Changing the Subject (Mostly)
This is Ted looking cute at a local restaurant in our town. We went downtown last weekend and had a snack and some wine, then went to a bookstore. Some of my favorite things: Ted, food, wine, books. Excellent way to spend a Saturday afternoon on a beautiful day.
This is one of the dishes we had. I did not take a picture, this is from the restaurant Facebook page. It’s asparagus, labneh, blood orange, arugula, and a ‘perfect egg’. The picture has spring greens, but ours was just arugula, which is fine by me, because I love arugula. When the menu said ‘perfect egg’, I assumed that was going to be poached. It looks like a soft boiled egg, which is then battered and fried. It was soft and lovely and delicious. We also had some tuna tartare, which we love. Ted had a red wine, and I had Sancerre. Generally, if there is Sancerre on a menu, I will order it.
At the bookstore, I came across this very interesting Lego set. It’s a Lego bouquet. Who knew. Not me. Weird. And kinda pretty.
We are having a lovely late Spring here, with cool mornings and warm afternoons. Apparently, though, the soaking winter we had is still bringing trees down. Mulder and I were taking one of our regular walks this morning and came across this sad sight. Thankfully, no people, homes, or even cars suffered. If a huge tree had to come down, this one chose a perfect way to do it. But it’s always sad to see a dead tree like this.
This is the base of the tree from the other side.
This is a picture of a pretty tree in bloom that I took last week.
This is Mulder on his 8th birthday, April 6th. The Thursday before we found the lumps on his throat/neck, which the vet has confirmed is lymphoma. We are doing our best. He is doing well on the Prednisone so far, chipper and happy and enjoying his walks. He’s taken up snoring in the last perhaps 6 months. Due to lymphoma, or coincidence, I have no idea.
The next couple of days are going to be sweet and sour. A good friend of mine, Katie, died in March. She was 55. She leaves behind a loving husband, two beautiful daughters in High School, a brother and sister, her father, and lots of grieving friends. She was a wonderful, kind, compassionate, and funny woman. I am really sick of cancer. Her funeral is tomorrow. That’s the sour, and it is bitter indeed. The silver lining is that I know Katie because of our common friend, Janet. Here is a picture of us at Katie’s sister’s wedding back in 2011. Janet, Julie, Katie. I always feel short with this group of friends.
Janet lives in Texas these days, and I don’t see her very often. She will be here for the funeral, so I will see her there, and then Ted and I are going to dinner with Janet and her husband on Saturday. That will be nice.
Sunday is my Great Aunt Flo’s 99th birthday, so I’m going to go see her, and one of my cousins will be there. I don’t see her often, she lives too far away. So I’m looking forward to that.
Oh, in other news, I have found a solution to my blog commenting problem! The solution is to use my daughter’s gaming computer to look at blogs. I can’t use my iPad or my phone, nor Ted’s desktop, but I downloaded a new browser onto her computer and used that, and it works. Yay! That’s a big relief. I’m going to try to come by a bit more often now.
26 Comments
Margaret
That’s weird that a gaming computer would work the best of all. However, I never try to figure out tech; it’s an unfathomable mystery at times. I’m so sorry about your friend; I’ve been dealing with that also. Lately, there have been too many former colleagues and friends dead of or dealing with cancer. I’m older than you, so it’s probably “normal” but I’ll never get used to it. Ted has a great smile! I’m happy that Mulder is doing OK.
J
Thanks Margaret, I don’t think the factor is that it’s a gaming computer per se, but that it’s the only computer in the house (besides my work computer) that isn’t Apple.
The friends dying thing truly sucks.
Nicole MacPherson
I am so sorry about your friend. It’s so sad. That photo of the three of you is very lovely.
Enjoy your grandma’s birthday! What a blessing, 99 years old! How wonderful.
J
Thanks Nicole, it is definitely sad. And thanks also about the birthday celebration. We’re bringing candy, she has a serious sweet tooth.
Elisabeth
What a lovely photo (you all look like supermodels!) – I can tell you have such rich and treasured memories of time spent with Katie.
The perfect egg is a thing of beauty. Yum. Now I’m hungry…
And Mulder looks so dapper in his birthday hat. Wishing him (and your whole family) comfort and peace as he goes through the necessary treatments to try to beat this thing. He, as always, looks ever so handsome <3
J
Thanks Elisabeth! I do love this picture, I have it on my desk. That egg WAS a thing of beauty, you are right.
