A dear friend has just started chemotherapy. She sent out a request to buy and display a teal ribbon for her and others like her who have ovarian and peritoneal cancer. I made a donation to the Association for International Cancer Research in her honour, and I am sending lots of luck and warm wishes through the intertubes all the way to Australia. Thinking of you, Ade.

There is no sign of turkey or pumpkin pie around here, but I would still like to spend a few moments giving thanks for the best thing in my life.

Adrian is an amazing person, and I feel so honoured to be his wife. He works so hard at the lab - nuturing his students and staff while designing elegant experiments to increase our understanding of disease. He loves learning about world history and politics, avidly following elections throughout the world. Yet he always makes sure that we have enough time together to relax and explore, and is constantly showing me that I am the center of his world. He makes me smile and laugh, and for that, I am truly thankful.

Photo by Robert.

Thanks Mum! I am a little sad that Adrian and I won’t be able to return to Australia this year to attend our graduation ceremony for our Masters of Public Health. So my mother sent us these two cute little representatives who received their gown and mortarboard in our place.

We still haven’t been sent our final grades for our last course - hope this doesn’t jinx us.

Our kittens have started to display an intense fascination with the bathroom. Pepper (above) now refuses to drink from her water bowl, and instead licks the drips from the bathroom sink from a very uncomfortable position.

They are also very interested in the bath, both when empty and full. However, this ended very badly for little Mint last week. I was filling up the bath when I heard a dreadful splashing, only to see a sopping wet creature running from the room and hiding under the bed. The poor thing, she must have fallen all the way in while walking across the rim, and was completely soaked from ear to paw. She looked miserable, and was attempting to lick herself dry with her tiny little tongue. Luckily, it was warm inside and she dried off quickly, her fur sticking every which way.