We are Meb and Tom. On our OFF-Grid Homestead in northeastern CT, we are committed to producing high quality hardwood kitchenwares and a lifestyle of sustainability.
Here’s an update on my latest cancer news and how it will affect Meb’s Kitchenwares. The past 3 months have been spent in impatient limbo for us as doctors (my previous oncologist is cooperating with Dana Farber’s team) have been waiting to get tissue samples matched to the correct treatment… Now we know that I have triple negative metastatic breast cancer. (I call it 3NMBC) which will require either chemo pills (the easiest option, no hair, skin or nail loss or traveling to treatments) or intravenous chemo plus immunotherapy. (more hassle and traveling, but the latest in cool therapies). Either choice is palliative care, not a cure, though the best news is that my life expectancy has jumped from 2 years to 6-8 years! But Tom and I feel that these numbers are way low and are making plans for many years to come. Meanwhile for 3 months now I’ve been dealing with a mysterious stomach pain. Lots of tests have revealed nothing. This is not the way I’d choose to lose weight! Extremely frustrating. I’m in Michigan now, visiting my kids and grandkids: I met 1-year-old Henry for the first time yesterday and won him over with blueberries, 6-yearold Addie is enjoying gymnastics and swimming and 16-next-week Joey is driving and has a girlfriend! I’ll return on Friday to help Pat with shipments for the Nantucket virtual show, through our Etsy page. If you are so inclined, my pal Lisa has set up a GoFundMe page—If you can’t follow this link, you can go to Meb’s New Cancer on GoFundMe. Very little work has been coming out of the workshop of late. We are quite distracted and not able to produce pieces with our former exuberance. Your help up till now and in the future is so much appreciated. We are humbled by the generosity of you all. I’m far behind in custom orders and I sincerely apologize. I wish I could work faster, but I simply cannot. Luckily, I have found a new photographer for Etsy, but so much is required of me in making and entering pieces that I am very overwhelmed. I’m sorry I haven’t been accepting many visitors or phone calls lately. I just haven’t had the energy and so much time has been spent with doctors. I had imagined this time in my life as being connected to end-of-life issues, creating a legacy. Perhaps by writing that homesteading book I’ve always imagined. And most certainly by cleaning out my possessions and giving away the stuff of my very interesting life so my daughter, friends and husband don’t have to do it. So I’ve been doing lots of gardening, mainly weeding and watering since we have a drought. And working with Tom on homestead updates. Last week a huge pine tree fell on the outhouse. It now needs MUCH More than just a new roof. Fortunately we have indoor plumbing now!! And I’m still loving that outdoor (short, though, because of the drought!) shower. There is much work still to do and many materials left to purchase on the homestead before winter. An indoor shower, the glass and framing for the huge South wall of the house, repairs on the outhouse, an additional drum sander station for students, a new roof on the cabin, firewood (from the trees felled to make sunshine for the workshop solar panels) split and stacked, etc, etc! This is such an interesting time in our lives together! Tom has had a successful knee replacement and cataract surgery in one eye—the other will come soon. Next he will take a look at hearing aids… My bionic man! We look forward to seeing you soon—I’m waiting for a treatment plan (I’m told, by August) before I schedule students. I love hearing from you! And I so appreciate your book recommendations, photography, meditation and prayers. All of our best to you for a fun summer/winter! Love from Meb and Tom |
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Weekends With Yankee
View the promo of our segment on this PBS show
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