Friends helping my Shave campaign

My wife's friend, Brenda, is visiting from Canada. She took a little trip to Adelaide, up to the centre, on to Darwin and back here last week. At the Sydney Airport she was walking along a busy concourse and looked down and found a fifty dollar bill. No one seemed inclined to have lost it so she thought that will go to Chris's Shave campaign. On on a sand dune in the dessert she was taking photos and looked down to find a five dollar bill! That will go to Chris's campaign as well! Then at the Darwin airport she got a bit cocky and started looking for lost money but only found a ten cent piece. She reckons God wanted to make a contribution but wasn't sure of the post code. So we have another $55.10 for the Leukemia Foundation.


My Friend Joan Stephaniuk is helping to raise funds for the Leukemia Foundation. Every week Joan takes her collection tin to Belly Dancing classes. She Crochets feet decorations for her Belly Dance class mates to "buy" for a donation; she plans to make 100 pairs of them and has done 20 pairs so far. Joan plans on going to to a few clubs to see if she can pass her collection can. She is a Legend.

Media release this week:
As part of the world’s greatest shave in support of the Leukaemia Foundation, A Close Shave at the Hervey Bay Hotel, is firming up. March 15th at 7:00pm will see over 20 people, so far, shaving their hair off or coloring their hair at the event. Organizer Chris Olin said “We even have one guy who is going to have someone wax his legs”. All these participants are out raising sponsorship to do the ‘shave’ with all proceeds going to the Leukaemia Foundation. The Foundation provides accommodation, support, information and counselling for patients and families battling blood cancers. Olin said “ This is important because it allows the patient to stop worrying and concentrate on getting well”

Mr. Olin had a Bone Marrow Transplant last March so on the anniversary of his transplant he is going to shave his hair off. He said “Everyone is close to someone with cancer maybe even a blood cancer, I had a close shave last year so this year I’m having another one, and calling it A Close Shave. I’ve been amazed at the support I have received so far I’m 25% of my way toward my goal of $5600.00. But more than that businesses have gotten on board in a big way. The folks at the Hervey Bay Hotel are being fantastic.”

Also providing services or equipment are RnR Hair Design, Taylor Made Hair and Beauty, Hervey Bay Face and Beauty, Rock On Social Club and Tun-a-fun Karaoke & Entertainment.
In addition the following are helping with collecting donations, The Coffee Club, Amcal Chemists, Bendigo Bank, and ET’s Dry Cleaners. Olin said “Edith and Trevor have been great at ET’s. They have had a donation can for only two weeks but it filled up and we had to open it. Their customers have been generous to the tune of $204.00 …in small change!”

How can you help? Come to the event on March 15th to cheer on your pals; Make a donation at the above businesses or online; or volunteer to ‘be Brave and shave’ just go to the web site www.worldsgreatestshave.com and register. While there you might look through the gallery for your friends that are already registered.

For more information or to join A Close Shave call Chris Olin on 0418 182 205. Or go to www.worldsgreatestshave.com/profile.php?id=384364


more later
Chris

Rain, Recipes, regular communication...warning rant coming on.

What a day! What a day of mental changes!

It started out with me blogging for two hours and then losing the website because the rain cut our microwave link. Then it got better..ish
Anyway lets start with the two hours I lost then on with the new news. I’m writing this on Word as the rain has dropped a bucket again and we are not connecting. So..

Rain. Its great the first time in a season and good the second through to the fifth time but I’m over it now. Although we have been in drought for the past few years (some rain but never very much and way below average) this rain is welcome but… When the almanacers started skiting about this being a wet summer we were all asking questions. “will it fill our property dam?” “Will it fill Lentahal’s Dam? And will the council drop water restrictions?” “ Will it be green?” What we didn’t ask was “will my toes get athlete’s foot?” “ Will the water ruts in the driveway swallow the car?” “Will my hair ever get dry again?” All these questions have been answered: Yes; Yes up to 80% but only cut back to level one restrictions; Way yes; No but they itch; No but all wheel drive will take on new importance; Guess not yet.

Its been bucketing today, It rained on Saturday at Eumundi Markets, it rained last week and the week before but not on Australia day. The good news is that its a “wet heat” and not a “dry cold” its been up to 30 most days and down to a pleasant 24 or so on cool days. Sorry I know you are in deep freeze in the Canadian West. Anyway the rain could stop anytime now. We have been teasing the Newbie about her bringing the rain but she’s on her way to the desert tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.

Anyway enough about my rain problems….. lets talk about my recipe problems!

