Radioactive

2011: It Was A Better Year Than Most

In My Bloodstream: Lisinopril, Omeprazol
On The Stereo:You Haven't Seen the Last Of Me: Cher

If  you cannot remember 2011, let me remind you what transpired; just a few of the more significant things.   A royal wedding involving Kate Middleton and a prince called William, was overshadowed by Kate's sister's dress.  Arab Spring passed Irish Spring in popularity.  Osama bin Laden met up with a slew of virgins.  The Government raised the debt ceiling twice to avert bankruptcy.  Women were granted the right to vote in Saudi Arabia.  And I made it to the age of 65.

After our flurry of cancer scares and surgeries early in the year, we began a season of normalcy, or as close as people like us can get.

Spring brought us a hiatus from surgeries, although we continued our regular check ups with Dr. Conry,  in Birmingham, Alabama.  Internal tumor growth had slowed and we enjoyed the relief, both physically and mentally, from the weight that living with melanoma brings.  Our friends and family were acutely aware that we had kept one step ahead of our stalker, and many shared their time with us, making each day celebratory.  Rosie came, as she always does, to be with us for a few days.

                    Our godson Ian, his beautiful bride, Darcy, brought their baby,  Arthur,  to meet us.

Mike and Lois Palecek came in from Tuscaloosa with a mission to behave badly.  Most successfully accomplished.

 Our Renaissance neighbors were always with us, in golf, bridge and meals - each one being its own party.  Our days were filled with sun and love.  With a little whiskey on the side,  from time to time.

                                                      Hosting meals for some neighbors.

We caught a John Prine concert on May 11th, and headed to Seattle the next day to visit Gray and Stephanie and their gang, for five days.  Always a treat to share some sugar with our west coast family.

On our west coast swing, we had tried, each occasion,  to give each child some personal time with us.  This trip, it was Addy's turn to have her wish granted.  The Pike Place market, the aquarium and the Space Needle were on her list.  Also, with all of our walking, a much needed chocolate milk gave her an energy re-boot.  Of course, a meal was included before we went home.

When we said our goodbyes to Seattle, we returned home, where I did have a short stint with a couple of compressed discs on my lower back.  In trying to get off the couch one evening, to go to bed, my back caved and I found myself on the floor, unable to move.  I started laughing at the predicament and to avoid crying with the pain.  Over the next few weeks, with several treatments, including needles and therapy, I got back to exercise again, pain-free.  Just a little bump in the road, apparently.

After another visit to Dr. Conry at the Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham in mid July, we were off to Donalda, our golf club in Toronto.  Kathy had, generously, arranged with a number of our old Canadian friends to join us to celebrate my 65th birthday.  We had believed, for years, that I would never make this milestone.  We were given too many strong hints that my time on earth would never reach the national average.  Far from it.

When our buds in Fort Myers heard about Kath's plan, a group wanted an invitation.  Her small gathering took on a life of its own.  It was humbling to have so many friends want to be part of our celebration.  Thank you, thank you all.

We had to move the original, planned venue, to the aptly named Log Room, to accommodate this larger and mostly rambunctious group.  It had always been my favorite room.  Rustic and charming.

We started off in a private bar to mix and allow everyone to settle in and order a drink.  The only pall over my joy, was that Stephanie had called earlier, to apologize, that because she was unable to leave her kids, and the cost involved, she would not be able to be with us.  Even with so many of our friends, and their overall enthusiasm and love, I selfishly needed Stephanie to make the night perfect.



Stephanie and her three girls made a surprise entrance, while we all were at the bar.  Shocked the life out of me and a lot of other people as well.  Many had been asking about her, and were surprised that she was not going to be with us.  It was all I could do to hold back my tears.  In fact, I really did not do that job very well at all.  I stayed choked up for most of the night.  The power your children hold over you is staggering.  The staff scrambled to rearrange the place settings to Kath's liking.

                                         My girls shared a special night, and so much love.

I had the best time, surrounded by friends and family.  Many were meeting for the first time, and the tables were set, purposely, to separate spouses and allow the hopeful creation of new relationships.

                                            A Patricia and Janis hug.  I am one lucky man.

