Remembering Good Times

Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening!!! Hope all is well and you are staying cool. This weather is a little unpleasant, electric bills will remind us of high temps, but life is good.

I am experiencing Covid for the first time. I just want to be like everyone else. Felt great Monday after our return, Tuesday started feeling so-so and Wednesday felt terrible. Really use to living so often with a headache but it was definable and on the side of my head with a tumor. This headache was all of my head, body ached, throat hurt, coughing and I knew this had nothing to do with my brain tumor. Went to the Dr. got checked out and had covid. Got a shot and meds for my coughing, and today I am feeling much better.

We got to the airport Sunday. Ended up in the airport for 4 hours and sitting on the plane for over 3 hours back on the plane at 5 thirty and then a 3 hour ride home. I am pretty sure I got this covid from that experience.

Airports and planes are not requiring facemarks much, and I have not worried about getting covid. The place we stayed had 100-to 120 people, and we were not around or close to very many people. All our waitress wore masks, and I am pretty sure this got me from the airport and plane ride experience. Oh well, I will survive this and will be felling much better soon!!!

Let me share a little bit about our wonderful trip to Long Island!

We have so many beautiful pictures I can only share a few and tell a few stories.

Natalie and I walked several times up and down one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever been on. Over 30 years of marriage we have been to well over 15 different beaches. Has always been a special trip for her and I to take. The beach we spent 2 weeks on was one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever enjoyed. This trip would have never happened without a very special friend. This was a gift from him and he took care of everything. It was amazing!

Cape Santa Maria Beach and Resort is beautiful. We stayed in a wonderful villa on the second story and literally 15-20 feet From the beach. We could sit in our screened in porch, and it felt like we were literally on the beach. Started every day there drinking coffee and most nights there watching the sun go down.

The villa had a full kitchen and Natalie fixed meals most of the days we were there. We did enjoy the restaurant several times. Breakfast and dinner were my favorite meals there.

The staff were wonderful. Cape Santa Maria is owned by a Canadian group or individual. The two main managers there were Canadian. Both were very helpful and nice. Kathleen was amazing! Every time we were at the restaurant or the main lobby area she checked with us making sure everything was going well and if we needed anything. We visited with her quit a bit, and I was amazed at the hours she worked but she really loves what she does.

I did not talk to anyone about my brain tumor until the end of our first week. We were eating dinner and visiting with Kathleen and I guess I assumed she knew why we were there and why a dear friend was taking care of everything. She did not know about my cancer. I explained that to her and she was very encouraging.

Jump to our last evening meal there. We knew she actually had that day off. Natalie and I were usually the first couple to show up at 6pm to eat. We walked up the stairs and the corner table was decorated and the ladies walked us over to the table that had been sat up for Nat and I. They sat us down and took special care of us that night. My guess would be Kathleen may have told them about my cancer. The ladies encouraged us and one lady ended up sitting down and reading some of my blog. Was a very special meal and last night.

These kind of experiences continue to encourage me. The week before we left and those two weeks on our special vacation were the best 3 weeks I have felt since the end of March last year when I had the major brain surgery. Most of that following year I never felt like I would still be here and never believed if I were I would feel as well as I do.

Around 5% of people with this brain tumor live for over 18 months. I have moved into that group. Some of the information I have seen say this group can make it 2-5 years. My thoughts have changed. Why not take 2-5 years? I am trying to live one day at a time. Live well that day and try to make a small difference in someone’s life.

I wrote Kathleen a short note and thanked her for the experience Natalie and I had with her. I ended that with what I continue to believe is so important for each of us.

Always remember……. “You are Loved and of Great Value.”