May 29, 2009
Petticoats
OK, I admit it! I love to Square Dance! You already know that I love to Flamenco dance and I have several beautiful costumes.
But I also love to Square Dance. It is the State dance of Oregon and several other states as well. It is a great way to meet wonderful people, get exercise, have fun and exercise your brain, too. And for singles or families the cost is quite reasonable.
I bought this house because it had enough room for me to store all of my beautiful costumes from Flamenco, and another performance group I have yet to tell you about, and all my square dance dresses. Well actually the dresses are not the most difficult thing to store… it is what goes on underneath the dresses that takes up all the room!
Yes, I do wear those short skirts with all the fluffy petticoats underneath. And actually it was because of one of my square dance dresses that I first noticed my swelling abdomen (and waist) which was for me the first sign of my Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma. I noticed that my belt for my skirt was tighter than normal, yet I weighed about the same. That made me go Hum? “ What is happening? Oh well, I guess my body is just changing.” but that is not what happened. Now I have to store all my beautiful petticoats and dresses away for a little while, but here is a picture of them before they go into the closet!
Petticoats by PDXFireefly
May 28, 2009
April 12th
As I was visiting with someone the other day and recounting the story of my Father’s epic Memorial Service, I mentioned that he had passed away on Easter Sunday, April 12th.
I was asked about my Mother and I mentioned the day that she had passed, but that she had a bad fall and broke her hip about six weeks before and the date…you guessed it…April 12th.
May 27, 2009
Surgery Update
It is now one week after my surgery and Portland Firefly is just now beginning to feel like writing something. All of my other recent articles were written prior to my surgery for posting during this time frame.
OK…one week out. How am I feeling? I am actually feeling pretty good, all things considered. My Daughter is staying with me and is cooking for us and running errands. I am either in bed, napping, in the recliner, or trying to walk around and get a little exercise in the house or back yard. My energy level has been extrememy low since my last Chemo on April 30th. My blood counts were still very low prior to surgery and so my doctor ordered that I be given a very expensive injection to boost my bone marrow production. My energy level is still very low. I have only taken one shower since surgery and must take another one today. I still do not want to get dressed yet as I prefer the comfort of my loose fitting nighties. My taste buds are all messed up which is common for cancer patients as well as post-surgical patients. I am eating, but most food does not taste very good – even though it is healthy, good tasting food. I have been coughing up a lot and that is what the Doctor wants, but coughing wears one out and makes the abdominals hurt; time to take another nap.
OK. The surgery…. I’ll be able to to tell you more after we have the Post-op Doctors visit in a few days. What can I tell you about it today? The Doctor was very pleased with the 4 hour surgery and your prayers were answered in that I only had to have the DaVinci Robot inscisions –my doctor did not have to cut me from “stem-to-stern” to do what she had to do. I only have 6 inscisions, 5 of them are about 2 inches long, spaced across my abdomen, and they are healing. Where is the sixth one you ask? OK… it’s sort of personal… the sixth inscision is actually in my naval… there you have it. I don’t know why, but I am embarrassed by telling you that.
The Doctor told my Family that the surgery went well and she was pleased with what she found. We will get the pathology reports and her full evaluation at the upcoming post-op visit along with her suggestion on what treatment options to continue with at this time. I already know that my cancer by it’s very nature is considered a Stage III, because of the way these cancers are staged. Primary Peritoneal Cancer is always Stage III or Stage IV.
As far as a prognosis goes, my Doctor has always “gone for the cure” and that has been her attitude from the beginning. I am not sure that I have been able to embrace her optimisistic attitude — it is my life after all. Hopefully the post-op visit will give me more hope and the ability to be more on board with her ideals. There are moments when I have actually begun to think that I might REALLY have a chance to win this fight –but truthfully –they are only moments not even minutes. And so, I am looking forward to the post-op visit and to the information it will give us. Thank you for all your prayers. They are working.
