Sally's Life

The lastest numbers

2012-02-12T18:30:00.000-05:00

Friday was check in day. First off I was to get my blood tested on Wednesday because they wanted the coumadin to have a chance to work. Get to the clinic and the blood lady had an emergency at home and wasn't able to come in.
Okay, how about if I just get a req. for the test somewhere else.

Good, but they can't find the one I have on file. I told them I'd come back later for it and I walked the dogs. When I went back about 1/2 an hour later they had one made up for me. Off I go to the other place to get the blood drawn there.
What a terrible way to run a clinic. You get in there and take a number. When they finally call your number its just so they can take your health card, and the req and put them on the bottom of the pile, while you wait some more. Finally they call names and you go in to get which ever test you are getting. This whole process took over half an hour.

When it is finally my turn, I go in, sit down and she proceeds to tie my arm off. I tell her that the person that normally does it said they half to use a baby one on me because of the thinning of my blood. She says 'well, I don't need to. Not with the veins you have.'

Doesn't that mean if my veins are that big that its easier to leak afterwards? What could I know? I'm only a patient.

After she draws the blood she looks and says 'you better hold this, you're not done yet.'

Fine, and with that I leave. I get to the car thinking I have held it long enough and proceed to go home. When I get there and take the bandage off there is more blood on there than I have ever had before. I'm not saying it was a gusher, but it was enough to let me know it had needed more pressure. Sure enough there is a leak into the arm, and I ended up with a bruise the size of a quarter.

We won't go there again.

* * * * *

Friday and time to see the numbers. My INR is up to 3.1. Not bad, but they like you to be between 2 and 3, so I'm a little over. That means one of two things: either we have reached my ideal dose, OR, and this is more important, I may continue to climb.

So now I have to go in Monday because if it continues to climb they have to stop that and adjust the medication again. If it stays in that area then I think they keep me at that dose and monitor it. OR they take the dose down a little to see how much it changes.

I liken it to having one of those paddles that you have to balance a ball on. It wobbles around all over the place and tried to get to the edge so you have to keep making adjustments until you find the 'sweet' spot where all is well and you maintain regular numbers.

Lets see how this goes.

Monday: blood test AND follow up with the cardiologist.

Wednesday: the numbers come in.

OOOOOOOOOoooooooo

The suspense of it all.

I am getting closer. Whoops, maybe not.

2012-02-04T16:50:00.001-05:00

I have been feeling pretty crappy all week and come Friday I was to go swimming. I didn't push myself, but thoroughly enjoyed being in the water again.

Well, I was quite tired afterward, but stopped back at the clinic to see if I could get my INR number as I was going to be at work and the pharmacist wouldn't be able to talk to me personally. I am at 1.7 again so the warfarin has gone to 7mg a day and then blood test on Wednesday. I'll tell you, it involves math and stuff. She has to figure out what I had in a week and what the percentages are and then I go up or down to reach the percentage needed.

I was to be at work for 2:00 and I really didn't feel like going. But I did. I got ready and was there for two. I had to take the girl off express for her break and one of the head cashier people came out and asked how I was feeling. I had been there 10 minutes and I was feeling pretty bad. I told her that and she asked if I wanted them to get somebody. She was surprised when I said yes, because I usually stick this crap out.

They were able to get someone and I left after 45 minutes. They said to go home and feel better. I said 'no, I'm going right to the cardiologists office'. Which I did. Got a choice parking place right off the bat and was in there for about 2:55. They actually squeezed me in. (Yet another reason why I am so glad I switched cardiologists.) He listened and said that I have returned to the fibrillation again and he was afraid of that. He didn't want to switch me to this other drug but he feels he has no choice. If my heart isn't happy at 100mg of the other drug, 150mgs aren't going to help either.

So I now no longer take the heart rhythm medication or the beta blocker type drug, Now I am on this very powerful rhythm drug that has lots of potential side effects, but he feels this is what we have to do. He is going on vacation the end of next week and would normally rather see me the week he's gone, but I am going in the following week.

Also, if it doesn't get better or should get worse I am to go to EMERG as my doctor's office won't be able to handle the issue. I would need more agressive therapy.

Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Where are the DOCTORS ? ? ? ? ? ?

2012-02-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

Friday morning, I still have this cough thing and my leg is feeling a bit better. I get a call from the nurse. She didn't get the message the night before. She asks me if I can come in for 9:30 that morning to see the PA , and I agreed.

I was there on time. He wasn't, but he comes and gets me and then proceeds to tell me that there was nothing on the chest x-ray. This is between coughing bouts I'm having where I am apparently trying to expel my lungs.

He is back and forth as to whether I should have a doppler done on the leg to rule out a clot. Then should he put me on antibiotics? Well, not sure on that one, because he doesn't know what's wrong with my leg. Then I get a message from the clinic's pharmacist that she wants to talk to me about my INR (blood clotting ability). I go in there when I can and my numbers went down. That's right, we increased the dosage and I have gone from 1.7 to 1.3 (they want it close to 2.3)

No, no, no. Wrong way. I was increased so I should be BETTER.

They can't think of what I have done different or what could be happening, but its down. So I get a change again. This time I am to take 6mg a day. That's one and a half 4 mg tablets.

I also have to go get a doppler done on my leg. I can't go to my swimming, because if it is a clot we don't want to be moving around and then it comes loose and I have a stroke or something. AND if its just the eczema and its infected I can't go in the pool. Well thanks for wrecking my Friday.

Anyway, I have to go to this place on the mountain (that's what the people who live on the escarpment call it) and I have an appt. for 2:00.

The PA is trying to make the decision of whether to give me an antibiotic in case it is just an infection. Now he and the pharmacist have to co-ordinate what will happen. He casually says 'if its a clot you won't be coming home' so we need to have one in place in case it isn't.

What do you mean "I won't be coming home"?

Well, if its a clot you go in the hospital to manage it. no.

Finally I am given the prescription, and if it IS a clot and no antibiotic take 6mg. If its an infection and I have to take the antibiotic then take 5 mg warfarin.

Which brings us to this week. I went to get blood done Monday. Nurse wasn't there. So I go Tuesday and also have an appointment with my doctor. He was glad there was no clot. He doesn't think medication is needed for the leg, and he does think they are on the right track with getting this controlled. It is liable to be all over the place while we try to stabilize the dosage. Eventually I may even have to get a hospital bed to sleep in because I can raise the head end up to breathe easier.

And how was your week?

Now this is more like me.

2012-02-01T13:23:00.002-05:00

I was asked to come in Wednesday, rather then Monday, to have this weeks blood taken, because the dosage was changed and they wanted to give it a chance to work. So I showed up for 8:30am and was done by about 9:00.

In the meantime, I have developed a cough similar to the one I had just before Christmas. After the blood was taken I decided to ask if the pharmacist has a few minutes because I wanted to ask her about the cough and the doctor's are usually in meetings on Wednesdays. She had an opening for about an hour later. I come back and we talk a bit and somehow, can't remember the order of this, but I end up seeing the physician's assistant. She is listening to my lungs and doesn't like what she hears, so she gets my doctor. He agrees with her about crackles in my right lung. They order a couple of blood tests and then send me for a chest x-ray.

He suspects it might be either pneumonia or, because the noise is on the right side, it could be congestive heart failure.

Okay then.

Now, I had made plans for what I was going to do on my Wednesday off, but what the heck, the living/breathing thing has become a habit. Off to the x-ray store. I had to go downtown, right close to the hospital, but don't I luck into a GREAT parking spot. By the time THAT is all done it is 12:45. I decided that I was through and went home.

Spent the rest of the day doing housewife things. After supper, we're sitting and talking and I notice that my leg feels a little odd. Same leg I had talked to the nurse about, the Friday before. Red spot, heat, tenderness, blah, blah, blah. I call and leave a message for the nurse, thinking that if she thinks I need to do something about it she'll call me.

Thursday morning its not too bad and I can check for messages remotely so its off to work for a 'longer than normal' day as there is a training session I have to attend. I did two hours of sitting and then 4.5 hours of working, and I just I want to go home and check messages. I have to do my volunteer stuff the next morning so...... I can talk to them about the leg then. And home I go. I called and left a message for the nurse, but it was fairly late in the day.

Thursday evening I start to feel kind of crummy. So crummy in fact that I started to suspect I should head to the ER. But, being who I am I decide to get some sleep, instead.

CONTINUED IN NEXT BLOG

And so it goes

2012-01-21T13:37:00.000-05:00

I went for my cardiologist appointment on Thursday and he was very pleased with the heart rhythm. I was at 62 beats a minute instead of the 125 two weeks ago. He said that it would be nice to take me off the medications but feels that is too big a chance to take at this time. 'We' just got the flutters to stop and to take me off the meds now could allow it to start up again. So I am to see him in three months and we'll assess from there.

Also he showed me the reading and even I could see it looked better that the last one. It was, neat, I guess. The other one had lots of jagged lines.

He told me that there is this one spike on there that if I was to go into emergency with a stubbed toe and they did an EKG they'd FREAK when they saw it ! ! ! ! ! He says he can tell them what it is though.

Like a nitwit I forgot to ask him what it was. I also asked for but forgot to get a copy of my EKG tape.
* * * * *
So earlier that day I had this lump come up on my leg. I had one before. It was red, sore like a bruise but not coloured like one, and it was sensitive and hot to the touch.

I had gone to the doctor then, and they put me on some antibiotics for it. They thought it was a clot. Well, now that I'm on warfarin, I guess its a bigger deal. Anyway, I called the doctors office and they had me come in to see the nurse. She took one look and some measurements and went to talk to a doctor who wants me to go get a Doppler done. Okay, but I think that it may be gone or moved or what ever by the time they can get a Doppler. I don't know, though, because the health system up here can work in strange ways. I may very well get an appointment right away.

As I was going in to this appointment the pharmacist in charge of my meds came out and said she had just that second called and left a message about my blood count. Its down to 1.7 now which is just above where it was three weeks ago.

So the dosage is changed again. I now take 4 mgs on Thursday and Sunday, and 5 mgs the rest of the week. Then I will get my blood tested Wednesday instead of Tuesday. That's to allow the change to maybe take hold.

You know I felt like crap most of yesterday. In the morning, i realized I had forgotten to take the rhythm med and the warfarin. So that will mess up her reading she thinks. Plus missing the other pills made my heart be skippy and all. Which is why I felt like crap. Then this morning I went to take my meds and found that I had forgotten to even put the rhythm meds in my container. How long I had gone without I don't know. I make the container up on Wednesdays so I'm guessing I missed a total of 2 doses or all day Thursday's.

Better make sure that doesn't happen again.

Yay, thin blood ! ! ! ! !

2012-01-13T22:57:00.000-05:00

Went in and got the blood results today. I am at 2.3 which is good. The Lasix has been increased because somewhere along the line it seems like it stopped working. I have put on 7 pounds in the past week just from fluid retention. Consequently my BP has been going up. Its not real critical, but we have to stay on top of it.

I still have to get blood tests every week until we're sure that I am stabilized as far as anti-coagulation. I see the cardiologist this coming Thursday again for another follow up.

It makes me a little unsure that my blood has hit the mark so fast. Its not like me. I wonder if it is due to the extra dose I had on the Friday to sort of give me a boost. Ah well, we'll find out soon enough. Its just that the way the rare things or weird things happen to me, it just seems unusual to get the dosage right on the second try.

Well, this is rather interesting.

2012-01-11T17:17:00.000-05:00

When last I wrote I had heard that I had atrial fibrillation. So they added some meds and took some away, and I had my first blood test.

Well, last Thursday I went for a follow-up appointment to see how all was going. Now from the Tuesday I had not been feeling at all well. My heart was doing that fluttering thing and even though I couldn't feel it all the time, it was, apparently doing it most of the time.

I was thinking I wished I had the appointment on one of those days so the cardiologist could see it and tell me what was specifically going on. Lucky (?) for me I awoke Thursday morning feeling pretty crummy still.

I arrived early at the doctor's office as parking is a real pain around there so if I can get there early I may get a spot and don't mind sitting in the car and waiting. When I got in the office, someone came out almost right away with a gown and I'm thinking that maybe I have another test coming.Turns out it was another EKG. The person performing it can't tell you much but she did say they captured something.

