This is Wonderland?

sign the card!

2012-01-07T06:04:00.003-05:00

Please sign your donor card!
I have been signing mine since I first got my driver's license. It wasn't a difficult decision, after all I would no longer have need of my organs. Never really gave it much thought until my health became somewhat fragile. But, I decided to keep signing as surely something would still be useful after I am gone. Even if for nothing more than research. Hey, who knows, maybe my pancreas could provide answers to help cure diabetes!

Well, I am surely thinking about it now. Two family members are in need of kidneys. My nephew is just a bit luckier than my niece, his brother is a potential match and willing to donate one of his kidneys.
My niece is not having it so good. She has cancer in both of her kidneys. One of them needs to come out this month. The other is waiting. This 32 year old mother of four not only has to deal with the cancer, but, is in her second trimester of pregnancy. Every family member who could be a potential donor is being tested and a lot of friends have volunteered as well. Hopefully we will find a match for her.
Please sign your card. The life or lives you save may even be someone close to you!

successfully failing

2011-09-04T20:16:00.006-04:00

I have decided I am a successful failure.

I fail at being a good daughter. I love my parents, don't get me wrong, but, I have never quite measured up to their expectations. Straight 'A's in school were met with "that's good but maybe you could try a little harder and get 'A+s". ( seriously) Friends never were quite what they wanted for me and boys?, don't get me started. I was the typical rebellious teen and in some ways have yet to outgrow that. In fact, I am sitting here writing this while enjoying a coffee with brandy. Sorry Mom, yes I know I have diabetes and shouldn't drink......
I have failed at being a Mother. I never spoke baby talk to my children. I took them out to see houses that had burned down so they wouldn't play with matches. We went to cemeteries to see who could find the oldest headstone so they wouldn't fear them. I didn't cry when they started school. I am not experiencing any 'empty nest syndrome' now that they have both moved into their own places. I miss them (sometimes, but my aim is improving!). I am not at all upset by the passing of time, but, rather excited for them that they get to start their own adventures.
I also failed at my chosen career. After spending eleven years with some of the best people in the world I am now 'damaged goods'. I can no longer do what I trained and fought for. The time I did get to spend doing it was some of the best and worst of my life. I, however, have no regrets. I would not change a thing. I cared too much and that was my undoing, but, that's who I am.
I figure you have a choice in life. You can spend everyday watching over your shoulder waiting for someone or something to stab you in the back. Or, you can just decide to make the best of what life throws at you and be happy. I choose to laugh, be happy, take what I am given and make the best of it. Life is great if you want it to be!

the grass is always in need of a haircut

2011-08-24T00:40:00.003-04:00

The events of the last few days have made me think I need to spend more time and effort appreciating the things I have. I know how lucky I am to have the most wonderful, supportive spouse ever. IMG is nothing short of fantastic when it comes to helping me through the problems I have been dealing with. My kids are, for the most part, pretty fantastic too!
I have the best friends in the world. They have been here for me through all the bad times and understand the way I have been for the last while is not permanent and that I will work through this lovely thing they call PTSD. My network is nothing short of phenomenal.
But, sadly, I must admit I have sorely neglected thanking the one thing that has really helped with restoring my sanity.
My backyard.
Yup. my grass.
And all the other things that go with it.
When we bought this house my children only knew that places to play were called parks. After we moved in and our oldest was allowed to go out back and play on her own swing set all she could ask was when she could go back! It made all the work on this place worth it.
My yard has seen lots of changes over the last 17 years. It has seen above ground pools that went from 15 inches deep to 15 feet in diameter. Ice rinks for winter fun. It has seen vegetable gardens and weed infestations. Old falling down sheds have been replaced with newer and more eco friendly ones.
The grass was replaced with new sod only to have a former neighbour destroy it and then more seed had to be spread until it looked healthy again.
The play swing was replaced with a lovely wooden one I built myself. The deck and patio have changed.
Not every yard has a water feature in a tree! Or 6 foot tall metal flowers.
My backyard has been the location of many a crazy party. Not everyone warns people not to wear white on their invitations. (Can you say HUGE water fights?)
But the most important feature of my little piece of paradise is the comfort and relaxation it provides. It has been there for me in more ways than most people. When I had big calls at work and needed somewhere to go to calm down it was always there. When I wake up in the early morning it awaits me and my first coffee to watch the sun rise. In the middle of the night when I can't sleep it's there again. Warm weather family functions seem to always occur here.
So think of someone or something you have that's important to you and go and say thanks.
You will have to excuse me now I must talk to my grass.

