Lionel Sydney Jessop
                Oct 26, 1942-Sept 17,1996

My Dad passed away on the morning of September 17, 1996 just shy of his 54th birthday, after an 11 year battle with Lymphoma. I was 13 when he was diagnosed, he was the young age of 42. Cancer simply became a part of our lives. Being so young I know I didn't completely comprehend what was happening but over the years it just became commonplace in our household to talk about lymph nodes, chemotherapy, tumors, surgery, white blood counts, red blood counts, platelets... and on and on...but death never came up. It just wasn't an option. I remember weekly checkups on Monday's at Princess Margaret Hospital, I remember leaving flowers on his nightstand after a round of chemo but looking back what I remember most was a fighting spirit. It must have taken everything in him to carry on with such bravery and strength. I never heard him complain, never saw him cry, even in his darkest times he protected us from the fear and pain he must truly have been feeling. If that's not the definition of a hero I don't know what is.

When I first signed up to volunteer for the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer Event I'll be honest, I had no idea what it was all about. I saw a "tweet" from someone saying that volunteers were needed and I signed up. As the weeks have gone by I have realized what a huge event this is going to be and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of it in my Dad's memory.

Click here to see the staggering amount of money raised by Toronto Teams participating in the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer Event!! Awesome job to all who are participating and everyone who sponsored them!!

If you are interested in making your own donation to this great event in honour of someone you love please click here.

There are 54 Celebrities on the roster to be participating tomorrow! Sad that I don't see my beloved Dougie Gilmour on the list though... maybe he'll be making a surprise appearance just for me!!?? He did tweet me on my anniversary after all!! Sigh..a girl can dream <3

A special shoutout to my cousin Lori who is currenlty fighting her own battle against this awful disease...

Look Well to This Day
Anonymous, 50 B.C.
 
Look well to this day,
For it and it alone is life.
In its brief course
Lie all the essence of your existence:

The Glory  of Growth
The Satisfaction of Achievement
The Splendor of Beauty

For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is but a vision.
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a 
vision of hope.

I'm so excited to be volunteering at the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event on Saturday September 29th. Hockey was a huge part of my Dad's life and The Princess Margaret Hospital was where he received all of his treatments during his 11 year battle with cancer. I know he would be proud of this event and my participation in it. Click on the picture for more information about this great fundraising event! See you there!!

You see "For Sale By Owner" signs popping everwhere and there is a barage of new property selling services that allow you to market your home on realtor.ca and you think to yourself... "I can do this, I can sell my own house and save me all the money I otherwise would have spent in Realtor commission fees." Here are a few things you should consider before venturing down the very complicated path of selling your own home. 

1. The exposure your home will receive is extremely limited. There is much more to selling a home than simply posting it on realtor.ca. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers and their agents which will result in it taking longer to sell your home which in turn will result in lower offers.

2. Negotiating is not a fun experience for most people. Buyers find it extremely awkward to sit accross the table from a Seller and tell them what they think their house is worth. They will either avoid for-sale-by-owner properties all together or the savvy home buyer will hire they're own Buyer Agent who is going to negotiate on thier behalf. The first thing the Buyer Agent is going to do is negotiate a commission, then they are going to advise their Buyer client to deduct 5% off the asking price before even contemplating putting in an offer. How much have you saved yourself now?

3. The legalities of the contract are complicated. It is one thing to get an offer, but will that offer be able to stand up to the scrutiny of lawyers and will the deal actually close? If you use a lawyer to review all offers before making them firm, you will pay substantial legal fees for this service.

4. The inconvenience of trying to sell your own home is mind boggling. You have to be home for all appointments and if your home is not easily accessible for viewings you stand a very good chance of losing a potential Buyer. As if the inconvenience is not bad enough, you also have to concern yourself with safety, are you really comfortable opening your door to complete strangers who are not accompanied by a prefoessional Realtor to peruse through your home and your belongings?

As always... thanks for reading.

Hi Dad,

I can't believe it's been 16 years since we said goodbye. Has it really been that long? I wanted to take a minute today to share with you all the great things you helped me accomplish in the last 16 years so grab a drink, have a seat and enjoy :)

First and foremost, I have the most precious little girl ever imaginable. I sometimes think about how much you would adore her if you were here. She is smart and funny and has such an amazing personality about her. She has beautiful red hair and we get compliments all the time about how absolutely adorable she is. She is mischevious and saucey and so full of spice! I know you are sitting there laughing at me right now saying "yea, I wonder where she gets that from????" I know she "knows" you. I know she feels your presence and she is always surrounded by your love and protection. I believe you have been guiding her and protecting her through all of the troubles she has encountered in her life so far and I know you will continue to do so and I thank you for that. She has a picture of you in her bedroom and she kisses it every night and says goodnight to her Grandpa Lionel. I always want her to know how very special she is to you, even if she never got the chance to meet you in person.

Of course you also know that I am married, yes, for the second time, lol. You would have a lot of fun with Steve, poking fun at him, making him squirm for your approval, all the things you so lovingly do best! Mom gave him your eagle ring for his birthday this year. He was shocked and honoured that she entrusted him with such a special memento and he wears it with pure pride. He is a good man, he works hard, treats us well and he loves us to pieces.

I have changed careers and I am now selling Real Estate. I'm sure you just spit out your drink when heard that. After 18 years in the electrical industry I am now a selling homes! Who would have ever thought that? I love the business, I love the people and I love that it is allowing me the opportunity to give back and be a part of so manygreat events for worthwhile causes. I will be volunteering for the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer Event on Septemeber 29th and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of something that I know you would feel so connected to.

I am still the best of friends with Danni! Danni had such a special place in your heart, didn't she? She is one of the kindest souls I know and I am honoured that she has allowed me to remain a part of her life for so many years. She is such a huge part of my life and I wouldn't be the person I am today without her in it. She makes me want to be a better person, I don't always succeed, but the effort is there lol.

I speak of you often and think of you always. I share many stories about you with people explaining how you taught me so much and shaped who I am today through your ways. Even though at the time I know I didn't appreciate it lol. You taught me to work hard, that everything I want I have to earn and that life was not going to be handed to me on a silver platter. You taught me to not take life too seriously and to remember to play hard as well. You taught me to always be me and to stand up for what I believed in. Through your example you taught me what true courage, determination and strength were.

I hope I make you proud. When I accomplish something, big or small, I can almost here you whisper "that's my girl".

I miss you, I love you, I thank you.

Lotsa Love,

Boo XXXOOO

Lionel Sydney Jessop
10/26/42 -  9/17/96

With the change in Brokerages I am in the process of launching my new website
and I'm very excited about how it is turning out. Who knew I could be so
technologically creative? I will be moving my old blogs over here in order to
offer a "one stop" browsing experince for my customers. I am pumped about this
new adventure and I look forward to everything iPro Realty has to offer both me
and my valued customers! The support I have received has been incredible... a huge thank you to iPro Founder Fedele Colucci, our amazing front desk multitasker Cindy Morgan and the wonderful Gid Pereira from our head office in Brampton. THANK YOU all for making this transition so seemless!

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