This and That.....Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Don't forget to wear green today or you'll get pinched!!

I decided that since I wrote such a long blog comment before, I'll just share a short one this time with what is going on around here.

Yesterday, I had to go out for a Jr/Sr Meeting for my daughter, Angela. She is a Senior in High School and her school has a mandatory trip to Washington D.C. It sounds like it is going to be an awesome trip with lots of room for fun so I'm a little jealous! ha.

Other than that, I pretty much stay home most of the time and just try to work on getting my energy back and working through the after effects of chemo.

I return to my Surgeon next week. They purposely made my appt. approx. 30 days after my chemo to see what effects I'm still having to determine a change in meds to get me back on my feet quicker. I know one thing that hasn't changed and is very painful and that is the neuropathy in my hands and feet. I can't wait until they are normal again.

We visited with my aunt and uncle from Indiana on Sunday after church and we were making tentative plans to go see the Redwoods. My grandfather, who will be 91 this year has always wanted to see the Redwoods. So for his 90th birthday, I told him that we would take him out there. I made all the reservations, plane tickets, car, hotel, etc. and then I found out right after that, that I had cancer and had surgery immediately. There wasn't anytime to take the trip last year after I had booked the trip. Delta held our tickets, based on medical reasons for a year and if they are not used, they expire and are non-refundable. So....I'm trying to book travel again in May, hoping I'm released from the doctor, otherwise we lose our tickets. We have 8 airline tickets...that is alot to lose but we've all looked forward to going so I'm hoping it all works out this time. I don't want to be responsible for everyone not going.

My grandpa said he wasn't going until I could go. Although I've told him that there are others in the family who could take him. He is adament that I get well enough to go. So, I hope that the doctor releases me so I can go and then hopefully I will be on my way back to work.

Here are some fun facts about Ireland tradition:

When someone gets a new car it is custom to give them money.

Don't ever get married in May.

Mead wine is served, warm, at weddings. Usually the wedding cake is a lot like Christmas fruit cake. It almost always has fruit.

If a fork falls off the table a woman is coming to visit; a knife means a man.

When you have an itchy nose you should playfully hit everyone you are with and say "itchy nose" to insure you won't get into a fight with them.

Instead of playing "Punch Buggy" Where American's say "Punch buggy [colour of the Volkswagen Beetle that they see on the road], no punch backs!" Irish people say "Yellow registration, no returns". Yellow registrations are a type of license plate on cars in the United Kingdom and every so often you see one in the Republic of Ireland that are from Northern Ireland.

When there is an electrical storm, you should cover all the mirrors in the house or turn them around.

Your 21st birthday is the most important birthday. It is when you are considered an adult and it is a tradition to be given "the key to the house". Some 21st birthday cards still have keys on them as the symbol.

Irish dancers must wear their hair in curls.

On St. Stephen's Day, the 26th of December which is known to the English as Boxing Day, Irish children dress up and go door to door singing and performing. Sometimes they are given money, cookies, cake, tea, oranges, or nothing at all.

Also, common things that of as Irish but really are not: -Corned beef -Kissing the Blarney Stone (mainly a tourist attraction).

Have a fun day!

Love to all,
Leah