The New Fendi Glasses

So I did bite the bullet and well here they are.....I do like them....they are very comfortable.....I will take the suggestion of following up with the company. Anyhow, you have all been a great support and have put up with me complaining, so after today I hope not to bore you all with my eye glasses saga....cheers and Happy Weekend to you all!!

The new me!

To see or not to see.......

The continuing story of the glasses.....well I took my sisters advice and contacted the store and told them I wanted to cancel my order...of course they said I couldn't do that.....and of course I didn't like that response so I wrote a letter to their head office who in turn forwarded my letter to their Regional Manager who called me....I spoke with him, but he just regurgitated the same gobble dee goop as I had already heard. I asked him about their cancellation policy, he said they didn't have one and the if I didn't want the glasses I would have to forfeit my deposit of $450. Well that didn't sit well with me. So I wrote another letter to the head office, advising them that I had spoken with the Regional manager and that I wasn't happy with his response and I hoped that we could come to some mutual agreement. I haven't heard back. This afternoon I received a call from the store that I originally ordered the glasses from, they advised me that my glasses were in.....I told them again I didn't want them, she asked me if I had spoken with the Regional manager, I said yes but I was not happy with his response and that I had written the head office and was waiting to see what they had to say. I told them they could hold onto them if they wanted.

Ideally, I would like my money back and call it a day. I don't think that is going to happen. So what I am hoping will happened is that they agree to use the $450 which I gave as a deposit for the original purchase and apply it towards a pair of glasses that come within the amount I had paid for on the deposit. I have to wait and see what they think about that.


In the meantime, I really do need to get some glasses so I am going to have to come to some resolve sooner rather than later. Like I said in my last post.....Live and learn!!!! Oh, what to do?

These old eyes ain't what they use to be.....

Well I finally did it. Last week I went and saw the optometrist and had my eyes checked. Since November I have noticed my eyesight gradually getting worse....I need the light on over my computer and sometimes even the over head light...my eye sockets ache like crazy...and headaches...driving at night is very uncomfortable...and by the end of the day all I want to do is close my eyes and give them a rest. It seemed like it came on all of a sudden, but hubby tells me he has noticed my deteriorating eyesight for awhile. I was getting fearful that there might be something else going on. I have had a variety things going on with me and in isolation of each symptom I can rationalize each and every symptom. My eyes for example....I must admit...I am getting older...46....urgh...only 3 years ago I had my eyes checked by the opthamologist who told me I had perfect vision. So I was fearful that something else was going on. In hind sight I realize that poor vision runs in my family and that I should consider myself thankful that I have held onto my eye sight for as long as I have. After a very detailed examination I am told I need glasses. Glasses you say....is that all....nothing else....just old eyes...that's it.....yippee!!! It's funny how we can take our sight for granted, thinking it will always be there for us. I know I shouldn't have been excited about getting the glasses but it was such a relief to know that there was nothing else going on to cause my eyes to be as sore as they were and for the increase in my headaches.

Anyhow...now they got me.....the optometrist wants to do one more test, she puts drops in my eyes, that make my pupils HUGE!!! eventually I can't really see a thing. But while the drug is taking effect they take me out to the area where they have all the frames .....I have to pick a frame. The clerk picks up a pair and I try them on....they looked pretty good...or at least I thought....we tried on at least 15 others...but I was drawn to the first pair, of course I was.....they were the designer pair....$364 for the frame alone. I tell them I need to wait for my hubby to return to make sure he likes them on me. Seeing as I have to wear them all the time, I thought it would be important that he liked them on me. He did...until we saw the price...then came the lenses....over $600 for the lenses.....oh my god....how can that be....they are just a little piece of glass....and that is the problem, small frames, small lenses, and because I am getting progressive lenses there is a lot of adjusting that needs to be done for the lenses to fit the frame. I didn't realize that at the time.

I wasn't thinking properly, I think those drops they put into my eyes gave me brain freeze and I didn't realize what I had just purchased. I put a 50% deposit on the frames and lenses that on top of the $120 for the examination. Anyone doing the math out there.....yes....it was a very expensive afternoon. But they get you don't they. Never having worn glasses...not knowing what to ask or what was a reasonable price etc. and feeling stunned about getting them in the first place and the drops in my eyes making me feel all goofy....oh just bad judgement or lack of judgement on my part. The next day when I went to go see my sister and I told her about my glasses and what they were charging me....she was shocked as was her roommate, they both wear glasses and told me they have never ever paid that kind of money. I called the shop to cancel my order, they said that they had already placed my order and that my prescription had already been started. It all seemed pretty fishy to me. As most of you folks who wear eye glasses know you can get frames and glasses in a hour....so I ask you why is this place taking 10 days for me to get my glasses if they had already started my order? Seems odd don't you think......

Well I had them fax my prescription to me so I could do some shop comparison....I haven't yet....I am putting it off as I don't want to get depressed when I find out I shouldn't have paid so much. Lesson learnt.....the very hard way......

I share this with you all as this is part of the reason I haven't been around visiting as often....being on the computer is really bugging my eyes....but by the end of this week I should have my new goggles that only cost me my first born, and will be surfing the blog world to check up on you all......cheers....

All in a day......

