I had an especially nice, long talk with an in-law today, mainly about the best way for in-laws to get along. We're all in this family for life so we should do everything in our power to make things run smoothly. Sometimes it takes a little glitch in the run in order to understand the best way to do this.
I remember I used the word "tact" a lot and it's true that everyone, whether family, friends, or workmates, get along better if you use tact when dealing with them. Some in-laws (and blood relatives) can try your patience but it's always worthwhile to keep it friendly. One cross word said at the wrong time can take ages to dispel and be forgotten, especially if the recipient has a thin skin.
I explained how I'd always been easily hurt by thoughtless words and actions but I've toughened up over the years. Nowadays, I can step back and assess whether it's worth the trouble to be angry over any incident. It's true none of us are perfect and sometimes we speak too quickly out of anger or misunderstanding. Keeping the family unit intact is more important than getting our backs up over a stupid spat.
I love my family, some members more than others, but I feel we're all part of a clan destined to look after every one in it. So too harsh words need to be softened and relationships need to be continually strengthened for the clan to survive. We might not need every in-law that arrives but we need to respect them and their place in the family.
You can never go wrong using tact and respect. If it's returned, then everyone is a winner. If it's not, then there is a ripple effect of hurt and anger spreading outward and affecting everyone in it's wake.
A few years ago I got fed up with my sister who was having too many snits and I decided to just stay away from her. Now, this is a sister I love dearly but her bad temper was too much to put up with so I just stopped calling her. This went on for months until one day I received notice that she was in the hospital. It turned out to be an appendectomy but the shock woke me up from my own snit. I loved her too much to live the rest of my life without her. We made up and we're best friends once again. Sometimes it takes a good shake to make us think clearly and realize what really matters.
Family matters. Blood kin, in-laws, common laws...we're on this journey together so we all have to play nice.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Assisted Suicide
I watched an interesting movie on T.V. last night about a true story of how an English lady, dying from an incurable and devastating illness, went to Switzerland for an assisted suicide. It is legal in that country and should be legal in any forward thinking country.
When a person is dying from a debilitating disease with no chance of recovery, they should have the choice of how long they want to persist in this life. They should have the choice of whether to continue to suffer or to be allowed to pass on to the next dimension.
Assisted suicide is not a new concept but has been practiced covertly since the beginning of time and will always be with us. The question of legalizing it is only because people in Canada who participate in an assisted suicide can be prosecuted. When done now, medical personnel will usually ignore the signs if the deceased was indeed suffering needlessly.
I don't fear death because I truly believe we pass on to another level of life. I could be wrong but I'd rather take the chance of assisted suicide than to be in endless agony. I'd want it to be my own choice when the time comes.
The reason we don't have legalized assisted suicide in Canada is because of the church. They believe that only god has the right to end life. The church's power supersedes the people's will in many cases and I think this is one of them. I just don't understand why any religion would condone unnecessary suffering when someone is dying.
I think Canada will legalize assisted suicide in the near future because it is logical to do so. The church's power is diminishing and that could be the deciding factor. It's really time to bring this touchy subject to the forefront and discover just what percentage of the population want it legalized.
It's not a question of sin or murder. It's simply a question of reasonable choice.
When a person is dying from a debilitating disease with no chance of recovery, they should have the choice of how long they want to persist in this life. They should have the choice of whether to continue to suffer or to be allowed to pass on to the next dimension.
Assisted suicide is not a new concept but has been practiced covertly since the beginning of time and will always be with us. The question of legalizing it is only because people in Canada who participate in an assisted suicide can be prosecuted. When done now, medical personnel will usually ignore the signs if the deceased was indeed suffering needlessly.
I don't fear death because I truly believe we pass on to another level of life. I could be wrong but I'd rather take the chance of assisted suicide than to be in endless agony. I'd want it to be my own choice when the time comes.
The reason we don't have legalized assisted suicide in Canada is because of the church. They believe that only god has the right to end life. The church's power supersedes the people's will in many cases and I think this is one of them. I just don't understand why any religion would condone unnecessary suffering when someone is dying.
I think Canada will legalize assisted suicide in the near future because it is logical to do so. The church's power is diminishing and that could be the deciding factor. It's really time to bring this touchy subject to the forefront and discover just what percentage of the population want it legalized.
It's not a question of sin or murder. It's simply a question of reasonable choice.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Yip and Yap are Back
It's that time of year again when Yip and Yap's mother goes away for the long weekend and I get to dogsit. I used to verbally warn the neighbors that Yip and Yap were going to be here but I gave that up. It's very obvious the dogs are here the very first time they're let out for a pee. They bark from the moment their little Jack Russell feet hit the doorstep, then bark at anything that moves ar dares to speak in any of the adjoining yards. Then they come to the door and bark to be let in. Sigh!
Inside the house they're very sweet and no trouble at all unless someone comes to the door. Barking again, followed by dog rapture if the visitor comes in. Bailey grabs her toy and growls as she wrestles it all over the room, hoping that the visitor will try to pull it from her. Baker looks on in disgust at the newcomer and disappears under the sofa. She's not very sociable.
When i leave the house they bark forever. I've heard them barking when I returned so I don't know if they ever shut up. I do believe that the barking is common with this breed of dog but, no matter, it helps me make a firm decision not to get a dog of my own.
Right now they're both laying on the floor by me, resting but ever on the watch to see if I try to go out. They're ready to bark at a moment's notice.
I complain about them but they really are very sweet and gentle animals and it's nice to feel a furry little body at my feet no matter where I sit...that would be Bailey. Baker wouldn't lower herself to grovel at anyone's feet.
They go home tomorrow and I will miss them, but just a bit.
Inside the house they're very sweet and no trouble at all unless someone comes to the door. Barking again, followed by dog rapture if the visitor comes in. Bailey grabs her toy and growls as she wrestles it all over the room, hoping that the visitor will try to pull it from her. Baker looks on in disgust at the newcomer and disappears under the sofa. She's not very sociable.
When i leave the house they bark forever. I've heard them barking when I returned so I don't know if they ever shut up. I do believe that the barking is common with this breed of dog but, no matter, it helps me make a firm decision not to get a dog of my own.
Right now they're both laying on the floor by me, resting but ever on the watch to see if I try to go out. They're ready to bark at a moment's notice.
I complain about them but they really are very sweet and gentle animals and it's nice to feel a furry little body at my feet no matter where I sit...that would be Bailey. Baker wouldn't lower herself to grovel at anyone's feet.
They go home tomorrow and I will miss them, but just a bit.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Eating Sensibly...-11
Well, I awoke this morning to a computer that wouldn't work. It's mysteriously working now so I thought I'd better get this blog in before it shuts down again. My "computer people" are all at work but I'll ask them for help later on.
Anyway, the good news is that I lost 1 more pound last week which brings me to a grand total of 11 pounds since the end of February. Not much by anyone's standards but still it's 11 pounds that I was carting around 4 months ago and I'm not today!
I know my little success is due mainly to the group of us who made a committment in Florida to support each other in losing some weight. If I didn't have to contact these people every Friday, I wouldn't be paying as much attention to my eating habits. We share in each other's successes and understand only too well when we have failures.
Each of us (9 on my list, counting me) are following our own personal form of diet. Mine is to simply cut back on calories and fats in particular. I'm trying to convince myself to exercise but I'm pretty lazy. The ladies who exercise and/or walk do the best and that makes sense.
This past week offered it's temptations and I fell victim once. My daughters made Belgian waffles and I just had to try them. It really wasn't worth the humungous amount of calories. I probably could have had a full course meal and consumed fewer calories. I don't actually keep count of the calories I eat but I've been on enough diets that I can make an educated guess. We fatties know it all but we have chosen to ignore it.
In any case, after being home for over a month, I've finally lost another pound and that's a nice success for someone like me. One pound at a time is a good goal. My summer's goal is to lose a total of 10 pounds so now I've got 9 more to go. If more fell away I'd be ecstatic but I'll just do the best I can and be happy with each little success.
Anyway, the good news is that I lost 1 more pound last week which brings me to a grand total of 11 pounds since the end of February. Not much by anyone's standards but still it's 11 pounds that I was carting around 4 months ago and I'm not today!
I know my little success is due mainly to the group of us who made a committment in Florida to support each other in losing some weight. If I didn't have to contact these people every Friday, I wouldn't be paying as much attention to my eating habits. We share in each other's successes and understand only too well when we have failures.
Each of us (9 on my list, counting me) are following our own personal form of diet. Mine is to simply cut back on calories and fats in particular. I'm trying to convince myself to exercise but I'm pretty lazy. The ladies who exercise and/or walk do the best and that makes sense.
This past week offered it's temptations and I fell victim once. My daughters made Belgian waffles and I just had to try them. It really wasn't worth the humungous amount of calories. I probably could have had a full course meal and consumed fewer calories. I don't actually keep count of the calories I eat but I've been on enough diets that I can make an educated guess. We fatties know it all but we have chosen to ignore it.
In any case, after being home for over a month, I've finally lost another pound and that's a nice success for someone like me. One pound at a time is a good goal. My summer's goal is to lose a total of 10 pounds so now I've got 9 more to go. If more fell away I'd be ecstatic but I'll just do the best I can and be happy with each little success.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Discontinuing the Penny
There are two good reasons for discontinuing production of the penny. One, it costs more than a penny to produce each one and, two, we can't buy penny candy anymore.
I have vivid memories of standing in front of the candy counter, a few pennies in my hot little hands, and struggling over which candy to buy. Would it be the ones that cost 10 for a penny, the more expensive 5 for a penny, or would I splurge it all on the biggies...a penny each. I don't remember a grouchy sales clerk too impatient to wait for me to make my choice. I think they enjoyed the show.
Canadians already have to put up with loonies and toonies (which still have value) but weighing us down with almost valueless pennies is just too much.
My vote is to get rid of the damn things. No more $9.99 items geared to fool us into thinking we're only paying $9+. I just wonder how added tax will be affected...will our bill be rounded out to the highest number??? We can't kid outselves that somehow this will be a monetary saving for us but it will be a convenience, lightening our wallets without spending a "cent".
I have vivid memories of standing in front of the candy counter, a few pennies in my hot little hands, and struggling over which candy to buy. Would it be the ones that cost 10 for a penny, the more expensive 5 for a penny, or would I splurge it all on the biggies...a penny each. I don't remember a grouchy sales clerk too impatient to wait for me to make my choice. I think they enjoyed the show.
Canadians already have to put up with loonies and toonies (which still have value) but weighing us down with almost valueless pennies is just too much.
My vote is to get rid of the damn things. No more $9.99 items geared to fool us into thinking we're only paying $9+. I just wonder how added tax will be affected...will our bill be rounded out to the highest number??? We can't kid outselves that somehow this will be a monetary saving for us but it will be a convenience, lightening our wallets without spending a "cent".
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Love
Looking at the most recent photo of my greatgrandson, the most intense emotion of love just overcomes me. The sensation of love is a strange thing because your whole body responds to it. It's really sort of overwhelming when you think of it.
I've read that when you truly love someone you would give your life for them and that's pretty deep. In the case of any child, whether loved or not, I think most of us would put our lives on the line if they were threatened.
I spoke to a friend about the extreme love I had for my husband and said that I almost wished I hadn't experienced it because of the hurt that sometimes went along with it. She said, very wisely, that she would not have wanted to go through life and have never known a love like that. She was right, sometimes the pain is worth the gain.
I smile when I see my daughter with this little boy. He's her first grandchild and she is definitely overwhelmed with love for him. She turns into a ball of mush just when his name is mentioned and is even worse when he's with her. It won't take him long to discover that his Gramma is a pushover for whatever he asks for.
Love is a gift whether you are the recipient or the donor. It is a much stronger emotion than anger or hatred and can banish both. But don't make the mistake of confusing love with infatuation because they aren't the same. The core feeling of true love means you could never deliberately do harm to the one you love.
Sometimes the one you love doesn't love you and that's just one of the pitfalls of nature. Time will dull the pain of rejection and you will love again because that's one of the miracles of nature.
To make the most of life, love deep and love often. It's a gift.
I've read that when you truly love someone you would give your life for them and that's pretty deep. In the case of any child, whether loved or not, I think most of us would put our lives on the line if they were threatened.
I spoke to a friend about the extreme love I had for my husband and said that I almost wished I hadn't experienced it because of the hurt that sometimes went along with it. She said, very wisely, that she would not have wanted to go through life and have never known a love like that. She was right, sometimes the pain is worth the gain.
I smile when I see my daughter with this little boy. He's her first grandchild and she is definitely overwhelmed with love for him. She turns into a ball of mush just when his name is mentioned and is even worse when he's with her. It won't take him long to discover that his Gramma is a pushover for whatever he asks for.
Love is a gift whether you are the recipient or the donor. It is a much stronger emotion than anger or hatred and can banish both. But don't make the mistake of confusing love with infatuation because they aren't the same. The core feeling of true love means you could never deliberately do harm to the one you love.
Sometimes the one you love doesn't love you and that's just one of the pitfalls of nature. Time will dull the pain of rejection and you will love again because that's one of the miracles of nature.
To make the most of life, love deep and love often. It's a gift.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Early Riser
Once in a blue moon I sleep past 7 A.M. and feel I've lost the best part of the day. It's so peaceful in the early morning and, since I'm not only an early riser but also a late mover, it gives me time to fully awaken and begin to get things done. It's a pleasure to have all necessary work done by noon which leaves the afternoon for play.
To be honest, all I've done since 6:30 this morning is shower, dress, and play on the computer. I'm having a pedicure and leg wax later this morning so there's not much sense starting any heavy duty housework.
Speaking of which, I've been having leg waxes for many years now and the hair is slowly disappearing from my legs. It's gotten to the point where I barely need them twice yearly. Pedicures are a monthly need, though, because I develop a lot of callus from going barefoot all the time. Years ago, when I suffered from bone spurs in my heels, I decided to treat myself to a pedicure and I've kept it up ever since. My excuse is that I don't waste money on cigarettes...I use that excuse a lot! I don't have manicures because I wreck them too quickly so I just use a clear nail polish on them.
It's now after 9 A.M. and it's still quiet and peaceful outside. I don't even hear many birds chirping. The traffic noise from the main street a block away does continue to escalate as the day goes on but that, too, makes me feel content that I can stay home instead of rushing off to work.
I'm a happy, contented senior who is off to have her toenails painted a pretty pink.
To be honest, all I've done since 6:30 this morning is shower, dress, and play on the computer. I'm having a pedicure and leg wax later this morning so there's not much sense starting any heavy duty housework.
Speaking of which, I've been having leg waxes for many years now and the hair is slowly disappearing from my legs. It's gotten to the point where I barely need them twice yearly. Pedicures are a monthly need, though, because I develop a lot of callus from going barefoot all the time. Years ago, when I suffered from bone spurs in my heels, I decided to treat myself to a pedicure and I've kept it up ever since. My excuse is that I don't waste money on cigarettes...I use that excuse a lot! I don't have manicures because I wreck them too quickly so I just use a clear nail polish on them.
It's now after 9 A.M. and it's still quiet and peaceful outside. I don't even hear many birds chirping. The traffic noise from the main street a block away does continue to escalate as the day goes on but that, too, makes me feel content that I can stay home instead of rushing off to work.
I'm a happy, contented senior who is off to have her toenails painted a pretty pink.
Monday, May 24, 2010
About Being Kind
My 2 oldest daughters spent the day yesterday taking a drive, then to Niagara Falls to see the fireworks, with a stopover at the casino. What made me glow inside is that they invited me to join them. Unfortunately, I had to decline because Sunday is the day I always meet my sister for lunch or coffee.
No, I didn't join them but the glow remains because they thought to ask me. There's an old saying, "It's the thought that counts", and it's also an offered kindness, whether accepted or not, that sticks in your mind for a long time.
Maya Angelo (forgive me if I spelled that incorrectly) said something about how people never forget about how you made them feel and that's so true. If you cause a hurt, an insult, or a smile, people do remember.
As I've aged, I've realized more and more how much it matters to show kindness whenever the opportunity arises. It makes you a better person, maybe the person you were always meant to be. When I offer an act of kindness it comes from deep within, not from the heart but from the soul. It transforms you if you allow it.
We are too often self centered but that attitude is stifling. You grow when you extend yourself to others. You become more human.
The world seems so full of hatred, anger, and evil but inside us all is the ability to rise above the animalistic part of our nature. We tap into the goodness with each act of kindness and love and, as they flourish, the badness diminishes.
Battling evil with good isn't a new concept but it does work. With every act of kindness, you can dispel sadness and loneliness. How powerful...and how simple!
No, I didn't join them but the glow remains because they thought to ask me. There's an old saying, "It's the thought that counts", and it's also an offered kindness, whether accepted or not, that sticks in your mind for a long time.
Maya Angelo (forgive me if I spelled that incorrectly) said something about how people never forget about how you made them feel and that's so true. If you cause a hurt, an insult, or a smile, people do remember.
As I've aged, I've realized more and more how much it matters to show kindness whenever the opportunity arises. It makes you a better person, maybe the person you were always meant to be. When I offer an act of kindness it comes from deep within, not from the heart but from the soul. It transforms you if you allow it.
We are too often self centered but that attitude is stifling. You grow when you extend yourself to others. You become more human.
The world seems so full of hatred, anger, and evil but inside us all is the ability to rise above the animalistic part of our nature. We tap into the goodness with each act of kindness and love and, as they flourish, the badness diminishes.
Battling evil with good isn't a new concept but it does work. With every act of kindness, you can dispel sadness and loneliness. How powerful...and how simple!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
My Favorite Mug
This is my favorite coffee mug, one I first reach for in the morning unless it's in the dishwasher. Every single time I see it I'm reminded of the day it became mine.It was probably 15 years or so ago. I'm guessing that Kyle was about 7 or 8 and he's the one who paid for it.
It was my birthday and Cindy thought I'd like it if the kids...Tyson, Kyle, and Aeron...took me out for lunch and chose a gift for me from them. She was right because I was very touched by how much they wanted to please me. I don't remember why we chose this particular restaurant because I'd never been there before but it also featured a large gift shop.
We had a nice lunch which Kyle paid for. He was the one with the money because he was the only child with a wallet. It was so sweet to see him make lunch suggestions, worry in his mind that he hoped he had enough money to pay for it. No fear. The lunch was lovely and then we all walked around the gift shop. This time it was me who had to be careful what I chose because I didn't know how much money he had in his little wallet.
Kyle, the man with the wallet, seemed to take charge and gently pointed out different items he thought I might like. I remember him saying gently and hopefully in his sweet little boy voice, "Do you like this, Gramma?", as he picked up items for me to consider. My heart still melts when I think of that day and that moment. In the back of my memories are Tyson and Aeron who also made suggestions but it is Kyle I remember most.
I don't know which one of us spotted this mug, but Kyle knew I drank coffee every morning and this mug was so pretty. I checked the price and made sure it wasn't outrageous before making my decision. Yes, this mug would make a wonderful birthday present, one I'd use for years and bring back happy memories.
