Back from the Mini Vacation

Mary and I had a super time. We got to the hotel about noon on Monday and left our luggage in the car because you can never get into your room until late afternoon. We headed right into the casino for a couple of hours to do some gambling. Mary and I always go our separate ways with plans to meet in 2 hours so that's what we did yesterday.

When we met again at 2 P.M., I had lost almost all my gambling money and she was up a few hundred dollars. Par for the course! Mary had dinner coupons for both of us so we went into the casino diningroom and ate like pigs...well, maybe not that bad but we were pretty full. After eating we got our room keys, picked up our luggage and took it to our room. The rooms are just beautiful and I'm always amazed that we can get them at no charge occasionally just by hitting the casino once in a while.

We went back down to the casino and again went our separate ways with plans to meet around 6 P.M. for drinks. At 6 P.M. my fortunes had changed and I'd won back almost all the money I'd originally lost but Mary's fortunes were dwindling. We had a glass of wine for me and a beer for Mary before hitting the slots once more.

At 9 P.M. we split a corned beef sandwich, had beer and wine again, and then returned to the slots. I found another lucky machine which kept me happy until 1 A.M. when my butt got too sore to sit any longer and that's when I went up to bed. Mary had won almost all of her money back and had beat me to the room by an hour.

It had been a fun day!

Today we climbed out of our beds about 8:30 A.M. and took our time getting ourselves ready and our little bit of luggage put together. By 10:30 we were again sitting in the casino diningroom for our free breakfast buffet. Neither of us was very hungry but it was free, right??

We left the hotel before noon and drove across the border to do some shopping in the States. We went to the Summit Mall which is almost deserted but Sears is there and we wanted to price Clinique products. Sears was a mess...looked like a store going out of business but they swear it isn't. They don't sell cosmetics there but said BonBon's (at the far end of the mall) did so off we went to BonBon's. They had a large selection of Clinique products but a sales clerk who knew nothing about them. We did discover that the U.S. prices beat our Canadian ones, though, and we did purchase one of the items.

Then we went to the outlet mall and found a cosmetic store that sold Clinique products at fairly good prices but they didn't have a full selection. I bought the "moisture surge" that has done spectacular things for my sun damaged skin. We looked in a few other stores but decided we might better go to Walmart.

Good old Walmart provided us with the few other items on our list and we left there pretty quickly...we needed to eat again. One of the sales clerks directed us to a nice family restaurant not too far away ("Michael's) and that's where we ate supper. We do seem to eat a lot, don't we?

Back home again and Mary packed her stuff into her car, we kissed and hugged goodbye, and our little mini vacation was over. I loved every minute of it.

Free Night at the Casino Hotel

Every once in a while the casino offers me a free night stay and tonight's the night. The rooms at the casino are gorgeous and the views from the windows are spectacular. My preference is to leave the drapes open all night so I can occasionally glimpse the falls but my friend, Mary, likes them closed. She wins because I don't really care that much.

Mary and I plan to drive to the hotel this morning, do a bit of shopping in the hotel mall (there's a store where everything is $15), have a leisurely lunch/dinner and then hit the slots until we run out of money. Whoops! I shouldn't have said that because I'm supposed to go with the attitude that I'll win! Mary is very lucky so it's easy for her to have that attitude.

This will be like a mini vacation and I always have a great time when Mary and I are together. We laugh a lot and pretty much enjoy the same things. Tomorrow our plan is to have a leisurely breakfast (again, the stress is on "leisurely") and then hop over to the States and do some more shopping. We're both looking for bargains on Clinique products especially.

I'm looking forward to this little trip. Wish us luck at the slots!

Thriller

My sister has 4 Michael Jackson LP's and I'm selling them for her on Ebay. She hasn't even looked at them in years so we're hoping the people clammering for his music will pay big bucks for these records.

What I can't figure out is that Ebay won't allow me to charge more than $4.00 for shipping and there isn't much of anything you can mail for $4.00 in Canada. We'll just have to absorb the difference in the selling price, I guess. Ebay can be the biggest pain in the neck but at least it gives us a larger customer base than we'd find anywhere else.

I'm still not tired of listening to Michael's music. We watched a sort of documentary of his videos today and I was left in such high admiration for his talent. He certainly was a one of a kind entertainer and I had to admit his impact on the world was even stronger than Elvis'.

One of my sister's LP's is from 1973 and the picture on the front shows a 15 year old Michael, so darned cute and natural looking. I sure wish he'd stayed that way.

Native Squatters on Private Land

How far will this farce go before the government steps in and protects non native citizens? A farmer in Caledonia has had a native set up a smoke shop on a corner of his land who refuses to leave. Does this mean that every home in Caledonia or other disputed lands could be infiltrated in the same way? It's mind boggling to imagine how Caledonia home owners are being held hostage in this way with absolutely no recourse through the police department or government.

The farmer in question had dealt politely with the native (wouldn't the rest of us be pointing a gun at the bastard?) who first agreed to tear down his shack and leave but then changed his mind. He heard that angry Caledonians were talking of forming a militia to tear the smoke shop down and that made the native angry enough to dig in his heels and stay put. He has his pride, don't you know!!

