9 Moons Ago

Today, on her lunch break, my brother’s fiance, Allison, stopped by with a bouquet of red carnations from her and Dan. And I love carnations..and red! Red roses? Not so much. Any other flower in red..yes, yes yes!

Last night was rough..night time can be a doozy sometimes, these days..but today felt pretty good, and I got to visit with good neighbours who have been friends for years.

Watched some R.E.M. footage online ..they have a piece of live footage daily check their website, R.E.M. HQ for details, or follow this link:

ninetynights

..I think it’s filmed till their album comes out. It’s called ninety nights. My fav part? Michael Stipe eye candy. Yeah..I love the music, but have already told you I will always have a crush. Please shut up already.

Actually, no one tells me this is stupid anyway…I mean my Mom calls Tom Brokaw “her boyfriend”. (Shhhh…. you didn’t hear that from me: ixnay on the omtay rokawbay)

More and more “thank-yous”, for all the support and love.
I am more than a wee bit excited, shall we say?!

I see the “critical assessment team” today and my Dr. on the 26th again and he’ll be able to see how I’m faring. So far, feeling much much better. Feeling more “myself”, mind isn’t racing, head’s not in the clouds (well anymore than usual), my thoughts are clearer. I’m sleeping better…just starting to, anyway. I’m not so much of a chatterbox space cadet, as has happened in the past. He he.

I’m taking daily walks now, and practicing meditation, when I feel up to it. I may go do a 20 minute session after writing here.

I can tell I am doing well, because I am organized enough to do some cleaning, cooking and some artwork; like creating the new layout for this blog, which takes some brain-power because I do some coding. (I did it all myself. Cameron only helps me with really tech-ie stuff..he’s taught me a lot that I am able do on my own.)

Cameron and I are hanging in there. He HAS been a big support to me, despite the fact that when I am starting to get border-line manic, I tend lash out at him and blame him for EVERYTHING. We are good friends again, even though some people didn’t have a clue that we fight when I’m ill. I wanted to publicly apologize here to him. I hate to hurt anyone, and he’s the last person I’d want to do a hatchet job on. I’m not sure if it is like this with anyone else with bipolar disorder, but plainly put: it SUCKS.

On the good side, I am eagerly awaiting a call about my eTickets, planning a weekend trip with Daniel to see friends in the country and hopefully getting 2 tickets to see R.E.M. in Philly (with my friend Kelly), through the help of Cameron and his band-wrangling ways. I will not be trying to score them for free, mind you. I want to pay for them! I’ll just have to set my my Etsy shop, now, and do some portraits for people who have asked already- won’t I?

I’ll keep you updated yet again. Any comments on the new layout? I may play around with the layout size, or some extra white space in the masthead sometime down the line. Is the pinky-salmon good? Or too pastel, in your opinion? I wanted something warm. But now I kind of want it to be a warm green…Dunno? Calling all artistic minds!

Here are some current photos of me, so you can see that I’m happier and healthier; Amy, the garden and the gazebo:

We’ve been totally zonked the past couple of days, but we’re doing well.
After Cameron had a bad gallbladder attack the other morning, we came home before noon and rested. He’s been doing fine since.
Yesterday we had the pre-surgery consultations with the nurse and doctors, and had blood tests, etc. done.
So, we’re getting closer to the date, which still hasn’t been assigned, it sounds like it’ll be next month. We will be getting a call about it soon.

Today it was a pleasant and beautiful day, so we hopped in the car and took a short drive to Healesville, to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the mountains, wineries, reservoir, and the rainforest with tall mountain ash trees. There is a lot of National Parkland there, and we stopped at “SeLovers Lookout” for a while to admire the view.

On the drive there, and back, we “awwed” over the many baby lambs grazing with their Mums in the paddocks! They were TINY.

I know we both felt restored by the peaceful views and warm rays of sun. I’d never been to Healesville before, and we both thought that it seems like a wonderful little community. Pretty buildings and shops, and a great atmosphere.

Ahhh.. it’s nice that Spring is Springing in Melbourne once more!

I can’t believe that this little guy is turning three!
This picture was taken in the summer of 2005. Awwww. I have it by my bedside and see it every morning.:

Happy Birthday Isaac!, “Good night joggers, go go go!
Good night dawdlers, why so slow?”
and Happy Birthday to his Dad, Zach, for Saturday!

I’ll be calling sometime soon, family. Unfortunately, my tonsillitis has returned a few days after I finished my course of antibiotics. So it’s off to see the doctor in Eltham again today.

(UPDATE for family/friends: I’m on a new course of antibiotics now, with a refill, and have a recommendation for an ear drop med. if the pain in my ear gets to be too much…. I’d email you, or call, but I’m off to get some seep now and posting here is quicker. Talk to you sometime soon, tho.)

The portrait is just about finished. Just a few more details and I’ll send it off early next week. YAY!

Also, for my friends in the Melbourne area, I thought I’d let you know of an upcoming fund-raising event which helps people in Vietnam. If you’re interested in attending please don’t hesitate to go to the website and/or contact Karen for more information:

“Lifestart Foundation is a non-profit charity registered in Victoria, Australia. Founded by Karen Leonard, it has been created to help orphans, street kids and families in Vietnam to become self-sufficient.
Lifestart Foundation is currently sponsoring street kids into apprenticeship programs, sponsoring entire families through the Support a Family program and assisting orphans and orphanages in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.
Lifestart Foundation is a grass-roots organization run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Run entirely on good-will, the foundation guarantees that 100% of all donations go directly towards assisting and providing for children and families in need.
The Foundation raises funds independent of donations to cover travel and administrative costs.”

Christmas in July

DINNER DANCE & CHARITY AUCTION

Saturday, 28th July 2007 @ 6.30pm

501 Receptions
501 Barkly Street Footscray

3 Course Dinner, Wine, Beer & Soft Drinks included

Tickets: $65 per person; $650 per table of 10; $780 per table of 12

Dress: Black Tie
Music by: Minute by Minute

To learn more or reserve a table, go here. (Click under EVENTS for the fund-raising info):

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