update

I've had various conversations with people the past few days- and someone told me today: You need to update your blog because everybody's wondering if you're still alive.

Point well taken. Yes, in fact, I am still alive... and feeling a LOT better. 10,000 percent, approximately. Although, just getting out of Chernivtsi (that's where the dr visit happened) helped tremendously. I'm watching my diet- small meals and no coffee (avoiding spicey stuff, too) and taking my meds. And having a hard time remembering to take them, so that should be an indication, I guess, of how I feel.

An interesting note: since this happened, I've been amazed at how many people have had the same thing done. Literally every 2nd or 3rd person. And some have had it more than once. So, is this that common in the States, too? I do know that Heliobacter pylori (bacteria that causes ulcers) is a problem here because of sanitation issues (that was a BIG part of why I didn't want to have the procedure here at all- when you don't know if the instrument has even been properly cleaned, you hate to see it go down into your gut and add to the problem).

We had a really nice time with the folks up north- the whole thing was therapeutic. I have pretty deep emotional ties to that field, since we were there every weekend my first year here (there were only contacts down our way, so we went up there). I'll see if I can find a pic or 2 from the weekend.

this isn't from this weekend, but this is who we stayed with Sun night... and who we crashed in on at 3 am Sat. They're soon leaving. In fact, Laura-the-Western, in answer to your Q, they leave here this Fri... or Sat. I get so easily confused.

These next 2 are sort of far away- that was baseball in Ukr with a volleyball net in the way.

We did volleyball later; we're so athletic...it was rather hilarious. Well, the kids aren't too bad, actually. T's a good pitcher.