May 25, 2009
Skin Care V
This is the fifth installment of my skin care series. You can read them all by clicking on “beauty” under the categories sidebar to your right. You must then click on the title of the post you want to read. Or you may type “skin care” into my search box on the right.
This installment deals with moisturizing your now clean skin.
There are a limitless number of moisturizers out there and they are all price ranges. You can go to the cosmetics counter at a department store or you can go to a stand alone store like Sephora (one of my favorites) and ask one of the saleswomen there for guidance. They are all trained by their company so that they can give you the best advice.
You should know what type of skin you have, sensitive or average. You should have an idea of how much time you spend in the sun so you can get the correct sun screen which is now a daily must wear.
I actually use a moisturizer that I have used for 25 years and I love it. It is high quality and medium priced and I love the results it gives me. I then use a tinted sunscreen moisturizer over my initial moisturizer. this is something new that I have added to my daily beauty routine but I feel that the benefit of protecting my skin from the sun outweigh the cost of the product.
Again, you may have to try several products to find just the one that suits you best. Read the labels and think about what you have read. Don’t be in a rush to make a decision that day. Think about what your skin needs and what suits your lifestyle.
Now, that takes care of daytime. If you have read all of my skin care posts, then you know that cleansing is very important. So, when it is time for nitey-nite, go and cleanse your face , being very sure to rinse it well (20 splashes, remember?). Then pat dry (we don’t want to stretch your skin and create more wrinkles do we?) and then moisturize again for bed.
Our bodies actually repair themselves while we sleep and that is why quality rest is so very important to our daily functioning. Your skin is no exception. And that is the reason why there are daytime moisturizers and night time moisturizers. The night time moisturizers will be a little heavier and should contain different ingredients and nutrients because your skin will take them in during the night and then you can wake up even more beautiful than when you went to sleep! They call it “beauty sleep” for a reason!
May 23, 2009
Happy Memorial Day
This is Memorial Day Weekend. The colors of this weekend are red, white and blue, so dress accordingly. And if you have a flag, please be sure to fly it. Mine will be flying at my home!
May 22, 2009
A Draw Sheet
What is a draw sheet? Did Portland Firefly do it again and come up with something of which you have not heard? (Gosh, did I have to re-write that sentence in order to not end it with a preposition!)
A draw sheet is an extra sheet that you put over the sheet on your bed. It is used in nursing homes and sometimes for hospice beds because of the flexibility it provides to caregivers.
If a bed sheet becomes soiled, then you must strip the entire bed and change the sheets, washing all of them. That is time consuming, plus you have the added (and probably larger) problem of what to do with the patient during the bed changing process. The use of a draw sheet eliminates most of these problems.
With a draw sheet on the bed, if it becomes soiled, you simply “draw off” (remove) the soiled draw sheet leaving the bed intact. If the patient is immobile, then you can simply roll the patient to one side while switching out the soiled draw sheet for a clean one. Then rolling them back to a more comfortable position. Another plus is that a draw sheet is usually folded, thereby providing additional layers of protection for the bed. One can even insert a plastic sheet inside it, or a heavy towel for added absorption protection if that is comfortable for your patient.
When used in a hospital bed with an immobile patient, it provides a means to readjust the patients position easily, by just pulling up on the ends of the draw sheet thereby straightening the patients position and making them more comfortable without tugging on their limbs.
PS: This article was written a few weeks prior to surgery, but schedulded for viewing today. The next several articles were planned in the same way.
PS: As a point of clarification, the draw sheet should be folded (usually into thirds) and then placed over your bottom bed sheet. But… place the draw sheet so that it tucks into the sides of the bed only. It will only go from about your shoulder to your knees, protecting the area of the bed that is most likely to become soiled. I have a king sized sheet that I keep for just this purpose on my queen sized bed.
May 20, 2009
Surgery Update
Greetings from Portland Firefly’s Hospital Room. The surgery went great and the doctor was very pleased with the results. Portland Firefly is very tired but recovering and should be able to return home soon. Thank you for all your prayers. Miracles do happen.
