October - A Look Ahead

September came and went, and we have little to show for it. We continue to adapt to what life throws at us. The weather has turned a bit cooler, much to our delight. It’s perfect for porch sitting and a few strolls around the villa road circle. A tiny hint of leaf color is starting to appear, but peak fall colors aren’t expected for another couple of weeks. October has always been one of my all-time favorite months.

Mr. Jim’s chemo break continued last month, but he spent some nights in the hospital for another blood infection. We managed to pull off a day trip adventure and kept scrapping plans to go over to Cades Cove for another day trip. That jaunt is now scheduled for next week. We’ve talked about going to Kentucky for a few days this month, but we haven’t made any reservations so far. We’ll see…

Mr. Jim has been tired the past couple of weeks and not feeling the best. He’ll be touching base with his internist next week. A CAT scan status and oncologist visit is scheduled for the end of the month. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

It’s been almost six weeks since my right eye surgery. The eye is still a bit wonky, and the eyelid swelling hasn’t completely gone away. I have a follow-up visit with the surgeon next week, and I’ll find out what’s what.

You can expect my blogging slowdown to continue this month. Unless circumstances otherwise prevent me, you can count on “photo of the week” features on Wednesdays. For the upcoming photo challenge next weekend, I plan to showcase some charming still life images from the Museum of Appalachia. This month, I hope to also share some more photos of autumn decorations here at our cottage.

Speaking of our cottage, it will get a new irrigation system this month. The one originally provided was installed under the direction of the developer, and it has always been woefully insufficient and lacking individual control of its operation. The system was also dependent upon a natural spring system that has dried up as additional homes have been added. So we will be tying our new system into the municipal water line. Our fellow villa neighbors are facing the same issues and upgrades.

I have neglected to spend much time in my studio room since Mr. Jim has been sick. However, I must carve out a few hours this month to tackle clothing alteration projects. We’re both vertically challenged, so clothing purchases usually require adjustments!

As we start sliding into the autumn season, I want to express how very grateful I am for those friends who regularly contact us via phone, e-mails, cards, etc. I have discovered that one of the most difficult things that we have to deal with on a regular basis is the isolation that comes with a cancer battle. We no longer have a normal life. Activities and social interactions are limited because cancer is the proverbial elephant in the room. As with any chronic illness, the support network tends to get smaller and smaller over time. And quite frankly, there are a lot of people who just plain disappear or use avoidance tactics because they can’t handle it or cannot relate to our circumstances. If you are a friend who reaches out to me on a regular basis, God bless you for taking the time and showing that you care.