One year ago today...

One year ago today was the last day I had written on my blog... I had no idea - coincidence - I am not sure that I just clicked on it today and it was exactly one year later... I don't know that I will keep this up or if I want to keep this up... But a quick review for me - for you...

Let me start with today - EXCITING - Eileen and Patty are coming from New Jersey for an unexpected but very WELCOME visit. Bad news it will be a short one, in tonight and leaving Sunday... Oh well not going to think about them leaving before they get here.

Rich is at the City of Hope with Dale - he needs blood and platelets today - he will then be good to spend the weekend having fun with his NJ cousins.

I have an infection and could not play tennis today kind of bummed... and it is HOT but wonderful... Thankful for antibodics.

What else - I am doing dishes in the bathroom sink that is a good one. The kitchen faucet decided it would be a good time to break and send a waterfall out from under the cabinet. Thank GOD we were home. Good News the new part should be here tomorrow and not the 3 weeks we were original told. Oh FYI did you know that they don't make faucets in white anymore. Blame Bush!

Happy Birthday DONNA AND PATTY.

I need to go to Costco and buy some food for my guests. Putting on my BRAVE GIRL Pants and sending myself out into the world. More later maybe.... hugs to anyone reading this

I AM NOT READY

I am not ready = I am not ready. I am not ready and if I am not ready - Rich really must not be ready... or Kevin true honesty. I AM NOT READY for what is coming up in the next couple of weeks or months. But was Jesus ready when he went to the cross??? Profound... But please keep me sane!!!! AMEN...

SHOCKING a NEW POST

Not even sure if anyone ever checks here or looks to see what is new at the ISLAND. I was going to do a new BLOG with my IMAC - seriously to much work. With Rich getting ready for his second bone marrow transplant and needing to keep people updated... I thought better for now to just update this good ole - good enough for now blog. SHOCKING I know that I blogged.

Rich starts out patient chemo next Monday for 5 days. Checks into the City of Hope on Saturday for heavy chemo and gets the bone marrow transplant on Tuesday or Wednesday. October 26th or 27th.

His brother KEVIN is giving him the gift of a life time. He is a match and will be Rich's donner. Thank God for Kevin and a brother willing to not only give but drive from the central coast, be tested, poked, prodded, and harvested and probably feel like he has the flu for a couple of days.

Love to all or anyone still tuned into this blog. We will be doing updates here and letting everyone know Rich's progress and that the HYLAND'S' ISLAND Blog is back in action....

BIRTHDAY MONTH

Gosh I guess I have been MIA or living life or something. Why now Why this moment. Who knows just feeling somethings and thinking things that I am not sure what to do with and what I can do or where I can go to express myself. So I am putting them out there in the universe in cyber land! CRAZY. Anyway just sitting here at the computer getting ready to head towards my pillow and feeling profound overwhelmed feelings. Squeezed my fingers between my eyes and almost sobbed. In lieu of sobbing I am putting my fingers to work on the keyboard! My heart tells me things are about to get crazy again. Why can we not get away from the CANCER wheel? Hubby does not have cancer but he now has low white counts and not enough platelets. All a direct result of all his cancer treatments. We may be looking at a second bone marrow transplant this year... I just want to scream NO NO NO... I don't want to be a poor me/us, cry baby or be THOSE PEOPLE again... The worst thing right now is the mental part for Rich. I see the wheels turning I see doubt, discomfort and uncertainty - just pop into his brain. He does not even have to say anything. I will deal with this again - I will do what I need to do when I need to do it. This is my cyber land contract with myself. All this has nothing to do with my birthday except to wonder what it will be like next year. Truly, I feel like I have finally come out of the last transplant and the passing of Meghan. Mentally and physical feeling like - yes - life is feeling normal again (whatever that is). Thanks to all my friends and Church family and family.... we will get through this again and now I am crying.... Just sprinkling really. xoxoxo

Still

Still here on earth in case you wondering. Lots to do and no time to blog... Everyone at the Island is good and wondering where the time has gone with Thanksgiving next week. Big crowds expected here at the Island between 18 and 20. Ordered Mr. Bird today which I woke up thinking about at 5:00 am. don't you love it when some dumb thought wakes you up from a nice warm cozy deep sleep. So I got up early went to Gelsons and ordered my turkey. Now it will have to be some other dumb thought that wakes me up tomorrow. Anyway don't know if I will get back to this before the bird goes in the oven in a WEEK... so happy turkey day to all my friends out there love you all. .... God Bless and may your T-day leave you feeling blessed and bursting like you ate to much.. which we probably will.

