Weekend plans

It’s Thursday evening and I’m watching the news. I just took a pan of brownies out of the oven and put a load of laundry into the dryer. I’m trying to get a lot of things done because I’ll be gone for most of the weekend. The brownies are one of my specialties (because I frost them with homemade chocolate icing, and sprinkles). They’re a treat for my niece and nephew. I’m going on an adventure and leaving early in the morning. My brother, Pete, has invited his twin brother and his big sister (that would be me) to come visit him and his family at their campsite on the Jersey Shore for the weekend.

It’s luxury camping complete with air conditioning ~

I secretly call my brothers Giggles and Chuckles. You may remember me writing about Steve several years ago when he was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a sad time for our family, and a horrible one for Steve, but he is doing quite well right now, in part to his twin brother, Pete. It was Pete who donated his bone marrow so that Steve might live.

I don’t think I’ve told you lately how much I love my family. After my husband’s funeral last year, my brother Steve told me something that made me feel so good. He said he was ready to give up and it was the day that my husband and I came to visit him in the hospital in Philadelphia (in 2010) for the first time. He was pretending to us that he was doing ok and we stayed for some time until he began to drift off. I had already left the room and my husband told me he’d be along shortly. He talked to my brother, encouraging him and telling him to keep fighting. I had no idea my brother was that low, but my husband knew. He reminded Steve of everything he had to live for and all of the people who loved him. My brother told me it was a turning point for him. He knew of my husband’s battle with brain cancer and he was still going strong. I guess it gave him hope.

 

This guy is going to miss me this weekend. They told me I could bring him but I think he’ll have a less stressful time staying home with my son.

 

Taken on a sunny day earlier this week.

Two edits here, color and black & white.

 

I like ‘em both.

 

 

And then there’s Miss Blackie. She had a serious eye issue that began in late March when she scratched her cornea and it became infected. My son and I gave her rounds and rounds of eye drops for 2 1/2 months. Sometimes as many as 10 drops a day.

The vet was actually shocked when she went for her final checkup. It appears that her eye was saved. It’s not exactly like the other eye and it probably never will be. I’m not even sure she can see out of it, but it looks healthy and she seems content and in good health again.

But wow. Was it ever a struggle!

 

Two edits here too.

 

And I think I like the b&w better.

 

And now for something different ~

 

Thanks for stopping by.

^{ps – my sister Ginny}

^{took this photo of me in Maine.}