Saturday, June 27, 2009(written Sunday morning)

Well, today was an eventful day. Michael had found a place "nearby" to play Yu-Gi-Oh cards. I say nearby with my tongue in cheek as it was about 15 miles according to my speedometer on my car. We made our way down Bellaire Blvd which is the main street in Bellaire and the one I travel daily and sometimes twice daily in the opposite direction to the hospital before it runs into Holcombe where the hospital sits. We arrived shortly after 11:00am and found the owner inside. One other young man was sitting at the game tables. We asked if this was the correct place and they advised it was. From the looks of the menu on the internet they served just about everything. It kinda reminded me of the No-D-Lay but a lot smaller. Of course, me being the way I am, I asked a few questions regarding where to sit as I had brought my laptop with me, which during this journey has become my side-kick besides Michael. The owners were busy getting things together to serve the customers. As the minutes went by, several boys arrived and we started the tournament. I started conversing with Kathy, the lady who arrived shortly after we did. She was busy wiping down tables, getting this for her husband who was in the kitchen preparing the standard items they use. You know how much we love mom and pop operations, since Michael works at Stewarts. He tells everyone he works for a "mom and pop" grocery store. Kathy sat down with me and we visited about our faith and cancer(she is a cancer survivor) for the time we were there. We ordered hamburgers and they were just like the ones that they served at Ben and Louise's BBQ when I was 'younger'. Only thing lacking was the peach cobbler. The mom and pops businesses are really nice having been in Houston for three months and there aren't many. This country girl likes small things. Any way, Michael played in the tournament until we had to leave for the 4:00pm appointment at MD Anderson for Chemo. I don't want to make anyone jealous, but I stopped and bought gas at a CITGO for $2.33 per gallon. Then off again to the hospital. We arrived at 4:10am and surprisingly got in to the room about 4:45pm. They are 'johnny on the spot' on the weekends. We left about 9:00pm and went by the store arrived at our home away from home about 9:30PM. Kathy and her son gave Michael some Yu-Gi-Oh cards, binder and a playing mat when he left. He said on the way to the hospital, "They didn't have to give me those things.....I know they have to pay for them and that's how they make their living." I told him it was not because they had to give them to him, but because they wanted to. Thanks Kathy and family for making us feel so welcome in your restaurant and having the tournament was "awesome" in that it gave Michael a sense of normalcy during this journey as we make weekly trips when we were home to Wichita Falls to play cards on Saturday afternoons. It was so nice having a adult woman to talk with and having walked where we are walking these days. God sent her to the restaurant as she said she normally didn't come there on Saturdays, but was needed today. We hope all is well at the "Big" 'O' and you will have some cooler days this week with some much needed rain. Blessings today and much rest after you worship our Lord at your chosen place of worship. Love to all, Terri and Michael