If that was my property I wouldn't put up with it and by forcibly removing the native squatter from my own land I'd probably end up in jail. It's so apparent that natives are like unruly children. They push in tiny steps to see how far they can go before they're stopped. I wonder what their next step will be? Maybe moving their families into YOUR home???

Who is going to stop them?

Music in the Aftermath

All the news reports on Michael Jackson are filled with repetitions of his music in the background. Normally that would begin to irritate the life out of me but with Michael's music that doesn't happen. It just makes me want to dance.

I'd heard that his records and CD's were now being bought up by the millions so I took a peek at Ebay and found they were selling for fantastic amounts of money. Wish I had some! I've always loved his music but never purchased anything by him...guess I gravitated towards country music and spent my money there. I thought my daughter might have collected his work so I phoned her to see. She said she'd had all of his records at one time but they'd been damaged in a flood and thrown out. Then she'd collected his CD's and they'd been stolen in a break in. Too bad!

There's talk that he'd been overmedicated with prescription drugs and that's what killed him. It was the same with Elvis Presley and it makes you wonder why some of the people who surround these stars don't step in and take better care of them. It also makes you wonder about the physicians who allow themselves to deliberately overmedicate a patient when they, more than anyone else, know the dangers.

I've watched a lot of news programs about Michael since he passed away and one of the saddest was a series of pictures taken from his youth to the present day. He transformed himself from a handsome black youth to a pale, goulish looking man. Where were his loving family and friends when he was undergoing these surgeries? It almost seems as though no-one cared as long as he earned money.

Michael Jackson's personal life was indicative of the turmoil his mind was in. It's too bad the people closest to him failed him right to the very end.

Michael Jackson Has Passed Away

This has been quite a day for losing celebrities. Farrah Fawcett died after suffering quite a few years with colon cancer but her death was expected. Michael Jackson's death was a shock to just about everyone. It's believed at the moment that he suffered cardiac arrest.

I loved Michael Jackson when he was a young singer. His talent just shone and it was apparent he was a phenomenon in the music world from the first time we saw him perform. But things are not always what we see or what we hope for and those of us who have been around for a while saw the weird deterioration of Michael Jackson as it progressed.

He wasn't proud of his black features and undertook countless cosmetic surgeries to transform the shape of his nose, chin, and even skin coloring but we still loved him because of his outstanding talent. Then came the accusations of child molestation and I, for one, wasn't too surprised because he'd become so strange. It was at that time that his talent wasn't enough to carry him. The stories that came out, the payoffs to accusing parents, were too much for fans to bear. Child molestation can't ever be brushed away or forgiven.

A very talented, very tragic man died today and I'm afraid the memory of his musical genius will always be tainted by his perversions.

Stages of Grief

I was watching a show today about the stages of grief and wondered why I'm still stuck in the early stages over my husband's death. I remember the denial stage clearly. It was impossible to believe that my husband, so vital and intelligent, could be stricken with something as devastating as cancer. The threat of death from the disease was something my mind couldn't fathom. It just couldn't happen to him. But it did.

Near the end of his illness, I passed into the anger stage and never did find my way out of it and into the stage of acceptance. It's true I've gone on with my life but I still think of him constantly and often say to myself, "Oh, I'll have to tell Dennis about that.", and then quickly remember I can't do that anymore.

It's been almost 5 years since he became sick, 4 3/4 years since we found out it was cancer, and almost 4 years since he passed away. We had been together 50 years so it's no wonder he fills my memories. I don't go into depression on the anniversary of his death like many widows do but the date never escapes me.

I have a friend who lost her son in a car accident just the month before Dennis passed away and she seems stuck in the denial stage. It's agony for her to continue on life without her son. We don't all pass through the appropriate stages in a specified time, do we?

I don't mourn my husband's death, I resent it deeply. Life isn't always fair.

My New Haircut

I'm not thrilled. I wanted a big change and told the hairdresser to do what she thought best (after giving her some ideas) and the outcome is a beautiful haircut but a style I'm not sure I can live with. We've all been there, haven't we?

Why is it usually so difficult to change our long established hairstyles? My friend has a style very similar to my new one and I fell in love with it on her but it suits her much better than it does me. I have to keep telling myself that my hair grows fast and this is not forever. I really thought I wanted change and a bit of adventure in my new haircut but maybe I've been fooling myself.

I'm pleased with the expertise of the hairstylist and I don't blame her but I sort of wish I hadn't opted for such a drastic change. I'm just not brave when it comes to my hair. It's cut in a style where one side is longer than the other which I thought looked really cool on my friend but, on me, I look kind of scalped on the short side.

My hair grows fast. My hair grows fast. My hair grows fast.

This and That

France is debating whether or not to ban the wearing of burkas in public. This makes sense to me because it's disconcerting for the average citizen to see these apparitions floating along and wondering who the heck is inside. It's a darned good way for criminals to travel unseen, isn't it? It also goes against the grain to see these women allowing themselves to be constrained like this.

