JDRF Walk for a Cure (And a little contest...)

I support many causes and many charities for many reasons, and I don't generally hit up social media sites for them...so bear with me just this once.

As you can see by the video above...there is one cause that hits very close to home. A cause that has been my constant companion for many years. From the time I get up until I go to sleep, even in the dark hours of the night (yes, even when I'm writing), I don't--I can't--forget.

On Dec 5, 2007 my youngest daughter Kate was rushed to hospital. Within an hour she was sitting in a hospital bed, diagnosed with Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes and receiving her first insulin shot. She was five years old. We were lucky--we caught the disease early and Kate recovered quickly on a daily regime of at least four needles a day. She now tests her blood via finger-prick blood test from 8-12 times a day. That's 15,000 finger-pricks in her little fingertips over five years. Tens of thousands of dollars spent on supplies. Thousands of needles. Hundreds of doctors visits.

Diabetes is not fun, but with constant vigilance it can be managed...and Kate lives a relatively normal life. If she wants to do it, we find a way. She looks so normal, sometimes it's easy to forget the dangers and the risks. Her insulin pump and test kit are ALWAYS with her. Insulin is not a cure, and without it she would get very sick. Without insulin she could go into a coma, maybe even die. Amazing how much you come to love and hate that little vial of clear fluid!

So that's my spiel. If you can, please give to whatever diabetes research foundation you wish. On June 9th, 2013 I will be walking with Kate and our team, Donate 4 Kate in the Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes in Ottawa, Ontario. JDRF is a world-wide organization that supports research towards a cure, and your donation could help us to throw that clear vial in the trash for good!

If you would like to donate to my Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes team, go HERE.

And now the CONTEST...

I will send a SIGNED paperback copy of my little self-published novel TREASURE IN THE FLAME to one lucky person!

To enter simply:
1) share this post on your twitter page, (follow me on twitter if you don't already...) and comment on this blog post below with the link so I can see it, AND
2) 'Like' my page on facebook- link HERE.

For an EXTRA entry, donate via the link above (any amount helps...even $5!) and let me know you've done so in the comments as well. I'll randomly select one lucky winner and contact you via  DM on your twitter. Contest closes on June 10th.

Easy? I think so!

THANK YOU! From me, from Kate, and from the millions of kids and adults who depend on that little clear vial every day.

Ice in April? (And the Liebster award...)

YUCK. Spring may have sprung but my back yard is covered in glassy ice like this:


Not cool. So I was fortunate enough to be able to opt out of the nasty commute today, and I'm using the unexpected day off to get caught up on a few things (like sitting by the fireplace, reading my book, drinking coffee...) and maybe do a teensy bit of writing. The interwebs are soooooooo slooooow...(ice on the receiver?) so hopefully we'll be able to upload.

Yesterday I was tagged x 2 by writer friends for the Liebster Award--Thanks Yelena and Vanessa! I'm not a big 'tagger', but there are some great questions and why not? So here goes.

The first thing you have to do is tell 11 (eleven) little known facts about yourself. Hmmmm.... That's hard.

1. I LOVE curry. Thai curry, Indian curries, green curry, yellow curry...you name it. I love it. Just as long as it's not fire-hot spicy. I buy the frozen stuff whenever I can, but nothing beats a great curry restaurant.

2. After the curry, my favorite dessert in the whole world is Sticky Toffee Pudding. Best place in the world to get it? The Woodman Inn in Fernham, UK.

3. When I was six I was convinced I would grow up to be an obstetrician.

4. I own and play a 31 string Celtic harp. Not well, but there ya go.

My lovely harp

5. I also play the piano, again not well. An aside- one of my childhood piano teachers is now the
President of the Canadian Medical Association! (Congrat's Chris!)

6. I was once a member of the New Brunswick Gifted Children's Association.

7. I graduated at the very top of my high school graduating class, winning a whole bunch of awards. A decade or so later I had kids and they took all of my brain cells with them. ;)

8. Do I really have to do 11?

9. I used to have a cat named 'None Of Your Business'. We called her NOYB.

10. If there is music with lyrics playing, I can't concentrate. I can only write with soft instrumental playing in the background...or nothing at all.

11. This is number 11. I love number 11. And the colour green. Did you notice I spelled colour with a 'U'?

Phew! That part is done!! On to the Questions... I'll answer 5 of each Vanessa's and Yelena's.

From Vanessa...

1. What is your favorite vacation you've ever taken? The last big family trip we took--to Italy, Croatia and Greece. A combination of Villas, Apartments and Cruising. More about it here:

2. What is your biggest pet peeve? Toss up b/w people chewing with their mouth open (ick) and people who throw still-lit cigarette butts out of their windows while driving on major highways. Especially at night. Drives me CRAZY.

3. What is the scariest movie you've ever seen? Amityville Horror? Couldn't watch the whole thing. I don't do scary movies.
4. Name one food you cannot live without. Popcorn.

5. Pirates or Ninjas? Pirates. Especially the Johnny Depp kind. Sorry ninja folks! But I do love my ninjas too!
From Yelena:

1.  When did you start writing? I started writing seriously about six years ago.

2. Who is the one author you'd like to sit down with and talk if you could? JK Rowling. I'd love to know what goes on in her head.

3. Who is your favorite fictional character? Elizabeth Bennett.

4. Beach house, country house or city apartment? Would love to have all three?? But live in a country house now...

5. Tea or coffee? COFFEEEEEEEEEEE. Need to go make some after all of these questions!

So there you go!! And now to tag other poor unfortunate souls...

The Liebster Rules: 1. The Liebster Award is given to bloggers by bloggers.
2. Each blogger should post 11 facts about himself / herself.
3. Each blogger should answer the 11 questions that are asked by the nominating blogger.
4. Choose 11 new bloggers to nominate for the Award and link to them in the post.
5. Create 11 new questions for your nominees.
6. Go back to their pages and tell them they've been nominated.
7. No tag backs.

My Questions??? (shamelessly plagiarized from other Liebsters)

1. Tea or Coffee? This is important!
2. Favourite place you've ever lived?
3. Plotter or Pantser?
4. What's the biggest writing related gaff/writing crime you've committed?
5. When did you join twitter?
6. Favourite flower?
7. Favourite music to listen to while writing?
8. Write and edit at the same time, or edit at the end?
9. Do we have to do 11?
10. What's your favourite question to ask some poor unsuspecting blogger? (heh, heh, heh)
11. What time is it?

There! And I tag...

Vicki L Morrison (whose life is incredibly busy and will likely never have time to reply, but she IS my BFF...
And everyone else who has taken the time to read my drivel and get to the bottom.