Weighed in at 155 this morning, sheesh, where’s it going? That’s too light, I am thinking ice cream. Starting Phase 5 tomorrow, IV of cyclophosphamide ass-kicker, shot of cytarabine ass-kicker, pills of 6-thioguanine. Yeehaw. Feeling OK, my beard stopped growing almost completely, but the hair on my head keeps trying to come back. Go figure.
Johnny is home sick with a sore throat, Mikey has the fever/pukey/poopy flu, started Sunday, hope that’s a one-day grippe.
The Beauch and I went up to Limekiln Creek campground last Thursday, and it was Jade Festival weekend at Pacific Valley, our usual campground 5 minutes south. The campsite we had was awesome, right on the river, beautiful spot. The campground is also right on the beach, with some campsites 100 feet from the water. One of the best campgrounds I have seen, big sites, nice bathrooms, showers. Beauch got it for free as a state parks worker, which only happens occasionally. In this picture is our campsite; the bridge leads up the trail to the waterfalls and to the old lime kilns. Oh yeah, I forgot to bring my sleeping bag (doh!), but luckily Mike had some blankets, I wore everything I had, and used all the towels for more blankets. Brrrrrr. I am just now starting to reheat.
The downside of hanging with Mike is the guy hikes and repairs trails for a living, so humping straight up a 14% incline for a couple of miles is fun to him. The guy kills me. We humped all over the joint Friday, then Saturday he had to check this new acquisition of state land and make a recommendation on whether to keep the existing trail. Only a 45 minute hike, he said. Two hours! Beautiful territory, but give me oxygen. Look at how far up from the ocean we hiked!
The Jade Festival was a great hit, polka bands, mega jade, rock and roll; the hokiest little festival in CA. Check out the slab of jade in the pic. These guys all say they’re divers, but we all know they’re digging in the cliff. They aren’t getting this stuff diving in Jade Cove, because the law is you can take from below mean high tide what one person can carry. That puts the limit at 250 pounds for most of us; it’s 150 feet straight up the cliff you have to carry this rock, then ¼ mile to your car.
John,
ReplyDeleteI found the weight you lost. Somehow it has become attached to my thighs and butt! Please take it back. I don’t want it. I should be the one taking the two hour hikes!
Beautiful pics of camping. They were a nice diversion to Monday’s drudgery. My car is in the shop so I was stuck here in no-mans land off Turnpike in between Santa Barbara and Goleta where the walking distance food choices are In and Out Burger, I Hop and the Shell station mini-mart. Sumo wrestling anyone?
Hey John,
ReplyDeleteWhat great pics. Man, looking at those pics was the first time I wanted to go camping since MaryBeth Johnson offered to show me the little pink flowers on her undies back in the 9th grade. I was such a slut when I was 15. Let's not go there now though.
I'm a little surprised the Jade Cops are not out there policing that stone-lynching scene.
And Manitouboo, Out Burger, I Hop and da Shell Mini Mart. Heyall, if it wernt fer thoze fahn dinin es-tablishmints, we would have nowhere ta go down here in Bama sept da lokil trailer bar.
Good luck with Phase V buddy. I'm sure you'll get through it with the same vigor and success as you did the last four.
Mac
The Jade cops are out there, as our pal that does dig in the cliff, the real rock and indian artifact nut, has a bunch of fines from getting caught. It's either $50 or $150, enough to keep me from doing it. It causes serious erosion and you shouldn't do it, the area is rampant with slides already.
ReplyDeleteGolfing today, been working at it, I better bust 100. Might be tough on this chemo load, and the stupid steroid shot from yesterday had me up until 3 am, and back up at 6:30, but I caught a 3 hour nap last evening, so I'm alright. I need to hit fairways. Oon yelly mon.
I should add, some of the jade does come from diver teams in the cove. One guy described finding a 250 lb slab in 30' of water, and flipping it end over end into the beach, and then humping it up the cliff. Terrific effort for a sex rock. Another f***ing rock. Well, it was pretty special, about like the one in the picture, slightly smaller.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteThe fine ($50-$150) does not sound like it's commensurate with the act. If someone wanted to buy a stone like the one that was being lynched, what would that cost?
Mac
Those big ones they are asking $5000+ for. A 50 pounder all polished up goes for $500 or more. Does anyone buy this stuff? People with money to burn. Golf on chemo is hell. Don't know what I shot, maybe 98. Didn't ask.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what a big one went for. Now I know....
ReplyDeleteJohn, I would think doing just about anything on Chemo would be hell. In fact, my idea of hell is the "C" word. Cancer, Chemo, Hell, hell, hell. I think it is awesome that you keep at it even though I don't understand why golf is such fun...Although I did like croquet. Are they at all similar?
:-)
Hmmm....no comments about that croquet remark. I was hoping I could get someone to wax poetic about the zen of golf or at least some insulting remarks about how many times I hit myself in the head with the mallet.
ReplyDeleteah, Lisa...croquet isn't complicated enough for these genius athletes here, they can't understand it---
ReplyDeletebut it sounds like you could eat at all those roadside queasy spoons if you get on the camp-along with Beauch plan--geeze, Micu, why haven't you started your own Tom Sawyer school, I bet a lot of people would pay you to let them help you do your job...
Johnny you are almost down to my weight which is about what it was when I was full-term preggo (Mike, sign me up!!!
oh well, probably nobody will bother me on the love boat to Gilligan's island--
we go friday--John will try to send an e-postcard if Thurston and I are not too busy
Been so long since I croqueted... Similar to putting, done on a manicured lawn (supposed to be anyway, but not by hordes of Americans). You can't smack the other guy's ball in golf without penalty. And who said golf is fun? A long walk spoiled. Mac, what is your ratio of grins:grimaces on the course? Mine is about 1:4.
ReplyDeleteCroquet. Well, now that I think about it, threrein lies the problem. So many of my golf shots are more like croquet than golf. Unfortunately I'm not talking about those with the putter.
ReplyDeleteJohn, my grimace factor/ratio varies from game to game. 1:4 on some days and 1:15 on others. Speaking of golf, we have a great tournament coming up this weekend at the club. The pro shop keeps track of $$$ winnings from various major and minor tournaments throughout the year. At the end of the year, the top 24 $$ winners are split into two groups of 12 and play a 27 hole per day two day cup event that's designed after the Ryder Cup format. This is the 3rd year for this and I got to participate each year so far (1 and 1). Will let you know how this one works out.
Have a great weekend.
Mac
John- glad you had your camera on that camping trip, looks so beautiful. I guess Alex saw Beauch when he was headed up the coast en route home...he is heading towards Chicago right now. Can't wait to hear the tales of a summer in California. I don;t knwo how you kep so active on all this chemo, it had me on the couch, and i still haven't worked off the weight of people delivering food and accepting it whole heartedly. I did pick up the swimming and yoga again, hope to add more in later.
ReplyDeletekeep up the good work...have as mcuh fun as you can.
jeanne
p.s. i think wilma has made a mess of maurice and pat's vacation...we will see.
John, I recently hiked Limekiln and it is absolutely gorgeous I agree. Of course, next time, I would recommend TWO sleeping bags for that overnite stay. Manitou, croquet and golf in the same sentence?? Dudette!! What are you thinking mon?
ReplyDeleteSorry to have been out of the loop for so long. Please, no one get up, if no one minds, I can just find a place to sit right here!
John, glad to catch up on the 'blog' and your progress.... and the 'hair' sagas....so much drama over your personal follicles...
Life might not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here, we might as well dance......
LET THE DANCING BEGIN!!!!