Wordless Wednesday Soups On

What does Wordless Wednesday have to do with soup you may be asking. I've not had the chance to tell you about my newest adventure over at +Squidoo, and thought that today would be the perfect opportunity. See WW can be either wordless or wordy. That's the one thing I do love about this blog hop.

Back at the beginning of January I became Squidoo's "Soups On" contributor. I was ecstatic when I learned that I'd been chosen for writing in this niche. Cooking is my second passion next to writing, and I do love soup. 

Anyways today I thought that I'd share a few pictures of some of the soups that I've made recently. As a contributor I'm always on the look-out for soups, stews, and chili's to share on my Squidoo lenses, on Pinterest, and social sharing sites. So if you write on Squidoo, please stop in and share some of your recipes with me, or write a review on your favorite cookware or bowls.  If you're not a member of Squidoo and would like to write on a great site full of wonderful and supportive writers click on this link and start today. It's free, a lot of fun, and it is a site that is full of many, many incentives.

What is your favorite kind of soup? 

If you'd like to join in on the fun of Wordless Wednesday where there are no rules, please go to either one or both of the following blog sites and jump on board. It's tons of fun and very addictive. If it hadn't been for reading +Terrye Toombs bubble today I would have completely forgotten today was Wednesday. So thank you Terrye!

Abracabadra

Create With Joy

Have a Wonderful Wordless Wednesday all!

Ten Things of Thankful - Things That Make Me Cry

I had such a great time participating in last weeks TToT that I couldn't wait for this weekend to arrive so that I could get busy writing another post for this blog hop. If you'd like to participate too, then hop on over to Considerings and link up. Considerings is a blog written by +Lizzi R, a wonderful gal I've just recently met. 

For the most part it was a pretty good week for me. I felt a little off and under the weather on Wednesday and Thursday but I was able to concur with my pain management doctor that for the most part everything was due to side effects. 

Why would I choose things that make me cry? Well I've cried a few times this week, but not for reasons of sadness. Crying sometimes is reason to be thankful, right?  So let's get this party started.

#1. Yesterday my step sister Betty, met me at my chemo appointment to keep me company. We've not seen each other in 6 years and the first thing we did when we saw each other was cry. We were both so happy to see each other. It was a wonderful reunion and I'm very happy to have her back in my life again.

#2. Last night I was flipping through channels trying to find something to watch and happened upon a movie that I got really into. The movie is called Safe Haven and stars Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, and Cobie Smulders.  If you've not seen this movie yet and enjoy a really good tear jerker I highly recommend it. I cried like a baby. You'll understand why after watching. Yes that's all I'm going to tell you as I don't want to spoil the movie for you.

#3. Let's see if I can even put this into words and make sense of what I'm trying to say here. Since September I feel as if I'm a different person. No I don't have a split personality, don't even go there! What I'm trying to say is that I look at everything or mostly everything in a totally different light. Rather than looking outside and seeing a cloudy dark grey sky and thinking what a crappy day, I look at the day as being bright and beautiful, just a little dulled down.

My husband said to me yesterday, You've been so happy lately and it's so nice to see you this way. He also added, that he thinks I'm one tough old broad. I look back and I was getting bitchy, miserable, ungrateful, unappreciative, etc. for the last several years. I like the new me. 

Okay so before you say it, I'll say it .... not all of the ten make me cry.

The quote itself was taken from a Facebook page and the photo is mine. 

#4. Humor lately is how I deal with so many of life's challenges. It makes things so much easier. Check out my latest bubble over at Bubblews. 

#5. Here I am above sporting my new +HubPages t-shirt. I've been wanting one of these since I first started writing at HubPages, and saw +Wendy Iturrizaga wearing one in her profile picture.  I even entered contests in hopes that I would be able to win a t-shirt. Took me three years of blood sweat and tears but I finally got one gifted to me from the staff over at HP, which I will forever be thankful to.

#6. Poetry & Haiku's. When the mood strikes me I love to write poetry and especially haiku's. I find I can put into words the feelings I'm trying to convey. 

#7. So often I cannot think of something to write about, and I'm thankful that +Robin Svedi and +Bonnie Diczhazy started a Facebook group for Squidoo with a daily challenge. It really has helped me on those days where I have writers block.

#8. So very thankful to +Lizzi R for making this post possible.

#9.  Thank you to the people that have recently bought my book. Sales no matter how small or large are so encouraging.

#10. My bestest online buddy who keeps me sane each and everyday. 

She really is The RealHousewife 

Remember to be sure to visit Considerings for the TToT blog hop. This week Lizzi is having a Christmas giveaway. 

Until next time, "Live Everyday as if it were your last."

One last thing ..... Do you think the larger text is easier to read, or is it too large?

Ten Things of Thankful - I have so many more than ten, but I'll try and stick to ten.

I've been meaning to join the blog hop called Ten Things of Thankful, for quite sometime now and finally have made the plunge today. +Cyndi Calhoun suggested it to me awhile back and I must thank her for giving me yet another push. To join in on the fun of this blog hop please follow the link above and link up Bloggers!

