Posted on Sunday, 25/06/2017

Busy Calendar

with end of school year, Cannes and N.Y. reunion

by toni@planinsek.com

Travel for the Rest of the Year

The other night I finalised the extra flights and ferry bookings I need for planned activities for the rest of the year. So in July it is a quick trip to Brooklyn for eight days. It will be Erich’s first trip to the USA. Then late August early September it is Singapore, Paris and New York again. End of September we are off to Byron Bay for an extended weekend. Early November I am off to Brisbane for a conference then December it is an overnight crossing on the Spirit of Tasmania to join everyone for Christmas.

Gowdey Busy End of School Year

James’ birthday party was held early because the real birthday was too close to the end of the school year. Sarah took part in a fundraising and did remarkably well. Lots of determination to finish shone through. Isabelle, James and Sarah have been told their teachers for next year and which friends they will be with and they all seem happy.

N.Y. End of school year

Charlotte graduates from her current school as she is off to Middle School in September and she will be doing French Immersion which is very exciting. Baxter has been doing some impressive work at Kinder. Sophie is doing well.

Gowdeys were in N.Y. when Charlotte’s graduation was on.

James had his 8th birthday in Brooklyn with 7 cousins (see video in righthand column).

Kate and David went to see Hamilton on Broadway.

Meanwhile Liz was working hard in Cannes in South of France mixing with the rich and famous.

Medical Updates

Erich went back into hospital for them to take a deeper section away fro behind his ear. His eye is slowly improving. Hopefully he will be fit for US trip which is less than 3 weeks away.

My markers went down at last week’s visit to oncologist which was a bit of a relief but I have to stay on treatment indefinitely. This medication can have fairly severe side effects but so far going OK.The neurology in my feet has lessened considerably and I am not in the pain when I walk that I was a few months ago.

Posted on Tuesday, 06/06/2017

Winter Came Early for Us

by toni@planinsek.com

New York Gang

Liz has been posting cute photos of Miss Izzie on Facebook plus lots of shots of weekend excursions. Lucky them having summer whilst we freeze (and in May). I have made a short video (RHS) to include some of the photos. I kept the photo on left separate as I wonder if it reminds Charlotte of some other boats in another place. Those boats had country flags on them and Charlotte almost had an international incident.

Kate Hits Town for a Quick Visit

We had Kate visit for a surprise but appreciated four day weekend. She did a lot of card playing with her grandmother.

Blue Mountains Ultra Trail

Poor David had the worst of the weather – it rained all day but he battled on and finished his 22km well.

The weather was kinder to Kate for her 50km and Sarah’s 1km. The temperature was cold, very cold and the house reminded me of my childhood days. One heater in the living room and electric blankets on the beds.

We had a great week with Kate, David and the kids. The thought of the whole thing is enough to exhaust me. I was shocked to see people finishing 26 hours after starting! I hadn’t been to the Blue Mountains for about 50 years so there were lots of changes – especially to the scenic railway!

We had a couple of days in Sydney before we took to the mountains. Down to Bondi for breakfast and a drink at the Opera House.

Medical Updates

Erich had a supposedly day patient treatment to remove a skin cancer on bottom eye lid. They ended up keeping him overnight. Looks terrible but all should be OK when the bruising/swelling is gone.

Ongoing Ovarian Cancer Treatment

I am going every two weeks at the moment as we test the new drugs I am taking orally. My markers went down a little over the first two weeks of treatment (85 to 75. We want under 40). Hopefully that will continue. Soon I will only have to have blood checked and see doctor every four weeks. Not sure about NY trip as I should be going in the middle of that period so tomorrow I’ll ask.

Posted on Sunday, 04/09/2016

Surprise ending to the week

Chemo is finished. Yeah!

by toni@planinsek.com

On Friday I was due to have my first chemo f round 6 with 2 to go after thus ending on 16 September. My oncologist Dr Gary Richardson said no we were cancelling 2nd and 3rd treatments because of the bad neuropathy I have in my feet. What he then told me was a bit of a shock and that is I am still going to have treatments (but not chemo) every three weeks until I think he said June 2017.

He assured me he did tell me in the beginning but admitted he hadn’t mentioned it since. Anyway the angiogenesis treatment I think called Avastin does not compromise immune system and now my hair can grow back as it was – hopefully. I have to admit I am pleased as it means I have my blood checked each 3 week visit and I think I will feel more secure in a doctor’s care for some more time. The treatment and doctor’s visit will only be an hour so really in and out. Only issue is that I have plan my life around the three weekly treatments. Not sure what happens over Christmas. Next visit I will ask how we do it, just miss it completely or do another week …

No more frozen hair so can retire the mink hat. Usually stop at New Street bottle shop on way home to stock up on French wine. To celebrate we decided to have a drink and yummy nibbles there. What with wine and happy pills I was very happy!!

