Minding the details

This has been a very strange winter, weather-wise. It doesn't seem like we've had a winter, actually. Everything is budding and blooming a full 3 weeks early. I hate to think of a late freeze killing everything off, but I can see it happening. I know the farmers are worried about fruit trees budding out at the beginning of February. A few years ago we had a mid-April deep freeze one night, and lots of crops suffered that year, especially things like peaches and pecans.

Although I am a bit uneasy with this freakishly warm winter, I have to admit there are good things about it. I'm enjoying the flowers that are making an early appearance even though I am a bit uneasy for them. I love tulip magnolias, and they are bursting into bloom all over town right now. The flowers never last long, and since next week the lowest forecast temperatures are only in the mid-thirties, there isn't much danger of a freeze having a chance to do any damage. I'm glad. I think they're beautiful and I look forward to their brief stay each year. We've also been seeing forsythia and daffodils all over the place.

The full moon is so beautiful this week. Gregg and I have been taking walks around the neighborhood almost every night lately. Tonight while the full moon was still low in the east it was a gorgeous peach color. I love seeing it rising behind the tall pine trees in our neighborhood! We went out very late last night and the moon was almost directly overhead, shining silver down on the three of us. Lovely.

I have been very busy in the last few weeks, minding the details of daily life. Gregg is improving all the time, but has still not been well enough to do any heavy housework or to go back to work. I have had to shoulder more of the household responsibilities, as well taking care of him and holding down my job. I keep meaning to blog more, and then each day I wind up collapsing into bed, exhausted. But I intend to get better about blogging more regularly. I have learned so much already from this experience that I want (need) to write about some of it. When I'm not so tired! :)

Today we met with an oncologist for the first time. Gregg starts chemotherapy later this month. It will include 4 "sessions" (IV meds) spaced three weeks apart, which means it will be early May when he finishes up. Gregg is almost more afraid of the chemo than the operation. I was terrified by the operation; chemo doesn't seem nearly so scary to me as having a lung removed! I am sure he's going to tolerate the treatment very well, since he did so well with the surgery. I married a strong, strong man!