This is my commentary about this article I saw in the news about the Ontario government.  I am taking bets as to if any of these vans will be wheelchair accessible.  I find that the government in Ontario is SO stupid that they probably will not be wheelchair accessible. I think this because it is so OBVIOUS that they need to be wheelchair accessible.  My kids have missed out on many appointments because our van was broken down.  This will have a negative impact on the patient transfer services provided by many transportation companies who are already doing this for free of charge?   Who will be driving these vans???? There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions about the government just out of the blue dropping 2.4 million into the hurting auto industry.  Does this seem like it was just whipped up?  Right now, surgeries and patient services are being cancelled or can not be performed because there is a huge shortage of short term beds.  Don't you think that 2.4 million on mini-vans could be used to pay nurses and practical nurses in some of the long term facilities that have wings closed???? 

I think the money should have been used for other things, more tangible, like hiring a few more doctors in emergency departments.  If you really need to get to an appointment, there is always an ambulance, bus, wheelchair taxi, family, friends, isn't there? At a time when gas is so high, more vehicles on the road does not seem like an answer to anything, or is it just me?  So lets say a person suddenly takes a spell for the worse while riding in one of these vans?  Will there be any attending paramedics/nurses aboard? Probably not. 

That's the view from here.

TORONTO - Ontario's Health Ministry has bought 100 new Dodge Grand Caravan minivans to help shuttle people without the means to make it to important medical appointments and cancer treatment sessions.

The announcement came Friday in Windsor, Ont. - the heart of the province's beleaguered auto sector industry that has suffered thousands of job cuts in recent months.

The vans will cost the government $2.4 million, and a second Windsor company is expected to benefit from a $56,000 contract that will have it adorn each vehicle with decals.

Details about the types of services the vans will be used for and where they'll be located were not released Friday.

But a spokeswoman for Health Minister George Smitherman says the shuttle service will be free for Ontario residents who don't have a way to get to important medical appointments.

The government is expected to announce details of the new provincial program when the vehicles are delivered in the next three or four weeks.

Some of the other things that have recently happened in my life include the surgery on my thumb.  I have only included these two pictures and they are nasty, so, I am sorry if I grossed anyone out.

For quite a long time, about 2-3 years, I have had this thing on the end of my left thumb.  The doctor burned it off, but, it came back, so he sent me to a Dermatologist in the Fall, who sent me to a surgeon in the spring.

So, on April 11, me and my security team, (The Man) went to the surgeon to have this "thing" removed.  The doctor put 3 needles into the base of my thumb to put it asleep, then put an elastic band around the thumb to stop the blood, and then he started to cut.  He ended up cutting out a tumour, in a capsule measuring 8mm x 4 mm.  It looked like an oversized piece of rice.  He was pretty sure that it was benign, but off it went into a jar to be sent to Toronto for pathology.  

I then ended up with 3 stitches in the end of my thumb that went right through the nail, and no working or typing for a whole month!!!Talk about pain.  I couldn't do my pants up, or cut any meat, hold a hamburger, put toothpaste on my toothbrush, type, wash my hair.  It made me realize the importance of the THUMB!

In 10 days, I got the stitches out and the pathology report which said basically that they didn't know what it was exactly, that it was not cancer, that it was inflammatory and was made up of  granulous  tissue.  (It kinda means that my body was reacting to it and the cells were changing, who knows, in time it could have changed to cancer??) So, I was glad to have it gone.  I went back to work on May 12.  My thumb is healed on the outside, but it still healing up in the inside.  If I hit the end, it hurts, and the nerves are still healing and are tingly sometimes as well.  My time off was pretty nice, but for 1/2 of it the weather sucked, cold and rainy. 

There has been so much rain and cold weather that the yard does not look too good.  It is too wet to cut the grass all the way, and I have weeds that are up to my hip!!!!!! So, please could we have some decent weather for a change??? Is that too much to ask????

And that's the view from here. . . . . (here being "Sunset Veranda, the world with no clouds or rain, just brilliant sunsets.)

I have not written anything since forever!  I used to blog everyday.  I think I am going to start up again, now that I have a new computer I bought at Christmas.  I find that MSN is very frustrating!  I have not been able to play music or a video on my site, and I don't know why!!!

Anyway, just wanted to share a picture of my new dog, Jake.  He needed a home, and our dog Charlie needed a friend.  HE is very good and smart.  No real problems, but, he wants to be kissed, and, quite frankly, I do know where that mouth/tongue has been!  So, we are trying to break this habit.  He gets into your face and won't back off until you kiss him.  I just make the sound and then he backs down, but, sometimes, he's quicker than I and I get a wet nose on my face/lips and that's just disgusting!