Posted by Heathervescent, Portland Firefly’s Daughter.
Pre-Op Doctor’s Appointment
In preparation for my surgery, we had a pre-op doctor’s visit. I have already described my experience at the hospital when I was there for my pre-op CT Scan and we knew that we would receive the results at this visit. But I was not prepared for the news that my Doctor gave us when telling us of the CT-Scan results.
Basically, the CT-Scan reported that all of the problems that I had initially, had been resolved. I sat in shock unable to speak…not really sure what I had heard. Finally, I was able to say ”I am sitting here in shock.” The surprised Doctor asked why. Unable to formulate the thought into words, I just looked toward my Son & Daughter. My Son, trying to smile, said the words that I couldn’t express… “It’s a good shock, right?” I nodded “Yes.” Then my Doctor understood and smiled.
We continued on with the long pre-op necessities and left the office exhausted. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized what a burden had been lifted from me. I can not describe the shift in my thinking. Does this mean that I might actually SEE my Grandson go to that first day of school; instead of having it as some “possibly” attainable goal? I don’t know yet and won’t until after the surgery, but I have more hope than I thought I could have a day ago.
My Doctor put it best…..”We are going into this surgery under the best possible scenario.” If that doesn’t give one hope, nothing can.
When I hugged her goodbye, I told her how many people have been praying for me … and for her also. She said to thank you for she understands how important that is and she appreciates it. So… a big heartfelt thank you to my prayer warriors out there not only from Portland Firefly, but also from her special Doctor.
May 19, 2009
Surgery
As many of you already know, Portland Firefly is scheduled for major surgery. I am excited to have this surgery. What? Excited? How can that be? You know I’m about to tell you!!!
I have Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma. It is very deadly, very aggressive and very difficult. My cancer consists of many (maybe hundreds sometimes thousands) ( we’ll know more after surgery) tumors that have attached themselves to the peritoneum, which is the inside lining of the abdomen. If you have read as far back as March 12th, then you also may remember that one of my first symptoms (besides feeling like I had the flu) was Ascites. Ascites is an accumulation of fluid inside the abdominal cavity. I had probably 5 liters inside me, only 2 of which were able to be drained. This fluid showed a presence of cancer cells in it. In other words, cancerous fluid has been sloshing around in my abdomen for about three months now. Now matter how one looks at it, that can’t be a good thing. There is also the very real possibility that there are cancerous tumors growing on any or all of my major organs as the fluid and cancerous Peritoneum touch all of them.
During surgery, my Doctor will be looking at and examining all of my organs. She will be removing as much of the fluid that she can. She will also be removing all tumors that she can remove. The biggest problem as I see it now, is that the tumors can be as small as a grain of sand; and there can be lots of them. In other words, impossible to remove all of them.
All cancers get “staged”. Mine has not been staged yet. After my doctor gets inside of me and looks around, she will have the information that she needs to stage my cancer. It will be an automatic Stage III with the possibility of a Stage IV (if the cancer is in any of my organs). Then within each stage there is something called a Grade — Grade 1, 2, 3 ie. II2, III2, IV3.
All cancer patients get a prognosis which is their life expectancy or their expected remission or cure rate. I have not been given a prognosis yet and will get one after my surgery. These are the reasons why I am excited about my surgery.
Good News or Bad News, after surgery I will have the Right News.
By the way, today it is exactly only 2 months since I received the news that I have cancer. I have had this cancer for only one month longer –three months total and my whole world has been changed for good, maybe not for the better, but changed for ever, never to be the same again.
My surgery is tomorrow morning. When praying, please remember to pray for wisdon and guidance for my Doctor and calmness and peace for my children. Please read my post about the DaVinci Robot to learn more about the incredible high tech machine that my Doctor will be using to perform the surgery. Portland Firefly thanks you so very much. I will try to have my Daughter post an update for you tomorrow or the next day after surgery.
