9 Moons Ago

Well, Saturday night was a good time. Went to Knickers Pub with Kathy and met up with a bunch of friends to celebrate Tim E’s birthday. Had a nice chat with Jake, who shouted me a drink (Thanks, mate!) and partied with Amy, Bonny, Colin, Jen, Brian, Felicia, and Tim’s various cousins. Had some hard cider and stopped myself at three because I’m not used to drinking like I used to.. fun night!

Progress on the painting for the wine label is going well. I’ll be mailing everything off to Philly tomorrow.

And the news on the health front is good. The genetic test result came back negative, so I do not carry the gene mutation that signals an increased chance of any more cancer returning. So now I can set a date for the left breast mastectomy when I go in for my next appointment in early September. One step at a time, but after I recover there will be treatments at the oncologist in Hanover. I am feeling fit, both physically and emotionally. Taking walks every day, cutting out soda, drinking more water and eating lots of fruits and veggies from the local fruit farm. Thanks to all who have written/called and want to visit sometime. I’ll be sure to be in touch! And I’m looking forward to a dinner out with my Mother and a good neighborhood friend, who we haven’t talked to in forever, sometime soon!

Then there was the sad news of my Uncle Donny, who had been in the hospital after several strokes, unexpectedly passing away. The family is getting together for a service this Saturday. I wrote a bit about him on my flickr stream. The pictures can be viewed once you click on the link I posted below, and scroll through a little while, till you see black and white pictures from the 50s of three little guys in bow ties. He was such a funny person, and will be missed greatly, especially by his brothers who were always pretty close.

There was a scare Wednesday, too, when my dad was admitted to the hospital after he became clammy and unresponsive at work. They did an ekg and heart catheterization, but found nothing wrong. Stress could have been a part of it, and possibly some unhealthy eating the night before. But they gave him some different meds and he took a couple days off work. He was doing really well today, getting around fine, and he took me out to lunch.

So, there were ups and downs this week, but I’ve been having fun planning what kind of hairstyle I want and playing vinyl records of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, especially one of my favorites, Oklaholma. Been scanning old family photos and taking pictures for flickr, writing once more in my paper journal and planning ideas for the near and distant future that will not be told until I have a grasp on them myself. But it’s all looking rosy right now. I’ll write something more interesting or fun next time. Tonight it was the general “Catch-up” to keep everyone informed and up-to-date. To view any of those recent flickr photos, just click on the right hand flickr icon with multiple pictures, or go here:

amy’s flickr photostream

Tomorrow (Friday August 27) is Blaine’s second Birthday! Cannot believe how he has grown. We’ll party next week. He’s my special buddy. Of course, I love Isaac to pieces, and all the cute and wonderful things he does (big first grader! yay!) but Blaine and I just always had a special bond. I miss him and I just saw him a few days ago! Pretty soon I’ll post some pictures of the boys on flickr, too, from the other night. Bathtime fun! Wheee!

Speaking of which, I’m off to relax in the bath.. couldn’t tell you the last time I did that. I miss that big old tub from Wonga Park, and how I’d have a whole set up with the window looking into the garden, and a cool drink, maybe a book that never got read and Norah Jones crooning away…

But that was a lifetime ago… and there is plenty here to make it a different retreat, just as relaxing!
And I’m quite ready for it!

Till next time,
Much love, Amy

Back to work!
Finishing the piece for the (no name) Art Group which is supporting Philabundance this year. I have never felt as fulfilled doing my artwork as when I worked with this group in 2007, painting a memory portrait for a lovely girl named Tabitha at the El Shedai foster home in Uganda. Thanks to Sherry for all the work she’s done and continues to do, organizing it all, drumming up support, and also contributing her own work. I love being part of this team and helping others through my art. I think it’s important to think about the bigger picture, especially at times when I feel too self-absorbed. I know my cancer diagnosis is a legitimate reason to focus on myself right now, but if I am feeling well enough, physically and mentally to do artwork anyway, then I’m so happy to be able to do it for this kind of cause. It really is something I want to continue throughout my life!

Please go here for more information: (no name) Art Group

I will post some snaps of the process once everything is completed.

Going through some major changes in my life, as most of you are aware. I’ve decided to take a month or two off from this website to sort out what I need to do in my life. It could be rough, but I’m going cold turkey. I’ll still post pictures at flickr though. Wish me luck!

Found on naturalnews.com:

“High-fructose corn syrup, unlike natural table sugar -which is produced from sugar cane or sugar beets – is manufactured through an industrial chemical process that turns starch molecules into fructose and glucose molecules, according to the CSPI’s release.

A highly refined, extracted sweetener like high-fructose corn syrup is not natural.”

Have you noticed, it’s in EVERYTHING?!

Just look.
Even in yogurt and bread.

“If refined sugar is so dangerous, even in small amounts, what can diabetics and obese people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes do to avoid it? First, turn to natural sweets like fruit. The natural sugar found in fruit and honey is fructose, which is much healthier than refined white sugar. However, commercially sold fructose, better known as high-fructose corn syrup, should be avoided, as it can contain up to 55 percent sucrose, which requires insulin to metabolize.”

This is not breaking news, I learned about it three years ago, but I think industry is doing it’s best to keep most people pleasantly in the dark about it. Ignorance is bliss. I am looking at the labels more closely these days. Sometimes it’s unavoidable for me to eat this stuff, that is how sneaky it is…. the lousy bastages! :-D They’ll pay for it one day when they eat enough of their own product.

Me? I’m going to look for sugar or honey when I need sweetness.

Link: Natural News