You Win Some...You Lose Some

It's a bittersweet night in the Haase house.

I get about 6 minutes to revel in the sweet victory of my Orangemen (undefeated 9 - 0) only to flip the channel to see my Steelers throw it away on 4th down with a minute to go. grrrr

One team is impressively pulling their way up from below as the other team tumbles past them on the way down, down, down. Boo hoo. Cleveland? Come on!

still love you guys!

Today is LiveSTRONG Day. Join my fight against the "C" word.

Maybe you know that I had “declared” and end to 2009: The Year of Cancer a few weeks back. After losing Todd’s dad on May 17th (lung, then brain cancer) and then my Aunt Tracy on June 13th (breast, then brain cancer), I proclaimed that we were officially “done” with cancer. Time to move forward.

My declaration came weeks before we learned:
1) That Hogan had a malignant (cancerous) tumor on his face, and
2) That Dad has now a second form of Cancer: B-Cell Lymphoma – for which he has already begun treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.

There’s never any “good news” where Cancer is concerned. But at least both of the above are under control. Hogan’s looks like it is in the clear, and Dad is in great hands with the folks in Cleveland.

I bought a pink ribbon bracelet the other day and it contained the following message:

What Cancer cannot do.
Cancer is so limited.
It cannot cripple Love, It cannot shatter Hope,
It cannot corrode Faith, It cannot destroy Peace,
It cannot kill Friendship, It cannot suppress Memories,
It cannot silence Courage, It cannot invade the Soul,
It cannot steal Eternal Life, It cannot conquer the Spirit.

We Laughed, We Cried ...

Mom, Grandma, Me, Katie and Amy

...and a good time was had by all!

Another fabulous "family" weekend. This was definitely not the plan, but Amy called me as I was driving up Route 17/I-86 on Friday morning. Since I was not yet to Binghamton (where I-81 heads north toward Syracuse), we both decided that I would take the detour and pick her up! We had a Thelma and Louise (without the cliff at the end) ride back to Erie in the TT! What fun!

At home: lots of wine, laughs, games, and family stuff. We taught dad how to use the remote control on the DVR while watching the final stages of the Tour de France. He didn't know that he had the power to pause/rewind/etc. live TV. What a hoot! Watch out Nancy...your TV viewing will never be the same again. A man with a remote!!!

We all went to the 63rd Annual Turner Family Reunion, me, for the first time in at least 30 years. There I was reminded (how does one "forget" these things?) that we are documented, direct-line descendents of, not just of the Mayflower, but of Gov. Wm. Bradford. Very cool. Each year, there's a reading of the "minutes" from the previous year's reunion. For 63 years, the closing line of the family minutes: "...and a good time was had by all." Well said, and true for this group.

Sunday was the Tracy Tribute. She delivered, as promised! Anna led a brief memorial service with prayer and stories shared by the group. We laughed, we cried and we laughed some more. This time, she didn't just bring us together. She brought us closer. Much closer.

Donald wants to do same for Tracy's birthday every year. How can we not?

Happy Birthday Trixie!

Today, July 22, would have been Tracy's 46th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Girl!!!

A birthday didn't pass between the two of us where we wouldn't send one of those silly e-cards. In January, she sent me a birthday card with a singing Golden Retriever...looked just like Hogan (except that he doesn't really sing)!

Speaking of cards, I kept getting those e-minders this week about her birthday coming up. I wanted to hit 'reply' and tell them, "Hey, don't you think that I've been thinking about her every single day? Quit harassing me, already!"

Trace had the most incredible wit--something that I always aspired to as a kid. I'd sit in a room and listen to her and think, "sheesh, she's really funny...I wish I could be that funny!" I've been thinking about that a lot since she's been gone. What a gift she gave all of us: a sense of humor that was worth aspiring to! I'd like to think that it helps me in my job from time to time!