May 18, 2009
Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls by PDXFirefly
My daughter arrived this week to take care of me when I return from the hospital after surgery. She came to Portland a few days early so we could do some “fun” things.
After I picked her up at the airport on the most beautiful Sunday we have seen this year, we headed out toward Multnomah Falls. What a beautiful drive! The drive up the steep winding hill from Corbett was especially exhilarating in the Jag with its wonderful turning ability and superb handling on the turns. What speed limit… I was driving so fast that I couldn’t read the signs! Not really! OK, I was driving carefully, but I guess you could say aggressively, and not even pushing the limits of myself or the car. So I was really driving conservatively! Yes, Conservatively…. for Mario Andretti!!!!!
Anyway, it was the perfect day for a drive out to the Falls. We stopped at the Multnomah Falls Lodge and had dinner at the restaurant looking up at the towering falls. That water never slowed down while we were eating. It just kept rumbling over the edge of those rocks. Amazing. And this has been going on for centuries!
We then drove up to the Horsetail Falls trailhead and walked (hiked) up a narrow steep trail that ziz-zaged through the lush fern laden forest to Horsetail Falls. The trail then cuts through basalt pillars to the cave which is in behind the falls. So you actually walk behind the wall of falling water. What a cool thing to be able to do….actually walk behind a waterfall!
Behind Horsetail Falls by PDXFirefly
Since Chemo adversely affects the blood levels, not only is my immune system compromised, but the ability of my blood to collect and deliver oxygen is diminished. And so I was out of breath during the upward climb. And with the neuropathy, my feet are numb, so my balance was off as well. My Daughter let me (insisted that I) hold onto her arm for which I was grateful on the narrow trail. It was a special time and very rejuvenating to be out enjoying the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Images I can take with me to the hospital to block out the bare, sterile hospital walls.
My Body
Before I found out that I have cancer, I had only one scar on my body and that was from when I was 5 years old and it is on my leg and I can hardly see it and I know exactly where to look for it. Now I have a small scar and a bulge in my chest where the portacath was positioned as well as regular bruises there.
I am scheduled for surgery soon and will most probably have a large incision resulting in a large scar. And so I have been thinking of this new change to my body. I have decided that God has given me a beautiful body….maybe not as beautiful as it was twenty years ago…but it is still a woman’s body with the beauty that all women’s bodies have. Please note that I did not say that I have a perfect body; I have come to love my body just as it is.
That will change soon on the outside for there will be a very large scar up the middle. The insides have already changed. Cancer laden fluid has been bathing my abdomen and all of my organs for at least 3 solid months now. There are numerous tumors settled into the peritoneum. And who knows at this time (hopefully we will after surgery) in what other organs the cancer has decided to live.
And so I am saying good-bye to my beautiful body and getting ready to welcome my “cancer surviving body.” This is one more good-bye that I am forced to say.
May 17, 2009
Mt. St. Helens
Being new to the Portland area, I have yet to visit Mt. St. Helens. With my daughter visiting, we have planned to do a little sightseeing prior to my surgery. And Mt. St. Helens is on the list. I find it interesting that Monday, May 18th is the anniversary date of the famous eruption which occured in 1980. We will probably go there on Monday (May 18th) or Tuesday. How cool is that!
This week is also National Wildflower Week.
May 16, 2009
Scheduling Posts
Portland Firefly has had several people ask her if she is up writing late at night and into the wee early hours because of when my articles post to the web site.
The answer is no, not usually, especially since I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. I do try to get to sleep early (OK after Jay Leno’s monologue) and often cannot even keep my weary eyes open for that! When I am feeling well, I try to write several articles and then I schedule them to post on different days, so you have something interesting to read when you get up in the morning or during your lunch hour.
When I have to go out of town or when I have Chemo, or when I have a major medical procedure, I do the same thing. I am always thinking of you, dear readers!!! Thanks for reading!!!!
