The Day to Day in Lake City

Well, it’s trying to snow again but true to the forecast the snow is only sticking at or around 9,000 feet. We’re at 8,700 and I can see snow sticking on the hills outside the windows. But here its just slush!

We are doing well and enjoying small town fall. Many of the trees are still holding their color in spite of the colder temperatures. We remain busy with church stuff, house stuff, visiting folks and just enjoying the day.

Life moves at a realistically slow pace here which is wonderful. While I will have a full day, full of crochet, reading, baking & cooking, walking and a little bit of work, none of it is rushed or hurried. It’s a great thing.

The View from the Kitchen

Set In Stone To Cross The Seas

Well, it's official. And in today's consumer society, making something official means paying money for it. Until money has changed hands, nothing's written in stone. After the money has changed hands, neither the heat of the underworld nor elevated levels of di-hydrogen monoxide will change it. And now, money has changed hands.

Let me say first that Sara is a genius. After much searching to discover the best way to get it done within our budget, she found a unique blessing in the system of a certain foreign airline corporation. That blessing is this: a journey of multiple legs can be purchased for the same amount of money as a single round-trip between two points. To instantiate: for the cost of air travel from Los Angeles, California to Dunedin, New Zealand and back, Air New Zealand has also kindly offered to take us from Los Angeles, California to Dunedin, New Zealand to Syndey, Australia to Wellington, New Zealand and back to Los Angeles.

And now money has changed hands (thanks to the donors of the Parish Pulpit Fellowship Award at Fuller Theological Seminary). So it's written in stone. The first few months of 2006, for Sara and I, look like this:

4 Jan: Fly to Dunedin, New Zealand (South Island). [Emrys will take 3 classes here at U. of Otago.]
27 Feb: Fly to Sydney, Australia.
4 Mar: Fly to Wellington, New Zealand (North Island).
17 Mar: Fly to Los Angeles, California.

As you can imagine, we're very excited! We've begun to look at backpackers (hostels) to accomodate us while we're in these sundry places down under. Those of you who have money and leisure, please feel free to plan your trips to visit us. For everyone else, ready your internet and digital photo software so that we can share pictures with you.

We'll let y'all know when plans for Prague get concretized.

Shalom,
emrys

Here in Lake City

We've finally settled in one place--for about two months. From now until December 11, we're residing in Lake City where I (Emrys) am serving as stop-gap pastor to the Lake City Community Presbyterian Church.
The name "Lake City" is half misnomer. There is a lake here, but there ain't no city. The town's population is about 2000 in the summer and about 320 in the autumn and winter. We'll be here in the latter part of the year. Our experience here has caused us to redefine Durango as "the big city." (It has a Wal-Mart, after all.)
The fall colours are almost gone, with the huge sombre willows along the main drag providing the greatest resistance to the turning tide of winter. They still burn with a golden yellow, though their fire is spreading more and more to the yards and rooftops of the town. Way above us, the mountains have already donned their white caps and settled in for their long winter nap. The air nipped with the sharp teeth of Jack Frost for the first time today. It was cold enough for boots and mitts.
So Sara and I sit together in the 125-year-old dining room, our feet propped up next to the wood stove, and settle. The world is quiet here, and we like it. We could be settlers on the Western Slope at the end of the 19th century, were it not for the click-clack of my laptop keys and the screen displaying images conveyed by satellite internet. In spite of the technology, our evening is homey, a fitting piece of the tiny society called Lake City, where everyone knows your name and notices when you're not there. It will be a good two months.
Sara has finished her radiation, and we thank God every day for it. Her head grows stiffer and fuzzier with new hair, the blessed arrival proving the end of the ordeal. We're done with cancer and its treatments for a long, long time--at least among us. Friends and church members still suffer its ravages; I for one hope that our experience, though terrible, will afford more grace to others who will lean on us for support.
Even as we discover the life of tiny town, Colorado, we make plans for the future. New Zealand has almost become a certainty for the new year: the money is in, my classes are booked, and we're on the cusp of having airline tickets in our hot little hands. Hobbiton, Milford Track, and sheep out the wazoo beckon us from the other side of the globe. The testimonies of friends who drool at the thought of that kiwi-land have whet our appetites for the trip. Almost too quickly, it will be here. Then to Prague and the allures of Europe. Then I shall have a call back in this country, and it will be finally time to settle down for a long time: no more stuff "in storage," no more wondering where we'll live next month.
The past has been rough, but the present is bright, and the future is warm. Hah! Life is good.

3 Days and Counting!

12 weeks of chemotherapy and 12 radiation treatments down- 3 radiation treatments to go! By noon on Friday I will have completed my cancer treatments! So as you are all over the country making your weekend plans – join us in celebrating! Lift a glass, eat an extra brownie or just dance around your living room! Then come back, post a comment so we can all share the experience!