Anyway, gotta run!  It's American Idol time. 

CU!

2008 Contract

After serious & cautious consideration.....

Your contract of friendship has been renewed for

the New Year 2008!

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. 

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires.

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy.
May the problems you had forget your home address!

In simple words............
May 2008 be the best year of your life!!!

Ok, now that I got all that negative crap out, I can move on to Birthday Party Fun.  This year, since my mom moved to a new house without a pool, we did not have the huge birthday party.

Instead, we opted for two small parties, one for each kid.  Daniel's party was first.  We had homemade pizza, and I baked the cake.  Matt got to decorate his brother's cake.  We used an army theme.  It was great.  Dan had two of his friends sleep over.  In the morning, we had pancakes.  The boys had tons of fun just hanging out, watching tv, playing video games, eating junk food.

      At Matt's party, he had 2 friends over, but only one could sleep over.  We had my famous Pasta Bake.  It's basically rigatoni with meatballs, sauce and lots of cheese.  Dan got to decorate Matt's cake, which was a Pirate theme. 
 
It was really nice having a small inexpensive party for a change.  SO, here are the pictures from that.

Stay tuned for details about the next BIG PIG OUT > > > >

THANKSGIVING!

And that's the view from here.

Ok, going back to the summer, the 2nd disappointment had to do with the whole graduation committee thing that I signed up for at the kid's school.  I had wanted to be a hero for my kid and make sure that he would be treated like everyone else, and have the opportunity to travel across a stage to get his diploma.  I had attended as many of the meetings as I could, but, in the end it was a huge disappointment for me. 

At one of the meetings that I did attend, the committee decided to accept the donation of a professionally decorated cake, made by Dan's grandmother. (Value of about $70), and as well, they accepted the donation of a quilt (handmade) to be auctioned off. The money to be raised would have been used for decorations, supplies and food.

Well, I missed a few meetings because of the weather. (Some meetings were held in the winter) and a missed a few because of other scheduling problems. But, I did go to one of the end meetings, when I discovered much to my extreme disappointment that things had changed, plans have been made etc. etc. 

Now, I'm not a die-hard, by the rules kind of person, but, I do know how to conduct a committee/meeting in a professional manner.  Decisions were made at someone's house after a dinner party.  Minutes of the meetings were never published so that all parents could read them.  (NB. please note, I was not the only parent that was upset about things)  We were told that "we see people on the street, we should ask our friends or call) Now that works, if you are "IN" the clique.  If you are an outsider, like myself, no one gives you the time of day. (editors note: with the exception of a slight few, and SNOWBALL is at the top of my list) Cake-no longer needed, ramp for wheelchairs, not physically safe so not required, quilt for auction, no longer need to raise money.

SO, the night I wrote the blog, "WOW" June 12, was the night that I came home from that meeting.  One of the other parents was really irate, and it was kinda funny because the chairperson was like, "oh, I'm really disappointed in the number of parents involved.  No one could come to the meetings, but, then everyone complains about the decisions made."  The funny part was that I found some in the group to be unwelcome, cliquey, snobby, pretentious.  (Don't believe in DIY -Do It Yourself.  It's buy buy buy money money money)  I left knowing what the words, "Desperate Housewives" really meant.  I left fuming mad that day, but, now I've come to humming that old song from the 60's, Harper Valley PTA.

I want to tell you all a story 'bout a Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter who attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
She said, "Mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley P.T.A."
The note said, "Mrs. Johnson, you're wearing your dresses way too high
It's reported you've been drinking and a-runnin' 'round with men and going wild
And we don't believe you ought to be bringing up your little girl this way"
It was signed by the secretary, Harper Valley P.T.A.
Well, it happened that the P.T.A. was gonna meet that very afternoon
They were sure surprised when Mrs. Johnson wore her mini-skirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard, I still recall the words she had to say
She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley P.T.A."
Well, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a date
Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away
And Mr. Baker, can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down?
Well, Mr. Harper couldn't be here 'cause he stayed too long at Kelly's Bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath, you'll find she's had a little nip of gin
Then you have the nerve to tell me you think that as a mother I'm not fit
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites
No I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way
The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A.
The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A.

History of the Song

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• "Harper Valley PTA" is a country music song written by Tom T. Hall. It was a major hit single for country songstress Jeannie C. Riley in 1968, and crossed over to the pop charts as well, eventually selling over six million copies as a single.

The song tells the story of a junior high student who is sent home with a note to her single mother from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school decrying her scandalous behavior by small-town standards. The mother decides to speak to a meeting of the PTA where she addresses various episodes of misbehavior on the part of several of its members, concluding, "This is just a little Peyton Place / And you're all Harper Valley hypocrites."

