Sunday, December 31, 2017

Guillaumes Do Brunch

Brain cancer is...

...thoroughly enjoying the last day of 2017.

Brunch at Claim Jumper was a great way to end the year with (above) Beowulf, Tiana, and Alex.

What a great treat to have a morning with them!

It seems that lots of people like to play games on New Year's Eve.  Here's a game for you:

  • How well do you know your Andrea/Darrell Guillaumes?
  • Check out the chart, below.  We can't say that this is all the food we ate at brunch, but we can say that the courses, below, were unstaged.
  • Which Guillaume is which?  Is Guillaume 1 Andrea?  Or is it Darrell? Then who is Guillaume 2?
This game was too easy?  Did the pepperoni pizza for dessert give it away?  Sigh.  At least now you have more time to enjoy your New Year's Eve.

Thanks for being there for us every day of 2017.


Saturday, December 30, 2017

More Friends, More Family, More Fun

Brain cancer is...

 ...having more fun.

Today we (Hallie, Ruth, Andi plus Darrell) had our 26th or 27th holiday celebration together.  Our annual Cookie Bake is still ahead, given scheduling "blips," so the fun isn't over yet.  It was great to enjoy coffee and quiche together.  Oh, and more presents.

Later, Alex, Tiana, and LuAnn gathered in Fullerton to enjoy Star Wars:  The Last Jedi with us at the dine in theater.  Thanks to an article in the LA Times (click here), we were pretty excited about the animals.  They didn't disappoint, but they deserved more screen time, in our opinion.

The Fun of 2017 isn't over yet: One more day of fun tomorrow.

Happy Saturday, Family and Friends!






Friday, December 29, 2017

Scheming

Brain cancer is...

 ...making future plans for fun, etc.

LuAnn is back in So Cal after a holiday season with family in Alabama (Hey, hey, hey, Cammacks!).

We spent much of the day planning for future celebrations, family vacations, investments, property acquisitions, the movies tomorrow...

Most families would call it "planning."  When it's Darrell and LuAnn, let's be precise and call it "scheming."

Welcome home, Mom.  We missed you!


Thursday, December 28, 2017

New Sightings

Brain cancer is...

...continuing to make new discoveries.

Bird Discovery

On our walk this morning, Darrell sighted a fellow who was different from his crew, including  (a) the squirrel (b) the Canada geese. 

We noticed that the new guy (circled, above) was smaller than the Canada geese, had an orange bill and legs, and had different color markings, including a white ring above his beak.  After much research, our assessment of Darrell's bird discovery?  A greater white-fronted goose

We'll keep watching to ensure that this guy is not really another type of domestic goose with whom he is so often confused:  the Graylag.  In either case, it was an exciting way to start the day, this bird discovery.

(Geoff:  At least we're not writing about coots, yes?)

Cancer Community Discovery

In the mail, Darrell discovered this card from UCLA:


It gives UCLA's current and upcoming clinical trials for GBM.  There are no trials for someone in Darrell's great shape (finished treatment for newly diagnosed GBM, no sign of recurrence), but I know we all keep our eye on GBM treatments as they unfold. Wow!  Look at all that hope!

Of course the trials on the card drove me to the Internet to do some studying.  And, as is the way of the Internet, that search led me to others.

Intrigued by the last trial on the list above (DCVax-1), I found this great blog posting (click here), which details the emergent therapies for GBM.  I think it does a great job of explaining the various approaches, such as vaccines and viruses, in layperson language.

My final step in the Internet journey led me to the site where the GBM blog post lives:  Cancer Commons (click here), our last discovery for the day.  I can't believe it took us 22 months to make the Cancer Commons discovery! 

Basically, Cancer Commons is a non-profit organization pushing for globalized networking of everyone who is searching for treatment/eradication of a number of cancers (brain, breast, lung, prostate, melanoma, and neuroendocrine tumors).  According to the site, they will (at no cost to patient) review a case, consult with cancer experts, and give evidence-based opinions.

We are posting the site because so many Team D members are also members of other teams, facing so many kinds of cancer.  We think of you and your loved ones so often.

All these new sightings have worn us out for the day.  Good night, Team D.











Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Brain cancer is...