Thank you again to everyone who was my support during this time with cards, e-mails, phone calls, letters and donations to various cancer research and support organizations. If you have planned on making donations or plan to at year end, and just haven’t gotten around to it, I’d ask that you visit my friend Sarah R.’s site (link to the right) and consider supporting her as she’s fundraising and walking with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society marathon on January 8.

As the chapter of treatment comes to a close, I am so blessed to count you all among my friends and family. May this fall find you time to truly enjoy those around you – friends and family – who you love. May you take the time from the busy-ness to enjoy the colors of the turning leaves, the first cool crisp day, the smile on a child’s face.
Love to you all.
~sjt

Weather of the Week

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings brought thunderstorms. Thunder roaring, hail falling, rain crashing down and lightning interrupting the night sky. Thursday brought rain, rain and more rain.

Now it is Friday. The warm sun and the glowing aspens that have succumbed to fall kiss the cool snow caps on the peaks of the San Juan mountains. The sight is spectacular and the drive up to Lake City this afternoon was truly breathtaking… see for yourself->

We are blessed to be able to live- even if temporarily- in such a beautiful area!
~sjt

Lake City, CO

Visiting, sermon preparation, radiation treatments, walking in the beautiful fall colors, racquetball; these are just a few of the things filling up our calendars these days! Last weekend we took off in different directions- Emrys to Lake City and Sara to Phoenix to get stuff out of storage. It was a grueling weekend but good. Sara was able to visit with family during her short trip and Emrys did some more “settling in” to the manse.

Radiation is going well. Sara isn’t experiencing any of the side effects yet and we’re half way through! Praise God!! In addition, she’s taken on racquetball twice a week while she’s in Durango and walking on the off days. Her energy is back and better than when we started!
Last night we had rain and thunderstorms all night. It was the first time in a long time and so in spite of the cold air that came with the storms we slept with the windows open. It was great! And this morning we’re back to Colorado blue skies.

Have a great day!
~sjt

Cruising Into Fall

With radiation treatments underway, Sara’s still off and running. Although we’ve been warned that her energy may fade near the end of the treatments… we’ll see! Emrys is in Hebrew texts up to his elbows as he prepares sermons for Lake City and thoroughly enjoyed his stay so far in the small town. Last Sunday he preached for a full house as the regular end of summer crowd was in attendance – about 90- and then a women’s retreat that was in the area from Kansas City showed up adding another 40 to the numbers. It was standing room only!!

This we’ll split in separate directions, Sara heading to Phoenix to empty out the storage unit into her parents new garage with lots of help and Emrys off to Presbytery Meetings in Allison, CO and then to Lake City.

The fall colors are beginning to paint the landscape in Durango with rust, orange and gold peaking through the summer greens. Fall is such a beautiful season that was truly missed during our time in California.

Emrys has received his official acceptance to the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand which cements our plans to head off in January. He has to be in Dunedin by January 15th so we will most likely begin our jet-setting soon after New Years. Now that things are cementing this adventure is becoming more real and we’re getting excited again!

Hope all is well with you- our family and friends!!
God Bless!

Sharing SW Colorado

We’ve arrived back in Durango and are having fun showing Ginger & Sophie our little corner of paradise. Yesterday we drove north to Andrew’s Lake, Animas Forks- a ghost town, and Silverton. It was a beautiful day and fall was definitely in the air. It was only about 50°. (Link to photos ->). Our outing included Ginger rock climbing, hiding in abandoned mine shafts, gorgeous mountain views, amazing blue water at Baker’s Bridge, exploring houses that remained standing in Animas Forks and wandering through the gift shops in Silverton. It was a packed day and everyone slept well last night!

Today we will meet with the radiation oncologist to schedule out Sara’s treatments. We’re aiming to be done by October 7th so that Sara can move out to Lake City too and the driving back and forth will be finished-for the most part. Emrys will begin preaching at Community Presbyterian on Sunday- so the commuting begins. He’ll drive out, spend the weekend and then come back to Durango.

On the Road Again

We spent the weekend with Emrys’ family as they gathered to remember his dad. It was a good time of visiting under the circumstances but also difficult as well. We left on Monday and made it safe and sound to Branson, MO and are enjoying some down time with Sara’s family.
For those who haven’t been to Branson, it can only be described as a tacky Las Vegas of the Midwest. But there are outlet malls which are pretty fun! On a mission shopping trip we were able to get some dinnerware. (Ours was hand-me-down stuff that we handed down to someone else when we moved from Pasadena.) We now have dishes to eat off of when we get to Lake City- which is a good thing.
We will hang out here through Friday or Saturday when we will start our trip back to Durango. We will get back into town late on Sunday. Sara’s Mom will be with us next week as well as our good friend Sophie. It will be a good time.