We took the mug to the cashier and Kyle dug once more into his now lighter wallet. He was so serious and so small, but so proud of himself.
I hope I have the mug as long as I live because who could ask for better memories?
New Apartment Buildings
I began to think about this yesterday as I drove past so many large apartment buildings in my city. It seems that not many, if any, have been built in the last 40 years and many of those are being turned into condo apartments. It got me wondering where we'll find rentals in the future.
Condo apartments here cost anywhere from $100,000 and up...it's rare to find anything under $200,000...so where will people who can't finance a mortgage be able to live? I've noticed that some apartment buildings have been filled with welfare recipients which leaves the low income working families out in the cold.
Turning older apartment buildings into condos where people purchase the apartment and also pay a monthly service fee is something fairly new here. It's probably a boon to the building owner who has been having trouble making a profit due to rent increase controls. They can sell each unit for a good profit and then manage the building, collecting the monthly service fees which I'm not sure are government regulated.
Last year I looked at one such building which was in the process of being turned into condos. It was built in 1978 and was horribly run down on the inside. The few tenants I saw still living there looked like low life so it wasn't a welcoming sight. Each apartment was being gutted and beautifully renovated after it was sold but the entry and first floor hallway that met potential buyers was decrepit. It was very apparent that the owners weren't receiving enough rent from the tenants to clean the place up.
There were approximately 24 units in the building, all selling for approximately $110,000 (a bargain) so that would mean over 2 million dollars to the owner plus the ability to continue receiving $7,200+ per month in service fees. Any overage costs would just mean increasing those fees. No wonder apartment building owners are going this route!
I admire people who struggle with low paying jobs rather than sit back and accept welfare and it just isn't fair that it's becoming increasing difficult for these people to afford to live. Taking away the availability of apartment rentals will surely cause many of them to give up and just take the dole.
Low income seniors have it a bit better. Even though the waiting list is long, there are senior apartments reserved for them alone. My husband's aunt lives in one and they are quite nice.
I don't know what the answer is other than the government building more geared to income apartments specifically for people who have jobs. I can hear the left wingers screaming "discrimination" but people who work for a living have to be given some rights, don't they?
Just a thought.
Condo apartments here cost anywhere from $100,000 and up...it's rare to find anything under $200,000...so where will people who can't finance a mortgage be able to live? I've noticed that some apartment buildings have been filled with welfare recipients which leaves the low income working families out in the cold.
Turning older apartment buildings into condos where people purchase the apartment and also pay a monthly service fee is something fairly new here. It's probably a boon to the building owner who has been having trouble making a profit due to rent increase controls. They can sell each unit for a good profit and then manage the building, collecting the monthly service fees which I'm not sure are government regulated.
Last year I looked at one such building which was in the process of being turned into condos. It was built in 1978 and was horribly run down on the inside. The few tenants I saw still living there looked like low life so it wasn't a welcoming sight. Each apartment was being gutted and beautifully renovated after it was sold but the entry and first floor hallway that met potential buyers was decrepit. It was very apparent that the owners weren't receiving enough rent from the tenants to clean the place up.
There were approximately 24 units in the building, all selling for approximately $110,000 (a bargain) so that would mean over 2 million dollars to the owner plus the ability to continue receiving $7,200+ per month in service fees. Any overage costs would just mean increasing those fees. No wonder apartment building owners are going this route!
I admire people who struggle with low paying jobs rather than sit back and accept welfare and it just isn't fair that it's becoming increasing difficult for these people to afford to live. Taking away the availability of apartment rentals will surely cause many of them to give up and just take the dole.
Low income seniors have it a bit better. Even though the waiting list is long, there are senior apartments reserved for them alone. My husband's aunt lives in one and they are quite nice.
I don't know what the answer is other than the government building more geared to income apartments specifically for people who have jobs. I can hear the left wingers screaming "discrimination" but people who work for a living have to be given some rights, don't they?
Just a thought.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Cut Too Short
I've been using my friend's hairdresser lately and, although she's a genius at cutting hair, she cuts it way too short. I made a big mistake the first time I went to her last year and told her to do whatever she wanted with my hair. Big, giant mistake! She cut it in June and I went without another haircut until October so it could grow into an acceptable (to me) length.
My beef with most hairdressers is that they fail to listen to their customers. I actually had one tell me many years ago not to tell her how to cut my hair. Is it an ego thing or do they really think we don't know what we want?
My hairdresser in Florida does listen to me and does pretty well what I ask of her but she isn't the artist my Canadian hairdresser is. I'm quite willing to settle for less artistry, though, as long as they do what I want.
This last time I found a picture in a magazine to show her, described exactly what length I wanted, and even had my friend there for her to copy. She ended up scalping me again and even cut Mary's hair too short. Granted, the haircut is good but I won't be able to have it cut again for months. Mary said that at least I save money on haircuts!
Last year she angled my bangs like Kate Goslin and it took me the rest of the year to grow them in. They were almost non-existant on one side. This year, after all the explanations before she began to cut, she asked if it was okay to leave one side a tad longer. I looked in the mirror, thought the bang cut was already complete and said yes. SNIP! She clipped one side even shorter!
This hairdresser reminds me of Edward Scissorhands when she's cutting because she does it so quickly and thoroughly, shaping as she goes. She really is an artist but I don't think I can go to her again. Short, short hair is just not for me and it's obvious she doesn't listen carefully to her customer's requests.
I'll be looking for a new hairdresser some time in August!
My beef with most hairdressers is that they fail to listen to their customers. I actually had one tell me many years ago not to tell her how to cut my hair. Is it an ego thing or do they really think we don't know what we want?
My hairdresser in Florida does listen to me and does pretty well what I ask of her but she isn't the artist my Canadian hairdresser is. I'm quite willing to settle for less artistry, though, as long as they do what I want.
This last time I found a picture in a magazine to show her, described exactly what length I wanted, and even had my friend there for her to copy. She ended up scalping me again and even cut Mary's hair too short. Granted, the haircut is good but I won't be able to have it cut again for months. Mary said that at least I save money on haircuts!
Last year she angled my bangs like Kate Goslin and it took me the rest of the year to grow them in. They were almost non-existant on one side. This year, after all the explanations before she began to cut, she asked if it was okay to leave one side a tad longer. I looked in the mirror, thought the bang cut was already complete and said yes. SNIP! She clipped one side even shorter!
This hairdresser reminds me of Edward Scissorhands when she's cutting because she does it so quickly and thoroughly, shaping as she goes. She really is an artist but I don't think I can go to her again. Short, short hair is just not for me and it's obvious she doesn't listen carefully to her customer's requests.
I'll be looking for a new hairdresser some time in August!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Day To Relax
When I choose a day for relaxation I don't really just relax and do nothing. Today was my day and I spent it doing the things I love. I lazed around until about 8:30 and then hopped in the car and went to the bank, then on to the grocery store, and on to the nursery. I'd made up my mind to use more marigolds this year because that sunny burst of yellow in the garden is so pretty. I bought a flat of yellow marigolds, salmon impatiens, white impatiens, and pink begonias and also 2 sweet potato vines.
I like to line the flower beds at the side and back of the yard with the same flowers so my choice this year was the marigolds and the salmon impatiens. There are so many perennials such as hostas, coral bells, and a few mums in those gardens that I'm needing fewer and fewer annuals.
I planted the others in various pots around the yard but I still need quite a few more plants. I like to get them in dribs and drabs so that I have a chance to think about what I want. This year I'd also like to try something new, too, so I'll have a look at Donna's garden and see what she's doing.
After all was planted and watered, I settled myself on the deck with my head in the shade and my lily white legs in the sun and read a terrific book by Patricia Cornwell that I've never read before. It was written in 1992 so I don't know how I missed it...I love her novels!
The afternoon was interspersed with reading a few chapters and then moving the sprinkler to a new location. My neighbors had a play day for their children and the air was filled with sweet childish laughter. I sat smiling and giving my daily, silent thanks to Dennis for this moment.
Every once in a while I thought of work I could be doing but firmly resisted the temptation. Today was to be a day of rest and that was all it was going to be. We need days like this once in a while in order to appreciate the work that led up to it. Today I'm appreciating!
I like to line the flower beds at the side and back of the yard with the same flowers so my choice this year was the marigolds and the salmon impatiens. There are so many perennials such as hostas, coral bells, and a few mums in those gardens that I'm needing fewer and fewer annuals.
I planted the others in various pots around the yard but I still need quite a few more plants. I like to get them in dribs and drabs so that I have a chance to think about what I want. This year I'd also like to try something new, too, so I'll have a look at Donna's garden and see what she's doing.
After all was planted and watered, I settled myself on the deck with my head in the shade and my lily white legs in the sun and read a terrific book by Patricia Cornwell that I've never read before. It was written in 1992 so I don't know how I missed it...I love her novels!
The afternoon was interspersed with reading a few chapters and then moving the sprinkler to a new location. My neighbors had a play day for their children and the air was filled with sweet childish laughter. I sat smiling and giving my daily, silent thanks to Dennis for this moment.
Every once in a while I thought of work I could be doing but firmly resisted the temptation. Today was to be a day of rest and that was all it was going to be. We need days like this once in a while in order to appreciate the work that led up to it. Today I'm appreciating!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Work..Nap
The older I get, the longer it takes me to get my yard in shape in the spring. It seems like I work about half a day and then nap an hour or two.
