by Judy Handley | Jun 11, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 244, Year 10: Here and There
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2015
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Warm and Humid
Location: Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
I spent my day going here and there, a disjointed sort of day. I had to take Mark to work at West Marine by 10 am and then I had a physical therapy appointment at 10:45. There wasn’t enough time between the two to do much, so I drove to Heather’s with my laundry bags and started the first laundry load of the day. Then it was off to PT. The rheumatologist I saw last week prescribed PT to help me build stamina so that I can walk two miles without aches and pains. I like the therapist and I can already tell that her suggestions are helping. But I was done there at 11:15 and had another 45 minutes to kill before going to Woods Hole to pick Ollie up from school. So I went back to Heather’s and switched laundry loads, picked greens from the garden to make a salad for lunch, and then headed the 20 minutes to Woods Hole. On the way home Ollie and I stopped to see the osprey on the nest that is close to the road. We walked toward the viewing area, the osprey just sat on her nest. Then Ollie exclaimed, “She’s staring at me!” And she was. He was amazed that she didn’t fly away and then he told me that they have baby birds in a nest in the pampas-grass in their front yard. Later in the day I got to see them—just hatched, naked little birds that look up at you with their mouths wide open waiting for food. I’ve never seen a nest so close to the ground. I just hope our observations don’t upset the momma too much. I’d hate to see her abandon those babies.
Heather was in Hyannis with Jonah this afternoon. Jonah had a dentist appointment and then they went to Toys R Us to look at bicycles. Jonah’s sixth birthday is coming up soon and Heather thought he might like a bicycle. As it turned out, he wanted just about everything else in the store, but not a bicycle. Heather called and asked me to pick Sam up after school as she and Jonah weren’t going to make it back in time. Kira, the middle-school aged baby sitter, arrived in time to stay with Ollie while I went to get Sam. And when I got back, I did yet another load of laundry. When I do my laundry at Heather’s, I combine mine with theirs, and there is always plenty to keep you busy all day long.
by Judy Handley | Jun 10, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 243, Year 10: Farewell to the Stuarts, Then Off to Boston
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Weather: Beautiful and Sunny, Wind Back in the Evening
Location: Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
We said farewell to the Stuarts today and then it was off to Boston for yet another doctor appointment . . . which seems to be the story of our lives these days.
The Handleys and the Stuarts woke up to a beautiful morning here in Quissett Harbor. Love that sunshine. But if all five of us were going to get a shower today, we definitely needed to fill the water tank. That means one of two things. We can either take the boat to the dock or go to the dock with water jugs in the dinghy and transport them back to Windbird. At high tide, taking Windbird to the dock is the easiest. But this morning it was definitely low, low tide, so we opted for the transport method. Garrett loves to drive the dinghy, so he transported the water jerry jugs to shore and back. Linda and I took turns sitting on the dock to hand the hose down to Garrett in the dinghy and to turn the water off and on. Mark and Mike stayed on Windbird to get the jugs in and out of the dinghy and fill the tank. Our water jerry jugs hold 6 gallons of water. A gallon of water weighs about 8.3 pounds, making each jerry jug weigh about 50 pounds. That is more than Mark and I can handle right now with Mark’s shoulder problem, so having the help in filling the tank was VERY much appreciated. Thank you, thank you to Linda, Mike, and Garrett. Mid-way through the morning Mark had to leave to go for a cancer treatment, but the rest of us finished the water chore and then went to shore to walk out to The Knob. The Knob is at the end of path leading from inner Quissett Harbor out to Buzzards Bay. On the way you pass Crescent Beach and we stopped there to ‘play.’ Then it was on to The Knob to enjoy the view. When we got back to Windbird it was time to eat lunch and take off for our treks northward. Linda, Mike, and Garrett took me to meet Mark in North Falmouth and then we parted ways. Their visit was much too short, but we certainly enjoyed the time we had together. The Stuarts were headed back to Concord, NH, where they will pick up their bikes and then start their road trip (in a car) to San Jose, California. Garrett starts work there in August and they are going to enjoy the next six weeks together as a family exploring places from here to there. Once Garrett is settled in an apartment, Mike and Linda will continue their bike tour ‘around the world.’ The next year will be spent in the western part of the US and then on down south of the border to Mexico. You can follow their trip by going to their blog site, Gone 4 a Ride, and scrolling to the bottom of the page for the latest blog:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=Sh&doc_id=13549&v=Ih
Mark’s oncologist at Mass General, Dr. Kwak, called late last week requesting that we come to Boston this week to discuss the results of Mark’s most recent scan. We didn’t really have an appointment time until Monday and that time was late this afternoon. After saying farewell to Linda, Mike, and Garrett, we drove most of the way to Boston and then took the T in for the last 15 miles. That keeps us from driving through the worst traffic. We arrived just in time for the appointment, took a deep breath, enjoyed the view of the city from the waiting room, and then went in to talk to Dr. Kwak. After thorough review of the scans, she wanted to discuss possible changes in treatment. We discussed the options with her and with Dr. Hong, the radiation oncologist. The decision was to add one drug to the existing treatment. So now will Mark will get an infusion every two weeks that includes two hard to pronounce drugs. Irinotecan (EYE-ri-noe-TEE-can) will be added to the panatumumab (PAN-i-TOOM-ue-mab). There will be another scan the end of August and a decision will be made then as to whether or not Mark will need to have radiation therapy in September. We’re hoping Mark will be able to handle the addition without too many ill –effects. He has had an amazing tolerance to the cancer treatments to date and we hope that trend continues.