for the HPS

2011-05-31T15:07:00.002-04:00

Nowhere is it more apparent that one or two bad apples can taint an entire bushel than in a Police Force.
The public, as influenced by the media, seem to be very quick to judge and dismiss all as corrupt and untrustworthy because of the actions of a few.
I was brought up in a generation that was taught to respect and honour our heroes, be they military or emergency service workers. We never would have thought about calling for help for anything less than a true emergency. We always pull over to the side of the road to allow safe passage for their vehicles when they are responding to an emergency. If we get caught speeding or not wearing our seat belts we take our lumps and don't refer to the officer by some nasty, condescending name. Our children have never heard us badmouth them and have been taught to show the same respect we expect them to show everyone, including themselves.
I think it is time that the public understands that all emergency service and military personnel are HUMAN. Some of them make mistakes. Some of them are not worthy of the job or the respect. But the number is so small. The majority of these people get out of bed and go to work because they want to make a difference. They want to help someone in their time of need. They want to be the voice of reason at an unreasonable time. They devote an unbelievable amount of their own time to quietly doing things behind the scene that the public seldom hears about. They do a lot of charitable work. They don't do these things for recognition. They do it out of a genuine care for their fellow human beings.
It causes me no end of distress to see when one of them fails and lets down the rest of the group, causing embarrassment. It causes me even more pain when I read the snide comments people feel free to make about these people while hiding behind an anonymous screen name. These are jobs most of us are not equipped to even try to perform, never mind judge.
To the honourable and deserving members of the Hamilton Police Force I say 'keep your heads up and keep up the wonderful job you do"

you are truly heroes

10-7

2011-05-16T15:16:00.002-04:00

There is a profession out there that I have been honoured to be a part of for the last eleven years. A group of very special men and women who put their own lives and problems on hold to provide assistance to those in times of distress. They offer calmness in a time of chaos. They are emergency services communicators, more commonly known as 911 operators or dispatchers.
A very special group of people indeed. They deal with incredibly tense situations and usually don't get to know the outcome. They genuinely care about others and do whatever they can to help.
Sometimes they care too much and the stress and strain become too much to bear.
That is where I find myself today. I can no longer provide the calm, caring voice people need at such times. I care too much.
So it is with sadness in my heart I am saying 10-7.
To all my fellow radio room persons I say "see ya, take care, thanks for all the laughs, it's been a slice!"
To the officers I got to know and care about I say " stay safe, look out for each other, I am going to miss each and every one of you"
To everyone else I say "remember the person on the other end of the phone or the officer at your door is there to help you, appreciate them"

this control is 10-7

Missed Manners

2010-11-05T08:29:00.004-04:00

It finally happened. That thing I had heard about for years but never experienced until now.
Teens with bad manners.
My house is a little different than most. My children were always treated as human beings, just smaller versions. Never talked down to, always allowed an opinion. We never did the baby talk thing or acted as if they were somehow intellectually deficient just because they were children. They were given choices and treated with respect. In return they were expected to treat others the same way. Even people they may not like are respected. My Mother-in-law and I (miss you Muriel!), got into many a fight over things I did when my girls were little. She didn't think it was right to expose them to the things I sometimes did. We got into one really big war the time I took them at the ages of 3 and 4 to the remains of a house fire. I wanted them to see first hand what happened when you played with matches. It worked, they never did. Anyway, whether it was by our actions and deeds or I was just lucky, I have two of the nicest, socially adept daughters on the planet. Yes, they have opinions. Yes, they may say rude things. But they keep them to themselves or at least say them quietly! Other peoples' feelings are always taken into consideration. We joke and carry on and say things to each other, but, always in fun and never, ever, hurtful.
I have heard that teenagers are horrible people. Yet, every time I go shopping by myself, cane in tow, I get nothing but help from, YES, teenage boys! They go out of their way to open doors for me. Chivalry appears to be alive and well. I find the boys are nicer and more polite than the girls and most so called grown-ups! It's really appreciated guys!
Anyway.
So lately things have changed. And not for the better, sadly. I am somewhat overwhelmed by events in my own world. I have met the teenagers others refer to. Sigh. I spend a lot of my free time and most of my spare cash being taxi driver. I don't mind doing this, really I don't. But, would it kill the passengers to say hello?, how are you today? thanks for the ride? kiss my ass? something, anything to acknowledge my presence? I used to get more recognition when I did actually drive a cab! When staying for dinner, a thanks or some comment on the food would be nice! ( I am somewhat conceited about my cooking and like to hear dinner was good). When going home at the end of your visit, maybe a good-bye would be appropriate?
I guess the point is I don't like feeling like I am invisible. Or that I should write welcome on my forehead. I don't want a constant pat on the back or to be told that I am awesome ( I already know that), just to feel like I am not your personal chauffeur, cook and atm machine!