In an interview, Hall admitted his inspiration for the song was passing by the Harpeth Valley Elementary School in Bellevue, Tennessee, not far from his then-home in Franklin. He liked the sound of the name and decided to write a song using a similar place name.

The song was later the inspiration for a 1978 motion picture and a 1981 television series, both starring Barbara Eden, playing the heroine of the song, Stella Johnson.

Ok, so back to the graduation.  All during the planning of this event, I didn't even know if we would even be going.  We did not have our van on the road, and we don't have any extra money in our budget.  So, I was so disappointed about everything.  BUT, a few concerned people got together and we were able to go because someone fit the bill to transport the boys.  It was great for those people to help us out.  Thanks, we really appreciated that.

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BUT, by the time we got there, I was really pissed off again.  They all knew that Matt was coming and he would be in a wheelchair.  I had thought that they had a special spot for us picked out.  I was wrong and that really upset me. (WHY on God's  earth do I ever think that ALL people should treat us specially???) Once we were seated, everything was fine. (or So I thought)

There were like 70 kids graduating.  The girls won more awards then the boys.  I had no expectation that Dan would win anything.  Some of the kids graduating were from the "Active Learning" class.  These children have mental and physical challenges.  All of these children received an award, a recognition made up by their teacher.  Two special kids, Dan & Ben did not get anything.  It was a HUGE disappointment to both of them.  So, not only could they not cross the stage to get their diplomas, but they were left out of the "SPECIAL" category.  Dan said this, "I work just as hard as everybody else does", and he burst into tears. (WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!)

Some recognition for Dan would have been really nice.  After all, he did have several huge challenges in public school.  He broke his first leg in grade 3, stopped walking, got his first wheelchair, got his 2nd wheelchair, fell out of his wheelchair breaking his leg, getting his new wheelchair that reclines and breaking his leg #3 same leg again, getting stuck in the mud. 

Now there were several moms who did express their concern about how I was feeling, and really wanted to express that they worked really hard to make the decorations/atmosphere great for the party afterward.  And they were very successful in making an old stinky gymnasium into a Classic French Bistro by the Eiffel Tower.  I refuse to use the words, and I quote, "A NIGHT IN PARIS"  And in the end, although I have learned a few lessons: don't get involved, continue to be the person on the outside looking in -it's not worth disappointment, the event was very nice for Daniel.  Included with this blog are some pictures of my handsome guys.

Now that Dan is in high school, I feel like I need to wear a t-shirt, "I know, I look too young to have a kid in high school"  LOL

So, to any of you blogger buddies out there that still read . . . . . .

             . . . . . .  that's the view from here

Back a few months ago in June, I wrote a blog about being really disappointed about something, but, I didn't say what it was.

SO, I thought I would finish that blog.  I wrote it when I was really upset about a wheelchair van for our boys.

I had spent hours and hours putting together 28 pages of different applications to help fund a new van.  I had to do an application for each of the boys.  We had a van on hold for us that we were gonna get for a steal.  It had only 32,000 km and was a 2006 GMC for $20,000.  Our community had raised $10,000 for us.  In order to get a new wheelchair lift and chair straps we were apply to Easter Seals to pay for that at a cost of $6,000.  And the cost to convert the van to hold two wheelchairs was an additional $15,000.  The March of Dimes was to cover the cost of raising the roof, installing the chair straps.  And we had applied to President's Choice Children's Charity for the rest of the $10,000 and taxes for the van, about $16,000.

Well, the end result of ALL that work was that everyone said yes they could help us, except for President's Choice because we had gotten some money for the van we got now, but only under Daniel's name. I thought they would have given us money under Matthew's name.  They didn't exactly say no.  They said they could not help us until 5 years had past since they helped us last, and that would be in May 2008.

So, in the meantime, we got the Optimists club to fix our old van at a cost of $1,500, and to change it over to fit both of the boys wheelchair.  The change over will take place mid-October. So, we will have family transportation for the winter, then we will get the new van and sell the old van.  At the time, I was really disappointed that we would not get a new van.  We have not been out as a family anywhere in so long.  Anyway, we have no money at all for anything extra AT ALL right now and my other half has been looking for a night shift job for a while because we can't make ends meet.

The END.

Ok, so, I've just downloaded this "Windows Live Writer", and I really hope it works.  I have really missed out on blogging ever since I have not been able to find the time, and to get my computer to work properly.  After we switched from MSN Sympatico to Rogers because of the cost, I was unable to upload any photos!

I asked for help from MSN, but what a joke.  They sent me a list of 14 different things I had to do.  It was very technical and very hard to understand.  I think I did everything right, and it still didn't work. SO, I am going to try to insert a photo below: