Pink Ribbon Challenge

   Today I left work early for a very important event- the PINK RIBBON CHALLENGE!  Every year, apparently, men, women, and children dress in pink and come together to march to a designated area.  They then form the breast cancer ribbon and get their picture taken from the sky.  This year D and I participated.  I wouldn't have had I not seen the notice in the paper that it was canceled due to rain and that it would be held today instead.
   Braving cold winds, we marched up to the hospital parking lot.  We stood shoulder to shoulder with survivors and family members.  We raised pink balloons and pink gloved hands to the sky.  And what we felt, I believe, was this -- WE ARE AWARE OF YOU BREAST CANCER!  WE ARE AWARE OF ALL CANCER!  WE WILL CONQUER YOU!  WE REALLY WILL!  An aerial photo was taken then, and we all went into a huge tent to listen to a survivor, a survivor's husband, a doctor, a hospital board member and the mayor.  Moving testimony all, and I was very glad to be there.
   After cake and cookies, doughnuts and coffee, seeing old friends and signing up for raffles it was time to go.  As I blew into my hands to warm them, I thought, what a good day.  What a beautiful day.  What amazing strides have been taken since we first started paying attention to our breasts.  We are a nation of survivors and we owe it, to the victims claimed, to fight. 
   To those victims I say Thank you.  You will not be forgotten.  We've learned along the way and you did not die in vain.

Thank you Nana.  You save my life every day.

What's New?

   This week is almost over.  I keep telling myself not to rush time because you never know what tomorrow will bring, even what might happen this afternoon, but I'm so glad to be out of the office, even if it's only for two days.  I work with a great, small bunch of folks.  It's the some of the rest of the bunch I've been having a problem with and I have been asking God for strength to deal with them for a long time now.  I was looking for new employment, but I think I'm going to stay where I am for awhile and see how the wind blows.

   So I got a nice surprise at the beginning of the week.  Remember last weekend when I participated in the Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Hop?  Well, I won some blog candy and I am totally siked!  I know I have Gen's Den as one of the blogs I follow, but I encourage you to look up her blog and take a look at her crafting - she's really good!  Actually, all the blogs I follow are very good and the women are wonderful!  Check them out!

   I almost forgot!  I went to the birthday party last weekend and it was so much fun!  It was H's first and she was a little shy at first but then she loved it!  I'm so glad I took her!

   It's Saturday and I have to decide what I'm doing.  Last week I put up carrots and peppers in the freezer.  That was so satisfying.  While D was helping out at the new Habitat House I got it done and I really felt good about it.  Veggies from our own garden, in our freezer!  Yay!

   This weekend we are purchasing a treadmill.  We've been with a gym the last six months, but my hours have changed at the office and with winter coming on I know I'm not venturing out into it after I get home.  Putting it on the card, but without the cost of the gym we'll be able to pay it off with the membership fee in a few months.

   I'm having a candle party on Sunday.  It's the first one I've been to in four years.  I can't wait to smell all the new candles that are out and to see what I can get my hands on for Christmas presents.  There was a contest on the radio a couple months ago and they said that people hated getting candles as gifts, but I don't find that with my people.  I love it, and so do my friends.  I bet it's just guys...

   Oh, just as a precaution to some pet owners out there.  Please feel your pets up!  We've found three ticks this past week after a season with none.  Remember to use tweezers and to pull the head out, not just the body.  Your pets will thank you for it!  

   And with that, I better go shower up and get on with my day.  Have a great weekend!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

   Ahhhh, it's October, the real beginning of fall, when the smell of the leaves crisping mixes with woodsmoke and fresh cool air.  It's also Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I had no idea that breast cancer awareness had it's own month until this year, when I participated in a blog hop.
   What, you ask, is a blog hop?  Well, this is what I saw.  If anyone has a better explanation then please jump in with it.  One person organizes the hop.  They pull in a bunch more bloggers to participate.  They offer up blog candy to get readers to hop to each site.  The participating bloggers all state the rules of the hop, offer up blog candy or not, and show us readers projects that they made or writings that they wrote. 
  It was really neat because of course I'm hopping a craft blog hop.  I get to see all these wonderful crafts and I get so many ideas!  I love the colors everyone was using - of course pink for breast cancer - but there were so many shades of it!  One blog talked about using walnut stain.  I've been wanting to, but I haven't picked any up.  Now I have to.  I loved the way it just made a perfectly pink project look vintage!
   So besides the crafts, there was talk of friends and family and their journeys with cancer.  It was ok to talk about all kinds of cancer, not just breast, and it's amazing the number of lives touched by the C-word.  Almost everyone has someone that has been affected.  My nana was the first person I knew that got cancer.  It started out as breast cancer and it eventually spread to her bones and took her away from us.  I don't remember my nana with cancer though.  Just a little.  What I remember about her is that she loved the soft pretzels that were sold by a vendor in the mall about a mile from her house.  When we would visit, if we went to the mall, we would bring her home a soft pretzel with a small cup of yellow cheese and she would be so pleased!
   Several years ago, at my yearly exam, my doctor felt a lump in my breast.  I couldn't feel it.  They sent me for a mammogram and there was something on the film and in the sonogram.  Because my nana had breast cancer they were quick to do a biopsy.  It was benign, and I was so thankful, and I get a mammogram every year now.  I'd rather be safe than sorry.
   That said, cancer runs in my family.  My aunt died of lung cancer.  My dad had prostate cancer.  I quit smoking two years ago.  Cold turkey.  I told myself I could buy scrapbook supplies with the money I saved from buying smokes.  I could pick up a smoke at any time and start again, but I don't.  Every day is a challenge.  I'm trying to beat the odds by exercising and eating right.
   I'm aware of breast cancer.  Check yourself every month, your girls will thank you.