Today I cut the lawn and trimmed back all the overgrown bushes. This took me 2 1/2 hours of hard work but then I had an hour's nap before feeling human again. I remember when I used to work in the yard all day, moan all evening about my sore muscles, and then wake up the next day ready to go again. Now I'm only good for half a day, need a nap, and the sore muscles still hang around for a week.
Old age definitely feels different from youth. I consider myself more than fortunate that I have very little chronic pain...almost no arthritis but I do have that unstable knee. I tire more easily than I used to and it's not just a weariness but a deep down exhaustion if I push myself too far.
Monday I filled 13 large planters with soil (from the front of the house) and carried them to the backyard. They were very heavy and I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish the job but I did. The one thing that kept me going is that this will be the last time these particular planters need new soil. The next time it will be done by the people who buy my house in a few years. This job required a 2 hour nap.
It's hard work keeping up a house and that's why most seniors opt to sell out and move into apartments. If my husband had lived, he would have absolutely hated living in an apartment but I'm not concerned about how I'll do in the least. I have lots of hobbies and a car to take me wherever I choose to go. The only stipulation I have for moving into an apartment is that it have a nice sized balcony where I can have a few flower planters. Oh yes, and also my own washer and dryer.
I know that life would be simpler for me if I sold and moved on but I'm mainly comfortable here. My neighbors are all great and the neighborhood is relatively safe and close to all conveniences. I sort of believe that the longer I stay in my house the better off I'll be financially, too.
Today my yard looks great, my nap is done but I'm still a little sore, there's home made ham soup simmering in the crock pot, and I get to see my precious greatgrandson tonight. Life is good!
Today I cut the lawn and trimmed back all the overgrown bushes. This took me 2 1/2 hours of hard work but then I had an hour's nap before feeling human again. I remember when I used to work in the yard all day, moan all evening about my sore muscles, and then wake up the next day ready to go again. Now I'm only good for half a day, need a nap, and the sore muscles still hang around for a week.
Old age definitely feels different from youth. I consider myself more than fortunate that I have very little chronic pain...almost no arthritis but I do have that unstable knee. I tire more easily than I used to and it's not just a weariness but a deep down exhaustion if I push myself too far.
Monday I filled 13 large planters with soil (from the front of the house) and carried them to the backyard. They were very heavy and I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish the job but I did. The one thing that kept me going is that this will be the last time these particular planters need new soil. The next time it will be done by the people who buy my house in a few years. This job required a 2 hour nap.
It's hard work keeping up a house and that's why most seniors opt to sell out and move into apartments. If my husband had lived, he would have absolutely hated living in an apartment but I'm not concerned about how I'll do in the least. I have lots of hobbies and a car to take me wherever I choose to go. The only stipulation I have for moving into an apartment is that it have a nice sized balcony where I can have a few flower planters. Oh yes, and also my own washer and dryer.
I know that life would be simpler for me if I sold and moved on but I'm mainly comfortable here. My neighbors are all great and the neighborhood is relatively safe and close to all conveniences. I sort of believe that the longer I stay in my house the better off I'll be financially, too.
Today my yard looks great, my nap is done but I'm still a little sore, there's home made ham soup simmering in the crock pot, and I get to see my precious greatgrandson tonight. Life is good!
Gifted
This is my latest Swedish weaving afghan, not quite finished but shaping up beautifully. It's for my daughter's in-laws and I know how much they'll appreciate the work and love put into it.Carmen and Juan are spiritual people so that's why I chose the red and gold yarns. I believe they represent power. At one time, Carmen had their kitchen ceiling painted red so I know she identifies with that color.
All of the afghans I make are gifted to the people I love and I most definitely love Carmen and Juan. I've felt from the very beginning of her marriage that Shelley was one lucky lady to have these two people for in-laws. They have the same strong family values that we do and they accepted us into their family unit with open arms.
Carmen is especially precious. She is the most welcoming lady I've ever met, one who takes you in without question and tends to offer everyone the key to her home. I know that every time I see them I'm met with honest smiles and hugs.
I'm always harping on the joys of a close family but the importance of family, both blood and extended, can't be overstated. Shelley's in-laws are Cubans where family is maybe more important in their culture than in ours and I am so happy about that. It warms your heart to know you have more and more extended family in your life. And having a loving relationship with that extended family is worth more than gold.
Every stitch I've put into this afghan has been done with love for these people and I know they'll feel that when I hand them their gift.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sad Time
My grandson's wife lost their baby yesterday about 2 months into the pregnancy and it's chilled me to the bone. I'd already envisioned this little person as arriving into the family some time in December, welcomed as all babies are.
I feel the loss very deeply and that surprises me. Until the loss of this little one, I sort of thought of such early miscarriages as nothing much to be concerned about. But this little one was going to be ours. In my mind this was a complete little person just simmering in the womb. I can't seem to get my mind around the fact that the baby is gone.
My grandson and his wife are churchgoers with a strong faith and I know that will help them get through this but I'm an agnostic who has only more questions which will go unanswered. Why does a tiny life begin only to be cut short before birth? And where does that precious little soul go?
There is a loneliness associated with having no religion to lean on. Religious people can rest knowing that their god is taking care of things but an agnostic like me doesn't enjoy that comfort. I can only worry and wonder where the baby has gone.
Life will go on from here but there are some of us who will never forget the loss of this little baby.
I feel the loss very deeply and that surprises me. Until the loss of this little one, I sort of thought of such early miscarriages as nothing much to be concerned about. But this little one was going to be ours. In my mind this was a complete little person just simmering in the womb. I can't seem to get my mind around the fact that the baby is gone.
My grandson and his wife are churchgoers with a strong faith and I know that will help them get through this but I'm an agnostic who has only more questions which will go unanswered. Why does a tiny life begin only to be cut short before birth? And where does that precious little soul go?
There is a loneliness associated with having no religion to lean on. Religious people can rest knowing that their god is taking care of things but an agnostic like me doesn't enjoy that comfort. I can only worry and wonder where the baby has gone.
Life will go on from here but there are some of us who will never forget the loss of this little baby.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Uneasy
When there is dissension in the family, it causes uneasiness for everyone because we know that everyone is hurting to some degree. When we know that nothing is ever going to clear up the problem completely, it also makes us very sad.
I'm sad today because I know that this is just the start of what we'll have to face in the future and it is such a terrible shame. To me, a family should consist of a group of people who love and respect each other. There also has to be some give and take because lashing out in unprovoked anger will only cause everlasting hard feelings.
Today we should have been having a fun family dinner at my daughter's house but it won't be happening. We won't get to play with the baby and glory in watching what he's learned to do in just one short week. We won't get to give kisses and hugs to many of the people we love more than life. It's almost as though there's been a death in the family.
It makes me sad but it also makes me angry to think how someone could be petty enough to throw all of this away.
I'm sad today because I know that this is just the start of what we'll have to face in the future and it is such a terrible shame. To me, a family should consist of a group of people who love and respect each other. There also has to be some give and take because lashing out in unprovoked anger will only cause everlasting hard feelings.
Today we should have been having a fun family dinner at my daughter's house but it won't be happening. We won't get to play with the baby and glory in watching what he's learned to do in just one short week. We won't get to give kisses and hugs to many of the people we love more than life. It's almost as though there's been a death in the family.
It makes me sad but it also makes me angry to think how someone could be petty enough to throw all of this away.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Today's the Day
It's been so darned cold, windy, and rainy lately that I haven't had a chance to weed my garden in preparation for spring planting but today's the day! The sun is shining, the wind is mild, and it should reach about 60 degrees today...not hot but probably nice for working outside.
I usually spend half a day just pulling out every single weed from the flower beds by hand. I used to get down on my knees to do it but that's impossible these days so now I sit on the ground or just bend over. It's hard on the back and may take 2 days instead of 1 but that's not bad.
Once cleaned out, the flower beds are easy to keep clean by pulling a few weeds every day or so. It gets easier as the bedding plants fill in and crowd out the offending weeds. I still haven't decided which annuals I'll use this year but will probably make my decision over a glass of gin and tonic as I sit back and contemplate my nice weed free gardens in a day or so. I'll make a list, figuring out approximately how many of this and how many of that I'll need. If I buy too many, the excess can be bunched together in hanging baskets. If I buy too little, it gives me an opportunity to visit the nurseries once more. It's a win-win situation.
I found out yesterday that my garden Mums should be pruned right back before the end of May. I only have a few and they're getting tall and straggly so they'll get chopped down while I'm weeding. Lately, I've become interested in different varieties of Hostas to add to the garden because they're beautiful and require almost no care.
"Beautiful and requiring little care" is my motto for my gardens.
I usually spend half a day just pulling out every single weed from the flower beds by hand. I used to get down on my knees to do it but that's impossible these days so now I sit on the ground or just bend over. It's hard on the back and may take 2 days instead of 1 but that's not bad.
Once cleaned out, the flower beds are easy to keep clean by pulling a few weeds every day or so. It gets easier as the bedding plants fill in and crowd out the offending weeds. I still haven't decided which annuals I'll use this year but will probably make my decision over a glass of gin and tonic as I sit back and contemplate my nice weed free gardens in a day or so. I'll make a list, figuring out approximately how many of this and how many of that I'll need. If I buy too many, the excess can be bunched together in hanging baskets. If I buy too little, it gives me an opportunity to visit the nurseries once more. It's a win-win situation.
I found out yesterday that my garden Mums should be pruned right back before the end of May. I only have a few and they're getting tall and straggly so they'll get chopped down while I'm weeding. Lately, I've become interested in different varieties of Hostas to add to the garden because they're beautiful and require almost no care.
"Beautiful and requiring little care" is my motto for my gardens.
