Author Archives: susanmsink@gmail.com

Red and Green Christmas Tree

  Yesterday I noticed something strange about our Christmas tree. It had changed colors. It was green. Of course, what had been more surprising was that when it brought in it was reddish brown. Steve kept complimenting it, saying how unusual … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, St. Joseph, the Farm | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Coming Year

  I’ve spent so much energy, along with everyone else, thinking about the election. How did Trump get elected? Why? By whom? What does it mean? Not just nationally, but what does it mean locally, for me and the place … Continue reading

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Being Healthy

It’s been over a week since my last post. I’ve been busy. Making cookies, grocery shopping, writing for a small freelance project, training my replacement at work… I’ve also tried adding a little exercise program to my routine. Because most of my … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, the Farm | 2 Comments

Survivorship

I’ve been desperate for a book. Not any book, but the book, written for me and where I am now. So when another cancer survivor friend recommended Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales, I leapt at it. I … Continue reading

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Secret Music

I have good news. Very good news. I have finished my cancer treatment. It consisted of eighteen weeks of chemotherapy beginning March 1 and ending July 6. Major abdominal “debulking” surgery on September 7 and six more weeks of chemotherapy that … Continue reading

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Arrival (review)

SPOILER ALERT! I’m gonna tell you pretty much everything that happens in this film. Thanksgiving weekend is a good time for movies, old and new. We saw Arrival two weeks ago, when it opened, and I started a review, but it was too early … Continue reading

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Miso Soup

I’ve been doing some serious larder cleaning the past few days. I’ve also been getting into soup season. We’re leaving for Chicago tonight to get ahead of the snow/sleet/freezing mixture moving in overnight. Like my mother, I like to leave … Continue reading

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Flageolet Beans for the First Snow

The first snow of the season came late, but it came on strong. Yesterday was our first blizzard, and anyone who could stayed home and hunkered down. Seemed like a good day for a pot of beans! In my latest … Continue reading

Posted in food, recipe | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Fragility 2

All day today I’ve been grappling. I guess I’ve been grappling for a week now. Finally I stood still and formed the question I’m grappling with: “How long after the last treatment do you know it’s the last treatment?” I’m … Continue reading

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The Underground Railroad (review)

Just yesterday I wrote a review of Colson Whitehead’s amazing novel, The Underground Railroad, on Goodreads. And today I hear he won the National Book Award. I actually reviewed two books on Goodreads yesterday. The second was the photographer Sally Mann’s … Continue reading

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