Sorry importing these photos drives me crazy – they are right way up in draft and preview then when I publish they go sideways. Sometimes I seem to get it so I will have to work on it – maybe I am still too happy today as pills go for 2 days!

It is good to see the NY gang having fun in the Hamptons (do you mind?) before school starts. It is great news about Sophie’s luck getting into a great class plus two clever girls, Sarah and Hannah getting into the selective school they wanted. Hoping that Charlotte also gets into a class she likes and Baxter as well.

Two family birthdays this week. Thanks to everyone for my happy birthday wishes and gifts. Liz looks like she had lots of attention from the cake I saw on Facebook. I am now planning for my bucket list birthday next year. Have done a deal with the Ritz Paris already. Numbers were down i Paris this summer and from what I have read the luxury hotels are hurting. They have another luxury one, The Crillon, on Place Concord due to open soon after being closed for 3 to 4 years of renovation.

Maddie had a bit of bad news medically. She didn’t come to work on Thursday and it seems she has gall stone and will need an operation. She is only 19 years old.

It is business as usual at PPG. Peter continues to do well. Rebecca is on the road to recovery and they are now planning where they will go in Europe when Rebecca finishes up next March.

Today is Fathers’ Day and I took Erich to a French restaurant, Noir, in Swan Street Richmond to thank him for 20 years of being a pretty good step-father and Opa.

On the way home from lunch I tried to catch a snap shot of corner of Chapel and Toorak Roads (photo taken from Chapel Street side). The Fun Factory building has finally gone. They had two goes at selling the 500 apartments which are going to be built on the site. They had Charlize Theron as the face of their second go – I am sure she is not going to have one in there so why her image was plastered everywhere ?? Anyway remember all those trips to the Fun Factory, roller skating and the gun gallery? It seemed such a long trip from Sandringham/Highett back when!

Kate strikes again! Now she is off to China for one of her unbelievable runs. Good luck. Your mother will be holding her breath until she knows you are safe! I hear knitting is the new hot challenge!!

love you.

Posted on Monday, 22/08/2016

Fresh Starts

A New School Year

by toni@planinsek.com

Today we said goodbye and good luck to the Buchanans and Joyces. Due to some unexpected decisions it looks like New York is going to be home base for quite some time. Hannah and Sarah hopefully will enjoy their term in the New York school system.

Erich and I enjoyed a farewell visit from Bruce, Liz and Baxter on Friday/Saturday. We are happy for the travellers but sad for us as we won’t see the family as often.

The Gowdey kids have also started a new school year at the United World College Singapore. This year Isabelle joins them. So now they are all in the same school.

I have made a video to mark the New School Year.

Hopefully Sophie’s ear is getting a fresh start as well. She has once again shown how brave she is when she had yet another operation.

Singapore had a birthday/national day earlier in the month.

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I have now completed 5 rounds of chemo so only one to go. I still have some hair – yeah! but some of the other side effects are a bit gruesome but it all finishes on 16 September so not long to go.

Erich spoiled me for this coming birthday – my cooking gadget heart has always been for magimix so now I am the proud owner of :

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Posted on Saturday, 02/07/2016

Paris, here we come …

5 Week Chemo Break

by toni@planinsek.com

I was so excited last Friday to finish Round 4 of my chemo treatment. As luck would have it because of the dates of our trip I am now getting a five week break. So I have three weeks to get into top shape before we leave. My skin is still an issue but hopefully this break will help.

Both Charlotte and Sarah are thinking about their packing. It is quite a challenge for me to go to Europe with only carry on luggage but I am determined to do it. Erich keeps asking about the return trip with the ‘goodies’ but I intend using the post if we buy stuff that won’t fit into the luggage.

I am so excited and I have really enjoyed finding lots of fun and interesting things for us to do. Most of the activities I would have not known even existed but for one lucky contact which then led to another. Even people who know Paris didn’t know that there were private tours of La Tour Eiffel. We are also doing children’s treasure hunts with our own private guide at Le Louvre and Musée D’Orsay – lots of fun hopefully. And lots of other surprises. (We are spending their inheritance!)

Everyone seems so busy. The Gowdeys with James’ s birthday and the end of the school year. Also the round of farewells and sadness of having to say goodbye to some good friends. That is the downside of being an expat … the continual movement of friends. The Buchanans and Joyces are also on the move. Baxter and Liz at the farm for the weekend, Charlotte and Sophie getting ready for their holiday with their dad. Liz and Baxter off to New York to be joined later by Sophie whilst Charlotte joins Sarah and me for our Paris trip. I hope someone in the family has shares in an airline!

Peter is doing a great job at work. He has brought some real energy into the business at exactly the right time. It has made an enormous difference to my peace of mind particularly now with the medical interruption. Maddie is still working with us on Thursday afternoons. She is enjoying her course.

Liz has shared lots of mini videos through icloud sharing in photos on my phone. I have access to them but I can’t figure out how to move them to my mac. I was able to export the photos and they went automatically to my dropbox but the folder in dropbox which says videos is empty. When I look at them on my phone there is no sharing, export or other button/indication I can see.

I have made an interim video of Baxter at the farm but I will add some of the small videos once I figure out the above.

Posted on Monday, 16/05/2016

Busy Families

Mother's Day, Blue Mountains Racing, Yeah Weekend and more

by toni@planinsek.com

Erich and I went to the Park Hyatt for my second Yeah Weekend! We went shopping early Friday afternoon then back for a swim on Friday afternoon then out for dinner at their restaurant. Saturday was a spa then more swimming. Back home then for an afternoon rest before heading into the city again by tram to have dinner at French restaurant then onto the State Theatre for the Carole King Songbook Concert which was great. Three young singers telling the story and singing the songs. I now see that there is also a broadway show about her life which may be following here. I had no idea she had written so many of the songs which went along with my life. 400 hits over fifty years. Amazing.

On Mother’s Day we had a quiet day. I am grateful for my gifts and phone calls and Facetime. Thank you all.

I am now looking ahead to my third Yeah Weekend, not sure what we might do – the fourth will not be a weekend but a trip to Paris. July is getting closer and I am excited.

Maddie is now working at Planinsek Property Group one afternoon a week. She is doing some much needed data entry work. At the moment mostly for Peter but I am waiting in the wings with my data – building up our email lists is the priority at the moment.

Peter continues on his selling way which is great. He has introduced a very positive energy around sales in the office. Great for our business.

The big news is Kate and Sarah coming back for the races in The Blue Mountains. Congratulations to both of them for such a great effort. I wonder if Kate has run out of punishing races?!! I am amazed at what she can do! I’ve made a video The Blue Mountains 2016.

I have now started my third round of chemo and things are going along OK. I have had a terrible skin reaction on my arms which started in Singapore and is now worse. Thankfully with long sleeves it is not so noticeable. It isn’t itchy just looks disgusting.

We are looking forward to Liz and Baxter visiting on Thursday. Rebecca and Peter are helping with the babysitting! A family affair.

Posted on Saturday, 23/04/2016

Australian Long Weekend

Good News Week

by toni@planinsek.com

Best news this week was from the oncologist who said my blood markers were back to normal – and only after four treatments. I said “Of course they are because as far as I am concerned I am cured and I am now on the wellness side.” He just laughed and said, “What ever you are doing just keep doing it.” I had my fifth session after seeing him. There are 3 in each cycle so next Friday will be the last in Cycle 2. There are 6 cycles in all with a Friday off between cycles. So far my hair is still there – in old treatment it fell out after third treatment.

The Buchanans had a team/family banding massive 2 day hike in the the middle of nowhere in the Blue Mountains. Liz says there was 7 hours of hard core hiking each day. They ran out of water and ate apples for dinner. The reward was a fabulous house at Katoomba. There were moments of stress and scariness but all ended well and on reflection it was a great adventure shared. IMG_1830 (2)

Peter is on a fitness challenge at work and so far he is doing really well. He is playing golf regularly with his father in law, does the occasional run and is boxing twice a week. He is doing a brilliant job at building the business as well. He is making regular sales which is great for the bottom line.

Some of his recent sales

Making a birdie (I can’t find tool to move photos next to each other – still learning!)

Lots happening in Singapore. Kate has been doing a course Nordic Walking I think it was called.

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These photos put themselves side by side???

James had a big day yesterday. He received a medal for soccer.

Then later that day he did his first bike ride solo with no training wheels.

Planning

As part of my positive mindset practice I am enjoying planning ahead. Paris is my main focus, then Christmas and my bucket list for next year. I loved the umbrella Liz gave me so have bought 2 matching ones for Charlotte and Sarah from the same place. They are great as they are very tiny and I will be able to carry them in my tote bag easily. That’s my news …

Posted on Sunday, 17/04/2016

Sharing our News

Please subscribe

by toni@planinsek.com

Can you please subscribe so you will get an email when I add a post.

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Please add comments to let us know your news. I only just discovered that Liz has just returned from New York, Charlotte, Baxter, Hannah and Sarah B. have been in Tasmania and David was in India this week. I am not sure that comments are working as I think Sarah Gowdey tried when I first started and it didn’t work.

I think I can add comments so I am going to add the last email I received from Maddie as a comment.