Happy New Year's to all of our friends and family...

I will be back and catch everyone up with the happenings of Robyn and Jim! We love you all and miss you terribly! Please be safe and let's start the New Year right!
With much love,

Today...was my last treatment!

I no longer have to walk through this door anymore!
Today was my last treatment. You would think I would be jumping up and down celebrating...yes and no, I am very happy that today is my last treatment, but no not jumping up and down! A new mood has settled over me. I can say I am nervous. I still have to have an exit scan to see if the treatments did what they were supposed to do...cure the cancer!

I no longer have to lay on this table to receive treatments.
Will I miss this room...the answer is a resounding NO! Will I miss the encouraging words and the calming pats of reassurance, YES! My sister asked me today..."so, how do you feel?". I really wasn't sure at first what to say...a part of me wanted to run outside and shout at the heavens "I'm DONE!", then on the other hand a part of me held me right there on my seat cushion and answered "I'm nervous" and realized that was the truest statement. Today was not a true celebration. There will be a day though where I will have cause to do so. Today was one of thankfulness. And I am OK with that.

This butterfly represents Thyroid Cancer Survivors. Since the thyroid is shaped as a butterfly it seems to fit. And with all the meanings one can form from the symbol of the butterfly. Metamorphosis, the 'stage to stage' if you will. Or one to take flight on their new journey, cancer free. So, friends I offer this butterfly as my thank you gift for all the wonderful outpouring of support and kindness you all have bestowed on me. Please copy this and attach to your blogs to set this awareness on it's path.

Thyroid Cancer Diagnoses Predicted To Set New Record in 2008
ThyCa Urges Early Detection Through Neck Checks

Thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers that is increasing in incidence, is expected to reach a new record of 37,340 people newly diagnosed in the United States in 2008, reports ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association.

This record total is more than 11 percent higher than last year’s record numbers, and about double the number from 10 years ago, according to information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Cancer Society.

Thyroid cancer is now the 6Th most common cancer in women. About three times as many women as men get thyroid cancer. It has several types and variants,. It affects people in all age groups, from young children through senior citizens.

Thyroid cancer is usually treatable when found early.

A total of 28,410 women and 8,930 men are expected to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer this year. The number of deaths is expected to increase by almost 4% over last year, to 1,590 in 2008.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. urges everyone to learn about thyroid cancer and to ask for a neck check at each doctor's appointment.

Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that has increased its incidence rate over the past several years. About 40,000 people will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the U.S. in 2009. September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month. ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., encourages people to ask for a neck check the next time they visit their doctor. Signs to discuss with the physician include a lump or fullness in the neck, lymph node swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or voice changes.
I hope you will help me raise awareness among family and friends. Please join me in supporting THYA:Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Assoc.

I hope to come back soon and post a clean bill of health and claim the new title of SURVIVOR!
Again, I can't thank you and my family & friends enough for the loving support I have received through this fight. I hope you accept my gift of the blue butterfly on this post as the gift of awareness. Blue/purple are the colors that represent Thyroid Cancer. As the butterfly, too (which represents the shape of the Thyroid). Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...I know that I will be having a lot to be thankful for this year!
With much love,

We went to Hollywood and were...WICKED!

Hello...everyone! I some things to share with you. First off, it was my turn for planning our 2nd overnight MYSTERY trip. I think the pic above gives it away! But Adrien and I just had a blast! The real reason to go to LA was this...

I can't tell you all enough...how FANTASTIC this musical was. The songs were fantastic! I even found a clip from you tube to share with you some of the highlights of the musical.

But there was so much more to this trip! There was lots and lots of walking the Hollywood Blvd. Eating at fine establishments! And watching the night life walk past us after our theater show! I will show you some of our photos!










I really wanted the photos to do all the talking...if it could happen, or it shouldn't...it would ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD! I have missed you all.

And now I have some exciting news to share....(drumroll please) I only have ONE MORE TREATMENT to go. And it will happen the Monday before Thanksgiving. This year I have alot to be thankful for. First off...MY LIFE! Then secondly, all the support I have received from my blogging friends/communinity plus my family and friends. Things have certainly changed for me. No longer do I take for granted the small things...they all matter! And most importantly all of you MATTER! Each of you have touched some place in my heart and I can't thank you enough for sending your love and kindness in the forms of emails, comments, letters! I can't express my gratitude enough. I humbly thank each of you from the bottom of my heart!
With much love,

What's Love Got To Do With It...

I suggest you play the what's love got to do with it while you read this! It really was faboulus...and each show is excatly the same with presentation. ENJOY!

This was the opening act!