Toronto's garbage strike is now in it's 2nd day and garbage is piling up. I asked my neighbor, who works for my city's sanitation department, why people are being stopped from taking their own garbage to the dumps. My opinion is that we own them and have every right to use them but striking workers block entry. This is so wrong and, again, police would never force the workers to allow citizens through because they respect the "union".

I told my neighbor that my husband, once a fire department union man, would never cross a picket line but I would. I respect their right to protest but I think they should respect my right to use public facilities without being harassed.

Years ago public service workers were striking and blocked entry to government buildings in my city. I was furious and, if I'd had business to do there, would have gotten into a battle with anyone who attempted to stop me entering a government building. My point is that your rights end where mine begin.

Today is another gorgeous summer day (maybe not in Toronto) and I'm going to do some weeding and tidying in the yard. The grass almost needs cutting but I'll do that tomorrow. There are lots of birds visiting my yard these days and it's a joy just to watch them as they go about their business. I didn't sleep well last night so I'm hoping I won't be too tired to relax outside...relaxing when you're tired can lead to a nap and I don't want to go there.

I've just become interested in buying Clinique products. I never bothered before because they're kind of expensive but my friend talked me into buying some when they offered a nice bonus package. It turned out that the serum worked better on my sun damaged face than the prescription cream I've been buying and the mascara didn't irritate my sensitive little eyes, either. All in all, I'm really pleased with the product but not the horrendous price... but then I discovered I could buy it cheaper on Ebay. The internet opens up a whole world of opportunities to us.

I watched a nasty display of journalism on T.V. last night. Apparently there's an uproar over Kate (Jon & Kate plus 8) slapping one of the kids on the butt when they misbehaved. Although I don't advocate slapping children anymore, I don't think a slap on the butt is going to scar a child. I do think that Jon and Kate have no right to complain about annoying paparazzi, though, since they've bared their lives to the public in order to make tons of money. I used to love watching that family on T.V. because I thought they were wholesome. Well, the kids still are but their parents have feet of clay.

We're counting down the days now until our new baby arrives. Little Nolan is due July 2nd but his Momma's tummy is so big she's having trouble moving around. From the back you'd never know she was pregnant but from the front...whooo! I can't wait to touch that soft newborn skin and feel his precious milky breath on my neck. I'm hoping he looks like his Daddy, my grandson, but I'll love him no matter who he looks like. It's so exciting welcoming a new little person into the family and watching him develop his own personality. We're hoping he hasn't inherited his uncle Matt's wild ways, though. I'm not sure I have the strength to go through that again.

Well, time to stop typing and get some work done.

Toronto Garbage Strike

It's sort of frightening to think of how much we depend on regular garbage pickup (among other social services). Today is day 1 in Toronto's garbage strike and it probably couldn't have come at a worse time. It's going to be hot this week!

I know that regular garbage pickup is crucial to the health and welfare of citizens but it really isn't a job that requires a lot of training or credentials. The workers' salaries are fairly good and they have excellent benefits. You'd think they wouldn't consider striking but I guess we all want more, don't we.

I live alone, seldom cook, and don't produce a whole heck of a lot of garbage so it wouldn't affect me too severely if it happened in my city. But what about large families? Just what would we do with the refuse of our lives if it wasn't conveniently carted away every week? I passed a housing complex a few years ago and was disgusted to see huge piles of garbage, much torn apart by marauding animals, waiting in it's enclosure for garbage day. I thought then how unsanitary it is for garbage to pile up this way. Toronto is in for a stinky, messy time if their strike isn't ended quickly.

Toronto's day care centers are also closed because of the strike and I've wondered how parents are handling this nightmare. Some will have loving relatives ready to step in and take care of their babies but many will be in a panic, worried sick about who they can find to babysit. Some will give up their jobs and stay home rather than leave their children with strangers. Life is so difficult as it is without having this strike complicate things.

I don't blame the workers for striking. They have to take care of their own interests and have their labor earn as much as possible but they should be reasonable in their demands because they aren't skilled laborers. Toronto is a vacation spot for many people but few will want to wander garbage strewn streets. It will amount to less tourist dollars coming in to pay the garbage man's salary. What a wicked web of cause and effect.

Sooner or later the city will order the workers back to work because their job is a necessity of life for all citizens. In the meantime it might be a good idea to stay away from Toronto.

Good Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and this is a tribute to all the good father's out there who have been what fathers should be...fathers who support their children, spend time with their children, and teach their children.

I've mentioned before what a good father my husband was to our children and I know they miss him terribly today. They'll be remembering the years of their childhood and their adulthood where their father was always there for them.

There are lots of males out there who create babies with abandon and then either walk away or are sporadic fathers. In a way it's a subculture of males who take pride in the number of children they father even if they don't support or help raise those children. What a loss to all of them.

My children were so lucky in the man who was their father. He loved them dearly and showed it in so many ways. They'll never know how much he went without to make sure they had all they needed. He was a good man and a good father. How fortunate for his daughters.

What is the Purpose of a Gay Pride Parade??

For the life if me, I can't understand the purpose of gay pride parades. Is it to inform us that some people prefer sex with their own sex? We already know this and accept that gays have the right to their preference and shouldn't be harmed because of it.