Well, it was a busy few days. Thursday hubby decided that he needed more stone to finish a job he had been working on. This is no simple task. What this meant was that we would have to go to the mainland pick up a slab of stone and bring it back. Simple right? Well not if you are not proficient at driving a 1 ton pick up with manual transmission. Yes, I had to drive the truck to the mainland as hubby still doesn't have use of his right arm. It actually wasn't so bad getting over there, it's mostly highway driving on my side of the water, it was when we got to the big city that scared the living day lights out of me..but then it wasn't day light when we arrived anyhow, it was dark...and I hate driving in the dark at the best of times. Anyhow, the next day we go to pick up the slab of stone, which needless to say adds considerable weight to the truck, again driving in the city, with the stone on the back, cars cutting in front of you, stopping on hills...oh I am getting all sweaty just thinking about it again. I only stalled it twice with a quick recovery. My eldest and youngest daughter decided they were going to come for a visit this weekend as well, so this meant I had to pick them up in the truck...maneuver this big truck through the townhouse complex to where my daughter lives and then through some small city alley to pick my eldest daughter up from work. By the time we started to head out of the city it was getting on for rush hour, and you don't want to be in Vancouver in a big truck with stone on the back during rush hour. We make it to the ferry only to be told we had to wait until the next ferry....Urgh! Actually that was ok....it gave my nerves time to settle down.

After a couple of stops on the other side of the pond we made it home safely. Actually, by the end of it all I was feeling pretty darn good about my accomplishments....my daughters just couldn't believe this was their mom driving the truck....never say never I tell them...you never know what lays ahead.

On another note.....you know the saying "once a parent always a parent", and how you always wish to keep your children free from harm both physical and emotional? Well, I know I have always tried too, but at the same time realizing that in order for children to grow into well balanced individuals, there will be times in their lives when they will have to journey alone. With that being said, my eldest daughter is in need of some motherly love and comfort.

She just recently broke off her relationship of 5 years with her boyfriend. She is an emotional wreck right now. It is something that I think has been coming for awhile but she just didn't know how to do it. Somehow she mustered up enough strength the other day to tell him that it just wasn't working for her anymore and that she needed to move on. My daughter is only 22 years old and has a life ahead of her. She doesn't see that right now. She fears that maybe she has made a mistake. There are things that I wanted to say to her but I have always tried not to give suggestions as to how to solve her her problems but rather suggest she looks within. This is her journey and only she knows in her heart what is right for her. We talked for hours....Saturday was a day to just chill, as hubby was working the girls and I decided that we would make a special dinner. We all were responsible for one portion of the meal. Eldest daughter did the vegetables, snap peas and carrots in a fresh lime and ginger sauce, then potatoes,sweet potatoes and turnip baked in a sugary glaze...yummy...youngest made desert, chocolate cake with homemade fudge sauce...again very scrumptious....I made the stuff chicken breasts with a white wine sauce....it was all very tasty. Needless to say the next day we went for a run together and then we went down to the beach to take in all the wonders that nature had to offer. I think it was good for eldest daughter, it helped her reflect. She asked me if I thought she had not made herself clear to her now ex boyfriend, I asked her what she meant. She explained, we discussed things further, she said to me..."mom, you say things so perfectly, I feel what you say in my heart, but those words don't come out" I told her, those are my words, she must express herself in a way that is natural to her....she told me she had left her boyfriend a letter and that once he had received it he told her that was the clearest she had ever been with him, so she asked me if she should write another....again....I said go with your heart....she wrote another letter....she asked me to read it....after reading it....I said to her....are you sure this is what you want to say....and if it is....then sleep on it....and if in the morning you still feel this is what you want to say....then do with it as you see fit......she sent the letter the next day.....

I know we have all been there, had our hearts broken, felt like it would never heal. But out of the darkness one day comes light and clarity and we find the strength to move on.....I know there will be many more tears...and phone calls and visits to her mom(for which I will be happy for)....but she is a strong woman...and I know she will find her way.

I have this book called "The Language of Courage and Inner Strength" and I found an excerpt from it that I read to her....

"There are times in every life when we feel hurt or alone...But I believe that these times when we feel lost and all around us seems to be falling apart are really bridges of growth. We struggle and try to recapture the security of what was, but almost in spite of ourselves....we emerge on the other side with a new understanding, a new awareness, a new strength. It is almost as though we must go through the pain and the struggle in order to grow and reach new heights."

~Sue Mitchell~

How many remotes does it take?

A couple of months ago hubby and I decided we were going to get a satellite dish. We originally were going to use a new one of hubby's brother, but I can't remember the reason it just wasn't working with the component. Anyhow, on a trip to the mainland we went to this specialty store for satellite dishes and hubby was going to settle for the simpler model...I on the other hand suggested to him, that if he was planning on doing the things he was then wouldn't it be better to pay the extra $75 and get triple the capabilities?(Note that is not like me at all to suggest something like that) We did purchase the triple component dish. I am not suppose to say how many stations we get...but there are enough.

Anyhow, in order to operate this new gadget of course there is a remote control. Everything now days has a remote control. This brings me to my current situation. The remote. I ask you, how many remotes does one need to operate the TV? And how many buttons does it take to turn on and off the TV? I think I would like to show you the answers in a pictorial format.....

