Home Again...Home Again...Jiggity Jig

Yep, it's true...this past weekend I moved back into my apartment. After (almost) ten months of bunking in with Matt, Alex and Lauren, I've moved home. It seems weird and oh so quiet...and yet it feels good to get back among all my things!

I know some of you are probably wondering why I moved home. The reality is when I left it was in a time of crisis. I was starting chemo in less than 24 hours and couldn't be home by myself. There was no question about where I would go, of course. And it was beyond fantastic to live with Matt and the kids while I went through all my treatments. Now that I'm feeling more like myself, it's time to find a new normal...and see what exactly that means.

I decided with moving home I would sort through things that have been hanging around for ages. This means, as I've been putting things away, I've been sorting through everything and making sure it should stay. So, I've been taking everything out of cupboards and drawers, sorting through, refolding, putting away (or donating to charity or in some cases, throwing away). I kind of feel like my apartment is a snow globe that someone picked up, shook the hell out of it, and then set it back down. My bedroom and the hall closet are GREAT! The fridge is pretty. The rest of the place is a work in a progress. And while I'm still working through fatigue and how much I can do in a day, the reality is I've become gifted at procrastination as well!!

Obviously I have some feelings of conflict. While I love my independence, I love being with my family on Foxhill. While it feels great to be among my things, I miss seeing my boys when I wake up in the morning. I guess I knew finding a new normal would not be easy peasy...

Big big thanks to Matt, Alex and Lauren for their continuing love and support. For helping me move my stuff back to my apartment and then asking me to come for dinner a few hours later. It sure makes this transition a lot easier. I love you guys so much!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Twenty Five Years...

Last night I had dinner and a visit with three of my closest girlfriends. We met at Wilfrid Laurier University in the fall of 1986 when we were on the same floor in residence in first year. That means we have been friends for (almost) twenty five years. It's like we're Oprah...

I'm not sure what kind of scrapbooker I am, since we didn't even take a picture. I'm still bummed thinking about that this morning.

Anyway, it was wonderful to sit at a table with girls I have known for more than half my life, and feel completely at ease. The four of us don't get together very often as a group, although we do keep in touch regularly...and a couple of us get together here or there throughout the year...just as a group of four we don't seem to connect that often. I guess it's hard as we get older and life gets busy.

What's awesome is that the friendship is always there and when we get together once a year (or however frequently we can manage it), it's as easy as if we just saw each other the week before.

I can't help but reflect on the 18/19 year olds we were in the fall of 1986...and the road we have experienced together in the past 25 years...graduating, bowling, drinking beer, travelling, weddings, children, family, cancer, partners and oh so much more. I'm so grateful for you girls. I'm so grateful for our friendship. And I'm so looking forward to the next 25 years...

Happy trails, Hoop! Keep in touch and know we love you!!

xoxoxoxxoxoxoxo

So Much Fun!!

I have been trying to find a few minutes all week to sit down and tell you all about my weekend away...I really want to tell you about how much fun we had, and how proud I am of myself!

I probably should start by telling you how worried I was before we left. I was worried that the fatigue would be too much and I would be a total drag for the other girls. I was also pretty worried about being away from my body guard for three whole nights. I prepared myself, we took laptops and movies in case I needed to chill...pillows and blankets in case I needed to sleep in the car...and I had three fabulous girls who were ready to deal with whatever came up! The good news is, I held my own! I admit to napping a few times in the car while we were driving from one location to the next (probably important to tell you here that I was not the driver)...but other then that, I was good to go! I did not need any extra naps, or breaks away...I even stayed up late every night! We had the best time. Memories Manor is a great place that truly caters to scrapbookers. I made some cards and completed a bunch of layouts. True, there were bits of time where I was sitting at the table visiting more than scrapping...but that happens even when I'm 100%!!

