BOO!!

Today is the day of ghouls and goblins, screechy things in the night, and all things scary!

Have a fun Halloween!




And an update to my previous post on my sister Brenda ~ she can't thank every one of you enough for your positive thoughts and prayers and would like me to once again publicly thank you!

As it sits right now she has seen her plastic surgeon and is trying to weigh options and make some decisions before surgery. As they found cancerous and pre-cancerous cells in the surrounding breast tissue after excising the tumour, she is worried whether there might be more of these cells in other breast. The thing is, the cells themselves don't show up in any tests like her tumour did. So she may opt to just have a double mastectomy but isn't sure. Agonizing to say the least, and we are doing all we can to help support her emotionally. Your best wishes for her I keep passing on to her so that helps too. Thank you! I will update again as I know more.



Now, get out there and have a spooky night!



Scare ya later!
Jude

BREAST CANCER ~ UPDATE

You may remember in August I posted about my sister Brenda finding out she has breast cancer HERE. She had a surgery to remove the tumour and surrounding tissue. At the time she was told it was non-invasive.

Since then she has had a second surgery, to remove more tissue around the area as they didn't get all they needed to the first time.

That was 3 weeks ago, and yesterday she got some bad news from her doctors.

She needs to have a mastectomy, and this has thrown her and all of our family into a spin. Apparently there are more cancerous cells and some that aren't but apparently "most likely will turn cancerous". Does this mean it IS invasive? I don't know....

She's seeing a plastic surgeon on Monday, to talk about breast reconstructive surgery. She's scared, she's agonizing, she's stunned. As are her kids and her hubby and her sisters.

I just wish I could take this all away from my sister and make it better. I'm crying as I type this just because I feel so damn helpless.

Please if I can just ask once again for your positive thoughts, energies and if you are of a mind, prayers. Lots of prayers?

I'll keep you updated as we know anything more.

Thank you all for your past and continuing support for Brenda!


***EDIT*** After telling Brenda how many people are praying for her, she sent me this message to copy and paste to share with you. Note: "Ceara" is her 11 yr. old daughter, my niece:

Hi sis, I am sending this email for you to forward to all your wonderful friends, who obviously care very much about you! And deserving you are, I don't know where I would be in my life without you right now. Quite frankly I'm scared poopless! I am shaky and feeling extremely vulnerable right now, beat the odds for so many years, and now I'm scared of what's in the other breast, in my blood, in my bones etc. etc. My logic drives me insane, gee if it's in this breast, why wouldn't it be in the other etc.

I have so much loving support around me now, at work I felt like I was being lifted off my feet a little to make it all easier to bear. They are such a great bunch. The girls at my sign language class are right there beside me, the instructor has told me if my assignments are late - no biggie (it is usually very strict), and I can take my final test whenever. Ceara's school administrators immediately offered to set Ceara up with a counsellor to help her deal with it, she is scared too, although I've given her the rosy picture - and I'm giving myself that too!!

So to all you wonderful people - Karen, Vicky, Bobbie, Terri, Tracey, Danni, Dick, Janna, Nancy, Ben, Jay, Orion, Jeremy, Patty, Laura - and all of you out there who care enough about a stranger to send you love.

I too, send mine and wish you all the best. I will keep Judy up to date of course, and as long as the lymph node biopsy comes back clean, you are right Karen, it will be a done deal, no treatments except maybe the drug. On the other hand, I will have radiation and chemo they tell me - but the odds are in my favour of the nodes being clean. I have to say I am afraid to hope too much though, they have led me down a bit of a garden path.

Again, thanks all!! It means the world to me, and thank you for supporting my sister Judy through this, because it's very hard on her too.

Love,
Brenda


I just went out and bought 4 of these pins for all of us sisters to wear, and get Brenda through this. Linda yours is on it's way!



Bless you,
Jude

FROSTY MORNING

One day last week just after I got out of bed I could see that we'd had a major frost during the night.

The sun was just starting to make it's rising journey in the sky, and I grabbed my camera to capture what I could before the sun's rays took it all away. It was chilly as I knelt in the grass for some of these shots, but a lovely and invigorating way to wake up as my coffee brewed inside and awaited me.









The beauty of frost to me is very similar to snow. It's the sparkle when the light hits it that catches my attention and makes me grateful for nature's bounty for the eyes.

This was shot kneeling on the deck, the deck boards were slippery with the coating of frost and reminiscent of the first skiff of snow. Which is yet to come!











The flowers out front really showed off their autumn morning jewellry like they were lined up for a fashion show. Show offs!