Apparently, in my house it takes this many remotes to operate two TV's!

Three for upstairs......

And three for downstairs.....the other one's I have no idea what they are for.......This brings us to the next question....how many buttons does one have to push in order to "TURN ON" the TV....apparently you have to......

Yup....you are reading it right....my hubby finally made me up an instruction page on how to turn on the TV!!!! What ever happened to a simple on/off button?

It gets more complicated now. In all fairness the downstairs TV did start off with just the one remote...very complicated but just one. Now that hubby has set up his stereo with the TV and surround sound....here comes the other two remotes. So those above instructions have to be modified.

The other night, hubby fell asleep on the couch with the TV going of course. So I go downstairs....read my instructions to turn off the TV....the TV goes off but the sound stays on....dear god I say...what now....and low and behold there is another remote sitting on the table.....not wanting to disturb hubby I fumble for the remote.......I can't see or read a darn thing on this remote, finding out only yesterday I am far sighted you can appreciate how difficult seeing these buttons can be...now I have to turn on the lights....and even then I am struggling to see the buttons....but I find it...or so I thought...Volume.....ooooooooops pushed the wrong button...the volume blares.....but hey...it doesn't wake up hubby....I fumble some more and figure out the right button....but I never did turn it off...just down all the ways.....

So to answer my own question...in my house it takes 3 remotes to operate my TV....and well to be honest, until I get a new instruction sheet from hubby...I don't know how many I have to push to turn it off.....maybe I should just leave it on the opera station, I'm thinking he would simplify things for me much quicker.....

Have a great day all!!!

What do you value?

My hubby and I have had this discussion on many occasions. It has to do with what we as a society value. In this case I am talking about the salaries of professional athletes, and professional actors. Please note that I do use the word professional, as I recognize that it does take a certain amount of commitment in order to achieve what they have achieved.

But with that being said, in many cases it has to do with being in the right place at the right time and the god given talent of being able to throw a ball over 100km/hr or run a football down a field, or putt a ball into a hole. Yes there is practice that comes into play, and dedication. But I ask you why do we as a society believe that these few individuals should be worth the salaries they are paid? Tiger Woods for example, a fabulous golfer but is he really worth a 40 million dollar endorsement? Baseball players some of the highest payed athletes, are they really worth the multi-million dollar salaries that they are being paid?

Why do we place such value on an athlete and not on the nurse or doctor who is saving your life when you go into cardiac arrest? Why is that acceptable? Don't get me wrong I think most doctors are very well paid and rightly so....they have your life in their hands. What does the football player do for you? Is he going to save you when you have an anaphylactic reaction to a peanut? I think not. Or the nurse who changes your dressings or performs procedures in order to improve the quality of you life, isn't that worth something to you?

What about those actors, yes they study their character and do their homework...but rightly so, they are getting paid millions for doing that, they better make it realistic.

What about that care aide who cares for your mom or dad in the nursing home, spends time with them, talks with them. Or the physiotherapist who works with you after surgery to help you get full mobilization back. Aren't they worth it? Isn't your health worth it? Don't you deserve that care? Of course you do. But we keep being told there is no money in the coffers for health care, and that we must pay huge health care premiums and that doesn't even guarantee that we are going to get the care we need. But hey don't worry there is money to pay the professional athletes their exuberant salaries so we can watch them play football or baseball as we bleed to death in the hospital corridor waiting for the HMO to give the go ahead for treatment.

Is it just me or doesn't this seem crazy to anyone else? Indirectly I do pay these athletes salaries, buy purchasing tickets to the games, paying to wear one of their jersey's or drink from a cup with their name on it, or my husband use a shaver that Tiger says will give him a closer shave.

I have never understood the concept of paying someone to play a sport. I am not saying they are not athletes and practices and work hard, they do...but no one in my mind is worth a 40 million dollar endorsement contract for shaving products, and I won't support it. It's just wrong to me.

What about our police force, and fire fighters what are they worth to you? Or the teachers who are teaching our future generation, they have to be worth something to you? I guess they don't mean a whole heck of a lot to us based on the salaries we are willing to pay them. Especially our police officers and fire fighters who go out there every day and risk their lives for each and everyone of us. How can we as a society say that a running back is more valuable than some one who is willing to risk his or her own life to pull us from a fiery inferno?

When I see people struggling to make ends meet, and can't afford health care and yet we as a society say it's ok to pay these athletes and actors these kinds of salaries. It's just to crazy for me, and I think we as a society have our priorities all mixed up.

Advanced Health Care directives.....what would you want? Does your family know?

First, let me thank all of you for your kind words. But as I wrote to a fellow blogger and in my comments on my previous post. I do not have MS. I am investigating it....lots of variable to take into consideration, lots of things to be ruled out. I was just asking any of you who where familiar with the disease if you wouldn't mind sharing what you could. I apologize if I lead you down a wrong path.

On a previous post I did on health care and the possible causes for the "crisis" as we see it, I mentioned that because of the technological advancement being made in health care, we are living longer, and able to save lives, where as before, we were unable.

