Doodles by Dering

Love comes in all colors....

2012-02-14T22:30:00.000-05:00

Those are the words on a plaque that hangs in our house...right next to one that says, "We welcome strays..." and those two phrases have caused us to add to our family again...please welcome Willow. She is a 6 year old Apricot Tortie Point Siamese that I found at our local animal shelter. It took us a long time to open our hearts again after losing Sophie - or maybe we were just waiting for the right one to come along. Willow was surrendered because her owner became too ill to care for her any longer. She was only at the shelter for 2 weeks when I spotted her and she was scared and just really needed to get the heck out of there and into a good home - and there is no better home than with the Derings! She adjusted to her sisters - and they adjusted to her - in record time. After just 48 hours she was out of quarantine and had full run of the house. She's been with us a little over a week and she's really coming out of her shell. She is quite beautiful, don't you think?

In fact, she's so comfortable....

...that she's going places where she doesn't REALLY belong...

...sigh....but isn't she cute? lol!!

When Kilgores collide....

2012-01-29T22:50:00.000-05:00

This is what it looks like - a whole lot of Kilgore cheeks and blue eyes going on here - me and my brothers at the diner on a Sunday morning. I don't often have the luxury of having them both in the same zip code at the same time, so when I do it's picture taking time. Bill was here for the weekend visiting with Mom...love you guys!

January 20, 1984...(tissue alert! tissue alert!)

2012-01-20T15:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Daddy,
I woke up this morning with a heavy heart, missing you - and this picture was in my minds eye. I couldn't settle down until I found it, tucked away in an album full of photographs and memories. What a happy day, the day that I graduated from Geneseo. Within seconds of this picture being snapped, you kissed the top of my head and said, "I'm proud of you Tree..." ( you always left the "sa" off the end of my name...I loved that!)...I never would have thought that you would slip quietly from my life 8 months later. I thought it was tough, being just 22 and losing you and your support and your guidance - what I know now is that 28 years later, it's no less tough...I miss you Dad, I really miss you. Every day. Watch over me from your Lay-z-Boy lounger in heaven; guide me, help me... please.
I love you,
Tree (sa!)

A little fun with some new toys that I got for my camera...

2012-01-13T23:11:00.000-05:00

Brian got me a new flash for Christmas - Canon's 580EX II.....omg, I love it! That, along with a macro lens and some new remote radio triggers allowed me to take some pretty cool shots of water and "freezing" the droplets as they fell into a bowl with a moderate shutter speed. I powered down 2 flashes with radiopoppers and set the camera on a tripod ISO 100 f/11and 1/250 sec and placed a third light under the bowl. With a little trial and error, this is what I and my trusty assistant (Brian) we able to capture..pretty cool stuff!

POTW - week 53

2012-01-02T09:50:00.000-05:00

week 53 - I thought a lot about this last image for the year and what it would be....it's been a heck of a year to say the least...too many hurts and disappointments and not enough happiness and laughter. My resolution for 2012 and the point of this picture is to put happiness and celebrations first this year...starting with NYE 2011! I have a lot to celebrate this year - and a lot to accomplish before some of those celebrations can happen, so I'm backing off from the photo-of the-week thing and concentrating my efforts on completing my doctorate. There are a pile of books to my left as I type this that I just cannot ignore any longer - time to get'er done! So that's where I will be for a while - dissertation hell....feed me coffee, tell me you love me occasionally and I'll come out to play....but the resolution for 2012 is to be Dr. Dering before the ball drops again :)
Thanks for the comments and for being so supportive of this photographic journey of mine - it was great fun and I learned a lot....my photos got better as the year went by, don't you think?

POTW - week 52

2011-12-28T21:59:00.000-05:00

week 52 - sometimes 'home' is where your friends are...this Christmas we got to spend time with our dear friends Rebecca and Keith. They and their families treated us to an amazing prime rib dinner, much booze, board games and a whole lot of laughter! It was a wonderful Christmas day!

POTW - week 51

2011-12-27T23:22:00.000-05:00

week 51 - Just before Christmas I had the honor of photographing some cancer survivors at a support group holiday party. Brian and I donated our time and talents to the group by taking portraits of cancer survivors and giving them a print of the final product. This was, by far, one of my favorite shots of the evening. I see courage in her smile and life in her eyes...

POTW - week 50

2011-12-18T22:22:00.000-05:00

week 50 - Occasionally I allow the camera to be wrestled away from me and I wind up in my POTW...Kayla and I at her Sweet 16 birthday dinner.

POTW - week 49

2011-12-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

week 49 - The reason for the season...I'm struggling to get into the Christmas season and finding this nativity set in and among our Christmas treasures that didn't get ruined in the flooding this summer made me feel just a little more "with it" today.

POTW - week 48

2011-11-24T10:14:00.001-05:00

week 48 - ready for the oven! yum!

POTW - week 47

2011-11-24T09:42:00.001-05:00

week 47 - my best friend/sister/niece was a willing subject as I photographed her collection of kids this past weekend!

POTW - week 46

2011-11-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

week 46 - In our travels to my brother's this weekend, Brian spotted this old tractor along the side of the road....and really who can resist the texture and color of an old piece of farm equipment! Today was a spectacular day for taking pictures :)

POTW - week 45

2011-11-06T22:05:00.000-05:00

week 45 - one of the coolest things about having a big brother (besides having a best friend for life) is that it is a sure thing that they will hit every milestone birthday before you do. Bill (the nerd with the NASA ID on the right!) and I are 10 years and 9 days apart and he celebrates his 60th this month. It was his choice to have a themed birthday party and he dressed up as a nerd - pocket protector and all (I assure you, he is WAY more cool than this!). Here he is in all his nerd-finery with his mom.....life is good! Thanks for having us this weekend - it was a great party :)

POTW - week 44

2011-11-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

week 44 - and the day after we shot Julia and Jason (photographically shot, I mean!), we "shot" the Baratta family. This little one, Miyana, was quite the poser....this is her Sasha Fierce face :) She cracks me up!

POTW - week 43

2011-11-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

week 43 - a week back from vacation found us into the swing of a few fall photo shoots, this one at the Orange County Arboretum with our little friends Julia and Jason.

POTW - week 42

2011-11-06T21:35:00.000-05:00

week 42 - right after the wedding we were off to Aruba for a week of relaxation in the sun. After 14 years I have to say, I never get tired of the place...a view for dinner like this is one of the many, many reasons we return every year! It was a wonderful week!

POTW - week 41

2011-11-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

week 41 - The most beautiful bride in the world on this beautiful October evening - Becky - and her dashing husband, Keith. What a great evening and a great couple - we love you guys!

POTW - seriously MIA

2011-11-06T21:20:00.002-05:00

oops! busy, busy busy! I'll be catching up with 6 weeks worth of POTWs - sorry 'bout that!

POTW - week 40

2011-09-24T21:29:00.000-04:00

week 40 - Spent the day with my love at the garlic festival in Saugerties. I was a much nicer day, weather-wise, than we expected. On the way home we were treated to this beautiful sunset - which I pulled off to the side of the road to take a picture of :) I need a bumper sticker that says "WARNING! Photographer on Board! Vehicle Makes Sudden and Frequent STOPS!" lol!

