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Today's the half way mark for radiation treatment. My sister-in-law sent flowers (which are gorgeous; she said she picked a "modern" arrangement.  Whatever -- bamboo and dendrobia -- stunning).   Hurray.  A mile-marker in this process.  And, I heard from Angela today about my schedule for MD Anderson pre-surgery.  It's funny.  They set a 15 minute appointment with the plastic surgeon -- who does the all-critical reconstruction.  It will be our first meeting w/ him.  No wonder MD Anderson is always hours behind schedule.  I do think I'll call the PA and suggest that we might need a few more minutes!

The radiation therapy techs very kindly scheduled me for an early appointment Monday morning to accommodate my need to drive to Colorado Springs for an all day meeting.  I was thinking about what I could get them to express thanks.  Yesterday, I noticed a huge plastic dome at their work station; it was a coffee cake one of their grateful patients made them.  Today, as we were confirming the special time, I couldn't help but notice two boxes and four bars of chocolate!  Guess I need to get something other than sugar to show my appreciation.  If not flowers, maybe socks (since Tiffany runs and Candace climbs).  Candace's husband is going backpacking this weekend.  Oh to be young.  All I could think about was that it snowed today (we woke up to white frosting on the trees) and that it would be a totally different experience to be backpacking this weekend -- and what I'd need to bring to stay warm.  And, of course, the weekend before wouldn't exactly have been a hiking picnic, what with the torrential rains during the second wave of the flood ... I am no longer able to accommodate such swings.

Last night was Ladies night.  Two ladies bought me glasses of wine (the server wanted to see my driver's license -- which I did not have with me -- to prove I was over 21).  One lady said she was concerned I was perhaps too cheerful about my situation.  But not only did the server bring us gratis cookies (to get us to leave at the end of the evening), but I've got dates this weekend to go to the garden store and shop (buy bulbs) and hike.  Gotta love my support network.

The snow today was great.  Fall is here and winter's coming.  Ski season.  Bill made hot chocolate after dinner tonight.  I drank about 10 cups of tea today, including a pot while meeting with my colleague and friend Brad, who's having an interesting journey of his own, assessing what he wants to do with his life, in the aftermath of his brother's death this summer.  Funny -- but serious -- about how life intervenes.  Also demonstrated, of course, by various friends' furlough experiences.  My favorite of these is Andrew's, my former TU staffer.  He's running every day to a fishing hole, fishing until he lands something, and then running back and having a beer -- taking photos of trail, fish and can each day to document his day.

Lots of other thoughts, but this seems pretty random, and possibly boring, so I'll stop.