In response to some fun comments...

Shucks! Callie you're never going to want to come see us again if you think our mosquitoes are so big we have to shoot them with guns! Think of it like a water-spray gun that hoses them down. It's down-right FUN.

And Cassidy's right - - we have great pets. Don't really know how we lucked out (especially with the cats), but they are all absolutely splendid. If you so much as stop to take a breath, both the dogs and cats are climbing all over you, cats purring their hearts out. The other day I leaned over with my elbows on a rail of the fence and two of our cats climbed onto my back and settled in for naps. So there I was, stuck at a 90-degree angle, looking through the fence, trying to keep my back flat as possible so as not to disturb them. That is, until I realized how insane that was... =)

And then there are the outhouse stories. We've only got one bathroom, so the outhouse occasionally gets called into service. Well, the dogs circle it the whole time, hoping you're okay, whining at you, saying they'll save you if you fall in. PLUS ... there's a hole in the back wall through which the horses sniff at you and the cats climb in and contentedly plop down on your bare lap to purr and snooze. Yes I'm serious. Splinters on the bottom side, soft furry, purry cat on the top... hmmm, nice balance, eh?

Want to come visit? Between going hunting for mosquitoes and using the pet-friendly outhouse, it's a Wonderful Wild West experience. =)

The Little Things

We've been spraying for mosquitoes - wanting to take back our yard from the beasts this summer - and it's working!! But Andy's been unable to spray lately since he's working 22 hours out of 24, so Tiff and I decided to take on the task ourselves. Other than taking 45 minutes to get the thing set up and running, we did pretty good. Here's Tiff dressed for the job:

No health changes. Just being nice and lazy and soaking up the air conditioning. Other than getting worn out easily when hard work is forced upon me (bet everyone wishes they could say that and get away with it), I feel quite spiffy. And the cats do too.

Today (7/7) is my Grandma's 88th birthday. So if you know her and feel like writing or calling, you should do it. Gramp's 88th was last week, so you could tell him Happy Day too. ... Because if you look this cheerful at age 88, you say 'bring on the birthdays!" =)

Life in the Slow Lane

Everyone keeps asking if I've looked into MD Anderson Cancer center in Houston so I asked my doctor if she'd called them about me. She did, BUT... this is what she says:
They might be the mecca for patients with bad cancers and cutting edge research, but she was not at all impressed with them. They basically said there's nothing better they can do for me than the current 'normal protocol' [read: the Doxil I'm currently getting] so I should just stay in Wyoming. They were very, very negative about any promising new studies or help they could offer, and she was furious on my behalf - she's an absolute delight as a physician - so will not send me there. She absolutely refuses because she doesn't feel they would do their best by me, doesn't feel they'd offer much hope or new options.

On the other hand, the doctor she knows in San Fransisco said he'd love to see me, has tried many things on other patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, new combinations of old drugs and etc. As a rule, he evaluates and assesses there in CA, then allows the treatment regimen to be carried out in the patient's hometown, and that, of course, is a huge benefit for us folks who live thousands of miles away. Plus she has a good rapport with him, can call him at any time with questions or for new ideas. So as soon as San Fransisco receives my chart by fax they will call me to set up an appointment. Also reassuring is that he would start with what we're doing now... Doxil every 28 days. So even if I can't get in right away, I've already started what he'd recommend first.

I thought I'd post these photos of Snelling life lately.
First the new stack wagon which has saved us many headaches:
Andy giving us the thumb's up as he makes another round:

Another sunset from home:

And enjoying cousin company at the park: