Thursday and counting...

Hi, guys:

Not much to report since my last post. My brother took the second dose of his new chemo medication Tuesday night at bedtime, so we kept a pretty low profile yesterday so he could rest. Actually, we were pretty surprised - and happily so, that the medication didn't cause any terribly negative side effects (extreme fatigue, mostly). However, we just hung around the house most of the day and concentrated on trying to stay cool - it was 99! In fact, my sis' car thermometer registered the outside temp at 105 just before 4 p.m. on a quick trip down the hill to mail a birthday card. These three old northwest gals are really feeling the heat! Our bedroom never cooled below 80 degrees all night, and today is even hotter than yesterday. Whew!

In the morning yesterday (before it got too hot), my sis & I vacuumed and cleaned out one of the cars my brother is selling. We were going to wash it too, but it got just way too hot before we could get at it. My dad always said you should never wash a car in the sun or in the heat of the day. So, what could we do? You have to follow your Dad's advice, right?

This morning I got a couple of additional items posted for sale on CraigsList, and added some photos to a couple of existing ads. My sister has the phone growing out of her ear because of spending tons of time on the phone bird-dogging the local Kaiser office people. She is trying to get some necessary documentation for Aflac to pay a pending high-dollar insurance claim for more than a year's worth of my brother's chemo treatments. It gets complicated dealing with Kaiser because of the way they charge (or don't charge) for their services. She has gotten the royal run-around on this claim since the beginning of April - it's getting ridiculous! (You gotta love insurance stuff!)

It's getting interesting with these CraigsList ads. We're getting responses on a couple of the cars (we have 7 vehicles listed) from as far away as New York and Florida. My brother said he would love to sell one of his cars to someone in New York, just for the bragging rights!

You won't believe this, but my sister just made a big bowl of popcorn - my crazy brother was craving it, so... I guess I'd better go get some before it's gone!

Love you all!
XOXO
j.

MY TEXT FOR TODAY: Isaiah 35:3-6 (LB)
"With this news bring cheer to all the discouraged ones. Encourage those who are afraid. Tell them, "Be strong, fear not, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you. And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame man will leap up like a deer, and those who could not speak will shout and sing!"

We claim this promise for my brother and another friend who is battling this awful disease.