Category: Family

Petra B – Still NED And Loving It

Yesterday was the semi-annual visit to the oncologist for Petra. She is finally finished with the orginal surgeon, the chemo, the radiation oncologist (after five years), and the reconstructive surgeon (after five years), but still sees this one every six months. And no, that is NOT him in the picture.

After a discussion of her recent blood work and (of course) an exam, her doctor pronounced her to be “NED”. That’s cancer-speak for No Evidence of Disease. Yahoo! That’s the best you can hope for once you have ever had cancer. And it only holds until the next round of appointments. But still, yahoo again! High fives for everyone!

Leave me a comment below or else the doctor in this picture will give you an exam!

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A Day In The Life – Take 7

OK, it’s not really a day. It’s the last week or so. But it’s time to catch up a little bit on what the heck stevenology has been doing!

Well, to start off, I’m full and happy after a lunch at Curry Corner. It’s a great Indian Food lunch buffet here in the Natomas area. All you can eat and all gooooood.

Last night we saw an advance screening of a new movie, City Island (web site, more info, even more info). It’s a very funny comedy with heart. We were laughing out loud and so was everyone else in the theater. Great writing, brisk pace, and funny! Go see it!

And let’s be sure to add some April birthday wishes for my sister Steph, my ex-sister-in-law Connie, and our friend Jared (the big 30).

And talking about Jared, he just started up a food-related blog over at JaredEatsWorld. Go visit and tell him stevenology sent you!

Last Friday night we went to see the Sacramento Rivercats baseball game. It was fun, always is, but they lost. They choked at the end. Oh well, you can’t win them all.

OK, faithful readers, what do you think of all THAT?


Swell Sisters Second Sat With Petra B

2009_sisters_front

On Saturday December 12th, 2009, the Swell Sister Society will be hosting their second annual group art show at the Coffee Garden. My wife and partner Petra B will be showing at least one piece of her fused glass art and I have to say it’s a really nice piece too!

The Second Saturday reception for the show will be from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The show features 15 talented female artists, a raffle, refreshments, and music by Jasmein. Along with the show pieces, Little Treasures (affordable art for everyone) will also be featured and any sales from those pieces will benefit the Women’s Wisdom Project at the Sacramento Food Bank, a very worthy cause.

Come on out and see Petra B’s art, along with a bunch of other great art too.

2009_sisters_backThe Coffee Garden is located at 2904 Franklin Blvd in Sacramento.

Leave me a comment below. Art for art’s sake.

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Some Kinda Fairytale Town

fairytaleIt’s  been two years and three months since we were able to take the granddaughters on an outing, just the four of us. But it happened today so I wanted to post about it, real quicklike, before I hit the bed for a few hours sleep before work tomorrow. We were finally able to take them, so we went for a gourmet lunch (Taco Bell!) and then we went to Fairytale Town and spent the afternoon there.

It was just totally a nice visit with the grandkids. They love Fairytale Town and we went there with them lots of times, a few years ago. But today, after a long time waiting, was special. Of course, they are kids and they are sisters, so they sometimes have a little rivaly or a bit of bickering, but they are great and lovable and, of course, so are we 😉  so we had a great time. Love those kids…

Doh! Almost forgot, after we dropped the kids off we went to 524 Mexican Food. Mmmmm. That was pretty good too.

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Leave me a comment below. Tell me the kids are cute!


Petra Runs, Charity Wins!

pb_run2She did it! My wife Petra ran in the 5k Race For The Arts tonight. And she did great! She even cut a few minutes off her expected time.

There’s more info about her and why she ran the race in my blog post the other day. Check it out. But the important thing is that she set a goal and then accomplished it. And in the meantime, she made a bunch of money for her chosen art charity.

Way to go, Petra. We’re hecka proud of you!

and it’s not too late if you want to make a donation   😉

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A Birthday Song For My Wife

pb_bday

And it goes like this:

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, Petra B
Happy birthday to you!

Nice song, huh? I didn’t write it. 😉 But I wanted to publicly wish her a great, great, wonderful day, today and everyday. I love her a lot.

As much as can be…


Help Petra B Help The Arts

My wife and partner Petra B is running in the 5k Race For The Arts later this month. How about supporting her and helping a great charity at the same time? All donations to sponsor her will go to the Women’s Wisdom Project, an art program of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.

If you would like to donate make checks payable to “Race for the Arts” and send to Petra B. Wynbrandt, P.O. Box 340564, Sacramento, CA 95834-0564.

Read her statement in her own words after the jump:


The Doctors All Say “NED”

stern_doctorLast week was “Go to the Doctor” week here in stevenology world. My wife Petra had four, count ’em, four doctors appointments all related to her breast cancer from back in 2005. Yes, unfortunately, that issue never really leaves your life once it has so rudely forced it’s way in. She is still on medication with at least one (hopefully minor) surgery to go. And she is still seen and monitored by multiple doctors at various intervals. And the appointments all happened to hit last week. We should get a frequent doctor discount! Or maybe, go to ten visits, get the eleventh free.