What To Do When You're Fed Up
I really am fed up with what's going on in my family. It infuriates me to think that someone can wreak havoc within the family ranks and there's no way to calm the waters. There just will never be any solution to the problems within because we're all stuck with each other.
One damn word, one person taking offense where none was intended and the whole family unit starts to fall apart. Some family members hurting beyond belief while others stand by in awe wondering how it all happened.
We'll all be different from now on because too many feelings have been hurt and too many people are as fed up as I am. In my heart I know that this won't end here and that we're all in for many more years of problems but there's no way out. We're a family that sticks together through thick and thin and we'll survive.
One damn word, one person taking offense where none was intended and the whole family unit starts to fall apart. Some family members hurting beyond belief while others stand by in awe wondering how it all happened.
We'll all be different from now on because too many feelings have been hurt and too many people are as fed up as I am. In my heart I know that this won't end here and that we're all in for many more years of problems but there's no way out. We're a family that sticks together through thick and thin and we'll survive.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Disruption In The Family
Want to see how easy it is to cause an uproar among family members?
It all played out on Facebook, believe it or not, and a whole darned family became involved in a stupid collision of opinions and angry words flew.
One family member posted about an incident that happened to her baby but her wording "might" have been wrong. Her brother-in-law and great aunt-in-law politely corrected her. She apparently was insulted by being corrected and sent them messages to mind their own business. This is not a good way to talk to your in-laws and is most assuredly a way to alienate them.
Of course, there is now a certain level of discomfort in the family because we feel we have been insulted but this is not anything we can't get past. Is it left alone or does this stupid incident become even more ridiculous? Guess!
Next the lady corrected decides to stay off Facebook for a while and deletes some of her in-laws. The in-laws become further insulted, thinking it's just them that she's deleted. No problem, they delete her, too, but are left wondering what the heck they'd done to anger this lady so much.
Now the lady's husband, whom we all love dearly, feels he's caught in the middle of a family spat and he's terribly hurt. E-mails and phone calls fly off in all directions trying to figure out what the heck is happening. This stupid, stupid incident has turned into a major event that could disrupt the whole darned family.
My take on this is that the incident was minor and not worthy of causing trouble in any family. There was definitely a lack of tact that caused the problem in the first place but how could such a silly incident grow so out of proportion to it's beginnings?
I'm worried that we might face more problems in the future if we all have to walk on eggshells for fear of being misunderstood. We're all human and sometimes we open our mouths before we think. I don't know how this will end but I'm hoping this isn't the start of a total family split. I'm just amazed at how quickly a few words caused such havoc.
It all played out on Facebook, believe it or not, and a whole darned family became involved in a stupid collision of opinions and angry words flew.
One family member posted about an incident that happened to her baby but her wording "might" have been wrong. Her brother-in-law and great aunt-in-law politely corrected her. She apparently was insulted by being corrected and sent them messages to mind their own business. This is not a good way to talk to your in-laws and is most assuredly a way to alienate them.
Of course, there is now a certain level of discomfort in the family because we feel we have been insulted but this is not anything we can't get past. Is it left alone or does this stupid incident become even more ridiculous? Guess!
Next the lady corrected decides to stay off Facebook for a while and deletes some of her in-laws. The in-laws become further insulted, thinking it's just them that she's deleted. No problem, they delete her, too, but are left wondering what the heck they'd done to anger this lady so much.
Now the lady's husband, whom we all love dearly, feels he's caught in the middle of a family spat and he's terribly hurt. E-mails and phone calls fly off in all directions trying to figure out what the heck is happening. This stupid, stupid incident has turned into a major event that could disrupt the whole darned family.
My take on this is that the incident was minor and not worthy of causing trouble in any family. There was definitely a lack of tact that caused the problem in the first place but how could such a silly incident grow so out of proportion to it's beginnings?
I'm worried that we might face more problems in the future if we all have to walk on eggshells for fear of being misunderstood. We're all human and sometimes we open our mouths before we think. I don't know how this will end but I'm hoping this isn't the start of a total family split. I'm just amazed at how quickly a few words caused such havoc.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sleep Deprived No More
It is amazing how wonderful we feel after a nice, uninterrupted, night's sleep. I've struggled with sleep deprivation for most of my life from my 20's and on except for the 16 years I took the drug, Imipramine. It was prescribed for depression but one of it's benefits was that it relaxed me enough to allow me to sleep through the night.
I haven't needed the drug for 10 years except for the year my husband was sick but also haven't had too many sleepless nights, either. They do happen occasionally and cause me a lot of discomfort when they occur in clusters but, for the main part, I manage at least 4 hours sleep at a time. For the last ten years the 4 hours was all I had before my irritated bladder would wake me from the deepest sleep and I'd have to trudge to the bathroom.
When I was 55, I had a bladder repair because of embarrassing "emergencies" where I had to find a bathroom quickly and suddenly. This helped for a while but the benefits have gradually decreased. This is why I approached my family doctor and asked if I could begin taking Imipramine again for this darned problem. All of the medications you see advertised for irritated bladder are simply sedatives like Imipramine and I chose that particular drug because I knew I tolerated it well.
My doctor agreed and gave me a prescription for 25 mg doses of Imipramine but offered to increase it if necessary. Well, let me tell you, that little pill has made my life so much better in so many ways. The "urgencies" are pretty well gone and a side benefit of the drug has meant that I'm sleeping a solid 6-7 hours every night. I feel so rested that I'm almost euphoric!
I'm not a drug taking person and don't believe in medicating every little ailment. But sometimes we have to give in and accept help in whatever form it takes. I tend to put up with discomforts until they resolve themselves but this darned irritated bladder was just getting worse.
I'm assuming I'll have to take Imipramine forever now but that's not a bad trade-off for correcting an embarrassing problem and also ending sleepless nights.
I haven't needed the drug for 10 years except for the year my husband was sick but also haven't had too many sleepless nights, either. They do happen occasionally and cause me a lot of discomfort when they occur in clusters but, for the main part, I manage at least 4 hours sleep at a time. For the last ten years the 4 hours was all I had before my irritated bladder would wake me from the deepest sleep and I'd have to trudge to the bathroom.
When I was 55, I had a bladder repair because of embarrassing "emergencies" where I had to find a bathroom quickly and suddenly. This helped for a while but the benefits have gradually decreased. This is why I approached my family doctor and asked if I could begin taking Imipramine again for this darned problem. All of the medications you see advertised for irritated bladder are simply sedatives like Imipramine and I chose that particular drug because I knew I tolerated it well.
My doctor agreed and gave me a prescription for 25 mg doses of Imipramine but offered to increase it if necessary. Well, let me tell you, that little pill has made my life so much better in so many ways. The "urgencies" are pretty well gone and a side benefit of the drug has meant that I'm sleeping a solid 6-7 hours every night. I feel so rested that I'm almost euphoric!
I'm not a drug taking person and don't believe in medicating every little ailment. But sometimes we have to give in and accept help in whatever form it takes. I tend to put up with discomforts until they resolve themselves but this darned irritated bladder was just getting worse.
I'm assuming I'll have to take Imipramine forever now but that's not a bad trade-off for correcting an embarrassing problem and also ending sleepless nights.
Monday, May 10, 2010
All Kinds of Mothers
I'm not sure what my daughters thought of me as a mother and I'm not brave enough to ask but I do think I was better than my own mother.
My mother had me when she was 22 years old. She was unmarried and had a sort of checkered background up to that point. I remember my grandmother saying that the Children's Aid made an attempt to take me from her but my grandmother managed to convince them she would be responsible for me.
My Mom didn't really have much of a life for a young woman. She worked and then came home only to do housework. My Grandmother and Grandfather took care of me while she worked and my mother had very little to do with raising me. I felt she was more disinterested than mean spirited, probably feeling she'd lost out on a lot of the good things in life.
When I was about 7 years old, my mother married and moved just down the street while I stayed with my grandparents. Being a willful child, there were times I ran away from home and tried to convince her to let me live with her but she refused, and that was the best thing she could have done because her husband was dangerous. She left him when she was pregnant with their 3rd child and moved back in with my grandparents and me. I never really got to know the first 2 children, boys, but welcomed my baby sister with open arms. The boys were put into foster care and then adopted...we've never been able to find them to this day.
Mom worked hard and was never abusive to me but we never connected as mother and daughter. My mother figure was my grandmother who I called, "Nan" (short for Nanna). All through the years my mother lived with me until I married and moved out at 17, there were many times she embarrassed and dismayed me with her actions. My vow to myself was that I'd never, ever be like her and I haven't. I made my own, unique mistakes.
My mother wasn't a bad person, just a sort of self-centered individual who made some terrible choices in her life. I wish we could have had a mother/daughter relationship but we lost our chance. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful mother-in-law who selflessly gave me the opportunity to experience that kind of relationship, though, so I know how it should work.
My mother passed away in 1982 and I miss her. Good mother or not, she was my mother.
My mother had me when she was 22 years old. She was unmarried and had a sort of checkered background up to that point. I remember my grandmother saying that the Children's Aid made an attempt to take me from her but my grandmother managed to convince them she would be responsible for me.
My Mom didn't really have much of a life for a young woman. She worked and then came home only to do housework. My Grandmother and Grandfather took care of me while she worked and my mother had very little to do with raising me. I felt she was more disinterested than mean spirited, probably feeling she'd lost out on a lot of the good things in life.
When I was about 7 years old, my mother married and moved just down the street while I stayed with my grandparents. Being a willful child, there were times I ran away from home and tried to convince her to let me live with her but she refused, and that was the best thing she could have done because her husband was dangerous. She left him when she was pregnant with their 3rd child and moved back in with my grandparents and me. I never really got to know the first 2 children, boys, but welcomed my baby sister with open arms. The boys were put into foster care and then adopted...we've never been able to find them to this day.