This weekend, we are gathering in Erie to celebrate Tracy's life -- a memorial service, of sorts. Donald and others thought it was appropriate to pick her birthday as a time for us all to say good-bye. In style. With a big party! I'll be wearing my pink ribbon for Trixie.

A friend sent me one of those "feel good" e-mails about a week after Tracy passed. I'm pasting an excerpt. Anyone who loves someone else needs to read it...

As she was battling cancer, one of my close friends remarked that in one
sense the past year had been one of her best; she’d seen more of her friends
than ever. Not long before she died this month, Sarah wrote in a website her
friends had set up for her: “I probably had a better week this week than anyone!
Picture having a gourmet dinner and chocolate cake appear at your door . . .
Imagine getting calls from two of your best friends in the world to see if you
had time for tea or coffee . . . Visualize Suzanne hand-delivering ingredients
and recipe for a wonderful meal Friday . . . Tomorrow: a mother/daughter party
planned by Patty. It’s weeks like this that make me feel everyone should try
cancer. At least for a week!’’

Her birthday came four days after she died. Instead of the party we had planned, her friends met at a pub. We set her framed photo at the head of the table, toasted her and told our favorite Sarah
stories. I could just hear her saying: “OK, girlfriends. I’m still with you, and I always will be. Now, who wants dessert?’’

So, girl, here's your picture...the one with the hot blondie wig! You can be sure there'll be stories galore. And, as usual, you will have us laughing till we cry.

Now, where's that dessert?

We Lost

Damn it.

It didn't take long.

I arrived in Erie late Wednesday. Earlier that day, Trace had an incredible rally. She was alert and funnier than hell. She told mom: "My ass is killing me..." (even she caught the irony in that). It was an amazing gift!

By Thursday, when I was able to visit, she was already in a deep sleep -- a result of the pain (or 'no pain') meds. They had stopped the chemo meds earlier in the week. On Friday when we visited, she was "still sleeping." That's when I decided to hold her hand and let her know I was there with her. And she knew. I'm certain.

Early Saturday morning, she slipped away. Peacefully. A journey's end. Almost scripted.

Tracy brought our family together in a way she'll never know. It was a lasting gift to all of us.

I hope she'll visit someday. Butterfly?

I'm watching for you! I love you, auntie. Thanks for the gifts.

Still Mad

Nancy (my mom), Carla, Tracy, and Amy

Mad At Cancer UPDATE: I thought I lost this photo, but unearthed it from a hidden cyberfile.

I dubbed it "Loper Girls." Even though, technically none of us are Lopers, we will always be Loper Girls. And, as you may know, those who try to interfere will be dubbed "interLopers!" Cancer included.

Keep praying.

MAD AS HELL at Cancer

I just picked up the Connecticut Post and saw a teaser headline above the page 1 fold: Officer Loses Battle with Cancer. Jay Silva was a beloved Shelton cop and the son of Todd's one-time boss, Joe Silva. Pancreatic cancer took him yesterday. This news comes only a couple weeks after we lost Ed, Todd's dad, to lung cancer that had spread numerous places throughout his body. I can't say this any other way: Cancer Sucks.

I'm off to Erie to be with my family as my dear aunt, Tracy, (blog id: Girl with a Pink Ribbon) fights cancer like hell. No one deserves to get breast cancer at age 39. We were lucky. She beat the first round and got a few extra years. But it came back, and this time with a vengeance like no other.

I don't get (or stay) angry about too much. But today, especially, I'm pissed at cancer.

Please pray for Tracy.

My NEW Favorite Recipe

My earlier declaration hasn't changed: I STILL don't cook.

But I do eat, and that means finding (healthy) things that are tasty, easy and require little or no kitchen skills. When I find one I like, I feel compelled to post it here. No special reason...

So here is my newest creation...it's a recipe I "stole" from a Weight Watcher's cookbook, then modified to make it my own. Todd and I both love it--that seals its fate as a "keeper" in our kitchen.


