Kim's Solution For Solving Native Claims

My daughter, Kim, and I were talking today about the native claims along the Grand River. I told her I'd watched a program on T.V. where one faction of native spokesmen considered it fair for homeowners on the disputed land to pay the natives a fee if they wanted to stay in their homes. Neither our provincial or federal governments will put these homeowners at ease by making a firm decision on native land claims.

Kim said that natives have approached banks holding mortgages on these homes and told them they should think twice before renewing any mortgages on land where natives have claims. Scary stuff!

Then she came up with a great idea! Homeowners on 6 miles either side of the Grand River (disputed land) should notify the government that they will withhold property tax until the dispute is settled. After all, they surely need to know that the right people are getting all those tax dollars!

I think this is a terrific idea but it would only work if a large percentage of the property owners banded together and got a lawyer to advise and represent them. There is strength in numbers. I feel so bad for these people whose homes are threatened and our government is doing nothing to help them. It just isn't right.

Our home is the largest purchase we'll ever make in our lives and it is our haven from the rest of the world. People work so darned hard to even put a down payment on their homes and then continue to pour their life blood into them. I thought of this as I watched the 2 native spokesmen on T.V. calmly discussing how they should get what they felt was owed to them. They had done zero to develop this land and yet they thought it fair that the hard working home owner should work a little harder to hand more money over to them. Just because they are native. Not because they've done one darned thing to earn it.

Thank You, God

The little girl whose photo has been distributed by the press after a child porn tape was discovered has been found. She's 7 years old now so that means she was only 3 years old when she was molested. The information so far received is that the molester was a friend of the family and they had no idea what had happened. The little girl appears fine...but inside her mind and her heart she'll always carry the scars of her ordeal.

A lot of good people, men and women, worked diligently to find this child and make sure she was safe. They are what human beings should be. The molester is an abhorrent piece of garbage.

Legislators should keep the picture of that little girl's angelic 3 year old face in front of them. Maybe a constant reminder of her total innocence and helplessness will prod them to pass strong laws removing pedophiles from society forever.

An Open Letter to God

God, if you're out there, please stop the pedophiles of this world from destroying the children. We human beings don't seem to be able to keep our children safe. We can't even form decent laws to keep pedolphiles segregated from society for the rest of their natural lives.

The picture of the tiny little girl, about 4 years old, staring into the camera with all the innocence of a baby, will haunt me for the rest of my life. Knowing the piece of human garbage behind the camera was the person who intended to defile that sweet child fills me with an anger I can barely contain.

I'm one of the least violent people alive but if I had a gun and was left alone with the man destroying that baby I'd kill him.

So please God, if you really exist, help her and all the other little ones who are being preyed on by the scum of the earth.

Update on the Heel Spur

Well, the reflexology seems to be doing it's job. Yesterday I could certainly still feel some pain when I walked but today the discomfort is about halved. I believe 1 or 2 more sessions with the reflexologist should clear it up.

Heel Spurs

Heel spurs are pretty common and pretty painful. I was actually crippled up with pain from them about 10 or 12 years ago. For 2 years I couldn't walk on grass or sand and had to practically live in running shoes so my foot wouldn't wobble. Walking even short distances was slow and painful. OHIP paid for 3 sessions of therapy, totaling 9 months, and it did nothing at all to alleviate the pain. I even had 2 very painful shots of cortisone to no avail. It was then I thought to try reflexology.

Foot reflexology is a deep kneading of the foot and not a particularly pleasant foot massage. It's considered alternative medicine so our government OHIP coverage won't pay for it. Heaven knows how much 9 months of traditional therapy cost the tax payers.

I was very lucky to find a good reflexologist on my first try and, lo and behold, the heel pain disappeared after 5 $20 sessions. The relief lasted a year and I had 2 more sessions which gave me 3 more painless years. I returned to the reflexologist for 1 session only and have been pain free until 2 days ago when I woke up unable to put any weight on my right heel.

Experience had taught me that this pain wouldn't go away on it's own so I visited a local reflexologist (now $50 per session) and spent an hour having my poor heel poked and prodded. Today it feels much better but I think I'll go back to my original reflexologist because he's only going to charge $40. It's a shame that OHIP doesn't cover the cost of a cheaper medical service that works so well.

But then, we can't be foolish enough to expect our government to act in a rational way, can we?

Global Warming

If you don't believe in global warming then you didn't spend the summer in Canada. Today, September 25/07, it is 30 C (90 F) which is rare indeed for this time of the year. It feels strange to be trying to avoid the hot sun while watching the leaves on the trees changing to fall colors. I think the relatively cool nights have allowed the leaves to change color and fall from the trees despite the warm daytime temperatures.

I'm a creature of habit and last week decided that our hot weather was over so I covered the central air conditioner beside the house. This keeps the falling leaves from filling it up and interfering with it's cooling ability in the summer. Now I'm hot as hell but just not prepared to uncover the air conditioner for this one extremely hot day. It will cool down tomorrow to about 25 C (80 F) on it's unseasonably slow downward curve to actual chilly days.

When I was a child we had snow for most of the winter, sometimes very heavy snowfalls but those are days long gone and Canadian winters now in my neck of the woods are just one grey, dry day after another. A couple of really heavy snowfalls can still be counted on to close the city down but it just isn't like it used to be. If it wasn't for the world effect of global warming I could almost enjoy having less cold weather.

My winters in Florida began as a means of escaping the frigid cold but I'm apparently only escaping the so-so cold now. What's more important is that I'm escaping the grey days. Florida is the land of sunshine no matter what the temperature is and that's why I love wintering there. We don't get terrible heat throughout the winter but a mixture of nice warm days occasionally interspersed with a cool day or two. I would love to have that kind of weather all year round.

With true global warming we will probably first see our food supply affected. Farmers' crops usually can't survive constant hot weather. Ponds dry up and water becomes a scarce and expensive commodity.

I'm not sure how human beings have brought us to this state but I read once that humans were the cancer of the earth and I'm beginning to understand why. For the most part we plunder the earth's riches and give little back. We pollute the air and lay concrete over healthy soil. And we may have let it get too bad to make it right again.

Back to the Casino

My daughter, Kim, and I went to the casino yesterday because I had free tickets for 2 dinners. Of course, we planned on doing just a tad of gambling while we were there.

We took the back roads to escape driving on the QE which I thought would be too busy and it would have been a nice drive if there wasn't so much construction going on. Detours had us driving in zigzags. Finally, after settling for the QE, we proceeded quickly to the casino.

We gambled a bit and then met for dinner at 5 P.M. I was in the longest line I've ever encountered at the casino...one hour to sit-down. Kim left for a while to gamble, came back to show me her winnings, and then went off again until we got in the curlicue line close to the diningroom. We chatted most of the way with an American couple whose hobby it is to travel from casino to casino playing poker. They were very nice and I thought how lovely for both of them to have the same hobby.

Dinner was great but we gobbled it up so we could get back to the machines. Every time I came across Kim she was carrying a new win ticket. I just continued a slow spiral of loss as usual but before I could lose it all Kim decided it was time to go home.

We headed back on the QE and ran headlong into the longest bumper to bumper traffic imaginable. More construction had reduced us to one lane. It took us almost 2 hours to get home which is about double the time.

Speaking of construction, it seems that Ontario is in a maddening state of road repairs. What's worse is that many of the roads not under construction look absolutely dreadful. Did they wait too long to start repairs and now have no hope of keeping up with them? It really doesn't look good for the future.

Anyway, this was a lovely day to spend with my daughter. We talked and ate and played. She won some money. I lost some money. Just another day in paradise.

Cheating the Tax Man

My sister-in-law told me that she and her husband plan to put the proceeds of the sale of their house into the hands of their children, to be doled out to them as needed. This is an effort to cut down on the inheritance tax the government will take when the old folks pass away. This is also my own plan for when I sell my house in a few years.

Someone told them that it might not be wise to put their earthly possessions into someone else's hands but my sister-in-law claimed that if she couldn't trust her own children she couldn't trust anyone. How lucky she and I are that we can truthfully say that.

It got me wondering about how we are fortunate enough to have loving and trustworthy children when so many others can't say the same. There are horror stories about elderly abuse where children beat and rob their own parents. The elderly are as defenseless as children in many ways and can often be preyed on in the same way.

Though I never want to be dependant on my children, I can trust they'll make sure I'm cared for right to the very end. It's reassuring for aging parents to know they have someone they can trust implicitly.

There are so many scams that are directed toward old and gullible people. I fend them off on a regular basis but I always worry that others who are maybe more gullible will fall victim to them. It's wise for a child to listen carefully to what their elderly parents have been up to and it's a good idea to have power of attorney and even joint bank accounts with their parents so they can easily see if too much money is being spent. Usually the aged are bright and alert to the very end but not always. Sometimes we need a bit of protection.

I've already told my children that there might not be a penny left for them when I pass away because I plan to enjoy the fruits of my husband and my labors as long as I can. My good children cheered me on.

Unreasonable People

Every one of us will have to try to deal with unreasonable people in our lives and I have the perfect solution. Walk away from them.

There are so many really wonderful people out there to spend your allotted time on earth with so why waste precious time on unreasonable, and nasty people?

When I was in my "depression" period I was pretty isolated which is one of the worst things for people who are depressed. Opening up to allow potential new friends into your life isn't easy but it's healthy. I'm not the most trusting person but I've been so darned lucky to become close to a good number of trustworthy, honest, and fun people in latter years. The odd "nasty" has just been swept to the side.

My attitude towards friends has changed over the years, too. I'm more tolerant of idiocyncrasies because I finally realize I have my own. I love quirky people, just as long as they're honest and aboveboard.

When I get a crabby salesperson or intolerable relative, I walk away. It isn't the coward's way out, it's my way of reserving my time on earth for better things. Some people learn this early on in life but it took me a little longer. In any case, it works well so give it a try.

Computer Wires

One of the reasons I bought a laptop computer to take to Florida is because of the forbidding maze of wires under the desktop computer. Can this really be necessary? It's actually scary to look under there.

Yesterday I was surfing the web (I love the freedom in that phrase) when my mouse stopped working. It was the old mouse from my old computer so I thought it had just worn out. I still had the mouse that came with the new computer so I attempted to remove the old and plug in the new.

As I climbed in among miles of entwined wires going in all directions I tried tracing the route of the old mouse so I could disconnect it and plug in the new one. Sounds easy? No.

I yanked gently on a wire I thought was connected to the old mouse and followed it down to the computer where I discovered it had another wire attached to it. How could that be, I thought? After a few attempts and still finding this same double wire I gave up and called Anna, my neighbor, to come and help me.

Over came Anna in pyjamas after working all day and she climbed under the computer desk to deal with my wires. She easily traced the proper wire (I'd been following the one connected to the camera dock), removed and replugged and I was all set once more.

She said the old mouse might not have been compatible with Vista. I hate Vista. I once said that people (or things) you hate don't deserve space in your life. Well, I'm cursed with having to live with Vista because it came with the new computer so I'll just have to learn to accept it.

Wonder what surprises it has for me in the future?

Arrests in Caledonia

Well gosh darn!!! 50 OPP officers in full riot gear marched into a Caledonia housing development (the one where a developer was viciously beaten by natives last week) and arrested 9 native demonstrators. The picture in the newspaper shows 4 officers carting away a 200 lb. woman. It's people like her that's held a town hostage all this time??

Of course, if I, a caucasian lady, had gone to Caledonia to do any demonstrating I would have been tossed in jail the very first minute. Maybe I'm naive but I can't understand why we have different laws for different people. The majority of us have always known that the rich and the church don't face the same penalties the rest of us do when we break the law but it's hard to accept that race or nationality can also be a factor.

If this was an ideal world there would be no distinction for law breakers but this is far from an ideal world. Politics, money and graft rule us more than we care to admit. We, the people, have to use whatever clout we can muster to force our politicians and police force to do what is fair. Free speech and peaceful demonstrations carry the word but our vote carries the punch.

To the citizens of Caledonia...you have a gem of a mayor. She has been a voice of reason and honesty in this situation even though her powers were limited in solving the problem. Remember her when it comes time to cast your vote. She'd get mine if I lived in Caledonia.

Musical in Toronto

My niece, Valerie, got free tickets for four of us to see a musical comedy in Toronto this afternoon. We got into Toronto early enough to have lunch at a nice restaurant and then take a little walk downtown before going to the theatre.

Downtown Toronto is an amazing place. I'm sure I looked like I just crawled out of the sticks because I couldn't stop staring around in awe at the skyscrapers, the massive crowds of people, and the heavy duty traffic. I've been there many times but I'm always impressed by the majestic size of that city. It's not even close to a place I'd like to live but it's the top of the line as a place to go for entertainment.

We saw "The Drowsy Chaperone" at the Elgin theatre and, again, I stared around in open admiration at the grandeur of the theatre. If I remember correctly it is over 90 years old and was refurbished a few years back. Many of the theatres in Toronto are old, refurbished, masterpieces of architecture that are a joy to see because this kind of building isn't being done anymore. They are gaudy displays of days long ago when the cost of building was low enough to allow extravagantly decorative finishing. I'm not sure if the modern, streamlined architecture of today is because of changing tastes or prohibitive building costs. Personally, I much prefer the character found in old buildings.

Back to the musical...Val had told us it didn't have much of a story so I was half way expecting not to be fully entertained but the show turned out to be just wonderful. Bob Martin acted as the "man in chair" and his role was that of narrator. He was so good that you could almost forget he was acting...my favorite kind of actor! Val was right about the story being inconsequential but the singing, dancing, and unique concept of the presentation was terrific entertainment.

Valerie was our driver and I have to commend her driving ability in Toronto traffic. Despite one U-turn in bumper to bumper traffic, she impressed me with her fine tuned ability to weave through downtown Toronto like a pro. Good job, Val!