Mom worked hard and was never abusive to me but we never connected as mother and daughter. My mother figure was my grandmother who I called, "Nan" (short for Nanna). All through the years my mother lived with me until I married and moved out at 17, there were many times she embarrassed and dismayed me with her actions. My vow to myself was that I'd never, ever be like her and I haven't. I made my own, unique mistakes.
My mother wasn't a bad person, just a sort of self-centered individual who made some terrible choices in her life. I wish we could have had a mother/daughter relationship but we lost our chance. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful mother-in-law who selflessly gave me the opportunity to experience that kind of relationship, though, so I know how it should work.
My mother passed away in 1982 and I miss her. Good mother or not, she was my mother.
Update on Nolan
It was a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. Matt and Aeron prepared our dinner...salad, bacon wrapped asparagus spears, garlic rice, barbecued salmon...and it could have been presented at any high class restaurant. They are darned good cooks! I've never tasted better salmon in my life.
Baby Nolan was there with his Mommy and Daddy and looking as happy and healthy as ever. We were all so thrilled to see him after the scare he gave us and it helped ease our minds to see he'd mastered a few new tricks. He's developed a funny crawl that sort of resembles the way a caterpiller moves but it's very effective. He's also started pulling himself up to a standing position which requires a lot of strength.
We watched some old home movies showing my grandchildren when they were little and it was sweet to see Nolan's Daddy, Nick, giving us a good idea how Nolan will look in a few years. Watching those old movies, I could remember how those precious children felt in my arms all those years ago. How lucky I was to be able to be part of their childhood.
Soon it was time to go home before it got dark. I hated to leave but I have night blindness and really shouldn't drive in the dark. It was a wonderful Mother's Day spent with many of the people that I treasure more than life. And it was balm to my heart to see baby Nolan well and active.
Baby Nolan was there with his Mommy and Daddy and looking as happy and healthy as ever. We were all so thrilled to see him after the scare he gave us and it helped ease our minds to see he'd mastered a few new tricks. He's developed a funny crawl that sort of resembles the way a caterpiller moves but it's very effective. He's also started pulling himself up to a standing position which requires a lot of strength.
We watched some old home movies showing my grandchildren when they were little and it was sweet to see Nolan's Daddy, Nick, giving us a good idea how Nolan will look in a few years. Watching those old movies, I could remember how those precious children felt in my arms all those years ago. How lucky I was to be able to be part of their childhood.
Soon it was time to go home before it got dark. I hated to leave but I have night blindness and really shouldn't drive in the dark. It was a wonderful Mother's Day spent with many of the people that I treasure more than life. And it was balm to my heart to see baby Nolan well and active.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Update on Centipedes
Since having the house sprayed, I've seen one live centipede and one dead one. I'm hoping and praying that the rest all dropped dead inside the walls of the house and I'll never see them again.
My guarantee with the spraying is that, after a 3 week period, I shouldn't see any centipedes for 6 months. By then I'll be in Florida so, if the spraying is as effective as promised, I'll have it done again when I get home in April. I'm wondering why it took me so long to take this step, darn it.
My guarantee with the spraying is that, after a 3 week period, I shouldn't see any centipedes for 6 months. By then I'll be in Florida so, if the spraying is as effective as promised, I'll have it done again when I get home in April. I'm wondering why it took me so long to take this step, darn it.
Things I'm Worrying About Today
Remember our childhood when the only thing we worried about when we hopped out of bed in the morning was how soon we could get outside to play? Adulthood doesn't work the same way. It seems the more mature you become, the more worries lay upon your shoulders.
My greatgrandson, Nolan, who is almost 10 months old had a febrile seizure yesterday and it's turned our lives upside down. There will always be a tiny fear in our hearts that it will happen again and there's no escaping that fear. It goes right along with the deep and enduring love we have for that little baby. With any kind of luck that seizure will be an aberration in his journey through life that will never occur again.
That's my top worry of the day but there are lots more. I'm worried about a possible root canal, possible surgery on my knee, my children's future, my grandchildren's future, and a host of smaller things.
You can see that my worries are all about what "might" occur and not what is occurring at the moment. My daughter prefaced her phone call to me yesterday with a host of, "Everything is all right and everyone is all right and there's nothing to worry about", before telling me what happened to Nolan. She knows me well and if she had started out the conversation with, "Nolan had a seizure", my heart would have stopped.
Kim told me to read about these febrile seizures on the internet and I did just that. They are fairly common but there is a chance that others will follow if he's feverish and that's why we'll never be able to completely relax our guard over Nolan. Maybe in 5 years or so from now we'll have put the worry far to the back of our minds.
It's clear that the only thing really worth worrying about is your family and the people you love. Anything else drops to the bottom of the list. Nolan is such a beautiful, happy baby with a huge family who loves him dearly but even without the seizure we'd all still have little worries in our minds about his welfare. He's important to us and we want only the best for him.
Certainly I'm worried, but I'm also hopeful that he will be just fine. We'll be watching out for him!
My greatgrandson, Nolan, who is almost 10 months old had a febrile seizure yesterday and it's turned our lives upside down. There will always be a tiny fear in our hearts that it will happen again and there's no escaping that fear. It goes right along with the deep and enduring love we have for that little baby. With any kind of luck that seizure will be an aberration in his journey through life that will never occur again.
That's my top worry of the day but there are lots more. I'm worried about a possible root canal, possible surgery on my knee, my children's future, my grandchildren's future, and a host of smaller things.
You can see that my worries are all about what "might" occur and not what is occurring at the moment. My daughter prefaced her phone call to me yesterday with a host of, "Everything is all right and everyone is all right and there's nothing to worry about", before telling me what happened to Nolan. She knows me well and if she had started out the conversation with, "Nolan had a seizure", my heart would have stopped.
Kim told me to read about these febrile seizures on the internet and I did just that. They are fairly common but there is a chance that others will follow if he's feverish and that's why we'll never be able to completely relax our guard over Nolan. Maybe in 5 years or so from now we'll have put the worry far to the back of our minds.
It's clear that the only thing really worth worrying about is your family and the people you love. Anything else drops to the bottom of the list. Nolan is such a beautiful, happy baby with a huge family who loves him dearly but even without the seizure we'd all still have little worries in our minds about his welfare. He's important to us and we want only the best for him.
Certainly I'm worried, but I'm also hopeful that he will be just fine. We'll be watching out for him!
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Biggest Scare
Our baby, Nolan, had a mild seizure today and it's scared the life out of the whole family. His tiny little body was laid out on the ambulance stretcher and he was taken to the hospital where doctors did their best to calm his parents. Nolan had a slight temperature which apparently caused the seizure and the doctors assured his terrified Mommy and Daddy that this is relatively common and not something to necessarily worry about.
You can bet your life they are worried. Nolan will be watched like a hawk for a long time to come and this episode will always be remembered by his family as a chilling time in our lives. There can be no deeper terror than having your child seriously sick or hurt.
With luck, our baby will never have another seizure. We'd prefer he would never be sick or hurt in his whole life but, right now, we're just hoping for no more seizures.
You can bet your life they are worried. Nolan will be watched like a hawk for a long time to come and this episode will always be remembered by his family as a chilling time in our lives. There can be no deeper terror than having your child seriously sick or hurt.
With luck, our baby will never have another seizure. We'd prefer he would never be sick or hurt in his whole life but, right now, we're just hoping for no more seizures.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Letting Go
I read an interesting article in the newspaper this morning about a widow who couldn't bring herself to dispose of her husband's clothes. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to understand why this is so difficult. His clothes were his earthly covering and, even cleaned, would carry traces of him, pictures in her mind of him wearing them.
My husband passed away almost 5 years ago and there was only one thing I couldn't bring myself to discard and that was a pair of boat shoes. I asked myself why a million times and found that just approaching the idea made my mind veer away in discomfort. It still does.
The shoes eventually did go but remembering them has a strong effect on me to this day. Of all his possessions, why would these shoes bother me so much, I wonder?
I remember packing up a massive pile of clothes to send to my grandson's church and trying not to identify them with my husband. Many of his clothes still had the tags on them because it was always me who decided he needed something new even though he preferred his old and worn out things. I guess many wives are like that...and many husbands.
The boat shoes were something he had chosen, though. They were purchased because they wouldn't mark up his sailboat but he wore them most days. I remember how he hated wearing new running shoes and would dirty them on purpose to make them look less brand new, but not so with those boat shoes. He'd replace them once they started looking shabby.
It was a sad day for me when I finally said goodbye to those darned shoes but seeing them in the closet was always a wrenching feeling and I wanted that to end. The day had come when it was time to let go.
My husband passed away almost 5 years ago and there was only one thing I couldn't bring myself to discard and that was a pair of boat shoes. I asked myself why a million times and found that just approaching the idea made my mind veer away in discomfort. It still does.
The shoes eventually did go but remembering them has a strong effect on me to this day. Of all his possessions, why would these shoes bother me so much, I wonder?
I remember packing up a massive pile of clothes to send to my grandson's church and trying not to identify them with my husband. Many of his clothes still had the tags on them because it was always me who decided he needed something new even though he preferred his old and worn out things. I guess many wives are like that...and many husbands.
The boat shoes were something he had chosen, though. They were purchased because they wouldn't mark up his sailboat but he wore them most days. I remember how he hated wearing new running shoes and would dirty them on purpose to make them look less brand new, but not so with those boat shoes. He'd replace them once they started looking shabby.