While I was waiting to see the doctor the other day, I came across some literature he had in his office. They were called Advanced Directives and DNR. He told me that when ever he takes on an elderly patient he presents them with the literature and talks to them about it. I guess planting the seed.

In British Columbia our Health Care delivery is broken down into Regions or better known as Health Authorities. It is these authorities who are ultimately responsible for providing the funding to the hospitals and for public health care. Our Health authority has put out a series of pamphlets entitled "Advanced Health Care Planning". They are a series of 4 pamphlets. Pamphlet one is called a Planning fact sheet. It is to be used as a tool for planning advanced health care and talking about what health care you want in the future if you are unable to make or communicate those decisions for yourself. They say Advanced health care planning is a process of Learning about what health care treatments are available and what they can do for you. Discussing with your family, friends and health care providers what you think about the treatments available. Deciding what health care you want in the future based on your learning and discussing and finally Documenting your decisions in an advance directive(living will)making sure everyone(your family, your doctor, your caregiver) has a copy so when the time comes they can make the decisions you want them to.

Pamphlet 2 talks about CPR what it is, what you need to know about CPR, what are the benefits and what are the risks, Pamphlet 3 asks you to look at how much health care do you want? It describes 4 different levels of care. Comfort care, which means that tests and treatments are done not to prolong life but to maintain comfort. Limited Care, means more treatment than comfort care but less than surgical. That means if you develop a pneumonia you could receive antibiotics, blood tests etc., if you were bleeding you would get blood products...but there would be no surgical intervention. Surgical care means you would get everything under comfort care plus surgical, Intensive care means that everything a modern hospital has to offer. Again, this is something that should be discussed and your loved ones , doctor and health care provider need to know. The Pamphlet 4 talks about feeding, and for some the most difficult. It talks about basic feeding, supplemental feeding, intravenous feeding and tube feeding. The pamphlet reviews dehydration and the bodies natural way of shutting down and preparing for it's next journey, death. Families often have issues with not feeding their loved ones, for some it is very culturally ingrained that their loved one needs to be fed even if they are not alert enough. This then posses harm to the patient.

These are difficult topics to discuss, but very important. If you can talk about these issues for yourself or your loved one, it can save so much heart ache when the time comes. There is nothing more stressful on a family than to try to determine what their loved one would have wanted.

On many many occasions I have been asked by a family members what they should do. My answer to them is what do you think their loved one would want? What was their quality of life before this, had they ever expressed anything about if their heart should stop or if they should stop breathing would they want to be put on a machine. Have they ever mentioned if they couldn't feed themselves did they want to be tube fed? Again, these are very difficult questions to talk about, but let me tell you, when I have had to deal with families where these directives have been discussed, it was so much better for everyone. We could help with the patient passing as comfortably and painlessly as possible, as well as providing support to the family, and explain to them the process of dying. What they are seeing, what they can expect.

I can remember when my sister was passing. She wanted to die at home, but she and her husband had not done anything about a DNR. Had I not been there with them to explain that this was imperative to have, we would have had to call an ambulance and they would have been obligated to do CPR on her. I was able to get my sister into the hospital to see the doctor, discuss the prognosis...which she already knew....two days later she was gone. Peacefully and at home surrounded by loved ones. The way she wanted.

I know this may be difficult , but it is so necessary to discuss this if not for your peace of mind then for those around you.

Most of us are in the sandwich generation, and if your parents haven't discussed their wishes with you be brave and bring it up with them. They most probably want to talk about it anyways but just don't know how.

Swim Suit humour......

Yesterday, I guess I was feeling a bit blue.....and I think my hubby sensed that.....so while I was in the doctor's office....he went off to do a few errands....by the time he came back I still hadn't been seen by the doctor....anyhow....after my appointment we go out to my car....and there on the steering wheel is this envelope......"what's this" I say......." I don't know" says hubby with a smirk on his face.......I open the envelope and this is what I find.......

I then opened the card and it goes on to say......Just a little card to "crack" you up......signed....Happy Friday.......I laughed and I laughed.....even looking at it now I am laughing.....I mean I was next to tears......remember my post about humour....well this to me is humour......a good ol belly laugh.......

Do you remember when thong swim suits came out.....I do.....it was back in the 80's when I first experienced seeing one. I was in Hawaii......lounging on the beach taking in the sun the sand and the surf.....when I rolled over onto my tummy and looked over.....and there not more than a 100 yards in front of me was this woman...in this suit....I thought what in god's name is that......now never having seen one...I was shocked...I thought I was on a public beach...why is this woman wearing this.....or not wearing......this woman had to have been in her sixties....yes sixties...either that or she had spent way to much time in the sun.....now don't get me wrong.....if that woman felt confident enough to go out there wearing that...then all the power to her....but me..who was 19 at the time....fit, wouldn't have dreamed of wearing anything like that.....and I certainly wouldn't wear one today......Then when we were in Mexico this past September with my girls......we are sitting at our cabana...when the gentleman at the next cabana prepares to strip down to his swim suit......well where was it?.....just this little piece of cloth covering the front of him......oh my goodness....my girls and I just looked at each and looked away.....again we had never seen anything like that before.....we are not prudes.....it's just again....it's a public beach.....if I wanted to see somebodies naked bits I would go to a nude beach......