POTW - week 39

2011-09-24T21:19:00.000-04:00

week 39 - I had the privilege of taking Ashley's senior portraits last week....Isn't she lovely?

POTW - week 38

2011-09-24T21:08:00.000-04:00

Week 38 - goodbye to my Tahlala (the one wearing the crown!) She has moved on to a fancy promotion in Atlanta Ga. I will miss her more than I can say :( but at the same time, I am very proud of her! We'll always have FB, right T????

POTW - week 37

2011-09-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

week 37 - residents of Greenwich Village apparently take the ownership of their private parking spaces quite seriously. "If you park in this space, I'm not going to simply tow your car! No WAY!....I'm going to completely mess up your life by making it impossible for you to move the darn thing!" Talk about a NY state of mind!...thankfully our car was safe and sound in a parking garage on W58th! We had a wonderful photography class/walking tour of the Village today thanks to a Groupon I found on-line. Fun day!

POTW - week 36

2011-09-03T20:51:00.000-04:00

week 36 - the latest fashion....Irenewear...I feel like I've been livin' in these boots! Basement is almost dry and we are about half done sorting through the things that were damaged to see what can be saved. Compared to others here in Orange County and in neighboring states, we were very lucky. My heart goes out to those who have lost so much!
Mom is all settled in her new digs and I think I actually got 6 hours of consecutive sleep last night...first time all week!

POTW - week 35

2011-08-27T22:01:00.000-04:00

week 35 - out for a sunrise walk on the beach on our last day. When I got out to the beach the sky was a very pretty purple/blue. I started by walk west toward the mailbox and I realized that the sand around me was glowing...I turned around and this is what I saw...a picture perfect sunrise...including a bike and a bird!

POTW - week 34

2011-08-27T21:50:00.001-04:00

week 34 - walking on the beach the first night of vacation I saw this couple...he's obviously professing his undying love for this girl and asking her to marry him....don't you think?

POTW - week 33

2011-08-07T21:52:00.000-04:00

week 33 - Sometimes the very thing that you are looking for is in your own backyard...I love the composition of this one ~ I've been dying for something or someone to step into the little clearing in the trees. Mama and baby (just off camera right) wandered through between storms this afternoon. I wonder what she is thinking...

POTW - week 32

2011-07-31T01:00:00.000-04:00

Week 32 - Went on a date with Brian tonight and happened upon a butterfly bush. This little beauty put on quite a show for me! It was a lovely moment within a lovely evening!

POTW - week 31

2011-07-28T23:13:00.000-04:00

Week 31 - Is it a frog??????? a prince??????? I guess only the bride knows! She was very patient with us as we gave her some unusual "props" to pose with - yes, it's a real frog....

POTW - week 30

2011-07-28T23:08:00.000-04:00

Week 30 - Showers of happiness, Rebecca! Have you ever seen a cuter face?

POTW - week 29

2011-07-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

Week 29 - this week found us in Philly on Sunday with our friends Sandy and Tom for a photo-graphical exploration of the Eastern State Penitentiary; a stabilized ruin that was once home to several notables like Al Capone. This place is creepy and cool and really lends itself to black and whites and dutch angles....Can you hear the psycho tune in the back of your mind when you look at this????

POTW - week 28

2011-07-04T21:33:00.000-04:00

Week 28 - My niece Chris brought her 3 beauties to me today so I could get a picture of this new family. It was quite a challenge, what with all of the peeing and the pooping and the resistance to looking at the camera with a big smile! lol! I adore these babies ~ so very sweet...and it was such an honor to capture these images!

POTW - week 27

2011-07-04T21:28:00.000-04:00

Week 27 - First of two photo shoots this weekend, this one with my favorite 60's era car, el Nomado. Brian and I met Joe at a local park just before sunset on Saturday so I could take some pictures of this beauty for him.

POTW - week 26

2011-06-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

We were in Bermuda last week, on a cruise with some friends. A great time was had by all and it was much needed! Life has been a little stressful lately; so many changes in my mom that are hard at times to handle. It was good to get away together, get some much needed sleep and spend a week 'off the grid'. This is a shot on the southern side of Bermuda, looking north through some morning glories and across the sound to Hamilton Harbor (I think!)

POTW - week 25

2011-06-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

Week 25 - a rose, given to me during the survivor lap of the Newburgh Relay for Life - pink, how fitting!

POTW - week 24

2011-06-08T21:01:00.000-04:00

Week 24 - the beautiful baby boy has an official name....Jameson Findlay Kilgore! Here he is meeting his great grandma, Nanny! She's in love, can you tell?

POTW - week 22 and 23

2011-06-05T22:34:00.000-04:00

Life has kicked into full swing around here....welcome spring and summer! We are busy, busy, BUSY!

Week 22 gave me the opportunity to take pictures of my niece's very pregnant belly, just before she had her baby!

Week 23 found me at and 'undisclosed location' in Sullivan County, NY waiting patiently for the eagles to come and eat the fish that we were baiting them with...success!

POTW - week 20 and 21

2011-05-22T22:03:00.000-04:00

oops.....I neglected to post my potw last week! Sorry about that!
Week 20 - we went to a Taste of Newburgh last weekend with our friends Rebecca and Keith. This was a lobster bisque at one of the restaurant booths! Hello yummy-goodness!

Week 21 - after a week in Burlington NC for business, we went to our niece Allie's First Holy Communion celebration and I got to take pictures of beautiful Miss Allie in her communion dress....how sweet is she?

POTW - week 19

2011-05-08T08:40:00.000-04:00

week 19 - my beautiful mother, taking a moment to remind us all to stop and smell the pretty flowers while they are in bloom. As she reminded me yesterday, nothing lasts forever...

Happy Mothers Day, Mom! and happy birthday, too!

POTW - week 18

2011-05-01T22:47:00.000-04:00

I had the honor and the pleasure of being asked to photography my great niece Ashley and her boyfriend Jon before their junior prom over the weekend. It was hard to do - because my eyes kept filling up with tears, making it a little hard to see anything! I've been working on the 300+ images I captured this weekend....this is my favorite..makes my tear up every time I look at it :)

POTW - week 17

2011-04-27T22:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!

POTW - week 16

2011-04-17T22:15:00.000-04:00

Mom's blood pressure went a little ka-flooey again...this time too low...and she landed in the hospital for a few days recently. She's home, getting stronger with each passing day. We are all helping her out and taking turns being sure she is safe and on her medication schedule and eating right. She spent this afternoon with Brian and I, napping through the golf tournament on TV with a kitty on her lap....Just look at that little grin....who has a better life than Mom right now????

POTW - week 15

2011-04-13T20:15:00.000-04:00

Which is actually week 13....I got side tracked...please forgive....but now I am all up to date :) Went to see a production of Hairspray as a local HS a few weeks ago. Lisette, pictured here, was the female lead and has amazing talent. Awesome show!

POTW - week 14

2011-04-10T20:54:00.001-04:00

What a week....what a week....Mom landed in the hospital with blood pressure issues AGAIN last weekend...stressful times for sure. She is home and doing better but our lives are changing forever. She gave up her car this week...an end of an era and an event that makes her officially "housebound". We're all trying to figure out best to help her and to preserve her independence....