 ...celebrating parenthood (remotely).

Alex's birthday is today.  He worked (boo for birthday workday!), but we did raise a burger to him at In N Out Today. 

Because we aren't with him today, we don't have a birthday picture from the day to celebrate.  Here's one from the past, until later. 

Alex, at One Year

 Alex, it's a pleasure and a privilege to say we know you.  Happy Birthday.



Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Reflections

Brain cancer is...


...quietude.

Two Christmas trees:  Which is the reflection? This image captures our state of mind for the day.

The definition of "quietude" is "the state of being quiet; tranquility; calmness; stillness; quiet."  

Our December 26th  was a day of quietly reflecting on just how special Christmas 2017 was.

First we reflected with Summer, Sue, and Zach. Then we headed to the park for 7.5 miles more of quiet reflections.


Reflections bring out more beauty, perhaps, than the original.  All is good (except for our feet, which are complaining about the mileage).

Oh, and more beauty:  Today we earned the "Great Barrier Reef" Fitbit Badge.  Since December 2016 we have walked--as of today--1600 miles.  Apparently that's the length of the Great Barrier Reef, which we have never seen and cannot comprehend.

Here's to quietude.






Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Bonus Christmas!

Brain cancer is...

 

...acutely appreciating Christmas 2017.

Family was everything for this, Darrell's first bonus Christmas. 

Here's are the highlights in video:



More good news?  We have more family and friends celebrations ahead.

If Christmas is your holiday, we hope today was filled with love and joy.  Wait!  If some other day is your holiday, we hope today was filled with love and joy.

Here's to family and friends and remembering that every day is a bonus day.

 

 

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Happy Christmas Eve

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying Christmas Eve.

We relaxed all day and spent the evening playing games by the fire.

The day ended with...

...the best Christmas surprise ever.  Alex and Tiana made it home for the holiday!  (We were expecting Alex but thought Tiana had to work.) Yay Tiana!

We hope your day held some unexpected happiness as well.



Saturday, December 23, 2017

The Day's Discoveries

Brain cancer is...

...constantly making new discoveries.

Early on our walk today, we saw a whole flock of birds that are new to us.  They are duck size and were hanging out with the Canada geese. It took several passes to observe them well enough to capture them for further study.


Thanks to the Merlin Bird ID iPhone app (Kristin!), we have a positive ID:  These cuties are American wigeons.  Wigeons!  Who knew?  That was discovery number one of the day.

The second discovery was yet another positive ID for Darrell, the great impersonator:

Darrell meets garden gnome. Truly remarkable!

Happy Saturday, Team D!

Friday, December 22, 2017

Dam!

Brain cancer is...

 

...loving the walk, but not loving the inclines.

It's been so much fun to double our Christmas that we decided to double our park walk today. 

It was all good until the second trip up to the dam, as you see above.

Oh, you, Darrell!  He was just kidding. We ended the day with nine miles, which is 19,000 steps.

Happy Friday!


Thursday, December 21, 2017

Cards, Cards, Cards!

Brain cancer is...

 ...loving our holiday cards.

When we arrived home to the mailbox this afternoon, Darrell said, "Cards, cards, cards!"  (For accuracy:  When Darrell says it, it sounds more like, "Cods, cods, cods!") We love our holiday cards/cods!  (They are purposely blurred, above and below.)


Thanks for the warmth, family news, and good wishes in the cards you send...and in the cards you speak regularly.

Also, Happy Winter Solstice.  It just gets brighter from here. 

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Walking to Breakfast

Brain cancer is...

 ...walking downtown to breakfast on a Wednesday morning.

On my first work-free day, Darrell let me sleep in and then invited me to walk downtown for breakfast, just as we do when we're on vacation far from home.

So this is Fullerton.

Thanks for the invitation, Darrell.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Date Night

Brain cancer is...

...back on date night with Melanie and Gail--Finally!

It's been too long!  Melanie just returned from months in Ohio for further Air Force training, and Gail just finished wrapping up her teaching semester.

We managed to outlast the other tables.  Welcome home and happy birthday Melanie!  Thanks for your generosity, Gail.  Cheers to great conversation and to Date Night!


Monday, December 18, 2017

Christmas Date Two

Brain cancer is...