I bet we all have a swimsuit story....I will share another one with you.....when I was a child we used to go camping....in preparation for the trip we all had chores or things we had to do to help prepare for the trip. Well my sister Kathleen was in charge of collecting all of the swim suits....now that would have been about 10 suits.....anyhow.....I remember her gathering them up...and I remember her putting them on the counter. It was always mayhem getting us all organized and into the station wagon, and load up the trailer and the car top....oh my gosh. Anyhow, we all piled into the car and headed out for our holiday. I think I was only 7 at the time....and I don't even remember where we stopped to make camp first....but what I do remember was when it came time that we were all allowed to go for a swim. Mom went looking for the suits......"Kathleen" mom shouts out...."where are the swim suits"....I can still see the look on Kathleen's face.....she realized she had left them on the kitchen counter....her chin dropped her eyes filled with tears....both from the fear of the scolding she was about to get and for the simple fact that she had forgotten them. Now coming from a family of 12 children you can appreciate that finances were a little tight. Mom and dad didn't have the finances to go out and by new suits...so what my mom did....was go buy some material, she cut and hand sewed material to my older sisters bra's and panties....and well us younger ones just wore our underpants...and the boys wore their shorts......oh how we laugh when we talk about this story now...but at the time....there they were my older sisters 12, 15, 17, 18 all in these hand sewn suits......can you imagine......they will never forget it......

Just some ramblings......

I haven't been around much this week. Been doing that car hunting thing....thought we had a vehicle all lined up but hubby and I thought better on it. Hubby has been really busy doing cost comparisons the whole nine yards....lots of research bless his heart....in the end his hard work has given us negotiating power. We know my car is worth alot more than the dealers want to give us...the dealers want my car.....but they don't want to make a fare deal....we had one deal or so we thought lined up....I test drove the vehicle only to find it had a leak.....deal cancelled. Another one we had lined up...only for us to realize that financially we could do way better....I guess that's why the car salesman has been calling us frequently....he knows he was going to get a good deal. Again thank goodness for Internet and for hubby doing the grunt work on this one. Tomorrow we are venturing into Nanaimo, I just couldn't do anymore car shopping today.

For those of you that read this post earlier...you will note that I did some editing...that being I removed all of my whining.....I realized that....although this is my blog and I should feel comfortable talking about anything....I have thought it over and feel that maybe this wasn't an appropriate forum.......I shall keep my own personal journal. Thank you Martie and Janice for you comments and concerns.

I have a question for any of you who has been diagnosed with MS if you wouldn't mind emailing me with any information you might have regarding this disease....how old were you when you were diagnosed? What diagnostic tests were done to determine you had MS?...have you experienced times of remission?....what were your signs or symptoms? Any information you would like to share with me would be greatly appreciate. Thank you.

I am off to the optometrist next week.....these old eye balls of mine are giving me trouble....that's partially why I haven't been able to blog much lately....the eye balls are bugging the heck out of me....my arms can only extend so far.....LOL....but seriously.....I am finding that even after short periods of trying to read something I get headaches and feel sick to my stomach.....it has taken me by surprise, as only 3 years ago I saw an opthamologist who said my vision was perfect.....it's amazing how our eyesight can change......so I guess the time has come that I need glasses.....guess I should consider myself fortunate that up until now I haven't needed them....but I fear the time has come......dang......this aging thing really stinks.....

Timing is everything.....just after I had finished this post, I received this from my mother in law and I thought it describes how I am feeling to a tee....it just seemed to fit right in with the whole car thing and my eyes......enjoy...and I hope it puts a smile on your face........

"If my body was a car,this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull. But that's not the worst of it. My headlights are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close. My traction is not as graceful as it once was. I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather. My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins. It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently. But here's the worst of it --Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter.....either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires!"

Humour.....when is a joke a joke? What's funny to you?

Do you consider yourself funny? Witty? Do people tell you, you have a dry sense of humour? Or can you make people roll on the floor with laughter...I mean the real belly laugh? What makes you laugh? Would you consider yourself to have a good sense of humour?

Why do I ask these questions....well as I go around and I read comments left on blogs I have found that humour takes on many different forms... what some people find funny, I just don't get at all. I know today for example I visited a sight and what I read on the post I found actually upsetting...and although I did not state that I found the attitude of the authors post offensive I did let the author know that what they thought was "cute" and "funny" could actually be very harmful. I went back later in the day to read other comments left on this authors blog....and although there were one or two that sort of thought along the same lines as me....most thought it was humorous. I didn't find the humour in it at all.

So I started to ask myself, what is funny to me. I think the best way for me to answer that, is to recognize what I do not find funny. For starters, I do not find racial jokes funny at all....I don't find making fun of some one's accent funny or cultural mannerism funny. I know I have difficulties distinguishing between when someone is being serious or trying to pull my leg, that is when they get me. I call that teasing....and I truly despise being teased. The teasing where the person presents as being serious until such time that they finally realize that you think they are serious and that is when they hit you with it....tell you they are just teasing... That to me is just not nice. Humour to me should not be at some one else's expense. Not to laugh at some one's misfortune unless the person who experienced the unfortunate incident makes a joke of it themselves.

