Earth Day

Happy Earth Day Everyone,
We have to keep the Earth in mind more than just one day though! :-)
Saw my Dr. today and received my lab results from yesterday:

White Cells 3500 (4500 - 11000)
Red Cells 2.87 (4 - 5.2)
Neutrophil 2.19 (1.8 – 7.7)
Platelets 93 (150 - 400)

Everything slipped down a bit, but my Dr. said it was nothing to worry about. It's an up and down kind of thing.... I feel really well but still need lots of sleep. He said it was OK to start an exercise program and with that I might have more energy. I still have numbness in both feet from the Chemo, but hopefully that will go away, it's a wait and see kind of thing.

Weekend before last (yes, the one where it was like 80 degrees out) I got up the nerve to go on a motorcycle ride with Larry and another couple. We all rode down together to a hot dog stand on 99E north of Junction City. After a delicious lunch (and I'm not really one for hot dogs - except at Duck Football games!!!) we headed east over I-5 to Brownsville then home. I'll post some photos below and a minute of video I shot...


Larry & I with Gary & Deb Keehn




Gary & Deb ahead of us going across the Bridge into Brownsville.


Unfortunately there is a lot of wind noise on my video. It shows us heading North on the East side of Interstate 5 towards Albany.

Funny how I was not a bit scared on this ride. My guess is that after all I've been through this last year that I was thinking, "What's a little motorcycle ride?" haha

Love, Florence

Allison's Blog

I've had many friends ask me how Allison is doing after her diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and now I have the opportunity to give out her blog address.

http://www.alekonab.blogspot.com/

Thank you for thinking of her.

Love, Florence

Africa

Hello~
Whoo-hoo my labs came back today and they are looking mighty fine:

4/7/08
White Cells 5800 (4500 - 11000)
Red Cells 3.07 (4 - 5.2)
Neutrophil 4.46 (1.8 – 7.7)
Platelets 94 (150 - 400)
Iron 32.1 (36 - 46%)


My brother Paul just returned from Africa (his 6th or 7th trip) and below are some photos he took. These are of the mountain Ol Doinyo Lengai. He and his friend Allan climbed it one day last week and the next day it erupted! Paul didn't tell me before he left, but I guess the mountain has been active since last July! But it had slowed down a lot so he and Allan and a Maasai guide climbed it.


My brother Paul with the guide up ahead...



Near the ash cone top. He said that there weren't any earthquakes while they were up there but there was quite a roar coming out of the inside of the volcano.



View from near the top



Paul's friend Allan pointing at the eruption the next day... Paul met Allan in 1996. Allan has his own guiding company and he's been featured in a National Geographic show with Boyd Mattson. Allan guided the Nat. Geo. team up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Paul works with Allan setting up Safari's for people from the U.S.
Larry and I have met Allan several times and enjoy his company when he comes to visit Paul.



Ol Doinyo Lengai - 9,711 ft Tanzania. "Ol Doinyo Lengai" means "Mountain of God" in the language of the native Maasai people.

Paul and Allan also climbed Mt. Meru, 14,980 ft which is also in Tanzania.

****
My weekend in Portland with the girls was really fun. We shopped downtown all Saturday and then shop at IKEA most of Sunday. I'm kicking myself for not getting a photo of all of us. I took some idea and artsy shots in IKEA was all.

Artsy shot

Another

Yet another....

Thanks for reading!
Love, flojo