I was unlucky enough today to get caught up in the traffic jam caused by my city's gay pride parade and, although it didn't hold me up very long, I got a chance to see firsthand what these parades look like.

As I approached the downtown center of the city I wondered about the presence of so many police officers and police cars in the vicinity and thought maybe there was another demonstration for bringing a hockey team here. Traffic was extremely slow and there were police officers everywhere...wonder who was looking after crime in the rest of town?? As I passed the main intersection of the downtown core I could see a vehicle (ambulance?) with flashing lights coming toward me and a group of people with banners following it. Son of a gun if it wasn't a gay pride parade and I'd never seen one in person!

I'd say that the number of people marching might be 50-75 but that would probably be an overestimation. Although some were obviously gay, the vast majority of the group appeared to be ratty looking street kids who were having the time of their lives being the center of attention. There were a few truly ugly men dressed as women in the parade and I felt so darned sorry for them. In all, I bet there were more police officers than marchers set aside to protect this spectacle.

The gay people I know look like everyone else, hold jobs, and are an asset to their community but the people I saw in this parade looked like circus freaks. They were no more representative of gays than they are of society as a whole and I think they did more harm to the gay community than was intended.

There has to be a deeper reason for holding gay pride parades than flaunting their sexual preference and would hope someone could tell me what the heck it is. I've seen the Toronto gay pride parades on T.V. and been very confused by how ignorantly many of the participants acted.

Maybe it's the word "pride" that confounds me. There was nothing to be proud of in the parade today, just a ragtag crew of misfits putting on a show for bystanders...and wasting the resources of our police department.

Reunion Woes

If anyone could see my computer desk and it's immediate surroundings they would understand how I am able to lose things. There is so much paperwork surrounding me that it's a miracle I don't lose myself in it.

My Florida park reunion is in July and I kept all the information securely in a clear folder at my desk in Florida where it still sits. I realized my error a few weeks ago and had a friend bring her's to me so I could make copies. I have absolutely no idea where I put those copies.

Last night I e-mailed 2 friends and asked them to send me copies which I printed out, stapled together, and will place in the middle of the diningroom table so I can't miss them. There's still a 50% chance I'll head off to the reunion and leave them lying on the damn table, though. Maybe I should keep them in the car but it's already filled with too much stuff and I'm afraid it will get lost in the crowd.

After I declutter my house I will declutter my desk and then declutter the car.

At least I'm never bored.

Remember Trolls?

I've always loved those cute little troll dolls and I think it's because they are so ugly but sweet. In fairy tales, trolls are always ugly and mean but these dolls aren't like that at all.

My sweet young neighbor, Lisa, knows how much I love these things and she was nice enough to bring this one to me. Lisa is only 28 years old but she's saved all her childhood collections of various treasures such as the trolls and even McDonald's giveaways. Since her parent's basement flooded in April, she's gradually discarding her collection and I'm the happy recipient of little "Jay". Jay is dressed in a Blue Jays baseball uniform with "1992 World Series" stamped on it's back. Normally this would make it a perfect item to sell on Ebay but I don't sell gifts. Besides, I love having this little guy sitting above the computer and it makes me smile every time I look at him.

My friend, Joann, brings me Furbys when I'm in Florida and I love them, too. Maybe these little dolls are taking the place of collections I never started when I was a child! For whatever reason, they make me smile and that's the only reason needed to keep them close by.

Stamp Out Racism

One of the comments made on the U.S. news today is that we have to stamp out racism. The person went on to say that we must all look on each other as equals. As long as we have a human brain this will never happen because we judge people constantly for a variety of reasons.

There is not an atom in my body that believes a person of another race or ethnicity is inferior to me but I am wary of any stranger until I can see for myself that they are trustworthy. It is imperative that we use all of our senses when judging a stranger and that includes considering their skin color because race and ethnicity have helped form their identity.

Years ago my husband and I were at a convention in Detroit, Michigan and became disoriented while driving to one of the functions. Our passengers happened to be 3 white, middle aged southern men. My husband spotted a gas station where he decided to stop and ask directions (a rare, rare moment) and quickly pulled in and stopped the car. There were dozens of young, black men hanging out at this gas station and our passengers had a rip roaring fit at what they considered a suicide stop. Dennis ignored them and walked up to a group of the young men and asked for his directions, was politely given them, and then returned to the car. By then our passengers had nearly had heart attacks.

He actually did the same thing one late evening when we, with our teen daughters, were travelling either to or from Florida. This time the gas station parking lot was filled with a large group of white youth. They weren't as nice. I never did hear what they said to him but they did throw beer bottles at our car as we drove away and I'm positive they jumped in their cars and chased us for a distance. It was pretty frightening. It was probably the only time that I didn't criticize my husband's driving speed.

I do agree that we must work at educating our children that all people are created equal but we must also be aware that every aspect of a person must be taken into account before complete acceptance. You don't climb into the lion's cage just because they have as much right on this earth as you do. We may be created equal but some critters grow up bad.

Racism actually means judging a person only on their race and nothing else. It means placing that person in a demeaning or threatening position based on their race alone. This is sheer stupidity on the racist's part whether they're black, white, or purple. There is so much more to us than the color of our skin.

