Another Hot Weekend

Saturday, August 11: I want to go the Farmers Market first thing. I'm craving fresh tomatoes. But as I'm brushing my teeth, I start gagging, and next thing I know, I'm vomiting into the sink. Then the cramp hits again.

So much for an early start.

I get out about 11, too late for the Farmers Market - not that I have the energy for it now. We're having company this afternoon, so I get the necessary groceries and not much more.

The people are very nice. It's a guy Dayton knows from business, and the man's wife, and another couple, and their grandparents, and four extremely well behaved children. We all have fun swimming and floating and playing with Geronimo. I'm feeling pretty good, confident that I'll get through this just fine.

Nope. About 5:00, as I'm talking with Eleanor (the grandmother), the cramp begins to build again. I try to hold it back, I try to change positions, but finally I have to excuse myself. "I'm so sorry, would you excuse me, I get these cramps every now and then, I just have to go lay down for a couple minutes."

While I'm in the cabin Dayton tells them about the cancer. By the time I come back out, only 10 minutes later, they are all solicitous. "Oh, we shouldn't have bothered you." "Nonsense," I try to tell them, "I've so enjoyed this afternoon and it helps take my mind off things!"

The good thing is that when we start putting dinner together, they don't let me do much. Everybody chips in, all I do is slice up an onion for hamburgers. Our friend Patrick from down the dock brings over his big steamer for the sweet corn, so I don't even have to do that. AND they help clean up, too.

So it ends up a nice day after all. They leave about 7:30, and as soon as we wave goodbye, I tell Patrick, "You're welcome to stay and hang out with Dayton as long as you want, but I really need to go lie down." Geronimo and I crawl into the cool cabin, and stretch out on the sofa until it's time to get up and go to bed.