#1. This has been a pretty good week for me and I'm thankful that I now have a great team of doctors and nurses at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in Newmarket Ontario. Dr. Anglin, my oncologist was happy to see that the swollen lymph nodes on my neck had shrunk considerably. He will do a CAT scan after round 4 of chemo to check on the tumors in my lungs as well as the one tumor in my chest area. I now have started round two of four and am handling the chemo quite well, and hope that this continues. I've not had nausea, lost any hair yet, and still have a great appetite. My back has gotten quite painful at times but nothing pain pills can't handle.

         

Close up of the patterns used.

Quilt by Victoria's Quilts Canada

Hand made by Volunteers 

#2. My cousin Norma had written to Victoria's Quits Canada and asked them if they would make a quilt for me. Well it arrived this week and I absolutely love it. It is so warm and cozy and perfect for cuddling up with on my love seat while watching TV. Victoria's Quilts Canada was first established by Betty Griffin of Ottawa in October of 2000. They currently distribute and donate about 500 quilts each month to people with cancer. To read more about Victoria's Quilts please follow the link.

#3. +Robin Edmondson from +HubPages had left me a beautiful comment on a previous post on my blog and also sent me an email message. This week a package arrived from Hubpages in San Francisco, a HubPages t-shirt along with a lovely card. I love butterflies and I'm including below a picture of the card. Everyone on staff signed the card with a  with such a lovely message. I cried when I read all the signatures and the message itself.

#4. For my family that has to put up with me at this time of my life. Here's a funny name I've been recently tagged with. "GOOFY" With the narcotic drugs that I take for pain, along with the chemo drugs, and pre-chemo drugs, I can become quite moody and explosive when something is said to me or something happens that I don't like. So if I ever send you a message or make a comment on one of your posts that make you go ???? You can just chalk it up to Sue being Goofy. The other day the receptionist at the hospital explained to me something on a calendar of appointments she'd just given me and I told her of my new name. She laughed and said, Oh that's a great one, we here call it Chemo Brain.

5. Grateful to all my new friends that I've met over at +Squidoo. There are too many to add here but wanted to include all of you.

#6. To +Shelley Weichel, +Gail Johnson, +Betty Health, +Claire Zutautas my mother in law, my husband Al, and my son's girlfriend Meghan who have all volunteered to sit with me during my chemo appointments. This really makes me smile as these appointments can be quite boring. But with company the time does fly.

#7. To the Canadian Cancer Foundation for providing rides to and from appointments when needed.

#8. All of my family and friends have been there for me so many times in the past and I'm so happy and grateful to all of you that are cheering me on again.

#9. To my two best furry friends Maggie Magz and Bruce for knowing that Mom is not feeling well. Whenever I come home after chemo they give me a good sniff test and sit by my side. Life is so special when you can share yours with pets.

#10. Are you tired of reading yet? Thankful that I've kept a blog and have been able to share my journey with all of you. Most of all for all the love and support I've gotten online from you. I love you all.

Please excuse any typos, I'll blame it on "GOOFY".

Tenacious Tuesday

So I'm guessing you're wondering what the hell is Tenacious Tuesday? I've always liked the word tenacious, and right now the meaning as well as the word is perfect for me. 

From Merriam Webster:

•  Not easily stopped or pulled apart
•  Continuing for a long time
•  Very determined to do something

Works for me, and if you know me I'm sure you'd agree. 

Today I thought I'd share some random thoughts, things that have been happening lately and a few whatnots. What are whatnots? Just stuff, thoughts, junk I feel like sharing that is not of any importance whatsoever. 

Photo source: davidicke

I was told years ago that I have an Indian Spirit Guide. He was described as being very tall and strong. Right now this gives me great comfort. I think out of the spirit guides this one is probably a pretty cool guide to have.

Yesterday was my third year anniversary at HubPages. It's hard to believe that I've been writing on that site for this long. Well actually the last time I wrote an article there was in May of this year. For the record; I haven't abandoned HubPages or the writers that I've grown to admire there.

My sister in law +Christy pushed and pushed me to join Squidoo. In July I wrote my first article or lens and have been quite happy there. The thing I like the most about Squidoo is that they encourage you to include personal stories in whatever you write there. For me I need this as it allows me to share what I know and allows creativity when it comes to writing. 

Yesterday I went and got my hair chopped off. It was the longest it's ever been. (3 more inches and it would have been to my waist)  I was pretty sad to see it lying on the floor, but it'll grow back. I figured if it ends up falling out due to chemo, which starts this Friday, it won't be so much of a shock if it's shorter rather than longer. Anyways it's now barely touching my shoulders. Can't really remember the last time it was this short. When I had chemo 22 years ago I was lucky and didn't lose my hair so hopefully it will be the same this time. 

Tomorrow I'm off to a class to learn about chemo. Apparently it's a prerequisite now. Things sure do change over the years. 

I'm hoping that I'll still be able to get a post done tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday, but if I don't you'll know why.

Have a great day everyone!