Free Friday Chocolate
The following was copied from Moneyblog Smart Spending website:
“Free chocolate every Friday for months
Who knew chocolate could be politically correct?
Apparently, Mars Snackfood US, maker of M&Ms, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way and other American favorites, does.
The company has launched the equivalent of a filibuster to draw attention to competitors that substitute vegetable oil for cocoa butter in their products.
So, what’s in it for you? One of the biggest chocolate giveaways in history.
Every Friday through the end of September, you stand a chance of getting a free chocolate bar or candy because of the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act.
Mars initiated the program last week, giving out coupons for chocolate treats to the first 250,000 people who logged on at RealChocolate.com on Friday and requested a coupon. The response was so large that Mars is doubling the chance for free chocolate this week. A half-million coupons will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis and mailed to those who qualify. Coupons are redeemable for any full-size Mars chocolate product and are limited to one per person per week.
What’s the purpose? According to Mars, federal regulations stipulate that the only source of fat (except milk fat) in a chocolate product should be cocoa butter. Mars says it uses only 100% cocoa butter and urges consumers to look at labels whenever they buy chocolate to be sure they’re getting the real thing.
Of course, while bringing consumers’ attention to chocolate standards, Mars is also trying to lift spirits in a recession-plagued nation, describing the promotion as “a massive effort (that) aims to spread joy across America by giving away as many as 7 million full-size packages of Mars chocolate.”
All we can say is: Bring it on!”
May 14, 2009
The Cost of Cancer
I am amazed at the cost of everything associated with my Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma.
At my initial hospital stay(24 hours spanning 2 days), where many tests were ordered, the bill for the hospital alone was over $5,000. The tests cost about the same.
My Doctors visits run anywhere from about $300 to $500 per visit, depending on the amount of time that is needed for the visit.
The Portacath installation procedure ran over $13,000 and that was without an overnight hospital stay.
My Chemo drugs cost a little over $5,000 per treatment. Actually, I just received a complete bill for one Chemo session — it was almost $9,000. Then there are the charges for the equipment and the facility. Some of the Chemo patients drugs run as high as $20,000 per visit.
My weekly blood tests are the big bargain in this all — sometimes I only have an out-of-pocket of $3.50.
I can not even begin to guess what the cost of my surgery will be with the high tech robot that will be used and with an extended hospital stay.
Luckily, I have a very good insurance plan that covers most of the bills. Thank you, God for that.
May 13, 2009
American Idol Update
DON’T READ THIS unless you want to know who the final two are!!!
My girlfriend in KS emails me the results because I WANT TO KNOW!!!!
OK,,,, Danny went home tonight. That leaves rock star Adam and sweet, sexy Kris. Now, I can get ready for bed and sit in my recliner and eat my popcorn while I enjoy the show!
A Boil of Fish
I inherited my Father’s love of sailing and when I lived in Manhattan, my favorite boyfriend had a 38 foot sailboat and we would go for long cruises in the Atlantic Ocean to Martha’s Vinyard and Block Island. Yes, I have a few wonderful stories from those sailings myself!
One memorable summer’s cruise was to last 12 days. We were provisioned for about 9 of them, planning on eating at various restaurants at the ports where we would anchor his beautiful sailboat, Astarte.
Since refrigeration was at a premium, we discovered fake margarine that didn’t need to be refrigerated. I don’t even know why we bothered with it–it was awful, but we didn’t make that discovery until we were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!
At the beginning of our long cruise, we had to sail across Long Island Sound on our way to the ocean and that is when we saw an unforgetable phemonenom. It was a “boil of fish”.
While we were moving along quickly through the water under full sail, there was something off to our port side (left) in the water that caught our eyes. The water looked like it was at a full rolling boil, just like it would look in a pan of boiling water. As we looked more carefully, we discovered that there were hundreds of fish breaking the surface of the water and some were even jumping out of it. It was a remarkable sight and one I have never forgotten. Also one that I have never seen since.
