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Dim Sum

Years ago my dear friend Sandi took me to a little Dim Sum restaurant in an Atlanta suburb.  It was a little square stand alone building.  I was not impressed from the outside.  To this day I can't tell you where we were.  It was my first time having Dim Sum, I didn't even know what it was, but Sandi said "trust me".  So, I did, and I absolutely loved it.  I was amazed with the experience.  Servers came by rolling carts, they told you what was on your cart, and if you wanted it, you took a plate and they marked it on your tab. 

Each plate had three small pieces of Dim Sum on it.   Pot stickers, dumplings, etc. 

That memory is one of my favorite memories, and I'm not just talking about the food.  It was the experience of doing something new, and better yet with my friend Sandi.

Sandi has been gone 12 years now, and I still miss her.  She was killed in a horrible car accident.  I always think about her this time of year, the accident was on December 18, 1998, a week before Christmas. 

By some twist of fate, and being in my office at 11 pm that night, the back line was ringing which was odd, so I answered it.  It was someone looking for my old boss, Sandi's ex-husband.  They were recently divorced, but still cared about one another.  He'd moved out of state, but he and I were in contact.  I told her they weren't married anymore.  She didn't tell me it had anything to do with Sandi.  After several questions, I finally realized it was about Sandi, so I told her that I was one of her best friends and I could get a message to the ex.  I thought she'd just been admitted to the hospital, nothing was clicking for me.  I asked to speak to her, that's when I heard the phrase, "I'm sorry, she didn't survive the accident."

I think I hit my knees.  I began shaking all over.  I don't remember much after that, other than having to pull myself together enough to call her ex and tell him.  I remember the silence on the other end of the line as the news hit him.

But I don't like to think about those memories of Sandi.  I have others of course, but Dim Sum stands out as one of my favorites.  I've only had it one other time since that day, but I was very disappointed with the food and the experience.

Why Dim Sum now, on a Sunday morning?  How do some memories get evoked?  Why does our mind go to a memory like that one which sparks a series of memories?  For me today, it was while looking at the Venetian website.  We're going to Las Vegas, and are staying at the Venetian.  I happened to see one of the restaurants in the Palazzo, next to the Venetian - Zine Noodles Dim Sum.  The memories flooded back.

The website says it is voted one of the top 10 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. in the Chinese Restaurant News. Chris hasn't ever had Dim Sum, so he just did some googling.  We may put this on our list of things to do while we're in Las Vegas.

Maybe I'll have a new Dim Sum memory, but if not, then I have just the one that means so much to me.  And you know what?  That one memory is just fine with me.

This post dedicated to Sandi, the fun times, the fond memories and one of the best friendships of my life.

Random things

There's been so much going on lately that I've neglected the blog, so I'm going to take a page out of my friend Ashley's book and do a bullet list:

• Decided I really don't need that Estee Lauder moisturizer for $60 a bottle after I spilled it on the floor mat, I must confess, I scooped up what was on the top and didn't actually touch the mat.  My wallet can't take my random clumsiness.
• Found out the hard way that having your brows done at "The Brow Line" is much more painful than having them ripped off with wax.  I really didn't want to cry right there in the mall with all of those people walking by, it was hard not to, but I managed.  Vowed to myself that it is wax for me.  Watching those women trimming brows with thread looks so innocent... take my word for it, keep right on walking.
• Pampered myself and bought a kindle.  Loving it!
• Feeling a tad bit old because my nephew turned 16.
• Had to buy a new laptop, my monitor was going out on my Gateway even though it wasn't quite two years old, our IT guy told me it'd cost nearly as much to fix it as it would be to get a new one.  I ended up getting a Toshiba with an extended 8 1/2 hour battery.  Feeling a little spoiled not having to keep it plugged up as much as I had to charge my Gateway.
• Thought I was going to get the go ahead to quit wearing my back brace, no such luck, although I don't have to wear it as much. 
• Feeling so very grateful to all of the people who have so generously supported our fund raising efforts.
• Taking better care of myself, will post more on it later, when I have so much more to post about.  But let's just say things are going well.
• Happy that the repair on the A/C at my rental property only set me back $300.  It could have been much worse.
• We took a long weekend trip to Florida to rally with other Ural owners.  Had a great time.
• Got to see my friend Dee while we were in Florida, good to get to spend a few hours with her.
• Took an airboat ride while in Florida - saw several gators.
• Boarded Gabby while we were gone.  I am really having a problem knowing that she was in a cage the entire time we were gone.  So... to get ready for our next trip, my Mom said she'll Gabby-sit.  I'm very grateful for that.  I took her for a playdate so she and Lucy (my mom's dog) could get to know each other.  It was going okay, until I was walking by and they both decided to run and I ended up stepping on Gabby's foot.  She thinks Lucy hurt her, and wouldn't come near her the rest of the night.  We had another play date last night when we went for Thanksgiving.  Gabby wound up in the back room and didn't venture out.  My two nieces were very good watching her and making sure she was okay while we were there.
• Went shopping today - my AmEx card is smokin'!
• Watching a very close GA/Ga Tech football game, so far, the Dawgs are winning! Go Dawgs!  Shocked to learn tonight that Chris pulls for Tech when they play GA, not sure how THAT slipped by me.  Oh crap, it's tied again!
• Tech missed the PAT, so UGA is winning again...