It was a wonderful day with good people. We ate a really nice meal, saw a fun show, and got home before dark. You can't ask much more than that from your day.

Getting Old and Sick

When you're young and get a touch of flu or other mild illness, no-one worries too much because the young are resilient. But when someone of advanced age becomes ill it's much more worrisome because older people don't snap back as easily.

Another worry about minor illnesses in the old is that many of us are living alone. Well meaning relatives and neighbors can't make up for that live-in person who, at 3 A.M., can hold your hair out of your face while you throw up and make sure you don't choke. It's just one of those tiny, niggling worries that always sits in the back of my mind.

I hurt my knee dancing last New Year's (as I've let everyone know many times over...even strangers on the street if they didn't run away fast enough) and thought it would be a permanent injury but I've been one of the lucky ones and the knee has healed almost completely. I still get twinges when I walk too long or twist too fast but, for the most part, it's almost like new.

My sister-in-law, Joyce, just went through a bout of antibiotics and got even sicker because it turned out she was allergic to one of them. She's 75 years old so it's hit her a little harder than it would have 20 years ago but she has her sweetie, Larry, to take care of her. They live out in the boon docks of northern Ontario so it would have been kind of disastrous if she'd been there alone, though.

As we age our immune system becomes weaker so a little cold could more easily turn into pneumonia. Yearly flu epidemics end the lives of many elderly people who failed to be vaccinated. A small injury could become a permanent, incapacitating problem.

I've mentioned my inner worries about getting older and becoming sick to my friend, Mary. She was very quick to reply, "don't worry because we (she and Faye) will take care of you". Now, doesn't that warm your heart?

Natives Attack Builder

In the ongoing saga of native unrest in Caledonia, a 52 year old builder was viciously beaten into unconsciousness by several young natives he found wandering inside a home he is building. Six Nations leaders quickly distanced themselves from the senseless savagery of the attack and apologized to the builder and his family.

But native spokesmen (not to be confused with LEADERS), say the youths were attacked first by men with guns. If there had been men with guns at that building surely they would have shot those cowardly natives while they were beating a helpless older man almost to death.

I'm beginning to believe the problem with natives in this country is that their honorable leaders have no control over them and their actions. In a few words...too many chiefs. There seems to be too many different factions speaking for the natives so no wonder it's difficult to deal with them.

The antics of natives in Caledonia have further separated all natives from mainstream Canadians and this something that should never have happened. We, in our desperate need to be fair, have allowed a small group of people to disprupt homes, businesses, highways, and progress.

The OPP were quick to say they would have protected the builder who was beaten...if only they'd seen the attack. But we all remember and will never forget how the OPP stood by and allowed natives to terrorize an elderly couple and also allowed them to beat a T.V. news reporter bloody. The OPP lost a lot of respect that day and haven't done much to gain it back.

Native terrorism isn't just in Caledonia. In Ontario alone it is all along the Grand River and 6 miles on either side. Anyone who owns a home in that disputed area is living on borrowed time. Sooner or later, unless our government puts a stop to it, the natives could demand all of that land back. Someone is going to get killed.

I don't know who was at fault 200 years ago but something should be settled right now so that people can get on with their lives. And when any citizen breaks the law in Canada, criminals should all be treated the same no matter what race they are.

Closing Down for Winter

I'm really a lazy person. I do a lot of work in small increments and that's the way I approach cleaning up the yard for winter. Today I spent 10 minutes stacking the patio chairs in the tool shed (wish I had a garage, but no). Mind you, this isn't my pattern for preparing the yard for summer because that's too much fun and I actually wear myself out then. But preparing for winter isn't fun.

When I close up the house and head for Florida, I'm wearing clam diggers and sandals...even if it's cold as hell. I don't care, I'm looking forward to sunny skies and warm weather which I'll drive into within a few days. Arriving in Florida to spend the winter is like preparing for summer again and I go to work. Dragging flower planters into their spots, planting healthy and colorful flowers, weeding, and pruning...I wear myself out the first few days but fall asleep with a smile on my face.

But that's Florida and this is mid September in Canada. Maybe next week I'll drag myself out into the yard and cut down the raggedy Morning Glory vines. I'm not going to wear myself out.

Laying David to Rest

Yesterday was the first cold and windy day we've experienced since last spring and it was the day we put David's ashes in the ground. Fitting in a way because the weather reflected the state of mind of the mourners to be burying the remains of a once vibrant human being.

Just the closest family stood around the grave site, uncomfortable in the cold and saddened to be bringing an end to the ritual of David's life and death on earth. It's a cycle that begins the day we're born but it still seems so unfair when the end arrives way too soon.

