Wrapping Up

I realized I left a few items open regarding our Italy trip so I thought I would dedicate this blog to wrapping up a few odds and ends. Also we are on our way to NYC and I am NOT bringing my netbook and don’t want to post too late in the week.

Thierry’s suitcase did arrive intact from Italy. It appeared that the case had been searched; however, all bottles arrived safely – we were most concerned about the Jenever (Dutch Gin), which has since been refrigerated and sipped!

We learned on the last day of our trip why the bread in Tuscany is rather tasteless. During the 1500’s Tuscany was under Papal rule. One of the popes decided to raise taxes (probably to build a cathedral as a monument to his reign), and taxed salt. The residents protested by omitting salt from the bread – this was supposedly one of the first major protests of its type. To this day, they make bread without salt. The trick to eating the bread is to first salt the bread, then coat it with olive oil.

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day. My sister and Lauren took charge of the festivities. Jean cooked chicken cutlets, which were wonderful; mushrooms in oil, garlic and hot peppers, which are to die for and must be eaten with good crusty bread, and asparagus. Lauren brought these outrageous pastries from a French bakery, each one better than the next. We ended up with 18 people, some of us eating in the living room. Things went very smoothly and appeared very organized. For some reason (here is my control freak coming out), I was nervous in the days leading up to the day as all I could think about was where everyone was going to sit. Normally we would use the back porch, but we had put the screens in and the weather had turned cold and rainy.

While writing my last blog about Mother’s Day, I felt something was lacking and it has weighed on my mind ever since. And that is this. There is a lot of angst that goes with motherhood. Since we begin the journey with no experience, it is all trial and error. Along the way, we constantly question our decisions and judgment. Hopefully we realize we are helping to form these creatures into human beings; a task in itself which can be daunting and can’t be taken lightly.

Mother’s are usually the ones that get the phone calls from school, learn about the accidents, and take the brunt of the child’s reactions to authority. Mothers are the ones who arrange the schedules, worry about doctor appointments and entertaining the kids. We plan the parties, the meals and at the same time, try to coordinate with our spouses (or figure out how to do all this on our own), and remember that we have parents and extended family that need attention. Oh, and then there is maintaining the house, grocery shopping, etc.

I do not mean to infer that fathers don’t have a role; however, these tasks generally fall to the mother – even when she is a working mother. So, if I didn’t properly recognize all that they do, mothers should be recognized for their efforts, and not just one day a year.

I was reminded of a comment that a person made about people having children – that having children was a selfish act. Some people may decide to have children in order to continue the family line; perhaps to have someone who takes care of them in their old age; or out of loneliness. This is not to say that there aren’t bad mother’s out there – unfortunately there are many and this blog will not address them. Raising children requires one to be selfless. It is a tremendous responsibility that should not be taken lightly. I give kudos to those that have decided not to have children for whatever reason. It is better to not give birth than to have a child that is not really wanted.

I just wrapped up another series of chemo treatments. I go Tuesday the 18th for another set of scans. Pump up the prayers and keep your fingers crossed. I’m learning about new supplements that are supposed to help neuropathy – I am leaving no stone unturned. I even started to ice my feet during chemo – the nurses are all very curious to see if this works. Oddly enough, I found that after icing, my feet feel a lot better for several hours. I did this last night and noticed a marked improvement in movement.

As I mentioned, we are leaving for New York. Tomorrow we are going to the Metropolitan Opera to see a performance of Lulu. I understand this opera is pretty intense, but I have never been to the Met and am very excited! The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny, so we should have a great weekend….. just like the week before!