Finding the new normal

So it's been six days since I returned from our European adventure and slowly am getting back into the swing of things, such as that might be. I've been running, which I didn't do at all in Italy, though walking, especially up mountains, from dawn to dark gave me plenty of exercise. The colors are at their peak here in Michigan and it is fun running up on Warren Road surrounded by all their colors. The first day running was not pleasant as my legs were so stiff from the long plane ride and I have a cold but running is as easy now as it was before I left and the little hills I deal with here seem easier.

Readers may note that I changed my focus of this blog as cancer becomes a smaller part of my life. There are days I don't think about it. Still some minor effects remain like losing my eyelashes again for the 3 rd time though not completely and the disappearance of the hair on my legs (that can stay way but it's probably coming back) and my can-fro of course. Next week I have another check-up complete with mammograms that I am not looking forward to. Occasionally I do think about it and am scared even though the more time that passes, the better my chances.

With all my European (you're a peein') bathroom talk, I come home to 2/3 of our toilets being non-functional with the 'good' one way downstairs in the 'guest ' quarters. Rats.  But now one is working again. The one in MY bathroom, will require a plumber and removal of a ceiling to access and that will have to wait until the guest quarters are vacated.

I spent a lot of time updating this blog and still I am not completely finished. Just when I was almost through, I noticed that blogger now has a better photo editor but too late for me. My kids are doing well as far as I could tell.I had lunch with Josh who filled me in with lots of local gossip. Naomi came over shortly after my return in a furious state as she thought her employer was cheating her (probably is) and she had a new ticket that we are making her pay for and its consequences. One more ticket and she will not be driving. But she did calm down over the next few days and is doing fine in school even though she now is working a lot. She really liked the fancy lace Italian leggings I got her. She's agreed to let me take her and Dontae out for dinner so I can get to know him better. Shanna and the babies are also doing well.

Tomorrow I will meet with my cousin and my aunts. I really know very little about my mother's past and the bit she had told me about doesn't jive one bit with what her siblings remember. Her older sister lives in Michigan and is very forthcoming about info concerning my mom but she was 7 years older and left the house when my mom was only 9. I am meeting with my younger aunt who was closer in age to my mom and thus might have more information to fill in some of the blanks.