(couldn't find live video from Sacramento but took from San Jose, from the complex where our friend BOB is the head cheese or the go to man...I think!)
YES BLOGGER FRIENDS! This is who I went to see with my bestfriend for our...(get ready) OUR OCTOBER MYSTERY TRIP! I know...get out...right?! Well, settle in friends as I tell you my fairy tale story of seeing an ICON!
Adrien gave me the invitation and on it, it says...Stylish Affair, wear my Sunday's best. On our invites we NEVER tell where we are going but give very subtle hints. Adrien TOTALLY threw me off. So, I went and bought new duds and prettied up my face and hair. And meet her over at her folks house around 430pm. Then we took photos (sorry haven't downloaded those yet...)and then we set out.
We arrived at a resturant called the Malabar!

We both dined on some fine meals. I would recommed this resturant to everyone! Great place.

Then went from there to get a cup of coffee. We were relaxing with our tea and coffee and I was thinking to my self...."I wonder where we are off to now? If we get on the freeway we must be seeing that new show downtown called 'Plaid' or if she turns into Arco..." What happens next...Adrien turns into Arco! I KNEW we were going to watch TINA TURNER in concert!



(pics were from Sacramento concert)
Friends all I can say that I loved every minute I was there with my BEST FRIEND! We both sung our hearts out (I think we even got a bit teary eyed when we first saw her step out!). We both swayed together and sang to each other (like we use to with hair brushes when we were young girls...LOL) It was a magical time for me! And then to share with someone I love so dearly is something I will cherish always! It was a spectular show and I just want to take this time to thank my darling best friend, Adrien for making this a magical mystery trip! I will never forget this....!


Just an update!!! I only have 2 more treatments to go...and (drum roll) I will then find out if all this worked! Thank you to all of you for continuing to support me and loving me! I cherish each of you and soon I will be around to check in on all your lives! Cheers! And no worries...good ol' Rob still has on her party hat and is all smiles!
With much love,

I see DRUNK people...

Ok...my blogger friends! I have to share a special night with you...and I mean special! On Saturday about 24 of us from the SCRAPBOOK ADDICT went to something called a Scrapbook Expo. It is where we cropped until about 1130pm. You know winning prizes and receiving free goodies and just getting caught up with all the gossip amoung us. It was a good time had by all!

But some of us wanted to continue the fun...and decided to go to a local pub called The Streets of London in West Sacramento. And this is where Rob (aka: Robyn who almost shot beer through her nose!) got to laugh my you-know-what off all night! All I have to say is I SEE DRUNK PEOPLE! Case in point...this gentleman (who will remain nameless), but is a real hottie (I can say that even if I am a happily married woman...lol) seems to think it ok for his 'trying to get a booty call' to bring his Mama to the pub!

(YOU must click on this photo...too see the chick's face...yes I truly do see drunk people and I must say no one from my table of girlfriends!)
Check out the chick next to him...with that I "I can barely say what I want to without slurring my words and barely get my lipstick on..." And you should have seen the boots on this woman...total ankle breakers. And that was a hoot to see her try...and I will say try to walk to her car with her croonies!

I can't tell you how much I needed this night...it really does give you a perspective on certain things. I know the guy in this case, great guy that he is...was just too funny to hang out all night with. Since I was not DRUNK, to be able to sit back and enjoy all the 'circus acts' were very amusing. And then to add to the mix with my humor (yes, it is true I am a wise-butt and quite witty) just cranked it up a notch. My girlfriends never laughed so hard...I know I woke up with my face hurting from laughing, so I can only assume the same with them. And still today I am forever giggling...

Ok...and then comes in charcter #1! MAMA! She put the squeeze on 2 of my girlfriends. Who you can see from the photo weren't really sure what to make of her. BIGGER (hence the cleavage exposing top) than life and she was also on the prowl! Come to find out that she is 'DUDE's' MOM!!!! WTHECK?! And then that is when I shot off at him..."DUDE! Who brings one's MAMA to the pub, while trying to work the room?????" LMAO!
I told my girlfriends that I would blog this night! So, here I am blogging about it! It was a fun-didn't-get-home-till-230am-almost shot beer through my nose-type of night! Thanks ladies and will have to do this again really soon! I like playing the game 'I SEE DRUNK PEOPLE'!

P.S. I don't encourage drunk and disorderly conduct but this was all harmless fun! And we were amoung friends.

With much love,

Can you believe I only took...

(this was on the way to surprise Jim in Pacific Grove)
a couple photos?! Geesh! I totally thought I had taken more! Oh well...that alone should tell you how much FUN we both had. It was marvelous to reconnect and fall in love all over again!!! This trip was so needed. Along the way on this trip I have rekindled my love for books, I have now read through 3 books. I know...I know...but you see I had given up the art of reading a fine book. I had fallen deep into the dark abyss of not finding fun in life. That has changed. If I can just say, that I think I have found the silver lining in my gray cloud.

