Still no plan from the doctor and I am becoming a little anxious to start treatment. I have phoned the doctor's office twice and hopefully we will make contact soon and come up with a plan. In the meantime, I am checking off a few of the items on my to do list and enjoying living. This week we reassembled our family photo gallery in the hallway and laid down another of the beautiful hand died and tied rugs I had purchased last winter. As you can imagine, it felt good to look at the photos and recall the life events they captured. The meditation room is assembled enough to be used and enjoyed. It feels luxurious to sit on the rich carpet surrounded by mango painted walls and simply breathe.

Sunday my sisters and mom and spouses surprised sister Kathy and Tom with a house warming party. Monday I had a long visit with friend Martha. Later I felt good enough for a nice walk with Leslie and our dogs up the hill to Council Crest Park and back to her house. (Jack loves Sophie!) Tuesday, Billy, Jack, and I drove to Scholls for blueberries and marion berries, then returned to take Jack to the dog park at Gabriel Park. Jack loves to run with the other dogs, even though he is usually the smallest dog and often intimidated by the big dogs. We have taken him also to the small dog park in Hillsboro, where we feel more comfortable letting him go. Tuesday afternoon Zac and I enjoyed sushi and a chat in the PSU neighborhood. Today, after yoga class, I had a gathering of yoga friends and teachers to unveil the meditation room, bless it with their presence, and enjoy good food and smiles on the patio surrounded by the blossoming clematis, fuschia, tradenscatia, begonia, calicarpa, geranium, abutilon, salvia, diascia, dahlia, echinacea, astilbe, hydrangea, spiraea, alstromeria.....OK I am showing off my knowledge of plant names a bit, but I am thrilled and cheered by how beautiful it all looks right now. I am grateful to Ben for pulling it all together and to the natural beauty of the plants. Mom came over for a nice visit after the brunch. I am staying busy doing the things and seeing the people I want. Looking forward to seeing more friends and family in the coming weeks.

This leads me to thinking about all that I cherish and am grateful for:
- my husband for taking such good care of me, Jack, and our home, for loving me
- my three sons for the love they have shared all their lives and continue to share
- my mother for loving me all my life
- my sisters and brother for being good friends as well as loving family
- each of my friends for continuing to share their lives and to offer help when needed
I guess it all comes down simply to loving and sharing.

Also:
- the gentle breeze on a summer night
- the sweet fragrance of flowers and the way they seem to dance in the breeze
- the dragonflies and butterflies among the flowers
- the birds singing at dawn
- the stolid comfort of big trees
- the warmth of the sun
- the salty air and sound of the waves at the beach
- the feel of alpaca yarn and nubby silk
- the taste of ripe berries and tomatoes
- the shimmer of water on a sunny day
- the waggle of a puppy's stub tail

Ben's home and we will take Jack for a stroll through the neighborhood.

Later.