Hannah. Found In New York

A couple of days ago, I was checking my rss feeds and there was a photo of my girl and her friends in New York! What a happy surprise! Hannah, Dani, and Carolyn photographed by their friend, a photographer, Jody Rogac. I follow Jody's website because I like her photography and sometimes I know a model.

You can see Jody's work here.

Hannah's back in Vancouver and is already busy with assignments. New York already feels like a dream, she tells me.

We talked to Luke tonight, too. He has a home game tomorrow against Loyola. Go Bellarmine!

Hannah. Found In New York

I'm Proud To Be Canadian!

What a day! What a finale to the Olympics! What a hockey game! What a day to be a Canadian! It's exhausting ... all that emotion!

Darrel, Lynn and Otto came by to watch the game and then stayed for dinner and the finale. Awesome!

Here's dinner! I do love mashed potatoes!

I spent yesterday just the way I needed to. I stayed home. Kevin was away all day and night at meetings. I didn't get out of my pj's until late afternoon. A whole day with nothing to do except relax and be peaceful inside and out ... and watch Olympics. It was just what I needed. I think the only person I talked to besides Kevin was Luke.

Today I woke up feeling a bit more energetic. With the game starting just after 2:00, I had to do some shopping while I was in the mood and had the energy and I had to get it done before the game started. Bra shopping. Ick. I haven't bra shopped for some time and I'm long overdue. It would have been more exciting if I was shopping for "pretty things" but I was shopping for pure function. Beige **yawn** function. I dreaded it. Things get more complicated when you've got a big divot in one your breasts and your general body shape has changed since you last bra shopped. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I was successful! After finally getting something MUCH more comfortable, I wonder why I waited so long. Really. What an idiot!

Luke's team won their lacrosse game in Philadelphia yesterday 10-4. That's 3 wins and 1 loss so far. Good for them! Luke got a goal! One-Goal-Luke we're starting to call him, which is a whole lot better than No-Goal-Luke. They flew back to Louisville today. They were able to watch the first 2 periods of the hockey game in the airport but then they had to board the plane. Agony! Probably just as well because Luke said the mostly American crowd was getting pretty annoyed with the little group of Canadians cheering loudly! On the plane, the boys had to rely on game updates via text message. Agony! Luke was pretty excited about the win. That's an understatement. They took a lot of ribbing after the Canadians lost the earlier game to the Americans. Both teams sure gave us some very good hockey, though, didn't they?!

And with that, I'm Olympically drained!

I'm Proud To Be Canadian!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Another decorating marvel by Chantelle! This time for Dana's birthday, which was last night. And yes, he's all about Guinness! It was a surprise party and I think he was pretty surprised! I've never seen so many people packed into Dana and Sue's house ... quiet as mice while we waited for Dana to walk in. And now I can tell you that it was Dana's brother, Glenn, who was our house guest this weekend! I couldn't say anything before because of it being a surprise! He drove from Winnipeg on Friday so he'd be here for Dana's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Dana!

Kevin and I didn't stay long at the party. Both of us were feeling a little off. Kevin since late afternoon and me just about the time we got to the party. We were both home by 9:30. Kevin isn't feeling very well today yet and while I feel fine, I do feel generally wasted today. I had such a long sleep, so I'm surprised I feel so tired. As you might imagine, it's been pretty much an Olympic day with both of us parked in front of the tv. I didn't even get out of my pajamas all day.

Luke's team had a good game yesterday. Even though they were the underdogs by a long shot and they ultimately lost 12-7, Luke says they could have won and that they played well. There were some upsetting reffing moments in the last quarter, Luke said. Luke's not one to make excuses so it must have been a real issue. If not for his team getting 4 penalties right near the end, Luke said they would have had a chance. I'd like to have seen the game. Luke got a goal in the 4th. Next weekend they travel to Philadelphia to play St. Joseph's University. Maybe Hannah will make it to that game.

Come on Canada. Win this hockey game!

By the way, it's interesting to look at the front pages of Newspapers from around the world. You can do that at the Newseum. Choose "Today's Front Pages" at the right of the site. I prefer using the "list" feature and then I float my mouse over the links which then displays a small image of the front page. It's a site worth exploring. I see they still don't have any Saskatchewan newspapers represented, which I find very disappointing. I emailed the Star Phoenix about it 5 years ago but never heard back from them. Obviously they're not interested. A shame.

The Newseum collects and archives newspaper front pages from important historical events (an American preference, naturally). Those are interesting to look at, too. I'm sure the 2010 Olympics will be archived.

I find it interesting to see what other parts of the world find worth reporting (and not reporting). I remember checking the front pages the day after Obama was elected. Very interesting.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Saturday Sports Central

Olympics! Isn't the Canadian women's curling team keeping people on the edges of their seats?! AND the men's hockey team?! Yikes!

We've been unable to find any online coverage for Luke's lacrosse game today so that's disappointing. We'll have to wait to hear from Luke after the game and there will be a game tape we can watch after the fact. There is a link on the Bellarmine lacrosse website to live stats but the link is dead. Damn! Nobody is tweeting and the Bellarmine University Radio station emailed me to say that they would NOT be broadcasting the game because they don't have anyone involved with radio this year who also knows the game. Rats! If only some of the boys were ineligible to play, they could commentate! KIDDING!!

We talked to Hannah this morning and she's having a GREAT time in New York! She and I MUST travel together some day so we can look at beautiful things together. She says there are so many things she would love to show me there.

Lyn is home from actually being AT the Olympics and AT Olympic events! WOW! Fabulous photos! Norma and her family had their private, local Olympic event last night complete with running down the street draped in a Canadian flag with a makeshift Olympic torch ... and sparklers! TOOOO funny! And how FUN!

