The salmon run..

We were fortunate to be back in Victoria when the salmon return to spawn in the Goldstream river. Although a small run this year, we found the rivers jumping with big Chum, Cohoe and Chinook fighting for spawning space in the fast flowing river. It's always amazing to see the determination of these fish to jump rapids to return to their own spawning grounds. Gulls, eagles, bears and other smaller predators gather at the rivers and it's a smorg for them all. About half way through the run, there are already dead salmon everywhere on the banks and in the river.

Over to the out-islands...

There are lots of lovely islands off the main Vancouver Island. No wonder people out there are great sailors. We enjoyed our various ferry rides but prices have skyrocketed since our last trip 4 years ago. We drove north of Victoria, camping on the ocean at Nanaimo, then took two ferries to first Denman Island then Horby Island, to stay at Gloria's glorious cabin at the far end of Hornby. Although they had had a lot of rain, we had two good days, tide-pooling on the beach and watching the sea birds, seals, and huge California sea lions coming to round up their harems of lady seals and barking at anything that came near. They are huge, bossy buggers. Hornby has two lovely provincial parks, one of which is Tribune Bay, known as Hawaii of the north, and deserted this time of year.

Seafood Galore

It was great to be back on the coast. We didn't eat meat for two weeks! We found fresh crabs, Fanny Bay oysters (I bought 32 oz and we ate them in two evenings), halibut, salmon, sole, a feast of good things. Ted got adept at finding inexpensive wines - not from BC! - at the local outlets. We didn't have to fight the birds for the seafood but they were tame and everywhere. Lots of cormorants, bald and golden eagles, mandarin ducks breeding off Horby Island and of course, millions of Canada geese which breed like rabbits.

On to Sidney with Michal and Gordon

After a week in Victoria, we headed to Sidney to stay with Mikes and Gordon. Good weather allowed us to walk some lovely trails and enjoy the glorious Fall colours. It was a perfect time of year, although the rainy season started the minute we bought a ferry ticket to sail to the Island.
Next year we will head back same time to celebrate Gordie's 80th in Tofino. We celebrated my cancer-free news with a bottle of bubbly compliments of Uschi and Dieter, away in Europe right now.

Victoria Chinese connection

While in Victoria, we got together with president Gloria from Victoria and VP Joan, who are off to China to join Morag and Donna from our Calgary chapter. Ted and I went to their dinner, meeting with the new Consul General from Vancouver and other old friends from the Victoria group.

Thanksgiving in Vernon & Mexican Train in Victoria

Yup, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. We took off for a month after all the visitors had left and enjoyed a month on the road in our RV. She's called Lupita and can't wait to go to Mexico. (Registration is LUP 111) We spent the holiday with Les/Sandy/SuperDave in Vernon along with Welsh friends Eileen and Mike, and a bloody big turkey. I always enoy it when somebody else cooks.
After that we headed to Vancouver Island, and camped out in the Knott's driveway for 5 days. It allowed us to go to the Victoria Children's Choir harvest dinner and concert compliments of 11-year-old Gemma. Gemma was so excited with her new Mexicoan Train game, she was foaming at the mouth...

Oct 3 - All system go!

It's been over a week since my PET/CAT scans so I called my oncologist, Dr. Lisa Pickering, who only works Friday and Wednesday. (Turns out she had twins 2 years ago so she is somewhat busy those other days!) She called me back Friday and said all my test results were good, no sign of cancer cells anywhere, so I am now feeling I can put all this behind me. I still get very tired but as we've been running a B&B since the last week of August, that's not surprising! It's been great to see everyone and we are now ready to take off for a month west in our RV and just relax and follow our noses.

Sep 25 - Yerks - I'm radioactive!!