This new diagnose of cancer has made me STOP dead (excuse the pun) in my tracks and grab hold of life once more and shake it up! No longer will I mope through a day...NOT I! Now I hold my head high and take on the day. I still work at my crappy job but boy oh boy! What a difference of indifference makes and a killer smile doesn't hinder anything either.
People come up to me now and say things like, "Robyn have you done something different to your hair or your make-up looks stunning!" WHAT?! No, nothing has changed...it's called a mega-watt smile. Ahhh, but I don't tell them. I just beam on.

Even when Jim and I were in Pacific Grove, people were drawn to us. Happy as we both were, people wanted to share and bathe in that positive energy. We had people take our photos while we were reading books on a bench on the beach. We had hot, steaming coffees and I had my legs thrown over Jim's while wearing hoodies.

While waiting for the sun to set! Hunkered down for a good read with the ocean swirling around us. I suppose people thought that an oddity. We did that everyday we were there. We were there right after lunch each day and then we would wait to see the sun set. Each one was so glorious to witness. Being by the ocean is truly where I am to be. For me to be truly happiest I need to be by the ocean. I feel more relaxed and my soul feels full!

(isn't it just breath taking...)

P.S. I have missed everyone so much...

With much love,

Aaaahhhhh...We needed that mini vacation!

Hey gang! All is super...planned a wonderful surprise for hunky hubby for his birthday! I rented a cottage down in Pacific Grove. It was glorious and a much needed break to decompress from all the stresses. I will post more with pics...I PROMISE! I have missed you all and can't wait to catch up. I have my first radiation treatment MONDAY! Scary stuff BUT I will face my fears head on, friends. Send out those good vibes and thoughts dear hearts.
With much love,

Draft Horse Classic!

Welcome Blogger Friends!!!! Yes, my best friend and I have had another MYSTERY TRIP. It was my turn for September...I choose the 22ND Annual Draft Horse Classic up in beautiful Grass Valley. It was at the beautiful Grass Valley Fair Grounds. The whole fair grounds are surrounded by huge pines. The Draft Horse show started at 10am, so we had about an 1 1/2 road trip ahead of us. We were armed with our coffees and set out for our adventure. The front of the fairgrounds had the magnificent, huge piece of sculpture, depicting a draft horse in action. Stunning piece. (I highly encourage you to click on the photos to see in great detail these beautiful animals in action!)

We bought our tickets and choose to seats that had the sun at our backs...good thing, as the sun was beaming on the grand stand for hours. I would have been burnt to a crisp.

First up was the 4 piece wagon hitch teams. The team had to show their agility and how to back up and turn right and left. They were beautiful draft horses. And those men loved their horses. I mean look at those coats and manes/tails! Just beautiful! Here is the second place winner! These horses were just beautiful, their coats just gleamed in the sun.

Here is the first place winner(all white team)! This man was so at ease with his 4 member team. Now mind you has 4 rains (which equals 8 pieces of leather through his fingers)to control these magnificent creatures. Ricky (was his name) made this job look way to easy. But I know that this is one hard job to maintain all the rains and still control the rig and horses all at the same time.

Mules barrel racing??? Yes sir...there you have it! It was hoot to see these animals race like the wind! They seemed to love it!

Adrien and I's favorite part...Draft Horse pulling competition. We were in complete awe of these Belgians. They were extraordinary in their strength. These 2 weighed in at 1500lbs a piece and then pulled about 4500lbs on the sled (which was metal and then packed with bags of sand).




They just kept adding more and more bags of sand. And every time these men would back these horses up to hitch up to the sled. These Shires, and Belgians were set to go. They love their jobs and damn are they spectacular at it also!

I want to you to look carefully at all the horses equipment. All that silver and harnesses, yokes, rains, chains and blinders. These 2 were very young and had ants in their pants. The owner had to drop the bit down to get more control. I can tell you though that all these men had to dig their boots in to pull back on the rains. Incredible strength these Shires, Clydesdale's, Belgians (a total of 7 types in the draft horse breed).


After the pulling competition they brought out these beautiful stallions. Stunning...for the life of me I can't remember the name of this breed (hoping Julie, who owns and operates a horse ranch will know the name). There were also some white horses that were out there 'dancing', they pawed the air and even bowed. They too are a special breed! It was so wonderful to see these horses canter!

The last part of the show was this HUGE contraption. It was pulled by draft horses back in the 1900's for logging. They showed how it worked, and how the industry relied on these beautiful animals to get the job done.

After the 22ND Draft Horse Classic it was off to check out the Lumberjack show!


This a 9 year old little girl (with the help of grandpa) cutting out a solid chair with a chainsaw!

And the log climbing, with toe spikes...I so want to try this! And I was telling Adrien I want to look into AXE throwing! I know...cool huh?! Me a LUMBERJACK! Wait and see...
Hope you enjoyed our September Mystery Trip...we sure did! It was an incredible day with those beautiful, magnificent creatures!


With much love,