Mid-October

We are home from our trip up north. We love visiting the Leelanau Peninsula in the fall. Our first year of retirement in 2008 was the first fall trip north, and it was such a perfect trip...both great weather and great health. We returned to our favorite rock hunting beach, orchard, bakery, restaurants, and casino. We had a good trip in spite of our current challenges, and I am truly grateful that we could go. You see a lot more when you do all of the driving because your eyes are always open! Ha! We were in vacation mode, so it was a relaxing time. The colors were beautiful with lots of reds and gold but not enhanced by sunshine this year. We stayed at two places, and I hauled our things in rainfall both times. We brought home some pretty rocks and several with Petosky fossils. A good trip for us.

We have two days in Ann Arbor this week. Ron will see his transplant doc, Dr. Magenau and also the main doc of the clinic who will also evaluate his graft versus host disease. I don't think that they will taper the steroids this week because I think changes will be made with his anti fungal med and anti pneumonia med; due to side effects. Usually, not too many things are changed at the same time, so the cause and effect can be understood. Ron's quirky behaviors have increased in the last two weeks. I have always been a patient person, but my patience is fine tuned now!

On our trip to Ann Arbor, we will visit Ron's mother who is increasingly becoming weaker. Hospice is supporting her caregiver with services. So much to think about and work through mentally and emotionally.

We had company today! Cale's family came for the day, and we had a relaxing time. We enjoyed the Buckeyes game, picked the only 3 pumpkins, a few tomatoes, apples, and snake gourds and threw a whole bunch of rocks into the lake. We also read a few books and baked cookies. And Jack read a book to me! Joey had visited a one room school museum on a field trip, so I showed him his great great grandparents McGuffey readers and slate, and he showed me his cross country medal. Allison loves to be read to. Good medicine for Grammy...so much value in the simple pleasures and still considering myself a lucky person.