We surmised that these little fish were all near the surface of the water for one reason alone and that reason was one of self-preservation. We decided that there must be a very hungry, very large fish underneath them looking for his dinner! And so the “boil of fish” that we observed was comprised of hundreds of little fish escaping “Jaws”!
May 11, 2009
Skin Care IV
This is my Fourth Installment on skin care. The other three can be accessed by clicking on “beauty” under the category sidebar to your right. Then you just click on the title of the post that you want to read. Or you may type “skin care” into the search box on your right.
There are three phases of skin care:
1. Cleansing
2. Exfoliation
3. Moisturizing
1. You have the cleansing.
2. Exfoliation : This is the one to work on now.
Exfoliation: Removing dead skin cells that are on the top surface of your skin.
The live skin cells are underneath ( right on top of the fat layer).
As your skin grows, it moves outward, so what we see is actually the dead seventh layer of skin. ICK! Let’s get rid of it and get down to the pretty new, clear, healthy layer of skin.
There are lots of exfoliants. This is where you hear about buff puffs, masks, and things like chemical peels, and microdermabraision, laser resurfacing etc.
When the top dead layer is removed, it stimulates new growth, as well as collagen production (responsible for youthful -looking skin).
There are a many different products that can help you achieve this result.
There are many different types of masks. They are designed to remove the dirt and grime that has found it way into your pores. Some of them also “tighten & firm” and make other claims. some are clay masks, some are gel like, others are like a clear liquid that is designed to dry on your face and then be rinsed off. Be sure to read labels carefully and follow the directions. .
One that I particularly like is Avon Clearskin Cleansing Scrub Exfoliant. It is easy to obtain, reasonable and works great. Please note that I am not associated with Avon in any way, and I am not receiving any consideration for mentioning this product. I discovered this product when my children had “teen-age skin” problems. I started using it then and still do. It is a mild, blue grainy cleanser. You will notice immediate result. And teen-agers usually like using it because it shows immediate results.
One soap that I used at one time is called Basis — it is a very mild soap and I actually used with something called a “buff puff” that is like a scratchy pad. I would put a little basis soap and water on my face and then use the buff puff in a circular motion on my skin. This is another method to exfoliate, but you must be careful to not get too vigorous with the buff puff, or you will have red splotchy skin, instead of nice fresh looking skin. I almost scrubbed my face off the first time I used it and it took me a day or so to recover, but all the dead skin cells were gone!
My Daughter started a series of Microdermabraisions and it did wonders for her skin that had been damaged by the stress she was under and the pollution that she couldn’t avoid in the city she was living in at the time.
There are now several “appliances” that can be purchased at your local drug store or on TV (I’m sure you have seen them advertised). these work in the same manner, circular motion, removing that top dead layer of skin, which gives you a fabulous glow because you are seeing the new skin cells instead of the old dead ones.
Then there are several cosmetic companies which sell “exfoliating” products, usually in a kit of some sort because they want you to use their moisturizer afterward. Be sure that you seek out the product that suits you.
May 10, 2009
Happy Mother’s Day
To all of my readers who are Mothers, I want to wish you a very Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day. I hope that you will be able to enjoy it wonderfully.
May 9, 2009
Da Vinci Surgical Robot
I love my Doctor; she is right on the cutting edge of technology — literally. And that will possibly make my surgical recovery easier.
OK … what is Portland Firefly talking about today?! I am about to introduce you to the world of the future! The Future is here; and I am about to become the benefactor of space technology!
I know what you are thinking — Poor Portland Firefly — she really does have Chemo-brain and we really need to pray for her. Yes, please keep those prayers coming, but for my miraculous healing through God working with modern medicine. Is it starting to make more sense now? Keep reading and it will (I hope!).
I have mentioned that I will be having surgery in mid- May. Several weeks ago, my doctor requested pre-authorization from my insurance company to use the DaVinci Robot for the surgery, which was granted. I didn’t think much of it until this morning when Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America did a short piece on …. ta dah… you guessed it…. THE DAVINCI ROBOT! I was blown away by what I saw on TV and called the hospital for more information. They referred me to this website : www.davincisurgery.com.