These are lime fluffs. Mix up a little lime sherbet and add some cool whip. They were heavenly. They were served to us as our late night snack on Friday night. Yummy!!! In fact, we talked about the various flavours we planned to make when we got home!

Even the sugar flower on top tasted divine!!


These wee carrots with hummus were served to us on Friday afternoon. They had poked wee holes in the ends of the mini carrots and put a piece of parsley in.

They were so cute! I will definitely be stealing this idea too!


The service and attention to detail were amazing. The food all weekend long was totally yummy (I think I had the best french toast of my life on Saturday morning). Thanks to Jan and Deanna (owners of Memories Manor) for being such wonderful hosts...you sure do provide a great weekend!

I can't wait to go back!! I am truly grateful to Kelly, Amber and Meg for inviting me to join along with them and for being patient and considerate all weekend long. They cheered me on when I was doing so well, provided door service as needed and sure made the weekend a ton of fun! Thank you girls! You are the best!!

I am feeling pretty good this week too. I wondered if I might be a little bit tired this week after such a big weekend, and I guess truth be told I am a little bit tired. The good news is, I haven't felt the need to nap during the day. Wow...could this be a turning point??!! Am I really starting to get back to my old self? I am loving that the fatigue doesn't seem to have such a hold on me anymore (unless I get a crappy night's sleep). And I've seen marked improvement with my concentration levels and attention span...

I am so proud of myself for keeping up this past weekend and loving every minute of it. It gave me a boost to my confidence and made me feel like I was my old self again! What a gift!!

xoxoxoxxoxoxo

Countdown is on!!

In three more sleeps I'm heading to Michigan to experience Memories Manor with my friends Kelly and Amber. I'm so excited and really looking forward to it. What is Memories Manor? It's a scrapbooking oasis disguised as a bed and breakfast (check out the link)!! I have some friends who have been and LOVED it and I'm so happy that I now get to experience it too! I'm a little bit nervous...I know my attention span and struggles with fatigue are not going to allow me to go hard the whole weekend (like I normally would). But I have a wee stash of kits that I have matched up some pictures with, and so this is what I'll work away at. Depending how I do, I'll try to remember to post a couple of my favourite layouts next week!!

This is a big deal. My first full weekend away...and without my trusty sidekick, Matt! Yikes! Thank goodness for cell phones and texting!! Seems a little silly to be nervous, I'm thinking the past nine months have made me a little apprehensive. I'll definitely have to work on that!


Check out this picture of my wee friend, Paige. Isn't she the absolute best??!!

Big shout out to our friend Matt who ran his first half marathon on Sunday and did a great job! Way to go, Matt!! Maybe next time you'll be able to convince my Matt to join you...

Hope everyone did their duty and voted today...the polls are about to close...tomorrow is a new day!!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

A little slice of heaven...

OK...maybe it's not so little...but it sure is heaven! My sister and her family bought a cottage near Rama last May. I hadn't been yet (darn treatments got in the way), so we went up on Easter Friday and spent the day and one night...and I'm already thinking about my return trip. It's beautiful! They've done an incredible job with the renovations and everything looks so amazing! They're on this great river that has swimming holes and they have cut trails through the property that make for some great walks. Yep...I'm definitely going back!


We went for this great walk and it really is a great piece of property. Lots of great places for photo opportunities!! On a side note...check out all my hair! It's pretty curly...and grayer than before...all I know is that it sure is great to have hair!


My friend Jodi had given me a bottle of champaign to celebrate being done all my treatments so I took it with me to the cottage. My brother-in-law Bruce made a great toast to me and everyone had a little taste! It was really great for me to be able to do that with them! And see how comfortable it is for twelve of us to sit around the table with those big beautiful leather chairs?? So nice.


I really enjoyed being there and can't wait to go back! Thanks Sandy, Bruce, Katelyn, Brooklyn, Matthew & Luke (oh yes...and Earl, Hank, Ebony & Ivory) for having us...let me know how far in advance I have to book to come back!

