Gold Medal in Crew and Recovering

The Imp went to Augusta Georgia for a big southeastern regatta, Head of the South.  Her varsity 8 won gold with more than a 20 second lead on the silver.  She's been the coxswain this year and has loved it.  Her varsity 8 boat also won at a regatta in October.  That regatta was great because it was local on the Hillsborough River and Hubby and I could stand on a bridge over the Hillsborough and watch them coming down the river and row right under us (just a few yards shy of the finish line).  They looked really good at that race.  I'm so happy for her.  Here's a picture of her team holding her up after the win in October.

My girls continue to entertain me.  This is from the Imp's facebook page written on the Singer's wall. 

"you used the word "harrowing" in your voicemail to me today.  i did not know what it meant...so i had to look it up XP (–adjective: extremely disturbing or distressing.....in case you were wondering).  stop being so smart because in the future i may too languid to go look up words i do not know.

ILOVEYOU."

Hubby has been working extreme overtime.  It's a little rough not having weekends, especially for him, but each night we remind ourselves how fortunate we are he has a job...a well-paying job...a pretty secure job.  So a few weeks of 7 days of work 10+ hours a day are tolerable.  But I am looking forward to Thanksgiving week when this overtime is supposed to be finished (I'll believe it when I see it) and Hubby will be home.  He's supposed to have the whole week off, but I have the feeling that he'll be working at least a few hours most days, but that's such an improvement, it will seem as if he's on vacation.  


A few weeks ago I had 2 'questionable' moles removed for biopsy.  They both came back 'atypical' so I had to go back in for full removal.  As Hubby has had this happen multiple times, I was expecting a similar experience: a slightly larger and deeper cut than the original with one maybe 2 stitches.  However, my results were 'moderate to severe' abnormalities...apparently close to being classified as melanoma.  In fact they had the biopsies tested twice to make sure it wasn't melanoma.  So when I went in today, the procedure was more extensive then I'd anticipated.  I'll have pretty large scars (there were multiple layers of stitches) and in the mean time I'm pretty uncomfortable.  The moles were removed from my left upper arm and the back of my left upper thigh.  Sitting is nearly impossible right now.  (I'm half-laying, half-sitting on my couch...where I've been since 11:00 am).  I hadn't planned for being out of commission today...I had plans for working on some of the hand-made Christmas gifts.  Now, I'm not even sure I'll be up and around tomorrow.  Ugh.  
The up side (if there is one) is that Hubby and the Imp have been very attentive to me.  Hubby, working from home, took me to and from the doctor's and got my prescriptions filled.  When the Imp got home, she gave him a hard time for not getting me a milk shake (what she gets after harrowing doctor visits).  She couldn't believe he hadn't even thought to ask me.  So she made him stop and get me a HOT Krispy Kreme on the way home from her voice lesson.  Now that was the up side to this day.


This is my favorite time of year.  I love planning and making and baking around  Christmas.  The Imp is gearing up, too.  With her birthday December 22, she'll start the official countdown on November 22.  She loves Advent calendars, as she views them as not just a count down to Christmas but also her birthday.  I'm glad she hasn't lost this childish side to her, even as she's almost 17.