Sheesh. I had my PET scan yesterday. I thought it was to check to see if I'm a suitable owner for a dog or cat but it seems it's a Positron Electro Tomograph or something...They called to say it had been postponed from 10am (reasonable) to 7pm (late!) because they had to fly in the nucleur material to inject from Montreal. Trust me to get the expensive goods. I had to fast 6 hrs then they inject 6mm of sugar based nuclear goo, leave it an hour, then see where it goes in my body. Cancer cells will soak up more, they love that sugar, wouldn't you know it! First they tested my glucose level: 4.2 (4-6 is good) so it was all systems go. After blowing a couple of veins - that's the way it goes will all blood tests now, the chemo has ruined my veins - they found one that would take the heat. It was painless and I just lay there inert for an hour, going off to my place in the sun, waves lapping, landing by helicopter on a secluded beach and sitting under a palm tree. Ahhhhhhh imagination is great.
So today I'm radiactive for about 24 hours. Mustn't approach children or pregnant women closer than 6 feet. Drink lots and pee all day. Great. I have board meetings today and all day tomorrow so hopefully I won't be glowing in the dark by then.

Sep 20 Nephew Simon & Julia here

We are really enjoying the second coming of nephew Simon Bandy, Liz's eldest son, who visited here in 1992! He and partner Julia are having a great time with us, enjoying Calgary and the mountains. We had a historic dinner with these two train buffs in Lord Strathcona's private Dining Car at Lake Louise (see photo.) The food was superb but the 3 huge freight trains passing and stopping right outside the window made it even better! This may be closing for good except for private parties so we felt honoured to be there. They didn't do a regal wave to the colonials out of the cow-catcher balcony at the back of the train! But it felt like we should. They are a fit pair, off cycling around the Glenmore Reservoir today. Tomorrow they will take our car west and spend a few days in Vancouver. We had stunning mountain views for two days with temps of 22-24, but today a more normal weather system's arrived, so we could see snow in the mountains overnight this week.

Sep 10 - Celebrating

Another 41st wedding anniversary celebration at our fav restaurant La Chaumiere. Two handsome dudes with the small ladies. Then a visit to my GP, after which she confirmed good results from the MRI on my "wee sleekit courin timrous left breastie" (credit to Rabbie Burns Tae a moose...) We had lovely weather to finish Ted's Mum's trip Wednesday, with a stroll and lunch at Reader Rock Garden, a beautiful historic house and garden right downtown.

Sep 7 - 41st Wedding Anniversary

Another year of wedded bliss! We celebrated with a weekend in the mountains with Ted's mum Mary Foster, who has been coming here for almost 40 years. She enjoyed visiting some favourite places like Emerald Lake, Crowfood Glacier and Peyto Lake (seen here). With lunch at Deer Lodge for the first time, where the flowers amazed. Also a return to the Post Hotel for a great dinner (photo). And a walk at Chateau Lake Louise. We could have wished for better weather but did see some sun.

Sep 4 - Summer is fading fast!

We have Ted's 88-year-old mum Mary visiting from England and although we have seen a lot of sun, it's obvious from the trees along our boulevard that summer is fading fast. We will head to the mountains this weekend to see the new Joni Mitchell batte at Banff Centre and celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary. Mary is making her first trip in 3 years so enjoying being back in Calgary. We had had some nice one-day jaunts around Calgary and to nearby towns and lunches with friends. Labour Day we had richard, Raul and Elvira over for lunch. I am still good at lunches but fade fast in the evenings.
My MRI instead of mammorgram would rate slightly higher than having a root canal job done. I had a headache for two days but hopefully it's a better check than mammograms, which didn't do anything for me in the past.

Stampede Week - Yahoo

Had a great visit with Bruce and Kathy from London. We did a full Rodeo day Wednesday, which was sunny and warm. Unlike Thursday when the temperate dropped 15 degrees and we had heavy hail! B&K joined us for afternoon rodeo, serious beef at Smugglers, then watching the chuckwagon races from the front row seats of the Infield. It was exhausting but fun. I think we've taught them rodeo now, although I didn't hear an actual 'yahoo' out of either of them. I give them full marks for sporting cowboy/gaucho hats and bolo ties for the occasion.