happy/sad

2010-07-24T01:34:00.004-04:00

We are fast approaching a momentous occasion in my family. Monday marks my parents 55th wedding anniversary. After the loss of both of my in-laws within just a few months of each other last year, I am finding this even more precious and amazing. It hasn't been an easy life for either of them, lots of lumps and bumps in the road. But, just the fact that they have made it this far is a testimonial to something most of us will never experience.
Sadly, this is also going to be a very difficult time for us as well. Five years ago at this time we all lost someone very important to us. He didn't pass away, he just left.
It is one of those family disagreements that quickly escalated into something we don't seem to be able to get past.
My parents have lost a son. My siblings, a brother. His children, a father.
Me? I lost my best friend.
I miss him.

Sleepless in Ontario

2010-05-17T03:41:00.002-04:00

They say what you do will come back and bite you in the behind. I must have been horrible in a past life. Sleep has become something more precious to me than gold. It's not so much that I can't get to sleep. It's the various aches and pains that have me awake after only a few hours.
I have tried everything. The nightly bedtime routine is somewhat similar to a circus act.
Lotions and potions applied to every joint and muscle. Over the counter pain relievers to help from the inside. An adjustable bed. A fan keeping the air moving 365 days of the year. A television with a timer to help me get to sleep. You name it, I've tried it.
My doctor gave me a new prescription awhile back. I thought it was for my blood pressure. Turns out it is supposed to be a mild sleeping aid. Guess what? It don't work.
So here I am at four am. Awake again. Amazing the thoughts that cross your mind when you are up at the crack of stupid and all alone.
What do you do at this time of day? You can't do loud housework, others are actually lucky enough to be sleeping. Never mind the pain is what woke you in the first place so any overly physical activity is not too likely to happen. You can't phone a friend. There are only so many trips you can make to a 24 hour grocery store in a week before the staff starts to look at you funny. Nothing much on television. You can make lists of things to do at a more human hour, but, by then you are too tired to do those very things.
Can anyone teach me how to levitate?

Appliances @#*&%^

2010-04-09T08:37:00.003-04:00

Every life has its challenges. Mine seems to be appliances. Big or small, I kill them all. You are familiar with the stove saga. Many of you know about the years we had the ancient upright freezer and the laundry pair from the 60's. The avacado green stove, the constant parade of used fridges.....
I used to think it was because we bought older, well used appliances that I had all of these dead things going out my back door. I have since been informed that the new ones come with a planned, yes PLANNED obsolescence.
I am at it again. My just over 8 year old washing machine has decided to retire. The bearings are gone. It doesn't spin anymore. Soaking wet (dripping actually) clothing is all you get from it. The bearings are in a sealed unit so you couldn't grease them. Have to replace the whole darned thing.
The dishwasher quit months ago. It makes a great place to hide things from other people. The Easter Bunny found it quite handy.
They know me by name at XS Cargo, I have to replace my rice cooker every six months. I stopped purchasing electric kettles eons ago. Coffee makers used to be at least an annual event until we found one that drips into a thermal carafe. No burner to quit!
My sister buys me some kind of small appliance for Christmas every year. Seriously! I always need something.
Last night I was preparing dinner when the can opener spit pieces at me and just stopped working.
This morning I thought I would test out the new (used) party-sized coffee maker my Dad found for me. Plugged it in and it let out a screech that set the dog to growling and running around the house looking for the dying animal....
I am not careless with these things. I do not abuse them. I make sure they get spoken to with kindness. They get all the love, care and attention any thing could want.
Anyone know of a support group for the appliance challenged? I could use some therapy.
The good news for now is, screech or not, the coffee is ready and smells pretty good.

