I'm writing this while I'm in the "in between" time - before the chemotherapy starts. I'm still recovering from the radiation - which has been surprisingly exhausting - and my hair started falling out in places. I feel like I'm just in this waiting game until medical oncology starts.
I always found myself putting off the things I want to do - I can always do things later, right? It's really weird how this diagnosis has flipped my perspective and I'm not putting anything off anymore - if I can help it. It's been "carpe diem" every day since. I'm trying not to worry about tomorrow - and sometimes I think about the past - but for the most part, I'm in the moment, just trying to soak up everything.
MADISON JAZZ ORCHESTRA AT CAFE CODA
Thursday, April 16, Paul and I went to see the Madison Jazz Orchestra. My good friend (also a knitter) Anitra plays the saxophone in the orchestra and also sings. She was fabulous. Great classics - like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra songs with that big band sound. We had a great time and also bumped into a few other friends there. It was tons of fun.
MY KIND OF SAUSAGE RUN + KOHLER ART MUSEUM (SPOILER ALERT TO KNITTERS)
For those of you that don't know, the Milwaukee Brewers always have a "Johnsonville Sausage Run/Race" in the middle of the 6th inning. I'm not really sure why, but the hotdog usually wins. Anyway, we finally made our own "sausage run" to Bernie's Sausage Shop in Port Washington, just north of Milwaukee to pick up my Zelodec and to load up on other assorted sausages.
I love this place. You walk in and it smells like smoke. They specialize in all kinds of old world sausage recipes - Slovenian, Hungarian, Polish, English Bangers - it's a fun place to go if you like that kind of thing. I took orders from a couple of friends too - and took a big cooler and loaded up. It takes 90 minutes to get there - so I had to make it worth the trip.
Then, we went another 25 minutes north to the Kohler Art Museum to see one of their exhibits. (Yes, this is the family that owns the Kohler plumbing fixture company.) Sam Barsky has an exhibit there. He's kind of an internet sensation and knits sweaters freehand of landmarks and places he travels to. Then takes selfies while wearing the sweaters in front of the landmark. It's kind of a neat exhibit. To date - I think he's knit 155 sweaters. It was a fun exhibit and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the sweaters in person.
And the last fun thing about the Kohler Art Museum are the bathrooms. They have ceramic artists design them and they are crazy and unique. Like giggle and laugh out loud kind of bathrooms. Check out these tiles! How did they know?????
FAMILY EASTER AND LUKES HOPPY BIRTHDAY
Well, after the sausage run, we finally had our traditional Slovenian Easter meal with lots of horseradish, egg salad and zelodec. It's one of those meals that takes me back to my childhood and I definitely overate.
Our youngest son Luke turned 25 on Friday, April 18 - but we celebrated his birthday when we were all together for Easter. We had ham and cheesy potatoes - and carrot cake to finish it off. Because he is one for puns, he was calling it his "Hoppy Birthday" - because of the Easter Bunny and because he wanted to try some "hoppy" beers. Ah - to be 25 again!
It was a delightful weekend and I loved every minute of it.
Take Care,
Laura