July 11 - Bye to Tom Baker Cancer Treatment

I am finished with my active treatments at Tom Baker Cancer Centre! Only 18 months later! The results of my CAT scan did not identify any lymph problems. However, I am now scheduled for a PET scane. It is to see if I am a suitable owner of a dog, cat or parrot! Seriously, it will identify early any hot spots where cancer may have got a holding at remote sites in my body. I am pleased we will do that monitoring because my cancer was Stage IIIC, just below metastatic and uncurable cancer.
Dr. Tara Pickering will now monitor me at the outpatient clinic with another specialist, Dr. Pi - that's progress!
All my bloodwork and last MUGA cardiac monitoring test results were good.
I will now await a date for surgical removal of my port. It's been an easy way to get treatment but I am glad to say goodbye to it now. Yippee!

July - Yahoo again

It's time to party and this year, I am able to enjoy Stampede again. We are enjoying seeing the NZ Morris family, whose son Ben married Albertan Karla at Rafter Six Ranch July 4th. A great merger between a large Alberta family and NZ - a cultural melange of Maori meets line dancing at the wedding dance! Great to have his uncle Bruce and Kathy here from London to rodeo with us this year.
Banff Centre celebrates 75 years of cultural programs this year so lots of great performances in the beautiful Rockies. We are using our RV a lot to spend as much time in the mountains as possible.
July 8 sees the start of the Mount Royal College Music bridge program, bringing gifted students from Canada and China together, with a few from other countries too now. I am a supporter for this program so we enjoy the extremely gifted performances by students and faculty too.
July 18-28 e head north to spend time with Gerdy/Jacques in Edmonton, Nancy/Colin at Gull Lake then more concerts at Banff.

June - Summer in the mountains

Clearly I am enjoying life so much again I dont have time to post! This is good.
June 9 we took the new RW to Gull Lake for a day en route to a LTV rally of owners of similar RVs to ours. We learned a lot from some really neat people. A bunch of people like us who want to travel in their young-old age with minimal home comforts. We will look forward to keeping in touch, especially with Alberta LTV reps Pat and Henry, who oranized a great 3 days.
We are spending a lot of time at the Banff summer festival. It has worked well that we can overnight in the huge lot at our friends Pat and Bob's place in Banff. When we are there for any time, we camp up at Tunnel Mountain where we have lovely views and good facilities to plug in and get hot water and use the microwave and DVD player! Tikal is enjoying the mountains too!
Our wine society Lobsterfest, held in a backyard on a beautiful day, was a great way to kick off what we hope will now be summer, after a lot of rain. Also enjoying entertaining again, now my energy level is kicking back in.

May 30 - Another year rolls round

Enjoyed my birthday on a long weekend in Banff, with tickets for Ballet Jazz de Montreal (fantastic) and jazz festival wind up - loud!!! Camping in Banff for the first time in our new chateau on wheels was great. Must have had a good time as we broke the bed and ran out of wine. A nice afternoon Sunday, sitting on their deck by the river with Bob/Pat Allin, buds from our wine club. In future, we can park overnight in their huge lot, which will be very handy if we don't want to camp at Tunnel Mountain. Saturday a soak in the Banff Hot Springs. Getting the hang of driving an RV with all the technical stuff you have to learn about. Birthday dinner at the gorgeous little Ravens restaurant at the Banff Centre, surrounded by glass looking over Banff townsite and Banff Springs Hotel. Life is good!

May 23 Two steps forwards, one back...

Results of my ultrasound at the beginning of May are a bit unsettling. A 2.5cm mass on the ultrasound is too close to the carotid artery to be biopsied. Therefore I will have a CAT scan sometime in the next few weeks. Both oncologists and my surgeon have examined me and agree there is no sign of enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, but all agree it needs investigation.
It was somewhat worrying when I returned from a week away to three calls from my GP telling me to check with the oncologist. Then not to get a response from the cancer centre for over a week!
The last week of May will now be doctor/hospital visits almost daily, when I am scheduled to see my GP, my oncologist, more tests, and get my port removed if all is well.
Thursday we plan to take the new RV to Banff for the first Banff Centre summer festival programs. Jazz concerts Thursday to Sunday. A fitting place for my birthday Friday and dinner at the lovely Ravens restaurant there.
Now if only it would stop raining! We are deluged. Calgary and areas south of here are preparing for floods on the two rivers running through town, the Bow and the Elbow. High River ahs been aptly named. It should ease off later this week and hopefully the sun will come out for our camping plans.

