So I called my sister yesterday. She's been dealing with an aggressive form of breast cancer, and I knew she'd been going through chemo (because my niece told me).

My call was long overdue and I can't quite say why I'd put it off. I don't have any negative issues with my sister at all, but we just don't talk that much. Maybe because both our parents are dead and she's my last family member and I didn't want to think about her mortality.

Anyway, I got on and she asked if I was okay. Like, I was calling because I had bad news.

I said, "No, I'm calling to check on you."

Her: "About what?"

Me: "The chemo."

Her: "Oh. That."

She'd had a masectomy six weeks ago and had finally recovered enough to go out on her own that day. She was excited about that, and kept referring to her cancer as "her journey." (Not in an annoying way, but definitely putting the most positive spin on cancer and chemo and surgery that you possibly can.)

Then we just slipped into the kind of dark humor our family's always had, but would be inappropriate with anybody else.

Her: "One good thing is I lost a lot of weight because everything tasted like old socks on the chemo."
Me: "It's considered cheating when your weight loss comes from actually cutting off part of your body."
Her: "Bwah!"

But the best part was that I put her on the phone with Matilda. Now Judy hasn't seen Matilda since Judy flew out for Matilda's christening. And they started talking and it went on for more than 40 minutes of easy laughter.

She declared Matilda "adorable."

Aw, that's awesome David -- the part with talking and Matilda, that is.

That is quite delightful to hear, David.

Heading in to works, but {{{{Hugs}}}} to everyone who would like them.

David, that's good news.

My first(?) Covid vaccine is scheduled for Thursday. My oldest son spent the entire day on it, even though I told him to stop and that I'd try CVS early again in the morning. It's in Southie, which I don't know at all, but am happy to learn.

I'm not sure which vaccine I'm getting, but it's at a community health center, and their website says Pfizer or Moderna. I'm not sure if that's still the case, or if they didn't update their website to include Johnson & Johnson. I'd prefer one of the two-shotters, but I'll take what I can get.

Ohio just announced that people 50 and older can get vaccinated starting Thursday! So that means Tim, but not me. I am thisdamnclose, but not quite.

I'm hoping your natural and infused antibodies keep you and your newly acquired superpowers safe, Steph.

I saw an item on the news about vaccination in rural areas - the reporter was interviewing a doctor at a 25-bed hospital in rural Kentucky. They were more than happy to get the J&J vaccine, since it's harder for people to get to the hospital for one shot, much less two, and they can keep it in their standard refrigerator. The report featured a 90-year-old woman who went to get vaccinated; she wouldn't go in the hospital, so she sat in an open-air space and they brought the vaccine to her. I think she was the first to get it there.

And it turns out my boss and I will be getting our second shots at the same place on the same day; our appointments are an hour apart, so I expect he'll be gone by the time I get there.

This afternoon on my favorite (I don't have many) one of the callers was talking about her mother who has Alzheimers pretty bad, to the point where trying to take her out of the house to one of the sites is just not workable. Having a mobile injection team that could travel for a house call for such cases would be a blessing, particularly now that there's a vaccine that doesn't have to be specially handled.

It was a great segment, particularly because the CDC has just issued new guidelines about whether it's safe for fully vaccinated people to socialize without masks, so there was a lot of discussion about that as well.

Timelies all!

My parents and Gary's parents are all fully vaccinated. With the new CDC guidelines, that means we're having the first Seder at my MIL's house. It also means my folks can stay with us on their way back north.