Here it is quite thick, and I must say that after this frost the next days told of browning and dying petals. Ah but the circle of life and seasons is what I love so much about living where I do. Everything goes to sleep eventually under a warm thick blanket of white, only to awaken in Spring's warm rays and come alive again to surprise us.








The two flowering plants that do the best in spite of frost are the mums and the roses.

This one isn't looking quite this good now, but it's still hanging in there. I love this variety of rose for it's colours. So different from the standard reds, pinks, whites and yellows. And it wears diamonds quite well, don't you think?











And my favourite in the rose garden, I don't know what this one is called but I have unofficially named it "Fireburst", the colours remind me of fire. When hubby cuts these down to the ground I know I needn't be sad; just like always they will once again flourish in the coming year!

Old Jack Frost visited my garden. And he's finding his way here now on a daily basis. Hi Jack. Just don't bring ol' Frosty the Snowman with you quite yet okay?









I hope you all have a great week where you are. Take good care of each other and God bless.

PEACE!
Love Jude

LADIE'S NIGHT OUT AND BEING TAGGED

I've been tagged by my Aussie bud DANNI so here goes:

1. Where is your cell phone? In my purse.
2. Where is your significant other? In the shower using up all the hot water.
3. Your hair color? Brunette, with strands of white.
4. Your mother? In heaven.
5. Your father? Dancing with my mother in his arms.
6. Your favorite thing? Relaxing on days off work.
7. Your dream last night? I cant remember.
8. Your dream/goal? To be able to retire by 60 (in 4 years).
9. The room your in? My den.
10. Your hobby? Photography.
11. Your fear? Not being able to retire in 4 years.
12. Where do you want to be in six years? I know I sound like Janna, but dammit I want to be retired by then sooooooo bad! lol
13. Where were you last night? Out with sister Pammie and best friend Michele to see the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra playing the Old Masters (classical music), it was divine!
14. What you’re not? Skinny, made of money, or retired.
15. One of your wish list items? A bigger house to retire in, after I win the lotto. LOL
16. Where you grew up? In Canada. Being an Airforce brat we were all over the country.
17. The last thing you did? Poured a cuppa coffee, which I am now waking up with.
18. What are you wearing? Pale green ankle length nightgown with tiny red flowers on it, red slippers. And nothing else. *wink*
19. Your TV? A wall mounted flat screen.
20. Your pet? Don't have pets anymore but I've always been a doggie gal!!
21. Your computer? I love my 'pooter, it's am HP Pavilion Slimline.
22. Your mood? Groovy.
23. Missing someone? Always and forever..., especially my parents, and wishing my big sister lived here.
24. Your car? Don't drive.
25. Something you’re not wearing? A bra!
26. Favorite store? Don't really have a favourite but I do like Sears.
27. Your summer? Usually too fargin' HOT!
28. Love someone? Absolutely, many.
29. Your favorite color? Red!
30.When is the last time you laughed? Last night.
31. Last time you cried? A few weeks ago.


Okay I'm not tagging anybody but if you want to do this, go for it!

**********************************************************




Last night sister Pammie, my best friend Michele and myself went to the city centre to the lovely Winspear to partake in the beautiful strains of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra playing some of the Masters classical music. It was lovely!



I may be a rocker chick at heart but also deep down in my soul there is a special place for classical music. I can't get enough of the violins and piano playing beautiful melodies of Chopin, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven to name a few.

Ah the "Zen" of it!

I hope you all have a great weekend, take good care of each other!

PEACE!
Love Jude

"CEMETERIES" CONTEST WINNER!!

I'd first like to once again offer a huge thank you to all who participated in the voting process over at Stardom Awaits!, you guys really make this happen for us!


**DRUM ROLL.........**





The winning shot for the "Cemeteries" contest was Fullmoondolphin, with 5 votes!
Congratulations Fullmoondolphin!

And the runner up behind by one vote was ME! lol


As always it was not only a LOT of fun for us, it was a great success with many cool photographs. Everyone is a winner!



Stay tuned folks, next contest will be at the end of the month, and the theme this time will be "Autumn".


PEACE!
Love Jude

NEW LINKS, OLD FRIEND!

Well howdy-do, folks!

There has been SO much excitement at the Hippie Chick's blog of late! You may recall in the past me talking about when I first started blogging 4 years ago, how I started with a group of 4 other ladies who were already online friends. Well one of those ladies quit blogging after about a year or so, much to my dismay and sadness.