Brian and I took a bit of a break on Saturday and spent the day in NYC. The purpose of our trip was to use a groupon that I had given him for Christmas. Spending the day together was WAY better than the dinner....but it was still an adventure. Next trip into the big apple will be to the village and a restaurant that doesn't serve scorch-your-tongue indian/latin fusion cuisine! Here is Brian, waiting to get on the train in Beacon....love the blur I created by dragging the shutter!

POTW - week 13

2011-04-10T20:36:00.000-04:00

Finally, something to take a picture of besides a CAT! I joined a photography group called Hudson Valley Click. We are an eclectic collection of models, makeup artists, lighting gurus and photographers who get together once a month to practice what we love to do. Last weekend the "shoot out", as it is called, was set at a local YMCA and the models were dressed in work out gear. It was fun and I can't wait to do it again! Here is one of my favorite shots from the evening.

POTW - week 12

2011-03-23T21:09:00.000-04:00

"Hi Momma! Runnin' out of things to take pictures of, are ya????"

I am sick to death of winter - can't wait to take pictures of something besides the cats!

POTW - week 11

2011-03-13T10:15:00.001-04:00

Is it wrong to love a tree? This is an "up the trunk" shot of the ash tree that marks the corner of our property. The tree is likely as old as the house (109 years) and was probably planted by the original builder/owner to establish the property line. It's am awesome tree - one of the tallest on Monhagen Ave. - and it's struggling to stay alive. We had an arborest look at it and trim back a lot of the suckers that were draining the main part of the tree. It's going to get a deep root feeding and be vaccinated against the dreaded ash boring beetles and we'll see what happens. The tree has witnessed a century of history here and it will just break my heart if we have to cut it down. So, yeah....I love a tree!

POTW - week 10

2011-03-04T21:24:00.004-05:00

This week's photo is all about the kindness of strangers. I met a woman on Facebook - she is a friend of a friend and we share a bond over breast cancer. I had it and she has friends and relatives who have had it. We have never actually met - so technically we are 'strangers'.

Kathy does a lot of fund raising for breast cancer research including walking 60-miles-in-3-day-events and running 1/2 marathons (crazy woman!). On February 13, 2011 she ran one of her 1/2 marathon fund raiser races. She knew from things that I had posted on Facebook that 2/13/11 was the 3rd anniversary of my cancer free status - coincidence?.....I think not!

Kathy sent me the medal that she won in the race because she felt that I deserved it for kicking fred and derf to the curb! I am so touched by her thoughtfulness...I will treasure this forever...
On another note....my dissertation...I have to get it done! So I have a plan - one that has me writing feverishly just about every weekend with a plan to defend before the end of the year...keep your fingers crossed!

POTW - week 9

2011-02-26T15:01:00.002-05:00

I (heart) old churches.....tap, tap, tap.....just waiting for spring!

POTW - week 8

2011-02-19T10:57:00.004-05:00

In spite of the cold and the snow, Orange County NY is really quite beautiful...I pass this farm everyday on my commute to NYC and it reminds me of how very fortunate I am to be able to live here.....not that I wouldn't trade it for a warmer climate in a heartbeat....but you know what I mean! POTW week 8 is Brookview Farm on 17M on the Goshen/Chester line ~ enjoy!

POTW - week 7

2011-02-13T10:42:00.003-05:00

week 7 - not taken this week - but in my thoughts all week and we slog our way through the last few weeks of winter and dream of summer sun and sand....
It's a big day today for me today...3 years ago today I had my mastectomies which bestowed upon me the title "cancer free"...onward to the 5 year mark! I've also made a commitment recently to a healthier lifestyle that will help my body to stay cancer free....I've joined Weight Watchers....10 pounds down so far and a long way to go to get to a healthy weight....I am determined :)

Speaking of resolutions.....

2011-02-09T20:28:00.004-05:00

Some of my photog friends are participating in a project called "365 - Photo of the Day". The point is that you commit to showcase one picture every day that you actually TAKE that day (or at least close to that day!). The project not only documents a year in your life, it also challenges you to improve and expand your skills.
I know myself better than to think that I can commit to picking up my camera every day, but I figured I could handle once a week. So here you have it, my version - "52 - Photo of the Week"! Six weeks so far - perhaps this will coax me into posting to the blog regularly....we'll see :)

Week 1 - my home office, where I spent at least one day every week in January telecommuting! I'm thankful for the opportunity but would have rather a little less snow!
Week 2 - after a storm, taken through the skylight in our bedroom. Baby, it's cold outside!Week 3 - a winter sunset over Monhagen Reservior
Week 4 - Bella-baloo.....BAD kitten! Always up my nose and sniffing around my camera!

Week 5 - I see this beautiful old barn every morning on my way to work, so I got up early on a Sunday morning to capture it in the "sweet light"

Week 6 - Brian has spent so much time cleaning off the driveway this winter, he's feeling like a human snow blower!

<-------hanging her head in shame

2011-02-07T21:38:00.011-05:00

ok - so I'm not even going to pose any excuses for my lack of posting...let's just catch up and move on from there, how about that??????????? lol!!!!

November - Thanksgiving and my birthday...two of my favorite "holidays"! We had dinner here at our house and we had a new guest - our dear friend Tom joined the madness! A wonderful time was had by all *burp*. My birthday - the last of my 40's - was fun too. We celebrated at the Back YardBistro, our favorite restaurant, with our friends Keith and Rebecca. I also saw my Geneseo roomies in November. We get together once a year for a girls weekend. This time Lisa "K" hosted us at her lovely home on Long Island. We spent Saturday in NYC and the rest of the weekend talking and talking and talking....I love my girls!

December - gave us a lunar eclipse...that I got up at 2:45am in near zero temperatures to photograph! brrrrrrr but definitely pretty!And then there was Christmas...and New Year's eve and all of the fun that goes along with those holidays. We did have a little sadness in our lives, too, in December. We had to have our beloved Sophie put to sleep. She developed a fast growing tumor in her jaw and in a matter of days after we discovered it we had to face the fact that it was time to let her go. Sophie was an awesome cat and letting her go was so hard. Brian and I (and the rest of the kitties) miss her every day. Rest peacefully, sweet Sophie girl :(
January - finally January! I say that because I have been waiting for MONTHS to surprise Brian with a party to celebrate his 50th birthday! I managed to gather about 50 family and friends together at a restaurant - all with him blissfully unaware! It was absolutely awesome!
February - and here we are....tap, tap, tap......just waiting for spring! We wrapped up Brian's birthday week this past Saturday with a dinner at Back Yard Bistro (seriously LOVE this place!) with Keith and Rebecca, Sandy and Tom....good times with great friends!

I'll try to be better with blogging.....omg....that sounds almost like a New Year's resolution! lol!

Massive October catch-up!!!

