July – A Difficult Summer

The Fourth of July brought happier times.

Friends gathered at the lake for swimming, food, laughter, and fireworks. Jen and Andy joined us, along with Toni, Celia, Paola, Aida, and several members of Esther’s laboratory.

Planning also began for what would become Esther’s spectacular sixtieth birthday celebration.

Mid-month Esther underwent eyelid surgery, which fortunately went smoothly.

Then came another unexpected challenge.

On July 22 I began radiation treatments for prostate cancer.

Every weekday meant another trip to the hospital. Twenty-eight treatments stretched across nearly six weeks.

Unfortunately, the radiation machine broke down several times, delaying treatments and making me increasingly nervous that I wouldn’t finish before our three-and-a-half-month European trip.

Thankfully everything eventually worked out.

I completed my final treatment just two days before our departure. My doctors were understandably nervous about my leaving before my two-week follow-up appointment, but thankfully everything looked good enough for us to continue with our plans.

August – Another Heartbreak

Only weeks after losing Cleo, our second Doberman, Aspen, also passed away.

I truly believe she missed her lifelong companion so deeply that she simply lost the will to live. Losing both dogs within six months left an enormous emptiness.

Later in the month we celebrated Celia’s birthday at Esther’s house, which Toni and Celia were now renting. It was a little strange being invited as guests into what had once been our own home.

The month also included a Friday night at the University of Georgia cabin near Blairsville before participating in an outreach event at the Saturday farmers market, followed by a lovely dinner with David and Soraya.

September – A Week of Celebration

Labor Day weekend gave me the opportunity to visit Greta and Nick in Denver. Although the visit lasted only three nights, spending time together made every minute worthwhile.

A few days later Esther’s family began arriving from the Netherlands.

To make room, Toni and Celia temporarily moved into a nearby cottage while Esther’s house filled with family members: Menno, Maurice, Uncle Emiel, Aunt Sonja, and others.

For an entire week our calendar remained full.

There were grilled chicken dinners, birthday dinners at Expat, kayaking on the Broad River, evenings enjoying music and beer at Creature Comforts during the Athens Farmers Market, swimming and canoeing at my lake house, and pizza parties cooked in our outdoor oven.

Everything built toward Saturday evening.

More than one hundred friends and family gathered at Hendershot’s to celebrate Esther’s sixtieth birthday. Randall Bramblett and his drummer provided the music, and the evening became one of those celebrations everyone will remember for years.

Only six days later, on September 19, Esther and I boarded a plane for Amsterdam, beginning our three-and-a-half-month European adventure.

We started in Milan with Jen and Andy before traveling to Turin, where Esther attended yet another scientific conference.