HOORAY! I can log on to CSN for a change! Not that I don't think of all of my Kindreds daily~ I do!!

What is it with the Internet!? I have been a loyal family member of CSN for eons~ 2003 and I actually used to post multiple times daily to catch up and say hello and regale us with the fun life getting past Beast Battling! But the ineternet is just being ornery and I can rarely log on! After 8+ years I don't want to have to introduce myself to all of you! LOL

The holidays were kind to Reggie and me~ I planned on a quiet, simple celebration~and for the most part, it was! I did end up decorating more than I thought, but from the decadron-fired energy I was up to the challenge! So inside and outside were decorated beautifully, and of course Reggie was by my side helping, which was wonderful! Siobhan and I always had "tree duty"; it is our tradition. I am not sure why Reggie's girls are not into that, who knows what they did or did not do as kids, so they show up ( or not) and hang an ornament or two and they are done. But Siobhan and I LOVE it! I have collected so many ornaments over the years from the Kindreds( over 30!!) that for the first time, I had too many to showcase on my special wreath~ they had to be attached to the tree itself. BEAUTIFUL as they looked ( and they were gorgeous!! and oh so meaningful!)next year they will have their own TREE! I was blessed to have a poem published with another CSNer a few years back...it is called The Cancer Tree~ next year, I have decided I will show all of the loving ornaments on a special tree. And I am thinking of printing out a copy of the poem to attach to it as well. Thank you all for helping me and being such an intergral part of my life. I love you!
Christmas was so simple and easy~ Reggie's girls had their mom in town, so I "relinquished" the day to her, as she had traveled from Arizona. I invited the kids for breakfast ( Siobhan, her g/f, Reggie's 2 girls and the grandbaby) for my traditional and now requested fruit filled crepe breakfast, and gift opening. They were all here early and stayed till about 10AM, after which their day was free to visit other family, friends and neighbors without having to clock watch! I was rather tired from chemo side effects, so it was perfect. On Tuesday the 27th, I had the "official" Christmas dinner. I made baked brie with cranberry wrapped in puff-pastry and sliced granny smith apples for appetizers, and for the main course I made a standing rib roast, with au jus, yorkshire pudding, fresh roasted baby carrots, mashed potatoes, mixed green salad, sparkling cider, and the Trader Joe recipe (courtesy of Traci!)for pumpkin chocolate swirl cake with pumpkin ice cream! YUM!!!!! We had 10 here for dinner ( small and manageable) and except for Reggie, the grandbaby and me) the crowd was all in their 20's...the energy was so great!!!! And they washed, dried and put the dishes away! yes! Yes! yes!
I had chemo the 30th, so aside from the decadron high, we made NO plans...Saturday night and NY Eve, not a good combo! I didn't even make it to midnight! LOL Reggie took me Happy New Year shopping on NY Eve~ he bought me a wedding ring set to signify Past , Present, Future...it was a surprise and a lovely one at that!!

We took all of the decorations down yeterday...and then I shampooed the carpeting in the house..again, steroids, anyone?! Siobhan and her g/f are coming over this evening...they are spending the night. I go in for a neupogen shot early in the AM tomorrow, and then we are headed to Los Angeles. The girls are going to NYC for a week and Reggie and I taking them to the airport. They are taking the red-eye, so Reggie and I will be getting a hotel in LA rather than driving back home. Thankfully, my WED neupogen shot can be given late in the afternoon so we don't have to hit the road too early!

I have yet another new oncologist...more on that at another time. Too much rambling! Let me just say it is another GREAT match and Reggie and I are happy and hopeful for 2012.
I love you all, new ones and "long timers" alike. May we all grow old, happy and healthy together, with the ups and downs the road to Life After Cancer brings us. We are forever connected by heartstrings and I love and think of you so often.

Thank you to all of my Secret Santas and helpful elves who so lovingly sent me ornaments. And of course to Jean who so lovingly took the responsibilty from me this year and helped make this a happy holiday for all of us. ((((((hugs))) and a special thank you!!!

And, no, I am not going to go back and fix the typos! LOL Just now I love you all!
Hugs,
Chen♥