Fall is here in Michigan, weather-wise.

It's a lovely afternoon here in Lansing, Michigan. And except for the acceleration of my allergies, I'd say that fall is my favorite time of year. Leaves are just beginning to turn colors, I don't have to run the fan all day, and there's a crispness in the air. School has begun, and football season, too!

School starts up for me, too. My repeated second year of Education for Ministry. I started the second year a year ago, but the cancer pretty much interrupted my life. This will be my first evening commitment since the cancer; Tuesday nights will be a little later bedtime, but I think I can do it. New Testament. Lots of studying. But I'm looking forward to it.

Today, my Spartans play the Broncos of Western Michigan. Enjoying the game via Spartan Radio today as I type.

Been thinking about the folks in Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, as well as those in the path of Hurricane Irma. Praying that people heed the warnings, as this promises to be a very dangerous storm, due to hit Florida tomorrow.

Go Green and everyone stay safe!

Tam

Saturday miscellaneous...

Today has been a busy day.

That's something. This cancer, and its treatment, really wiped me out, leaving me very little energy to do things I would usually be doing. Most recently, on Saturdays, I usually sleep in and hang out with my beagle, Elvis. I was very tired last night, and was asleep probably around 9pm...and then woke up around 8am. Took Elvis out, and then came back upstairs. And then...I had a 15 minute alert for a meeting I wanted to attend. I quickly got around and made it to the meeting...the monthly meeting for the First Ward of Lansing, run by our very capable and wonderful representative on the Lansing City Council, Jody Washington. 

My main interest in attending this meeting was to meet various candidates running for office in Tuesday's primary. But first, the meeting...and it was very interesting. And then and there, I decided I needed to take more active interest in the community I live in, a community I love so much, I paid off my house a year ago to stay. 

I had been following the news about Ormond Park with interest; even though it's not in my area of Lansing, as a resident of Lansing who cares about children and parks, it does effect me. And it actually had an effect on whom I voted for today for Tuesday's primary. 

For those of you that do not know about this controversy, here's some info:

http://wlns.com/2017/07/09/lansing-residents-plan-to-take-legal-action-against-city-to-stop-ormond-park-construction/

Yes. You read correctly. I voted absentee today, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to get to the polls on Tuesday. Working starting at 6:30 am, then doctor's appointments. I'd be lucky to get to the polls by 7pm. So, upon learning there was a place open today on S. Washington St to do absentee, I decided to go over there after the meeting, since golly, I was already ON S. Washington for the meeting! So armed with new information from today's meeting (information that only solidified my choices), I voted!

Right now, I'm sitting and enjoying the afternoon at my new favorite hang-out, the Blue Owl Coffee Co. in REOTown, Lansing. REOTown is in the area where the old REO (RE Olds) plant used to be. The depot in REOTown, now owned by the Lansing Board of Water and Light and primary used for meetings (like the one I attended today), sits a block south of me, now. It happens to be the place my mom saw my dad off when he headed to basic training in 1944. 

Tonight, a friend gave me a ticket to see Footloose at the Tibbits Summer Theatre in Coldwater, MI. This is a wonderful old theatre in a town about an hour south of here. I've played my violin for many a show there; the last one was Fiddler on the Roof in 2013. I was, of course, the Fiddler. :) It was great to be able to do that at that time in my life. I was swimming in grief over my beloved's passing, and it kept me very busy meeting new friends, as well.

So, I need to wrap this up soon, as I have to head home and take care of things and get ready to drive to the show. 

Reminder, the primary is on Tuesday. If there's voting in your area, go. Primaries are important...just as important as the November elections. If you can't on Tuesday, check into absentee voting. 

Voting is your right and privilege and honor as a citizen of this country. Don't think they don't need you to vote. Get out there!

Talk to you soon...

Tam

My thoughts on Immigration

My ancestors came here by boat from many places and at different times in history.

Some of them came around the time of the Mayflower and soon after. And some of them arrived as recently as the 1800s. 

Most of my ancestors spoke English when they arrived on American shores; those that came from England, that is, and probably Ireland/Scotland/Wales, as well. But the Norwegians had to learn how to speak English, because in the times that they arrived in Chicago, they were expected to drop their native tongue. I'm told my great grandmother, Anna Jacobsen Sheahan, didn't speak much Norwegian to my grandmother. I've always felt sad about that. Grandma knew a few words, a table grace, and the names of some Norwegian pastries, breads, and cakes. She even taught me the table grace:

I Jesu navn går vi til bords 
At spise og drikke på ditt ord 
Dig Gud til ære, oss til gavn 
Sa får vi mat i Jesu navn

Amen

In Jesus' name we go to the table 

To eat and drink at your Word

You God to honor, We to receive

So we receive food in Jesus' name

Amen

I have this prayer framed (it was my mother's copy) in my dining room, and there's another copy of it pinned to my cubicle wall at work. 

