"Surprise" trip to Denver

 This week was a bit of a rough week.   While traveling, Jason injured his back and became unable to walk or sit without severe pain.   This injury was probably a re-herination of his L5-S1 disc, which had partially herniated during our hiking trip this summer.   He said this time it was much worse however, and desperately needed help to get home.

So, I headed to Denver from work on Thursday and began the process of planning how to extract him from the airport hotel he was staying at.  We were able to book 2 seats each on the plane home--so he could have 3 of them to lie down for the flight.   And we booked a wheel chair from the hotel to the gate.   Only thing was, he could not sit in it.   But he did figure out a way: kneeling backwards!

The flight attendants were cool on the flight and even let him stay layaing down for take off and landing.  

Once we got to SF, I got his car and deove him home while he was laying in the backseat.   

This all made this weekend, one of the last before chirstmas, a bitr chaotic for me, as he was unable to do ANYTHING.   I did my best to continue to get the work done, including baking a bunch of Christmas cookies, buying presents, wrapping presents, and generally keeping things organzied.  Luckily, Alaina was a good helper, and due to the fact that we had a huge raistorm, softball was cancelled, as was one of her basketball games due to a power outage.

So, we will see what happens.  Jason seems to be getting ever so slightly better each day, so fingers crossed he will at least be able to walk and or/sit a bit more soon!

Jason's Birthday

 This week, Jason celebrated birthday #47!  His birthday was on Thursday, and he chose homade pizza for dinner, as crab season is delayed again this year.   My dad was able to join us, which was nice.  He also chose a carrot cake for dessert, which he loved but everyone else politely picked at.   He will have a lot of leftover cake to eat himself!

 

Over the weekend, Jason wanted to go to Tahoe, but on Friday night Ethan had a holdiay concert, so we could not leave on Friday.  His motivation to go dropped on Saturnday morning, and so instead we enjoyed a weekend at home.   We had planned to cut down a Christmas tree in Tahoe, but instead headed up to a Christmas tree farm in Sonoma, where we cut a tree for a much higher price :).  Alaina did most of the cutting!

On the way back we stopped for brunch at our favorite brunch place in Petaluma, Sax's joint.   

And then we came home and decotrated the tree!

And since we stayed in town, Alaina got to go to her holiday softball party.  They do a white elephant exchange and she was excited to get Squishamellows as her gift this year!

Thanksgiving at Sea

 This year for Thanksgiving, we did something different.   We took a cruise along Western Mexico for the week that the kids were off school.   We did this because we wanted to do something with Jason's dad to celebrate his 80th birthday this fall--and a cruise was what he wanted to do.  Eileen and him take this cruise route fairly often, and they were excited to do it with us.   Jason's brothers Brandon and Jeremy both joined for the week, so we had the opportunity for a lot of family time.   Plus, no one had to cook or clean up!

We left from Los Angeles on Saturday morning.   The cruise stopped at 3 ports: Cabo San Lucas, Matzalan, and Puetro Vallarta.   Plus 3 full days at sea, including Thanksgiving Day.

In Cabo, we took a water taxi to Lover's Beach with Jeremy, where we went swimming.

In Matzalan, we decided to venture out to El Quelite, a small colonial town about an hour north of the city.   The rest of Jason's family did not join us--but we had a deliciaious lunch at a really unique restaruant called El Meson De Los Laureanos, and after we stopped at a Tequilla Distillery on the way back to the boat.   Unfortuantely, our Uber Driver got a flat tire along the way, but luckily one of the workers drove us back so we did not miss the ship in the afternoon.

Puerto Vallarta was the prettiest stop.  Here, we went to another beach, and then met Jason's family for lunch at a restaurant called Pipi's (yes, the name of Alaina's rabbit ha ha!).

  

Thanksgiving dinner was definitely not as delicious as a homeade meal would have been, but overall it was not too bad.

The sunsets were beautiful!

We returned on Saturday and headed back to the Bay Area.   A good change of scenery.

Piano Recital

Last Sunday, the kids had a piano recital.  Alaina also had a softball tournament, but it was single elimination and her team was knocked out early Sunday morning, so she made it back in time to play (much to her disappointment!)

The kids both had been working on their songs for a LONG time, so they were defienelty ready for a performace.   

Ethan played Viva la Vida by Coldplay as well as a Bach Invention and a Jazz improv piece.

Alaina played a Sonatina by Playel and a Waltz.

They both did a great job!

Halloween

 Well its been busy.  I have been out of town the last 3 of 4 weekends, and somehow have not gotten around to posting about Halloween!