cars, cars, cars

2010-03-15T07:29:00.003-04:00

Henry Ford has a lot to answer for. The last few months (years) have been a journey of frustration and financial agony around here. First the wagon developed issues and then while it was sitting up on blocks in the driveway, (where it still is, sigh) the van decided to just quit. So there we were, Friday night and two undriveable vehicles. What to do? After much discussion and hair pulling we decided to leave the wagon as is for later repairs and ditch the van. It just needed too much work to get it going again and was still going to be a ten year old vehicle with high mileage and rust starting to spring up everywhere. And I hated it. Had since, oh, about the second week we owned it. No real reason, I just didn't like it. Was never comfortable in it. It was pokey, ate a lot, didn't like to haul the trailer and just generally didn't thrill me. I missed my red dwarf I guess.
So a shopping we go. UGH. Kijiji wasn't much help this time. We found an ad from the same curbsider we had bought the Caravan from, yikes, not going there again. Borrowed vehicles from just about every relative we have to get around to look at cars. We had several requirements. It has to pull the trailer. It has to be big enough to transport five for those rare occasions when all are here. It has to be high enough off of the ground for me to be able to get in and out. It has to be another minivan, sigh. It has to be cheap, real cheap. It has to be certified and I needed it three days ago. On the Monday I took two of the kids and my father for a tour of used car lots in the Hammer. After a very long morning I found him. OD (olive drab). Another Windstar, yay! I was happy. It looked good for a twelve year old. It had speed! It was certified and in my price range. I could have it on Wednesday. Yahoo! This may have been an emotional purchase....but I was instantly at home.
So call us paranoid. We picked the vehicle up on Wednesday and took it to our own mechanic on Thursday. Just to make sure ya know? Good thing. It was not properly certified. Emergency brake cables seized, tie rods needed replacing, a few other minor little problems. Not happy. So we gave the dealer a chance to fix the issues and for the most part he did. Begrudgingly, but done. Amazing what veiled reverences to the MTO will do. Back to our mechanic to confirm the repairs and off we go. Even after returning it we ended up paying for the front end to be aligned ourselves and have discovered the front springs need replacing. But, did I mention it had to be cheap?
OD isn't perfect. He is after all 12! But we are working on the things we aren't yet thrilled with and it is getting better. The gas mileage has been improved by over five to the gallon in only a month! And over all I am happier. This could be the next dwarf for me. I am comfortable. It moves when I step on the gas. And once I get a hitch it should haul the trailer with no trouble.
Think I can get eight years out of this one?

The stove saga ends ( I hope)

2009-10-04T08:10:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back I decided it was time to have one of my big dinner get-togethers with some good friends. We seldom seem to be able to co-ordinate busy family schedules, so I get a little nuts when we can and cook big meals for us all. This time was ethnic, I decided to make Indian food.
So, of course, Monday evening, the stove I had been babying for months quit altogether.
Great.
Fourteen dishes on the menu and no stove.
HAhahahahaha.
What to do? Cancel? Postpone til I got a new stove? na....
I did it!
One two-burner hotplate, one one-burner hotplate and several crockpots later it was dinner!
And it was good!
But, hooray!!
I am very happy right now. Sitting in place of honour, all shiny, black and new! A stove! Yahoo!!
It is just what I wanted. Well, actually a little more than I wanted.
Full sized, coil top and matches the rest of my kitchen. That was my request. IMAG insisted that it NOT be a Frigidaire for reasons obvious to those who have followed this saga.
What I got is a GE lift top, coil top, great looking, matches perfectly......YES I do get overly excited about silly things like that. The rings and drip pans are black too! The oven floor even comes out for cleaning. How great is that? It has a programmable oven! Self-cleaning, even though I don't use that function. (too much hydro for me) And it was at a factory clearance sale so fantastic price!
So thanks to DJ and Josh for going shopping for this lovely new addition to my kitchen while I finished getting that dinner ready. You did great! And thanks to the guys from TA Appliances for letting us know about this sale when we were looking around earlier this week.
It's going to be great to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner next weekend. Which in this house may just mean barbequed turkey!

Support your troops

2009-09-25T00:12:00.002-04:00

Last year at Christmas time I had the pleasure of putting together a luncheon for the family members of our troops over in Afghanistan. We had some food, some laughs, a few tears and a fantastic visit from Santa himself. There were some small gifts for the children and all of the families got to take home a lovely yellow poinsettia donated by the gracious people at Nicol Florist.

I want to do it again!

This year there are 27 troops with families in our area.

Time for some shameless begging. If anyone can help out with a donation to help offset the cost of this day please, please, get in contact with me. Gifts for the children, flowers for the families, even cash to help pay for the food, all will be gratefully accepted. Have a few hours to spare to help out? Call me!! Email, Facebook, snail mail...

It is such a great thing to see the families relax and share thoughts. A few hours together makes such a difference for them at the hardest time of the year to be apart.

Do something nice for another. Trust me it makes you feel good.

Rants for a Monday

2009-09-21T04:34:00.003-04:00

I have decided to start a new fund. I haven't quite decided what I am going to call it yet. Open for ideas!

Here's my plan. Get people to donate money to cover myself and my co-workers for those days when we just can't take it anymore. When we have to say what is truly on our minds. When our filter button is malfunctioning. When we forget to mute!