Kath had the club set place cards, on which she had printed a different picture of me at varying ages, inside the card, and a picture of the guest on the front, so that they might, more easily, find their seat. Everyone wanted to see each other's card when they realized each was personalized and unique.  Very creative. 

                                                                Thank you my bride.

We stayed in Toronto for another week, to have a better, and more calm visit with our family and friends. It was a week of record breaking high temperatures, but we did lots of walking in the city, and golf at our club.

The balance of the summer was spent at home, carrying on with our regular schedules of fun and medical appointments.

On August 24th, we headed for Budapest to meet up with our traveling friends, Gerry and Sylvia.


A quick check in at our hotel, and the touring began.

Budapest was a beautiful walking city.  We started exploring immediately.  Those that have been, will likely recognize some sites of the city.

                                                                                             

The Smiths arrived shortly after us, and we began to familiarize ourselves with the shopping areas, as Gerry had forgotten to pack underwear.  Lots of commando discussions, but he was not having any of it.  Underwear is so over-rated.

                                                               Kat makes a new friend.

                                   The local constabulary seemed a bit rigid and standoffish.

We spent several days becoming acclimated and generally having fun.  We spent hours, one day,  in their famous baths, and we never stopped laughing.  The dressing (undressing) rooms were coed and we all were forced to wear shower caps, while we were in any of the many and varied pools.  There were fresh water, salt water, indoor, outdoor, wave and  clothing free.  We gawked.  We laughed and joked loudly.  Gerry was somewhat folically challenged and could not, for the life of him, understand why he had to wear a silly shower cap to cover his non-hair, and another man with the largest, fullest, unkempt beard you have ever seen, did not have his facial hair covered at all.  His beard, by far, was more of a lice hazard than Gerry's dome could ever be.  A family of  vermin would not have been visible in that beard.  Let me tell you, there were sights to behold, at every turn.  Many rude and incredible sights.  Many not so pretty as you might like.  We did not breathe a serious breath all day.

With what this fabulous city had to offer, we could easily have remained in Budapest another week.

But we could not.  Our real trip was just beginning.  We embarked on our Viking Longboat, which took us on a spectacular river cruise through Vienna, Passau, Krems, Regensburg and others.

                                                 Our ship awaits us after our stop in Krems

                     A Viennese coffee shop, elegant, with luscious coffee and delicious pastries.

                                                 I don't know why Gerry is so happy.

                                                                   Maybe these girls?

We eventually disembarked in Nuremberg.  We visited the Zeppelin Fields, where, in another lifetime, Hitler had held massive military rallies.  A German Shepherd dog show was underway in a park beside us.  That seemed very weird indeed.  Not particularly appropriate.

                                                     Typical scenery from our ship.

                                                           A view from our Prague hotel.

From there, a driver was waiting to take us on to Prague.  Another great city, and our hotel overlooked miles of city lights.  The city was dominated by a castle, and we were fortunate to have a private entrance to its interior. 

                                       On a side trip through a tight gorge on a smaller boat.

                       We sadly ended our visit and began our trip home, taking our separate ways.

This trip was exceptional to me.  It was a continuation of a series of travel adventures, which had begun many, many years before.  It was spectacular in its beauty and history.  It was our opportunity to again be with faithful, loving, friends for an extended period of time  -  people who shared our love of travel, never, ever had a difference of opinion and enjoyed our routine of cards and cocktails, laughter and adventure.

It was also the first trip in more than ten years that I was not in some type of distress.  We had traveled post surgery and mid chemotherapy.  There had been times that I had been unable to walk or was struggling through many a malady.  These friends were always supportive.  They waited, patiently, time after time, for me to recover enough, so that we could see the sights together.  They would never go without us.  They stayed with us.  No matter the circumstances.  We never cancelled a trip.  We all knew the issues, and we all signed on.  This year, despite still having stage four melanoma,  I felt great.  Other than my struggle with cancer, I was as outwardly healthy as anyone.  That is why I have included so many pictures.  I have dozens more I would like to have shared.  Sorry, but they are a reflection of my most positive memories.

See you next week.  And I will provide an update.