Weekend Fun!

   Well, it looks like it's going to be a busy weekend!  I'm going to make myself stay away from the computer as much as possible so I can get things done. 

   First things first, we've got peppers and carrots that need to be cleaned up and popped into the freezer.  I'm not sure if we're going to be able to do the peppers now, because they've been waiting a little longer than normal, but the carrots will be fine.  Because we're doing that I'll be able to clean out the fridge and then go grocery shopping!  Woohoo! I love a clean refrigerator.  Satisfaction guaranteed!

   H has a birthday party this weekend that no one but I can take her to.  Her parents don't have a vehicle to take her and they had other plans so I was asked and I'm so glad because even though I raised my own child and took her everywhere, she never went to a "real" birthday party.  They were always slumber parties where the parent just dropped them off, so I'm really looking forward to that.  Her brother, G, has been on me about picking him up and bringing him home with me so he can play with the dogs and see D.  He begs me each time we talk on the phone, and to be honest, I'd love to take him home and have him live with us forever.  There's nothing like being something special to a kid.  I know it's selfish, but it brings out the best in me.  Hugs are contagious. 

   We've got some cleaning to do this weekend as well as laundry.  It's pretty cold this morning and I'm not sure if I'm going to use the clothesline or not.  We'll see...

   And last but not least, I want to scrap a little.  I've got some ATC cards that I need to get started on.  I've got to go visit my friend M and borrow her hole punch so I can make snowmen.  I'm looking so forward to this challenge because I can visualize the colors I want to use and this card is going to be so cute.  At least in my head anyway.  I haven't seen any other cards from these challenges yet, so I hope mine are comparable in design and weight.

   So friends, it's going to be a good weekend.  The sun is out, the leaves are all different sorts of colors, and I'm rearing to go!  It's perfect pumpkin choosing weather too!  Another "to-do" for my list.

Happy Columbus Day and extra long weekend everybody!

Happy Birthday Jack

   Today is the birthday of a very dear friend of mine.  His name is John, but we all called him Jack.  Jack was born in Brooklyn NY in 1919.  He served in the US Army during WW2.  Jack landed on Utah Beach on D-Day and fought in the Battle of Normandy and earned two purple hearts.  Jack got married in 1964 and stayed faithful to the same woman for the rest of his life.  Best of all, Jack was my friend.
   When I met Jack, he took me under his wing.  He kind of adopted me, although I had both my parents at the time.  He was like a surrogate grampa.  I never had a grandfather, that I knew anyway, they had all died by the time I was born.  Jack checked in with me almost every day.  He stopped by to see if I needed anything or if I'd heard some bit of news.  That's how it was in the beginning. 
   When my dad died Jack showed up at the wake in a suit.  Someone told me I was the only person they knew of that he did this for.  Jack usually wore green work pants and a green work shirt and sometimes a red thread-bare vest.  He had plenty of new clothes, most of them still in packages.  These were the ones he loved to wear. 
   Jack walked his dog Freddy, every day.  When Jack had to have a procedure done he asked me if I would come by and walk Freddy for him.  I would.  Freddy was a good dog.  A little King Charles Spaniel. 
   Jack and I used to have long conversations, sometimes discussions, where we would disagree and be a little pissed at each other.  I think he would get frustrated by me because of my youth and the fact that I knew everything.  I know I would get frustrated with him because he knew everything and was so stuck in his ways to not see he was wrong!  I'm laughing as I write this because I know we felt the same exact way about the other, but in the end we were friends and respected each other immensely.
   Jack got sick, and in May of 2008, he passed away.  I still miss him.  There are days I wish he was around for the advice he used to give.  I wonder what he would say about the things that are happening in my life today.  I look at things he told me to do, and I am so glad I listened to him.
   Jack was a rare breed.  Jack was a true friend.  He is missed today, not just by me, but by everyone that knew him.   I would give anything to hear one of those old stories that he used to tell, over and over, because he forgot he told me already.
   So Jack, wherever you are tonight, and I'm sure you are with Stacy, happy birthday old friend.  I miss you very much.  
   I'm getting on, and I'm trying to keep the faith.

Canadian Geese

The Canadian Geese have been flying over our house every morning and evening for the last couple weeks.  Everyday it seems their club gets bigger.  Last night I was watching them fly over and there were thousands flying in groups of the same v, some bigger, some smaller, but all going in the same direction.  Except one.  he was flying through them.  So while everyone was flying east, he flew north.  You could hear him honking too, like he knew the right way to go and was trying to get everyone else to turn around, to follow him, because this was the way.  I kept yelling up to him, you're going the wrong way, silly goose, the wrong way!  But this morning I'm wondering if he was.  What if he was right all along?  What if the rest of the group is wrong?  At least this one goose had the gumption, the confidence, to take a different flight plan.  To call attention to it, to alert the others.  If they didn't follow it was their choice, but he let them know it was there.
I want to be that goose.  I need to take that different path.  Things are changing, just like the weather and even though I'm afraid to go out there and try something new, I need to do that.  I don't have to do what the rest of the group does.  I have to do what's right for me.
Thank you not-so-silly goose.  It took me all night to realize what you were showing me, but it finally makes sense...