Rant two: I have had two recipe cards (you know those written down pieces of folklore that you pass around to friends and relatives?) these two particular cards on peach lined paper one for Hamburger Stroganoff and the other for Crustless Carrot Quiche (both look absolutely delicious BTW) were, I thought from my sister when we opened a lovely packages she sent with Brenda. I thought they were a continuation of an idea my Mom had in 1978.

Mom keep getting calls from adult and almost adult children along the line…”Hi mom, no time to talk, but how do you make your …… dish”. So the Chirtmas of 1978 all the four kids got a little 3x5 ring binder with recipe cards. Hand written. They were her and our favourites. I still cherish and use mine. Prticularily because I get to see what my sibs though was the best, I get to remember my mom’s cooking, but mostly because I get to remember my Mom and the effort she made. There must be 50 recipes in mains, desserts and household tips. And remember there were four books done. All hand written. It would have taken weeks.

Anyway I though what a nice thing to do I’ll just write some of my latest inventions out for my sibs and pass them on. But…

Rant three: I can’t find my notebook/folder of my creations.

When I was a kid my Mom could find anything I was looking for usually right where I had just looked! It drove me mad. She could just walk into my room an pick up the whatever and say in this best snarky voice “Is this what you are looking for?” She could find it in seconds. Stuff I looked for, for …… well minutes anyway. Guess what I can Vhannel my mom and it now drives Bluey Mad. She can’t lose anything that I can’t find sooner or later. I just can’t do it for myself sometimes. So I’m stoming around looking for my folder that I had out of the recipe book shelf ‘cause I was going to put a recipe in it last week and it’s gone. Just Gone.

Bluey being a bear of much bigger brain then I found out why I wanted the folder ans said “ those cards aren’t from Melissa anyway” what?.....

Rant Four: Why can’t I remember stuff anymore? Whose cards are they? And while we are at it whose gave us this nice recipe card on cemercial recipe card stock that says “RECIPE” in big scrolley letters with pictures of baking on the bottom? We can’t remember. I was sure the peach colored ones were Melissa’s handwriting and the other one could be Colleen Gibson but hey. We’ll wait for any information that may be forth coming.

Oh and the kicker….. tha cards Bluey thinks fell out of the folder when I had it out last week!!!!!!

Rest comfortably dear reader the 1978 ring binder is safe in my kitchen library.

All this comes to mind I guess ‘cause Jean Olin’s Birthday is Feb 6th.


Health Report

Last visit saw Doc Schoozenbootz well pleased with me. Liver levels down but no I couldn’t reduce the immuno-supression. Cholesterol levels down and Yes I got my Lipitor cut in half. He wants me to walk 6 kms a day! To drop weight and to train for my next fundraising activity but more on that later. I had used a pedometer 18 months ago and found I walked between 8000 and 12,000 steps a day at work so at a 1000 steps a kilometre I’m definitely good for 6 kms a day.

I started work last week and that’s good but I reinjured my right knee cartiledge on the last trip to the docs and then pounded on it to setup the Australia Day Party so I’m way twisted when I walk. I’m on the mend but I have an appointment with the Physio to get me walking smoothly again.

My regular GP is concerned about my blood sugars and had me tested and they don’t look to good. Hands up all those that have seen me down desserts and sweets and thought to themselves this could be a problem someday? All across the world right now people in offices, internet cafes, homes and libraries are asking …Why does that person have their hand up? Oh and those of you ectamorphs can just stop waving and shaking or arms…no you don’t get extra points. Its just to cruel a fate especially for the inventor of the Dessert Pocket Theory.

The Dessert Pocket Theory by Christopher Linton Olin BFA

I believe that inside my tummy is a secret pocket that operates thusly. When a meal of deliciousness has taken my tummy by storm and no more morsel can fit in, the sound of the dessert trolley going by or the waitperson’s question “Dessert anyone” triggers the dessert pocket to open thereby creating just that bit of extra room to allow the consuming of ‘just a bite of something sweet”. Room for a bit more.

Well no more. I guess I will be cut off shortly. But I have an appointment with Doc Blueberry this week to see.

Bluey’s good but we are unhappy to say that her sister has been quite sick and may have Ross River Fever. She sees the Blueberry tomorrow so we’ll know then.

Hey the rain stopped!

It’s night time now and we had a good afternoon in town, lunch out and many chores done to get the Newbie ready for the desert. So that good and..

The Shave Report: I talked to some people at the school and we probably can get something going there. I have to replace a full donations can at the Dry Cleaners. I just found out that Alicia has scored counter space for a can at the Pharmacy. I figured out an idea to take a “blood talk” to primary school kids while in the bath getting my muscles to release. An idea and a relax too!