We know that David is long gone to his reward but the ritual continues out of respect. It's not only a laying to rest of David's ashes but a laying to rest of the mourner's pain. Now begins the time of healing, of getting on with the life we still enjoy. It doesn't mean the pain will disappear overnight but it will diminish in time.

My generation is old now. We're probably next in line for the final ritual but that's the way it should be. We hurt less burying the old than we do burying the young. For me, I want more time to have fun and laughter right here on earth but there is an inate curiousity about what's on the other side. And I know there is another side...logic tells me so.

Six Nations Natives Levy Illegal Tax

Six Nations natives have formed a development group which will levy an illegal tax (paid directly to them) on developers wishing to build along the Grand River. It will be in the form of a building permit (also illegal) issued by Six Nations. Where the hell is the Canadian government and why are they not protecting the citizens who pay their salaries?

The government recently washed their hands of the situation and said that developers are on their own if the natives decide to squat on their land and disrupt building. Where the hell is the OPP and why are they not protecting the citizens who pay their salaries?

In a few years I'll be selling my house and looking to move outside the "big city" and my choice at one time was Caledonia. Not in a million years would I now subject myself to the native bullying that is happening there. Property values in Caledonia must have plummeted in the last couple of years causing hard working property owners to lose some of their investment in their homes.

How can our government allow a group of people who dispute, not prove, that they have a claim on land sold by their ancestors 200 years ago to disrupt so many lives? In this case, the natives have plenty of time to cause disruption because most of them have no jobs. This may not be a "politically correct" statement but it's true.

It doesn't matter whether we expect the provincial or federal government to clear up this mess. If the provincial government fails to do their job then the federal government should step in and do it for them. Remember who you elected the last time and DON'T vote for them again. We need fresh blood and people with the guts to take a stand.

To the Six Nations natives who are behaving like criminals...you are a disgrace to your honorable ancestors. Remember that respect has to be deserved.

Still Eating Like a Saint

I'm now a couple of weeks into eating healthier and, honestly, I feel better even though there's not much less poundage on my hips. Since I eat in restaurants a lot I've learned where I can buy the food that's acceptable to me. McDonalds is out and Wendy's and Arby's are in because they serve baked potatoes.

Swiss Chalet (sorry, in Canada only) serves chicken sandwiches, barbecued chicken, and chicken soup...also the blessed baked potato.

Fancy restaurants are out most of the time because of the expense but on special occasions they can be counted on to serve excellent salads.

At home, I have garden tomatoes and cukes along with poached salmon. One of my favorite grocery stores sells 8 small frozen salmon steaks for $10 and they are excellent. Snacks are almost always fruit. Lunch at home is a chicken sandwich or the tomatoes/cukes with canned salmon and cottage cheese.

There are lots of carbs in beef so I seldom have it but I never ate much beef before so it's no big loss.

Oh yes, I've begun eating a proper breakfast. I'm seldom hungry in the morning but I've started eating a low sugar cereal (Kashi) mixed half and half with Kellog's Special K. I only use skim milk for cereal and coffee.

I'm not calling this a diet because the main purpose is not to lose weight but to simply consume healthier foods. If I also lose some weight then that's a bonus.

So far, so good and I do feel physically healthier. I'm still learning what I should be eating and maybe my choices aren't the best but they will improve with time. After all, I am woman, I am strong, I am determined.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Sometimes the most hilarious things you hear will come from the innocent mouths of children. And sometimes they're the most embarrassing.

When my middle daughter was in kindergarten her teacher decided to have each child describe their parents. She wrote their answers on paper and posted them on the blackboard for parent/teachers night. This what my little sweetie had to say about her parents..."My daddy likes to work and my mommy likes to go to parties". She described us to a tee.

This same little girl was sent over to a neighbor's house because they were sitting on their porch playing guitars one warm summer evening. She was told to ask them if they would play "Wildwood Flower". After a long wait, we wondered why they didn't play our song and asked Cindy what she'd asked for. She'd asked them to play a plant.

My oldest girl joined some neighbors on a trip to the park. Not long after they left they returned with Kim who had tear stained, swollen eyes. When asked why she hadn't wanted to stay at the park, she replied "I'm just a homely child". What she meant was that she liked to stay home.

Shelley, the youngest, had a bit of a speech impediment...she couldn't say her "r's" until she was about 6. At one point she was trying to master the expression "goody goody gumdrops" but it always came out "giddy giddy dwumgops". She'd stomp off madder than a wet hen because we'd laugh at how cute she sounded but, in a few minutes she'd come back and try it once more. We'd hear "giddy giddy dwumgops" again and almost fall off our chairs laughing. As mad as she was, she just couldn't give it up and never understood that we laughed because it was so precious.

