After winning 1st place in the 400m run in the last 2 varsity meets, Summer pole vaulted 7 feet 6 inches (her best is 8 feet) then casually mentionned that she was skipping today’s 400m race and running only in the 4x4 relay. Also, she’s running 1st in the relay instead of her usual spot as anchor.
Watching Summer speed around the track, we were a little surprised that one person was ahead of her. “Wait, is that a guy?” Eric asked. “Of course not, I retorted,” forgetting that Eric’s never wrong. Summer didn’t seem to know it was a guy either and she just about caught up to him. Her split was a carefully timed 59.6 seconds, way faster than the amazing personal record from just 5 days ago: 61.7! She hugged us after the race even though 3 or 4 boys were standing there. Then another boy ran up to report that the girl Summer just beat was recruited from Italy to run the 400m race for Bellevue High School!
Solly informed me the same night that Iris’s cancer came back in the same place but it’s tiny. Luckily, she now likes her Indian oncologist at home and is now willing to have surgery and radiation. Summer’s victory helped me handle this news and her strength and example will help Iris sail through treatment #2 just like we had FUN during treament #1. Iris feels her weight and Rafi could be contributing factors. These are 2 solvable issues. My pickleball friends Kurt and lillian are a lovely Jewish couple who have been happily separated since 1988. He’s obviously a negative character and she is obviously flourishing at the age of 73. Iris can get this treatment behind her, have a wonderful 70th birthday celebration in Guadalajara followed by a trip with me to Denver and if she likes, start the next phase of her life single or happily separated. Rafi loves her very much and can show that whenever she invites him for dinner or another date.
Iris is scared about age 69 because that’s when her dad died but that age will come and go. It may not be the very best year of her life but still an excellent one like all the other years. MANY MANY MANY good years will come after age 69. If she needed them, Summer, Lynelle, Bethany, Lauren, Emily, Derek, Sierra, and Zachary would all see to it but she doesn’t need their tugging. Iris is the source of all these kids’ strength and Iris will see herself through this irritation.
