winosandfoodies

Joy To The World

Thank you everyone for your lovely messages and comments throughout the year. It has been particularly comforting the past few months to have had your support. I very much appreciate your kindness, virtual hugs and love.

I have some exciting news for the New Year regarding LiveSTRONG With  A Taste Of Yellow. Check back here in January for the announcement.

I'm celebrating  Christmas at home with both our boys here to make the day extra special. We'll be tucking into a roast turkey cooked by Michael assisted by sous chef Chris.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Menu For Hope 2008

It's that time of the year again. Pim's  Menu For Hope is the food and wine bloggers annual gift to charity.

This year's Menu for Hope will again benefit the school lunch program in Lesotho, as well as support the WFP's local procurement initiative, which contracts local farmers to grow food to supply the feeding program.

Visit Chez Pim for all you need to know - the prizes and how to purchase your raffle ticket and make your donation. 

The Asia Pacific, Australia and  New Zealand region is hosted by Ed Charles of  Tomato . Visit Ed's blog for the prizes in this region or if you have a prize you would like to donate.

You Light Up My Life

When I started blogging in 2005 I never imagined my world would open up to so many  wonderful friendships.  Blogging for me was just a way of writing down my thoughts and recording my life. I wasn't interested in a career as a food writer or a book deal or even making money from ads.

I have always blogged just for me.  Sometimes I can go for weeks without checking my stats.  When I do, it is always a thrill to see I have readers from far off places.  

Yesterday when Bron and Ilva's Virtual Hugs event popped up on my Google alerts I was overcome to the point of being speechless.  A big fat tear rolled down my cheek as I showed it to Bryan.

The past month has been particularly difficult as my first chemo session was too strong. I felt like one of those dolls that you punch down and they pop back up and you punch them down again and they pop back up again. I suffered every possible side effect of the chemo and then some. There is no way I would get through 24 weeks of this.

Happily for my second session the dose was adjusted and they seem to have got it right. Last night I cooked dinner for the first time in 5 weeks.  On Monday I go in for my third session of the 12 sessions I am scheduled for. My dear oncologist has decided to let me delay the 22nd December treatment until after Christmas.

Sessions happen fortnightly so I have a long way to go.  Which will give me plenty of time to plan my end of chemo celebration for May 2009.  I'm thinking a bottle of Cristal and a few days with Bryan in a vineyard cottage in the Granite Belt, a 3 hour drive from here.

Thank you to all my fabulous food and wine blogging friends  for you kindness, your beautiful words, the tantalising recipes I wish Bryan could recreate for me, and the biggest virtual hug I've ever received.  And a special thank you to Bron and Ilva for this kind and thoughtful gesture.

Do visit Bron's or Ilva's blog for a list of   the particpants because they have created some fabulous recipes to go with my virtual hugs.

.....and I'm also honoured to be the recipient of the ANGEL AWARD

I'd like to thank Giz at Equal Opportunity Kitchen and Jeanne at Cook Sister for the Angel award they deemed me worthy to receive because of my support of Livestrong Day with the LiveStrong With A Taste Of Yellow event.  Both Giz and Jeanne have been recipients of the Angel award for their own personal efforts to make the world a better place for us all.

The award comes with the following rules.

1. The rules of this award are not to be taken lightly--which means you can't give it to someone just because they did something really sweet for you.
2. This award is to be given to bloggers that have shown they are angels by doing something humanitarian and heavenly to help others.
3. You don't have to receive the award in order to give it. Feel free to copy it and bestow it on someone who is worthy of it. If you think they're an angel, they probably are.
4. The award must be linked to a post about an organization or good cause you would like more people to be aware of.
5. The rules for this award are to be shown when giving the award.

UPDATE: You would not beleive how my day turned out.  It seems the port in my chest that has a line that takes the chemo into the heart has moved and isn't working. Tomorrow I report to the hospital at 6.30AM to have the portacath removed and the following Wednesday I have a new one put in and treatment resumes. It totally screws up my Christmas schedule but there you go.  I have a week without any chemo in my body so that's got to be a bonus.

Thank you again for your fabulous virtual hugs, pretty flowers and delicious meals.

UPDATE,UPDATE Wednesday 10th December 08

Well it appears a blood clot had developed near my port. So the last couple of days have been a series of tests and scans to see where we go from here. For the moment I'm off chemo until it is sorted. It is wonderful to have almost minimal nausea and be able to cook dinner each night.

Tuesday - Following reporting to the hospital at 6.30AM for the removal of the port under a general anesthetic I spent the remainder of the day in and out of labs and doctors rooms. Finally I left my oncologists office at 6.30 pm. We got in the lift and pressed carpark and the lift locked. We looked at each other and after the day we'd just had what can you do but laugh. So laugh we did, perhaps a little hysterically at first, then just a jolly good laugh before we pressed the emergency button and staff came running to rescue us. You see after normal working hours the lifts lock for security reasons and the receptionist is required to escort you down.

So for the moment I'm on a blood thinner drug and two blood tests are week and we shall see.