Embracing Smile Diversity

Brain cancer is...

...creating beautiful smiles. 

Back down the mountain, Darrell brought me out from computer work to share his jack o’ lantern.  He pointed out his success in creating a slightly slanted smile...to match his own.

Beautiful! 

Happy Halloween!

The Last Night in the Woods

Brain cancer is...

...celebrating our last night in the mountains...for now.

After a highly productive day (all in accordance with contract, Christine!), we are relaxing by the fire at the classic Captain’s Anchorage.

Cheers!

Everyone Works, Even at the Cabin.

Brain cancer is...

...working, but not alone.

Darrell was characteristically industrious today, both at home repair and teaching.
Andi worked on the computer all day, but she was similarly not alone:

We hypothesize that our feathered forest friends are particularly hungry in these days before winter.  Dozens of birds kept Andi company during her computer work today.  Click here for the video version, which shows just how busy these sweet little birdies are.

Not a bad place to work all day! 

We hope that, if you worked today, you too were in a good place with perfect company.

Do the Skelly Sightings Never Stop?

LuAnn and Roene sighted this fancy Skelly at LuAnn's house:

And they sighted this skelly party in the 'hood:

Life is wonderfully scary these days!

Big Bear Big and Small

Brain cancer is...

...happy for one more day with the Szabos.

We enjoyed Big Bear big...

...and small

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Castle Rock Rocks!

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying friends in the mountains.

Castle Rock rocks...

...from bottom...

 ...to top!

 

Friend Friendly

Brain cancer is...

 ...friend friendly.

Darrell greeted Beth and Geoff at the door tonight, ready for a weekend of Fawnskin Frolics with Friends. 

Let the wild rumpus begin!

Baseball Bonus Content

For the second time in this series, US Air Force Captain--and extreme Dodger baseball fan--Melanie Munns was on the ground, holding her segment of flag for tonight's World Series game. Wow!

And then this:

 That's Tommy Lasorda! Wow!

Kid Streak

Brain cancer is...

 ...content.

We have seen at least one of our four children on six of the past seven days.  Their presence causes a glow that we can only call "contentedness." 

Above is the event that marks the last day of our kid streak:  late lunch in the Inland Empire with Alex before we headed up the hill.

Welcome home.

Good Busy

Brain cancer is...

...very productive today.

We fit in a walk this morning, and Darrell's rocks were all in place.  An auspicious start to our day!

Darrell was work-at-home good busy, and Andi was work-on-the-computer good busy until just now, 9:34 p.m.  Quittin' time.

We hope any of your busy today was good busy, Team D.

Skelly Stays Good Busy Too

Now that we've seen what hooligans other people's Skellies can be, we realize that we take our mostly good busy Skelly for granted.  

No more!

Back to the Big Easy, Baby!

Brain cancer is...

 ...heading back to the Big Easy:  New Orleans.

This month we have had quite a few "gigs" in Andi's role as Optune Ambassador, all virtual--phone calls, videos, online conferences.  This weekend we booked our first face-to-face Ambassador gig ever.  We'll be heading to New Orleans next month to attend the Ambassador Summit, including a bit of speaking.  Apparently we're going to be some of those people in the baggage claim area who have drivers with signs waiting for them (above).

(Curt and Barb:  Will the signs say "Boris" and "Natasha"? We can only hope.) 

We say "back" to the Big Easy because we enjoyed a train trip to New Orleans last year (click here for the post of Day One of that trip). 

What a privilege.  We're excited!

Boys Day Out

Brain cancer is...

 ...out carousing.

Lucky us:  Alex is still in town.  Alex and Darrell spent the day out on the town.  Beowulf and Andi stayed home.  Andi spent the day at the computer.  Beowulf (above) spent the day pulling Andi's shoes out of the closet and arranging them in the living room.

Not a bad way to spend Monday, for any of us.

We hope you had a good Monday too!

Skelly Sightings

So Cal skellies were on the prowl today.

The Welshons' skelly went shark hunting:

Lisa Kirtman's skellies actually interfered with her dean responsibilities.  Sure, it started as a friendly poker game:

But, like so many skellies, Lisa's friends just didn't know when to fold 'em.  Then things just got ugly.