Those are just a few moments in my life that will always bring back fond memories.

Some Things I've Learned

1. Old dogs can learn new tricks. No matter what our preconceptions,
we can open our minds to learn and accept new ideas.

2. There is incredible good and incredible evil in the world. If you align
yourself with the good it will rub off on you. And if you align yourself
with evil it will destroy you.

3. In this day and age we can't be too trustful of others. Sorry.

4. When you love, do it with every fibre of your being.

5. Don't waste time or energy on hate. Someone worthy of your hate
shouldn't take up space in your life.

6. Enjoy the moment. It could be your last.

7. Our pets could just be the angels sent to teach us unconditional love.

8. Draw new people into your life. Some of them will turn out to be
gems.

9. We have a lot more choices than we think we have.

10. Do your best to be a good parent, a good friend, and a good
neighbor. If you can manage these three things, you'll be a success
in life.

Public Funding of Religious Schools

Years back our government decided it was "politically correct" to fully fund Catholic schools in the same way it funds public schools. I thought then and know now that this was just opening a can of worms.

All religious schools are now rightly demanding they be funded in the same way. What this will do is draw money from public schools which will suffer more shortages than they now have.

The public school system supports school buildings where they are needed depending on the number of students in the area. It's obvious there is a severe lack of funds when you see how many portable classrooms are on school property. Our children are expected to learn their lessons in portables that can't be kept properly climate controlled. Rather than travelling indoors from class to class the children don coats and boots and trudge from portable to building. Something is wrong here in the country of high taxation.

Public schools are provided for all children. If their parents wish them to receive a different kind of education then their parents should pay the bill. It's as simple as that.

Religious classes can be taken after school hours and in church. I just don't think that strictly religious parents want their children associating with children of other religions in a public school. They're afraid their children will see another way to follow but T.V. and movies have already shown their children the many ways of the world.

Public schooling blends all nationalities and religions together so that they can better understand each other's ways. We're all tired of wars and dissention between countries so why are we afraid of allowing our children to befriend children from other cultures? Common sense tells us that we fear what we don't understand so why not gather together and learn from each other?

Common sense is not going to prevail here. Canadians will buckle under once again and offer public funding for every religion under the sun so that children can remain separate from their neighbors. The money pot will be stretched so thin that no-one will receive the education they deserve. But our gutless politicians can continue to brag about how "politically correct" they are.

Vote in a Burka?

Elections Canada is allowing women hidden under a burka to vote. They must show a photo I.D. (with uncovered face?) or have another phantom burka covered person verify their identity. It's got me wondering if we allow someone to immigrate to Canada and become Canadian citizens without ever showing their faces. Somehow, in this world of "political correctness", it wouldn't surprise me.

Muslims are coming forward and saying that it is personal choice, not religious demand, that a woman cover herself from head to toe with a burka. In truth, it is one of the most demeaning examples of female behaviour that I've ever seen. This habit can't last for long in a free country because the women themselves will rebel but I just don't understand why Elections Canada is allowing a fetish to rule something as important as an election.

There's something about a woman (if it is a woman) sailing through the streets completely clad in a black robe that even covers her face that gives me chills. I feel so sorry for her because she's imprisoned in that getup. There's absolutely no possibility of that woman blending in with her new Canadian neighbors. She is isolated.

It's difficult for me to believe a woman would willingly hide herself like this and I'm inclined to think that it's possibly a fanatically controlling husband or father that is pulling the strings. Maybe, or maybe not, but it certainly lends itself to that interpretation.

This is a free country and that's why these people came here in the first place so they have the right to dress in this fashion if they choose. I can't accept that they have the right to vote or obtain I.D. without showing their faces, though.

When you immigrate to any country you must accept the rules and laws of that country which should only be changed by a majority vote. That's what makes us a free country. Political correctness can be a noose around our necks if we allow it to blind us to simple logic.

In Canada we do it our way and if it's not to your liking then maybe you shouldn't come here to live.

Coley's Quinceniera

I just saw the pictures of my granddaughter Nicole's quinceniera (hope I spelled that right) and she is gorgeous. It is a latin tradition that when a girl reaches the age of 15 they have a huge party to celebrate it. Someone likened it to a wedding reception in importance.

Nicole looks more like her mother than her father but she has inherited his beautiful Cuban coloring and really does look very Spanish. Like many girls these days she appears much older than her years. Thank heavens she has strict parents who have an old fashioned view on how to raise their children. My firm belief is that Nicole and her sister, Lisette, have such a strong, respectful bond with their parents that they'd never do anything to shame or hurt them. This is the way all families should be.

