Celebration of a Birthday and Anniversary

Here we are sitting around the breakfast table at The French Laundry celebrating my birthday and our anniversary on May 26th. My mom had come up from Kentucky to visit for a week so she could overlap a planned visit with Adam and Laura who were stopping in Michigan before heading back to LA. They had been in NY at a family wedding and decided they couldn't fly "over" Detroit on route back to LA without stopping a few days with us.

Adam is still in the process of completing his PhD requirements. He must turn in the final version of the manuscript after incorporating comments from his committee, complete a few more lab experiments that his new lab mates will take over when he leaves the lab in late June and continue training his new colleagues to seamlessly continue the research he's tended for the past few years.

He'll barely have one week off when he re-enters his third year of medical school in early July. When he returned to LA a few days ago, he was scheduled for a two day review of clinical skills in preparation for the more clinically-oriented rotations that make up third year studies. Laura continues to be heavily involved in her own post-doctoral research at UCLA but finds time to be incredibly supportive of Adam's own demanding schedule. Funny thing: they seem to enjoy every minute they have together.

Evan continues to devote his time and energy to reviewing for his boards scheduled for mid-June. He'll have only a short time off before he starts his third year rotations, like Adam. Evan is our consummate traveler and he's hoping to put together some exotic foreign excursion before the early July start date for his medical school rotations. Otherwise he says he may come to Michigan where he claims that the room and board at The Raff Inn are luxurious and worth the price!

Marika is in her final weeks of classes and is a regular at the UCSB library. When I was in Santa Barbara visiting her recently, I asked her to take me into the library and let me sit in the place she always claims as "her spot" for studying. Up on the fourth floor. Next to the windows. With a view. And a balcony to go out on when she needs a quick break or to make a phone call. (The leather seat is well-worn!)

As soon as her last final is over, she heads to Panama with her Global Medical Brigades team for some "do good" volunteer work. On the day she gets back to Santa Barbara, she starts summer school and her MCAT Review Course (of which she will have missed the first week of review due to her Panama trip.) She will play "catch up" from the day she gets back.

Gil is at Karmanos today for his routine every-other-week appointment. He's very, very close to being off his immunosupressants completely. He feels good. Occasionally gets tired and needs an afternoon nap which seems only appropriate given that his body is finding its way back to equilibrium.

My next trip is going to be to Albuquerque for a week in late June. My dear friend from Paris is coming to the states (New Mexico) for a week and I want to visit with her. I'm encouraging Gil to come along since it has been way, way too long since he last visited Albuquerque. Our friends often see me visiting in Albuquerque and rarely see him, and I do believe they are wondering if Gil is still in the picture. I can assure them he is!

This is the Memorial Day weekend and it's going to be a real gardening extravaganza for me. Last year my garden was neglected due to Gil's sudden and unanticipated hospitalization in June. This year, God-willing, I will give the garden (which gives us both so much pleasure) my full and undivided attention.

Haiku:

Kids doing their thing

Keeping tabs from afar

Embracing life's joys!

What it's like to get your PhD

This is the first time I've posted three photos in the same blog entry. There were so many memorable aspects to the past week of celebrations in LA for the Raff Family.

I arrived on Mother's Day and my kids took me straight from the airport to lunch at Bungalow in Larchmont. The Farmer's Market was open and we wandered through it at closing time so there were bargains galore. (A dozen roses for $5.)

On Monday, I listened to 45 minutes of perfectly timed precision as Adam practiced his presentation on me. I loved it.

Adam's thesis defense was Tuesday and it went so well. The room was packed with 50 people and it was standing room only. Laura sat serenely while Adam explained the work he had done during their last three years together in the lab. We went to Campanille's for dinner that night for champagne.

The next day was USC's graduation commencement where Adam's mentor and principal investigator for his project "hooded" him in the glorious colors you see in the top photo. What a grand moment. The director for the PhD program at USC had us all over to dinner that night at her house in the LA hills with great views, camaraderie and conversation into the wee hours.

Laura and Adam were great hosts in their cozy and charming apartment. Our friend, Terry Lee Heller, came from Albuquerque to join the celebration in LA. Laura and Adam gave up their bed for us, and they slept on an Aero bed with their dog, Bodhi, in the living room while we were there.

Evan broke away from studying for his boards for each event and family meal. He didn't miss any event where we were all together. Loved visiting with him.

The next morning, Marika and I headed to Santa Barbara for some much needed "girl time" and we tried all the newest restaurants and some of the old favorites. I got to be in college all over again. The kids in her apartment complex love music -- and they love to listen to it LOUD! We slept with the fan on HIGH not so much to keep us cool but more to keep the noise at a tolerable level. I loved every minute I spent with her.