Racists have grown to become figures of ridicule because of the absurdity of their comments or actions. The news program I watched this morning was about some government leaders in Tennessee who had sent racially insulting e-mails about the president of their country, Barach Obama. These people came off as uneducated backwoods hillbillies and made you wonder how they'd ever been elected to a position of power.

Again, racism is wrong but it makes sense to partially consider race when judging someone you've just met because it's part of their personality. Just make sure you're judging the whole package.

Life After Ebay & Flea market

Now that I rarely sell anything on Ebay during the summer and now that I'm gradually getting out of the flea market business, my life is getting a lot calmer and easier. I'm not sure I like it.

My new interest, jewelry selling, isn't taking up much of my time but I don't want it to. I know I need a pastime that's not demanding because I'm tending to age a year every year. Maybe when I'm in my 80's I'll be content to spend most of my time reading but not yet.

I've told my daughters that I wish I'd been interested in becoming an entrepreneur many years ago when I had plenty of time to jump in and really make something of a business. Now I just want something to play at but something more than 3 shows a year because my mind needs more of a work out than that.

I often wonder how women my age used to fill their days a few generations ago. My grandmother had a tiny little apartment that didn't take long to keep tidy but she did cook and bake. She didn't watch T.V. or do handwork but I don't remember her sitting around much. I guess she just puttered.

My mother was a clean freak and spent most of her time cleaning. She cooked like me, basic stuff only. Her eyesight was too bad for her to watch much T.V., do any handwork, or even go outside much so her days must have been difficult to fill.

My life is ever so much easier than my mother's or grandmother's and I sometimes feel guilty about that. I'd be lost without the computer and my car. Those are the big improvements in a senior lady's life these days, I guess. One gives us better access to the world of information and the other gives us better access to the world.

I think about my mother and grandmother often. There is an affinity between female relatives that carry on from generation to generation and I feel that what I do with my life is a direct result of what they did with theirs. We learn from our elders and then we take what we have learned and transcend it into how we design our own lives.

My life is still forming and I'm not sure what my next step will be. Isn't it fantastic that life doesn't end at menopause and that we can continue to grow in almost any direction we choose? Now I do like that concept.

Pat's 70th Birthday Party

I attended a surprise 70th birthday party for Pat (not me) on Saturday and it was another wonderful gathering of friends and family that was so much fun. Pat is the wife of my brother-in-law's brother...I love the way these relatives become connected in such convoluted ways!

A lot of these seniors are quite religious and regular church goers but don't ever think that makes them goody two shoes. I heard some pretty raunchy jokes but none in poor taste. One was that God had unfairly given man both a penis and a brain but not enough blood flow for both at the same time. Funny as heck but true!

Sunday was coffee with my sister, Sharon, and another few hours of laughter and good time. Then to Kim's for her regular Sunday dinner. Nick's wife, Natsha, is in her last few weeks of pregnancy and was too tired to attend. She looks so wonderful and healthy but pregnancy is a demanding and tiring job so it's understandable she needs more rest now.

Before I left Kim's, I dug up a gorgeous hosta (with her permission) and took it home and transplanted it in the space left by the daisies I'd pulled out. I love my garden.

Unfortunately, all the weekend's activity didn't help with my sleep because I was awake almost all night long and to the point of feeling sick. I hate to take sleeping aids but I may have to see my doctor about this because it is becoming a too much of a problem.

This morning I weeded the flower beds...I do this thoroughly maybe once a month throughout the summer and it does keep the weeds in check. Today is a free day and I'm just going to lounge out in the backyard and admire my freshly weeded garden.

My Letter to my MPP

Dear Ms. Aggelonitis:

I have rarely taken the measure of writing my MPP but now I'm angry enough to do it. You must be aware of the native protest march in Hamilton which disrupted citizens attempting to get to work. Their protest was known to the Hamilton police department the day before and still allowed to be carried out.

If 12 non natives had pulled this stunt they would all have been stopped and arrested but it's blatantly apparent that natives have the right to do anything they choose, even if it means closing or blocking major highways.

My question to you is why are natives allowed this special treatment? Why are they allowed to take over private property, damage public property, and disrupt the lives of the vast majority of Canadian citizens?

I understand that they have land claims in various areas of the country but why does that give them the right to break our laws?

I am one angry citizen but you'd better believe I am only one of many. Please take the time to answer my question because it will be reprinted in my blog.

Thank you,

.....And then I signed my name which I don't do on the blog! Now to see if the person elected to represent me will respond to my letter.

Native Border Protest Held in Hamilton???

Hamilton, Ontario is a large city about a one hour drive from the Canadian/U.S. border but Six Nations natives thought it the best darned place to hold a protest against border guards carrying guns. They chose to march on busy highways and parkways at 8 A.M. in the morning to show their support for the Akwesasne reserve natives who are fighting to keep border guards in their area from being armed.

Hamilton is one hour's drive from the border!!!

It gets worse. Hamilton's police department was made aware the day before that these idiots were going to block these busy roads when "the hard working people who pay their wages" were trying to get to work but stood by impotently and allowed it to happen.