Nicole is very feminine but she's also a jock. When I'd visit them a few years back it was always cute the way sweet little Nicole turned into such an aggressive player on the soccer field. It brought back memories of her mother at the same age playing field hockey.

When Coley was very small she hated me. I have no understanding why because I wasn't lucky enough to see them often at that time. When her father had the accident that cost him his leg I went down to Florida to care for the girls (Jake wasn't born then). Coley was a gorgeous 4 year old who didn't have a kind word for me, often standing with hands on hips asking when I was going home. One day I'd had enough and told her we just wouldn't talk if she was going to be nasty. She cried and cried and then did a complete about turn and became the wonderful little girl she was to everyone else.

When her father returned from the hospital minus his left leg, Coley was the one who wanted to change the bandages. Again she reminded me of her mother who cried when hurt as a child but the sight of blood fascinated her enough to stop the tears. We have a strange family.

Today my beautiful Coley is all that anyone could ask for in a grandchild. She's lovely, smart, athletic, and well mannered...even to me now!

Doggy Kennel

I'm going to be taking care of my daughter's little Jack Russells while she's on holidays but I insisted on her getting one of those wire kennels so they can sleep in it. The last time I looked after them someone peed on the hallway floor in the middle of the night and it wasn't me. Neither one of them would own up to it, either.

They are the yappiest dogs but they're really cute. I'm going to make an effort to train them. I saw a dog trainer on T.V. and he trained 2 out-of-control Jack Russells during a half hour show so I'm hoping I can make some headway in the two weeks I'll have Bailey and Baker.

My neighbor just rescued the cutest little poodly dog from the pound and it's got me wanting my own again. They really are wonderful company and a joy to have around if they're well trained. Maybe two weeks with B and B will make me change my mind again!

My Feet Hurt

I went cross border shopping with my young neighbors today. We crossed the border at 7:30 A.M. (I wanted to beat the long line-ups) and shopped and walked until 3:30 P.M. We stopped only because my poor feet gave out. Those girls were ready to hit another mall!

Some friends and I toured Dunnville yesterday and did a fair bit of walking there so I should have known my elderly tootsies weren't up for another day of walking but I had fun both days and wouldn't have missed either one for the world.

On the way home today we stopped in at a restaurant that had been recommended to me but I lost all hope of it being a family restaurant when we saw 2 BMW's parked at the front door. Being tired, hungry, hot, and having sore feet, I decided to go in anyway. We were a little unhappy with the prices but the food was excellent. The consensus between the three of us was that we'd eat at another restaurant next time, though.

Tonight I can vegetate in front of the T.V. with my feet up and by tomorrow I'll be ready for another adventure.

Hurtful Words

Jerry Lewis used the "F' word on his telethon and is now in deep trouble and people are demanding an apology. No, it wasn't the filthy "F" word but he said "faggot" when describing a T.V. character.

Should we be upset?

My way of thinking is that words like these are put-downs and should be addressed as such. Like the "N" word and the "C" word, we shouldn't allow them to hurt us personally but we shouldn't stand still and ignore it, either. The person using these words should be made aware that they are not acceptable and the users will be demoted in our esteem.

When one of our politicians was referred to as a "tar baby" in a local newspaper recently it was totally unacceptable and not to be tolerated. In this day and age we should never allow bullies to form the social norm. We're better than that.

Poor old Jerry Lewis, sick and angry with the world, shouldn't be allowed to run a telethon if he can't control his ignorance. And that's what it boils down to...ignorance.

The Problem with AOL

I presently use high speed AOL Canada for my internet service. I also spend half the year in Florida where I can't use the AOL Canada modem. My dilemma is that I have 2 choices. One, I can keep the modem and pay $100 deposit which will come off my service in April. I will also be charged the regular price for high speed AOL while I'm in Florida even though I'll only have slow dial up service. Two, I can cancel AOL and return the modem but I have to disconnect and have no internet service from the day I call them to return the modem.

I spoke to one of their representatives at length, explaining that I was a long term AOL user and couldn't understand why I have to disconnect all this stuff without paying a heavy penalty, plus pay for high speed for six months when I wasn't even getting it. It's policy, I was told.

My policy is that I'm not putting up with that crap and I'll bite the bullet and do without internet service for the 3 weeks or so it takes to get all the equipment sent back to AOL. While in Florida I'll use the park internet service and when I return to Canada I'll use my cable company for the internet.

AOL won't go out of business because they lost me as a customer but their present policy is just not fair to customers who go away for the winter. It's a money grab situation with no thought for the customers' needs.

Goodbye AOL, you didn't serve me well. Hey, I'm a poet!