KAUAIIAN'S

I started writing this post weeks ago and never hit the publish button because life got a lot more complicated when my niece Cassie decided to runaway and is still missing! 11 days.. she told her mom in a three way conversation with her boyfriends mom (Cynthia - whom she called first) that she was happy and being taken care of and she was fine. We are off today to hand out more posters and I am going to be with my mom whom is so beside her self I fear for her well being and health. Anyway if you want to read a couple of items from our trip here they are... REALLY PICTURES to follow..

It has been almost a month since last I posted. Another month has slipped away - September! Since two weeks of the month were spent in Kauai and one of those weeks we spent with Jeff and Michael... well let's just say it was truly paradise and a healing opportunity for this family of 4. We have not spent 7 days together as a family since Michael went off to college (just some weekends here and there)! An amazing time with sightseeing, driving, adventures, eating and yes just a couple of Mia tai's. A couple of stories for you.

One night having dinner and after dad (Rich) says hey how about a helicopter ride... sure, I am thinking to myself this is the beer talking. Rich and I both swore this is one event that is not in our top 100 or 1,000,000 for that matter of things to DO. Seems several times over the past years we have been to Kauai one of these man made flying birds runs into some type of flying problem and they don't swim well in the ocean either and the people end up that nights, nightly news headlines (not for me). The next day Rich has the 4 Hylands booked on a helicopter flight - Wednesday 8:00 am. Which nightmare did I just wake up in? Jeff and Michael are thrilled and well I just don't want to do this entire fly thing, I am scared but I don't want to be left out and not have the experience of sharing the memories with my family gathered around the dinner table sometime in the future. Then I think of Meghan and all she went through and if she was on this trip with us she would be on that bird in the sky without hesitation. Okay I will do it. No Yes No... what am I thinking.

Wednesday am (7:30) show up at the airstrip in Port Allen - weigh in (for weight distribution on the copter) thank goodness the reader was behind the counter and I did not have to share that information with the hubby, Mike and Jeff. Sign waivers, strap on some flotation device around our waist, receive further instruction ... and wait and wait and wait. No helicopter.... This must be a sign from God ... not met to be .... CANCELLED. Dodged a bullet. Oh wait the lady is rescheduling us for tomorrow... Really - now I have to think about it some more and stress and miss more sleep? This can not be good. Tomorrow in Lihue at 4:00 pm... don't you know the trade winds blow even harder in the afternoons and it rains. Surely I will be meeting with Jesus tomorrow.

Thursday 5:oo pm... we did it tour of the Kauai from the air over - done. I am- getting off the helicopter and breaking down in tears. All I can say is sometimes God just knows more about what you need than you know yourself. Jeff laughing at me for crying and video tapping it at the same time. A GIANT family hug, lots of emotion and memories to last a lifetime. Conclusion - you only get one chance at a 1st time for everything in your life. Maybe someday I would do this again but chances are it won't be with Mike, Jeff and Rich and it would not be the 1st time. One word summary - Beautiful.

Flying home on the plane on Friday - Hawaiian airlines and I have heard of this happening but never experienced it first hand.... Lady behind me leans forward and says " can you get a flight attendant QUICK".

Rich who is plugged into his head phones gives me the what do you want now look when I tap him on the shoulder (he is on the isle).... The women behind just asked for a flight attendant QUICK. He bounces up gets help and the women says my husband was just breathing fun and the flight attendant is trying to wake up HANK.... Long story short Hank died - EXPIRED on the flight. We left our seats and we were asked to go stand up front. The got Hank out of his seat, found medical people on board the flight and started the process of reviving and defibrillating this gentlemen. They worked on him along time. Very sad! Hank was 65 a diabetic and had heart problems according to his wife who remained very calm while all this was happening to her hubby. Hank ended up in the galley for the rest of the flight and when we arrived at LAX the paramedics had to come on and pronounce Hank. So it was a smooth but stressful flight for all the passengers. While we were standing in first class this irate foreigner jumps out of his seat charges us standing in the galley of first class and tells us to go back to our seats ,quit looking down the row and we are interfering with his move. God always leaves the means ones here longer on earth. OH he was ugly yelling at us. He should have just put his headphones on and watched the stupid movie. The plane was FULL were we supposed to sit on the WING. DUMB BASTARD... just thinking about it now makes me so angry. End of story. Land LAX and LAPD thinks it is a crime scene and no one can leave...! CRIME SCENE??? about 12 LAPD officers are standing around arguing about what to do... Don't they know everything about me from when I booked the flight and a manifest that shows where everyone was sitting..... Finally the captain of the plane and the paramedic who pronounced Hank, said let these people go have they not been through enough - he passed of natural causes. Oh let me tell you I have never looked so forward to a super shuttle ride home....

