2014 Week 34: The Week's Miscellany

Health issues, decisions, disasters and more. The good and the bad always hand in hand.

Monday was Mike's follow-up appointment with Dr. Sundaram at IU Health in Indianapolis.
The good news: no traces of cancer! The potentially bad, more sarcoidosis nodules detected on thyroid.
We visited our friend Sara (fellow Circle Tour rider) over lunch and she shared her venison stew with us.

I was asked to teach a Level 1 Spanish course at Ivy Tech, and have been asking God and others for direction and advice. I promised to give an answer by Monday night. I said yes.

Tuesday, our friend Jenni gave us both massages to relieve our hip and back issues. She is very skilled

That evening I went to an orientation for adjunct professors and received the texts I will be using.

Wednesday I received the Master Syllabus and the next day met with the Department Chair and Assistant Coordinator to fill out a hire packet. So, here we go, plenty of work (and fun?) ahead. I will be teaching Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 - 9 PM.

Mike got on his bike again and rode 12 miles! He's gone out two more times this week, and feels better, although the hip pain comes back and slows him down.

Thursday evening our young friend from Little Rock, Arkansas, arrived to spend the night before moving into the dorm at Anderson. He was rather worn out from driving all that way but stood around long enough that we persuaded him to play a game of Hand and Foot before retiring for the night. What were we thinking? He beat us soundly.

Calculating the final scores                                                      Gloating

That night severe storms and heavy rains hit our area. A neighboring town got over 9" resulting in serious flooding. We had a little over 5" and no real damage.

The weather was very timely for the new parents. Matt was sent home from work and could go with Kayla to second doctor appointment for baby Rebecca. She had lost a bit too much weight by Tuesday, but is gaining now.

Schools were closed for 'rain day'! Skye took this picture of their flooded back yard.

More babies! Leah was up all night acting as midwife for her beagle Cleo's first delivery. A rough time--two live births but the last two puppies were stillborn.

Saturday we both left the house shortly after 8 a.m. Michael had an event where the robotics team showed off their robots at a family fest. And I went to grandson Malachi's cross country meet. As a sophomore he is now on the varsity team. It was not the best day for a race--soggy ground and hot and humid weather. Uncle Stephan was there to offer encouragement.

Then I headed to the Broadway house to help paint, or at least touch up some spots.

Bye, bye, Broadway house after 13 years of good memories!

On the way home I just had to stop at Kayla's and hold Rebecca again. Still so tiny and such a doll!

All week, at various intervals, Michael has been working on his latest piece of art, preparing it step by step for an eventual bronze casting. Over the months he has spent hours and hours painstakingly perfecting even the smallest aspect. Finally all the parts were assembled onto a 'tree' for the series of coats before the wax melting stage. Alas, this morning disaster struck (most likely Brutus the cat) and the shattered pieces are irrecoverable. This is the only memory we will have of a long anticipated beautiful work of art.

Mike is still recovering. The cat may have a different home soon!