I wait in the room and the doctor comes in and looks at the reading and says that the fibrillation has settled into a flutter instead. The top of my heart was beating at over 200 BPM, and the bottom was at 126. He said the flutter was a step in the right direction. He wanted me to increase the rhythm medication. I had taken one already and he wanted me to take another as soon as I got home.

I happened to have brought the meds with me in the car so took it as soon as I got outside. Then I headed home as I was going in to work later in the day. I arrived home and had a few hours to kill, so sat and did some stuff on the computer.

Well, don't I start to feel pretty crummy. I can't describe it other than I just felt bad! Dizzy? Exhausted? Faint? Not sure which describes it but I sure didn't feel like me. I called work and asked if they could get someone to cover for me. I was hoping the lady I traded shifts with would stay as she is always asking for more hours. It got down to 20 minutes before my shift and they finally got an answer from her. She couldn't do it. They also had some calls out to some other girls, but hadn't heard back from them. I told them I would come in as I wasn't leaving them short handed, but to keep trying to get someone.

I was to work 2:00 to 6:30. Luckily one young lady, a new hire, said she thought she could be there by 5:30. I was still feeling lousy, but thought I could make it that far. Turns out she was able to get there for 5:00 so I could go home. I thanked her for coming in and went home.

I actually called the doctor's office to tell them what I felt like and they put the doctor on the phone. He said to give it a little time but if this didn't sort itself out we'd have to do something else. (sounded like a threat to me).

Friday morning I got a call from the pharmacist on duty at our medical centre. She is the one that will be keeping track of my medications and dosages. I went in to see her and explained all that had been going on. She recommended rather than double it, we should add half again as much for four days, then go up to double as the doctor ordered. I also had to increase my warfarin to 2 for one day as a boost, then go back to one. The blood numbers shoudl be between 2 and 3 whatever they measure. Mine was at 1.6, which is why she recommended the boost. It sort of gets you started.
I had the next blood test yesterday (Tuesday). I should get the results today. Then I will either go up or down.

This sounds like a lot of CRAP going on, but it really is nice to finally know what is going on. So many times I have felt really bad and been told there is nothing wrong. I guess it really is true about women not being diagnosed properly. I am SO VERY GLAD that the pharmacist decided to do an EKG that day and that they caught my abnormal pulse. Also I am very glad to not be going to the same cardiologist I had for several years. His office never did send anything to my family doctor. This new doctor had reports sent almost before I left the office.

Hope you don't mind listening to this but I have to keep track of it somehow.

So what do I write about?

2012-01-02T22:37:00.001-05:00

Well, how about the fact that I am swimming, okay so its Aqua fit, once a week now. Well, not NOW because we are off till the 20th of January. But soon.

And, this is the year I am supposed to get a new knee. Haven't heard anything from the doctor's office but that's okay because. . . . . . .

I have been diagnosed, finally, with a heart issue. Its appears to be electrical of some kind. Valves, veins, arteries are all okay, but there is a palpitation or fibrillation that show's up periodically and makes me a prime candidate for a stroke.

Well, I don't like that one little bit. If that should ever happen to me and I couldn't work with my hands or had to learn it all over again, I think I'd go nuts. Not that there is any distance to go.

So, I have had two medications taken away and three added, which means I have gone up overall by one. I have to get blood tests twice a week until they get the amount of warfarin correct. I can no longer shovel snow. (Well technically I was pushing and pulling it because I have a scoop).

I had a 24 hour holter monitor that showed an event of well over two hours where my heart was not beating correctly.

So I thought it was hot in May ? ? ? ? ?

2011-07-20T11:36:00.001-04:00

NOT even close.

We have this freaky weather going on that is absolutely insane. Yeah, I agree, Being warm is nice. IN THE WINTER ! ! ! ! !

But don't freakin' cook me ! ! ! ! !

As stated before I work in a store that has A/C. Not cool enough for me. I get there and start to work and melt all at the same time. I just can't handle the heat. Its just not right that when you go outside you have to make sure you have an inhaler with you.

Tomorrow, they say it will feel like 117 degrees FAHRENHEIT. That's more than half way to boiling. Its just a few degrees over, but its still closer to boiling than not. Oh, and for you Celsius people, its going to feel like 47.

So how come its just as hot in both scales. Boiling point of water is 212 F or 100C. Yet in F we are more than 50% closer to boiling than you are in C. Shouldn't my temperatures have gone down if the metric system has me less than half way to the boiling point???

Somehow it doesn't make me feel any cooler.

* * * * *

I still think the world has gone to hell since they switched to the metric system.

- No one knows what they are paying for a gallon of gas anymore. Or how many MPG's they are getting. Since they went metric, everything has been screwed up.

- The weather has gotten worse

- The manufacturers are giving us less product for the same money and then increasing the price after several months, figuring we won't realize its a DOUBLE increase in price.

I remember the advertising saying that it would be easier to figure the prices because (the example used was toothpaste) if you saw 100 mls for 99 cents and 300 mls for $2.49 you could figure the price out easier and buy the better value.

All well and good.

Except that the manufacturers are NOT universal in their own product lines, let alone between competitors. How can you compare when one company quotes you .79 cents per 100 ml and someone else has the same type of product quoted in kilos? Mls are quantity, kilos are weight.

And what's with fabric softener saying it does 77 loads and then, even from the same manufacturer, the next size up will be 90 loads and size down will be 48 loads.

WTF ! ! ! ! !

The End

for now.

OKAY, ALL READY ! ! ! ! ! ! !

2011-05-30T13:58:00.001-04:00

I hate the heat.

Just letting you know.

It is May 30th, 2011 and it is too early to be dealing with freakin' humidity. I work in a store and its got AC, but its still not cool enough for me. I need to get a job in a beer fridge.

Think of it! They couldn't want anyone better.
I like being cold and I don't drink beer!!

* * * * *

I just came back from taking the dogs for a walk. They're not happy with the heat either. Within five minutes Sid had had it with the temp and shortly after that Emma looked at me like "Fix it!!!!!" They are now both laying stretched out on the cool part of the floor. When they warm it up they move again.

* * * * *

Also today I saw at least eight speeders just on York Blvd. alone, eastbound by the cemetery going well over the posted limit of 60 kph. No police around. Damn it. Then I have several stop signs on the way home, one of which is a four way stop at a pretty busy cross street. This lady just drove right through, without stopping, just to make a left turn !! Barely even slowed down!!! There were three other cars there. She's damn lucky no one jumped the sign.

Besides her, I mean.

* * * * *

And lastly.

I wish I had thought of the cupcake truck idea. How much fun is that, to have people paying a ridiculous amount of money for something you made with your own two hands??!!!

Course I also wish I had thought of:

panty hose (used to wear what we called leotards back in the day and thought if they could make them, why couldn't they make stockings like that as well. There is nothing like the thrill of wearing a garter belt and having one of the snaps let go and hit you in the rear as your walking or even worse, leaning over at your locker.

Freezing warts - had a wart when I was a little kid and the doctor was going to cut it out. (between the big and next toe). Now I am pretty good about needles. I had so many as a kid (asthma all my life) that I went the way of when I see a needle coming I just present an arm.
Well, when I found out he was going to stick a needle between my toes to freeze it for cutting, I F R E A K E D !!!
He even, get ready, sprayed it with a freezing compound so he could insert the needle with out hurting (?) me. Didn't help. He was not getting near me. Anyway, the wart disappeared within a few weeks or however long they take to DIE!!!!!

When I think of more I'll add them but for now I am happy to admit I was born before my time. Just not far enough before.

'cause I KNOW I should be living in a big old house with lots of land, being waited on. Not all the time, though. Just occasionally. I need some one to clean up after I have had my fun cooking in the kitchen. Either that , or I need a really huge kitchen with LOTS of storage space and counters.

The Group

2011-05-11T08:41:00.001-04:00

I signed up for a depression group. Its not a 'how to'. Its more of a 'how to handle it'. We meet once a week for 7 weeks. This week is the 4th one. Its interesting. Its amazing when you get to talk to people that have been in the same place as yourself. That understand what that 'place' is like.

GREAT weekend

2011-05-09T10:11:00.000-04:00

My Hubby's band played Saturday night and all the people I invited showed up ! ! ! ! ! Everyone enjoyed the show.I actually had reserved a table for 24 and ended up still needing 4 more seats. I only 'knew' about three quarters of the people at our table, but soon found out the others were people my hubby had invited.

And they actually showed up! ! ! ! !

I even had my brother and SIL (sister in law) there. They drove for three hours to come and stay overnight near the venue. We met for supper before the show and then met the next morning for breakfast. That was rough for all of us as, being that it was Mother's Day, the restaurants were going to be packed. We were late going to bed, about 2:30 am and then had to be up at 8 to make a 9 o'clock reservation. That was the latest I could get and be assured that we wouldn't have a long waiting time.

Breakfast was great, and there were a fair number of people there already. By the time we left the crowd was really starting to build.

We then took them to a favourite spot of ours. Its a park, in a valley up Highway 6. It has a beautiful river running through it, which will be filled with fish fairly soon. I think it is trout that run now. I know salmon run in the fall. The water was decently high too, because of the recent rain we had had.

The weather was gorgeous, the dogs ran everywhere; their one, our two. It was a wonderful day. I don't get to see my brothers as often as I'd like to. Three hours is a long drive to just sit and have a few hour visit, and then have to turn around and come home. I usually go up and stay for a couple of days, but that's hard to do with work schedules.

My baby brother retires, after 33 years, on June 9th. That's also when I turn 60. I hope we both get to celebrate the day in a grand way. I think I'm going to buy him a house cleaning apron. I hope I can get one that mentions retirement on it.

I'm very happy for him and proud of him.

Oi ! ! ! !

2011-04-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

This post was actually written February 3rd, 2011.

I don't know what else to say about the drivers in this city. How hard is it to understand the word 'STOP'?

Why do people continue to use their cell phones? And what is with the aggressive women drivers out there? I mean some aggression is good or you'd sit there forever trying to get into traffic. But driving 20 over the speed limit in a school zone??? Its not just women, although they are by far the majority. But the age range, sadly, goes from I'd say 20 to 35. The number of people breaking the rules goes up as the age goes down.

What I am talking about?

Last night I drove home in the aftermath of a fairly decent blizzard. I travel a good 6 kms. to work, or approximately a 10 minute ride. In that space of time, I saw three people run a red light, one person on a cell phone, probably 5 that barely slowed down at a stop sign, and two people that actually did stop.

I can't imagine what it must be like to be a police officer and see all this stuff everyday. What's worse is they get to see the aftermath when there is an accident. My late brother, who was a firefighter, had to cut someone out of a car once. The car was on its roof and the person lived, but they had been speeding and were badly injured.

Why don't people learn????

And don't get me started on drunks! ! !

Thoughts

2011-02-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

You know how you walk into a room to get something and forget what it was? Then you have to go back where you start from and hope it will jog your memory. Well, that's been happening to me a lot lately. Funny, (weird, strange) thing is that this has been happening much more often since I had a bad reaction to an antibiotic back in September.

As always, when I get a cold it goes immediately to the chest and I have trouble breathing. So the doctor started me on an antibiotic. Apparently I had had this one before, but at this time I didn't remember.

I started taking it on a Monday and by Thursday it was still not moving out of my chest. On that day I had forgotten to have breakfast and started to notice I was hungry. Then I noticed heart palpitations. I was taking my dog to the park and when I got out of the car I felt very dizzy, So much so that my vision actually blurred around the edges. I tried walking a few feet and could hardly breathe. My heart was fluttering all over the place. Each stop I made that day I felt worse. I went home, because heaven forbid I would get it checked out. I did stop at the drug store and checked my BP which was all over the place.

So anyway, I went home and mentioned to my hubby that my heart was beating fast. It did settle down somewhat when I got home.

The next day, the same thing starts to happen. I decided to stop at work and ask if they could get someone to take my shift that afternoon. If they couldn't I could come in but I'd rather not. They thought I didn't look well at all. I talked to my girlfriend and she convinced me to get it checked out at the hospital because my colour was very bad.

