This photograph entitled "I Wait" was taken in 1860 by English photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. To see more of Julia's amazing photos please click here. Her photography is beautiful in my opinion, and a window to the past.

Happy H.O.T. day and thanks so much for stopping by

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more Heads Or Tails please click here.

Firstly, I just want to take a quick moment to wish all the Dad's that may surf by here today a very Happy Father's Day!

Secondly I have some good news to share regarding by Grave's disease treatment.

Last week my doctor told me she was concerned about my liver not reacting well to the pills I am on, and that based on the outcome of blood tests I would have to get done I may need to come off of them completely. This would mean the possibility of destroying the thyroid through radiation as a permanent solution, which is something I want to avoid if at all possible.

Well, I had the blood work done, and the liver numbers came down a very wee bit! Not only that, but my thyroid has responded very well to the drug treatment. Yah!

So my doctor's plan is that I stop the pills immediately, which I did on Wednesday, and then restart them on Monday morning 5mg per day. This gives the thyroid and liver a break, and is a much, much lower dosage then the 30mg per day I started off at. If symptoms of hyperthyroidism start up again by my next visit (July 9th) she'll increase the dosage at that time. Fingers crossed that they won't.

For now I've dodged the atomic cocktail as I call the permanent solution..... phew......a blessing indeed!!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!

Sue
XOX

This week I thought I would share a close-up of our budgie Sam with you. Sam is getting on in years, and while he has only made attempts at actually saying hello he is very tame, and likes people.

Sam did have a gender confused brother named Stella, and a partner named Sunny, but both have since passed on.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great week ahead! If you are stopping in for BYB Sunday that will be online a little later.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more great Camera Critters please visit here.

Alec A. Demeter Aug. 5th 1922 - July 6th 1999

Tomorrow is Father's Day here in North America, and while my father passed away almost 10 years ago I will of course be thinking of him. I wrote the following shortly after his death in 1999.

Dad,

There is not a day that goes by that I am not thinking about you. Although I am slowly learning to live life without you, I miss you so much, and there is a part of my heart that is missing forever. I miss our shared love for your grandchildren, our early morning talks, our enthusiasm for science, especially space exploration. I miss the old days , your pancake breakfasts, hiking in the woods, fishing at the lake, tobogganing in the snow, your kiss good night. You taught me so much Dad.

I am so thankful we had that final day to say all the things that we needed to say to each other.

And thank you Dad for the dream up at the cabin. I know you are ok. You are our guardian angel now and I feel your presence often. When I take out the telescope and view the stars, I remember our planet, and know we will meet again.

Love Sue

While the pain does go away, and sadness is replaced by happy memories of times gone by I have learned one thing through this loss...that no matter how much time goes by the missing never goes away.

Wishing all the Dads out there, and those who love them a very Happy Father's Day tomorrow!

If you are here for Photo Hunter's please see entry below this one.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Thanks to Abbey for putting together this fun meme. Why not join in?!

For this week's theme I've decided to concentrate on the best emotion, which of course is happiness. The above photo is from my daughter's high school production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown." She is the one in the middle.

- From "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown"

Happy photo hunting, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Next Week's Theme: water

Tags:

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

I just started watching the rather dark British time-travel, cop show Life On Mars, and it is freaking awesome!!!! I can see how it is easily a BAFTA and Emmy-winning show, and I normally watch very little tv.

What can I say beyond that actor John Simm is brilliant in his role as a police officer from the present day who finds himself somehow transported back to 1973 after being hit by a car. And the early 70's soundtrack rawks! I'm hooked!

ABC has apparently commissioned a US version ..... I only hope that it is half as good as this amazing British series.

Can ya tell I really, really love this show.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Do you shop online? More, and more I shop online simply because it is far more handy, and to be honest I can usually find much better deals over the internet than I can at our local mall. Granted this may change as the price of gas will certainly start driving up the costs associated with shipping.

One way to hopefully beat that, and get an even bigger savings for your dollar is through using Promo Codes or online coupons. My Mom used to be a coupon clipper from our local newspapers and fliers, so I feel I'm following in her penny saving footsteps with an online equivalent like CouponNinja, and I hate to say it, but with the economy looking like it will only get worse, now more than ever is the time to start saving those pennies.

CouponNinja.com is way cooler than anything our Mothers ever had to clip their coupons from. In one stop you can grab free promo codes, and coupons for literally thousands, and thousands of online merchants. If it is being sold online you can pretty much find a code for it on this site. For me it is a great way to get money off the price of shipping at Amazon.com all you have to do is grab the code from CouponNinja, and add it at check out. It is that easy, and I have saved over 50% off my total order using coupon codes before. Now that is cool!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I was having a hard time coming up with an idea for this week's TT, however since I had an appointment with my specialist today I thought I might do a list on the thyroid.

1. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland
2. It is found in the front of the neck
3. The thyroid produces specific hormones
4. These hormones control how our bodies operate in terms of utilization of food and energy
5. An underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism
6. An overactive thyroid is called hyperthyroidism
7. I have an overactive thyroid due to Graves disease
8. Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may go undetected for years
9. About 200 million people in the world have some form of thyroid disease
10. Thyroid disorders for the most part are treatable
11. Untreated thyroid disease can produce serious results in other parts of the body
12. It is important to have your thyroid checked at each routine physical
13. Most thyroid disorders are 5-7 times more common in women

Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week, and a great weekend! Happy Thursday Thirteen, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd

When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd,
And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night,
I mourn'd, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.

Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,
Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,
And thought of him I love.

- Walt Whitman

I know...but I am just one of those types that cannot keep wordless. I also immediately thought of this poem when I first took a look at the photo in my photo shop program, and when I make strange connections like that for whatever reason I always try to go with them. The poem itself is much longer, and can be read through the University of Toronto website here. American visitors may recognize it as written about President Abraham Lincoln.

Cheers!
Sue
XOXOX

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

A single H.O.T Day flower for you. And what a hot day it literally is for us here in Southern Ontario! We went through a heat wave this past weekend that saw sweltering temps, very high humidity, and choke, gasp, smog! Ew! This is supposed to be the last day of it, with more normal weather mid-week...fingers crossed.

Happy H.O.T. day and thanks so much for stopping by

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more Heads Or Tails please click here.

What was the last movie you saw? Was it good? What made it good? What made it bad? What could have been better? Why did you choose this particular movie? Would you recommend it to a friend? To your mom? To your significant other? What summer movies are you looking forward to?

Watch the clip! All I can say is WOW!!! In my opinion one of the best superhero films to be released in a very long time. If you like action, this film is for you.

I really cannot see how they could have made it better, and while I am normally picky in all honesty I cannot see a downside to this film for its genre.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Sure, provided I knew they were into this sort of movie. My Mom? No, she prefers romantic comedies, and hates any sort of violence, and that includes film. And since I saw this with my hubby, and the youngest kid who both really enjoyed it as well I don't need to give them my recommendations.

I am not really looking forward to any other movies at the moment. I saw the new Indiana Jones film, and as a die-hard fan of the originals was not impressed at all....to each their own.......

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery… we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”

His Holiness The Dalai Lama

My blessing this week is for the great teachers past,and present like The Dalai Lama from all the various faiths, and beliefs who's presence have blessed this Earth, and that have taught us the different paths that we too can achieve inner peace.

Inner peace is something I have struggled with as I have learned to cope with my new reality of thyroid disease. I have found that words such as those above are comforting, and do help me on my own path.

Happy BYB Sunday, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

If you are here for Camera Critters please see entry below this one.