Check out these cuties...


Casey & Jamie Archer...had a little visit with them earlier this week and was so surprised at how big they are! Have fun at WD!!

I'm happy to report that my energy levels seem to be improving! I have had a few busy days and am able to do a little bit more every day. I do find that if I've done too much my legs get very achey and when my legs ache, sleep is harder to find. This fatigue thing stinks! I'm also happy to report that my ability to concentrate is improving...I actually focused on something for two hours yesterday! Of course, I've barely made any headway with the novel I'm reading now...

My big question of the day today is whether or not I get up early tomorrow to watch the Royal Wedding...I'm so tempted. I have fitness at 9:30 am...but maybe if I go to bed really early tonight...

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Awesome Things!

When I was in the middle of my chemo treatments, I received a package in the mail from my step-brother, Bob. It was a book he had found that he knew I would love called "The Book of Awesome". It is in fact an awesome book. It's full of awesome things that cost no money...and that bring us great joy!

I really wanted to share it with you because who doesn't love licking the batter off the beaters of a cake mixer or high fiving a baby? I checked with the author to make sure it was ok to repost one of my favourites on my blog...I'm so glad he said Yes!!

Catching someone you love admiring you from across the room
Baby, it’s true.
Toss your mushy clump of skin, blood, and bones together and we get the beautifully strange and wonderful package that combines to form you. Jokes and smarts, stutters and starts, smile and farts — we’re into your everything even though we probably don’t tell you enough.
But that’s why it’s a beautiful moment when you glance up from the party chatter or kitchen clatter and catch someone you love smiling silently at you from across the room.
Maybe it’s the dog head-tilting from the couch as you race to grab your keys and run out the door all stressed, maybe it’s your daughter sneaking a peek in the bathroom mirror as you zip up your dress, or maybe it’s your grandma smiling with wet eyes as you stick your hands in the cake making a big fat mess.
Maybe it’s your little brother smiling silently from the stands as you come up to home plate, maybe it’s your mom waiting at the train station for you to come through the gate, or maybe it’s your boyfriend bumping at the back of the bus at the end of the date.
When you catch those quick and quiet glances let your heart melt and feel at peace because you just got told without words that you are admired, you are loved… and you are
AWESOME!

I have been surrounded by awesome things and love this guy (Neil Pasricha) for reminding me that it's all around us every day. Check out his website/blog of 1000awesomethings...I promise you'll love it and smile, nod and laugh out loud at things that make you happy - from long ago and today!!

Speaking of awesome things, I have the most awesome friends ever. They have made this journey so much easier...and their loving and support continues to be appreciated more than I could ever articulate! Thank you to all my friends! I love celebrating with you!!

xoxoxxoxoxoxo

I Finished a Novel!!!

I'm so thrilled and excited to announce that I finished a novel! My first one in almost nine months! I've been reading many magazines (and loving them) and even got into a few books with short stories...but I have been wanting to read a novel and am so happy to report that I did it!!
As most of you know (or can guess), I am an avid reader and love a good book! One of the worst parts about chemo for me was losing my attention span and ability to concentrate...and having no desire to open a book (or follow it for long if I did).

I found a new author at Chapters a couple of months ago and bought three of her books (on sale) with the hope that I would be able to jump in and enjoy them soon. With finishing the first novel by Kate Atkinson, I'm onto the second one (One Good Turn). They're a pretty easy read, set in the UK. They tell the story of Brodie Jackson, a retired police inspector who somehow gets involved in several cases that seem to somehow all interconnect. I enjoyed the first one (Case Histories) and am looking forward to the next read!

I do have to admit it took me longer than normal to finish Case Histories, and since it has many characters and story lines, I was flipping back to earlier parts of the book to remind myself who the character was and how they fit in...but I know as my chemo brain continues to get better, I'll get better at the retention part too!!

Feels good to be on the road to normal!! xoxoxoxoxox