So what do I find funny......political satire is very funny to me. Rick Mercer makes me laugh....he presents some serious issues in a very jovial manner and helps us laugh at ourselves. That joke I posted yesterday for example...."you might be Canadian" now that made me laugh. People doing very silly things on purpose makes me laugh.....like the old Monty Python's funny walk skit...that use to make me laugh. My hubby says I am to serious.....I just say we have a different sense of humour.

I know there are so many benefits to humour. They say that humour is so good for the body and mind. I went to a site to find some information on laughter atLaughing Burns Calories they had this to say..."The idea that laughter benefits health has been around for many years, possibly because it reduces muscle tension, increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, exercises the heart and produces happy chemicals in the brain called endorphins. It certainly makes sense that laughing would burn more calories too, as a result of the extra movement and increase in heart rate linked with laughing."

So I am back to my original question...what makes you laugh....do you consider yourself funny?

A few posts back, I told you about a new blog friend and her attempt to do a kind thing for someone everyday. Claudia has been keeping a record of her acts and asked others to joined along....I have join her blogroll and she has also had someone make up two banners for it, she says we can use them on our blog anytime. Here they are....

I think they are great....Now I haven't posted anything about my acts and as I previously said, it's not a requirement to post anything about it...it's just if you want to you can....or just keep the ball rolling and remind others about Everyday Kindness. As I said I haven't posted anything about my acts, but there is something that I am really working on. That is to make peace with my husbands ex. It has been a bit of a struggle to say the least....but at the end of the day, the thing that really matters are the children. So for example today, I sent her a little note and some pictures of the adventures the boys had out here for Christmas. She sent me an email back thanking me for the photos....I in turn responded to her, expanding on some of the things she said in her email and told her that we would stay in contact. I thought that was a positive step, one that I am proud of.

Now onto something funny......hubby sent me the funniest email titled "You might be Canadian" it's a variation of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a Redneck" It truly made me giggle.....so Canadian friends I hope it makes you laugh and the rest of you.....well.....who knows....you might be Canadian.......

A Little Canadian Humor,

Forget Rednecks, here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Canucks.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you may live in Canada.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there,you may live in Canada.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Canada.

If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of Detroit for the weekend, you may live in Canada.

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once,you may live in Canada.

If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada.

If you can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada.

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Canada.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada.

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km -- you're going 90and everybody is passing you, you may live in Canada.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter,and road construction, you may live in Canada.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Canada.

If you find 2 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Canada.

If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your Canadian friends & others, you definitely live in Canada.
____________________________________________

The boys have been gone since Saturday, and there is an eery emptiness that fills the house. It's strange that while they were here, their running around and rambunctiousness got to you after awhile, especially when we were used to it just being the two of us and our dog....but once they were gone, my goodness how we miss them. How I wish I could here the youngest sons heavy elephant foot steps coming down the stairs in the morning....or eldest son joking about whether I wanted to see his silly dance. Yes I already miss them as does their father. It's a long time until the summer.

I had to go into work today to meet with my employer regarding my gradual return to work. Well after they read the report from my physiotherapist and the fact that my doctor wants me to have a CT scan the employer realized that it might be a little premature trying to get me back to work. I was a bit bummed by that, as I really do want to get back to work, but at the same time I want to make sure that I am ready. I continue to experience intermittent numbness in my forearm and index finger, and I get the most terrible pain and burning down my spine and through my right shoulder. So I guess until there is further investigation I will be off for a while longer.

So as I said I was feeling a tad bummed so hubby and I decided to go vehicle hunting. I am wanting to trade in my baby....yes sell my wonderful Mustang convertible.....I have finally realized that it really isn't practical for where we live, nor spacious enough for when we have the children or want to go off road. I am looking at a sport utility vehicle, something that has good cargo space, space for the children and well that has some character to it. I would ideally like heated seats and a sunroof and not to mention low kilometers on it if at all possible.....is that a tall order? Maybe....I test drove a couple of vehicles today.....depending on what one dealership is willing to give me for a trade in I might have a vehicle by the weekend. Hubby has also been actively looking on ebay....oh my you can get some great deals....but most if not all of the vehicles we look at on ebay are cross the border and mostly in Florida or Texas....but hey....I have never been to either state so that could be an adventure all on it's own.

Not much more to say, hope life is treating you all well....cheers.....

Our day at the rink.....

Well I must say I am pleased that my last post prompted such dialogue about health care...the more of us that start talking about it and keeping it in the fore front the better off we all will be. Thank you all for your great comments.

Now onto a lighter note. The other day the boys and I were able to get out and do some ice skating. I think the last time I skated was last year and I made a post about it then. I don't know why I don't go more often, I really do enjoy it....I'm terrible at it...but it is a good work out for the legs and thighs. The boys had fun as well.....I think laughing at me...hubby was not able to participate due to his shoulder but was on the sidelines capturing our time on the ice on film. Here's eldest son helping the old gal skate around........

And here's eldest and I coming around to greet hubby....I don't know what I am doing with my arms and hands....trying to keep my balance I guess.....

Youngest son just having a great time.......

And here's me with both my boys......yes we did have a good day......

Tomorrow they go home....although we have had a fabulous time it is always to short and hard to say our goodbyes.....but as I have told them before...it is not good bye it's just see you soon.....like in the summer. Love you guys........

Health Care for all........

One of my favourite blog friends Leslie has had a very stressful year to say the least. Just before Christmas her daughter became very ill requiring hospitalization and surgery. Leslie tells us today that her daughter is home and recovering. Thank god for that. Leslie made a very poignant post aboutCanada Health Care system and I really think it is worth a read. She itemized for us all the tests her daughter endured, the numerous doctors that her daughter saw and the surgery and and was explaining that it didn't cost her or her daughter anything.

I know this is always an amazement to our neighbours south of the border....how can this be. How can you get all this health care for free? But they also ask the question, if Canadian health care is so good why do so many Canadian come across the border for health care?

I wish there was a simple answer to that. What I would like to share with you is what I know about our health care system the good and the bad.

First, our health care system is not free. We pay for it in our taxes, our employer pays in some cases 100% of our premiums or if you are self employed you pay your own premiums but for example they are only a few hundred dollars for 6month coverage. Now that is different in each province, but the basic concept still stands. Where I believe our health care system started to get into trouble was when our Federal government made huge cut backs to the provinces for health care. It then became the provinces responsibility to pick up for the lack of funding. For provinces like British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario it's not so bad as the majority of the countries population lives in these provinces and the pain of the tax increases to cover costs is spread amongst a few million rather than in smaller provinces who would feel the cutback even more.

I personally believe the "Crisis" that the media is so fond of using in health care is really politically fed. The American insurance companies want a piece of us, the pharmaceuticals certainly want their share and the doctors and private clinics want a piece of the pie as well. So what better way to tell the public you need more private clinics than to cut back services in the public system.

Now this leads to another issue. Supply and demand. There are not enough, doctors, nurses and technicians to go around. So if you have a doctor wanting to open a private clinic to do let say orthopaedic day surgeries. In order to run these clinics you need surgeons, anesthesiologist, RN, x-ray technicians. So if you need all of these professionals to run this clinic and the system is already short where do you think they are coming from? The public system. The doctor/surgeon feels he is not getting enough OR time in the public system so he wants to open up a private clinic, in order to do that he needs staff. That staff comes from the public systems, nurses and radiologist or technicians come to the private clinics on their days off....but what happens then to the public system if Susie or John RN call in sick and there is no one to replace them because Mary or Joe have gone to work in the private clinic that day, the employer is then forced to pay overtime if they can find someone at overtime or close beds. So I ask you, how are we any further ahead? We talk about the wait lists....well that is one of the ways the wait lists are happening. Doctors/Surgeons are working in two systems.....private and public. Personally, I don't think that should be allowed. But the promotion of private clinics is also being fed by the insurance companies, which are now becoming more and more American....you start to see the connection.

So we have a shortage of professionals, so what do we do? Hire more staff? Not that easy, there just aren't enough of us out there, it's an international problem. Today for example, I was to see my GP. Before Christmas, my appointment got cancelled because he was sick and then their office was closed for Christmas and so I was rescheduled for today. Guess what, he is in the hospital there are no doctors in that office today. So how does that happen? I live in a small town, there are no locums that the local doctors can call upon to keep their practise running, so it gets shut down and then guess what happens,it snowballs. The senior who really needed to come in to see the doctor because their blood pressure medications aren't working, ends up in ER in a hypertensive crisis. The colleges and university don't have the physical space for larger classes or extra staff to teach more students. Even when we get the students in, it's a matter of finding them appropriate placements in the hospitals.

I have heard some of the senior nurses talk about how they never should have done away with nursing schools being part of the hospital. They felt that not only did it provide the hospital with extra staff but it really made the nurses job ready.

Then we talk about salaries. RN's, radiology technicians, Lab Techs, ultrasound techs are all salary. Which means are wages are capped. But that is not so for the doctor's. I have heard the argument that doctor's have more overhead because they have offices to run or have more years of schooling etc. Well I don't know how much of that still holds true. Many doctors opt to either run their office or work out of the hospital, and as far as schooling goes, now with the Nurse practitioners you have people in all walks of health care that have as much if not more education than some medical doctors.

So what is driving this so called health care crisis......the only thing that I can think of is GREED, and the desire to live forever. Or find a cure at all costs. That takes us down a whole different path. But just think about it....pneumonia's used to be what they called an old persons friend. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true...the older person would get a pneumonia and before antibiotics came along they would made comfortable and basically told they were going to die. Where do we draw the line on the care one receives. I mean medical advancement are marching on, and we as a society now expect everything to be done. Before babies born under 28 weeks gestation would not make it. Now with technology being what it is we are able to save babies at 22 or 23 weeks gestation. These little ones need longer hospitalization and treatments which of course all drives up costs. Again, please don't misunderstand me, I am in awe of what we can do and how we can save lives, but again at what cost. What will be the quality of life of the person who was without oxygen for 15 or 20 mins going to be like if we are successful in reviving them? Who pays the long term care costs for that person? These are tough questions, which often I have seen taken to ethics committees. But we as a society have to keep this in mind as well. The medical advancements come with a cost and are we willing to pay for those advancement. My conscious tells me we would, but when is enough enough? Or is there ever enough? I don't have the answer to that, I wish I did. But as long as we as humans continue to want more we will always find ways to get more, even if it is on the backs of the less fortunate.