May 19 - Victoria Day and a glimpse of summer

We are finally getting hot, shorts weather. It was great to be home when everyone else was traveling and on the road. We caught up with friends, and puttered in the garden and Ted and Richard got the VW ready for sale. It looks very spiffy, somebody is going to be lucky. With a tune-up and new muffler, it is ready to roll. We already had a call from Stu and Tara (and Gavin??) not to put it on the market. They came by to test drive it yesterday so it looks like it's sold without hitting the papers. Ted has been scrubbing everything out - you could eat your dinner off the counters now. It has all the bells and whistles that anybody needs to camp out in western Canada and to cope with cold weather in the mountains - a big plus.
It was great to have a visit from Stu/Tara and Gavin's special friend Debbie from Toronto for the long weekend. Exciting news is a baby is on the way in Cochranefor late November, a first grandchild for both. tara looks radiant as she did at the wedding in UK. No wonder they looked so happy (see inset)

Spring in the Okanagan - and fun with the new RV

May 5 we take a trip over the Rockies, (also the Purcells, the Selkirks,) to Vernon to stay with Les and Sandy on and off for a week. The weather is lousy, the blossoms are late and mostly not out yet, a disappointment. However, it's a chance to test out the new Free Spirit RV. We get about 30 mpg on the trip, great with the Mercedes diesel engine. It runs smoothly and happily and has a lot of power to pull past trucks and up mountains. It's also a very comfortable vehicle and Tikal has found it likes traveling with us again. We attach the travel cage to a storage box behind the driver/passenger seats in the hall and it can look out of the window too! Ah to be on the road again.
We spend two nights in Vernon then off to the dealership to remind us of all the stuff we forgot since last Fall when we picked up the vehicle. We need some bits and pieces so shopping we go to Canadian tire in Kelowna, and buy food. By the time we camp on the lake at West Lake in Kelowna, finally get the gas stove going (some flukey on/off method with the gas) and cook dinner, I'm totally pooped. I put the bed together by 9pm and collapse into the huge King size bed that takes up the whole back end of the vehicle. Ted decides he's tired too and we sleep for 10 hours straight! It's lovely and quiet here, just the birds and ducks on the water and a bunch of seniors having a get together - they must have gone to bed early too.
Everyone wants to come by and look at our vehicle. I guess they are fairly new and with the great gas mileage, people with gigantic trailers and motor homes are salivating about how little it takes to get this thing rolling. Of course, we don't want to carry water or waste water far and look for a full hookup with power to run my microwave of course!
Everything in he RV seems to be working OK but as Ted says, the manuals don't exactly show you what's what a lot of the time. We return to the dealership in Kelowna the second day to find out how to get the TV working again!
We will go to a camp-out with a bunch of Leisure Way vehicle owners near Edmonton early next month, where I bet we will learn a thing or two about running this baby!
We're glad we did it that week because, as I write, mud slides have closed the TransCanada highway a few days lately and we may have been stuck he other side or been forced to drive the much longer southern route to get home. More melting snow threatens more avalanches for the foreseeable future.

May 20 - chasing the elusive ultrasound results...

Dr. Lui's office contact me to see if I have had any follow up yet on the ultrasound. They are concerned that if my oncologist has not arranged for a biopsy, they will do so. I am glad somebody is on the ball on this and follow up to make sure things are rolling.