She was a trooper to get up so early this morning and drive me to LAX. I boarded the plane as scheduled at 11 am but thirty minutes into our flight, the pilot said we were turning around and heading back to LA because an onboard sensor indicated our plane could not fly higher than 25,000 feet. So we're all back in the gate area waiting for the mechanics to repair the problem and we're scheduled to reboard in a couple more hours.

Haiku:

Years of intense work

Recognized by all present

Way to go, Adam!

Washington, DC Reunion

Two happy guys! Gil and his boyhood friend (from the Brooklyn 'hood) met up yesterday afternoon after a long 30 year hiatus. They had lost track of one another over the years and were reunited when another boyhood friend (Barry Mennen) helped all three make the connection.

Ron Fishbein and Gil are pictured outside the Ritz-Carlton here in Washington, DC where we are staying this weekend for Gil's talk to the 32nd Annual Recent Advances in Clinical Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT symposium.

Ron and his wife, Dana, had us to their home in Laytonsville where we spent the afternoon catching up and having dinner and enjoying the delights of their 2 year old granddaughter. What a wonderful way to learn about Gil's favorite and funny memories of growing up in Seagate -- the gated-community next to Coney Island -- where their days were filled with summers at the ocean as lifeguards, stickball on the stoop, walking to school past gangs of less than friendly kids in the projects and other shenanigans.

While Gil was putting together his talk in the hotel room yesterday morning, I took a tour of the city riding on the top of an open air tour bus on a 2-1/4 hour loop from Georgetown to Arlington Cemetery to the National Cathedral to the White House to Embassy Row learning all about our nation's capital.

We're headed back to Michigan this afternoon.

I practically turn right around and repack my suitcase because I leave again on Sunday morning heading to LA for Adam's thesis defense and graduation next week. And a weeklong visit with the kids. And a trip up the coast to Santa Barbara where Marika and I will have some "girl time."

Haiku:

Getting his PhD

Was long but rewarding work

Good going, Adam!

Out in Nature

We took our daily two mile walk along the Nature Preserve trail in Kensington this afternoon. The pictured Tufted Titmouse seemed very tame and curious and followed us for awhile. He (or she) seemed to be "smiling" for the photo.

Gil had his biweekly Karmanos appointment this morning. All went well. He is nearly off his low dose of steroids. His immunosuppressants have again been reduced. And he is symptom-free. He still has chronic GVH in his mouth but it's nothing more than a discomfort and does not require treatment beyond the immunosuppression he is already taking.

We are getting ready to fly to Washington, DC for a conference where Gil is speaking on radiation dose reduction. It's a quick trip but we always look forward to getting away and it's at the Ritz Carlton which always knows how to make you feel like a pampered guest.

It seems that all the nurseries and gardening stores are having big openings tomorrow on May 1st and if the weather cooperates, I'll be there surveying the offerings. It's a bit tricky to get plants this early. We could have another freeze. Yet if you wait for safer planting times, the selections are picked over. Dilemma!

Adam says he handed his PhD thesis out to his committee today -- it was 135 pages! Evan was reviewing flashcards for his upcoming Boards -- on a Friday afternoon! Marika was trying to remember the last place and time she saw her cell phone -- lost at one or another of the watering holes she visited last night.

Am spending time organizing and de-cluttering. Advice from a magazine on what to keep out and what to store off the countertops which I will pass along: "If you use it everyday, it may stay. Otherwise, put it away." (I have lots to put away.)

The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow so mix up a mint julep and enjoy. I always try to be somewhere I can watch it on TV and I always stand with hand over heart while they play My Old Kentucky Home. I'm a Kentuckian -- born and raised.

Haiku:

Checking my garden

Each morning when I get up

New blooms to see?

Chicago in the Spring

We're enjoying a long, warm, relaxing weekend in Chicago.

The first photo above shows the view outside the Sheraton lobby atrium's window where we park ourselves for reading and people watching during sunny parts of the day.

The second photo shows me at lunch on the top floor of the Art Institute's Renzo Piano Cafe which is light infused, serves Italian lunches (I had a pomegranate sage Italian soda) and has fabulous views of the city.

The third photo shows Gil reading a light Janet Evanovich detective novel yesterday before we headed out for our daily adventures in the downtown area.

Drove in to Chicago on Friday morning and spent the afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago at the Matisse show. (We became Art Institute members on our last visit so admission fees are a thing of the past for the coming year.) We ate an amazing fixed price fish dinner at Catch 35 in downtown Chicago that night.