Good thing November is only nine days away!  On the other hand, who knows what mischief we'll face in those nine days?

Pegasus and Hercules

Brain cancer is...

...spending the day with Pegasus and Hercules.

Tiana worked yesterday during the party, but at the last minute this morning, she was able to make it over today. 

We spent a great day as a foursome.  Above you see Tiana and Alex doing the Pegasus and Hercules head butt, as seen here in the Disney movie, Hercules.

Great day = party afterglow + day with the kids.

Happy Great Day Sunday!

Ready to Party! Updated: Happy Birthday, LuAnn!

Brain cancer is...

...ready to party! 

Sure sign of good times ahead? Darrell wears two hats!

Alex completes the gathering.

Today we celebrate LuAnn’s 80th birthday.  So many good moments in store!

Updated:  Party Success! Sixty of LuAnn's family and friends came to her Fabulous Fifties Birthday Open House.  Above is the immediate family pic.  We spent hours enjoying great food and each other's company.  All those nice things your people said about you, Mom?  True!  Happy Eightieth!

Enjoy your Saturday, Team D! 

More Gathering

Brain cancer is...

 ...all family today.

Today was more gathering.  Meridyth arrived last night night, in time for breakfast with Gordon today.

Zachary flew in this afternoon.

Eva arrived in time for dinner.

Yay family.

Getting Together

Brain cancer is...

...smiling.

Dinner with the Mayfields marks the beginning of a big weekend of gathering.  You’re finally near, weekend!

Skelly Sightings

The Stang/Capp family skeletons are so diminutive, loving and well adjusted.

Zoom and Anti Zoom

Brain cancer is...

 

...the anti-Zoom part of today's equation.

Above you see Darrell skillfully avoiding the camera during one of Andi's Zoom sessions (video conferences) today.  Andi was the Zoom counterpart.

Three big screens plus phone?  That should be juuuussstt eeeennnnough.

Today was an action packed day.  Sometimes the balance quest is harder to achieve than others.  Regardless, there are always great times.  Here's one:

Hallie (left) and Ruth (right) and Andi enjoyed coffee and cake at an awesome find: Veronese Gallery Cafe in downtown Fullerton.  Kudos, Ruth.  You slay.

We hope you also slayed today, Team D!

Skelly Sightings 

The Szabos' skeleton continues to look pretty fly for a dead guy:
 

And Ginger spotted an amateur dog groomer...

...and the finished product...

 ...which is either very bad or highly successful.

We Are Slaying.

Brain cancer is..
...slaying.

Andi and Darrell both succeeded today.

After Andi finished this presentation...

Photo credit:  Barb

...some of  her Block 4 students came up and gave Andi a lesson in slang.  It went like this:

• Students:  "Andrea, do you know the definition of the word slay?"  
• Andi:  "Yes, it means, to kill."
• Students:  "Correct.  But what does it mean in the context of daily conversation, as when discussing Beyonce' and her music?"
• Andi:  "Ummm...it means..."
• Students:  "It means that a performance is of high quality."  (That's my novice paraphrase.)
• Andi:  "Aha! Slaying is to do something well."
• Students:  "Correct.  Today, you are slaying. You slay."

We spent some time conjugating the verb slay until one student stated that we were overthinking it.

Today Andi slayed.  Slaying felt pretty darn good.

At home, Darrell, too, was slaying.

I must include the food pics because sitting down at the table, seeing these two beautiful and nutritious meals made me so appreciative:

Darrell, you slay!

Bonus Content

We have kept a cancer notebook since the very first days of this adventure.  With this week's cancer eradication efforts, we outlived our cancer notebook.

 We are, indeed, slaying.

Thumbs Up from Dr. Cloughesy!

Brain cancer is...

...scan free for the rest of the year.

Above, Dr. Cloughesy points out that the recent scan (the two images on the right) is unchanged from the previous scan.  

Barring any new symptoms, Darrell is finished with scans for this year.  Hurrah!

Happy Monday, Team D!