Mulder does look handsome, right?
sarah
All of the pictures on this post are gorgeous. I am so sorry about your friend and about Mulder. I really love the way you are still finding pockets of joy.
J
Thanks Sarah, pockets of joy are very much needed and appreciated right now, I’ll tell you that much.
Kyria @ Travel Spot
That perfect egg reminds me of a Scotch Egg, which is usually battered and fried like that (but has sausage too, which I don’t think yours does). Now I am hungry!
So sorry to hear about your friend; she was so young! Cancer is a SOB and I have had several people close to me pass away due to it. There really are no words, but I hope that you get some quality time with your other friends at the memorial.
J
Hi Kyria, yes, the egg reminds me of a scotch egg too. I’ve always been kind of horrified by the scotch egg concept, but now that I’ve had something so similar, I think it would be pretty good.
Cancer does suck. I’m really sick of it.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
Ugh the blogging comment issue is so frustrating and makes me want to move my blog to wordpress… but that feels so overwhelming since I’ve been blogging at my (crappy) site for 15 years!
I am sorry to hear of your friend’s passing. 55 is so dang young. Her poor family! I am glad there’s a silver lining of seeing friends but still. What a heavy weekend this will be for you all.
J
Thanks Lisa, yes, it is going to be hard. I am glad about the silver lining for sure.
Regarding the comment thing, for some reason, my WordPress blog never recognizes you. I always have to approve them. Weird.
Ally Bean
I’m glad you’ve been having some fun, absorbing some beauty. It’s spring, engage with it! I’m also glad you’ve found a solution to your blog commenting problem. It’s frustrating to know you want to comment, spread the comment love, then not be able to. Blog on, sister!
J
Thanks Ally, it is indeed a relief!
Suzanne
I’m so sorry about your friend. Glad that you will have space and time to remember and mourn her, and glad that you will see the friend you shared. But losing a friend is so hard. So is getting a lymphoma diagnosis for Mulder. I’m so sorry.
Your date with Ted sounds amazing. I don’t even like eggs and that egg looks so beautiful.
J
Thanks Suzanne, that egg is indeed beautiful, and it was delicious.
Losing Katie is indeed very hard. And Mulder’s diagnosis, and knowing we won’t have much more time with him, sucks.
NGS
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear about Katie. I hope that the funeral brings you some comfort as your able to share memories of her with other people. (Or, if it doesn’t bring you comfort, at least it will be over. Which is always what I think about funerals.)
Extra special cuddles to Mulder from me. He’s a good guy and I’m glad to hear he’s doing okayish right now.
J
Thanks NGS, the funeral was lovely and I’m glad it’s over. Mulder is getting extra special cuddles, I will dedicate one of them from you.
nance
Great photos with this post. I don’t even like eggs, and that one looks delicious.
We just got together with dear friends who had moved down to North Carolina several years ago. His mother’s cancer suddenly claimed her life. His brother is also near the end, also due to cancer. When we parted, they said, “We’ll be back for [brother’s] funeral, which could be any time now. We hope we can see you then, too.” The oddity of planning a joyful reunion around cancer deaths…so icky and morbid.
I suppose it is, however, in a way, Life Affirming. Life and Love flourish amidst it all. Thank goodness it does.
J
Nance, I agree. It’s very strange to plan cheerful events around the death of a loved one.
Stephany
Oh goodness Julie, what a year you have had. I am so sorry to hear about your friend passing away. Cancer is truly the worst; it has taken so many loved ones from me and it’s just not fair. I hope the funeral and being with your friends who knew her, too, helped to ease some of the grief.
Mulder looks so great in his birthday hat! Sending lots of prayers that he continues feeling good on this new treatment plan. <3
J
Thank you Stephany! I am so very sick of cancer. I’m sorry for your losses as well.
San
Grief is hard. I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. I hope you find comfort in seeing mutual friends and sharing memories of Katie.
J
Thank you San, it was a lovely service and so nice to see so many people come out to honor her.
Melissa
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend, that is sad. It’s good that your mutual friend is coming over for the funeral so you can support each other.
Mulder, in that hat, is so so, so cute.
J
Thank you Melissa, yes, it was really nice to see our mutual friend. And I agree, Mulder is super cute.