"I just heard some good news...."

Got a call from Grandma today about Grandpa.

He was scheduled to have surgery on that cancerous mass in his intestines today, although he and Grandma didn't know exactly what time today, as the doctor didn't tell them. We've been asking people at church and that we know to pray for him, as surgery is a scary thought when someone is 92 and has had multiple bypasses. But apparently the doctors thought his heart was strong enough (he had a test--forget the name now--for it, and he passed with flying colors), so they decided to go ahead. But we knew there was a risk, and even though we all knew he'd be with the Lord if he didn't pull through, it was still a little scary.

So Grandma called this afternoon to let us know that he came out of surgery just fine! PTL! In fact, it sounds rather miraculous, as the cancer was in a better (more get-at-able?) place than the doctor had thought before, so they were able to cut it out and sew up Grandpa's gut more easily. And the surgery only took an hour, rather than two to two and a half. Which means Grandpa will be home in less time than originally expected (two days instead of four, I think she said). And God be praised! they didn't think the cancer had spread!

Grandma, Mom, Grandpa & Peter, July 2011

So, as Mom put it, God still has things for Grandpa to do in this life yet...and of course we don't mind having him around a little longer, either. ;-) Thanks so much for your prayers, y'all! <3

I've given this whole blogging thing a lot of thought and prayer--or tried to, anyway--and I think I've made a decision. For now, I'm going to put my blog in hibernation until I have some clearer, more definite insight as to whether or not to keep it up or just use my account to see what all you loverly folk are up to. Right now, blogging feels like maximum output for minimum gain, and it doesn't seem right for me to spend bunches of time writing, proofreading, adding pictures and tweaking my posts to my liking...and get no satisfaction out of it. I don't mean to be whiny here, mind you--just telling how it is on my end. Besides, I feel like--at this point in my life, anyway--my time would be better spent actually working on the projects I set up this blog to share--assuming anyone actually wants to see them--and trying to get back into my writing. I have one dress for Summer and one for Winter at present--adequate, but a bit boring, jah? :-P Time to sew up all the pretty frocks swanning about in my head and put them in my wardrobe!

And on the writing front, I have Anna Johnson and Jesse Black wanting me to write their stories in a more thought-out, more historically believable way, and Prince Nácil begging me to finish his, and Harold Hale and Elsie Douglas ditto, and Ciara Littlefoot, Questa Poláris and friends, Estrella, Barona Oakenstaff and Talíra, Talír and his Brothers, and possibly Gilbert Sherwynn, Princess Rosamond, Rhiannon and friends, Fëana and Pádma (or Hasána, depending on what I decide), Tempest and Elsa Lighfoot--well, anyway, depending on the character, they're doing everything from politely requesting to begging to screaming at me to write their stories.

And let's not forget Thomasina Rose Blondel ("Tom" to her friends), alias Wild Rose LeBlonde, pirate-hunter (now you know where my blog address came from)!

So for now, let us not say Goodbye (unless it's in the original meaning: "God be with you"), but rather, Until Next We Meet.

God bless, Gentle Readers, and thank you again for your prayers!

~"Tom"~