I sit in the hospital for quite a while, they finally come and get me and hook me up to the EKG machine and heart monitors and take blood samples. They can tell if you've had a heart attack by doing a blood test. Turns out, I was having an allergic reaction to the medication! ! ! ! No heart attack ! ! ! !

So I have now added another thing I can't take.

Back to the memory. I really have noticed this forgetting thing. Enough so, that it really, really bothers me.

I lost my Mom to Alzheimer's Disease. I hope I NEVER, EVER get that. If I found out I did I would kill myself. That is such a horrible disease to watch and it must be that much worse to have it happening to you. I watched my Mom lose all her dignity, zest for life, possessions, family, and worst of all her 'self'.

When she died she was a shell. There was nobody left in there. It was a blessing to have her go. I know that might be mean to say, but if she had known how bad it would be and had asked me to end her suffering, I would have done it in a heartbeat.

There was one time she was to be examined by the doctor and he wanted my help to get her undressed. I refused to do it. I told him that she would never have gotten undressed in front of me and I was NOT going to put her through that. He said 'she wouldn't know' and I said 'you don't know that for sure.'

Luckily there are tests you can take that can help you maybe figure out if you are heading down that road. One thing a doctor once told me was that if you remember you forgot something, then you don't have Alzheimer's.

So keep remembering stuff ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !

Things that can break your heart

2011-02-13T20:51:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't normally let anyone know this because I have this tough image of myself. But right now I feel like my heart is breaking. There is a member of my hubby's band that is leaving because he can't get his heart into the practicing anymore.

I often joked that if I didn't love my husband so much and this guy wasn't married I'd have been after him. I am sitting here right now, tears trickling down my face, wishing I had never met him. He was such a joy to watch on stage. He was probably half the show just by his enthusiasm and stage presence.

I always watch my husband play when I am there but this man drew my eye because he was having so much fun. He would get so into his music and he loved to have musical duels with my hubby. He will be sorely missed by the whole band and probably mostly by me.

There isn't enough room to put the crying face on here that I need.

:'(

Giant Beer Vats

2011-01-09T12:52:00.002-05:00

Molson bought these giant vats from Germany and then had to have them delivered to Hamilton. They could have gone into Toronto, except that there was absolutely no way to get them to the Molson's plant up by Toronto International Airport.

You see not only would they have to remove and reinstall literally thousands of hydro, cable and phone lines, BUT there was just no way to get it past the Gardiner Expressway. That is an elevated roadway that passes across the bottom of the city between the lake and most of the buildings. Then if you could have gotten past that, you just needed to make it under the railway tracks which also run across the bottom of the city. And because Toronto is a hub for a lot of railway traffic there are several sets of tracks beside each other! ! ! !

Not to mention what a mess it would be trying to move those things at night in Toronto on ANY street going north. So Hamilton won out and they are taking a very circuitous route around obstacles.

Sooooooo, that led to them coming into Hamilton and being moved through our city over to the edge of Burlington, north, then east along hwy. 5 then north, then east, then south, east, north, then east, then south, southeast, southwest, west, north, south, west, north, west and south to its destination. This was all going to take place over 4 nights.

Didn't happen. They only got about 4.8 kms (just under 3 miles). A trip by car that takes 15 minutes, maybe, took them from 9 pm until 6 am the next morning. This put them short of their original first night stop by 12.3 kms (7.6 miles). So, they went a grand total of around three miles in 9 hours. Good thing is, they still move faster than most government agencies.

The first is the picture of the back end of the first vat and then the front end of the second vat. Apparently the convoy is one kilometre long!

Sorry they aren't as clear as I would have liked them to be but I was getting cold from waiting so long and then they turned off the streetlights. So with the shaking of my hands and the fact of trying both natural light and flash, these are what I ended up with.

* * * * *

I have three blogs going now and I am trying to make myself work on them. I have the ideas but life gets in the way sometimes. I really like writing so I have decided that I will set myself down once a week, Sunday morning, and work on the blogs. This will entail me keeping some notes, etc and then referring to them when the time comes.

I not only like writing them, but I feel a responsibility now to my few fans and I also even get told by them that I "haven't written a blog in a while. "

This better work.

Cookiestock 2010 ! ! ! ! !

2010-12-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

Well, its a wrap. I have returned from the excursion after we made approximately 36 dozen cookies.

I was at first going by myself, but for some reason my hubby decided that he would go to. At first it was separate cars, then it changed to him driving me there and coming back to get me, three days later.

The man's amazing, I tell you. Boy, did we drive through some interesting conditions. Just this side of total white out.

We had supper in Bobcaygeon with my sister in law and my two brothers. It was a Chinese restaurant. Food was, on average, okay. Some was excellent, most was just there. Personally, I think $1.60 for one spring roll is rather high. Also, we love Hot and Sour soup, but not when its red (?). It almost seems like they have added sweet and sour sauce to it. That will give you an idea of the colour.

The waitress we had was obviously new, but did a very good job. The owner/manager (?) who was overseeing (?) Didn't like much. She had a look on her face like she was smelling manure, but trying to pretend she couldn't.

Anyway, we had asked for the menu to be left so we could look at desserts later. Miss Puckered Face comes over and takes the menu away and just sort of looked at us like 'who did we think WE were?"

She never asked if we still needed it. Just picked it up like it was her property and we were about to steal it.

Still had a nice time visiting with my brothers and SIL. Didn't have a lot of time to catch up, because my SIL had to work the next day. My brothers were off until Wednesday morning.

The one brother and I started some cookies that night when we got back to his place, then the next day my baby (55 years old) brother came over the next day and we got into some serious baking, decorating, etc.

I took my dogs with me and I have a video on their site where the puppy discovered snow.

Emma and Snow

More later.

You know you're old when . . . . .

2010-10-28T10:53:00.003-04:00

So, I know I've talked about this before but holy crap the people around here drive like idiots!!

Don't you think that if you were going to break the law by speeding, running red lights or coasting through stop signs that you'd be smart enough not to have a vanity plate?? They're 99% of the time easier to remember than an ordinary plate.

The other day, I was coming home down Bay street from York Blvd, cutting through the neighbourhoods, and there are 9 stop signs before the next set of lights. I was 'lucky' enough to be following a young lady (18 - 20) and she did not stop at a single stop sign until the last one and that was only because the traffic had stopped and the car in front of her couldn't move past the sign.

Now, sadly to say it is usually younger women that seem to be the speeders. I don't know if its the time of day I'm out or whether they are just more careless, but I see them talking on cell phones (now illegal) and going well over the speed limit. There is this one place in Burlington where you pass three (3!) schools so for at least a mile there are flashing lights that say 40 kph.

So I putz along doing the limit and these cars are flying by me going at least the 60 that is normal when school's not out. These are usually of child bearing age, so you think that they would notice. Yesterday some woman of probably 35 or so was driving a BMW and was so aggravated being behind me, that as soon as she had the chance she went by at I'd say at least 70 or 80 kph.

Her license plate ????

Relaaax ! ! ! ! !

Gawd, there are times I wish I was a cop.

(%#*(_))_^#@

It just kept getting better. (a long post)

2010-07-10T12:15:00.005-04:00

Sorry this is so long, but with all the excitement it caused I promised I would post the story.

*****

Yesterday my snake died. I really didn’t want to go to work because I knew I wouldn’t be thinking about just the job.

Anyway, I started in to work, and I go to Cathedral Park to sit in the shade a little. When it comes time to leave I pull up to the entranceway and wait until it looks like the way is clear. Also, I have to get across about three lanes to get to where I want to be. I pull out, and a car that was quite a way back comes up behind me pretty fast.

One of those “you’re not filling in my spot” people. He speeds up so that he’s right at the back end of my car and has to slow down hard. He then determines that I am going too slow and pulls out around me. He lays on the gas and promptly drives through a red light.

I get to the store parking lot and I’m about to turn in when I see his car sitting at the corner of Longwood and King. Being the impulsive person I sometimes can be I decided to go and see what an idiot looks like. I pulled up behind him and put my right signal on. He turns and starts to speed up Longwood, I sped up a little but then slow again as the speed is 40kmh on that street. He pulls away from me as I come to the stop sign that he just coasted through. I make a proper stop and look in all directions. Clear to go. I look up and he’s gone and I have to get to work anyway so I turn at the intersection. He’s sitting in the middle of the road at the other end of the street. I pulled past him, smiled and waved and stopped at the corner. I then turned right up Paradise and I hear a screeching of tires behind me. He has come around the corner very fast and is now right on my bumper. He stays there even as I slow down to a crawl. I make my proper stops and he follows me through. (apparently, my stop covered us both)

When I get back to King I turn right again then make the left into our parking lot. I have just got backed in when there is another screeching of tires and he has parked across the front of me. I look up and I smiled and waved because I didn’t know what to say to him. He yells at me “so you like f***** following cars do you?” With that he pulls away and goes back down Longwood.

One of my fellow employees came over and asked what that was all about. I briefly told him and he said the guy was an idiot.

We are still talking when I see the car again. He parks at the other entrance to the store, across the parking lot, and motions his fingers to me like “bring it on”. I just look at him so he points and indicates I come here again.

It’s almost time to go in to work but I still have a few minutes so I take my time. As I approach the store I can see one of the head cashiers looking out the door at me. By now my fellow employee has entered the store and is at my defence telling the guy to leave the store. I have now clocked in and got to the customer service desk where he is waiting for the manager. They are busy. Another person comes out and he proceeds to tell her what ever. I think he wanted me fired, killed, stoned, set on fire and other wise disposed of.

Because nothing happened on store property, they tell him there is nothing they can or would do.

He left and then came back again later to again speak to a manager. He thought I had left because my car was moved. (He appeared to me to be irrational enough to do something to my car, so I thought it best to move it where I could see it.)

After my break I heard that he came back and told them that he had got my license number and reported me to the police. They would be talking to me.I start to hear what his complaints were from what he has told people, All the things he says I did are what he did to me.

I cut him off, I tail gated him, I forced him through a yellow (it was red) light and the only reason I thought it was red was because I didn't have the guts to go through it?????

Now, I try to be a good driver. I really follow the speed limits and signs on the city streets. I have had my car rear-ended three times; two times by people that didn't think they should slow down or stop, plus one time on the highway by someone following too closely.

The next morning I drove over to the store to get some items that were on sale and as I am driving through downtown I see a white car out the corner of my eye. I glance over and son of a gun if it isn't the same guy. This was at 5:10 AM.

He never looked over at me and as soon as the light changed he went speeding off and left me in his dust. Within seconds he was several blocks ahead of me and crossing lanes without signaling. I wonder what he would have done if he'd seen me?

I am not sure whether I should contact the police myself. He has told lies about the situation. He has told people in MY store that he would punch me in the face. He has tried to scare me by telling fellow employees that he has my information.

He has basically threatened me.

So, what about THIS theory?

2010-02-16T13:50:00.003-05:00

I know someone who works at a store and gets several hours a week. They used to do one job that they really liked and then somewhere along the way, they were moved to a different position. Now that job they used to like seems to be done by people who don't like it.

At first it was thought that it was to keep them in one place because they wander but now that I think about it it seems that the ones who express dislike for that job end up doing it the most.

Dictatorship:

Rule by a single leader who has not been elected and may use force to keep control. In a military dictatorship, the army is in control. Usually, there is little or no attention to public opinion or individual rights.

Incompetance

2009-11-14T11:25:00.003-05:00

Do you ever go somewhere for an appointment or to get something done and wonder how the hell they get anything accomplished?

I do. I have run into two situations where everything would have been so much better if the people who worked there just did their jobs and used a little of their brain power.

The first has been going on for a few years. I needed to change family doctors and gave the cardiologists office the information. Well, for some reason the staff there don't like to send anything like reports to my family doctor. He has treated me for more than three years now and still only receives information if the report is sent to another doctor who very kindly forwards the information on. I have even this mentioned to my cardiologist and he says he'll tell the girls to send it. But nothing happens.

I have since started shopping around for another heart doctor.