2010-10-30T21:11:00.008-04:00

You might want to go potty first and then grab a sandwich before you sit down to read this...it's been a busy month so it's a loooooong post!! When last we spoke, I was about to shoot engagement photos for our friends Rebecca and Keith. Here are the results:

The day after these were taken, we headed off to Aruba for our week in paradise. We had perfect weather and a wonderful time. It was great to spend time with our friends in the place that we just love to visit! It was a vacation full of swimming, eating, drinking and sleeping - perfect! Here are a few shots of some of our favorite moments:

When we returned in mid-October, the fall colors were in full showing. I got out in the good early morning light last Sunday and got a few good shots around our 'neighborhood':

We rounded out the month by spending a day on the road earlier today - looking for covered bridges. There are several in NY state - many of them in the surrounding counties. We drove around for 7 hours today, a route that took us 150 miles through Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties. We found 6 covered bridges! Some we found on purpose and some by happy accident. I got to practice long exposure times on some babbling streams and I got some really nice shots. See for yourself:

Big 'ole blog slacker.....

2010-10-08T09:16:00.004-04:00

...yep, that would be me! So much to do, so little time to get it all done. It's amazing how M-F is devoted to work and really not much else now that I am commuting to the city. The 48 hours allotted for the weekend are just chocked full of 'stuff' that needs to get done. Not complaining - I love what I am doing and the rewards of the job far exceed the time spent on it during the week...but the blog does suffer from neglect....sorry!

We've done a few things since last we spoke: the Garlic Festival, the Applefest, a photo shoot for my friend Judy's gallery and tonight I am shooting some engagement pictures for our friends Rebecca and Keith. It is October...which means everything is very 'pink' in my world right now...I've said it before and I'll say it again....."Like I really need an ENTIRE MONTH to remind me about breast cancer!" However, it is good to see people raising money and women getting mammograms....still.....the grocery store is just SO PINK lately :)

Here are a few of my favorite pics since the Komen walk. Enjoy! Oh, and we are off to Aruba later this weekend ~ that should make for some interesting photos as usual!

Komen 2010 - DONE!

2010-09-12T20:15:00.005-04:00

Check it off of the list, I have done the Komen Race for the Cure NYC 2010! Just Brian and I and 25,000+ of our closest friends walked through Central Park this morning in cool and damp conditions. Truth be told, I hardly even noticed the weather. I was just warm from the inside out; surrounded by love and support and just pure joy! I think breast cancer survivors are some of the most joyful people you will even meet...

There were so many people at the event (I think 25k is actually and under estimation and doesn't include folks who did not formally register for the race but came anyway) that it was hard to see everything. I did catch a clip of Dr. Oz on youtube (apparently he was there - who knew!) and he was saying how 25 years ago 75% of people diagnosed with breast cancer died from the disease. Today 98 % of people live, thanks to early detection and better treatment. Amen, I say!

It was awesome, I'll definitely do it again....and maybe someday I'll even do the 3 day/60 mile walk...but perhaps I better finish my dissertation first :)

A few shots from today:

Race for the Cure 2010

2010-09-08T21:59:00.002-04:00

3 years ago tomorrow I was sitting in my living room just 4 days after my first chemo. I was waiting for my hair to fall out, waiting for the nausea to pass and waiting to maybe live...or maybe die. I was flipping through the TV channels that day and I came across the news coverage of the Susan G. Komen 2007 Race for the Cure. I sat here with tears in my eyes - completely in awe of the sea of pink survivors and the 25,000+ people who supported them. I decided that if I made it, I was going to do the race.

Well here it is - 2010 and I'm still here.....doing great....and guess what I'm doing on Sunday 9/12/10?.....the Komen Race for the Cure NYC!!!! I hope that, if you can, you'll support me with a donation. Please go to my fundraising page and make a tax-deductible donation online at http://www.komennyc.org/ -- click on "Sponsor a Race Participant" and search for my name.
Pink chicks RULE! Thanks for your support!

Vacation pictures

2010-08-27T21:25:00.001-04:00

Vacations go by to fast - thank goodness for pictures! Here are two links to the Picasa web albums for your viewing pleasure!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tdering0/CandyAndDaveSb10?authkey=Gv1sRgCN2xlvr6_rLcag

http://picasaweb.google.com/tdering0/SB2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCOiH-rfO45C_5AE

Enjoy!

Sunset Beach 2010

2010-08-20T21:38:00.003-04:00

Sadly, our 2010 Sunset Beach family vacation is coming too quickly to a close. Tonight was full of laughter and fun, last walks and pictures on the beach and too many goodbye kisses. The only thing that eases the leaving is knowing that we will be back for another week next year.....

Life at the beach...

2010-08-19T08:30:00.003-04:00

is so good! I was grounded on Sunday due the 'scooter incident' but by Monday I was able to make it to the beach. The world has pretty much stopped spinning...but I am quite sore....ah, well...

Brian woke yesterday with a cold so he grounding himself yesterday. Today is a bit overcast so I doubt we'll be at the beach, but you never know. We are enjoying spending time with the family and that is really what this vacation is all about.

I did manage to get up early one morning to catch the sunrise - it was well worth the early alarm.Tim, my brother-in-laws brother and newest beach housemate left for home yesterday morning. It was wonderful to have a few days with him - to reconnect and to make some new memories. I hope you'll join us again next year, Tim! Before he left we took the traditional 'family picture on the stairs' - which was a hysterical process , as usual. Pictures to follow.

oh!!!!!! Sun is out - time's a-wastin'.....to the beach!

Sunset from Sunset Beach

2010-08-15T22:03:00.002-04:00

feeling a little better - this was tonight's sunset....it was most creative I could manage to get all day

at the beach!

2010-08-15T07:29:00.002-04:00

Here we are at Sunset Beach - been here 17 hours already and I have not taken a single picture yet...and there is a reason....

You see, my nephew's kids have these scooters...and we were fooling around with the scooters last night as we were unpacking cars and getting the houses set up. I thought that it was a good idea to show the younguns' how it was done so I stepped on to the scooter...and the damn thing went right out from under me and I landed on the concrete driveway, square on my butt. That in and of itself would not have been too bad, however the inertia of the fall kept me going and I didn't stop until the back of my head hit the concrete driveway ***thwwack*** (what an awful sound)

Call to 911 -> backboard and c-collar -> ambulance -> ER -> CT of head and neck...when all was said and done and 4 hours after my poor decision to try to ride the damn scooter I was back at the beach with a sore body, whiplash and a concussion.....great....at least they gave me some good drugs for pain! The biggest problem right now is that my brain is trying to re-level itself and when I move my head, the world spins. When the world spins I get nauseous. Hopefully this won't last too long.

Lesson learned: scooters are for kids wearing helmets!

a letter to my sister

2010-08-08T21:57:00.004-04:00

August 8, 2010

Dear Marianne,

Gosh, I miss you! I can't believe that it has been 22 years since I have seen your smile! I was only 26 when you died and I felt like I was just getting to really know you when you left. I'm thankful that you come to visit me in my dreams once-in-a-while...but still...I miss having you here. I recently came across a letter that you wrote to me years ago and your tiny precise handwriting made me smile...so like you; even, accurate, controlled, precise. Your beautiful words flowed across the paper like a melody - just like you!

So much has happened since you left - I'm sure you know all about the good, the bad and the ugly so I'll spare you the details here :) Amidst all of the details of my life, I wonder if you see what I see...I think that I am a lot like you!

I'm most comfortable at the front of the parade, the leader of the pack.
I like to watch people.
I make lists (omg! THIS is a list! lol!).
I love deeply and unconditionally.
I'm more critical of myself than I probably should be.
I have a soft spot for animals, especially if they need lovin'.
I teach, I learn and I challenge myself.
I love to travel and explore new places - and go back to some old favorites.
I procrastinate (ok, I'm not sure that really comes from you but it makes me feel better to say that it does!)
I'm brave...just like you were.