by Judy Handley | Jun 9, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 242, Year 10: Our Day with the Stuarts
Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Weather: Overcast with a Threat of Rain, Very Windy
Location: Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
Touring in Woods Hole, stopping for an osprey photo shoot, and having dinner at Heather and Jed’s were the activities that filled our day with the Stuarts. After a leisurely breakfast, we all drove to Woods Hole together so we could orient Mike, Linda, and Garrett. Then Mark and I left for doctor appointments while they toured Woods Hole and met up with Jed for a tour of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. When we got back together we headed to Heather and Jed’s. On the way we stopped for an osprey photo shoot and then traveled on. Mike and Linda bought the dinner supplies and Linda and I worked together to make two summer salads and brownies for dessert. When Jed got home from work, he pitched in and grilled the pork loins. Garrett, Mike, and Mark did their part by playing with the boys in the backyard. It was a fun evening.
by Judy Handley | Jun 8, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 241, Year 10: The Stuarts Arrive
Date: Monday, June 8, 2015
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, High Temp in the Upper 60’s F
Location: Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
Our good friends, the Stuarts, arrived early this evening. They are just here for a day or two, so we have to make the best of the time we have together. We had a great evening on Windbird and plan for a relaxed day tomorrow. Tomorrow morning we are going to take a look at Linda’s ‘kitchen’ and help her do some redesigning. Her kitchen while traveling by bicycle is a piece of fabric with all sorts of pockets to hold utensils and spices. This can be rolled up quickly and stored for traveling, but as it is currently designed, the spices fall out easily. So we will try to improve on the current design. I think Jed is arranging a tour of WHOI for Mike, Linda, and Garrett early tomorrow afternoon. So that will be the extent of planned activities for tomorrow.
by Judy Handley | Jun 7, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 240, Year 10: Not a Day of Rest
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2015
Weather: Partly Sunny, High Temp in the Low 70’s F
Location: Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
This Sunday was not a day of rest. Mark worked at West Marine and I spent my morning at the laundromat, the middle of my day on the boat getting ready for company, and the afternoon at Heather and Jed’s ‘playing’ in the garden. Heather and I still don’t have everything planted, but hopefully by week’s end we’ll be there.
Tomorrow our friends Linda and Mike Stuart, and their just-out-of-college son, Garrett, are coming to spend a couple of days. Or maybe more if we can talk them into it. Linda and Mike are taking a short break in their bike tour that they hope will eventually take them all the way around the world (with a little help getting across oceans). Garrett graduated from the University of South Carolina in early May and then they all drove to Boston in a car to deal with health issues. When they leave here, they will drive back to South Carolina to pick up Garrett’s belongings, and then they go cross country to San Jose where Garrett will begin his new job in August. Sometime in there, Linda and Mike will be back on their bikes to continue their adventure. They left Saratoga, New York, last August 3rd and have traveled 5,736 miles to date on their bikes. Amazing!
by Judy Handley | Jun 6, 2015 | Cape Cod, Sailing Logs Year 10 |
Day 239, Year 10: Jam-packed 34 Hours
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2015
Weather: Partly Sunny, High Temp in the Low 70’s F
Location: Back Home on Windbird in Quissett Harbor, Falmouth, MA
What a jam-packed 34 hours we just spent. We left here yesterday morning and are now back home on Windbird. In those 34 hours we went shopping at the Wrentham Outlet Mall, visited with our friends Alan and Helaine Kanegsberg, attended the wonderful retirement celebration for Chris Rath, visited with friends Linda Stuart and Sue Robichaud after the retirement celebration, drove around Concord today to see how things have changed since we lived there, and stopped for an afternoon visit and early dinner with my nieces Candi and Lynn. Chockablock! We enjoyed the visit with my nieces, Candi’s husband Char, daughter Katie, and Katie’s new baby, but I have to say the highlight of today was meeting baby Hailey. I am the sister of one of Hailey’s grandparents, my brother Bennie. According to Ancestry.com that makes me Hailey’s great-aunt and Hailey’s mother’s (Katie) grand-aunt. “Technically, the sister of one of your grandparents is your grand-aunt. ‘Grand’ shows that it is one generation away; ‘great’ is supposed to be added to generations beyond ‘grand.’ But like so many other words in the English language, there’s the dictionary definition and then there’s how it’s commonly used.” Great is more often used in both cases, but I rather like the concept of being a ‘grand’ anything. So I’ll stick with what Ancestry.com has to say.
Tomorrow we settle back into the work-a-day life. Mark works at West Marine tomorrow and Monday while I get the boat ready for visitors. Linda and Mike Stuart and their son Garrett will be coming to visit for a few days beginning on Monday evening. We have visited with Mike and Linda, but the three of them have not been aboard Windbird since visiting us in Raratonga in the Pacific in 2006. So we are really looking forward to the reunion.