Editors note: my friend and one of the queens of the language, Merilee, has written to me... "Don't talk to primary school kids while they're in the bath. Wait until they get to school." Which leads me to believe that she has spotted the dreaded misplaced modifier. So the above probably should have been something like "I figured out and idea, while in the bath, about taking a blah blah etc etc."

Oh and I know that Marlene and Susan both spotted this as well. thanks for keeping my on my toes. I love the feed back. 

I need to crank up my Close Shave campaign. We have three of us shaving and almost 10 coloring but the pledges and donations are only at $1000.00. Okay I know that that’s good in fact, but there are 30,000 Australians living and battling with a blood cancer this year. They need your support.

So please give something.

 Give your time to campaign, shave or color. Give your donation to my website or to me by calling me on 0418182205; I make house calls. Or just talk to someone about the Worlds Greatest Shave.

So its now 7:30 in the evening and all in all the day’s been fantastic.

More later
Chris

Saturday night and here we are blogging

&tIt Saturday on the east coast of Australia. 7:50pm and that's around 2:am in Victoria & Seattle, 3 am in Calgary and later and later on the other side of North America That's Well evenign on Saturday for us and early mornign saturday for the NA folks anybody else just has to email me and I'll setup another clock widget in my dashboard for your timezone.

Well I have been busy the past weeks. I have started practising my drum, my bodhran and doing my music theory books, I've been setting up my 'shave' campaign, doing preliminary things to help the production of Oklahoma, getting mentally ready and practising getting up early for school and  finding time to play with bluey and Chilli.

I've got to do a glucose tolerance test as my local GP doesn't like my sugar levels but Doc Schoozenbootz didn't seem to worry but I'm going in on tuesday to keep doc blueberry happy. Other then that I'm doing really well. 

;div>

I dropped in the Red Cross the other day as i had business next door and on the spur of the moment went it to the brand new shiny collection centre just to say Hi and 

thanks. I told them I was an end user of their product and wanted to see where it came from. a nice Nurse named oops just about forgot.....gracious nurse showed me around to every room and nook intorduced me to all the staff and the volunteers I got to meet and cheer on a young lad giving his first bag. He was type O so I may get his blood products in two weeks so I really Thanked him! 

I did an interview with the local paper and it's in today. Its a launch of the World's greatest Shave its here at photobucket if you want to see it. 

I've made a pitch to a local Hotel to do the shave event there on Saturday the 15th and I think they are going to go for it. so My hair comes off then.  I'm putting up posters around town to encourage others to join in to shave or color or perhaps for guys to wax their legs. So far bluey is coloring along with a few friends.  Our pal Louise who runs a local beauty salon and her offsider Kirsty are shaving. We have two hairdressers on board to help out and they are even up for a package deal. Like a beauty treatment, hair cut ans dinner out for a price thats gets money into each of the sponsors and to the foundation.   I'm getting excited. we are planning on using a team name  'Close Shave"

More later

Chris

The new year

This image is just under 14 months from left to right what a year its been!

I thought of doing a Christmas/Newyear letter but my blogg has been that kind of chronical all year long ...want to know what went on?..... just dig through the archives.  To hit a few highlights....... 

look at March 17th for the report on my actual transplant on March 16th and March 30 for the report on my return from the land of the Neutrapenic. It was reall interesting reading back a bit! I had some much help through that time. I am really blessed. 

We usually take down chrisy decos on Ephiany... Jan 6th.. but I've just this minute decided that I'm going to change the Blog today.  There hows that?...Maybe a bit busy but I'm going to let it go for a bit to see if it grows on me.

I had a signing lesson yesterday! Well I got Lisa to coach me to learn a song that we want to introduce to the Acoustic nights (first sunday each month at Z-Pac. Our neighbors Doug and Christine told us about it and we went at the beginning of December and loved it so are going back this Sunday. Gene performed first visit! he's a very accomplished guitarist now.  Anyway Bluey and I are going to get more involved and she's learning the concertina.  I'm learning the bodhran and the ukelele. This song I wanted to learn is a closing song from the Calgary Folk Club and we thought this local group might like it. You can google it and learn it as well then we can all have a good sing. its Called Let Union Be.

Bluey is at work all day, sigh. Its a little quiet around here when she's away. 

Lynn & Peg Sykped us from two dog ridge this morning and gave us a video tour of the lounge room. We saw snow out the window and that just fine. We like it 12,000 miles away!

count down to Brenda coming!!!!! She gets here on Australia Day jan 26th. those of you within  driving distance should think about joining us on the hill for the 4th or 5th annual Party. its a very eclectic affair but we think we are moving it into the afternoon evening this year as everyone stays all day anyway. More details to follow. 

more later

Chris

By the way here is the 12th day of Christmas present. the box says 12 bears but they really only could fit 8 in as it is very small. 