So even though your life ended far too soon, in a way you are still here because I'm living for the both of us! You inspire me daily.

We are heading to the beach soon - a place where I always feel particularly close to you...you would love our family beach vacations. I'm sorry that you never got to go on one like you had planned, but I know you join us every year in your own way. I sense your strength in the power of the waves. I see your spirit soar in the flight of the seagulls. I feel your hugs in the warmth of the sun. When the dolphins show up and give us a show, I know it's you saying, "Hi!!".

I miss you, sister. I'm so thankful to have had you for as long as I did. Thank you for your continued influence on my life.

I'll see you at the beach...

I love you,
Theresa

We now interrupt this broadcast for a breast cancer update...

2010-08-02T16:36:00.002-04:00

It's official: 3 years post diagnosis, no evidence of disease...I can finally claim the status of D!ish (damn! I'm still here!) lol! Now it is a straight march to the 5 yr mark...to quote my friend Arlene - life is sooooooooooo good!

Bits and pieces of summer

2010-07-27T21:14:00.005-04:00

I can't believe July is almost over ~ summers used to last forever when I was a kid, now it only seems like winters last that long!

We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary weekend before last. I'm not sure where all of those years went to either! We had dinner at our favorite place, the Backyard Bistro. The chef/owners of the restaurant actually catered our wedding way back when...and they remember it! The food was awesome (both then and now).

This past weekend we went to the Orange County Fair...in the heat.....I melted...lol! We hadn't been in a number of years and thought we would give it another try. It certainly made for interesting people watching. I did manage to get a few good pictures (I've picked up my camera again over the last few weeks!):
A few cool shots of the moon from earlier this week:
I just took this shot tonight - a house sparrow in one of our cedar trees...it 'twas the golden hour when the light is just perfect:

Sackett Lake

2010-07-12T22:00:00.003-04:00

Brian chillaxin'....
Teeka and Conor
The ladies of the lake....
Allie....
Grandpa and Conor

A day at the lake with the Monticello Kilgores - thanks for a wonderful day guys!

Happy 4th of July from the Derings!

2010-07-04T10:29:00.002-04:00

Enjoy this spectacular day everyone and remember....freedom isn't free!

We are off to the Great American Weekend in Goshen this morning - then home for a quiet dinner for two later tonight. Last night we went to the park for fireworks - here is a sampling of the beautiful night sky over Middletown.

July already?????

2010-07-03T12:51:00.005-04:00

When did that happen????? How did you all manage to last a month without a post from me????? lol!!!! Let's see - what happened in June?...it was pretty quiet month.

Work continues to be fabulous. It's so nice to be thanked and appreciated for doing a good job. It's been three months now and I feel like I've been working there forever and I mean that in a good way. The job itself and the level of satisfaction that I feel makes the commute worth it. I switched to commuting by bus this month. The cost is the same, each mode of transportation has it's downside, but at least with the bus I'm commuting 30 minutes less a day. While that may not seem like a big deal - it is when you are out of the house 13 hours a day and can whittle it down to 12.5 hours a day!

Brian is good - he has taken over as master chef in the house since he closes shop just as I am getting on the bus and (very thankfully) dinner is ready when I get home at night. It gives us time to sit and talk at the end of our respective days and reconnect before having to get to bed so we can get up and do it all over again the next day! His meals are mmmm-mmmm good ~ I am a very lucky girl!

On the social front - our weekends have been busy, although I can't really remember most of what we did....we have been spending a lot of time with our friends Keith and Becky. They bought a house last month and we've been spending a lot of time at their house helping them paint and such. We had them over here a week or so ago for dinner and Brian gave Becky a cooking lesson (poor Keith....yeah, she doesn't know how to cook...lol). Here she is making a bing cherry and white wine reduction to go over the ice cream and cookies that were for dessert....

What you cannot see in this picture is the beautiful engagement ring on her left hand! Keith popped the question the day that they got the keys to their new home. Congratulations Keith and Rebecca - we can't wait to dance at your wedding!

this and that....

2010-06-05T16:46:00.004-04:00

We have fallen into a rhythm of life once again. Work during the week, chores family and friends on the weekends. Life is good, no complaints...
Last weekend was Memorial Day and I went to the parade in town and grabbed a few shots:
Last night we went to the Newburgh Relay for Life and, of course, the camera came with:

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!!!

2010-06-02T20:34:00.002-04:00

Mom had a birthday earlier this month and we had a surprise birthday party for her this past weekend. Turning 90 is a BIG DEAL and Mom has done it well! She is happy and healthy and we were all very happy to share every day with her. She was simply glowing on Sunday ~ she really had a wonderful time. She was totally surprised! The 'kids' and I pulled this one off really well!

Hugging her niece, Patty

Singing "happy birthday to mmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Cutting the cake....

The ENTIRE family - all because once upon a time, my Mom and Dad fell in love....

Happy, happy birthday Mom! I love you!

Things that I have noticed...

2010-05-14T22:18:00.002-04:00

I've been commuting to the city for 6 weeks now and I feel like it's something that I have been doing all of my life. While I realize that my exposure to NYC is somewhat limited (2 train stops and a three block walk to and from work), I have made some interesting - at least to me - observations:

****There are a lot of pregnant women in NYC...and all about the same amount pregnant (ready to deliver any moment). It's not like I'm seeing the same 3-4 women over and over again, these are completely different people and all quite pregnant...weird....

****There are a lot of dogs in NYC...and not your average 'shelter rescue' dogs - I'm talking REALLY pampered pure-breed pooches. There is a doorman on my block who spends part of his time walking dogs for the people in the building. I've seen him with poodles and maltese, yorkies and cocker spaniels, but the funniest was the golden retriever this week who just would not walk. The poor doorman had to pick this 80 pound pooch up and carry him half way up the block, back to the building. Once the dog was hoisted up into the doorman's arms he looked happier than a pig in a mud puddle. Makes you wonder who is walking whom?

****People in the city like variety when it comes to take-out food. Within a block from my office in any direction one can find a variety of cuisines: Chinese, Thai, Italian, Istanbul, burgers, noodle places and dirty water dogs to name just a few... the smells are intoxicating and I swear my clothes smell of garlic from just walking past these places.

****I am a weird-person-on-the-train magnet. If there is one odd ball on the train, they will sit next to me. Yesterday it was a pale man with a nose like a turtle that smelled of boiled cabbage. Last week it was a guy in a business suit sporting dreadlocks who sang to himself from Secacus to Tuxedo....without the benefit of an ipod.

****The city vibrates. You can feel the hum of activity as you walk the streets. It's a busy, busy place. Another thing that surprised me is that it's not as impersonal as one might think. Maybe it just the neighborhood that I work in, but people are genuinely friendly and, although they don't go out of their way to say hello, they at least nod in acknowledgment if you make eye contact.

****And last but not least....subways smell like pee...enough said!

caught up in the whirl-wind!

