World MS Day 2012

World MS Day 2012

Wednesday, May 30th - Today is World MS Day - the aim of which is to raise the awareness of this dreadful disease that as yet does not have a cure.  As a Person with MS (PwMS) I pray that researchers around the world with some day find a cure for the thousands of sufferers. 

Throughout the month of May there have been many wonderful people working hard on fund-raising to assist with the research and support of people with MS.  The Australian organisation for MS used the slogan "Kiss Goodbye to MS" and set up a website for those wonderful people wishing to assist in the fund-raising efforts during May.  Our daughter, Kristen, was one of those wonderful people. She has raised over $1300 by just pledging to colour her lovely hair RED for the month of May.  However, there was a little twist to that pledge and the funds raised - for $200 she would be a REDhead for May - for every $100 over that total she would stay a REDhead for an extra week!  That means with her current total of $1350 she will be a REDhead through until the end of AUGUST!!!!!  

What an effort - well, done Bloss - and thank you for your wonderful support, not just for me but for all those others enduring this debilitating disease - maybe one day they will find a cure and we can KISS GOODBYE TO MS - we can only hope.

Ah - but wait - there is more - as they say in the commercial world!  

A week ago the Rambling Retirees were sent an invitation to attend an awards presentation at Government House in Brisbane to be held on the eve of World MS Day - what a very special evening it turned out to be.  Mrs RR, aka Lallee, had been advised that Mr RR, aka Roc, was to be presented with an MS Heroes Highly Commended Champion Award as a result of my nominating him as MY HERO at the beginning of April.

Little did we know, until the presentation last night, that there were only FOUR awards being presented - one for Most Inspiration, one for Highly Commended Inspiration (awarded to a 12 year old boy by the way), one for the Overall Champion Hero, and one for the Highly Commended Champion - all from almost 60 nominations received by MS Queensland.  The awards were presented by the CEO of MS Australia - Qld, Mr Lincoln Hopper, and the Governor of Queensland, Ms Penelope Wensley, AC. You can see a photo on my Photo Page.

So today, I am bursting with pride and emotion in knowing that I have a family that cares and supports me in dealing with the every day issues of being a Person with MS. 

Thank you to all my family and friends for your support, and especially to those of you who made a contribution to Kristen's fund raising during May.


Kiss Goodbye to MS


MS Queensland

South Australia Travellin

Turnin' 60 Wow!!

What better way to celebrate a special occasion - a Business Class flight with lots of bubbles!  

Yep - this little black duck checked in at the ripe old age of 60 at the beginning of March.  No big, noisy parties for me - just a lovely trip to Adelaide to stay with a very special friend and enjoy some "down" time.

The weather treated us kindly, with lovely warm days to enjoy the local delights of vineyards, beaches, and quilt shops.  Yes, that's right - quilt shops - and plenty of them.  My special thanks to my wonderful husband and our special friend, Steve Bonney, for indulging me with "quilt therapy" between some lovely trips to places like Victor Harbour, Strathalbyn, McLaren Vale, and Goolwa - not to mention that we were only 2 minutes to the beach at Normanville - what more could a 60 year old ask for - I even managed a morning with the local quilting group - the Yankalilla Threads - and on our last day in Adelaide the boys indulged me by leaving me at the SA Embroiderers Guild exhibition at Mile End - a wonder three hours just enjoying the delights of some beautiful works of art.  

Oh - and I mustn't forget the great "scone bake-off" at Mr Bonney's.  Of course, it was a breeze for the "old chook" who won hands down - even in a "virgin" kitchen with an oven that had never been turned on prior to that little exercise. 

Excellent breadmaker!

Thank you, thank you, thank you - a birthday to remember.