Just once I would like to be able to say what is really on my mind when people call with some of their complaints.
Your four year old child is out of control? Smack his behind. Do you really need that officer to come over and tell him off for you? What is going to happen when he is a preteen or teen and bigger than you? Yikes. Be the parent.

Your neighbour looked at you 'funny'? Toughen up, buttercup. Maybe he wasn't even looking at you at all. Maybe he is having a bad day and just has that expression because he is in some kind of personal agony. Maybe his life sucks, too. Maybe you aren't the centre of the universe!

Mom and Dad won't let you go to that party? Perhaps instead of pitching a fit and throwing items around the house you should stop and consider that they love you and may, just may, be trying to protect you and keep you safe.

You want to run a store but not have to deal with the kids who come in to BUY, yes, buy things. Sure they hang around. Sure they may sometimes steal from you. But not all kids are rotten. They are not all thieves. They are not all destructive. I worked in enough convenience stores to know if you treat them like human beings they usually act like human beings. If you don't want them around open an adult store. End of issue.

Tired of the vandalism and mischief in your neighbourhood? First of all call the police when you see something happening. Have a description handy. Know which way they went (and saying down there doesn't help).Don't wait four days and then call and accuse the officers of being lazy, useless, donut eating......well you get the idea.

Understand that when you want to report something, almost anything, we need to send an officer to take a report. We cannot go to someone else and ask them to stop harassing you without telling them who you are. We cannot accuse someone of taking your stuff without a theft report, oh yeah, and some proof! You would not appreciate it if we came to your door and accused you of things you had not done, or things we could not prove. So why do you think it's okay for us to do to that to those you think have wronged you?

Know important pieces of information when you do make that phone call. Someone stole your car? We need the license plate, please.

You think you saw a wanted person. A name and description would be very helpful.

Your boyfriend just beat you up? Last name and age would be good.

You saw someone driving that you are sure was impaired? Some help please. Where? When? Any kind of info on the vehicle. Which way did it go? Anything on the driver? Even the smallest details are useful! Color, driver, how many in the car. Big car? Little car? Even a partial license plate will help.

Oh yeah. My personal favorite. When you call 911 and we ask you "Police, Fire or Ambulance?"
Don't answer "no". Don't say "this isn't really an emergency". Don't tell us you need a phone number. Don't call to put in a parking, noise, barking dog, my neighbour has more trash out than allowed type of complaint. Not life or death emergencies here. Not a crime in progress either.

Ok, enough ranting for today.

I am looking for suggestions for the name of my fund! Any good ones out there?

hey that was my twenty TAKE TWO

2009-09-02T21:38:00.001-04:00

I want to thank Bob and Matt from the Esso Gas Bar at Colborne and Puleston. They went above and beyond to talk to the owner of the car wash and got me back my twenty!

Thanks, guys! I know you are not in anyway connected with the wash and really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

the oven ate my dinner!

2009-08-24T15:10:00.002-04:00

I am so not having a good day, lol. Those of you familiar with my history with appliances will love this one.
About five? years ago IMAG and I gave up on used appliances and splurged on a kitchen full of lovely, sparkly, brand new, state of the art black ones. They were fantastic. I have an all fridge beside an upright freezer, a range hood that matches and a ceramic top stove. The stove was my big splurge. After years of a very ugly avocado green monstrosity with never clean electric rings, completely rewired by my Father in Law at least a million times, I was sure I wanted the ceramic top. Should be easier to clean, right? Was told by someone I knew who had one that I would love it. Think it was her way of getting even with me for some terrible thing I must have done to her in the past. Hate it. Have since day two. Thousand dollar stove. Never clean no matter what I do. When it was less than a month old IMAG hit it when it was hot and it shattered. Four hundred plus dollars later I had a new top on my new stove.
But I loved the oven. It has a computer! You can set it for what time you want dinner to be ready, leave the house and come home to a perfectly cooked roast or whatever makes you happy.
Yup.
Did I mention it has a computer? So, a few months back I put a roast in the oven. It starts to cook. The stove starts to beep. The display says F1. F1? WTF? I run to find my manual and look up F1. It isan error code for some kind of control for the oven. Meanwhile the oven door locks itself and my roast is trapped. Yikes! What do I do now? IMAG will be home soon and supper is locked in the oven.
So I go to the internet and look up said control. It is over four hundred dollars and then you have to pay for a repairman because it is a computer part and just a bit out of IMAG's range of expertise.
Grrrr. Eventually it relented and released my dinner. Funnily enough the roast was cooked just the way IMAG likes it.
So it only does this if you try to run the oven at high temperatures. Solution? Don't use the oven at high temperatures! Until today.
*Sigh.*
Trying to cook some pork chops for IMAG to take over to the hospice to share with his Father for dinner. I put the oven on at 350 degrees. This is not what I would call high temperatures. The oven ate my pork chops. Yup. They are locked in there for good I think.
*sigh*
Guess I will have to start saving my money for another stove. Not going to spend another four hundred plus dollars on this one when Home Depot has a lovely one for six fifty! With the added bonus of good old fashioned chrome rings and the ability to get it clean even if it does require a little bit of scrubbing once in a while.
Meanwhile, here's hoping it relents and lets me have the pork chops before dinnertime.

