Reading is . . .

my escape, my passion, my companion during this illness.

I have recently discovered Historical fiction and now I can't seem to read it fast enough.

I'm currently reading "The Queen's Fool" by Philippa Gregory. This is a captivating book told from Hannah Green’s perspective, a young Jewish girl who flees Spain with her father to escape persecution and lands in England. She is a seer and is sought after during the troubled times for the Tudor court. This is the third book by Philippa Gregory that I have read and I highly recommend them. She is becoming one of my favourite authors.

A Sea of Graduates

A picture taken from my Daughter's June 2008 Graduation ceremony.

"This above all: to thine own self be true" Hamlet quote (Act I, Sc. III).

We just returned from a mini vacation to Stratford, Ontario where we spent much of the entire time at the Shakespeare Theatre, oh, and um, shopping of course. This year's headliners are Christopher Plummer, who is playing Caesar in "Caesar and Cleopatra", and Brian Dennehy who is playing the King of France in "All's Well That Ends Well"

We spent the first morning taking a backstage tour of the Theatre. Wonderful time!! We saw where all the costumes and props are made, the rehearsal halls, the dressing rooms, the sound and lighting booths and got to wander around the stage and empty theatre.

Next we went across town to the warehouse where the costumes for the past 60 years are stored. 88,000 square feet of costumes and props, aisle after aisle of wonderful "stuff". For a much clearer picture, click on it to see it full size.







The next afternoon, we went and saw the performance of Hamlet. We all enjoyed it immensely. We're already planning a trip back next year to see Midsummer's Night Dream, Julius Caesar and Macbeth.

We did find time to wander around this very charming little town and found a wonderful book store that had the most awesome prices! When we left "The Book Vault", we left with a box of books, not a bag!

Even though it was a very short trip, it has done me the world of good to get away for a couple days and try to forget about everything that is not so well in my life right now. I feel much more re-charged now to face whatever comes my way.

Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISFP)

Your personality type is caring, peaceful, artistic, and calm. Only about 7% of all people have your personality, including 8% of all women and 6% of all men You are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

The Dark Knight is fantastic!

My daughter and I went to see this last Friday, and all I can say is WOW! Great movie! Heath Ledger was superb!

What a beautiful sight!!!!!!

I have now finished the first round of cancer scans and each one had the same outcome . . . "No malignancy found". I have to undergo the second round of scans in the new year and then once a year for the next 4 years, but it's a huge weight off my mind getting thru the first round and not finding anything.

I needed to make a list of the tests I've had since May, just to justify how I feel. Here's the list:
- Biopsy (hand)
- Chest X-ray
- Pap
- Full Body CT scan (with drinking contrast dye and IV dye)
- Electromyography test
- Nerve conduction test
- Bone Density
- Mammogram & Ultrasound
- Barium Swallow (Upper GI)
- Pelvic Ultrasound
- Gastroscopy
- Colonoscopy
and so far, 58 vials of blood taken.

I still can't celebrate though, cause I still have a serious connective tissue disease that I will probably be on medication for for the rest of my life for, but at least I'm not fighting cancer, and the medication is making me feel better and able to function more normally again. I actually got out of the house and went to the mall for a little while last week and went to see a movie this week. It felt really good going somewhere that wasn't a doctor's appointment or the hospital. I finally don't feel so abandoned and lonely like I have been feeling for the past 7 months. I may get my life back afterall.

Grade 12 Graduation

My Daughter graduated from Grade 12 a few weeks back. She was the recipient of many Awards for her high marks and involvement in many areas. She also received the Ontario Scholar Award. Her are some pics from the evening.