It's Thursday the 27th of Januray its been over cast all day hinting at rain but no go. It did rain Boxing day and Christmas day. It is great to get a nice gentle soaking rain so it was like an extra present. We went down to Bev's for Boxing day and enjoyed time with her and Mary, her mom along with Jan and Gary, her sister and brother-in-law.  Hadn't seen Jan and Gazza in donks so that was nice. Greg and Anne and the squirts were there as well as Bev's daugther Kelly and Ben (spawn of Jan and Gazza) we had a huge feed of 'leftovers' Just brilliant! Callum and Greg and Gene got out guitars and Greg's new banjo and played and played. I'm afraid my engine ran out of steam mid afternoon and I nodded off, literally, through the concert. We jumped back into the car and Joyce drove the four of us home.  

A very quiet day reading eating sleeping, well nap later maybe. 

I've been doing 'art'.... craft really projects....shadow boxes with 3D elements. We gave Bev one of my pieces about buddas. I finished another that I call Christmas 2006 'cause I was recovering from spleen surgery and awaiting transplant and that was on my mind as well as Christmas. there's more in my head and we'll see where this goes.

Bluey and I had a great musical Christmas. She gave me a Bodhran (celtic drum) and a Ukelele and a profession shssssss shsssss precusion thing. I went to town today and picked up papers and stopped at the music store for a Concertina book 'cause that's what I gave Joyce! a 20 button Anglo C/G. We are getting button charts off the web and now we have some music for the 'squeeze box' we'll both be joining in the family band. I've alreadly started working on bodhran  rhythms off the net and that's coming along too. I picked up the first three levels of theory books to so we can get some background in reading the music but we are slowly getting there. 

I also have plans for a video project that involves you ALL so work out how you can do a 30 second video to send to me and I'll let you know later what I want on it.  I'm not kidding get ready.

more later

Chris

...and

We're also looking forward to Brenda coming in the new year! She's spending months and months here. We also hope to get a visit in with Dan & Marie in some midpacific hideaway. a dn merry christmas to Chels and the gang at Staff room one and all of USHS. 

more later

 Chris

"Like a 2 year old with a beard"

That's what Bluey just said to me!  She's sitting here with me in our living room after I took this pic. It could be because I just called to her and snaped a pic, or it could be my big belly hanging over my computer or the fact that I'm relaxing in shirt and undies in the middle of the day!

It's what we do here in Takura on a holiday. We are just relaxing and wrapping and chatting and playing with the dog. That's Chilli just visible under the table behind me. Its been raining on and off all day so far it's only 1:30 pm on Christmas eve here now.  We have a quiet evening planned with Jo and Gene... having supper and maybe gene will play guitar.  Tomorrow we are at Jo and Gene's all day.  We have a great butcher that was on a national TV show the other day and talked about his favorite Christmas dinner of Prime rib covered in scallops and that's what we are having tomorrow.  Boxing day we are off to Bev's in Brisbane  for a boxing feast. It'll all be leftovers! then back here for a day then I'm back for an appt. with Doc Schoozenbootz. Bluey will drive of course, because we want to get there fast and get back fast. The Mullers are here Friday for a few days so that will be great. Mary Ellen and Wal have Clydies and cattle  southwest of brisbane. Don't know which or how many of their lovely children Thomas, Gabe, or Kaitlin they may bring.

The new year holds many things for us not the least of which is my continued good recovery, but also I'm doing a lighting design for the local amateur production of Oklahoma, I'm returning to work, doing more of my art work ideas, and just more fun. Joyce has got to look forward to (hopefully) turning sod on her new building,  we'll be seeing the start of our new house. 

O the other 12 day gifts were a big round tray with green and red candles, table center pieces, a christmas basket with several smaller Christmas deco's in it and lastly today Joyce got a box of bears.

Anyway Merry Christmas to Melissa and Mark hosting Kathy and Cory in Calgary, Mike and Gayla somewhere with Stars of David on their Christmas tree; Arlene and Al at their cabin in the woods with their sons and families; The cousins in Seattle and Sanfran; my Bro in Victoria along with Marge and the Geerdinks in Victoria; Jim and Irene in Kelowna with their kids and kids kids; Auntie Marion whereever she is (she just sold up and is living on the kindness of strange......children...)Sid,Kirk,Colleen et al); John Marlene Nicole and Joni in 

Alberta; to all our friends and supporters far and wide

more later Chris