hey that was my twenty!

2009-08-24T12:17:00.002-04:00

Saturday night was not a lucky one for me! Went to the car wash, fed the machine a twenty for change. It ate it. Swallowed that bill like it hadn't been fed in weeks. No change. No return of the bill. Just gone.
Searched all over the building for a phone number to contact somebody. Anybody. Checked with the guy working in the gas station. They have nothing to do with the car wash. Doesn't even know who owns it. Just that someone from Toronto comes by once a month or so to do some maintainance.
Tried the phone number for the security company that is supposed to have 24 hour surveillance on the building. That got me a phone number for a pager. Tried that. Got a phone call from a male named Hasim who claimed he didn't know how to get a hold of the owner. Hmm. 24 hour security but can't get in touch with anyone? Somehow I don't quite believe his story holds water!
So, I did what any normal, sane, completely in control person would do! I made a sign. I posted it on the car wash. It disappeared in a matter of hours. Someone obviously responsible for this business saw it and took it down. But I have a picture!
Tried phoning the pager yet again today. So far no response.
So I am now warning y'all.......if you try to use the car wash at the Esso station at Colborne and Puleston, bring your own change. The machine is a monster that will steal your cash!
After twenty years of washing my car there and several years of watching the property at night when I worked in the taxi office next door, I won't be going back. And that's a promise!

pure love

2009-06-20T05:45:00.002-04:00

What is pure, true love?
It is unconditionally accepting what you must do even when it is destroying you. It is letting someone go even though you aren't ready to say goodbye. It is knowing in your mind that you must honour anothers wishes when your heart is screaming in pain.
Today the family honours the living will of IMAG's mother. She made it clear to all for as long as I can remember that she never wanted to be dependent on any kind of medical machinery. Since her aneuerism she has had the best medical care available, but, has not recovered. It is time to do the unimaginable. It is time to say farewell.
To IMAG I say, be strong. We will always be here for you.
To the family I say, my thoughts and love are with you.
To those who don't agree with what must happen I say, agree or not it is her wish. She made it clear and had it in writing. It is her decision and must be honoured. To ignore it would be selfish. We cannot put our pain before her choice.
To the friends that have supported us I say, thank you. You will never know how much we appreciate you and all you have done.
To Muriel I say goodbye. You will be missed. We love you.

swine flu

2009-05-05T10:37:00.002-04:00

I tried to ignore it.

I really did.

I wasn't going to say anything about the latest health scare that seems to have the entire world up in arms, or at least face masks.

The unbelievable behaviour of some other persons and countries has taken away my mute button.

I heard of one case where a parent called a school to say "Johnny Soandso is in Mexico with his parents right now. What are you going to do when he comes home?" (Lock him up of course and throw away the key!). Why are we (as a race) so quick to quarantine people who may, just may, have been in contact with someone who had this virus?

Why are some of us willing to slaughter pigs just because they are pigs? Has anyone heard of any real, scientifically verified cases of people getting this flu from eating pork? I haven't.

Why are we so surprised at the spread of this virus? We place ourselves into small tin cans and ship ourselves all over the world. It is bound to happen that illnesses will be shared and spread and even cause some of us to lose our lives. It is no longer a great big world. You can get anywhere in a matter of hours or days. Bugs only take a while to develop and spread.

But an even bigger question in my mind is this. If we could only get the WHO and governments and media types world wide to spend as much time and energy on worrying about and fighting AIDS as they are on this flu, how soon could we put an end to that condition?

diet diary update

2009-04-24T10:03:00.002-04:00

Yay!!

I have been going to the clinic since the 6th of March.

I have had my meal plan since the 26th.

Yay!

I have lost fourteen pounds so far. This is exciting. It hasn't been the easiest thing to do, but, no where near as awful as one might have thought.