This year Alaina and her friend at school each decided to dress up as characters from Alice and Wonderland.   Of course, Alaina chose the white rabbit.  Her costume was accesorized with a handmade clock, that Jason helped her create.   It made the outfit--and the school thought so too--she won 2nd place in her grade's costume contest.

 The group of costumes also actually truned out quite cute.   She has a great bunch of friends, so I am glad that they all decided to do this together.

This year was the first year that she trick-or-treated without a parent in immediate proximity, and she had a great time.   She claims that she got less candy than last year, but she still had quite an impressive haul.   As a bonus, she did not have school the next day (a very appropraitely times teacher education day), so two of the girls were even able to sleep over after the trick or treating was done.  A pretty good day!

Ethan, meanwhile, had his second "city" halloween.   He did have a costume: Where's Waldo, but I am not sure how much trick or treating he did--probably more just loitering.

He also spent the night at a freinds in the city--despite the fact that he did have school the next day.   He also stayed over at another friends on Saturday--after a football game.  He is becoming quite the couch surfer.

Philadelphia

 Last weekend was our annual American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting.  This year it was in Philadelphia. My dad watched the kids so Jason and I could both go.   Last year it was in San Francisco, and we didn't organize childcare--and it was a real mess.  So much better to have pre-planned childcare (which of course really just means rides and food!)

Anyhow, we were both pretty busy at the conference.   I gave 3 talks--which, for the record, was too many--I didn't think all would get accepted when I put my hat in the ring for them.

 

Jason gave a pod cast, and also of course was busy with his company and the clients.   

We did get some time to take short runs together--and though our hotel was not that well positioned for running, we did find a nice path along the river.   As an added bonus the weather was spectacular--in the mid 70s.   

I didnt have as much time as I had hope to do touristy-things--I did enjoy checking out the Mutter Museum, which is a medical history museum, and had some very delicious food.   Also caught up with a bunch of old friends.  A good change in routine from the typical work week!

Remembering Barb Koehler

We were told some devastating news this past week: my dad’s cousin Barb died suddenly in a tragic accident. 
 
Though Barb is only my second cousin, she has been a truly influential and valued member of our family.  She and my dad were born few months apart and grew up together, intermittently at least.  Though I vaguely remember seeing Barb at family events when I was a kid growing up, her influence on our family really intensified when my mom was sick.    As my mom’s dementia progressed, my dad grew more and more isolated—he could not easily travel with my mom anymore, and eventually, he was unable to even leave my mom alone at home.   At some point during her decline, my dad’s cousins Barb, Chris and Kris started driving down from Milwaukee on a regular basis to see him and my mom.   They would always bring lunch, often “taking over the kitchen” to prepare something delicious.   The three of them provided great conversation, great food, and importantly, great companionship to my dad, who was increasingly more and more lonely.  Often, when Jason, the kids and I were in town for a visit, we would see the cousins as well (though we tried to cook for them!).   During these times we saw, firsthand, how much these lunches cheered up my dad and how truly kind, and caring my dad’s cousins all were.   
 
At the end of each visit, before they left, the cousins and my dad all got out their calendars, and picked a date not too far into the future for their next visit.   This routine helped guarantee that there would be a return visit, and of course gave my dad something to look forward to.   Of all the family we have, I truly believe that no one was more supportive or important to my dad during the time of my mom’s illness than his three cousins.   As the oldest of the three cousins, Barb was the ring leader of these visits, though undeniably each of them contributed.
 
I will always remember Barb as an amazing storyteller.   When we were together, she would  share the most hilarious anecdotes about growing up and all the mischief she encountered along the way.  He stories were so funny that I occasionally would fall out of my chair because I was laughing so hard.   I wish I would have written some of them down!
 
Barb also endured her own hardships.  When her son Ryan was young, he developed brain cancer.  I have a very vague memory of this as a young child, but now with an adult perspective, I cannot imagine how difficult this must have been for her and her husband Don.  She also took care of Don when he was diagnosed with colon cancer some years back.   Despite these difficulties, she was an outwardly very positive person.   To me, she seemed to always have a balanced perspective, and was always incredibly thoughtful and generous.   After my dad sold his house in Chicago, we stopped seeing Barb, Chris, and Kris with any regularity.   But in 2021, we were fortunate to have Barb visit our home in California with a friend.   That was the last time I saw her.    
 
Of course, you never realize when it will be the last time you see someone.   If nothing else, I have learned from being a physician that life is unpredictable, and can be cut tragically short.   I wish I could have had one last lunch with Barb.  I am sure my dad does too.   She will be missed.