It was a sad day for me when I finally said goodbye to those darned shoes but seeing them in the closet was always a wrenching feeling and I wanted that to end. The day had come when it was time to let go.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Accomplished, But By Others
As I sit here typing away on my blog, I can accutely hear the sound of a drill driving its way through my basement wall. The people who moved my air conditioner last fall so the basement waterproofing could be done have returned to put it back in place. Except the ground there is still too soft so they've decided it's best to reinstall it in a slightly different spot which requires a new hole in the wall.
It's true that I've accomplished miracles in the 2 1/2 weeks that I've been home but, to be honest, it's mainly hired help who have done most of the work. I couldn't live without my handyman anymore. He's sort of taken over the chores my husband used to do and most of which I'm not capable of doing (or just don't want to do).
I'm not complaining or boasting but I am getting things done around here in one way or another and, for once, feel as though I'm on top of the situation. Since my husband passed away I've been flying by the seat of my pants, trying to stay ahead of the things that needed done but also dealing with the unexpected. It's not easy being the only one in the house to take charge. For the most part, I'm always hoping the workmen I deal with are honest because I know it's pathetically apparent that I don't have a clue. But I'm doing the best I can until I have to move on.
Even if it's not my physical labor getting things in order, it's still a darned nice feeling to see work accomplished.
It's true that I've accomplished miracles in the 2 1/2 weeks that I've been home but, to be honest, it's mainly hired help who have done most of the work. I couldn't live without my handyman anymore. He's sort of taken over the chores my husband used to do and most of which I'm not capable of doing (or just don't want to do).
I'm not complaining or boasting but I am getting things done around here in one way or another and, for once, feel as though I'm on top of the situation. Since my husband passed away I've been flying by the seat of my pants, trying to stay ahead of the things that needed done but also dealing with the unexpected. It's not easy being the only one in the house to take charge. For the most part, I'm always hoping the workmen I deal with are honest because I know it's pathetically apparent that I don't have a clue. But I'm doing the best I can until I have to move on.
Even if it's not my physical labor getting things in order, it's still a darned nice feeling to see work accomplished.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Warm and Windy
Without these gale force winds today, it would be the perfect day to do yard work but I've learned that fighting winds like this while trying to clean up or plant in my garden isn't worth the effort. I like to be at peace while planning and planting and not chasing things blowing around the yard.
I did give in and plant 2 pots of yellow marigolds and 1 pot of lilac pansies, though, just to start out a few of my mixed planters. Most of the tulips are still looking good because I planted early, mid, and late ones so that, by the time the early ones have dropped their petals, the late ones are fresh and perky.
Yesterday I got out the leaf blower and cleared the patio and deck so it will look nice until the cherry pits start to fall. I never realized until my husband passed away and I had to do all the work what a bonus a leaf blower is. I take mine back and forth with me to Florida and use it often both here and there.
It's important to have good, comfortable tools and I'm thinking of splurging on a heavy plastic wheel barrow that's easier for me to handle. The problem is that I'll only be in this house for a few more years so is it worth the investment? Right now I've got a huge bag of soil (1500 pounds worth!) sitting in the driveway waiting to be dispersed and I'm not sure I have the strength to do much of it. My grandson is going to lend me his muscles on Friday to move some huge, heavy rocks around my front garden and to top up soil there, too, but it will take quite a bit of work to empty that big yellow bag! I know I don't need all of this soil this year but it will be handy to have it for next year, too.
I'm still in the planning stages of my 2010 garden. The most important part is the 13 deck planters that need careful consideration. They all get at least half full sun so I need to make sure they don't dry out when I'm off on a trip. Impatiens is my mainstay in those pots because of the many color choices and the way they spill over the sides. Then I learned that lamium (ground cover) mixes in nicely and trails for as long a length as I let it. It also doesn't cost me anything because I have tons of it in the back garden.
But it's spring days like this, sunny, warm, and even windy, that my hands itch to get into the garden and bring it to life with color. Every year I promise myself I won't rush it and plant too early but every year my car heads to the nurseries in early May. Today it was marigolds and pansies but even I have more restraint than to plant impatiens before the last week in May. Of course, there are lots of hardier plants that I can think about for my many planters and bedding spots so I won't have to wait too long!
I did give in and plant 2 pots of yellow marigolds and 1 pot of lilac pansies, though, just to start out a few of my mixed planters. Most of the tulips are still looking good because I planted early, mid, and late ones so that, by the time the early ones have dropped their petals, the late ones are fresh and perky.
Yesterday I got out the leaf blower and cleared the patio and deck so it will look nice until the cherry pits start to fall. I never realized until my husband passed away and I had to do all the work what a bonus a leaf blower is. I take mine back and forth with me to Florida and use it often both here and there.
It's important to have good, comfortable tools and I'm thinking of splurging on a heavy plastic wheel barrow that's easier for me to handle. The problem is that I'll only be in this house for a few more years so is it worth the investment? Right now I've got a huge bag of soil (1500 pounds worth!) sitting in the driveway waiting to be dispersed and I'm not sure I have the strength to do much of it. My grandson is going to lend me his muscles on Friday to move some huge, heavy rocks around my front garden and to top up soil there, too, but it will take quite a bit of work to empty that big yellow bag! I know I don't need all of this soil this year but it will be handy to have it for next year, too.
I'm still in the planning stages of my 2010 garden. The most important part is the 13 deck planters that need careful consideration. They all get at least half full sun so I need to make sure they don't dry out when I'm off on a trip. Impatiens is my mainstay in those pots because of the many color choices and the way they spill over the sides. Then I learned that lamium (ground cover) mixes in nicely and trails for as long a length as I let it. It also doesn't cost me anything because I have tons of it in the back garden.
But it's spring days like this, sunny, warm, and even windy, that my hands itch to get into the garden and bring it to life with color. Every year I promise myself I won't rush it and plant too early but every year my car heads to the nurseries in early May. Today it was marigolds and pansies but even I have more restraint than to plant impatiens before the last week in May. Of course, there are lots of hardier plants that I can think about for my many planters and bedding spots so I won't have to wait too long!
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
The Destroyers
There are people in this world who wake up each morning and wonder what kind of destruction they can perform that day. They are not the builders of the world and not the ones who spend their lives making the world a better place to live in. They are the ones who have no soul and live only to destroy.
The man who placed a car loaded with explosives in New York city is such a person. His wish was to kill or maim as many people as possible in some sort of sick quest to enhance himself. He was playing God and I'm sure his religion would frown on that.
He's a naturalized American citizen who made a choice only a year ago to live in the land of opportunity but then also chose to cause destruction and death in the country which opened it's arms in welcome to him. How can we understand a human being like this?
How can we understand anyone who has been indoctrinated to destroy? I don't think the average person can ever understand someone like that but we can thank our police and military for protecting us against them. In this case, a watchful citizen and a well informed police force kept this monster from completing his mission of hatred.
Remember when religion meant love for all mankind?
The man who placed a car loaded with explosives in New York city is such a person. His wish was to kill or maim as many people as possible in some sort of sick quest to enhance himself. He was playing God and I'm sure his religion would frown on that.
He's a naturalized American citizen who made a choice only a year ago to live in the land of opportunity but then also chose to cause destruction and death in the country which opened it's arms in welcome to him. How can we understand a human being like this?
How can we understand anyone who has been indoctrinated to destroy? I don't think the average person can ever understand someone like that but we can thank our police and military for protecting us against them. In this case, a watchful citizen and a well informed police force kept this monster from completing his mission of hatred.
Remember when religion meant love for all mankind?
Monday, May 03, 2010
My Health Care in Canada
Two and a half years ago, in Florida, I damaged my knee doing high kicks at our New Year's party to "New York, New York". I was in terrible pain for over a month but, by the time I came back home to Canada, it had subsided to just a slight tenderness so I didn't see my doctor.
Diagnosing myself with the help of the internet, I believe I've probably torn or stretched the ligaments which run along the inside of my knee because the knee cap doesn't seem to be involved.
Ever since injuring it, my knee hurts whenever I twist it and that's what happened last week. I dug up a very heavy Hosta and twisted my knee as I was dumping it in it's new spot in the garden. This time the pain reached further down the inside of my knee to about mid calf which made me think I might have torn the ligament further. It was time to see my family doctor and go through all the darned tests I knew he'd subject me to.
I had already phoned last Thursday to ask for an appointment for something else, not an emergency, so was given an appointment for this morning. In any emergency I am seen the same day I call. My appointment this morning was for 10:30 and I showed up at his office at 10:15, was immediately taken in and gave my list of symptoms that needed looking after. By 11:00, I had been diagnosed, given a prescription for a minor problem, had an exray, been given appointments for an MRI and to see a specialist. I will never see a bill for any of this.
Because my knee problem isn't exactly a serious one, the specialist and MRI appointments are for some time in August. Granted, it's a bit of a wait but I still only have a bit of a problem with this stupid knee and I just don't want it to get worse.
My family doctor sort of agrees with my diagnosis that it could be a stretched or torn ligament but he also thinks it could be torn cartilege. I asked what might be done if that's the case and he intimated that minor surgery such as scoping to clean it out might rectify it. If it's the ligament I'm betting on minor surgery to reconnect it but we'll see in August.
Before I left his office, I asked for a requisition form to get my yearly bloodwork done. No sooner asked for than received and this, too, will be done without me ever seeing a bill.
