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COFFEE heART
...and from Krista who found a mushroom shaped heart in the woods.
Thank you for all the lovely comments you have left recently. Unfortunately this past week I have suffered some problems as a result of my recent cancer treatment. It will clear up but I will be online spasmodically over the next 2 months.
STAINED GLASS COOKIE heART
The cold and rain finally got to us and we went home. I managed to take a few photos of the Brisbane Fieritalia.
I found the cutest guy there........ Orion.
It wouldn't be an Italian festival with out canoli.
..............and these Italian pastries. Maybe you could tell me the name, as I don't know.
People came prepared. The young.....
..............and old...........
................and the very young in dinosaur raincoats
Roving entertainers entertained............
................another view
...........and in their coats of many colours
Musicians in the colours of the Italian flag played
There was a choir
Some people used technology to find their friends
I met a journalism student filming
We bought olives.........
.........to eat while we watched them setting up for the grape stomping
We sheltered from the rain and saw the costumes from the Renaissance period....
.............and beautiful in the detail
There was Italian food for big kids...........
...and little kids. (Does this remind you of a famous painting by Michelangelo?)
Swordsmen in smart outfits performed
....................finally we ate gelato and went home
..............and one more of Orion in his costume
If you object to your photo on this page please let me know and I will remove it.
For all your beautiful posts and hearts I thank you. On behalf of all the people coping with cancer I give you my stained glass hearts with gratitude for your wonderful support.
From my fabulous BLOGGER FRIENDS, many who have been supporting A Taste of Yellow from the first year.
Arfi ** Allison ** Anh ** Astrid ** Becky ** Celeste ** Chele ** Cherrie ** Chris A ** Clare ** Colleen ** Danielle ** Deeba ** Di ** Ellie ** Erin ** Felice ** Fiona ** Gaye ** Gilli ** Gina ** Grapefruit ** Jamie ** Jasmine ** Jeanne ** Janell ** Joey ** Johanna ** Judy ** Julie ** Kari ** Kathleen ** Kim ** Margaret ** Meeta ** Megha ** Michelle ** Natasha ** Nic ** Paz ** Penny ** PG ** Quinn ** Rachel ** Rosa ** Sally ** Sandhya ** Shirley ** Steph ** Sue ** Val ** Vanille **
From my wonderful new friends at PROJECT 365
Annie ** Barb ** Bruni ** Carolyn ** Cheryl ** Cindy ** Constance ** Denise ** Elizabeth ** Joji ** June ** Kate ** Kay ** Louise ** Metatransitions ** Mirmax ** Saira ** Tiina ** Peggy ** Weslyn **
..... and finally my friends who posted at FLICKR
I have set up a Livestrong Taste of Yellow group at Flickr. You can add your Heart photos to the Flickr group Taste of Yellow 2010 Hearts.
Please let me know in the comments if a link is broken or if I have missed including any hearts.
You know how some days are etched in your memories. Days like JFK's assassination, the day Elvis died, Princess Diana's death, 9/11. You remember where you were, who you were with, how you reacted. I have those memories...well apart from Elvis...I don't remember that day.
I also have other days etched in my memory. Days where I remember moments of 'my' life. Happy moments. Major events like the day Bryan and I married, the day our children were born, the first night in the first house we bought, standing on the top of the Pyrenees - looking down and saying 'we must never forget this view'. Some not so major but nevertheless memorable - drinking wine and eating fish and chips on Waiheke beach while watching the sunset, meals with friends where the conversation was so good you didn't want the day to end.
Then there are the other days. The not so good moments I remember. The day the doctor in Portugal told me I had a carcinoma. It took a few moments before I realised he was telling me I had cancer. I wasn't too concerned. Yes it was a nuisance, and it would stuff up my new business plans, but I knew I could beat it.
Eighteen months later my oncologist in New Zealand telling me the cancer was back. This time I went into shock, I couldn't breathe, I moved toward the window to get air, laying down on the examination table before I passed out, Bryan looking at the scans, the oncologist explaining things. Leaving the hospital, Bryan and I both sobbing as we drove home.
More surgery and chemo.
Twelve months later and the cancer was back. It was easier this time. What do I need to do? Appointments made. More surgery, but YAY, no chemo.
Nine months later - It's back...and this time there's nothing we can do. I surprised myself with how calm I was. I looked at the scans, I said f**k for each tumor the oncologist pointed to. We discussed 'how long' ............9 - 12 months if I was lucky. I apologised for my language. Then we got in the car and drove home. There were no tears, just decisions. We were driving over the Auckland Harbour bridge when we made the decision to return home to Australia. Within 4 weeks we were happily living in Queensland .
It's been three years since that day...and I've exceeded the 9 -12 months expected. New drugs, new treatments and I'm still here.
Which is why organisations like LiveSTRONG are so important to the cancer world. It is why I support LiveSTRONG Day with my Taste of Yellow event. It is through the LiveSTRONG presence, governments and corporations are made aware of cancer issues, not just in the US, but worldwide. Thanks to organisations like LiveSTRONG there are new treatments, new drugs, more research.
Thanks to the people behind those organisations I may get to measure my time in years not months. Most of all, thanks to those organisations, we will one day have a cure for cancer.
It's not to late to join A Taste Of Yellow Heart Series. Read all you need to know to join. I'll accept entries throughout next week at atasteofyellowATgmailDOTcom
