Snow Day

Monday we got hit with a nice storm dumping 28 inches of snow on the ground. The awesomeness of the winters first storm forced me to take the next day off from work so we could go out and play. We headed out to Schultz trailhead (get a map) pointed to the top of the nearest mountain and headed up. The sky was a brilliant blue which contrasted beautifully against the pure white snow. Leo was literally in over his head and had to bound like a hyperactive rabbit which wore him out. We were the first ones out and were breaking trail up the side of the mountain to an overlook at about 8,500 feet with an amazing view of the city.
Jill continues to fight the fight with a positive attitude which has translated into a more energy, healthy appetite, iron stomach, and the continued annihilation of Mr. Oligoastrocytoma.
We're going to be staying in Flagstaff for Christmas then heading off to San Diego over New Year's for my Great Aunt Lorraine's 90th birthday.

November Adventures

We made it through the first month of our 6 month chemo therapy cycle. The death pills knocked Jill on her ass for most of the month, but she found her second wind at the end of the month and now we're back in the ring and coming down off the top ropes with the folding chair! We're almost done with "chemo week" for Month two! Just like the first month, there was some puking the first night, but none since then.
The speech therapy has been going really well in that SHE DOESN'T NEED IT!!!! Take that Oligoastrocytoma!!!! Score another one for the Jillio! She met with the speech therapist who basically said (and I paraphrase), "tumor? What tumor? I don't see any evidence of a tumor? You don't need any speech therapy"
We had a quiet Thanksgiving here at home making "Afghani Lamb with Spinach" (lamb for me and tempeh for Jill).
* 2 1/2 pound Lamb stew meat - preferably leg
* 1/3 cup Olive oil
* 3/4 pound Onions; diced large
* 4 Teaspoons Chopped garlic
* 2 Teaspoons of Turmeric
* 1/4 Teaspoons of Nutmeg
* 1/4 Teaspoons of Ground cardamom
* 1 Teaspoons of Crushed red pepper
* 1/2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
* 32 oz Can tomatoes; drain & chop
* 1 cup Rich brown veal stock or
* 1 cup Rich beef stock
* 1/3 pound Fresh spinach; wash & drain
* 1/2 cup Yogurt
* 1 tablespoons of Grated lemon peel Salt; to taste
* 1/4 cup Pine nuts (Roasted at 350 F. for about 3.5 minutes)
It was pretty good! No turkeys were harmed in the making of this meal (just one little lamb)
We sure do have lots to be thankful for.
Other Thanksgiving weekend events included a clogged bathroom, and a broken mountain bike. The bathroom is now fixed...the mountain bike is not.
Sorry for slacking on the blog!

Here is a picture of our Thanksgiving dinner and another one from out motorcycle tour through the Swiss Alps back in 2005. That's one of my best friends Tom and Jill showing how tough she is during 8 hours on the back of a motorcycle. Oh if every day could be like that!