*****

Now my family doctor is really nice and has always made sure my prescriptions are up to date. When I call the drug store and one of them has no repeats, he has been very good about refilling them when the drug store faxes them.

Then, about three months ago, something changed. A prescription wasn't filled. I called the drug store on it and they had faxed the request three times by then. I called the doctor's office and they said they never received it. This boggles the mind as they filled the other script that was faxed the same day. When I pointed that out they said it was never received.

Now this week, I needed my blood pressure medication and another med refilled. I called the drug store with one week to spare. Went to pick it up yesterday as I was out and it wasn't ready. The drug store only heard back about one script again. So they re-faxed and I called the doctor's office and was put through to the lady that handles that stuff. She told me that they only received the one request. I said I didn't understand that when the drug store had record of them both being sent. She just said again, we DIDN'T receive that one, only this one that was faxed right now. She also said the doctor isn't in on Friday and they don't refill prescriptions on Fridays, anyway, so I would have to wait until Monday and CALL BACK!!!!

This is blood pressure medication!!!! WTF.

Anyway the druggist was kind enough to advance three tablets to get me through till Monday.

There is something wrong with the staff there. This is not the first time we have had issues such as this. Another time, my husband had a specialist appointment that needed to be changed. The receptionist told him it was his job to call them and change it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

My hubby is not a doctor-going kind of person, so for me to get him there was a feat in itself. Then to have this idiot give him the wrong info. He didn't know that the patient can't call a SPECIALIST and have the appointment changed. Otherwise everybody and their brother would be calling them. It has to come from the doctor's office.

Anyway that's enough for today. My blood pressure is going up.

What's new with me you ask?

2009-07-22T10:47:00.007-04:00

WELL, I now have Ruth Buzzi socks.

Anyone who remembers the sixties would remember Laugh In and Ruth Buzzi was a comedian who did a little old lady with her knee-high stockings pooled around her ankles. This is her as Gladys and she was hysterical in the role. She always protected her virtue.

Anyway, I have been retaining fluids like crazy and it all collects in my legs especially the right one. My doctor told me I should have these special stockings and even though I had a fitting done, I put off getting them for a long time. Finally I couldn't take it any more. When I took my shoes off at night I would have normal feel and elephant legs. My right leg was not looking good and as I also have an eczema of sorts on the back of that leg the swelling is very bad for it.

So I picked up the stockings before work the other day and wore them for my shift. They were uncomfortable because they are so tight and I don't like wearing any thing on my legs and feet in the summer anyway.

Well . . . . when I got home that night my legs weren't as tired as they normally are. So I tried them the next day too. Same results only better as I put them on first thing in the morning. That seems to help a lot. I wore them the next day and again it felt good. I decided to go a day without them to see if if it was all in my mind or if they really do help. Yeah, I know . . .stupid, but as I said, I don't like having my legs and feet covered in the summer. I get too warm.

Well, by last evening I had elephant legs again and they were sore and tired. So I am sitting here typing right now with my Buzzi's on and they will stay on until I am home for the evening. I probably should keep them on until bed time but it feels good to take them off a little early.

- - - - - - - - - -

What else?

Oh yeah! When I was about twelve years old, I think, I fell and broke my two front teeth. I had to have root canal done and then crowns put on. So that's like, FORTY SIX years ago!
How can the tooth be hurting? It has no nerves in it! It has a fake tooth on it!

At the beginning on the month it started to hurt and got to the point where if I even had my lip touching the tooth it was excruciating. When I accidentally hit it while eating or something I thought I'd go through the roof it hurt so bad. Okay that was on a weekend.

I ask, on Monday, to see the dentist and get an appt for first thing Tuesday. Of course the tooth has quieted down now but he takes xrays anyway. There MAY be a small bit of infection at the root tip, so I get a prescription for these antibiotics that smell like dead socks and leave a taste in your mouth like something has died.

Sorry, but they do!!!

Oh and they make an appt. with a specialist. Saw him yesterday and he says he would prefer to root canal it again but feels I would probably loose the tooth. NOT AN OPTION, as I smile a lot and I can NOT stand having a hole in that smile. So he is going to do surgery on the tooth. (its the one on the top, just left of centre in my photo)

Merely freeze the area, (feels like needles in the eyes) lift the gum up, go through the bone to get to the root tip and do some work there.

September first is only 41 days away! ! ! ! ! !

Can't wait!!!

Surprise ! ! ! !

2009-04-11T10:45:00.004-04:00

(pictures are NOT mine)
Got the idea I wanted some sheep. For meat and maybe for wool, but meat first. We had, as I said a little over 2.5 acres and it was all fenced so I thought they would work out pretty good.

Anyway, I did some research (this was before the internet, BTW) and found a local farmer that would sell me a couple of sheep. The first ones I got were two Dorset ewes and a ram.(picture 1) I used to have them out in the 'yard' when I was out there. They did their thing, I did mine. All in all it worked pretty good. Since they were working so well, I made some more calls and found a place that would sell me two Suffolk ewes. (picture 3) They were both in lamb so we loaded them up and brought them home.

Got them off the truck and put in the barn and IMMEDIATELY one of them starts to crouch. Now, I have never had sheep before, but I HAVE delivered puppies and I recognize an impending birth when I see it. This poor ewe has just met me, sheep are skittish anyway, and she is a first time Mom. So needless to say I didn't expect it to be easy. Turned out she not only knew what to do (Mother Nature and all) but that she seemed to know immediately that I was no threat and didn't mind me helping her and touching her lambs. Yup, you read it right. She had twins, a boy and a girl. I was SO thrilled it was beyond imagining. To see these little things come out and be standing within minutes and then nursing almost right away.

I would love to experience farm life every single day to just have that happen once a year. Just amazing. The other ewe had her single lamb the following week. She had a female as well. Farm wise, the females of anything are the valuable ones as they are where the next generations come from. You only need one male for every 20 to 30 ewes, so most of the males are castrated and grown for meat. I also had one Dorset male lamb born, (picture 4) about three weeks later. Now I had the Suffolks castrated but the Dorset male wasn't around at the time of the 'visit' so he didn't get done. The guy that did the job for me said that I didn't have to worry as he would be gone before he was old enough to breed. We got the tails done as well, they can get very dirty under there especially the lambs, and it is a safer practice with the way farm life is.

Now, you remember my friend from up the road that brought me Daisy, the goat? Well, I'd had the sheep for a few weeks he shows up one day and says he got me a birthday present. He opens the back of his truck and there stands this rather homely looking, old Suffolk ewe. Well, I didn't need another pet, but he knew I was a sucker for these animals that needed a nice home to live in. That's how I got Dolly. I put her in with my other sheep and she fit in but was always a little fonder of me than she was of the other sheep.

Circumstances changed over the summer and I had to get rid of my sheep. The ram went first, then the ewes and lambs a few months or so later. I hated it and knew I couldn't sell Dolly as she was not really good for meat or wool or anything and I didn't want to part with ALL my herd. (I had 5 adults and four lambs, plus Dolly). So I kept her and used the little a-frame shed that I had used to house the turkeys in for her house for the winter. She would stay in there and when the nights got colder I'd close the door up to keep her safe. She was fine through the winter and I started talking to her everyday as I did with all my animals. It relaxes them and it gives you someone to bounce ideas off of.

Anyway, this one morning I go out to open her door and let her out to graze. She didn't come out right away, and the first thought was that she had maybe died or was sick. Then she showed herself, made this different kind of sound that they make in their throats and a little female lamb followed her out. I was never so happy as when I saw that. She was so proud of herself. I counted back and it turned out the father of her lamb was my little five month old Dorset male that I had never had castrated. We know it was him as the ram had been gone too long to be the father. I enjoyed having the two of them follow me around the rest of that year.

By the way, Dolly and her baby ended up going to a petting zoo. As I said, something came up that I got rid of a lot of my farm animals. Never again will I do that for ANYbody.

I loved most of my time on that farm. And I miss it terribly.

Other Pets

2009-04-09T08:58:00.003-04:00

Again, when I was living in the country, I had this friend up the road who used to like to go to the livestock auctions. You can usually get young pigs or lambs or chickens to grow up to butcher weight.

Well, one day he comes down to my house and says "I've got something for you." Knowing him the way I did, I wasn't sure what to expect. He opens the back of his truck and he has a Saanen goat. A female, full grown. I didn't know what I was going to do with her, but she bleeted at me and it was love.

So we off load her and she immediately starts to follow me around. I can see she can't walk well, (I suspected arthritis) but I don't care. She was quite tall, enough so, that I could pet her without having to even bend down. Well, she adopted me. I called her Daisy and I really enjoyed knowing her. I used to give her a quarter of an aspirin with her food every day to help her joints and she would get up on the back porch and wait in the sun for me to come outside. If I went anywhere during the day she would be so glad to see me when I came home. She'd come hobbling over as fast as she could and softly butt me with her head.

Saanens are the white goats with a beard, and yes even the females have a small one. I had her for probably three more years but in the end I had to take her to be butchered as she was in such pain. The aspirin wasn't helping her anymore and there was nothing the vet could do that wouldn't cost an absolute fortune. I couldn't afford to have her put down and disposed of by the vet and I regret that immensely. I would get another one in a heartbeat if I ever had country land again.

Next time: Dolly the wonder sheep

Bees part two

2009-03-31T08:13:00.002-04:00

I mentioned how there is a certain noise the bees make on a good or a bad day. As I had said, the beekeeper told us we'd know the sound for 'do not disturb' when we heard it.

Well this one particular day we sure heard it. We had come home one day to find a hive had swarmed. We didn't lose the swarm as my hubby had clipped the queen's wings. That meant she could still function but couldn't fly. So most of the bees had made the decision to leave and took off out the front of the hive. Except the queen just sort of tumbled out the front and eventually all the swarm gathered around her.

Great!!! So we got a box and scraped the bees, carefully, into it. Then we closed it up and got another set of supers ready to put the bees into, blocked the door and voila another hive of bees. A swarm is very docile, because as previously stated, they have no home to protect.

What they DIDN'T tell us was that the bees left behind are not a happy hive. They are in a bit of disarray as they have lost their queen and a new one hasn't hatched yet. (They have started to make a few queens in anticipation of the swarming. If one queen hatches first she will kill the other queens in their nests and go off to mate. If two hatch at the same time they will fight to the death.) Anyway, we wanted to check to make sure there were queen cells for the old hive. Otherwise we would have to buy a queen.

My hubby put the bee hat on but didn't feel he needed the rest of the suit as it was such a nice day and perfect to look in the hive. Right??!!
WRONG!!! He starts to remove the lid and this noise starts up. I FROZE! SCARED TO DEATH! DIDN'T MOVE.

Unfortunately my hubby was the one lifting the top and he was moving, only slightly, but moving none the less. One, brave little bee stung him in the thigh. He flinched and swung at the bee and that was all it took. Bees react to movement and the arm swinging told them where to go. They poured out the top and went after him. I was still frozen. He took off and the made for the house. He took two laps around it before he was able to get inside.

I was still standing there and totally afraid to move, but I knew I had to see if he was okay. I very S L O W L Y inched away from the hive and caught up to him in the bathroom where there were bees still flying around him. They were all without stingers by now so no threat to me. I managed to get the stingers out by SCRAPING. (DO NOT try to pick them with your fingers as you will squeeze more venom in. Scrape the stinger out.)

He was pretty sore for a while, but he did put his suit on and go right back out and make sure the hive was okay. They were, and they had a queen when we checked them a couple of weeks later. We got a lot of honey that year and next time I'll tell you about the honey gathering and extracting.

TidBit: Bees can only sting once. They DO NOT BITE. When they get you the stinger stays in you and pulls out of them along with the muscles that keep pumping venom into the victim. They will die, but not right away. Another part of their defence is that they remain alive long enough to continue buzzing around the thing that is annoying them and being attacked. The stinger also exudes a pheromone that lets the other bees know where and what to attack.

Not bad for something that you'll need 2,086 of to make a pound!!