I am still having trouble eating as often as they want me to. Three meals and five snacks a day is a lot of food. And it is mostly good healthy fresh food so there is always some prep work involved.

I still think it is worth it. Yes, it is a pain in my backside having to measure and write down and track everything I eat. Yes, it is annoying having to drive into Hamilton so often to get weighed and poked and measured and attend lectures.

But my sugar has been great the last few weeks and now my blood pressure has dropped by a significant margin. This is why I am doing this. This is my reason for starting all of this in the first place. The weight loss is just a very happy side effect!

emergency

2009-04-17T11:22:00.002-04:00

It's communicators week!

I could bore you with long rambling statements about when and why to call 911...

I could regale you with tales about my co-workers...

I could complain about the stress of my job...

Not gonna do it.

Nope.

Today I have another issue that is boggling my brain...

Why don't people move over to the side of the road to let emergency vehicles pass?

I can't understand this.

What if it was your house that was on fire? Your loved one in a car accident or having a heart attack? Your business being robbed?

Wouldn't you want the fastest, safest response possible?

I know I would.

diet update

2009-04-10T07:18:00.002-04:00

My entire reason for starting with the diet clinic was to get my blood sugar and blood pressure levels under control. For some time I had been getting readings that while not terrible were higher than I was happy with.

Imagine my surprise when I met the diabetes doctor this week to be told my sugar was fine. It's my glucose meter that has a problem!

Does this mean I am going to revert to my old lifestyle and quit the clinic?

NO WAY!

So far I have lost about ten pounds. I feel better. I have a little more energy. And I am still concerned about my blood pressure. The testing I have undergone so far also discovered that I have a heart condition. Nothing too serious, my heart just runs too fast. So, yet another pill I am now on for life. And increased doses of some of the others. Too many more and I won't have to worry about counting calories or carbs, there won't be any room for food.

Florence Y'all!

2009-04-05T12:24:00.007-04:00

A few years back I took IMAG on a trip to Ohio. See I owed him for a wager we had made when I was pregnant with Thing 1. Bob Seger was touring again so off we went.

What a trip. The November weather was perfect. Sunny, not too much snow! It was Thanksgiving weekend so the roads were not too horrible on the Friday. That's cause all of the people were shopping. Black Friday and all. The hotel was great. The people we met were all friendly, even the ones who realized we were from a foreign land, Canada!

We got lost on the way to the hotel. See the concert was in Cincinnati, Ohio. The hotel (which turned out to be about ten blocks away) was in Kentucky. We stopped for directions in a rather dangerous looking hood. But the only problem there was our own sense of misgiving.

We did some exploring and found my next home.
A perfect little cottage in a ravine. TLC required.

Went for dinner at a local pub/bar in a little town in Kentucky. We asked the waitress for directions back to the hotel and she couldn't help us at all. We were less than 20 miles from the place but she had never been there. In fact she had never left her hometown. Ever. Entire life. She had to be in her mid twenties. The owner however was very helpful. He wrote us down directions that started by asking which way the van was facing and telling me to turn around!
I think he even put in the name of the Officer who would have the radar gun operating in a obviously well known speed trap. Two and a half pages for a ten minute drive. But they were perfect! Landmarks and all.

Saturday daytime we decided to go exploring and shopping. If you ever wondered what the survivors of a nuclear bomb look like, go to a K-mart on the day after Black Friday. Not only did the store look like it had been the victim of a raid, the staff were all shell-shocked! But, again, friendly.

Off to the concert that evening we asked the reception at the hotel to call us a cab. She suggested that we take the tank instead. The tank? Ok. Little scared now! Turns out the tank (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky), would pick us up right at the door, drop us at the concert and do the reverse after the show for only two bucks each. I am not the worlds biggest fan of buses, but, hey, this is supposed to be adventure so off we go.

At the concert hall I found a new kind of coat check, this one was for your guns. Seriously.

The show itself was amazing. Beer in glass bottles right at your seat. (at the ACC they take away the lids from your plastic water bottles so no one gets hurt). Seger hadn't lost too much for all the years and Alto Reed was phenomenal. We had brought glow necklaces and bracelets along and shared them with the people sitting near us. Three rows on the floor were lighting up the night for all to see! IMAG and I were waving our little Canadian flags proudly. This actually prompted someone to inquire if we had come all the way from Canada to see the show. IMAG responded in his typical fashion with "no, we just like the flag". Another person on seeing same flags invited us, complete strangers, to come party with them after the show. We graciously declined as we were due to check out of the hotel early the next day.

