It's still raining...

We managed to stay warm and dry as the rain continued to come down over the weekend. There is no sun in sight on the 10 day weather forecast, but we needed the rain to prevent the drought conditions that often affect the Monterey Peninsula.

Sharon loves her orientation workshops at the Monterey Aquarium. It's the best organized and managed non profit organization that she has been involved with including Kew Gardens in London. She is studying to be a guide.

We also are joining the Monterey Unitarian/Universalist Church next Sunday. We haven't had the time to be involved with a church since our Middletown days. It's been very enjoyable to connect with so many caring people in a church which is so inclusive.

My health continues to be good. My weight is stable. I'm eating a wide variety of food. Occasionally, I have trouble swallowing and I have to eat slowly and carefully. I saw a story the other day about medical researchers who have worked out an esophagus transplant for people with esophagus cancer that is made of a pig's bladder coated with stem cells. It seems to work. I've worked hard to avoid piggishness and I don't think I'll be one of first to try it.

I have follow up CT scans again in a couple of weeks. Those are always unnerving, but I don't feel any symptoms that give me any concern, so, once again, I'm expecting a good outcome.

We had a video conference with our grandchildren yesterday. The technology is improving and it really helps to see a video image of them as well as hear there voices.

Deep in Rain Season

I was exploring the rocks, with my camera, at low tide this afternoon during a break in the rain and came across this Great Blue Heron. He didn't seem to mind my presence. He was regal as he picked little fish from the tide pools and swallowed them in one gulp. I really like my new camera. I had the 300 mm lens that I got for a birthday present.

We came home from a week of deep freeze in the East to non-stop rain on Sunday and it feels great.

I did some work in New York City late last week and then went on to Springfield, MA where my in laws are trying to adjust to the idea of moving out of their home of 50 years and into a new senior apartment in a nearby neighborhood.

This was the first real travel and business trip since going back to work part time. It was touch and go because I came down with a cold that robbed me of my voice for the first half of the week. I gambled that I would get my voice back before the workshop. I did...30 minutes before the workshop. Close call.

All in all, I did fine. I'm looking forward to stepping up my work hours over the next few weeks.

Kicking Off the New Year

Happy New Year! We took a terrible pounding by a storm that descended on us from Alaska and brought high winds and rain for two days. The local surf went up as high as 32 feet and our power wend down for most of two days.

We huddled around the fireplace and we were able to cook on our gas range, so we were never too uncomfortable.

We had a packed full and wonderful holiday.

Now, we turn our attention to the new year. I think my health is as good as it can be. I'll get confirmation on Friday that the blood clots are gone from my legs and lungs. I've been on blood thinners for a month, so that should take care of the pulmonary emboli issue.

My appetite is definitely increasing and I'm eating more. I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't lost any either. I'm getting more muscle. Each visit to the gym brings a good feeling as constantly add more weight to each machine.

I'm able to get a lay on my stomach for a long enough period of time to get a good massage from our massage therapist.

Work is going well. I'm alternating among Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, BT and HP. I'm going to New York to do a workshop with BT next week. I'm able to do about two days a week with clients, and I plan to gradually increase that over the coming months. I have my next CT Scan scheduled for February 8 and I'll see the surgeon a few hours after that scan and get the early results.

As soon as the weather improves, I'll be back at the golf course to continue lessons. I am taking a lot of images with my new camera and lenses and loving that. I'm also beginning to prepare to teach the photography portion of a photography/watercolor workshop that Guy Magallanes and I are offering in April. http://www.guymagallanes.com/Instruction.htm Please pass this web site on to anyone you know who might be interested.

We had a great workshop last year and we will improve on it this year.