Bees

2009-03-25T22:37:00.004-04:00

When we lived in the country we had six hives on our property, one owned by my brother and the other five owned by us. It was an interesting hobby and one I dearly miss now. We read a lot about what to do and we bought all the materials to make the supers (the sections of the hives that contain the combs). We decided they didn't need to be white and boring so we painted them a very pale green and then painted vines and flowers on the side in such a way that no matter which super you used the vines would line up and look like they were climbing the hive. I also painted a bee somewhere on each super. The trick was to find it.

When we received our first order of bees they came in tubes of about 4,000 to 6,000 bees with a queen and a few workers in a cage. The object was that you place the queen cage in a new hive between some of the frames (what they build the combs on). You then poured the tube of bees out into the hive and placed the lid on top. This was done in the morning and a bowl of sugar water was placed in the hive. The hive door was sealed with a small bit of grass or paper. The object was that the bees will eat the little wax stopper out of the queen cage releasing her into the hive. Once her scent is through the hive and they have fed a little they start working on clearing the door. This takes a day or two and they have now taken over the hive as their new home.

All pretty amazing really. Also the bees are quite docile while being installed as they don't have a 'home' to protect. Once they are established its a bit of a different story. Although, as long as you move slowly and its a nice sunny day, when they are busy working and therefore happy, you can go into the hive and do the chores. During these times when you remove the lid to the hive, after smoking them of course, there is a nice sounding hum issuing forth. If its a cloudy or cold day though, the sound can take on a roar. We had an experienced bee keeper tell us that you'll recognize the sound the second you hear it. And there was a time when I heard that sound and absolutely froze. My hubby didn't.

but that's a story for another day. :-)

Wow, my scarves are getting around

2009-03-25T10:23:00.004-04:00

One of my fancy scarves made it out on a date!!! I am hoping to start selling these. They are quite fancy and come in several colours and can be made to order (within reason). I'll have better pictures once Miss Emme Rogers sends some to me.

I am asking $75.00 to start and they are on average three to four feet long and quite fluffy and glamorous. Think feather boa. You pay shipping costs. If I have the colour in stock they leave here on Monday's, other wise there is a two week turnaround time. Fell free to write and ask me questions.

The picture at left shows some of them before they were all sold. Sorry the picture isn't more detailed. I didn't think to make a close up of each scarf, but I will when some more are done.

Maybe you can be the second person in VanCity to own one of these gorgeous scarves???!!!!

Writing Void

2009-03-16T09:11:00.001-04:00

Its going to be difficult, I think, coming up with things to write about now that one of my stars has left. I may change the flow of this a little by maybe adding some more of my life outside the store. Haven't decided yet. Let me know what you think.

I love hearing from followers of the blog and wouldn't mind too much if you wanted to sign up as a follower. There is a spot to the right of the postings.

Couldn't bring myself to go into the store last week on my day off, as I'm there so much anyway. So I went to the 'enemy over the highway' and checked out cereal. Now, I don't like this store at he best of times because they are too friggin big and don't really have that great of a selection. Oh, it looks impressive and all, but for example you go in there looking for peanut butter and they have lots of their own and maybe two small sizes in a name brand. Well, I want the big size as its more reasonable. I have found this in the case of most of the items I have looked for when I go there.

And speaking of reasonable, their cereal was 50 cents more and the whipping cream 30 cents more. Now they are a bigger set of stores than we are, but their prices are higher. I bought the stuff, (Stupid) because, as I said, I just didn't feel like going to my store. I wish I had.

By the way, neither our cheaper store chain nor theirs, carried the cereal that I wanted. Aggravating, really.

A Lovely Evening

2008-12-30T11:50:00.014-05:00

There are some people I have met through a complicated process (see the end of this posting if interested) that wanted to have us over for dinner. Well, it would take less to get half the United Nations together. They both work, we both work, my hubby plays different instruments with different bands so he is always rehearsing or playing or traveling to or from one thing or another.

It was finally decided that the only day we all had free was the Sunday night before Christmas. Great!! The husband of said inviting household is a guitar player and had been wanting to meet my husband. Except that at the last minute my husband's project members decided that they did indeed want to get another practice in before a recording session next month.

Supper had to be moved up by a few hours, but my hubby missed out anyway. He had to leave before supper was ready but he did get to play for and with them for a while. He now has a couple of 'man-fans'. The other husband and a friend of his have a man crush on my hubby. They are amazed at the way he plays, they are enthralled with his guitar collection, they want to know all they can about him. "Man-Crush" ! ! ! !

A nice surprise about the evening was that my best friend and her husband, who live across the street, were invited for dinner as well. It was a wonderful evening. Their daughter, who I adore, although to her face I make like I can barely tolerate her, is amazing. We were talking computery/internet/blog stuff. Such a knowledgeable and astonishing young woman. She has her own blog (A Gossip of Sexy 30-Somethings) happening that I am still trying to figure out. It is like a novel and has been going on for a while so I am just beginning to get the gist of it.

Apparently she had a 'wardrobe malfunction' that she was completely taking into stride until yours truly found a little snide comment to make. I almost had her blushing and she got in a shot at me too so we are still even. I really like the way we kibbutz back and forth. She does the same sort of thing to me in the grocery store when she comes in. I love having people that I can trade barbs with. It is really nice to meet someone that is quick with come backs. I find it challenging and amusing.

Our hosts are such nice people. They want to have us over again when my husband can stay longer. I am very happy to have found this group of people to add to my life.

The Complicated Story:

My best friend lives in a neighbourhood not far from where I work. Across the street from her are two people with two teenage daughters. One of the daughters applied to work at the store and was told by my friend that I would look out for their daughter at the store ( I was asked first whether I would). The daughter and I hit it off and sometimes one or the other of the parents would come in to pick her up or buy groceries and say hi to me.

Then one night in the summer, I made an extra rice pudding for my best friend and took it to her house. She wasn't home so I asked the neighbour whether she could give it to them when they came back. Gladly, she said, and then noticed that it was rice pudding. She wanted to make some for her hubby (who LOVES rice pudding) so I gave her my Mum's recipe that I have had for like a hundred years. Its not TOO detailed so there was a bit of a mess with the first rice pudding she made. I offered to help her sometime and one thing led to another and we are great friends now.

I told you it was complicated.

Christmas Morning

2008-12-25T11:11:00.003-05:00

When I lived in the country I loved doing my chores. Christmas morning was my favourite. As we all know anticipation helps a lot with the enjoyment of Christmas. It allows our curiosity to build and if you have your work done ahead of time it leaves you moments that you can use for opening and enjoying presents. Or for just enjoying, period.

On Christmas morning I would always get up and make sure all the animals were well fed. They each got a special treat even if it was just some extra attention. I would clean out the waters and make sure it was all fresh and not frozen. I loved to do the bird feeders and especially putting peanut butter on the trees for the nuthatches and chickadees. One time I even had a little chickadee land on my knife while I was getting peanut butter out of the jar. WoWWW.

The bunnies would get carrots and the horse got an apple. The animals seemed to sense the difference in my mood too. They respond to the vibes you give off and therefore it seems like they know its Christmas too.

We had these Muscovy ducks and they are quite gregarious little creatures. They wag their tail at you, and it would be so nice to carry them some cracked corn and watch all the tails going and have the males chuckle at you. They sort of hiss a 'hee hee hee' at you and bob their heads.

My dogs (I used to breed and show Rough Collies) would always respond to the different mood that day and I loved to have them all out running around and playing and chasing each other. And ME!!! We used to roll in the snow and wrestle.

The one thing you could count on happening every single day,(even Christmas) was Harry the goose hissing at you and trying to smack you with a wing. The other geese were quite nice and seemed to know who fed them, but Harry was evil on two webbed feet. One time as i was exiting the barn, he surprised me and got me in the ankle. I went down because my whole leg went numb it hurt so much. I saw him coming and the only thing I could think to do was to grab him by the neck and lift him off the ground. He didn't know what to do then because he was totally helpless. I could almost see fear in his eyes when he realized I could shorten his life. I didn't because I actually have admiration for something that weighs 8 pounds and thinks it can take on a full grown, very hurt and angry woman.

Harry, I actually miss you.

Merry Christmas everyone ! ! ! ! ! !

Past Experiences

2008-12-14T18:28:00.003-05:00

I often talk to the different people that I meet at work, plus various co-workers and tell them about my experiences owning a small hobby farm.

Apparently the stories are funny, amusing, entertaining or all three. Its been mentioned that I should write a book. Until that time comes I thought I'd start putting some remembrances down here. I have always regretted not getting every story I could from my parents before I lost them both.

So here goes:

My best friends lived in the house next door, same side of the road about 1/8 of a mile away. We both bred and showed rough collies which is actually how we met in the first place. (another story)

Anyway, one day they called me up to show me their new 'puppy'. I go running over to find its a baby pig. I WAS IN LOVE. I helped them raise theirs up to butchering weight and we all enjoyed the experience.

Nothing would do that I didn't get my own piglet a few years later. Well live and learn. Pigs are very smart. Plus they are social. So here we are with one little pig in his own little stall in the chicken house. All nice and secure. A few days later my parents came over to see the little guy and after looking they came into the house. I went downstairs to get some laundry out of the machine and look up at the basement window in time to see this little animal go running by.

I realized it was the pig and called to my parents as I run up two stairs at a time. We end up chasing this little thing all over the country side. Up the road, around the yard, through the trees, down the road until I am actually starting to gain on him. Suddenly out the corner of my eye this shape flies by me and throws a rolling body check at the little pig. It was my Dad!!! He was 50 years old at the time but he caught the lovely little pork chop.

We put him back in and closed the door. Five minutes later the pig is standing in the yard. This time it didn't take as long to catch him. He was still quite frisky, like the previous experience was just a warm up, but we managed to corner him in the other barn. As we put him back in the pen, my Dad made every thing so secure Houdini wouldn't have gotten out. We stood and watched this little pig and my Dad said you could actually see him figuring out how he was going to get out this time. He said it was a good thing the pig didn't have a slide rule.

He never escaped again and turned into some lovely meat. I learned several things by owning that pig. I had always been interested in animals and such but this little pig sparked such an interest in farming etc, that I read everything I could find. Turned out my pig was lonely and missing his litter mates. All the fun could have been avoided by getting him a friend. I only ever owned a single pig once after that.

Haven't been HERE in a while

2008-10-26T21:23:00.002-04:00

I was listening to the radio in the car today and they were talking about how the government may decide to ban GPS in cars along with cell phones and whatever else.

The announcer thought it was a stupid idea and was wanting people to call in and agree. Most did because if you let them do that then it won't be long before you can't "drive with your dog in your lap" or while drinking a coffee.

Do people not realize that if you have to stop suddenly or, even worse, are in an accident you are likely going to kill your dog. Great the dog can act like an extra air bag for you.

Then someone called in to say he has seen people putting on make-up or shaving while driving. Are people just plain stupid or what? I've been fortunate enough to be stuck behind some young kid that was driving like a nob and at lights fixing his hair. Well he'd be busy primping and the light would change. Still primping then he realizes it and speeds away to the next light, crossing back and forth across the four lanes of a one way street. Another time behind some stupid woman yapping on the phone and not paying attention. She starts to use my lane as well as her own. So seeing as I know the size of my car I give her a little bit of a fright by coming REAL close to her. That backed her off a little.

And what is with these schmucks driving in on York Blvd. that do not pay attention to the 50 kph limit? I am tired of having them crawl up my a** then speed on by me like I'm so old lady on my way to church. I don't like the limit. Its too slow for that long stretch of road but too bad for me. I got a ticket for making a right on a red when we had lived in Hamilton for maybe a month. I learned my lesson. Since then I STOP at stop signs, wait for lights, don't run reds, and obey the speed limit, stupid as it is at times. And yes, I guess because I am getting OLD, I am getting freakin' cranky with idiot drivers.

i have started writing down license plates numbers and turning them in to the police as they have a stupid driver hot line. They will send a letter to people telling them that they were seen doing something wrong and that they have been warned.

I am loose now......

Dip sh*t.

Do As I Say Not As I Do???? Part 2

2008-06-26T09:05:00.010-04:00

For some brilliant reason they have changed the speed limit out on York Blvd. from 70 KMH to 50 KMH. Okay, I can handle that. It's annoying but what the heck: safety, bike riders, (have seen one) etc.