May 14 - thoughts about reconstruction

I have started to do some research on the topic of reconstruction. I have talked to many women who have successfully had procedures done by a variety of means and people in Calgary. This is where you go doctor shopping if you need to!
My oncologists have made an appointment for me at the plastics (ie. plastic surgeons) breast clinic in August. Dr. Lui says I should wait at least two years before taking any action. It will probably take that long to get scheduled in. If my cancer is to return, the first two years is the most likely time it will show up again. He is the first person to actually give me that timeline.
With the extensive treatment I've had (i.e. taking half my armpit, a breast and tissue away, plus all the radiation and chemo, he thinks it unlikely I'll be a candidate for a free flap (i.e. removing tissue and blood vessels from my stomach, and successfully re-attaching them as a breast.) For the same reason, implants are out.
However, he recommends a doctor here in Calgary who is very adept at TRAM flap surgery and will refer me to him in due course. I have talked to a patient of this doctor already and she is in awe at his ability and manner and has nothing but good to say about her whole experience.
Our friends in Fernie put me in touch with a doctor who does free flap (DIEP) surgery in Los Angeles, and he has found me the names of doctors here in Calgary who are very skilled at performing this surgery, so I have some good ideas of who to talk to now.

May 13/14 Dentists, doctors...

After all the ravages of this treatment, my mouth is still tender and sore. The gums have receded and my dentist now sees me every 4 months for a minor clean and check. He has found the beginning of decay in a back tooth so fixes it right away.
A month ago I decided I would like to see my surgeon, Dr. Robert Lui, again, 14 months after surgery, although I have no real problems to discuss with him. He takes lots of time to chat and examine me thoroughly. He is concerned that I have not heard the results of my May 2 ultrasound and will check them himself next day. I later find he called me both days subsequently then left a message for Linda in his office to contact me after the long weekend. I find there is an irregularity with something hidden behind an artery in my neck, so another biopsy is called for. I contact my oncologists again to find out what is happening. I will call daily until they return my calls!
Dr. Lui is a first class surgeon, with an excellent manner and caring, concerned attitude. We both like him a lot. After his examination he is happy that there is no enlargement of any palpable lymph nodes so I feel relieved that he agrees with Dr. Paterson on this. Linda in his office is also a delightful person to deal with, all this makes it easier when you are going through the system and have questions that need answers. He is very confident in my GP Dr. Waymouth which makes me feel good too.

May 2 - Ultrasound baseline in my neck lymphs

I am surprised at how quickly I get in for this test, which was supposed to take a few weeks. the tech sees something but not sure what. Later after a week in the Okanagan, I have 3 phone calls from my GP telling me to check with my oncologist. When I do, I am told they will make an appointment for me to discuss the results with her. But by May 20 I have heard nothing.

Apr 25 - Oncology windup - but more tests

April 25 I see the windup of my active treatment with my oncologists. Although Dr. Paterson still oversees my treatment, I see Dr. Lisa Pickering for the second time. She is thorough about checking me over and suggests an ultrasound to check the lymph nodes in my neck, which shrank after the first chemo treatment. It is unlikely that cancer cells are lurking there but an ultrasound will provide baseline information. They both agree with our suggestion that as mammograms did not find my cancer, an MRI will be done alternate years with a mammogram on the remaining left breast. I am scheduled to see Dr. Paterson in six months in October an dshould have the MRI before then.
I am now returned to the excellent care of my GP, Dr. Pat Waymouth, who I see every 3 months, and who will now check my lymph nodes at the same time.
Arriving back from UK on Wednesday night, Thursday morning I discover a note in the mail arranging a final MUGA cardiac test appointment for 1pm that day! I jump into my clothes and Ted drives me up there and waits the hour or so that it takes to remove some blood, add radioactive trackers and video my heart 10 minutes each side. All seems well.

The Bandy Family at Chiswick

Last Saturday Mary hosted a crowd of Malcolm offspring. It was great to see family and meet new and prospective family, especially wee Frank, (2-1/2) who speaks Spanish to his Dad and English to the rest of us. He kept us hopping with his questions which always began "What means...?"


We got to meet Simon's new significant other Julia (they will visit us in September) along with children Robert (9) and Nell (7). Sadly older brother George never gets out to meet his relatives.





At left, Liz & Clive's other son Nicholas with 14-year-old Sarah and mum Soofia. Sarah is now singing in two choirs, one of which performed at the Alberta Hall a year ago. Obviously following in the footsteps of the Malcolms, who are all singers, some of them confined to the shower nonetheless. We weren't favoured with a trill or two that day.