I have an idea. What would happen to us non natives if we decide to march through the reserve and protest their constant and disruptive behaviour and maybe even their high unemployment rate? We could give police a day's warning.

I think we'd be stopped by police and the military before we even amassed. How fair is this and why aren't we screaming bloody murder to our politicians that we will not put up with this nonsense one more day?

There were apparently only about 12 natives on foot and in cars causing this last episode so no-one can tell me our illustrious police force could not have prevented them from demonstrating. They wouldn't allow you or I to pull a stunt like this so why are natives exempt?

It's become like a circus atmosphere and almost laughable the way we're held ransom to the whims of a people who should be out working for a living instead of harrassing the ones who are.

The 2 Gails

I have two friends named Gail and yesterday I replied to an e-mail I thought came from the Canadian Gail but it, in truth, came from the American Gail. She e-mailed me today to tell me about the mistake. As I reread the letter I'd sent, I realized it applied to the American Gail also. They've both become good friends that I thoroughly enjoy spending time with and that's the gist of what I'd written in the e-mail.

At our Florida park we have a huge circle of friends that we chum around with, some more often than others but they're all fun people to socialize with. I'm constantly amazed at how well we all get along and maybe it's the loose association where we shift easily from one group to another with no-one feeling left out.

I get a little wistful when I'm home in Canada because I really miss these people and regret the distances between our northern homes. A few live rather close to my area and we meet occasionally for lunch or for a trip to the casino but we all have our northern lives to live which are very different from the vacation atmosphere when we're in Florida.

I hope to see both of the "Gails" at our park reunion next month but, if not, we'll take up where we left off this winter at our Florida park. I'm looking forward to it.

Native Toll Booth on Hwy 6

It appears that Caledonia area natives are now going to put a toll booth on Hwy 6, an Ontario highway paid for and maintained by the hard working taxpayers.

How do I think this will play out? Well, from past experience with our gutless and worthless government and the leaders of the OPP, I believe they will stand by as the toll booths are erected (probably with tax payers' money) and then spend further tax payers' money by keeping battalions of police officers standing guard to insure no-one slams through the bloody booths. The government will continue to use our money to keep Hwy 6 well maintained while other roads fall apart.

These toll booths, if allowed to exist, will be the first of many thrust upon us by a group of people who have no more ownership in that land than the rest of us. Did the natives build this country? No. Did their ancestors, who were no more than squatters, sell the land? Yes.

By their own admission the native population is only 30% employed while the rest collect welfare provided, again, by the hard working taxpayers of this country. There is no fairness in what they are doing and it's causing racial prejudice where little existed before.

Some of their previously successful businesses have gone bankrupt because non natives refuse to deal with them anymore. It worries me that native children might be poorly treated if they attend public schools, too. I don't ever recall hearing so much hatred against natives as I do these days.

I've always thought that the reservations were one of the worse things created for natives because it segregated them and didn't allow them to assimilate into the rest of society. There are few jobs on the reservation and that's created a majority of bored, uneducated, and secular natives who have no idea how to live in the real world where you work for what you get. You don't sit on your butt and moan that your ancestors were cheated out of their land 200 years ago and now want it all handed back to you.

My husband's grandfather lost farms when the economy was bad but we can't grab them back today. My greatgrandfather lost his business during the depression but I can't walk into the building and demand it back 70 years later. Someone has to be reasonable about this and I'm sorely afraid our government will fail us once again.

Done..Almost

I worked like a little beaver yesterday and, in the end, got all my jewelry down in the rec room and out of the computer room. There are still way too many flea market boxes down there for me to have a neat office for the jewelry but you can actually see the beginnings now.

As I looked around my newly cleared computer room, I realized I've been amassing another product...books. It's difficult for me to dispose of my books but it looks as though I may have to have another cleansing spree and do just that. There was a time when nothing else was going on in my life and I read about 30 books a month but these days I'm so busy with other things that I don't have much time to read. And then there's the problem of falling asleep when I do read.

I still say that being ruthless and getting rid of stuff (anything) that you don't use or have no more need of is the most liberating feeling. The more stuff that leaves your house forever the lighter your spirit will feel.

I've made another momentous decision too. I'm going out to the flea market today and I'm putting a "50% OFF" sign on my table. I was going to close it permanently at the end of July anyway but my brother-in-law suggested I start cutting my prices now which would help me earn a bit of money from the sales. If the stuff does start to sell, I'll leave the 50% off sign up and continue to stock the shelves until the end of summer but I'm definitely not renting a table again next year. Any unsold merchandise will go out in yard sales or to the Salvation Army. Once I make up my mind to do something it gets done.

On the negative side, I think a raccoon is living under my back porch.

What a Weekend

Friday I had my first jewelry selling show and learned a little something. Saturday we attended my nephew's wedding which was only my second outdoor wedding and the weather held out nicely. Sunday we attended a bridal shower for one of my grand nieces. Sunday evening our immediate family went out to dinner to celebrate my grandson's 25th birthday.