So why was a lady police person driving car # 368 yesterday (summons server) along there at over 70? HMMMMM.

I even tried catching up to give her the evil eye but I stopped speeding when I reached 70. I wonder if there had been a policeman behind me who would have received the ticket? By the way, I still get evil looks and almost rear ended when ever I drive that stretch of roadway. People ought to slow down and enjoy the view.

My favourite sister in law (inside joke because she's my ONLY SIL) came home officially yesterday. My brother and her had been renting a student's sublet in order to be near the hospital for tests, monitoring, etc. But she is home now. No tubes, no fluid exchanges, no salt, (still), no needles, one more test next week, one extra kidney and a glowing complexion.

HOO RAY.

Went down the other day and watched some young peregrines learning to fly. Actually, it was more like watching paint dry as they had taken a first flight and were still in shock over the fact that they were no longer in their nest box. Two were on top of a bridge hanging on and being teased by pigeons.

At one point the mother took off after a pigeon with the intent of bringing lunch in, but the bird turned at the last minute. But boy the baby peregrines started screeching when they thought there was food coming in.

Not much happening otherwise. The job is still going good as noted on my other blog.

Oh, we had the driveway paved out front and I know its a good idea and it has stopped rain water from coming in the basement, but it sure looks like a huge parking lot out front. For right now it is NOT an improvement. But our new neighbour is going to make flower boxes so that will soften the look a bit.

Also, I think shutters are coming our way. In fact we are getting together with the neighbours and making the houses look similar for the reason that they are mirror images and both built in 1914. That's right, our humble abode is now 94 years old.

BEFORE and AFTER:

Sally's Birthday

2008-06-09T19:22:00.010-04:00

Today I turned 57. Don't feel like it.

Well, okay parts of me do, sometimes, but for the most part I have to sometimes remind myself that I am of an age where you are supposed to be grown up and act like an adult.

Yeah, like that'll ever happen.

We got up and my hubby wished me a happy birthday and sang his song to me. Then he asked what I wanted to do on my special day. Hard to think of things when its so bleeding HOT. We settled on going down by the lake for a cool breeze and some quiet time. That didn't work because when we got there the benches are not in the shade. I don't like to sit in the sun, and, because of medication, am not supposed to be exposed to the sun for anything longer than (roughly) 37 seconds.

We then decided to drive for twenty minutes north to a place called Lowville. Very pretty little hamlet at the bottom of a valley and has a stream running through the park there. Found a beautiful place to sit and I knitted while hubby played Dobro (resonator guitar: see pictures at his website under instruments).

Then he took the dog for a swim and we let him dry a little and headed home. After THAT, we ended up going back to Lowville because Sidney lost his collar somewhere with the tags on it. We couldn't find it it was off to Tuckers Marketplace where we had reservations for dinner. (They let the birthday person eat for free with proof of age.)

Disappointing actually. Today was so very hot and we got inside to find that their air conditioning didn't seem to be functioning. They never offered an explanation, and they crammed all the early people into one section of the restaurant. That helped bring the temp up more. The food was for the most part good, but not spectacular and the roast beef was probably good too, but you couldn't get much from the Meat Nazi. You'd think the beef roast had been bought with his money. Also we were told there was turkey and when I asked about it the MN grunted "no, sausage". We glanced in the ice cream cooler and it was all melted. Forget using an ice cream scoop. A ladle would have been better. They should have closed that part down entirely. As we were leaving the air seemed to be coming on, but it was too little too late. The waitress got a nice tip because she was wonderful and very efficient. But Tuckers lost points in our books.

Anyway, the best present I could get is that my sister in law with her new kidney came home today. YAY!!

She is SO SPECIAL and she doesn't realize how many people's lives she has touched or enriched. I am so glad that my brother found her and brought her into our family.

Happy Birthday to me! :-)

Addendum

2008-06-05T14:35:00.002-04:00

Nothing at all to do with this morning's post except that my friend Sue sent me this picture. Is this not beautiful????!!!!!!

Do As I Say Not As I Do????

2008-06-05T08:31:00.003-04:00

So the hubby is going off to work the other morning and saw something interesting. He sees this nice white muscle car coming up behind him. Pulls up next to him and then passes him. Sitting behind the wheel of an unmarked police car is a uniformed officer using two hands to eat with and steering with his knees. The hubby and I are wondering what would have happened if the situation had been reversed. I know they are busy but geez, pull over for a couple of minutes.

Also, what is with the new speed limit of 50 km out on York Blvd.? I don't particularly like it but it IS the limit so I do it. And promptly, and always, run the risk of being rear-ended, or tail-gated or passed on the inside (close to the new bike lane) or being flipped the bird. I wish I could be in an undercover car sometimes. (not eating.)

Oh, and one last little gripe. Did you know that if you don't watch where your dog takes a dump it excuses you from cleaning up after him or her?

GOT TO READ THIS BOOK, part 2

2008-06-02T10:15:00.004-04:00

My husband thinks I should say what the book is about.

I found the first paragraph so intriguing that I didn't put the book down for over half an hour and only then because I had to go to work. I was hoping that others would feel the same way just by me having that first paragraph here.

Okay, so here goes:

It is a story of a pair of conjoined girls. They are what is called craniopagus twins. They are joined at the head which partly explains the first paragraph.. The story is written so well that it is hard to keep reminding yourself that it IS a novel.

The book is written by both the girls and was beautifully done. It is, as I said, so sad to get to the end of the book. You are left wondering what will happen and why couldn't it go on longer. Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash (the Girls adoptive parents) sound like they were two very wonderful and loving people.

Anyway, I would suggest reading this. It is a long time since I read a book that made me feel sad to see the ending. Very heartwarming, sad, poignant, funny, uplifting. As one reviewer said on Amazon.ca " I felt many emotions, but the strongest was that I had just read the story of two of my best and dearest friends."

GOT TO READ THIS BOOK

2008-05-31T11:09:00.002-04:00

Wow.

I just finished an amazing book. So sad when it ended. It really left me wanting more.

It is called"The Girls" and is by Lori Lansens. She is a Canadian author and did an absolutely splendid job. She should be very proud of herself.

This should be all you need to make you run out and by this book. Quote from the first chapter:

"I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that. I've never driven a car. Or slept through the night. Never a private talk. Or a solo walk. I've never climbed a tree. Or faded into a crowd. So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And, if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand lives as me, to be loved so exponentially."

My best friend, Alix, lent me this book and I am now lending it to my other best friend, Sue, to read. I can't even describe what this work does to you. It is just a MUST read, for anyone that has a heart.

Thank you,

Sally

Chick Flick NOT

2008-05-26T10:59:00.004-04:00

Well, ha ha it wasn't a chick flick after all. Turns out to be about this giant roboty type guy. Pretty good movie actually. Lots of action and explosions and stuff. Bad guys, evil guys, and does Gwyneth Paltrow ever have a nice pair of legs!!

I really liked Robert Downey's character. Nice little bit of everything. Oh, there are some scenes where he looks a lot like a younger Al Pacino.

One thing I will say I am not sure it was the kind of movie that I would have brought my young, say 7 to 10 year old children, to. As did the couple in front of us. There were a few things in the dialogue and action that, to me, were too much for them. One scene of someone definitely having a bedroom adventure. Although I guess it could lead to those questions that you have to deal with anyway. "What was the man doing to that lady, Mummy?"

Oh well, maybe I don't understand PG-13.

BUT, if you like the movie make sure to sit through all the credits at the end. Ignore the cleaning crew trying to get you to leave and the ENDLESS credits, I mean how many drivers do you really need?

After all that there is a little teaser for you.

Enough said, if you like action comic book movies you'll like this movie.
ps, better than the last Batman movie by a MILE.

Chick Flick

2008-05-25T10:55:00.000-04:00

We don't often go to the movies because of the cost. Mainly we save our money to go to the movies that really should be seen on the big screen. You know: lots of action or special effects.

Well today we are going to see Iron Man which should be fun. My husband says its an action movie, but you can't fool me. I know its a sci fi chick flick about home life. I mean, hello, its iron man. We all know men don't iron. You can barely get them to carry the laundry downstairs, let alone iron it.

So we'll see. Although I'm not sure how they can make a whole movie about ironing and house work, but I must say it is about time!!!

Let you know later how it goes.

Pain

2008-05-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, there is pain that is the worst there can ever be.

My husband plays guitar, whether it be pedal steel, electric, acoustic or resonator. He plays beautifully and spends most of his waking time practicing, learning or honing his craft. There is never an instrument more than two feet away and I hardly ever see him without one in his hands.

We have a PT Cruiser and used to have a car with a handle over the passenger window that you could just hold with your hand and let your arm hang. Well, sometimes you forget and have your hand holding the top sill and don't realize that you're doing it. A couple of times he has started to close the window when I have had my hand there. It is very scary and makes you jump as you pull your hand in. You think of what could have happened and vow to be more careful.

This morning I was driving and we were heading home after having a nice breakfast out. I had left the windows open because the dog was with us. As we left the parking lot I closed the windows because it was rather cool. All of a sudden my husband started to yell. His fingers were trapped.

I opened the window right away and nothing is broken, but I feel so very bad. The pain in my heart is almost unbearable. What if I had ruined his ability to play? I think there will be a little bruising and he won't be happy with me for a little while, but I feel so incredibly terrible that I could have hurt him. That I could have taken away his talent and love. His life almost. It is one of those memories that will stay in your head and your heart forever.

My heart hurts.

Customers

2007-12-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

I have been working at a grocery store since April 11, 2007. What a treat. I had forgotten how much I liked this type of job. My second job ever was as a cashier in The Dominion store at Eglinton Square in Scarborough, Ontario.

That was back when it took a week to train you. They had books you had to work though, you had to know how to make change, how to put a new roll in the register (back then it was wheels and pulleys and had to be threaded through everything by hand). You also learned how to bag groceries. Not an easy art, I might add. They used paper bags then and the bag had to be able to stand on its on, and be not too heavy and everything bagged correctly. I took pride in that.

So, back to almost present day.... I would go grocery shopping and the people bagging it would make such a mess. No idea how to bag items, bananas on the bottom next to ice cream, eggs wherever they'd fit, soap and toilet cleaners in with food. I'd get home and nothing would be organized, like cold with cold, fragiles together, just a mish mash. I used to try to bag my own items as best I could before they got their hands on them. I also tried to shop at the bag your own places so that I knew where everything was.

I now work about 16 to 20 hours a week, making just above minimum wage and can honestly say that I look forward to going to, and being at, work. I love most of my customers and even though I was very, very shy as a teenager I have found that I am a big ham. I love kidding around with my customers, or talking about any number of things. I love performing my one liners and now have several customers that look for me specifically in the store. I even had one customer that liked my bagging so well that she wrote to the company about it and I ended up with a plaque and a pin for my name badge.

So..... how come there are all these people that can't count to eight? I work express a lot as I am fast and efficient. It is supposed to be 1 to 8 items. Ten I can see, even 12, sometimes, but there is no way I want to let you come through my register at the evening rush hour with 30 items. It is not fair to the people with 1 or 2. I am not sure we should say anything and most times I look at body language and decide not to. But if you are going to be cocky about it and feel you have a right to be there because you don't want to wait, then you are sure as heck going to be called on it.

I will NOT tolerate at my register, those who want to break the unwritten rules. I get people through very fast, sometimes with only a token greeting, but I still greet everyone with a smile. I am very conscious of customer service and believe for the most part that the customer is always right. But NOT when you can't count. I don't care what your excuse is. The ONLY exception is if I am NOT busy on my register and you will not hold up a line of people by coming through express. I even had a man the other night who's son (about 15 years old) told him he was in the wrong aisle and he said he didn't care, "she has to serve me". Ex-freaking-scuse me!!!

Lucky I didn't smash his groceries. Although as angry as I was at him I couldn't do that. But he did get the cold shoulder and the son looked very uncomfortable. What kind of a lesson was that to teach his child?