So, that pretty much catches me up.

Good hearts

I've been happy to see that my friend is blessed with so many friends who love and care about her.  We opened a community on Lotsa Helping Hands. We have 42 people signed up so far to help with various needs she has.

I have these thoughts of things I'd like to do for her.  Someone volunteered to take on the t-shirt project.   This is a relief to me!  She has contacts, she knows people. I was going to have to rely on the hope that I'd pick the right place, because I just don't have anyone in the t-shirt realm to call on.

We have a raffle in the planning stages and people have been stepping up and donating some great prizes.   There are several more things in the works.  We already have a great prize package due to the generosity of kindhearted people.

Thank you everyone, you know who you are.

Typical? Not really.

My day today was a typical day. I was running a little behind, but I don't have to punch a clock, and I'm never really "off". Work is a phone call away.

Even though the mechanics of the day are the same, I seem to be running on some high energy level. I think it was awareness. Awareness that my typical day is so unlike the day my very dear friend is having.

It's her first round of chemo. It's 8 years to the day when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. It's back, chemo is back, fighting for her life again. I look at the clock, wondering if they've started the infusion yet, and if so, how much longer she has left to go today.

I wonder how she's doing. I get interrupted, again. Typical. My thoughts are diverted, but only for a short time. My mind instantly wanders back to my friend.

My work day is over, but my thoughts and my prayers are with my friend. I am hoping she is getting some rest after a grueling day.

Thinking of you my friend.

From the sidelines

One of my best friends is battling breast cancer - again!  It's not fair, she's 38, she's in fantastic shape.  She's one of the most determined people I know.  Her resolve is strong.

Human emotions were given to us by God. We experience them, it's part of being human.  Let me tell you, the emotions have been assaulting me, and I can't even begin to imagine what she's feeling.  I see her struggle, her fear, her anger, her tenacity, her humor,  and best of all, I see her faith, and her joy in knowing that she belongs to God.  It's a crazy mix.  We cry together, we get mad together, we have even started laughing together again.  "Get out of my way, I've got cancer."  "Can I use your phone? Cancer's not contagious." all said with her trademark style.  She has kept me laughing for the 13+ years I've known her.  She helps me get through the day.  I only hope I can do as much for her.  I know I'm going to give it my best shot.

She has an indomitable spirit.

8 years ago, I just didn't have a grasp on everything she was going through.  When chemo was done, surgery was done, radiation was done and her hair started growing back - she'd beaten it.  She survived!  And we all breathed a sigh of relief.  It wasn't over for her though, she was trapped in the emotions that accompany the disease.  The emotions we couldn't recognize because we didn't truly understand.  We were all safe in our cocoon of naivete.

I don't claim to understand them this time around, but I do know that I won't be so naive when she completes each stage.  I am in for the long haul.  And, I'm just bossy enough to make sure others who care about her are too.

I'm lucky to have support as I'm dealing with my emotions, my mom has cried with me on the phone and talked with me about God and healing.  Chris has talked through my emotions with me, and just hugged me and held me.  I hate cancer and it's cruelty.   I have friends who I've vented to, who care and listen to me, and are jumping in with both feet to help.

Thank goodness for the distractions of our day to day life, you just can't make up this stuff. 

Other than my prayer for the restoration of her health, I pray that God guides me in how to be what she needs me to be.

Game plan

Now we have the game plan.

Now it starts.

I can't do the hard part.

I wish she didn't have to experience it - again.

September 16th - she's ready, she's coming out swinging. 

Ok cancer, game ON!