I usually allow my readers to choose whether they want to click on a link or not, but not today! Today I am asking you to click on this link and read about this wonderful technology. There is a small window on the right side about midway down the DaVinci page that has a video. Click on it! You will be as awestruck as I have been, I am sure. This is just so totally amazing! http://www.davincisurgery.com/surgery/index.aspx
This is the robot that was developed for space repair — talk about high tech! Instead of cutting me from stem to stern (well, pubic bone to breast bone) this robot enables the Doctor to make about 5 or 6 tiny incisions in my abdomen and do the surgery without cutting through all of my abdominal muscles.
There are several benefits to this robotic surgery. Because DaVinci uses magnifiying lenses, the Doctors can see much better and in much greater detail. This means that they can see cancer tumors that are much smaller (and then remove them) than they would be able to see without the magnifying lens of the robot. The robotic arms eliminate any physician tremors – no matter how slight – which make for ” a steadier hand” (always a good thing for any surgeon). And because there are several tiny incisions instead of one large one, the recovery period for the patient (which is me in this case) is much easier and quicker. Sounds great to me!! Sign me up! Oh, I’m already signed up! Lucky me!
May 8, 2009
American Idol Summer Tour
The American Idol Summer Tour starts here in Portland!!!! Here is some information for you AI fans out there! Will it be Adam? Allison? Danny? Kris? in first place????? It doesn’t matter this year, because all four of them are excellent and any one of them deserves to win. All will be mega stars! What a great season it has been and hopefully the best is yet to come!
You chose them, America…and this summer you can see them live in concert! The announcement you’ve been waiting for, the American Idols Tour hits the road this summer. The top 10 finalists: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver, and Scott MacIntyre, take the stage on a 50 city tour beginning July 5th in Portland, Oregon. Don’t miss your chance to be there! Tickets for all performances go on sale Saturday, May 9th at 10am — except in Vancouver (BC) May 9th at noon.
July 5th Portland Rose Garden Portland, OR
July 7th Tacoma Dome Tacoma, WA
July 8th General Motors Place Vancouver, BC
May 7, 2009
Stamp Price Increase
Hurry up and send all of those letters by Saturday noon because stamp prices are going up on Monday, May 11th.
Yes, the US Postal Service has “gone postal” on us again and will be increasing the price of a regular stamp from $.42 by two cents to $.44. Now it will cost you $.44 to send a regular letter or bill.
You can help to minimize the shock of this if you purchase some “Forever” stamps this week. You pay only $.42 for each stamp, but you can use them forever, no matter how high the price of mailing a letter becomes. And you can save even more money by purchasing your “Forever Stamps” at Costco, because for some reason, you get a bit of a discount on the roll of stamps!
Stamp Out Hunger Saturday
 |
|
|
This Saturday is the day that your US Postal Carrier (Mailman- mail-woman- mail-person) will also pick up non-perishable (canned and boxed dry) food for the needy. Put your non-perishable items in a bag and set near your mail box location unless directed to do otherwise. Everyone should receive a notice in their mail today about the annual Letter Carrier’s Stamp out Hunger Food Drive Campaign. Won’t you contribute at least one item on Saturday?
And be sure to mail your Mother’s Day card SOON! Even if you will see her on Sunday, wouldn’t it be fun for her to receive a card in the mail!!
May 6, 2009
Free KFC Meal – Today Only
OK … go to www.Oprah.com/kfc and print the coupon before 4:00pm today. You can then get a free KFC meal. Cool!!!
Go to www.unthinkfc.comfor your coupon. You can download up to 4 of them. The coupons are redeemable from 5/5/09 to 5/19/08 excluding Mother’s Day.
PS: Please come back to www.PDXFirefly.com and read my blog while you eat your lunch!