Fast, Easy and Delicious
SASSY STUFFED PEPPERS
(adapted from "Sassy Meatloaf" in WW Quick & Easy)

1 lb. ground turkey breast (healthier than ground turkey)
1 c. carrots pulverized in the CuisinArt
1 c. mushrooms pulverized
1 c. medium salsa
1 c. oatmeal (I found some high fiber stuff at Trader Joe's)

Combine all ingredients, divide and stuff into cleaned-out peppers. I buy a three pack of red-orange-yellow peppers. This recipe makes enough to stuff six peppers.

Now...here's the best part. Put each pepper in its own zipper storage bag and freeze.

Come home from a long day of work and pop a couple out of the freezer. Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Serve with brown rice and add more salsa as a condiment. Yummy and easy!!



Jerry Seinfeld's wife made a fortune writing a cookbook about "hiding" vegetables and other healthy stuff in food so your kids will eat it. Todd may not be completely on to the fact that I'm sneaking these veggies into his dinner. Let's try to keep it that way!


Bon Apetit!

Easter Dresses (with sleeves)

Why couldn't we swap this weekend's weather with our Easter weather two weeks ago? It would have been nice for all those little girls to don their finery sans turtlenecks and leggings underneath. It was probably about 40 degrees in Syracuse on Easter, but that didn't stop Olivia and Ava from looking cute as buttons in their spring togs.

Spring PSA for Owners of Dogs that Swim

This is a friendly reminder (warning) for those of you with dogs who love to swim.

I created this file <------- three years ago after a horrific swimming incident that happened at Lake Mohegan in Fairfield.

We take Hogan for a walk every weekend morning and it usually involves a dip in the lake or further upstream in the Cascades. Our typical M.O. was a quick towel dry and then to let him "air dry" in the backyard after we got home.

To make a long story real short...after one particular weekend of swimming (it was spring and there had been a huge rainstorm and subsequent run-off), he developed a severe rash under his ears and around his neck and collar area. These "hot spots" spread very rapidly if undetected, and because of all that fur, we had no idea what was happening underneath. I noticed a lot of seeping (wet fur) that smelled really, really bad. So off we went to the vet.

As a result of the infection, the vet had to remove the fur from all of the infected areas. The result was what you see above -- a hairless, naked rat! Poor fella! Thanks to oral and topical meds, he healed quickly, but it took several months for his hair to grow back.

It turns out the whole thing could have been prevented, and that's why I'm posting this reminder. Our vet told us to simply rinse Hogan with the hose and towel dry him every time he swims. Bathing too frequently isn't good either. I suppose the rinsing would have been a simple and good practice to follow all along, just something we --and the poor ol' pooch-- had to learn the hard way.

So don't let this happen to you (or your dog, for that matter)! Rinse your dog every time after swimming! Then let him air dry in the yard!

THIS is Jeopardy!

I've been a lot of places in the world, but I'd never been to Las Vegas --a place where, by the way, if you haven't been to a lot of places in the world, you can see 8 of the world's top ten sites (Eiffel Tower, Pyramids, NY, NY ...you get the point).

Martha (see Top Chef story below) was one of the floor managers for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and she invited me to come visit Vegas during the show. The trade show itself was darned impressive -- 1.8 million square feet of show floor -- one of the largest there is!!

The Sony television folks unveiled their new Jeopardy! set as part of CES, and as such they held the taping of Jeopardy! Torunament of Champions one evening during the trade show.

Being VIP guests because of Martha's role with CES, we had tickets that allowed us to see them tape the first two rounds (but we're sworn to secrecy about the winners)!

Johnny Gilbert came out to "warm up" the audience before Alex and the contestants got underway. I managed to snap this shot just before Johnny told us "no photography, please." The entire production was really impressive, with almost no flaws and therefore, little for show editors to do after the fact. It was quite the contrast to the "...Millionaire" taping we attended when Amy was a contestant years back (let's not talk about that...grrr).

The Tournament airs March 16 and 17. Look for us in the opening shots when they pan the audience!!