Anyway, first up was the original surgeon for a follow up exam to make sure everything is still going ok. Then it was the oncologist to discuss the recent blood work and of course an exam. Then the radiation oncologist for a followup and another exam. Then, finally, the reconstructive surgeon for yet another exam and an injection too. Sheesh! The only person missing was Jim-Bob’s cousin Raylene! Just kidding…

But here’s the really good news: 100% of her doctors agree that Petra is “NED”. That’s cancer-speak for No Evidence of Disease. Yahoo! That’s the best you can hope for once you have ever had the Big C diagnosed. And it only holds until the next round of appointments. But still, yahoo again! High fives all around!

Leave me a comment below or else the doctor in this picture will haunt your dreams!

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Gone But Not Forgotten – James A. Bolen

Good ol’ Uncle Jim. Well, technically, he wasn’t my uncle but he did care about me. He was my wife Petra‘s uncle and he passed away on December 27th in Illinois. Jim always told Petra how lucky she was to have me, and I won’t argue with that. But the bigger truth is that he and Petra were very lucky to have each other.

As you may or may not know, Petra is adopted and adoption records are sealed in all but five or so states so that people, even grown adults, can not know their family or history. That is a wrong that needs to be corrected. But that is another story. In our case, Petra managed to track down, with the help of her (adoptive) parents, information about her birth family. Her birth father is deceased and her birth mother sadly wants nothing to do with her, even after all these years. Petra has had some contact with a couple brothers and their families but none of that compares to the relationship that she had with her birth father’s brother, her beloved Uncle Jim.


Happy New Year!

OK, so I am almost a week late. We move at a relaxed pace out here on the left coast. But here’s wishing you all the the greatest new year ever possible. As for the past year, well, it’s over and we can say that for it at least. Bygones. There were a lot of highs (too many to recap) and a few lows (losing my mom for instance).

So, the holidays are over for better or for worse, and now on into the new year full speed ahead. Or at a nice, smooth pace. Whatever works for you. And on that note, here’s a video (below) that I have always liked about “A Long December”, by Counting Crows:

 

 

Peace to all in the new year.


Petra B. Is An Artist!

Gather The WomenMy wife and partner, Petra B, will be one of the Swell Sister artists included in a Second Saturday art show, titled Gather The Women. This will be her first time to have a piece of art included in a public showing. Way to go, PB! Her piece is a work of fused glass and wire art, entitled “Five Women”.

As you can see from the postcard at right, the showing will be Saturday December 13th, 2008, at the Coffee Garden. This venue is located at 2904 Franklin Blvd in Sacramento, CA. Click on the postcard graphic to see a larger version. One of the pictures on the card is a glass bowl that Petra created a while back (see top row, fourth from right).

The reception for this event will start at 6:00 PM but you can drop by any time that evening to see the art. Food and coffee are available and there will be music by the Jahari Sai Trio. Bring your friends and come by the Coffee Garden on December 13th to see Petra‘s latest and greatest work of art “Five Women”. And check out the rest of the Sisters’ art too, of course!!


Barack Is In The House! Our House!

Barack The houseYeah, baby! It’s the President-Elect. And you all know what big Obama fans we are, having already read this and this. So, really, it’s no big surprise that he showed up at our house to thank us personally for voting for him. Hey, pictures don’t lie!

Possible captions for this photo:

Barack: “This is better than the White House”

Us: “No, you can’t give our dog to your kids!”

Us: “RED wine? That’s our favorite too!”

The dog: “Want to watch General Hospital?”

Me: “Too bad you didn’t know Petra before you picked your vice-president!”

Any other ideas? C’mon boys and girls. Just click on the comment link below…


Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News

No, I don’t mean that old Robert Palmer song (or was it Moon Martin)? Anyway, long-time readers of this blog will remember on my old web site that I kept a running off-and-on commentary about my wife Petra‘s bout with breast cancer and her subsequent treatments and current period of remision.

It’s been a few years now, but today was her every-six-month check with her oncologist. And, guess what? NED! That’s right, no evidence of disease. Her blood work was clear and good, and the exam went fine too. Ya-hoo! So we are good to go until next May at least. That’s when the next appointment is. In case you were wondering. To health!


The Making Of A Garden Stone

A few weeks ago I made a post about how we bought a very special brick for the grandkids. And that was very cool, check it out if you haven’t already. But this is a little different. It’s a garden stone for my mom. She is gone now, passed away this spring, but when she was here she touched a lot of lives and will not soon be forgotten.

My wife Petra B had this great idea. In my Mom’s honor, she suggested making a garden stone in her memory. You can see the final product in the picture on the right. Mom. 2008. Betty Jo.

Petra got the ball (the stone?) rolling and did most of the work including mixing the cement, but I helped some with the lettering and finishing work. The glass (yes, those are glass pieces) inset into the stone is her work, she is the artist. Thank you so much Petra B for the great idea.

We put the stone in our yard, next to some plants (mums, coincidentally) that my co-workers gave me around the time of the funeral.


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