2010-04-25T20:57:00.002-04:00

Wow - what I busy few weeks it has been. I just finished 4 weeks at Genzyme Genetics and I feel as busy as a busy-busy bee! Commuting is going well - I've only gotten on the wrong train once so far (ended up in Brooklyn - - - - don't ask!). I feel like I'm getting into a good groove with the position and with the folks that report to me. Now that spring is here, there is sure to be more interesting things to blog about.....it's just a little slow right now. Hang in there - I'll be back in a few...but right now I have to go to bed because my morning starts at 5:30am!

Genzyme Genetics - week one done!

2010-04-03T17:02:00.002-04:00

It was a great week! Orientation on Monday and a million meetings each day for the rest of the week. I'm getting to meet everyone that I'll be directing (3 departments ~ 70 people all together) and getting to know all of the managers that report directly to me (3 for now with possibly 1 or 2 more in the future). I feel like an old hand at the commuting thing already - it's actually pretty easy. I bumped into 2 former OCCC students of mine that work for Genzyme Genetics in the histology department....small world! It was nice to see them again ~ after almost 20 years!
Great week, great company, great people.....life is good! Gotta run and get ready for Easter dinner tomorrow!

The saga of the Mama......

2010-03-27T15:14:00.004-04:00

It's been an interesting month where Mom is concerned. It seems that her doctor took her off of a blood pressure medicine back at the end of January....for what reason, we still have no reasonable answer. Her blood pressure began to rise (unbeknown to us) and the whole mess came to a head 6 weeks ago when she became disoriented and I took her blood pressure to find out it was 210/110....yeah....we went to the ER. Actually we went to the ER three times within the next 7 days until they (they being the doctors) realized that it might be a good idea to keep her for a while to see if they could bring that BP down below stroke range.....yeah.....good idea!

So 4 days later I was able to bring her home. I lived with her for two weeks and everyone pitched in to relieve me as needed...it was quality "Mommy and Me" time. We are working with a new cardiologist to tweak her medications and get her back to normal again. Her pressure is coming down slowly and she's doing much better. So much better, in fact, that she was able to make it to Ashley's birthday party last weekend - at almost 90, she partied like a rock star :) Gotta love my mom...she takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'!

I are a commuter!!!!!!

2010-03-23T22:45:00.002-04:00

she exclaims triumphantly! Today I did a trial run to my office, via train. It was fun, I figured it out (with a little help from my friend, Wendy), and tonight I am pooped! I take a metro north train from Middletown to Secaucus, transfer to another train into Penn Station and hop on a local train to Columbus Circle. Once I get above ground I walk a few blocks west to my building. I will certainly be getting some much needed exercise! The whole trip takes about 2.5 hours, door-to-door...and while that looks awful when I see it in print I have to remember that an hour and 20 minutes of that time is spent on a very quiet train where I can do something that I rarely do....relax and perhaps unwind. I'm looking forward to it!
You'll also notice the lack of photos attached to this post....yeah....only tourists in NYC take pictures ;0)

OH! and PS......

2010-03-22T16:17:00.002-04:00

My sister and brother-in-law came up from NC for the party! What a nice surprise that was. It was great to see them and (big shocker, I know....) we all cried!

Happy birthday sweet 16!

2010-03-21T13:08:00.004-04:00

Last night we celebrated Ashley's sweet 16 with family and friends. It was a fun party - lots of dancing and laughter and just the required amount of tears. Ashley did this candle 'thing' where she had 16 candles set up on a table and she gave each candle to someone special in her life - said a little something about what they mean to her and had them come up and light the candle with her. She gave Brian and I candle #11. Brian, for always having the ability to make her smile when she was sad and me for the inspiration she got from the way that I handled my cancer journey. It was very sweet and we were both very touched to be honored as a special part of her life.
Happy birthday, my girl!

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-18T16:48:00.004-04:00

Albeit unofficial until this Saturday, it sure feels like spring out there! We hit a high of almost 70 here today and the spring bulbs are poppin' up like crazy. It seems like they have grown bigger each time I check them.....now if we can just keep the deer away....

I took advantage of the warm weather to get my face in the sunshine and clean out some of the flower beds in preparation of a fresh load of mulch. We can just feel new beginnings in the air!

Catchin' up is hard to do!

2010-03-17T21:14:00.004-04:00

I guess life has been dull since November - I can't come up with an exciting 'massive ketchup' to save my soul! I know Thanksgiving and Christmas were in there....New Years Eve and both of our birthdays....other than that....most of my time was spent on the emotional roller coaster of looking for a job and not having a job...I even put my camera down for a while...it was just too hard to pretend to be happy and creative. I have picked up my camera recently and I'm having fun with it once again.

I haven't worked on my dissertation at all, like I had planned on doing...too much stress! I've picked that up once again as well (as of today)...life is getting back to normal. I've cried a lot....I've lost a lot of sleep...on the flip side I've really enjoyed being a 'house wife' and I do feel incredibly well rested (now that I have a job!). I've organized the whole house; every junk drawer, our closet, my desk and the basement. I've spent too much time on Farmville and then abandonded it completely for a while - but I'm back to that again too.

So I guess that's my catch up....and here a few of my favorite pictures from the last few months:

Our cheesy-weeser great nephew Conor and I playing 'faces' at Thanksgiving

Our 2009 Christmas tree

Mom and the Kilgore kids at Karen and Jim's for a Christmas visit

Allie being goofy!

An unusual January sunset in our neighborhood

A photoshoot with my favorite subject, Sophie

February brought the snow

and March brought the rains....

and April brings new beginnings....I'll keep blogging....you keep reading :)

we're baaaaaaack!!!

2010-03-08T16:03:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone - did you miss me????? I rather missed me too. I haven't been myself for the last bit of time - just many, many worries but good news...the clouds are beginning to clear and the sun is shining. It has (finally) stopped snowing and the scent of spring is in the air...I think I might have seen a crocus pushing through the mud.....oh yes......and I have a job....a really really good job...perhaps even the job of my dreams.

I start March 29th as the Director of Laboratory Support Services at Genzyme Genetics, NYC. If you go to genzymegenetics.com you can see that we do. In a nutshell, we perform genetic testing in the reproductive and oncology areas - and we test for diseases that other labs don't test for because of low population incidence - orphan diseases, if you will. There may not be many people afflicted with some of the diseases that we test for, but those who have these diseases know that they are life altering and life threatening. There are 8 labs across the US, I'll be in NY (Manhattan W57th between 10th and 11th, right across the street from CBS). Periodic travel to the other labs will be part of the job and the expectation is that I will be 'high profile' across the country.

I am COMPLETELY excited about this next phase of my career. I have had a fabulous 23 years in the hospital setting - now it's time to step out the community setting and go national! My doctorate has been on hold for a few months - it's been too hard to work on it and concentrate on trying to find a job. I am completely re-engaged in the process now and hope to be Dr. Dering before too long......ah what a difference a job makes!

I have to go through my calendar and the pictures taken since mid December and catch you all up on our days since my last post....keep watching and thanks for letting me take a break......but make no mistake....she's baaaaaaack!

brief hiatus

2009-12-12T10:04:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone - I'm taking a break from blogging for a bit. I'm feeling pretty whiney lately and all I have to blog about is...well...whining. Health is fine, Brian is fine, family and felines are fine...I'll be back with a massive catch up as soon as I have something to not whine about.

commercial interruption

2009-11-23T00:42:00.004-05:00

Just a brief intermission from my thankful thoughts to talk about the latest breast cancer controversy...

