

Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go
South Africa
Susan Colby
A Massive Immune Booster

November 16 last year is the fateful day I got the definitive news that changed my life.

By then I ‘d been in hospital for 8 days going through tests and everything else that goes along with a cancer diagnosis. I’d just had laparoscopic surgery for a biopsy and the GYN/surgeon came to visit me after I had very gently been given the diagnosis. He’s a lovely man and from reading his bio, a pretty religious one as well. He said to me as he sat at my bedside, “Have you considered end of life?”

A Massive Immune Booster

mothers day

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Mum and Son Weekend

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2016-05-08-11.36-1.jpg

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Mum and Son Weekend

I felt very spoiled this weekend! Ryan came up from California just for the two days, but we managed to pack in a lot of fun! He is never one to sit around the house, twiddling his thumbs.

One of the reasons for the visit (besides me!) was to drive the Suki and DeLuco Tour Company's Distillery Tour route again, and for him to actually experience it.

Ryan's flight got into Seatac at 9:35 and we headed to Seattle to get the Bremerton ferry, which is a first for me! In all the time I have spent up here, I have never taken that particular route. With the weather as gorgeous as it was, it was a spectacular just-over-an-hour trip. The ferry crosses the Puget Sound and then wends its way through islands and promontories to end up almost alongside the massive aircraft carriers at Bremerton Naval Shipyard!

Mum and Son

Ryan walked off the ferry to get a feel for where our tour guests would be going and I drove off and picked him up at a meeting place, then we were on our way. Just as Susan and I had done, we first headed to The Hardware Distillery in Hoodsport, along the narrow, winding road along the very southern part of the Hood Canal. It was super low tide, so the oyster beds that line these shores were very visible, with people out in the sunshine, picking and eating oysters! Not for me, though. Neither of us are very fond of shellfish, even less so when it is raw!

We had planned to meet up with a caterer but she got hung up catering! So we grabbed a sandwich at the local coffee shop and then went to the Distillery, did a bit of tasting, stopped at Twanoh State Park for a look-see then on to Gig Harbor and Heritage Distilling Company. There I discovered my favorite flavored vodka - an amazing Blood Orange one! Wow! We didn't do the tour as we wanted to get to Bainbridge Organic Distillers. We made it just before the door closed but Ryan was able to get a feel of the place. Not only is BOD beautiful but it also smells good!

Mother's Day

What a treat! I had breakfast cooked for me! I can't remember when that last happened!

With a full day open for us, we drove down to the tip of the Toandos Peninsula, which was my territory when I sold real estate down here. Not much has changed! More logging and a bit of construction, but it is still a live-off-the-grid kind of place, with the occasional "estate" tucked away on large acreage. Fisherman's Harbor is still as picturesque as ever, true Pacific Northwest vibe! However, we did not find the geocache we came looking for! It was too far back in the woods, according to the gps, and neither of us was dressed for bundu bashing!

But we did find the next one, up in Port Ludlow on the Waterfall Interpretive Trail. I just love having Ryan around. We always do new stuff and see new things and places, and this visit was no exception! I live just 15 minutes from the trail, knew of it but have never walked it. What a surprise to find such a gem!

Well-maintained, with native plants identified and informational plaques strategically placed along the tree-lined half-mile walk, it is a truly a hidden treasure. Especially when you come to the waterfall! It was really loud and flowing hard and fast, with lots of cascading water tumbling over the rocks!

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And just above the falls, we found our cache, hidden between two cedar trees and behind a stump! Success!

We ended our day with a wonderful dinner with Jim and Mardelle at their home that overlooks Discovery Bay. Of course, Ryan couldn't resist checking for caches near there. After dinner, we set of down the road and half a mile away, after much rooting around and misdirection, we found it! A tiny camouflaged tube with a sign-in list inside! Once again, success!

Early next morning, and I mean EARLY at 4am, I drove him to the airport. It was back to work for him and back home for me.

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