My early ancestors would not have seen the Statue of Liberty, much less know the poem written to raise money for that lovely lady...the poem forever more associated with it, written by Emma Lazarus. I don't remember reading the entire poem until today:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, 

With conquering limbs astride from land to land; 

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a  torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

But teenage Anna Jacobsen, my great-grandmother, surely saw her, if only in the midst of construction, as she came here via Ellis Island. And many many people after her. 

I remember my grandfather told me that he saw her on his way back from the ravages of World War I, and he remarked it was the most wonderful sight he'd ever seen as he made his way back home. 

Read that poem carefully; there are things contained in the lesser-known part that are just as important as the last five (and more familiar) lines. She says, "Welcome." She says, "You are free!" She doesn't say, "You must only speak English. You must only have a desired skill-set. You must not be poor. You must not come from certain countries."

We are a nation...a great melting pot...of immigrants. From everywhere. 

I understand the need to make sure criminals aren't allowed in (we have enough of native-born citizens that commit crimes already!)...but what about those that are trying to escape all sorts of horrible things in other countries? Good people, who just want to make a better life for themselves, and contribute to society. From all over the earth.

Must we let a group of privileged white men slam the door in their faces, or send them back to a place where--in many cases--their lives are in peril? Tear apart families? 

My Plymouth Rock ancestors came here to escape religious tyranny. And ancestors fought a war to break away from (at the time) tyrannic rule. A declaration was signed. A new country was formed. A country full of immigrants from all over the world.  

Many people wish to claim this is a Christian nation. I am a Christian. But I also believe in separation of church and state; our forefathers put that into the Constitution to protect us so that we could worship any way we wish...or not worship anything at all, if that is our desire. They were wise in doing so; citizens must be very careful how they interpret the Constitution.

I believe, and fear, that we're headed head-first into a whole new type of tyranny. Where we are told what to think, told what to believe, given lies instead of truths, calling truths lies. Belittling people who are different for us, instead of treating every human with the respect they deserve. Taking rights like health care out from under us. 

A friend of mine recently said a wise thing: 

"Don't be one of those who talk all about Jesus and ignore all Jesus talked about."

It's happening all over the place. 

So, if you're reading this, and are responsible for decisions made in Washington that affect us, your boss (we, as constituents, are your bosses...not your underlings), I urge you to consider all of us...even the huddled masses who yearn to be free. I'm one of them. A woman. An immigrant. A person with pre-existing conditions. 

Don't forget us, because just as people hired you, they can fire you.

It's been awhile...

I noticed today it's been over a year since I've posted a blog here. 

The big news is that in October, 2016, I was diagnosed with tonsil cancer. The better news is that--after 6 rounds of chemotherapy--I am doing well and the main tumor has been gone since March, 2017. 

For more details on *that* journey, feel free to check out my CaringBridge blog:

https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tamara2

And that's about it for this post. I want to talk about other goings-on in my next post. 

Tamara

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is thought to be a day to honor those who perished in battle. But I always honor all Veterans and active service members and their family on this day. 

This year, it's on May 30, which was, until the early 1970s, Memorial Day, regardless of the day of the week. May 30 was and is a special day in my life; it was the birthday of my mother. It's highly appropriate that May 30 is Memorial Day today, as this is the 90th anniversary of her birth. Happy birthday, Mama! I miss you!

I consider her a veteran, as well, because she was a military wife. Married to my father, a 33 year veteran of the Army Air Corps, Air Force, Air Reserve, and Air National Guard. 

And the three veterans of my immediate family: Mom, Dad, and my beloved husband, John, fought battles that they ultimately lost. No, none of them had seen military battle in their service (I don't think; the jury's out whether Dad did; we'll never know as he did a lot of top secret stuff especially during the Korean War).

My mom battled diabetes and congestive heart failure for many years. My dad had Parkison's disease for many years--diagnosed in 1984, but we think he had it a lot longer. I'll add my brother into this, as he battled diabetes for several years and pancreatic cancer for a month. And finally, my wonderful husband, who bravely battled a brain tumor for 14 months. 

