100% Done! (Well, except for some follow-up from time to time.)

 Last Wednesday, I was connected to the last of my infusion treatments. Today, I disconnected from it and the pump and am now completely finished with the prescribed twelve chemotherapy infusions which began in February. It seemed like a long road at the start, but like everything related to time in my life these days, that road has been traversed and one wonders how the time passed by so quickly. We can return to the lake for longer periods now, although both Kathie and I each have one thing for which to be back home. She has a sorority reunion in October, and I have a post-chemotherapy followup/surveillance appointment in September. At that time, I'll have a complete upper body CT scan, some blood tests, and a consultation with my oncologist. Given earlier good indications and the plan to repeat some of the tests which led to those positive indications, I have no reason to believe that I'll hear anything concerning. However, cancer is one of those things that I suppose everyone wonders if or when it might return. I've been little bothered by such thoughts, am optimistic and living as I wish, and plan on just headin' on down the road of life.

Now turning to other news... (By the way, if you like, you can click on pictures in these postings to see larger versions. A separate window will open to display them.)

Granddaughter Penny recently celebrated her 11th birthday. I made a book for her of photographs collected over the years since her birth. The title is "11 Years of Penny." Here she is with that book and also with the ruby necklace she picked out when we went jewelry shopping together the morning of her birthday.

I have a second cousin, John, in Hawaii who makes beautiful guitars by hand. Each one is made from exotic woods and has interesting inlays, usually made with abalone shell. You can look at some of his work by clicking here if you wish.  I have been thinking for some time about buying one of them to keep in the family. My grandson Anders is the likely candidate to eventually have it, since he already plays guitar and string bass. So, recently I bought the guitar that John is holding and playing in these pictures. I have it now and am beginning to learn a little. The instrument is gorgeous, as is the sound. I had a guitar many years ago and managed to learn to play a bit. I think I'll enjoy trying again until it is time to pass the guitar along. John and I have also been exchanging some family history and photographs, which has been great fun. I'll be updating my genealogical records with some of this and will also include these photographs and information about John's work.

 Kathie and I were back at the lake July 30 to August 8. Flowers at our shore line were on display, and the sunset over the lake was especially beautiful (Kathie's photo).

We have been wanting to use our hot tub at the cabin, but it has needed new electronics. I replaced the circulation pump and the main control boards but discovered that the heating pump was not working. I ordered one, have it now, and will install it as soon as I get back up there this next week.

Daughter Betsy and her family came to the lake for a few days while we were there, this year without Henry, who is working at Camp Wapsie. Kathie took the kids out for a boat ride and a little fishing one evening. That is when she got the sunset photo shown above. Here she is with Frederick and more of that sunset in the background.

We rented a pontoon boat for a full day, and it turned out to be the perfect outing. The temperatures were very pleasant, there was little wind, and we enjoyed just cruising around the lake (which is very large at nearly 17,000 acres). There was also some time spent swimming off a sandy shore, and we tried a little fishing, though that was met with little success. (Pete and Clara did catch quite a few bass on other outings, though.) Here are the female and male passengers on the pontoon boat.

We stopped for lunch at one of the resorts on the lake, and I got this picture of the grandkids at the resort's "photo opportunity site."

We may or may not have concluded the outing with ice cream at another lake resort.

Every vist to our lake home concludes with a record of our being together.

My sister has a knack for finding strange gifts that she thinks I need (bless her heart). Here is an example--a fish below a bobber that is actually a bird house. See what I mean!

Speaking of my sister, Paula's grandchildren live in Sweden, so she has not been able to see them for a number of years due to the pandemic and related travel problems. However, she and Ron were able to go this summer, and the smiles below are a good indication of an increase in Paula's level of happiness. They are still there, and I'm looking forward to hear a full report on the visit when she gets home.

More later! But it won't be about infusions!