Ribbons around the country

It is hard to keep up with all the pink and ribbons, but here are some submissions from Colorado, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Sweet treats in NYC

I made a pit stop at Magnolia Bakery in Bloomingdales while walking through NYC today. Any excuse for a cupcake!

Sister time!

Mom spent the day with her sisters yesterday, which involved doing their part to stimulate the economy. The Brighton store had this balloon so, of course, Mom has to buy herself a necklace!

Hometown Awareness

Even Simsbury is getting in on the pink ribbon fun.

The Zumbathon sounds like lots of fun!

Go shopping!

Thank you all for continuing to send in your favorite pink ribbon items. Below are some more of our favorites. If you needed an excuse to go shopping, this is a pretty good one.

It's October - exactly ten months from diagnosis.  In retrospect, this year was a blur. In real time, it flowed like molasses in winter. 

Adrienne's blog post highlights the pink ribbons that are everywhere this month to raise awareness of breast cancer and to raise support for research to beat it.  I'll take this opportunity to again thank all of you for your support - whether it was a contribution to cancer research or moral support in all forms for Linda and others.  Awesome stuff - we'll never forget it.  It means so much to us.

Linda's last check-up with her oncologist was quick and easy.  No trouble found.  She has been going to the Y twice a week for the Livestrong program, and does some yoga (which, as I understand it, involves lying down on a mat for 15 minutes and thinking about exercising).  She has been walking, weather permitting, about 3 miles a day for months now (I think by now she must be just west of Kansas City!).

We have been enjoying making up for lost time from the first half of 2012.  Highlights for September and October include:

• Linda's high school friends Nancy and Mary here for a great weekend
• A weekend getaway in Fredericksburg touring a Civil War battlefield
• Painted our living room, family room, kitchen, bathroom, and dining room
• A walking food tour in downtown Richmond
• A visit with Jess and TJ in DC for my birthday
• A bluegrass concert
• A jazz/funk/Indian concert
• First Friday in Richmond
• Faculty reception at the University
• A weekend getaway at Peaks of Otter in the western part of VA (see picture below)
• A newly-formed dinner club

Still to come this year:

• A visit with family on Long Island
• Friends from CT going with us to Charleston, SC
• Friends from Seattle staying with us for a week
• My parents coming up for Thanksgiving week
• A few more events at the University
• Broadway in Richmond's performance of The Grinch
• Jessica's graduation from the University of Maryland (Masters in Public Health)

Good times!

I had a private laugh as I took this picture this weekend at Peaks of Otter.  In this month of Breast Cancer Awareness, and in honor of these ten months of endurance of my courageous wife, I've captioned this picture Mountain Cleavage.  I wish I had a pink ribbon big enough to wrap around these two peaks.

A pink ribbon, no matter what

As we have learned over the last 10 months, breast cancer impacts all kinds of women without much regard for certain characteristics. Therefore, it is only fitting that the pink ribbon be on all different kinds of products.

Today's submissions include a photo of a t-shirt sent in by Symone ( Greg's mom) and a nod to Mom's organization habit, a Franklin Planner.

Shopping for a cause

Thanks, Katie, for doing your part to support a cause (and one of our favorite stores) and stimulate the economy!

Signs are everywhere

I saw two more signs today. The "Breast Cancer is a Witch" one is my favorite so far...

Awareness for what??

So, according to the Grill in our student center, it is Pink Ribbon Bagel Month. I wonder why pink ribbon bagels need more awareness?

The pink ribbon game

October is breast cancer awareness month. Ironically, it comes just at the point where we are all pretty ready to be less aware of breast cancer than we have been for the first 9 months of the year. I have always been somewhat entertained but the kinds of items that have and the abundance of pink ribbons at this time of year. I think I will be even more aware of them this year. I've decided to make a game of it. Feel free to join me. What is the most random place that you have seen a pink ribbon? Send me your pictures and I will post them here.

To get us started, here are three places that I saw the pink ribbon in the 5 minutes I was in the grocery store picking up dinner. All within site of the register.