…and very happy to be here! While I miss not seeing my family members more than just once or twice a year, Pasadena is my home and I’m happy to be back. The temps began to drop the last two days I was in Ohio, reassuring me that it was time to come home.

Patrick did a fabulous job of cleaning and keeping the house in great shape while I was gone. Everything looked great when I walked in the door Saturday night, and the wonderful smell of night blooming jasmine pouring through the family room door provided a great ending to my trip.

The trip itself was good but extremely difficult. After some very rough procedures at the hospital, Jean came home Wednesday night…on oxygen. She is hooked up to an oxygen generator and has enough different kinds of meds to open a small pharmacy! The good news is that she anticipates beginning a clinical trial this week with a new drug called sorafenib that specifically treats advanced kidney cancer. It has shown extremely good results thus far and we are hopeful it will control the cancer that has spread to her lungs and give her back her life. Jean and I had some wonderful time together just talking and visiting. It was very difficult saying goodbye, not knowing when (or if) I will see her again. We just have to hope the new drug works.

While I was gone the workers I hired finished building the retaining wall on the south side of our property. The wall looks great and only a couple of fence posts need to be installed and we’ll be finished. Another big project completed…finally! Still have lots to do with the house, but most is stuff I can do myself–decorating type stuff like painting, putting in new tile flooring in the kitchen and family room and refinishing the hardwood floors. At some point I’d still like to put in central air and heating, but will hold off on any additional big spending for another year or two. Need a break from contractors and workers…and from going any deeper in debt!