Three Beautiful Things 05-04-2026: A Welcome Break Over the Summer, Chance Encounters, Debbie's Having a Good Visit

1. On my way to the clinic in Smelterville, I figured when Dr. Bieber walked into the examination room that he'd be in a cheery mood. 

And that he was.

As I reported last week in this blog, my labs looked solid to me and, thank goodness, to Dr. Bieber, too. 

My parathyroid number was a little high and Dr. Bieber told me to take a Vitamin D pill a couple times a week and we'll see if that brings down the number. 

Otherwise, it's clear that after two years, this new kidney is functioning very well, is at home in my abdomen, and things are going very well. 

Dr. Bieber wants to see me in three months and for the first time in at least two years, I get to enjoy a three month stretch with no blood work, no dental visits, no dermatology visits, no appointments at all (well, Copper has a check up at the vet on Monday, June 8th).

Every appointment I've had over the last two years or so has been a positive experience. 

My blood draws have been, too. 

Every professional I've seen has been easy to talk with, attentive to my questions, and consistently encouraging. 

All the same, I look forward to this break. 

2.  As I moved past page 300 today in Lonesome Dove, all of the traveling characters experienced chance encounters. Roscoe meets a feisty woman living alone as a farmer; Joe and July meet an insect expert turned evangelist; the cattle drive encounters water moccasin snakes; Elmira gets to know more about one of the men on the whiskey boat she's boarded as her means of escape from her life in Fort Smith.

All of these chance meetings deepen the story, unfold more about the characters, and have me increasingly absorbed in this epic novel. 

3. Debbie sent pictures from Cincinnati that uplifted me. Patrick, Meagan, and Debbie dined at a French restaurant and she sent a couple more pictures of views from the hills of Cincinnati looking at the moon and capturing a tender moment Patrick and Meagan shared. 

It not only makes me very happy to see Debbie enjoying her visit, I'm also very happy that Patrick and Meagan's decision to leave Portland and move to Cincinnati is working out so well.