This was one busy weekend that I enjoyed a whole lot but was glad to see end. I guess the part I worried about most was the outdoor wedding because this was held on a farm and just where do 200 people go if it rains?? Other than the slight worry about rain spoiling the wedding, the rest of the events were pretty well worry free. The jewelry either sells or it doesn't; the shower was being hosted by 3 other family members; someone at the restaurant was cooking the birthday dinner. I was just along for the ride.

This is going to be the first free week I've had in a long time but I'll keep myself busy with puttering around doing the odd things I like to do. Its so nice to have the freedom to pick and choose instead of having to plan around committments.

I'm going to wash floors today and rearrange the basement so that I can put all the jewelry stuff down there. They don't take up much space but look sort of unsightly piled into areas of the computer room. Now that I'm hell bent on clearing out all the flea market boxes from the basement I'll have room to spare and a much tidier house. Projects like this are time consuming but I enjoy getting things organized. My mess is actually organized mess but, unfortunately, only I recognize that.

One day at a time.

June Wedding

My nephew and his lady got married yesterday and it turned out to be the most perfect June day they could have chosen. It was an outdoor wedding at their farm so they were taking a big chance on the weather but mother nature provided us with sunny skies and warm breezes.

It was also a picture perfect wedding day with literally a few hundred friends and relatives who had brought dozens of happy, well behaved children who scampered everywhere. There was so much room for them to run freely and the older children lovingly tended to the younger ones which gave the parents time to mingle and chat.

We have a close knit family where the cousins of my children are friends and their children have become friends. It makes for fun family gatherings and this was no exception. My girls and their cousins enjoyed the day so much that they are now planning a cousins weekend in August. I wish all families could get along this well.

My nephew and his wife live in a huge old farmhouse that was built in 1860 and they haven't done much renovation so the old bones of the house are still very apparent. I love to meander through an old house like this and try to imagine the lives that have lived there. My nephew said there is a spot outside where all the owners of the house have carved their names, giving written history of the families which called it home.

The old, wide plank floorboards and solid wood wainscoting are beautiful. I wonder how old the wood is if the house itself was built in 1860? What did our world look like when those trees were cut down to build and decorate that house? How hard did the farmers work to till the soil and plant their crops?

This is a happy home and the loving couple surrounded by their children, family, and friends added another chapter yesterday. The evening ended with a fireworks display where we all got to "ooh" and "ahh" for a while before heading home. It was a perfect June day right to the end.

First Jewelry Show

I had my first real jewelry sale today and it went okay...I'm not a millionaire yet and I don't think I ever will be. Kim and I headed to the hospital at 7 A.M. and it took us about an hour to set up and put everything together the way we wanted. We had three 6' tables which gave us plenty of room for display but I was a little disappointed to find that the other seller next to me was also selling sterling jewelry. Her prices were higher than mine but her quality was better. I did notice that most of her customers bought the gorgeous costume jewelry that she brought, though. She also sold huge handbags that appeared totally ugly to me but her customers went wild over them. My Kim actually bought a silver bracelet and a pair of shoes from her. I have to admit her stuff was really nice except the handbags weren't to my liking.

The morning was rather slow but the lunch crowd was more willing to spend money. I ended up $105 over my costs so I'm content. It would have been nice to have sold more but that's okay. Kim and I packed up and left by 2:30 P.M. when the caffeteria closed. I had worried she'd be bored but she said she'd found it all interesting and it was so nice to have her with me.

The other vendor was very nice and offered some suggestions to help with my next show and she even told me which were the best hospitals to sell merchandise. I liked her very much but I hope I don't have to compete with her again!

People were interested in looking at the Swedish weaving runners I took along but none sold so I'm thinking I'd better forget about them. They just take up space. I also realized one of the major things I neglected to take was a mirror. I know I like to see what a piece of jewelry looks like on me before I buy it so I'd better get one for next time. Live and learn.

All in all, it was an interesting experience and it will get better as I learn what sells and what people are attracted to. They did like the glass pendants more than the silver but that could be because they were cheaper. None of the earrings sold so I'll steer clear of them. As long as I look on this as a hobby where I don't need to make a living from the profits then I can enjoy it. Something tells me I'll get better at selling with every show I participate in.

My View

As I sit at my computer every day I take a great deal of pleasure from glancing out the patio door and into my backyard. In the springtime it seems as though every day there is evidence of nature taking my meagre plantings and nurturing them into a lush beauty that pleases my heart.

Dennis built this 2 tiered deck 25 years ago and he must have done it right because it's held up strong. I restain it about every 3 to 4 years and thoroughly enjoy the 14 rail planters that must be over 10 years old now. One has started to split so I may have to continue on with an unlucky 13 one year soon.

When we moved into this house in 1968 there was no back patio door, no deck, no raised gardens, and no trees. We built it all with mainly Dennis' sweat equity and my vision.

The yard is at it's early June best but I'll have the pleasure of watching it all fill in over the summer. How nice.

Crowning my Tooth

I had the root canal last spring and it went well but I continued to feel a slight discomfort for quite a while. Because of this I didn't have the permanent crown put on as scheduled. My dentist and I agreed it would be a good idea to wait until I returned from Florida this spring to complete the work on my tooth.