Transexuals

I watched an interesting program on T.V. this morning. It was a documentary by and about a middle aged man who travelled to Cuba to film the Santeria religion practiced there (it's practiced in other countries also). The film maker was decidedly effeminate but had lived his life as a man with no interest in homosexuality but he'd always yearned to be a woman.

During his filming, he was told by a holy man that he possessed a female spirit and that was what was causing him so much personal turmoil. In all honesty, I think a child could have looked at this man and seen the inner woman trying to come out. The documentary continued with the man feeling he'd experienced a revelation and it was now time for him to become a woman.

I think we can accept that every human being possesses both masculine and feminine traits and that socialization teaches us to ignore or bury traits that aren't deemed suitable for our sex. It fascinates me to imagine someone whose body is completely opposite of the inner person.

I've always thought it so sad that a person would mutilate their own body to change the appearance of their birth sex. Is it social mores or religious conditioning that won't allow us to accept an effeminate man or a masculine woman? Maybe it's having to stifle their natural personality that makes them crave a sex change.

Social conditioning begins at birth and continues all of our lives. It's very difficult to look outside the box and accept something or someone a little different. We smirk, we laugh behind our hands, and some even use the difference as an excuse for violence. There's something wrong here.

Social conditioning brings order into our lives but it shouldn't prohibit us from including benign variations of human behaviour. After all, not one of us is exactly the same as another. We don't all look the same or have the same likes and dislikes.

As for me, I'm going to keep working on my own code of ethics, my own personal realization of what I consider right or wrong. There just might be room for improvement.

Broadside Collisions

Broadside car collisions are extremely dangerous, especially if there is someone sitting on the side hit. I was driving in the city today and observed so many close calls that I thought it should be noted in a blog.

I saw drivers deliberately making their turns directly in front of oncoming traffic just assuming the cars would slow down or stop so they could complete their turn. For the sake of saving a few moments these drivers risked life and limb of themselves, their passengers, and the unlucky people in oncoming traffic. Some of the near accidents were so close that it was a miracle it was avoided.

You would think that only single drivers in broken down cars would take such chances but you'd be wrong. All of the offending drivers I saw today were driving fairly new cars and at least one of them had a child in the passenger seat. If their car had been broadsided, the child would have been seriously injured or killed.

We see far too many vehicles being driven in a reckless manner by people in too much of a hurry. If only the driver of that car was killed in a crash it wouldn't be so bad but their stupidity usually takes out other cars and ruins or compromises the lives of innocent people who got in their way.

When my granddaughter, Lisette, was about 3 or 4 we were at the local mall and I was driving in the main lane through the parking lot. All of a sudden a car came roaring from a side lane where the parking spaces were and barely missed broadsiding me. If I had been going any faster it would have smashed into the side of the car where my granddaughter was sitting and possibly killed her. I was so angry that I took off after the car and chased it down until it stopped. The woman driver was in hysterics, terribly upset by what her careless driving had almost caused.

We really have to keep in mind that cars are large, heavy instruments that can cause devastation in a moment if we're careless or distracted. I hate to admit it but most of the bad drivers I see on the road are elderly. The young often drive too fast but some elderly drivers make the damnest stupid moves imaginable. One old man began to drive straight through a turning light at a major intersection one day, then made a U turn when he realized what he was doing. He slowly drove back the way he'd come and I've wondered ever since if he's still on the road.

I love to drive but I've made my own goofs. Luckily, they're few and far between because I'm a very cautious driver but I know the day will come when I have to give it up. Getting old is okay but getting too old is a pain in the butt.

My Nicky Has Allergies!

My daughter informed me that my precious, beautiful little grandson has been afflicted with the dreaded hayfever gene. Of course he's not so little anymore but he's still just as beautiful as the day he was born.

Nick was one of those dream grandchildren. Being the first, he would have been forgiven any bad character he possessed but he was an angel (from a grandparent's point of view). He was so darned smart it was scary. He always behaved but sometimes it took having to give the 1-2-3 warning.

When he was a baby I loved him so much I had to control how hard I squeezed him...something like a wild gorilla with a kitten. I'd waited so long for a grandchild and I just wanted to absorb him, I guess. He'd come through the front door and my arms would automatically reach for him, forgetting all about my daughter who held him. Everyone else in the room would disappear and my eyes and thoughts were only for him.

As he grew up he remained the most wonderful child in the world. He excelled in school and developed musical talents that were essentially self taught. I went to some of his plays in high school and was amazed at his singing voice...I don't remember him singing as a child. I was terrified to find out he was going to play the drums at a school concert because he'd never had lessons. He was fabulous! This boy was capable of doing anything.

Now he's a grown man, married and getting ready to start a family of his own. And I'll have the opportunity to start all over again.