So I honor those people in my life that fought battles both on and off the field. I thank them for their lives. I am the person I am because of them. 

As the song says, "Because I knew them, I have been changed for Good."

This wife, daughter, granddaughter niece, cousin, friend, and yes, sister of veterans thanks them all. 

A possible cure for glioblastoma...and how I feel about it.

Hand in hand. The moment I started wearing his wedding band with mine.

Look at this young couple. Little did they know the journey they would have, they walked down the aisle hand in hand as husband and wife on that beautiful September saturday. And just two months after their 17th wedding anniversary, their lives changed.










On our 17th anniversary, we looked like this:

And on our 18th and final anniversary, celebrated at hospice:

I first heard about the experiments they were conducting on the east coast involving the polio virus about a year ago; they insert the virus (minus the dangerous part of the strain, instead substituted with a bit of cold virus) and it attacks the tumor (and awakens the immune system). One woman in the study was diagnosed around the same time John was. She is still with us. All of this was on a number of 60 Minutes episodes, with the most recent one airing tonight. 

John went through the typical treatments (called standard of care), plus one study. 

After graduation from radiation therapy, you get to keep the mask. I still have it.

Chopping.

Treadmill therapy

Coffee and treadmill mix.

Don't get me wrong; I'm overjoyed that they have something that not only might cure glioblastoma multiforme, but other cancers such as pancreatic cancer (which took my big brother from us in 1999).  But I'm angry...perhaps selfishly...that this breakthrough status didn't happen before the events of 2011 unfolded...or even before the events of 1999. 

But we held on to each other. Tight.

Through Christmas 2011, one month after diagnosis:

 And the early days of hospice...

Through his last birthday...

And through his last days...

Our last photo together. Taken approximately 3 days before his death.

He still lives in my heart.

I will continue to follow the studies, as I want this monster called cancer to disappear. Go away. Vamoose. Be gone. Kicked to the curb. DESTROYED.

So be aware, cancer: YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED. No more destroying families. 

And so, we go on. Little by little. Step by step. Moment by moment. Missing him all the time.

No one should ever have to go through this. 

For perspective on that 14 month journey...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prjcHQAPVgg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV5hm_d_ZW4&feature=share

Three dog night...and days...

We've had an unusual winter in these parts. December was the warmest on record, but then--by the time we got to late January/most of February and even a little bit in March--we had a few snowstorm events, much to Elvis' delight. He loves to run and play and jump in the snow drifts, and doesn't seem to realize he's over 9 years old now. That's okay. I love his puppy-like exuberance.

Recently, I dog/house sat for my brother and family while they went south to watch my nephew in spring training for his college baseball team. It's very relaxing at their house--they live on a really pretty lake about 40 minutes south of here.

Elvis adores his cousins, Goose and his dad, Homer. Here's what they looked like a good share of the time after a hard play session:

L-R: Goose, Elvis, Homer.

When Elvis and I first arrived for our stay, the lake looked like this outside the window:

It snowed all day that Saturday. You know the phrase "Three Dog Night," right? Well, that night, I had three dogs piled up on top of me. Once they were comfortable, it was a wonderful warm way to spent most of the night.

Michigan being Michigan, the weather gradually changed during the week we visited. We even had a 70-degree day, almost unheard of in early March here. And so, the ice began to melt.

Meanwhile, the dogs enjoyed (most of the time) playing together in the house.

Homer

Homer

Homer is the senior of the crew. It's very difficult to get photos of his face, but I finally managed to get a couple of very good photos of him. Such a sweet boy.

Goose

Goose is Homer's "wingman" son. Don't let those sweet eyes fool you. He is full of mischief. Elvis and Goose are best friends as well as cousins, and they are as thick as thieves. Lots of "wrasslin'" goes on when they get together.

Of course, father and son usually lounge together...

One of the favorite things to do is to look out the window to see what's going on. Here's Homer and Elvis:

Squirrel!!!!!!!!!!

Homer seems to need a lot more cuddling these days, so Elvis (the first time I've noticed this) got very jealous. I didn't want him to be jealous that he's not in this post very much, so just in case he gets on my computer (he DOES have a Facebook account, after all!), here's a couple of glamour shots from the visit--one of them thanks to an opportunistic sunbeam.

By the end of our visit, the snow and ice had completely melted, and there were small fishing boats on the lake, a big change from the ice huts I saw when I first arrived. 

Well, it's time to wrap this up for now...but the boys and I wish you a wonderful spring!

L-R: Elvis, Homer, Goose.