Soofia, Nicholas and mother Liz







Ted, Clive and Sarah

Malcolm family get-togethers - The Moseleys

It was great to again spend a week with sister Mary & Ivan in west London at their Chiswick house. It's a block or two from the Thames near scenic Strand on the Green, great for walks and three good pubs. The cormorants and herons (and lots of ducks and geese) are testament to the clarity of the Thames again. After a lengthy lunch one day, we had to duck down an alley to avoid the fast tide rising over the footpath home. A day at Kew Gardens with Mary's 2.5 year old grandson Frank and Mary was a delight - hear the birds and see the spring blanket of bluebells in the video. (I guess it would not load so you will have to enjoy the photo.)
Outside Mary & Ivan's city house with Hannah and Frank - just joking - this is Chiswick House.
Below, left (Little) Hannah and James, middle: Nacho and (Big) Hannah.

Foster reunions

It was great to be able to spend a week in Ewell (Epsom) with Ted's mum - at almost 88 a going concern and happy to host the family for our visit. It was lovely to meet prospective new family members and significant others - namely Jo and Jono. Drives a different direction each day to enjoy country pub lunches and walks in Richmond and Nonsuch Park, the Downs and for Ted the neighborhood were lovely. Notices in Richmond warned to be careful of baby Roe deer, we saw plenty of adults but no young yet. We were a bit early for the rhodedendrun show in the Isabella Plantation but lucky enough to get a view of St. Paul's cathedral dome from Harry's Mount (about 10 miles away.) Look carefully!

Between their trips to the west country and Turkey, we managed to catch up with Ted's brother David and Shelagh and fit in another country pub lunch near their home in Great Bookham.










Richmond Park looking
towards
Windsor Castle and
Heathrow airport



Sarah and Jono. Neil and Jo

April - spring weddings - so romantic

After spending the previous day talking and sitting on the big white telephone, I was grateful to shake off the bug I'd picked up in England. Fortunately, the wedding was at 2pm so I was able to keep some breakfast down, get my glad rags on, and put on a decent show until 9:30pm. It was great to see friends we've known for 40 years and meet many of the lovely Torr family again. It was a splendid wedding and a fit sendoff to Jo and Stuart. Flanked by all their handsome and gorgeous cousins and family, they surely looked like the happiest couple of earth. Apart from us in the picture frame at the wedding reception of course!

APRIL 7 2008 - FINISHED!!!

Today is like Magic Flute Day - I have walked through the fire and survived the ordeal. At 11:30am today I walked out of Tom Baker Cancer Centre - cured! It was an uneventful last session, I got my $2500-worth of liquid fire and hopefully closed my port for the last time. I will need to schedule minor surgery to remove it some time soon, otherwise I have to have have it swished out with heparin blood thinner every 3 weeks. All the staff were happy for me of course. I still have to see my oncologist for sign off Apr 25.
After I got home my dear friend Jackie ("Master of Silly Walks") arrived with my Graduation Certificate! I have received full honours summa cum laude! No more treatment. Yippee.
Now for FUN stuff. We leave on the 6:40pm plane to London. I hope they have champagne on board! I'm ready to celebrate big time.

April 1 - approaching the finish line...

It's April 1 and my Herceptin treatment will finish April 7 not the end of April after all. I celebrate by flying to London that night. No doubt I'll be fingerprinted next morning in delightful Heathrow but that will be the least of my ordeals. The real ordeals are over and there is nowhere to go but up now!
At a wine society dinner last Wednesday, I look almost like my old self again.

Oh to be in England now that April's there.....