Much Better Week

It has been a much better week since my last rant and spew session. At least it feels better. Hope everyone had a great Labor day weekend and did something enjoyable. Rich and I went to the beach today.... A beach in Southern California. Seems like the only time we go to the beach anymore is when we are in New Jersey or Hawaii. We have beeeaaautiful beaches here in the O.C. Califia in San Clemente, easy parking if you are early, narrow beach but a FAMILY beach. I didn't have to put blinders on my hubby when the ladies (if you can call some of them ladies) have all their cheeks showing while running down the beach like Bo Derek in 10.

Michael, finally called seems he is a little short in the wallet from not working full time when he was visiting Meghan three times a day or more in the hospital and he did not pay his phone bill. We finally heard from him and it was such a big relief. And yes, I want to go into Mom mood and send him a check.... but he is going to Hawaii with us in two weeks and it will be all expenses paid by Dad. His metal state would best be described as "adjusting". We are hoping a trip to the Islands will be good for his spirit.

Jeff is happy in his new pad in Long Beach. He stopped by tonight and it was good to see him.

Last Wednesday was a good day here on the Island... I had three friends from High School here for Lunch. Nancy, whom lived across the street from me on Garlingford in Costa Mesa. I think I was in the third grade when we moved in across the street from each other. Diane, whom I have known since my first day of middle school and Donna, who went to school with Nancy and I at Killybrook Elementary. I will get the camera card out and put up some pictures in the next day or two. Sometimes it just feel good to catch up. It has been along time since our Annie Green Springs Boons Farm days... Love you ladies we have a history!

Some things just continue to be the way they were and the way they will be. My mom and the mess at her house can still only be described as a big MESS. Is it bad when your own mom thinks of her oldest daughter the way she would think of an x- husband? She does not want to hear what I have to say when it comes to Cassie. She does not want to be accountable or held to any standards and she does not want to be questioned on her crazy ass parenting skills and mental well being of teenagers. And to boot her health stinks but she ignores it.

The scrapbook ladies last Wednesday and Thursday had me rolling in the isles with laughter - which is so good for the body and mind. Julie V, wants to start a magazine called Tired Old Hags. We sit and come up with articles that we think would be beneficial to women, moms, wives. Someone starts with a funny line or article and before long everyone is jumping in and we are laughing at ourselves.... Here is one such article we plan to write immediately and need some extra help - if you think of anything let me know by email or a comment....

FOODS THAT LIE

Smart Water drinking it does not make you smarter

Wheat Thins eating these crackers will not make you thin

Slim Fast the only thing Fast here is how fast your hunger returns after you drink or eat their food

Skinny Cow this is ICE CREAM Skinny NOT

the above funnies were provided by my own observations on the first two.. Julie C, on Slim Fast and Lia on the Skinny Cow. We feel it is our right as consumers to no longer mislead the eating public with these misleading food titles... Be on the look out in your market and if you find any others let us know and we will get the food police and the FDA right on it.

Like a virtual game on the computer right now the TOH magazine is only in theory and the talking stages. Sure is some darn funny stuff.

We are thinking of some possibilities for good t-shirts and bumper slogans as well.

Today sitting on the beach I said to Rich - I feel like I am living a Jimmy Buffett song. If you know his music you know I mean. This happens to be my favorite Jimmy song right now.

Trip Around The Sun

Jimmy Buffett

Trip Around The Sun
By Al Anderson/Steve Bruton/Sharon Vaughn
(with Martina McBride)

Here I’m singin’ happy birthday
Better think about the about the wish I make
This year gone by ain’t been a piece of cake
Everyday’s a revolution
Pull it together and it comes undone
Just one more candle and a trip around the sun

CHORUS

I’m just hangin’ on while this old world keeps spinning
And it’s good to know it’s out of my control
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from all this livin’
Is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go

No you never see it comin’
Always wind up wonderin’ where it went
Only time will tell if it was time well spent
It’s another revelation
Celebrating what I should have done
With these souvenirs of my trip around the sun

CHORUS

I’m just hangin’ on while this old world keeps spinning
And it’s good to know it’s out of my control
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from all this livin’
Is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go

INSTRUMENTAL

Yes I’ll make a resolution
That I’ll never make another one
Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun
Just enjoy this ride

Revolution, Revelation and my favorite above. RESOLUTION... that I'll never make another one.... Get it my Resolution is not to make a resolution but to just enjoy the trip around the sun. Which I am thinking means you make a trip around the sun everyday as the WORLD turns.... Oh my time for bed this is all getting way to profound for me... Remember to live your dash.