Inflatable Sheep

I found I had squamous skin cancer a couple of weeks ago. It's a tiny spot on my forehead. I get it cut out today. It's stage one and so is very treatable. Knocked the wind out of me for a few hours, but I got back up, put my boots on, lathered sunscreen across my body, and I'm ready. Ready for life, ready to ride.

I found out Mama has breast cancer last week. It's stage one, it's very treatable. Women in our family tend to get it and that's why we have mamograms every single year. But they also get over it and go on living for years and years afterwards. I'll probably be going to Oklahoma when she has her second operation.

February 1st was John and I's 26th anniversary of our first date. He got me a gorgeous bouquet. As is his tradition: an iris for every year we were together before we got married (8), and a yellow rose for every year we've been married (16 on Valentine's Day). We've had a very rough year in our relationship this year. Our anniversary seemed a celebration of survival and still being friends who happened to love each other too.

You can see my photos of my bouquet: Rose and iris, iris, iris and rose, rose, rose, rose, iris.

I also captured TeddyBear in a moment of stillness. Outside, spring continues to bloom: red camellias and tiny grape hyacinths.

Think I'll grab the crochet (43 squares down, 27 to go), sit on the patio, and listen to Thich Nhat Hanh and “The Art of Mindful Living” on my iPod. Seems a good day for quiet reflection.