Today I went in for the prep work but, not having asked questions about the procedure, was left wondering why it all would take 1 1/2 hours. It turns out that preparing the temporary tooth for a permanent crown is a very involved and intense procedure. My dentist is a sweetheart and very gentle but it took 3 freezing needles and the darned things hurt when inserted.

First they measured my mouth for inserts which would take impressions of my bite and it turns out I have a medium sized mouth...some people would debate that and swear I have a big, big mouth. Then they filled the inserts with what felt like silly putty and placed them in my mouth for about 90 seconds. Not bad.

Then the dentist spent quite a while filing down the temporary tooth so that the crown would fit neatly over it. Once again they popped in an insert filled with goo and this was so the dentist had a mold to form a temporary crown. This took a little longer, about 4 minutes to set. The goo doesn't taste bad but it feels like you're having teeth pulled when they remove it from your mouth.

Shortly after they had the temporary crown ready to glue over the little stump left of the temporary tooth. I believe the temporary tooth which was put in place right after the root canal is probably the same material they use when filling a cavity. The dentist put on the temporary crown with some kind of glue and placed a cotton ball on top and had me press down with my upper teeth for about a minute. After a good polishing I was sent on my way and the final, permanent crown will be popped in place in 2 weeks. I'm told that procedure is fast and easy and doesn't require freezing the area.

The work involved with having the root canal and now getting a permanent crown has cost me in the region of $1200. I remain torn about whether it just might have been more sensible to have the tooth pulled instead of attempting to save it. It's the back, bottom molar and isn't really visible so this wasn't done for esthetics. Whatever, I made my choice last spring and now the work is almost complete. It's been sort of a lengthy process but not a very painful one and I'd probably do it again if necessary.

Rite of Pasage

My grandson, Nick, and his wife, Natasha, were over for a visit tonight to pick up some Disney musical globes I'd found for the baby at a yard sale in Florida. Along with the globes I'd placed Nick's little bear mug that he'd drink hot chololate from when he visited me as a tiny little boy. Now it, and his little Pooh Bear spoon is being passed on to his little boy, Nolan, whose birth is expected the first week in July. I think I'll always picture Nick's sweet little 2 year old face whenever I see that mug, though, but maybe Nolan will be the reincarnation of his father and I'll really see that precious baby face again.

I always kept a box of toys especially for my grandchildren when they were young. They knew when they walked in the door that there was a big pile of stuff they could call their own here. For a long time we had a hard plastic peddle car/jeep that they all loved and the only battles over that car that I remember were always between Nick and Matt. There was a time when Dennis piled Tyson and Kyle into the tiny car, looped the garden hose over Kyle's shoulders and set small fires in the grass for them to put out. I remember the slightly worried look on Kyle's face as Tyson peddled them both toward the fire. Do you suppose that was some sort of child endangerment on our part? It couldn't have been too dangerous or I'd never have let them do it.

I remember the day I bought that little car. Dennis and I had been at a convention somewhere and were heading home when I spotted a huge flea market. Somehow I convinced him to stop for a while and we went our separate ways. The next time he saw me was at the car waiting for him and I'd bought this big peddle car and a small bike with training wheels. Oh yes, and I think I also had a wagon. Dennis stopped dead in his tracks and, stupefied, asked how the heck I expected him to get all that stuff in the car. We did and the kids enjoyed those toys for many years.

Why do men always think our stuff won't fit in the car?? It always does with a bit of ingenuity.

I'm so looking forward to building memories with my greatgrandson, Nolan, and I wish his greatgrampa, Dennis, was here to teach him how to tie knots, climb ropes, and maybe even put out fires.

Automatic Renewals of Contracts

Since my husband passed away I've had to hire a lawn service to spray the grass with fertilizer and weed control substances. Last year the lawn had way too many weeds for my liking and I decided to not renew the service this year. I did speak with someone from their office last fall asking them to respray some of the weeds they'd missed and at that time said I wouldn't be using their service this year.

Now comes the dilemma. Last month the lawn service company sprayed fertilizer on my lawn when I wasn't home but I mistakenly thought they'd done it as a freebie to encourage me to renew my contract with them. Of course I ignored them. Today they sprayed weed killer and, when I approached the workman, he told me that all contracts are automatically renewed unless personally cancelled and I now owe them almost $200 for the spraying they've done.

I phoned their office and they have no record of me cancelling the service but I questioned why they would automatically renew anyway and was told that is their policy. As far as I'm concerned, I never signed anything so I'm not liable for this bill but I wonder if they'll pursue payment. Each year (about 3 years) that I've used this particular company, they never started spraying until they received my cheque in the mail so I wonder why they did it this year.

I'm not easily intimidated but there are seniors out there who would feel obligated to pay this bill for a service not wanted nor requested. It got me thinking about automatically renewable contracts that have become a necessity in our lives such as telephone service, hydro, gas, water. It would be an administrative nightmare to have to physically renew these contracts every year but lawn service is another matter. We don't even have automatic renewal for driver's licences or passports because we might not have further need of them so what gives a lowly lawn service company the nerve to pressure a homeowner with automatic renewal?

It will be interesting to see if they send me a bill.