Earlier this week a government appointed panel announced their recommendation relative to the age when women should have mammograms. Unless you've been in solitary confinement, I am sure you have heard at least some of the details. The bottom line recommendation from this panel of experts is that women should not have a mammogram until age 50 and beginning at age 50, they should only have said mammograms every other year. The panel goes further (and this is a very significant point) and recommends that the performance of breast self exams (BSE) should be discouraged because they are not 'effective'. Reports tell us that women who perfom BSE think that they feel things that turn out to be nothing, according to these experts, and cause themselves undue anxiety.

According to the panel, mammograms performed under the age of 50 are deemed appropriate for women with high risk factors, aka a family history (hello!...someone must have forgotten to remind the panel that upwards of 75% of all breast cancers are discovered in women with no risk factors or family history). These experts admit that some lives of women between the ages of 40 and 50 are saved by mammography and BSE, but not enough lives are saved to offset the anxiety that is caused by an 'abnormality' that is biopsied and found to be nothing.

OK - I was enraged...and it was all personal. I am that woman under 50 who's life did not meet their perception of worth. I am the woman who did BSE's regularly and noticed something wrong and went to a doctor, in spite of a negative mammogram just 5 months before. I had all of that anxiety that they are referencing and I am alive because of my own action. Let's see....anxiety?...or dead?....I'll take anxiety - there are pills you can take for that....dead?...not so much...it has taken me a week to get over the rage.

After I got through the anger and allowed the scientist/researcher in me to look at it I must admit, to a certain extent I see their point about mammograms. The fact of the matter is that mammograms are not really that effective in women under 50 because of breast density. Premenopausal women have densities that mammograms cannot clearly see through. Only 15% of breast cancers in women under 50 are initially picked up by mammogram. This fact, coupled with the fact that breast cancer under the age of 50 is pretty unusual when you look at the total number of the cases leads me to the same conclusion - mammograms under 50 are not really that effective.

How are the other 85% of the cases in women under 50 detected? Yep,...you guessed it...the laying on of the hands....BSE or clinical exams performed by doctors. Discouraging BSE is just plain stupid...it saves lives. OK, sometimes it causes anxiety...big deal. We also have to consider the fact the breast cancer in women under 50 is generally a more aggressive form of the disease (case in point...me!). So if a women under 50 were to have breast cancer and it went undetected and untreated for all those years until she had her first mammogram and physical exam at 50, she'd be...well...no longer anxious, I can tell you that!

With healthcare reform on the horizon (and believe me, I have a whole set of opinions about that...just ask Brian - we debate it regularly!) I get this prickly feeling at the back of my neck that tells me that more and more services are going to financed based on recommendations from so-called expert panels. The experts need to know that they are wrong and we need to tell them just how wrong they are. We (assuming the role of the medical community) have been telling women for a decade that early detection is the best prevention...now we are telling them to forget what we said??? Expect women to revolt!

All of this ranting and raving leads me to this...if you have breasts, you need to stay on top of their health. Mammogram them if you and your doctor decide that a mammogran is approptiate for you...equally important is to BSE them; insist that your physician takes the health and well being of your breasts seriously. The medical community needs to take the war on breast cancer to the next level and discover the imaging tool that works for women under 50...if mammograms don't work well under 50, find us reasonably priced technology that does. Perhaps that will give some worth to my life and lives of a few of my dear friends under the age of 50 who had the audacity to develop breast cancer recently.

*whew* - that felt good...thanks for letting me get that off of my chest...(sorry...a little post mastectomy humor!)...now back to the thankful posts!

12, 13, 14 and 15!

2009-11-15T21:14:00.003-05:00

OK, I was away for a few days so there is a good reason for the delay (this time...)

November 12 - a visit to the oncologist's office made me thankful for my health! I'm a 2-year and 3-month survivor! woot!

November 13 - a leisurely trip through New Paltz on our way to Albany involved a stop for lunch and I learned to be thankful for Guinness....very thankful!

November 14 - a weekend with my college roomies reminded me to be thankful for our diversity coupled with our ability to be best friends...it's amazing to think about how different our lives are yet how we are all so connected and such great friends.

November 15 - speaking of my roomies...at dinner last night I was pretty overcome with emotion as I thought back to a weekend that we spent together 2 years ago, almost to the day. It was a tough time for all of us; I was sick and they were scared. I spent the weekend with them, drinking them all in for what I thought might be the last time. I was in the middle of chemo at the time and the future was, shall we say, uncertain. Today it is two years later and I am here....better than surviving - I am thriving...as is our friendship. I am their miracle and they are mine...their love for me carried me through some really tough times and I am so thankful for being here and for being so loved. I adore my Geneseo girls!

8, 9, 10 and 11

2009-11-11T09:02:00.004-05:00

My oh my, how the days from can get away from me!

November 8 - We had a nice day at home and several friends (Becky & Keith and Judy) stopped by to visit. It was nice to catch up and reinforce that network of friends that I was thankful for a few days ago - it deserves a repeat, we are thankful for our friends!

November 9 - The laboratory staff at the hospital got a celebration dinner together for me and presented me with a stunning bracelet in recognition of my 23 years at the hospital. It was a wonderful evening with colleagues, now friends. I am thankful for the opportunities and the career that I had at SLCH ~ and for recognizing that it was time to move on.

November 10 - I am thankful for this ordinary day full of everyday chores and pizza for dinner. The little things often go unnoticed!

November 11 - This one is easy - I am thankful to those who fought and continue to fight for our freedom. Be sure you thank a veteran today!

Day 6 and Day 7

2009-11-07T21:22:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was thankful for our friends. Brian and I are really blessed to have an amazing network of friends who keep us going, keep us entertained and remind us of how much we are loved!

Today I was thankful for all of the wonders that modern medicine has brought as I thought about my dear girlfriend who is kicking the butt of her second go-round with breast cancer thanks to some good drugs and good doctors! Go T!!!!! Go T!!!!!!!!!!

laughter

2009-11-05T20:18:00.002-05:00

November 5th - I'm thankful for the ability to laugh at myself. It's a long story but it involves me, the uneven surface of a parking lot at the mall and an armful of packages. I sat there on my butt (after I landed there with an *umpfh*) laughing at myself for a while before I was able to collect myself and get up. Yeah, it was a good laugh and I'm thankful for it :)

Keeping warm...

2009-11-04T05:17:00.002-05:00

I am thankful that we live in a house that is warm and protects us from the cold that is rapidly approaching. Tonight is one of those sleepless nights for me - I haven't had one in months so I guess I was due. It's nice to be able to come down stairs, wrap myself up in my favorite quilt and warm my tired bones in front of the fireplace (while the rest of the world sleeps!).

What are you thankful for?

2009-11-03T07:49:00.003-05:00

So I decided to devote the month of November to expressing thanks - one expression/thought/comment for each calendar day through Thanksgiving. As luck would have it, I had this brilliant idea this morning and...well...it's already November 3rd! So here is a catch up:

November 1 - I am thankful for the extra hour sleep last night!