...a smooth operator!

Darrell's negotiations for the first annual Christmas Date Two paid off tonight, at Taps.  Two Guillaume holiday cards?  Check!  Two Christmas trees?  Check!  Two Christmas Dates?  Check!


Everyone's happy!

Oh, and, before our date, my computer screen said:


I have "successfully completed grading for this class"?  Yusss.  See you later Fall Semester 2017!

Not bad for a Monday, right?


Sunday, December 17, 2017

[Still] Living for Football

Brain cancer is...

...[still] living for football.

On January 2, 2017, Darrell declared that he lives for football.    Click here for the post. 

Today Darrell continued to live for football.  He took us all with him.

Nothing says "Packers didn't make the playoffs for the first time in eight years" like the face of a Lab in a green and gold jersey.

Although the game was a bust (welcome back, A Rod!), it was a great way to spend a morning at our house.  The game wasn't televised, so as Andi graded at Computer Station 1, the rest of the family sat in the living room, and we listened to the game over internet radio.  It was a nice way to be together.

Andi kept grading, and the football continued...long into the night.  Darrell lives for football.

There were two breaks during the day.  The first was a great afternoon at the 21st annual Victoria-Torres Ornament Exchange.  The second was the 10-minute kitchen break during which we made the first round of Christmas 2017 Rice Krispies Treats together.  Blitz Treat Making looked like this:




Let's all just keep living for football.  And breaks. And Rice Krispies Treats.


Saturday, December 16, 2017

More Good Day

Brain cancer is...

...finishing another day with good things. 

More painting with light at the park, above.



More Team Array changes.

More hitting all the fitness goals for the day.


 
 And more good things in between.

More Good Day!
 

Friday, December 15, 2017

Star Bringer

Brain cancer is...

 ...a great combination of sly and...

...and heroic.

In every case, Darrell got the stars upon multiple Christmas tree tops this season.

Today Gordon's tree was the focus.  A pic at the starting line:

And with this final touch:
We crossed the finish line!

Yay for the star bringer!  Yay for everyone who made good things happen this week! 

Happy Friday, Team D!

Thursday, December 14, 2017

More Is More

Brain cancer is...

 ...a great tree decorator.

Today Sue and Darrell decorated the trees.  We learned that spare, sculptural Noble Firs hold more ornaments than puffy trees.  Above you see that this tree soaked up every single one of our ornaments, which surprised us.  It was like an excuse for excess.  More is more.

Here is additional evidence from a recent walk that, when it comes to holiday lights and decorations, more is indeed more.

Today was a good balance of walking at the park, work, great people, and Christmas fun.

We hope you had a good day too.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Twice the Christmas? Twice as Nice!

Brain cancer is...

...so open to new traditions!

You know our holiday is Christmas.  This is the Christmas for MORE!  Twice as much! We started down a dangerous path when we chose two designs for our holiday card, for the first time ever:


As we sat enjoying our recent annual Christmas date, Darrell announced that it was so much fun that he wanted two Christmas dates.  Sure, Darrell, let's do.  You pick.

But in the meantime, all these negotiations led to Andi's favorite:  Two Christmas trees!  Hurrah!  In Andi's childhood there were Christmas forests (thanks to potted trees).  And thanks to Gordon and Beverly for telling Darrell, during Andi's and Darrell's first married Christmas:  "If your wife wants a live tree, give her a tree!"

Today it all came together.  Drum roll...
Two trees!

Inside tree:

Sculptural tree. Slim profile.  High contrast.
...And outside tree!

Fat.  Outside.
Twice the Christmas:  Twice as nice!

Here are some of the pictures that show the build up to two trees:

Son and Father, in the shade.
 
Hello?  The 1960s called.  They want their pink tree back.  "No can do," responded Sue and Andi.

It's really not 85 degrees.  Ask Summer and her magical camera.


 Twice the Christmas? Twice as nice!

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Clean Air

Brain cancer is...

 ...enjoying Sue's company.

Darrell was a great host today as Sue and Leo shook off smoky fire stuff.

He and the kids made a nice dinner after Sue and Andi enjoyed a spa day to wash away Sue's soot.

 Ahh!