And while I'm at it. How hard is it to take the groceries out of the little carry baskets. I work hard in an awkward position because of the way the belt and scanner are set up . There is no getting around that. But you are facing the belt straight on and managed to get the groceries in that basket. I am NOT lifting them up and stretching sideways to take them out for you. You got them in there, you can take them out.

And how hard is it to return the buggy? For goodness sakes, you are struggling out the door, squeezing past the buggy you left in the way and walking right past the place the buggies go. How about putting the bags in the buggy, walking it back to where it belongs and THEN take your bags out to go to the car.

Anyway, I LOVE my job and enjoy seeing the people I work with and the customers. It is nice to have all these little relationships. It is wonderful when people greet you by name and ask how this or that is. I have given out suggestions, recipes, and ideas. I have helped some first time grocery buyers (students from McMaster University) and been able to give them ideas on what to cook or how to store things. I guess that's from being Mom, even Grandma age.

So I've been gone a long time from here. I'll add more stuff over the next several weeks. Stay posted to find out about the new hip and whatever other exciting things I can come up with. I have more grocery, gas, and driver rants coming up.

Thanks for reading.

Today's Rant

2007-05-26T18:39:00.000-04:00

So, last weekend just happened to be a long weekend in Canada and surprise, surprise the gas prices just happened to go up. Now can someone explain to me again why this happens and no one "investigates". Even when they do pretend to check into it how come they say that there is nothing untoward going on?

I wonder if the groceries stores started to up their prices on those same long weekends you can be darn sure there would be some squawking and cries of outrage. How about if the the beer prices, and the price of bread and milk and all those other necessities we need over the weekend went up.

And then there is all the services we need.... police, fire emergency, doctors etc., etc., etc. Only the gas companies get away with this supply and demand bull. You don't see the farmer with his milk making any extra money for hoarding his milk. What he produces goes out at one set price and funny enough it is in the stores in time for the long weekend but the price doesn't go up "suddenly".

How can that gas that came in on Wednesday and sat in the tanks till Friday suddenly be worth more? Did someone take it out and then put it back in again? I think not.

I personally have been buying only ten litres at a time for. Not ten dollars, ten litres. I will do that every time I need gas and not always at the same station. I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices they are charging and so I am using a dollar cost averaging process. I have been doing this since March 9th of this year. My piddly little bit isn't going to make anyone notice but it is the only way I can see to protest. Trying to have everyone boycott a certain station isn't going to work, obviously, but maybe if we all were to just buy ten litres at a time then maybe someone would notice. I bet the prices couldn't go up so fast becasue they'd still have all that gas sitting in their underground tanks. Now, obviously if you're driving to Toronto or Brantford every day you don't want to be doing the ten litre thing, but there are HUNDREDS of us that just tootle around town and my own experience has been that I only stop at a station three times a week and that gets me more than 200 kilometres.

There is something I find very satisfying about going into a totally empty gas station, pulling up to the pump and filling it with a whole ten litres of gas.

Also, new is that I have now had my replacement hip for six months. They told me I was too young to have one, but I am so glad that they decided to finally go ahead with the surgery. I will write more on this in a couple of days.

Barbaro

2007-01-30T15:28:00.000-05:00

I won't say much because it is all over, but I felt so sad for that horse. He tried so hard and in the end his own body let him down.

It is a shame that evolution still allows such a beautiful creature to have such delicate legs. It is a shame that a stallion must physically cover a mare for the breeding to be recognized in thoroughbreds. It is also a shame that we did not all, at least once get to see that beautiful, beautiful animal just plain run one more time.

I felt this horse close to my heart as it reminded me so much of what happened with Ruffian. I was watching that day too and I just cried my heart out.

I too agree with one of the suggestions I read today that they should wait until the horses are four years old before they race them. They are still such babies and as such undeveloped completely at three years old.

Anyway, that's my piece and I know that I will see Barbaro, Secretariat, Northern Dancer and Ruffian one day, as well as all my pets that I have had and loved.

Should have written sooner

2007-01-25T17:06:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that it has been so long since I posted on my blog. Where has the time gone?

Shortly after my last post, I got the news that I was getting a new hip. Finally!! They have been putting it off because at 53, and then 54 years of age I was considered too young. Finally this June I was told that I was bad enough that they would do it.

Thank Heaven. It would be so nice to stand straight and not be in pain. I was told the wait was about five months. I planned on it happening just at or after Christmas. Well, in July they called me with a late November date. I was pleased and then shocked and then....... scared. I was mentally prepared for the five month wait but four seemed too short all of a sudden.

I had planned on writing a weekly blog detailing my adventures etc. Obviously that didn't happen. So I thought I would write a weekly one afterwards chronicling my recovery etc. Guess what? It has been 8 WEEKS since I had the surgery and I am just now writing.

They measure your pain level on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the worst. The evening after the surgery I was at about a twelve, which sounds bad but wasn't too much higher than what I had been at for the past year or so. The next morning, after a terrible night reacting to morphine, I was at a 2, maybe. I stopped taking the morphine at around three in the morning and went to Tylenol 3's. That's all I needed.

I have been recovering so well. I can stand up straight for the first time in over three years and I can walk fast again. I can also walk distances, which was hard to do before. I still need my knees done and they are all that are holding me back, but I still get out and do about a km a day at this point.

I can shop for groceries without it being an ordeal. I don't have to worry that I may not have brought medication with me or that I will be crossing a street or parking lot and not be able to get out of the way of traffic. I have FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Ontario!

Gas Prices. Again.

2006-06-30T17:31:00.000-04:00

Isn’t it interesting that last night gas was selling for $1.049 a litre and today, the Friday before a long weekend for us and our neighbours to the south, that the gas prices shot up to $1.109?

They weren’t bad last weekend, considering. It was close to 95 and 96 cents a litre, but it started creeping a penny here and a penny there for the past two or three days. Then all of a sudden, overnight, we have a major increase.

Sure, some bozos up in Ottawa got some other bozos to do a “study” and concluded that there was nothing “unusual” going on with the gas companies and long weekends. It is just a co-incidence.

BULL DOO DOO!!!!!!

Once is a co-incidence. Twice? Possibly still a co-incidence. But when it happens 8 out of 10 weekends??????? Definitely suspicious.

How would they even know? Do they ever drive their own cars anywhere? Do they ever have to dig deep in their pockets and even stoop to pick up pennies? Because enough of those little suckers and you can buy one more litre!!!!!! Do they even know where the gas tank is on the vehicle they sit in?

I doubt it, very much.

My own little protest, especially when there is no one else at the service centre is to punch in the numbers through my debit card to take exactly 10 litres. Not 10 dollars, 10 litres.

I have unlimited debit card transactions on my bank accounts and I use it to my advantage. I keep my car tuned up, I drive responsibly, tire pressures correct, no a/c, etc; all to conserve gas. So my 10 litres does me pretty darn good. It might be hard for other drivers to do that, because they may have longer distances to go, and my protest may be inconvenient for them. But if dollar cost averaging is good for mutual funds, then it sure as heck can work for my gasoline. When it’s a reasonable price, then I fill up. But until then, thank heaven for the “pick another amount” button.

Too Bad He Doesn't Know

2006-06-25T11:33:00.000-04:00

Every Sunday morning we treat ourselves by going out to breakfast at The Ranch House. It is a wonderful little family owned and run restaurant that we have gone to for YEARS.

It is so nice because when you walk in every one says hi and it is like one big family in there. Any way, today was like most others. We were there early and had a wonderful breakfast and pleasant conversation. It was looking to be a beautiful day.

We left their parking lot and had to wait for a red light at the intersection of Queenston Rd and Walter St. We were the second car in. The light changed, the car ahead went through and just as we got to the line a guy on a bike, moving very fast, came through against the light. I jumped on the brakes and he came right on through. Never even saw us or looked or anything. He actually passed within four feet of the car!

If I had not seen him, he would have hit the car right before the front door and flown over the hood. He may have hit the curb or the lamp post or who knows what. Goodness knows how badly he may have been hurt. My heart was pounding. It scared the crap out of me. The driver that had stopped for the light saw it all. I looked at him and he just shook his head.

Why is it that a lot of bike riders seem to think that a helmet and two wheels means they don't have to obey rules or even look where they're going? Now, I am all for people that want to ride their bikes. Good on ya!!! But for heaven sake pay flipping attention to where you are. Remember, you are a vehicle too and in ANY argument with a car you ARE going to LOSE!!!

So many times I see them riding the wrong way or zipping in between stopped vehicles or dashing through against the light. And when someone gets hurt, right away they want to blame the drivers. Most of us take care when maneuvering our vehicles, but we can’t see everywhere. Some drivers don’t care and think they have the right to go where and when they want because they have ‘a license’. Those are the ones the bikers have to watch out for. They think they own the road.

And that goes for the bike riders as well. They SHOULD NOT be on sidewalks and going the wrong way on one way streets. They have to start taking responsibility for their own safety. It’s about time the realized that through physics alone, that they do not stand a CHANCE against a car. They must ALWAYS be thinking ahead to what a driver is doing. They can make it easier on them selves by at least following the rules of the road.

Any way, I am very angry at that guy on the bike. He did not even realize what almost happened. But it upset and scared me for a good many hours after wards. I think his life flashed before my eyes. I know I saw what his life would have been after he hit us and THAT frightened and saddened me.

Sirens and Traffic

2006-06-03T14:11:00.000-04:00

Okay, whose brilliant idea was it to give the ambulances and police cars these new multi choice sirens?

They ought to live near an ambulance station for a week and then see how good that thought was.

The station is one block from our house and by the mere location the majority of them pass by our front door. Sure you get used to them and, because it’s a one way street, they usually turn the siren off after they have made the corner. Unless there is lots of traffic or it’s a critical case. How some ever, why, in heaven’s name do they have to try out every sound they can make. Lots of times I swear it is just the fun of having a new toy.

The other evening, for example, co-incidentally, the same day they protested the shortage of crew and vehicles, I was out in the yard and could hear in the distance, the European siren. It kept coming and coming, getting closer and closer. I’m starting to think there must be a very bad crisis for this siren to be going for such a long time. It sounded like it was coming from downtown. Anyway, it kept getting louder and louder, closer and closer. I’m thinking what could have happened in our area? An evacuation? Huge accident? Large, out of control fire?

The ambulance cleared the intersection here, turned off the siren and went into their garage????!!!!!!

Little stupid, don’t you think? Lot stupid!! There were no other ambulances coming out of there at the time and they didn’t go in and trade vehicles or anything. Must have been quitting time.

Anyway, just curious. I really do appreciate all the work and effort they, as well as police, and fire fighters put in. It can’t be any easy life. But let’s go back to the everyday siren and quit playing with the darn thing.

My traffic thing. Again.

Love sitting on the porch watching the bozos going through the intersection. Every single night I am amazed that there are not more incidents here. So many people run the red light or jump the green light that it is just a question of time before we have a major accident. Every single night there are several idiots that will come around the corner a little too wide and nearly clip the dope next to him. The driver of that car has to lean on his horn and express his total displeasure with that idiot, traffic, life, and the world in general. At least now that the weather is better, windows are open and I am learning some new words. None that I would use here, but what the heck.

They also have to speed up the hill, gradual slope actually, and yell some more or at least do the testosterone ‘my vehicles tougher that yours’ thing.

There are two lanes turning left at said intersection. They are turning onto a three lane road, BUT, one lane is there for people coming the other direction and turning right. When I learned to drive I was told that if you are in the right hand lane before the corner you should be in the right hand lane after. If you are second lane out then follow that around the corner and you should still end up in the second lane. There are a lot of the same vehicles going by there every night. I know because I sit out there every evening waiting for my husband to come home from work. I recognize certain cars. Why haven’t some of them learned YET that they have to stay in their lane???????

Why do they think they can cut inside the truck coming around the corner? What do they think that sign “This vehicle makes wide turns” means? And why so darn fast?

Same as the people making the right turn. So many times I have seen them come around there and swing two and even three lanes wide, mainly because they are also going too fast. We actually had some one come around that corner one night that lost control and took out a ten foot tree in front of my neighbour’s house. Now that house is the fifth one from the corner!! We still haven’t actually figured out how he did it, because from the direction he was coming he ended up facing back the way he came in order to get the tree. Even more amazing is that he managed to lose control but miss a fire hydrant on one side and a street lamp post on the other. Threaded it through about 12 feet of open space.