I'm so pleased to discover my last treatment will be Apr 7 not the end of April as originally thought. So as a reward for my shitty year, we fly to London that night for two weeks. A fitting reward I think, for what I've put up with since January 2007. I hope I'm up to a big trip again. We'll attend a wedding April 12 so I have time to get over jet lag before then (I hope.) We'll spend a week with Ted's 88-year-old mum who is overjoyed. Then a week in Chiswick (west London) with my sister. From there we'll be able to see both families. I have my final oncology appt Apr 25 so we have to be back by then.
As you can see I did get out skiing ten times this year. Ted is still waiting to see a surgeon about his knee so ramped up another ski-less season.
I can't say how much I'm looking forward to NOT driving up to Tom Baker Cancer Centre every 3 weeks (or oftener.) Still get very tired - like today I am going out this evening, so have to have a little nap in the afternoon! The allergic reactions to the immunotherapy seem to be resulting in hay-fever-like symptoms but I hope, like the cough, they will go away eventually. I'm still losing finger and toe nails due to the toxic chemo drugs, and the mouth sores still stop me from really enjoying a range of foods and, more especially, wines! The good news - I can drink champagne and icewine and eat salmon caviar! And this week, I've consumed a fair number of chocolate eggs and bunnies...

Accolades...

Not blogging much - must be a good sign.
Realized my blog was pretty out of date and that's good, I'm too busy to write! Some interesting news:
A nice night out with friend Don Druery recently to Calgary Philharmonic's Night at the Opera. A great performance by budding opera tenor Roger Honeywell. Don's tickets were almost on stage, so every time the tenor and the gorgeous Brazilian soprano came on and off stage, they smiled or acknowledged our bravos. Imagine my surprise when at the end of the performance he handed me his bouquet! Honeywell all right! As we left the hall, I asked people how they had enjoyed my singing and they all agreed I was terrific. Note: HAIR! Not a lot, but, hey, an improvement on bald!

Feb 25 - Treatment #15 - only 2 to go

Today I had my 15th Herceptin treatment and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am very tired today, a result of enjoying too much socializing the last week and weekend. I think I am back on track but the next day catches up on me. I can do two late nights in a row but have to have afternoon rests in between.
It was great to have our friends Deidre and Warren here last week. We caught up with 16 year old daughter Jennifer and 8 year old granddaughter Aurora (and met her dad) over lunch Saturday. Ted enjoyed his late night chats and single malt sessions, something he misses with my early nights these days. Deidre and go back 20 years or more from working days and still never run out of things to talk about.
Interesting facts: One thing they noticed was the high price of everything in Alberta compared to Ontario. Of course, there is a boom on here but also a much smaller population. The huge differential can only be attributed to "what the market will bear" forces. Also they commented on the lack of trees south of Calgary, which is semi-prairie even though it's in the foothills of the Rockies.

Feb 24 - A Dream come true

Today a dream 4 years in the making came true. The Calary Canada-China Friendship Association (of which I am president and Ted treasurer) joined forces with the University Chinese Scholars & Students Association to kick off our Shou La Shou (Hand in Hand) program. Families with an adopted Chinese girl were matched with Chinese nationals studying at the University. It is a win-win program for us all. CCCFA will bear any costs and we have volunteers from both associations helping make it work.
Sheila Power (past president) and I attended a forum in China in 2004 and learned about a similar program in Australia, and were inspired to establish a similar one here.
We held a reception for about 65 families, scholars and volunteers, in a large community room at a local supermarket. The venue was free, a beautiful location, full of light and sun yesterday.
It was a joy for us to see how well they all bonded and shared with one another. Now each matched pair will meet for at least an hour a month. It is a great opportunity for foreign students to extend their networks by helping families keep in touch with their adoptive children's homeland, history and culture.
We made up loot bags of cheese, fruit, chips, juice and lucky red Chinese NY envelopes. The students also made colourful paper table flower arrangements and had a wrapped gift for each child. It was so much fun.
After their bonding and snack time, a local Chinese mandarin teacher led a fun Chinese song and dance session aimed at kids 3 to 93.
So far we've recruited 11 families with 13 kids - a great start.