Lots of reasons to smile and laugh. What a change from last Wednesday. Sheesh!

Saturday Sports Central

Kevin Found Lacrosse Tweets - Bellarmine WINS!!

Kevin found David Berry tweeting Luke's game. It was 4 all in the 2nd quarter but then, just before the half, Jacksonville scored another 5, so it's 9-4 for Jacksonville at the half. I hope Jack is giving those boys a big talking to at the half and I hope they come back feeling VERY inspired!

Good for Kevin for finding the tweets himself. I get very tired of being the go-to computer person.

2:30 update (Dave is obviously cheering for Jacksonville) ... Bellarmine controlled the start of the 3rd qtr but JU still leads 11-9. 15 mins away from history.

2:55 -- anxiously awaiting game result. Dave hasn't tweeted for almost half an hour. I'm hoping that means Bellarmine won!

3:00 update! I deduced correctly! Bellarmine wins!!!! 14-13! That was close!! -- Dave tweets, JU loses an absolute heartbreaker to Bellarmine 14-13. Defensive breakdowns killed in the 2nd half. They lost that one...

3:25 update -- Luke phoned. He said it was a pretty intense game. He sounded very happy about the win. He got one goal and one assist. He says it's pretty cool to be on a campus with palm trees everywhere. Even though it's been uncommonly cold in Florida, Luke said is was a nice day there ... warm and sunny. They'll have dinner and go to a movie tonight and then fly back to Louisville tomorrow.

Kevin Found Lacrosse Tweets - Bellarmine WINS!!

A Pie Bird

Thanks, Uncle Norman, for this pie bird! For those of you who don't know what a pie bird is, you stand it in your pie while it's baking so the steam can escape (because it's hollow with openings top and bottom). Cool, huh? I have to try it out!

It's so pretty outside again today but I don't think Otto and I will get for an early walk. I have stuff to do and then I'm meeting Berny at 1:00(ish).

We talked to both our kids last night. Luke leaves today for Jacksonville, Florida and they have a lacrosse game tomorrow at 2:00 against the University of Jacksonville Dolphins. I don't see any indication of live stats or radio/video coverage so we'll probably just have to wait to hear the final results. There is still have quite a bit of snow in Louisville, though school resumed yesterday. I don't think the weather is so much better in Florida right now either.

Hannah leaves today for New York. She'll be there for 2.5 weeks staying with her friend, Dani. UBC is shut down for an additional week because of the Olympics. It just happens to be "fashion week" in New York this week and with Hannah's friend being involved in the fashion industry, I'm sure there will be some fashion-related excursions going on. And not just with Dani. The owner of the little fashion boutique where Hannah works (Eugene Choo is the shop. Kildare is the owner and a good friend of Hannah's) will be in New York then, too, and might be taking Hannah to an event or two. I can't wait to hear all about it.

I had a mediocre sleep last night. I still have to get this sleep thing figured out. It will be important to be able to sleep when I'm back at work next week. It will just make things so much better if I can be well rested. There is a lot I would like to accomplish this weekend before I go back to work. I'd better get at it!

A Pie Bird

Tamoxifen - Day 1

This morning I start my Tamoxifen. It's the drug I'm to take for the next 5 years ... replacing the more effective (for my circumstances) Arimidex that I started but was unable to tolerate. Do your best, Tamoxifen! As for your worst ... please have mercy! I do fully expect the return of hot flashes, though. I hope they're no worse than previously, which were merely annoying and slightly disruptive. I know some people have worse experiences. I know they're a lot easier to manage if you're in the comfort and privacy of your own home and if you can whip off your hair whenever one strikes.

I'm happy to say that my skin tags were dropping like flies yesterday! I only have one of 6 left. I wonder where they go? I think I'll sweep, vacuum, and wash our sheets today. There are just little red spots where the 5 missing skin tags were and all but one of those are completely flat and look like they'll heal with nary a mark to show where they'd been. That's good.

Joints ... the same stiffness I've come to expect, though I wake up every day hoping to be more limber. It's too early to say for sure how they'll be for the day.

Last night I thought I felt a slight cold starting. This morning, it's hard to tell. I hope it's nothing. I've been so lucky in that department all considered. I haven't had a cold or a flu for over a year now. When you consider how vulnerable my health has been off an on during the year, it's amazing really!

Yesterday I was so tired. We went to Don and Syl's for a lovely dinner and then, after we were home, I tried to stay awake for the Grammy's but couldn't do it. Pink's performance was freakin' amazing! I wanted to see Elton John and Lady GaGa perform but I can probably catch it on YouTube. Of course, I could have PVR'd it but that didn't occur to me at the time. DUH!!

I had a nice, long, thought-provoking chat with Hannah last night. She always has interesting thoughts and ideas to share. Her brain must be stretched to capacity inside her skull for all the interesting stuff going on in it. She's so inspired by theoretical thinking ... and memory ... and knowledge ... and history ... and visual arts ... and writing ... and the art of printed formats ... and ... well ... lots of things ... and yet she's firmly pragmatic. It's a wonder she sleeps. She's doing just fine and is so looking forward to her trip to New York on the 12th.

We talked to Luke briefly, too. His team, the Bellarmine Knights, had their first exhibition game on Sunday. It didn't go as good for them as they had hoped. He said the team didn't play very good in general and his hip pointer injury made it hard for him to pivot. Pivoting is important in lacrosse, especially for an attacker, which is his position. He needs to do some healing yet. He would have gotten home at 4 or 5 this morning. A long, late bus ride.

Tamoxifen - Day 1