Recycling and Garbage

2006-05-24T22:05:00.000-04:00

I have a problem.

I have always operated a compost heap. It’s a great way to get rid of all the leftover bits when you do anything with fruit and vegetables. Well now, the city has given me a nice big green bin that will take all the stuff I normally put in my own composter PLUS all the bits you're NOT supposed to because it will attract raccoons and other critters.

Today was our collection day. I only got my green cart last week, but was able to have it almost three quarters full by garbage day. And it is not even the start of the fresh fruit and vegy season! I also had my little green bin, to take stuff to the big green bin, full. That went to my home composter.

This is good. Or is it? What do I do with all the excess plastic left over from my green garbage bag because I had didn't even have enough to fill it? And, hello, I can now put things like greasy pizza boxes, paper bags, facial tissues, freezer paper, microwave popcorn bags, paper napkins, plates and cups, paper towels and waxed paper in my green bin. That is going to cut down on my paper supply for the blue box people. (Are they related to the Blue Man Group?). You can line your bin with a paper bag (hard to come by) or newspapers (have lots). Luckily, the blue box and the green bin are collected by the same people so they should be okay about things.

But I can also now put dryer lint, feathers, (do I have to buy some if I don't have any?), dog hair (have a dog, so I'm okay there), sugar and donuts and flour and meat, all in my green bin. What will the garbage people think when I have less and less for them and more and more for the green bin? Will they maybe stop picking up my garbage all together? I mean I have recycled for a long time, but I have always had a little something to offer them. Am I going to be putting them out of work? I know recycling is a good thing, but will the garbage guys union be angry at me because I don't have my one bag that I am allowed each week? I wouldn't want a picket line in front of my house

Oh, and do I feed my own composter and starve the city's? What will the neighbours think if I don't put out a full green bin? How do I keep my own composter going?

When I go grocery shopping, do I have to remember that I want freezer paper, not Styrofoam for my meat products so that I can recycle them to the green bin? Make sure to get corn with the husks on and carrots with the tops and bananas with the peel (okay that’s stretching it). All good for my green bin! Insist that my grocery store offer me the paper or plastic choice again, because right now I don’t have it and I need the paper bag to line my bin? (Although I can go to one of a number of stores to BUY the bags, but that will use up gas and pollute the air). Should I make sure that I always get my shellfish IN the shell, and my meat ON or at least WITH the bone, my fish with bones and my walnuts WITH shells?

Seems like a hell of a way to go on a diet when you think about it, though. Come home from the grocery store and start putting things away. Shouldn't have bought the bacon. Too much fat and cholesterol. Into the bin!

Did you really need those cookies and that box of donuts? Into the bin!

And, really, jam and mayonnaise, butter instead of margarine, hell as well as margarine. INTO the bin!!!

What about the candy bar? The peanut butter? INTO THE BIN!!

Soon it will become a disorder like compostia continiuum. But that too is good, because then I’ll have to have a newsletter (paper for the bin). And of course we’ll have a meeting each week where I’ll have to serve something. (corn ON the cob, (cobs for the bin) cookies on paper plates, (plates to the bin and uneaten cookies as well), Popsicles (sticks for the bin), coffee, (grounds and filters for the bin).

Oh the possibilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, my name is Sally and I am a composter.

Maybe I am getting a little carried away, but it’s MY blog.

Conspiracy Theory

2006-05-18T16:00:00.000-04:00

So I now have this blog thing and even though I am pretty computer literate I am still figuring out how it works. I have been writing things that are on my mind at the moment and entering them on my Blog.

Except I noticed that one or two of my previous postings are no longer there. So…… Ticked off. MAJOR!!!!!!

I’m ready to call the blog police, because how dare they censure what I write. I mean this is a free country and I know the internet is worldwide but hey!!!???

I didn’t get around to it, because I was thinking I’d better be sure. Maybe I didn’t really write that stuff about drivers and what pinheads they can be. Maybe it’s more than the internet/blog police. Maybe it’s the whole government. I mean they get lots of money from drivers and stuff, what with taxes on everything and license plates and the revenue from tickets.

Still didn’t write to anyone, because I got busy with other more important things, like my kitchen sink breaking.

Then yesterday as I am writing about said kitchen sink, I post it and one of my previous posts goes missing. WTF!!??

They’re really watching me now. Look over my shoulder. No one there. Backstep my page to see how this could have happened and realize that it wasn’t the government or Big Brother or even the owner of my Blog page.

No, it was even worse. It was me. Yes, I did it. Turns out that I bookmarked the right page and the wrong page and have been using the wrong one by mistake. I now have that little problem fixed so from now on all my little pearls of wisdom and insight should show up.

Unless, as any true Coast to Coast radio show listener will know, they really are out there watching. I have just been tricked into believing it was my mistake.

An aside to this stuff. I am so glad the Hippies won the Amazing Race. They were, for the most part, the nicest young people they have had on there in a long time.

Men

2006-05-16T15:36:00.000-04:00

The REAL Reason Men Invented Plumbing

As I have said before I am on disability, so it is hard for me to do things. I have a nice wooden step ladder that is just the right size for me to sit at the sink to do dishes. There are only the two of us in the house so I don't have many dishes to do. Now, I use to hate doing dishes, but lately I have gotten into this domestic goddess routine, and conservation thing, where I wash my dishes every night; by HAND!!!

Been doing this for about six months. Last night, I did them all, set them to dry and pulled the stopper. Strange noise. You don't really notice the water draining out every night until it suddenly changes sound. I thought it warranted looking at, so I did and what do I find but all my dish water under the sink!! Lucky for me the people we bought the house from lo those many years ago seemed to think they needed a hole for the pipe that was the same size as what you'd use to put a street pipe through. Most of the water went straight through and landed in the basement, fortunately, again, not on anything that could be damaged.

The pipe broke, (BROKE!) right below where it attaches to the sink. Too aggressive in my dish washing techniques? I don't know.

Oh well.

Course if I'd needed a new sink that probably would mean new taps. And you can't have those without getting a new counter. Then the cabinets would make the counter look bad, so I'd better replace those. Then what colour tile do I get for the floor? Oh, and the walls will need repainting. Probably a new ceiling and pot lights…….

Then, the furniture would look terrible so that will have to be replaced. Oh, Oh, Oh, NEW APPLIANCES!!! Stainless Steel of course. Then we should really expand out over the deck and make that a nice little back room/ family/sitting/breakfast nook type room. With a fireplace and maybe another TV. Oh, a hot tub!! What colour should I get the settee in?

Alas, it turns out that the piece that broke is replaceable. All this means I don't need a new sink.

And THAT is why some man came along and became a plumber.

Don't ever let them tell you it was because they were thinking of us.

How To Treat People

2006-04-18T21:01:00.000-04:00

Customer Service

Went out today to do some errands and visited two stores, both of which are owner operated. Talk about two entirely different ways to do business.

The first store was a bead shop in Dundas. Second time I have been there. Second time I felt like I needed a bath or should have been wearing my pearls, mink and diamonds. Silly me I had on blue jeans and a nice cotton shirt.

They looked up when I walked in and I said hi. But nobody acknowledged me. No one even smiled. They kept on talking to the other customer they had there. (Maybe I came at the wrong time. But I don't remember a sign on the door saying open to members only.) Anyway, they kept talking; the owner especially about how she was just coming from one show and getting ready for another, and blah blah blah. I looked at some beads, picked up a few containers, obviously (I thought) looking like I needed help but still nothing. Finally the other customer left. I thought maybe now? But alas, first one woman went into the back then the owner followed her. Still nothing to me. I put the beads on the shelf, could have stolen them, and left closing the door a little harder than usual. I fully intend on calling them and telling them that I will never be back and will be sure to tell all of my other beading friends about their lack of service and plain rudeness.

So, the second place I go to is my FAVOURITE yarn store, the one I have linked on my page. The owner was outside in the parking lot chatting with one of her customers. I got out of my car and was greeted with a warm smile and a cheerful hello. So very nice. Julie has been like this from the very first minute I met her. The second time I went in her shop she remembered my name and she seems to remember ALL of her customers. I do believe that is the main reason she is doing so well in her shop. She is helpful, there when you need her, not when you don't, never obtrusive, always helpful, EXTREMELY knowledgeable, and just all around nice. Very pretty too!

Her shop is the most amazing place. Yarn to make you drool. Anyway, as I was talking about service, you'll have to check the shop out for yourself. (You WON'T be sorry!!!) She was able to help me with the questions I asked. Also able to fill me in a little on what is going on in the yarn industry, trends etc. While I was there another customer came in with a question and then needed to ask her daughter something about colours for her sweater. Julie offered to let her use the phone to make a long distance call. Each customer that came in was greeted by their name and a warm welcome.

Guess which store will be getting my money? It is a big shame that some stores do not realize that customers still want to be treated like they are important, whether they are spending hundreds of dollars or five dollars. I do not go to the box stores because they have lost that customer service.

Off my pulpit, now. Thanks for listening.

Sally's Mind

2006-04-17T13:08:00.001-04:00

Let's see. Today.
Bought gas on Thursday for 95.6 cents a litre. Now, the gas companies claim there is nothing untoward going on, but Friday morning gas had gone up by 8 cents a litre!! Happened to be a long weekend but I'm sure it was a co-incidence.
Today I saw gas prices still at $1.04+, and the price per barrel ONLY went up this morning. So how did they know? And why was the Petro Canada station, notoriously higher priced, the only one around at 95.6? Maybe they still had some of the cheap gas and were waiting to sell it off??? Yeah, and hell froze over last night, too.

What goes Through My Mind

2006-04-14T23:39:00.001-04:00

Today I was wondering why people are so inconsiderate. I use a handicap parking spot, and have a tag to do do so, because I need a cane to walk and can neither walk far nor fast.
So why is it that I go to the store where they are so kind as to have one whole handicap spot, not conveniently placed, to find a car idling there.
Upon further inspection I see that the person behind the wheel is perfectly healthy (I know this because he got out and cleaned off the windshield) but that he is waiting for a handicap person. Now he could very easily leave the spot for someone else and wait elsewhere. I mean he is already idling there, so he knows he is not waiting long. He could wait in another spot and just be ready to pull up when the handicapped person comes out.

I saw a lady with a young kid park in a handicap spot. They both hopped out of the car and went in to do the grocery shopping, obviously thinking that because they have the handicap sticker that must belong to an older parent that it was okay to take the spot from someone else. I didn't know that being incosiderate was a certifiable handicap. Hhhmmmm!!!

Sally's Life

The lastest numbers

I am getting closer. Whoops, maybe not.

Where are the DOCTORS ? ? ? ? ? ?

Now this is more like me.

And so it goes

Yay, thin blood ! ! ! ! !

Well, this is rather interesting.

So what do I write about?

So I thought it was hot in May ? ? ? ? ?

OKAY, ALL READY ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The Group

GREAT weekend

Oi ! ! ! !

Thoughts

Things that can break your heart

Giant Beer Vats

Cookiestock 2010 ! ! ! ! !

You know you're old when . . . . .

It just kept getting better. (a long post)

So, what about THIS theory?

Incompetance

What's new with me you ask?

Surprise ! ! ! !

Other Pets

Bees part two

Bees

Wow, my scarves are getting around

Writing Void

More farm stories

A Lovely Evening

Christmas Morning

Past Experiences

Haven't been HERE in a while

Do As I Say Not As I Do???? Part 2

Sally's Birthday

Addendum

Do As I Say Not As I Do????

GOT TO READ THIS BOOK, part 2

GOT TO READ THIS BOOK

Chick Flick NOT

Chick Flick

Pain

Customers

Today's Rant

Barbaro

Should have written sooner

Gas Prices. Again.

Too Bad He Doesn't Know

Sirens and Traffic

Recycling and Garbage

Conspiracy Theory

Men

How To Treat People

Sally's Mind

What goes Through My Mind