The port placement went well. Nurse was a hoot. Doc was easy on the eye which was good since I was basically awake. Well it seems that the middle of the surgery is a blank, but I remember the beginning and the end. Kinda like the tv being turned off for a few minutes during a mystery movie. I was in a lot of pain Friday night but did not take anything. Had to use two pillows because I could not lay flat. Today we took bandage off, they trusted dh to check, and he said it looked really good. Actually, the 1.5 in cut is going to heal very nicely. There is a tiny cut 1/4" at base of neck and it is really hard to see. The bump from the port really does not stand out too much, even with a strapless tank top. Kinda looks like that knot we have on our wrists. I have a chemo class today where they basically tell you what the treatment procedure is like. Tomorrow is my echo which is needed to get a baseline of my hearts condition. One of the chemo meds is really scary in relation to the heart to they need to really watch it. I am hoping first dose is Thurs or Friday. I was a little disturbed last night. Remember the posting about privacy??? Well maybe I am being a little over sensitive but I think I have a right. I have only told a few people, basically only those who really need to know. I decided to tell my dd's coach as I will not be as active on team as usual and figured he is a friend and would better understand dd if he knew. He already knew. A mutual friend told him. She has known me for 8yrs through sports. Well she also told another mom, one I only met this Fall as he dd played on my dd's team. That woman told her dd who goes to school with my dd but is not considered a friend really. Well it turns out the girl approached my dd on Friday to express sympathy. Not what my dd was expecting. I know my friend meant well but was surprised she would tell someone I barely know. Plus I was surprised the woman would tell her dd. Well, I sent emails to both women asking that they respect my privacy and not share my situation with anyone else. I wrote it really nicely, I did not want them to think I was mad. It reminds me of a few years ago when a mom had brain cancer and died at home. The stories that swirlled around the elementary school were really upsetting to the family. I know people have good intentions but just don't think they truly realize how personal things like this are. It is really awkward to have someone come up to you when you don't know they know, you start wondering what exactly they do know. They you feel like you have to explain stuff to them. Again, they all have good intentions. Otherwise I am moving on with all this. Of course I have been so careful about avoiding sneezing people and washing my hands but it looks like I have either a little allergy thing going on or start of a little spring cold. Hope it is just the allergy thing.

Hi again, Thanks so much for the measurements! I think we can work something like that in our smaller bedroom and still have enough floor for his bed.... I will have to measure tomorrow when I don't risk making noise near the bedrooms (our sons sleep with their door open). He still wants to sleep with his brother, but they have made a few comments about having their own rooms soon. We can relocate the computer and set up the room as originally intended for him. Thanks again!

Well, 'Catalonia' is certainly handsome -- congratulations -- as is 'Condesa de Santiago'. I am a total sucker for gold/yellow reverses on orange petals. There is something to be said for vigor on own roots with this group. I loved the flowers of 'Duquesa de Penaranda', but the plant just would not get going for me (4 years of staying virtually the same tiny size), and was eventually killed by ants, of all things. 'Gruss an Coburg' is pretty vigorous -- bush in photo below, taken today, is 6' tall, own-root, and I cut it back regularly. Another great one is 'Etoile de Feu' (about 3' after 3 years) but it is quite susceptible to blackspot -- photos below from later in a previous season, as it is currently "indisposed" due to rampant blackspot (though blooming, as always, like a champ). I have a found rose, apparently a Pernetiana, "Lundy's Lane Yellow", that is very vigorous on its own roots (goes to 7' in a season) and hardly susceptible to blackspot at all, it seems. Sadly out of commerce and not quite in bloom yet -- I am planning to do a "study" of it on HMF when it is ready -- a very worthy rose. P.S. Pernetiana fever is a good thing -- they deserve some attention! 'Gruss an Coburg', today: 'Etoile de Feu', June 2014: Now deceased, 'Duquesa de Penaranda' 2013 (the flowers were large, 5.5"-- ridiculous on such a small bush)

1. Glad you don't want grass in your city lot. Agreed, it is a mosquito magnet, and mosquitos are getting worse and worse because of the warm winters we have been having. 2. I really like your bricks and would not pave over them. You just need a good vision that will tie together a new fence, the bricks and your three large sides of beds. 3. Regarding your bilco doors to the basement, it brings up a question about the whole back of your house. There is a lot of mismatched after though happening. You need to think about the new awning and how you will repair the wall that is the base of your porch. Once the back of your house has more of a "look" to it, you can paint your bilco doors to become part of that scheme. Obviously the setting of the houses below are quite different than yours but they both match the doors to the look of the house and they have planting nearby. Perhaps you want to flank the left side of your basement doors with a planter so there is greenery on one side and steps on the other. I'm obsessed with city back yards and find lots of inspiration just doing a google image search for "Brooklyn backyard ideas". Good luck. It is a wonderful space.