Tuesday, February 13, 2008 - Well, lots has happened since we last wrote... fortunately, very little of it is about Mady! She's in good spirits, is reading tons, hasn't been too nauseous, and seems to be doing quite well. She is still pretty tired and hasn't been going to school very much, but her tutor (who she likes a lot) comes over once or twice a week. Mady just got her report card for last semester and got amazingly good grades for someone who plays so much hookie. ("Plays hookie?" Do people still say that? Or have I turned into my grandpa?)
Last Saturday, Mady had her first sleepover since the diagnosis. Chris drove over to administer the just-before-bedtime Lovinox shot in her thigh, and except for that it was a pretty normal event--just like the good old days (another grandpa-ism). Life is kind-of-sort-of approaching normal, with an occasional reminder of the seriousness we still face. But on the whole, we're pretty good right now.
Something happened yesterday that I'll remember for a long time. Mady and I play chess every so often, and I think she really enjoys the game. In order to help her learn, I often give her hints after she's examined the board for a while. Last night I gave her no hints, and she flat out beat me. I think she used the Derdinsky Defense or the Oppenheimer Offense, or something like that. If this begins to happen with regularity (and I have no doubt that it will), I'll have to do what Chris did to me when I started beating her at chess years ago: pull out the chess clock and turn a lovely game into a frantic speed chess frenzy! :-)
I did mention that lots had happened since Day 141... I'm mostly referring to the presidential nomination surge of Barack Obama (on who's campaign I worked making calls, holding signs, and driving around with an Obama car-topper) and the Super Bowl surge of the Patriots (I don't even want to talk about it--I'm still in the denial phase).
12 comments:
Yes, but have you spotted Mitt skulking around the old neighborhood yet ?
Barack is BIG in Washington too !
lou
I only pull out the chess clock when you take an hour with each move and I'll lose by annoyance. The chess clock is the great equalizer. love, ca
Hi Mady and family, thanks for update. I check every couple days. Maybe you have the Pat's defense behind you. We too are in denial. Can not figure what happened. They will be back. Like you "grampa-isms". Lad has a lot of "Bob-isms" which the grand kids love to talk about. Love from Fl. Lad and Bev. P.S. glad you enjoyed the oranges.
Barack is big in Texas (or, I should say, "big in Austin: the little blue dot in an ocean of red"). Emma and I traded a box of Girl Scout cookies for a cool Obama button.
Glad to hear about your family's almost normal days, but what in the world is that white stuff on the ground near your car? We are wearing shorts down here.
If you have the bark for Barack, I wonder who had the mutt for Mitt?
Will Messenger
Ha! Romney's dog was so traumatized by having to ride on the roof of the station wagon during a family trip to Canada that he's recently been campaining tirelessly for Obama! If you ever hear dogs making noise in the early evenings, it's probably Mitt's Mutt starting the Twilight Bark for Barack... :-)
--Trey
Go Mady! Yeah! You are very smart to be beating your dad at chess! We love you very much!
Also, we loved the photo of you, Trey, with the Barack sign and Buttercup!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY CHRIS,TREY,MIMI,JULIA! As always, we send you many hugs and much, much love. Jeanne,Ted,Flora
Glad to hear that sleepovers are back on the menu. ;-)
Connor thinks that Barack is the man, too. Barack and Hillary are to debate here Thursday evening. So far over 20,000 entries for the 100 person draw that will be allowed. Lots of whining about that, too. ;-)
We send love and sunshine your way.
Connor and Donna and Charlotte in Austin
I have a laugh every time I read ca's comment! I can just SEE the annoyance of having to wait an hour for the next move!
We are all going to have to get "on our toes" to keep up with Mady one of these days. Her love of reading (devouring almost a book- a-day), including boning up on chess methods, etc. is perhaps going to have us racing, and feeling a bit abashed! XXXXOOOOGP&E
Trey
ADVISE ON HOW NOT TO LOOSE AT CHESS
If you need some advise on how NOT TO LOOSE at chess.. ask Chris about our old friend Jim WIlson.
His sister told us about his SURE FIRE strategy that he developed while playing monopoly with his sisters that will work in any situation..... when you feel that the situation is going in an un-winnable for you..
Simply throw your hands up in disgust (with a corner of the board under your fingertips) while the pieces are still scattering across the room. stomp out of the room cussing like a sailor.
Its a win win situation without resorting to using a chess clock..
PS glad to hear that things are going smoothly!!
John NYC
Oh My goodness!
untill i read all of Treys posting, I totally forgot about the SuperBowl!!!
I have been in Vietnam and Thailand for the past 2 weeks.
You may recall that in an earlier posting to this blog, I faked my support for the Patriots out of solidarity for the First Family of Massachusets.
However, I as I am known here as JOHNNYC... I am secretly pleased with the 17-14 results!!
Sorry about the confusion!
nya nya!!!! (sp)
John NYC
:-)
go hillary
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