Took the tank back to the hotel. Imagine if you can over 40 drunk and loud over 40's together on a bus. It was just about the most entertaining trip I have ever had, being the only completely sober one, apart from the driver (I hope he was anyway). We accidentally got on the wrong bus and ended up with an extended tour of the area. The last couple off of the bus actually apologized to us that they had only brought the two seater car that night or they would have gladly given us a ride back to the hotel. Have I mentioned yet how friendly everyone was?

My experiences with our neighbours to the south had been limited to New York and Michigan prior to this trip. My opinion of all things American were radically changed! I can't wait until I can once again go off exploring parts of the U.S.A. It was one of those trips I will remember with a smile.

support?

2009-04-03T22:28:00.003-04:00

Imagine trying to completely change your life.

Now imagine trying to do it all alone.

I was at the clinic last week for one of the many tests you undergo in the beginning. There were a few people in the waiting room but it wasn't too busy. I couldn't help but notice the woman who was there for her first visit. On this day you get weighed, measured and your breathing is tested. Then you are back to the waiting room. Lots of papers to fill out and you are off to meet the dietitian for the first time. No meal plans yet, just a check in and some more paperwork. Back to the waiting room until the doctor can see you. While you are waiting the reception staff try to book your next appointments so you can get your testing done quickly and get started with your new life.

There are a lot of appointments at first. This woman I noticed is doing her paperwork while her partner is sitting there looking all miserable. The receptionist is trying to book an appointment for her for the next day for some of the tests. She checks with this male and his response? "I was planning on sleeping in tomorrow, make it for some other day."

I feel for her. This journey is going to be tough enough without having someone sabotage her efforts. I wish her all the best.

I can't even begin to imagine how horrible this would be if I had to do it with someone negative around me. It is involved. You have to plan your day. You have to weigh and measure every bite you put into your mouth. You have to write it all down to show the dietitian.

But it works. I really think now before I eat anything. Is it carb heavy? Enough protein? Any fiber? And I thought checking for sugar content was a pain!

2009-04-02T16:12:00.004-04:00

So this clinic is not at all what I was expecting. I go in thinking that they are going to sit me down and tell me what to eat and send me on my way with a list of expensive foods I must buy from them.

Nope.

This is serious stuff, folks. They are checking my breathing. They are checking my heart. My liver. How many calories I burn sitting still over a 24 hour period. They weigh you and check your heart every visit. They have doctors who meet with you and confirm you are healthy enough to do what you need to do. An exercise stress test! This is great fun for someone who has walking difficulties. Let's get on a TREADMILL!!!!

No special food to buy. A serious diet plan that you can actually live with!
I am supposed to eat 8, yes 8! times a day. This sounds great in theory. Hard to do. Somedays I feel like all I am doing is eating.
Is it working?

Yes.

My sugar is much better all ready and as of my last visit I have lost 8 pounds. Since the 6th of March!

It is a lot of work. I have been driving in and out of the city several times a week for the last few weeks to make all of these appointments. It is a big commitment. But, I think I am worth it!

And so apparently does IMAG as he has been nothing short of fantastic with all of this.

The diet diaries begin

2009-04-02T13:37:00.003-04:00

About three and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Not really a big surprise, it runs in my family. But I had been tested ad nauseum all my life and it always came back fine. So it was a bit of a shock when my doctor sat me down and said my sugar was so high he was surprised I wasn't dead.....hmm, can you say wake-up call?

We immediately started a regimen of pills and Yeah! started losing the weight that had been a source of much trouble over the last few years. Had a pretty good handle on it for about three years. Then all of a sudden the wheels fell off. Could no longer control the sugar and the weight loss had come to an almost complete standstill.

So off to the good doctor for help. Asked him to send me to a dietician to help me figure out what I was suddenly doing wrong.

And so begins my diary....I am now going to a weight loss clinic. They are going to help me lose the weight and control my blood sugar.

I am going to share my experiences with you as I make this journey.

If it is as successful as I am hoping and my quest inspires any of you to want to try this clinic, contact me and I will share the info.

A Hero

2009-03-30T02:36:00.003-04:00

Frequently I hear the phrase "there's x number of minutes of my life I will never get back".

On Saturday I used some minutes of my life that I wouldn't ever try to retrieve. I stood along the Highway of Heroes and witnessed the procession for Corporal Tyler Crooks as he was returned to his family in Port Colborne.

I did not know him. I never met him. I was just one of what I hope was many nameless, faceless people who took the time to salute one of our finest, bravest citizens. Such a small gesture to make for someone who gave all. And yet such an important one. It was an experience I hope I never have to repeat but fear I will. And I will do so every time I can.