Day 35 (day 34 skipped)

Yesterday was so busy that I didn't get to post--errands, weaving, walking, dining, visitors.

Today is less busy, but still fun. Emily has her friend from college here. They're just hanging out doing college student things.

It's American Independence Festival Day in Exeter so we all went downtown to check it out. It was not as nice as previous years sadly. There were not very many tables compared to usual. We're going to the fireworks tonight. It's always been fun previously. We'll see. Usually I see lots of people I know and maybe see only once a year so it has potential to be awkward. Yes, I'm bald because I am an avant-garde artist--that is what Emily is encouraging me to say. It's not too bad to tell people about the leukemia, but it gets tiresome to repeat it more than once an evening so perhaps I will only tell the first group of people I see. After that, I'll just maintain a silence when people stare at my head.

It's actually been interesting to see what people do with my big moth eaten head. Usually, I can see people's eyes flick over it as they register "bald." Every now and again, some one will really go over my whole head, "bald. Wait a minute, bald on this side, too? Ok, bald. what about on the top? yes, bald." No one, not even a random four year old waiting in line at the grocery store has asked me why I'm bald. The guy who rotated my tires asked how much I hated the weather and I told him I'd been in air conditioned splendor for 29 days so I was enjoying weather and he asked "chemo?" That is the closest anyone has come and I did sort of invite it. One random woman walked up to me after she overheard me talking with some one and wished me good luck. She told me her sister had breast cancer and she knew it wasn't any of her business, but she hoped I did well. I thought that was very sweet.

The social interactions of an obvious cancer patient: the fireworks episode tonight.

Otherwise, I'm weaving a little, hanging out with family, eating out lots and making fun of the dog's various snoring noises. It's a good life I've got going on here.

Terry and I are off to the local cheese store. We're out of brie and candied pecans so it's an emergency!