When we start talking about drugs and the pharmaceutical companies many variables come into play, like product patents, research and drug testing. Many posts can be done on that alone, but again it is something to keep in mind when we talk about health care costs.

Then there is our own responsibility and accountability for our health. What about tobacco companies or alcohol...we all know the ailments both these drugs can do to our bodies, but because these companies have such wonderful lobbyist who pay off government politicians to help keep the taxes low on these items them then they will continue to be available and we be human will continue to consume and use because that is our god given right even when we know it can cause us health issues. So personal accountability plays a role as well.

I don't have the answers, and I suspect I am going to get some very interesting comments regarding my post. But you know when I watched the movie Sicko one of the things that stood out the most for me, was when they showed old footage of politicians talking about how public system or any social program was communist of nature and that was BAD! I just shook my head. The fear mongering they tried to instill in the public....that any social program was bad. I think they feared for what they didn't know. Well now they do know that there can be a public health care system, one that can be enjoyed and shared by all.

I want to leave this on a positive note. In all my years of nursing I have never experienced a patient being denied or turned away because they didn't have health care coverage . OUr system is by no means perfect but I am proud to say that I am Canadian simply based on the fact that we do provide public health care for all.

I wish you all good health!

Everyday Kindness

Yesterday I found myself blog hopping. That in between doing the Polar Bear swim, having lunch with the in-laws and dismantling the Christmas decorations, when I came across this blog by Claudia . She has this wonderful idea and it falls along the lines of random act of kindness. The purpose is everyday you try and do just one kind thing for another person. You don't have to blog about it...you don't have to tell anyone about it.....as Claudia says, it's a personal choice. But if you would like to join in please go visit her blog and sign up.

This will take you to her Kindness post if you look at the top of her blog she has a heading titled Kindness click on that and you can see the blog roll, what she is up to...and others.....I just thought it was a really nice thought and a great way to start out 2008.

It's still a tad early and I am just on my first latte, but my plans are to take the boys skating along with one of their friends.....we'll see if I can perform some act of kindness.



On a completely different topic, today I celebrate my 300th post....yup...I know that is not a lot in the big scheme of things but it is a milestone for me. I have met some absolutely wonderful people blogging......I have come across a gamut of topics, from the crafts of quilting, baking, beading, scrap booking you name it....then there are the writers....the ones who share with us both fiction and nonfiction, the mystical and spiritual.....and then there are the medical bloggers....one's who actually give advice, most who just write about their experiences in the health care system and those non medical folks who just have a passion for ensuring healthcare is there for everyone. That takes me to my political bloggers.....I love to go read what they have to say....how they feel about the governments that oversee their country......the awareness it has provided me is astounding....but the lack of tolerance by some readers of those blogs and the profanity I have found distresses me....there's nothing wrong with disagreeing with the authors view point but debate the issue don't use profanity or bullying tactics....it truly isn't necessary .....and how about the historical bloggers and ones who are into genealogy....now that takes a lot of patience.....and the environmentalists.....the ones who share with us what they are trying to do in their little world to help save the planet, and give us friendly reminders that every little bit helps....like the switching off of the lights, recycling...composting....all the little things we can do to make a difference.
I know there are so many others blogs out there that I have read that have made me laugh, cry, and get angry. But in all it has been a learning experience and one that I value.



Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I blog about almost anything. I use to blog a lot about my work and my life as an RN and I continue to do that but not with as much regularity as before. I came from the city 3 years ago and now live in a very smalltown, and I am still in awe of the beauty that surrounds me. Although I have to travel a distance to work the drive gives me time to reflect and appreciate what I have been given. Some days when I am driving home from a nightshift and I see the sun coming up....I just have to pull over and watch it in amazement the magnificence and stunning sunrise as it reflects on the water is beyond words. And so in my small little way I try and share those experiences with you, both in the written word and in my photography, neither of which I am very proficient, but I try.

As the header of my blog says.......I am a city girl gone smalltown and these are my adventures and misadventures.

" Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed."

by Corita Kent

Polar Bear Swim 2008

Well here we are January 1st 2008 the beginning of a new year and my 2nd Polar Bear swim. Yup I did once again. This time I was able to talk youngest son into going with me....eldest boy came down with the flu last evening and hence was in no condition to take a dip in the ocean. He was the photographer and hubby was the videographer. So I hope you enjoy the photos and the little video he put together for me so I could post it on my blog....thanks honey!!! Happy New Years to you all! Here I am waving to all my blogging friends....this year there were far more spectators than swimmers.....

There I am running into the water, hands up ...hoping that the waves won't get me.....

I'm just behind the woman in the blue suit and about to get hit by that wave.....

Ok, I got my sandals now get me out of here.......

Here's youngest son.....not to sure if he really wants to be doing this....
Here's warming ourselves by the fire......
Youngest, still trying to get warm by the fire....like the hat....he got that for Christmas....it just says Canadian eh?

And here is my sweetie....still in his sling but able to take the video.......