November 2 - I am thankful for my mom, who is very courageous - living life to the fullest and the best of her abilities at 89!

November 3 - I am thankful to be an American and live in a country where I can express my opinions and desires through my right to vote (even if I'm not crazy about any of the candidates, at least I have the right to talk about it without the fear of being jailed or worse)

What are you thankful for?

'Ruba recap

2009-10-24T14:16:00.005-04:00

We spent our annual week in Aruba recently and had a wonderful time, as always. Our dear friends Laurie and Joe were there for the week also and it was fun showing them around and introducing them to the island that we call home. We ate, we drank, we swam and we gambled - the perfect week! Oh, and a little shopping and sight-seeing too!

Too many good pictures to post all of them here - try this link to see them all!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tdering0/Aruba2009?feat=directlink

Improvements in photography

2009-10-05T21:17:00.005-04:00

My new-found time off has given me a bit of free time to make an effort to really use my camera the way it is supposed to be used (as opposed to point, shoot and hope for the best). Here are a few of my favorites from the last few weeks:

Many thanks to my coaches!

Bet you thought October's colors were orange and black...

2009-10-01T12:05:00.004-04:00

...not in our world. October is pink....flippin' pink everywhere you turn...at least my cancer has a decent color...I wouldn't want to be, like, burnt umber or something like that.

Happy October...think pink...get your mammograms...early detection is the best prevention we have so far...pink chicks rule :)

back to the beach

2009-09-27T21:20:00.003-04:00

Just back from a few days spent visiting with my sister in NC. We had a great time; 2 really good beach days, bingo, lovely dinners and I got to see my girlfriend Chris' mom for lunch! It was nice to get away and decompress for a few days. Tomorrow I re-enter the world of full time student and job-seeker...but for tonight, I have the memory of the warm sand between my toes and laughing with my sister..... (love you, Barbara!)

ABD baby.....ABD!!!!!!!!

2009-09-21T18:00:00.002-04:00

ABD = all but dissertation

With the click of a mouse I submitted my last paper, posted my last participation requirement and completed the classroom portion of my doctorate just moments ago...56 credits since December 2005 (including 6 months off to take care of that whole breast cancer thing!) This must be what Chris feels like when she completes an IronMan event!...wow..this is huge!

When I started this I had no idea if I was going to be able to complete it. I didn't know if I was smart enough or had the staying power to see it through. I am SO happy and SO appreciative of the support of my friends and family...and mostly Brian's support.

The poor man has had so many thoughts bounced off of him that he surely is bruised. He was the endless source of strength that kept me moving forward when I didn't want to do any more. He encouraged me to look at problems from another angle and advised me of when I had lost sight of the point of whatever it was that I was working on. He has spent countless hours waiting for me to finish...one more post, one more paper....one more presentation. Brian - I adore you...thank you!

On to the dissertation ~ a lot of work yet ahead before graduation, but tonight I finished MY LAST CLASS!!!!!!!!! (I've got happy feet!!!!!!!!!)...I think I must have a glass of wine......lol

Meet Normin!

2009-09-14T09:09:00.002-04:00

Normin, our newest great 'nephew' has come to live with Kerri and Dave. He's 4 months worth of puppy love and is built like a small tank. He snores, he farts, he eats like a horse...everything that an English Bulldog pup should do...and he makes us all laugh - Welcome, Normin!

cancer, stay gone!

2009-09-02T11:54:00.004-04:00

I just got the last test result from all of my August testing in the mail today and I am happy to be able to say that remission continues....'no evidence of disease' in medical terms......cancer, stay gone! I feel better than I have in years!

my study buddy

2009-08-30T11:34:00.004-04:00

ever faithful, stays up with me late into the night until I have finished working...all for a head scratch and a can of wet food....our Bella! (hey Mom...isn't that a dangling whatca-ma-call-it at the end of the second sentence in paragraph 6?????)

better by the day!

2009-08-26T20:11:00.002-04:00

We paid the good Dr. Ting a visit today for my post-op visit. He took off the binders and bandages and said, "Wow!" - yeah, I agree...I look really good! There is still a lot of swelling so it will only get better as the days pass. He figures I am down 2 dress sizes right now and I think I agree! Lola and Rose are wonderfully balanced and evenly placed and the pain is minimal now....it's actually more itchy as opposed to painful and Advil works well. I see him again in a month - just before I leave for NC to visit Barbara for a few days.

I'm really glad I had this last surgery!

owie

2009-08-22T19:30:00.002-04:00

umm.......this hurts....percoset is making me nauseous...switched to Advil today and that is it least relieving the upset stomach. I am really, REALLY sore...it's surprising even me ~ I did manage to sleep more that I have been awake today - hopefully that will help push me around the corner to a place where I feel better.

Did anyone get the license plate number off of the (little yellow) bus that ran me over????

I...are...sculpted!

2009-08-20T21:26:00.003-04:00

We left the house at 4am and arrived at Mt. Sinai at 6am - I was marked up and in the OR by 8:30am and in recovery by 11am...and what a job he did! I haven't seen 'skin' yet because I am (once again) trussed like a turkey from arm pits to hips and thick with bandages, but the silhouette is stunning! I spoke to Dr. Ting this evening and he took 3 liters of lipo - that's large soda bottle, plus a half - that's a lot of stuff! In addition, Rose has been lifted, slightly reduced in size and shifted to match the positioning of Lola. He also trimmed the ends of the scar at each hip. To quote his most recent e-mail to me tonight, " 3 liters of lipo - a gift from me to you...you are going to LOVE it!''

Everyone was great; the nurses in ambulatory surgery (who, BTW, drew my blood - successful on the first shot...), the anesthesiologist (who, BTW got my IV going - successful on the first shot....I admit, he was like 18 years old....and I told him that I loved him...lol), the recovery room staff - a great experience all around. I was out of there by 2pm and we were home by 4pm...

So, I'm house-bound for a few days - at least through Saturday. The percoset is controlling the pain well and from what I can see as I peek around the elastic bandages, the bruising is...well...*colorful*. I am sure that some of you are questioning why I did this. I seriously could have been very happy with what he had done so far. However, in my mind the opportunity was there, the skill of the surgeon was there, the insurance coverage was there, I have done so well recovering from the other surgeries (...4 trips to the OR and 2 office procedures in the last 23 months...) and this sculpting just finished it off. No regrets!

A new doctorate just over the horizon, a new body....can a new executive level position be far behind???? I think not! I'm feeling better this evening and it's not just because of the drugs! What Brian and I need right now is sleep...we are both exhausted.

Photos from Palaia Vineyard

2009-08-17T09:16:00.002-04:00

I didn't feel like I could have taken a good picture yesterday if you paid me to...just one of those days, I guess. Tom has some pretty cool lenses that I was able to play with since we both shoot Canon and it was just fun to be somewhere else thinking about something else besides...well...you know. Here are a few of the better shots from the day.

aahhhhhhhhhh....the beach!

2009-08-03T21:12:00.002-04:00

We just got back from a wonderful week at Sunset Beach, NC with some of our family. The weather was beautiful (albeit pretty windy!), the company was excellent and the whole week was just very, very happy! We had lots to celebrate and lots to be thankful for....already missing the beach and looking forward to next summer!