Yesterday we spent the morning at The Shedd Aquarium watching moray eels and seahorses and Beluga whales. By the time we left, the lines waiting for admission wrapped around the building and we were glad we were on our way "out!"

In the afternoon, we attended Stanford's Leading Matters "traveling lecture series for alumni" here at the hotel. It was an alumni event designed to capture the hearts (and philanthropic dollars) of Stanford alumni. We heard from the university's best professors in stimulating talks, followed by dinner and a not-to-be-missed media presentation that made me wish I was 35 years younger and smart enough to be considered for admission as a Stanford student.

We were seated at a table with other Stanford parents and we all gushed and gloated over our Stanford-graduated students -- each of whom has gone on seeking higher education degrees.

Today we are heading back to Michigan but not before we head up to the Chicago Botanic Garden for their 10th annual Antiques and Garden Fair which will feature currently blooming tulips and all sorts of other flowering plants. I know it will be be very crowded and I'm only hoping that once we get to the parking lot, we won't decide to abandon the plan.

We stayed here at the Sheraton which is convenient walking to practically everything downtown. Headed downstairs to breakfast now to get our day started.

Blooming Bradford Pear Trees

Finally we can walk out our front door and feel that winter is over.

I've been cleaning up our gardens and pulling up the winter debris that I left at the end of last season from the beds making room for the new fragile green shoots to come up. I love gardening. But there's always a lot to do in the spring.

I've gotten interested lately in learning more about the foods that are good for you and what I should be eating. I started out reading Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Then I consulted the writings of a nutritionist online to learn more about the glycemic index of various foods. Then I threw away my Splenda and CoffeeMate Creamer. Then I started reading food labels with a new intensity. And now I'm trying to replace the unhealthy foods in my pantry and refrigerator with healthy foods.

Many of my friends and our family members are already into very healthy eating so I am really just catching up to them at this point. I'm enjoying learning about it. I'm learning that soy is not so good for you but I don't know why. I'm going to Google that tonight. I'm becoming a rather annoying evangelist, I'm afraid!

Tomorrow night I'm going to our Milford Garden Club's monthly meeting and our speaker is going to be talking about Healing the Body and Spirit: Use of Plants, Trees and Stone Therapies. Sound interesting? I'm thinking that the stone therapy must be referring to massage with stones but, what the heck, it may be some kind of healthy stone soup!?

The past few days have been rainy so Gil and I have not been out walking. I keep up with Pilates and my personal trainer at the YMCA but Gil doesn't have any other outlets for his exercise when the weather outside doesn't allow walking. We found a great trail through the woods at the end of our street which I think will become a favorite because it takes about an hour to get all the way around it and back to the starting place. But we mix it up a lot so we don't get bored.

We're fans of watching The Masters golf tournament so will be well-engrossed the end of the week and into the weekend in "all things Tiger Woods." Neither of us play golf but we both love watching the tournaments when Tiger is playing.

Watched Inglourious Basterds on DVD and have waiting for us tonight Julie and Julia or Coco Before Chanel from Netflix.

It's been a wonderful, quiet, thoughtful week. Finished The Hidden Life of Deer and moving on to the new book about Dorothea Lange.

Haiku:

Food that's good for you

Chemical free and earthly

Makes a body smile.

The Pie Brigade

This was the happy reunion last night with our Karmanos friends. We met at The Grand Traverse Pie Company in Lansing for our monthly dinner together. Gil, Mark and Bonnie continue their recoveries without complication and are nearing their six month post-stem cell transplant anniversary.

As you might remember from previous blog entries, we are pie lovers and so we all started our dinner with pie first. We then "progressed" to sandwiches, and finished off with soup and salad. (Hey, we do what we want!)

The spouses (me, Kim and Steve) happily support Gil, Mark and Bonnie's efforts at getting stronger each day, taking fewer naps (!) and getting more involved in the world at large. (As long as it's germ-free!)

Germs are the terrifying big topic these days. Gardening is absolutely forbidden -- too much bacteria in the soil and leaf mold is everywhere. And crowded places still need to be respected.

Gil heads into Karmanos tomorrow for an appointment and he's doing well. He's hoping for a reduction in his steroids again and that within two to four weeks, he might actually be able to discontinue them all together.

I've got a lot of books checked out from the library and reading as much and as fast as I can:

Dorothea Lange by Linda Gordon, The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis by Lydia Davis, The Hidden Life of Deer by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, Food Rules by Michael Thomas and The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. (I love having a book in every room in the house that I can browse or pick up and take with me to an appointment.)

Haiku:

A warm sunny day

Is winter really over?

Or is this a tease?