Janna and I share the same age, the same sick but oh-so-great sense of humour, and the same love of being *slightly older* long-haired-forever rocker chicks. Rock rules and that's a fact. *wink*


Of course we've stayed in touch as she's my "Noo Yawk Soul Sista", but I have always lamented the fact that I no longer had her blog to go read anymore.

Well suck me dry and call me Dusty, because SHE'S BACK! **grinning till it hurts**

Yes, you can go check out my Sista JANNA and tell her that she's made me a happy camper.


And there's more!!

Not only is Janna blogging again, but now her sister is also for the very first time. And she's a hoot too! Pop over to AMY'S and give her a warm welcome, would you?

Janna and Amy's antics always have me in stitches, they remind me sooooo much of my own sisters and I, and the pee-in-your-pants kind of snorting laughter and craziness we get into together. Lord knows we none of us ever said we were normal, I think "cracked" would be a better description; and the sisterly Janna/Amy duo is just exactly the same.

Long live Twisted Sisters!!! LOL

Welcome back Janna darling, I'm loading up on those special panties because around you I do the "leak laugh" far too often. And Amy, welcome to the fold and I hope you have as much fun with it as I do!




Don't forget, if you haven't already, please pop over to Stardom Awaits! to cast your (ONE) vote for the September "Cemeteries" theme contest. There is still a bit of time left, on the 15th. we'll be shutting this contest down and tallying the votes. I'll announce the winner(s) both there and here on my own blog! Thanks!


Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

PEACE
Love Jude

THE COLOURS OF AUTUMN

Aaahhh yes, it's my favourite time of the year and it's beautiful out there! Sadly, yesterday we had voracious gusting winds and it blew a lot of the coloured leaves off the trees. Only the green leaves have stayed on. It was so windy that when I was walking to work yesterday morning I got into trouble a few times not being able to breathe! It was blowing right into my face and I had to keep turning around away from it just to gulp some air in. By the time I got inside our building I was bent over literally gasping for air and my eyes were crying from the wind. Bleh!!!

However, yesterday's bad winds aside, I'm loving this weather and I wish autumn could last for at least a handful of months each year. Here are a few shots around my front and back yards:


BACK YARD:

1.




2. Hangers-On




3.



4.



5.



Every time I step outside I relish autumn's scent. There are the undertones of wet and/or rotting leaves on the ground mixed in with the crisp and oh-so-fresh air. The odd morning with bits of frost on the rooftops guarantees that the wasp population is dying down, and the sun during the day is still warm enough to be pleasant but it cools off at night enough to keep everything comfortable.


FRONT YARD:


6.



7.



8. Red and pink rose bushes still blooming



9. My favourite roses



10. Mums are in copious bloomage



11.



12.



13.



14.



Soon enough there will be a skiff of the white stuff hit the ground, but I'm keeping hope alive that it will stay away like last year until after Halloween is over. Our ghoulish lawn decorations look so much better that way!


Oh, and if you haven't already, please pop over to Stardom Awaits! to cast your (ONE) vote for the September "Cemeteries" theme contest. There is still a bit of time left, on the 15th. we'll be shutting this contest down and tallying the votes. I'll announce the winner(s) both there and here on my own blog!


I hope you are all enjoying autumn where you are (I know a certain Sista Janna who no doubt is!), even if for you it is only the beginning of it.

To my Canadian friends, have a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend! *gobble gobble!* Good wishes for a great weekend for all of you, and take good care of each other.

PEACE!

Love Jude

HOW TO VOTE, AND MY "CUTS"

Oops! I'm just not sure how to explain the voting process any better here on my blog and over at the Photo Contest blog without sounding like a 'nag'. LOL

We're still getting the odd person voting for more than ONE shot and that throws the count out of whack and we're not sure what to do with it yet. We're trying to decide if we have to keep those "mis-votes" out of the picture. Good thing it's all in fun and not an award winning procedure! *wink*

Head on over to Stardom Awaits! to cast your ONE VOTE if you already haven't, and in the meantime following KATE and TRACEY'S leads, I'm going to post just a few of my cemetery shots that I had to leave behind. Believe me this is "just a few", as I probably had about 50 or so I wanted to be able to enter!! LOL

Some of my shots I "cut" out of the contest:

1.



2.



3.



4.



5.



6.



7.



8.



9.



10.



11.



12.



Aaahhhhhh yes it felt good to just post some of the "cuts" SOMEWHERE!! LOL


Thanks for voting, and take care of each other......

PEACE!
Love Jude