A Rainy Day Outside but Not In

The weather turned cooler, and we are now getting some good soaking rain. I think that both Hillsborough and Asheville could use the moisture. It is nice to see a bit of soaking after days of bright, hot, humid sun. I just got back from my clinic visit which was short and sweet. I was there mainly to have my blood counts checked, since I am still on the slide down after my chemo round. They were efficient today, getting me in and out within about 1-1/2 hours. I still don't need any transfusions, and I've been given a break until Thursday for the next recheck. I am doing well with this chemo round; I just feel a little tired mainly. There always seems to be some delayed fatigue and stomach queasiness after the chemo in the hospital. But it seems to dissipate pretty quickly.

When I walked out of the clinic just now, I saw Holly in the parking circle across from the clinic entrance. She gave a talk first thing this morning at a conference in Research Triangle Park on Rodent Immunopathology. Talk about a specialized audience. Anyway, she had finished her talk and came to meet up with me before going back to work. What a sweet surprise! We drove over to the Mad Hatter cafe for a bakery treat and cup of coffee. I always feel so cosmopolitan when I go places like that because so many people hold their meetings there, or sit and use the wireless connection to surf on their laptops. Everyone looks so busy and consumed by important business. Bakeries and coffee shops are so different from the ones I visited as a kid. You marched in, picked out your donut or elephant ear and went on your way. Coffee was cheap, of course, since it was pre-Starbucks. I know that there are people who go for coffee everyday just as there are people who eat lunch out everyday. I've never understood how they could afford it. I'm happy making my own tea or coffee at home and eating my delicious peanutbutter sandwich on fresh baked Weaver St Market bread. But then I'm thrifty that way.