saph wrote:
Thank Leighton, I like the sound of Leighstock in Staunton, VA! I want to get there early enough to try out the apple cider donuts though.
Reagan there's no such thing as a FREE LUNCH though
Samy, we're open at 7 and close at noon. If you get here around 10 or so, you'll be assured of some doughnuts. There's a nice restaurant that we can walk to for lunch.
Reagan wrote:
Its Father's Day
I am getting a FREE LUNCH
even if I have to give the wife money to pay for it
R
I hope you get to pick out the restaurant. Me, I'll be grilling a farm-raised chicken later while I drink my near-beer. It's really not that bad. I found one brewed by Heineken!
Enjoy Father's day guys! Leighton, I have been promising, but this time I am serious, I really need to check out the market and take some pics while its in season. A bit less than 3 hrs drive from here.
saph wrote:
Enjoy Father's day guys! Leighton, I have been promising, but this time I am serious, I really need to check out the market and take some pics while its in season. A bit less than 3 hrs drive from here.
I'm serious too. Just let me know when you're coming so I don't make any other plans for after the market.
Sorry to hear about your mother-in-laws health challenges Kevin. I appreciate you encouraging everyone to remain calm in the midst of all the bad news, which translates, of course, into the possibility of physical suffering. Laura is right, this is definitely time to have support from hospice which can offer palliative care during this troubling time. I can imagine there is significant pain with a cancer encroaching on the spine.
You are also wise to not make this about the medical care she has received, at least not in this moment. Caring for this woman is first priority. Second priority is holding space open for grief. Re-directing grief into anger often happens, but all that does is complicate and delay the grieving process. As your comments suggest, this will be a major loss for Donna, you and her family. Love each other up. Anything you can do to maintain calm will serve everyone in this process.
Losing parents is something we all encounter eventually. And holidays like mother's day and father's day are invariably times when those loses will be felt. Blessings to you all.
Boy, I'd love to join you guys in Staunton for a visit to the market we've heard and seen so much about over the last few years. Sitting around the table with a few folks from this thread would be an absolute delight. We might even get a photo of our most elusive friend Samy out of all of this...
kwoodard wrote:
I asked that question today. It will be relayed tomorrow. We got more news today that was nothing short of awful. It is a very fast moving cancer. It has doubled in size in the last two weeks (watermelon size) and its eating into her spine. As bad as things have been, I have been telling her family to keep calm around their mom, she is still fighting. However, keep notes on everything the doctor says for after she passes. There have been many HIPA violations already and other things that reek of malpractice. What sucks is that because of their ineptitude in handling her care, she probably won't make it to a different doctor or center before she goes. ...Show more →
Kevin, I'm sorry to hear of this. I'm praying for your mother-in-law and the rest of the family, as well. Hospice was great when my father was at the end of his life. I'm sure they would be of great assistance to you, too.
Kevin, I know you will give nothing but your very best to support Donna and her family. Reading your comments, that's the one thing you can do. As Curtis said, supporting the family in their grieving is an important task, and I am convinced that you are a person that can provide the support and strength your family and Donnas family will need.
Only recently Kristina lost her grandfather, and Anouk a great grandfather. Not many children have a chance to meet their great grandparents, and unfortunately we missed an oportunity to visit Hugo before he left us. Some ugly things were bound to happen after his passing. In part, these were driven by anger and guilt. Fortunately the family held together and supported each other. Today we had a visit from Kristinas grandmother, now a widow, but by no means a lonely woman. We try to keep a line open for her at all times, and so does the rest of the family, and it is just good to see how this person embraces the support the family offers her.
What I want to say is, even if someone leaves, and leaves behind a hole, where before a person belonged, the best thing we can do is to keep the good memories alive, and be there for the ones left behind. Share pleasant and nice things from the past, but do not forget the present and future hold in promise, a lot of good times that want to be had as well.
With Donnas mother still among you, it might be a bit premature to think this way, but I always keep thinking of how different things could have been if Kristinas family had not held together.
(I could write a bit about an aunt of me, who recently died of cancer, and where the family did not hold together, but rather fell apart in rivalries and petty bickering. That's my family. A collection of individuals where the sum of the parts is greater then the whole. Having to think of a family of my own though, I prefer to be there for my mom, and find strength in seeing how Kristinas family does things differently.)
Another topic I would like to say a thing or two about is the family here, on this most excellent thread. A little while ago George posted some lens porn and a trivia question.
I'm happy to report that the coffee beans arrived here safe and sound, and with a little present on top!
Since Kristina and I had a somewhat extensive photoshoot spanning 2 full days, resulting in 3000+ photos to sort and process, I have not yet been able to take a picture of the contents of the box. I'm so humbled by this gesture though, and look forward to make a cup of coffee from these beans, that I want to leave a promise here, that I will take some pictures to do justice to the awesomeness of this unexpected gift.
And even though I did use a lot of words just now George, upon opening the box I was speechless for a short moment.
Boy does that touch my heart Buddy... George is without doubt a standup guy. Thanks to you both for sharing this all with us... the challenge, the answer, the prize. Well done all the way around.
It's really not that bad. I found one brewed by Heineken!