My personal health care in Canada has always been excellent and I really don't know anyone who hasn't received excellent care. One western Canadian lady had such a bad experience with our health care system that she joined forces with American insurance companies to try to stop Obama from bringing in their new government health care plan. I believe she was misdiagnosed and received delayed catscans or petscans so she'd like Americans to believe all health care in Canada is inadequate but that just isn't the case. Mistakes can and will be made no matter what kind of health care plan you have. We're all human.
Oh yes, I took the prescription over to my local drug store and the only cost was the $6.11 dispensing fee. Health care in Canada...I KNOW where we'd be without it!
Diagnosing myself with the help of the internet, I believe I've probably torn or stretched the ligaments which run along the inside of my knee because the knee cap doesn't seem to be involved.
Ever since injuring it, my knee hurts whenever I twist it and that's what happened last week. I dug up a very heavy Hosta and twisted my knee as I was dumping it in it's new spot in the garden. This time the pain reached further down the inside of my knee to about mid calf which made me think I might have torn the ligament further. It was time to see my family doctor and go through all the darned tests I knew he'd subject me to.
I had already phoned last Thursday to ask for an appointment for something else, not an emergency, so was given an appointment for this morning. In any emergency I am seen the same day I call. My appointment this morning was for 10:30 and I showed up at his office at 10:15, was immediately taken in and gave my list of symptoms that needed looking after. By 11:00, I had been diagnosed, given a prescription for a minor problem, had an exray, been given appointments for an MRI and to see a specialist. I will never see a bill for any of this.
Because my knee problem isn't exactly a serious one, the specialist and MRI appointments are for some time in August. Granted, it's a bit of a wait but I still only have a bit of a problem with this stupid knee and I just don't want it to get worse.
My family doctor sort of agrees with my diagnosis that it could be a stretched or torn ligament but he also thinks it could be torn cartilege. I asked what might be done if that's the case and he intimated that minor surgery such as scoping to clean it out might rectify it. If it's the ligament I'm betting on minor surgery to reconnect it but we'll see in August.
Before I left his office, I asked for a requisition form to get my yearly bloodwork done. No sooner asked for than received and this, too, will be done without me ever seeing a bill.
My personal health care in Canada has always been excellent and I really don't know anyone who hasn't received excellent care. One western Canadian lady had such a bad experience with our health care system that she joined forces with American insurance companies to try to stop Obama from bringing in their new government health care plan. I believe she was misdiagnosed and received delayed catscans or petscans so she'd like Americans to believe all health care in Canada is inadequate but that just isn't the case. Mistakes can and will be made no matter what kind of health care plan you have. We're all human.
Oh yes, I took the prescription over to my local drug store and the only cost was the $6.11 dispensing fee. Health care in Canada...I KNOW where we'd be without it!
Centipedes Will Be Gone!!
Last night I woke up about 3 A.M. to go to the bathroom and as I reached to turn my bedside lamp off I saw a humungous centipede on the wall right next to the bed. I grabbed the Raid and sprayed it till it croaked but was so disgusted by the little critter's presence that I decided it was time to call pest control.
First thing this morning, after a sleepless night with lights on, I called a couple of pest control companies to get a price on spraying my whole house and asked about guarantees. The first company charged $250 with a 6 month guarantee and the second company charged $175 with a 6 month guarantee. I chose company #2 which also gave me a tiny senior dicount. These companies have no idea that I would have mortgaged the house to pay for pest control that would rid me of these horrible bugs.
When I got home from Florida I noticed a huge increase in dead bugs around the house and attributed that to the powder I'd sprinkled around when I'd left in October. Little did I know that the huge increase in dead bugs meant that there was also a huge increase in live ones being born. These horrible creatures are not small, either, but damn big!
At 3:30 A.M., I laid in bed wondering how quickly I should sell this house and move on to a bug free apartment but then I thought it was worth paying a bit of money to have it sprayed. I'm hoping and praying that this will work because I'm totally fed up with always looking around fearfully as I walk through the house.
The pest control people are coming today at 3:30 P.M. and I have to be out of the house for 3 hours after they spray. Please let this work!!!
First thing this morning, after a sleepless night with lights on, I called a couple of pest control companies to get a price on spraying my whole house and asked about guarantees. The first company charged $250 with a 6 month guarantee and the second company charged $175 with a 6 month guarantee. I chose company #2 which also gave me a tiny senior dicount. These companies have no idea that I would have mortgaged the house to pay for pest control that would rid me of these horrible bugs.
When I got home from Florida I noticed a huge increase in dead bugs around the house and attributed that to the powder I'd sprinkled around when I'd left in October. Little did I know that the huge increase in dead bugs meant that there was also a huge increase in live ones being born. These horrible creatures are not small, either, but damn big!
At 3:30 A.M., I laid in bed wondering how quickly I should sell this house and move on to a bug free apartment but then I thought it was worth paying a bit of money to have it sprayed. I'm hoping and praying that this will work because I'm totally fed up with always looking around fearfully as I walk through the house.
The pest control people are coming today at 3:30 P.M. and I have to be out of the house for 3 hours after they spray. Please let this work!!!
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Arizona Profiling Law
I've been wondering about this new law in Arizona where police officers are allowed to stop and interrogate anyone they think might be in the country illegally. Now, maybe I'm terribly naive, but I've always thought that the police already have the right to question anyone they chose.
I don't think I'd be insulted if the police saw me tootling around in my Ontario licenced car and decided to see if I was legally in the U.S.A. Although, if they stopped and questioned me repeatedly, it would make me mad. And maybe that's the danger of this new law, that it can easily lead to harassment.
My heart goes out to Mexicans who, out of desperation for a better life, enter the U.S. illegally. They most often become victims of unscrupulous business people who use them as slave laborers and they never really integrate successfully. But enough of them do succeed and that's what draws them there.
I don't know what the answer is to this problem. It would be interesting to know just how much illegal aliens are actually costing American taxpayers and how much they are benefiting them. It's impossible to have a completely open border because that would cause chaos in the country so something has to be done that is fair to both sides.
I've recently found out that elderly relatives brought to Canada by their legal families can receive our old age pension after living here only 10 years and I think that's robbery to citizens who have paid taxes all their lives. How and why did this law get passed? I'll bet there are laws in both Canada and the U.S. that could be changed to prevent unfair draining of resources so maybe that's the answer.
The new profiling law in Arizona leaves a bad taste in the mouth, imagining how some people's hearts would always be racing in fear every time they saw a police officer. But maybe that happens for illegals anyway, everywhere. It definitely isn't an easy choice to make, entering any country illegally, but sometimes you just "gotta do what you gotta do" for yourself and your family.
No matter which way you look at it, there's no fair answer to this problem.
I don't think I'd be insulted if the police saw me tootling around in my Ontario licenced car and decided to see if I was legally in the U.S.A. Although, if they stopped and questioned me repeatedly, it would make me mad. And maybe that's the danger of this new law, that it can easily lead to harassment.
My heart goes out to Mexicans who, out of desperation for a better life, enter the U.S. illegally. They most often become victims of unscrupulous business people who use them as slave laborers and they never really integrate successfully. But enough of them do succeed and that's what draws them there.
I don't know what the answer is to this problem. It would be interesting to know just how much illegal aliens are actually costing American taxpayers and how much they are benefiting them. It's impossible to have a completely open border because that would cause chaos in the country so something has to be done that is fair to both sides.
I've recently found out that elderly relatives brought to Canada by their legal families can receive our old age pension after living here only 10 years and I think that's robbery to citizens who have paid taxes all their lives. How and why did this law get passed? I'll bet there are laws in both Canada and the U.S. that could be changed to prevent unfair draining of resources so maybe that's the answer.
The new profiling law in Arizona leaves a bad taste in the mouth, imagining how some people's hearts would always be racing in fear every time they saw a police officer. But maybe that happens for illegals anyway, everywhere. It definitely isn't an easy choice to make, entering any country illegally, but sometimes you just "gotta do what you gotta do" for yourself and your family.
No matter which way you look at it, there's no fair answer to this problem.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Gay Bashing..Hate Crime
A young man in British Columbia just received a 17 month jail sentence for severely injuring a gay man just because he was gay. In my opinion, this criminal should have been given a 5 year sentence for breaking the poor man's jaw but that's not why I'm writing this blog.
My issue is with the term "hate crime". Any violent crime, whether it be against man, woman, gay, or even a child, is a crime of hatred. It shouldn't be an issue that the victim of such a crime is gay because it doesn't really matter. Some fool who believes he or she has the right to lash out at anything or anyone who offends them in some way should go to jail for a long, long time. Let the marijuana users out to make room for all these violent people.
Is it any less a hate crime if a man beats his wife into unconsciousness just because he's a loser? Is it any less a hate crime if a person breaks another person's jaw just because they looked at them? All violent crimes are hate crimes and giving special status to gay victims just makes them more separate from the rest of us.
We're all offended by different things but none of us has the right to hit and hurt. A 17 month jail sentence might teach that young man a lesson his parents failed to teach him.
My issue is with the term "hate crime". Any violent crime, whether it be against man, woman, gay, or even a child, is a crime of hatred. It shouldn't be an issue that the victim of such a crime is gay because it doesn't really matter. Some fool who believes he or she has the right to lash out at anything or anyone who offends them in some way should go to jail for a long, long time. Let the marijuana users out to make room for all these violent people.
Is it any less a hate crime if a man beats his wife into unconsciousness just because he's a loser? Is it any less a hate crime if a person breaks another person's jaw just because they looked at them? All violent crimes are hate crimes and giving special status to gay victims just makes them more separate from the rest of us.
We're all offended by different things but none of us has the right to hit and hurt. A 17 month jail sentence might teach that young man a lesson his parents failed to teach him.
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