It's spring somewhere

This last two weeks has been weird weather. First we had freezing weather and huge winds. Last Tuesday we had a big dump of snow with a storm overnight, about 5 inches on our deck when we woke. Today it was +12 and sunny, and will stay that way for about a week. The big hares are back inour garden and we see prints from Mr. & Mrs. Skunk, who appear to be living under our front deck this winter. They take nightly strolls but don't bother us at all - so far! We make lots of noise to let them know we're about and we're fine as long as some stray cat doesn't nail them! I guess they are after the same mice for food.
Liz and Clive are tormenting us with photos of spring flowers (inset) in the parks in England already. It's hard to believe spring is somewhere while we still have gobs of winter. Looking at my photos of Puerto Vallarta, it would be nice to be in the sun again...
Today Ted and I went walking in Glenmore Park for an hour or so and didn't need jackets. We are so fortunate to be around so much parkland and green space. Ted is waiting to hear from a surgeon about orthroscopy for his knee, but walking is easy. If it stays this warm all weekend, we'll have a quagmire before long.

Feb 12 Social Butterfly again

Feb 12 we said a sad farewell to our CEO at Prospect. Geoff Braun has served Prospect for over 12 years, latterly as CEO. He's transformed the group and done a remarkable job. Now he needs some self time to get back on track and finish his Masters degree. I played host at the board's farewell at the Art Gallery of Calgary, a lovely venue. A great team and one I've been proud to be associated with for over 10 years. Sometimes board work isn't so glamorous but we change lives, especially those of people with mental and physical disabilities. Note, a sprouting of hair at last!
(Above with our past president Dr. Jim Graham and 25+ years treasurer, Flora Stupich.)

Can't keep those wild women down

Baker Creek ski weekend. Two of the Wild Women (WW) became the TTT instead. We are now the two tit twins - we have two between us - one right, one left. If you don't think that's funny, that's your problem. Sally was just out of mastectomy surgery 6 weeks when we skied at Baker Creek. Two tough broads. She is 70+, even more remarkable. And since then skied 6 days out of 7 last week at Lake Louise. It's 20 years since Calgary hosted the Olympics. We won't be going after any medals but I think we can be proud of our achievements nonetheless.

Feb 3/4 Gung Hay Fat Choy

It's Chinese New Year again so braced myself for celebrating. We were guests at Consul General Wu's annual celebration Feb 3, then hosted our own Chinese New Year party Feb 4 at Regency Palace restaurant for about 45 members. If I have something on in an evening, I have to take a nap beforehand so I can last the course. At least I am able to do these things again. We've recruited some families for our new ShouLaShou (Hand in Hand) program to match Chinese student "friends" with families who have adopted children from China. It as fun to have some of them come to our dinner (photo inset.) As always, food is a big part of the fun, Peking Duck always a highlight.

Feb 15 - Skiing again

I'm back on skis again and enjoying it. Not too energetic but great to be out on days like this. It was heartening to go out with a group of people with developmental disabilities and see their courage and vim to learn to XC ski. Some of my fellow ski club members hosted a group from Prospect, the board I've been on for 10 years. It's humbling to know they have faced uphill battles all their lives. Mine is just for a year or so. We hope to do it again when we have enough snow and days like this again in town.
Last week I also went as Don D's date to Emerald Lake Lodge for a 3-day club trip. It was lovely. Cloudy but good snow and mild temperatures. Great camaraderie and lodging. Followed this with 2 days of Prospect board retreat at Banff Centre. Always good to be in Banff and enjoying mountains.
(Photo: Betty, guest, Sheila, Jodi)

Jan 25 Happy Birthday Rab

Jan 25 is the birthdate of Scottish poet Robbie Burns, a charming womanizing devil if ever there was one. However, we Scots choose to celebrate as it's mid-winter and a good time for shots of single malt Scotch and haggis. Haggis is of course a glorified sausage "great chieftain o' the puddin' race." It's made from sheep innards, half a sheep's head, oatmeal and spices, all packed into a "sheep's pluck" (intestine.) It's actually rather good.
I invited seven other trusty souls to celebrate the bard's birth for a lunch on Sunday Jan 27. To prevent starvation if the haggis wasn't up to snuff, I also cooked a venison stew (thanks to hunter Justin) and Lila made clapshot - a mix of bashed neeps (turnips) and champit tatties (mashed spuds) with lots of nutmeg and butter. This is the traditional accompaniment to haggis.
In true Scottish spirit, I addressed the haggis and splayed it open with a dirk (actually a Uigyr knife from Kazahkstan) - see photo.