I remember back......... wayyyy back circa 1994 getting my last high school yearbook. They had a section where they asked seniors what they planned to do after high school and I distinctly remember one cheeky chap saying
"Read the police log to see what my friends are up to".
Now, for those of you who actually have NEWS that goes on in your town filling your newspaper, a police log is the most popular part of a small town newspaper. It's where they put a sampling of 911 calls from the week. Usually your town is small enough that you can even tell who in town the call came from. Some are just plain hysterical so I thought I'd share some of them with you. These are actual calls, my comments are in red.
6:46 a.m.-P------ L---- --th Street caller advised the dog has returned from last night and is on the deck of her house growling at her. Town chairman advised he did cage up the animal yesterday, but it got out by jumping an 8-foot fence. 7:17 a.m., officer advised the dog is caught and will be kept in the back of a truck...... Where else would you keep a stray dog? I don't know... the pound???
10:32 a.m.-City of C----- B----- Lake caller advised there are some people shooting guns on the south side of the lake. Officer advised; everything is fine. Of course it's fine...... they were only 22's!
10:30 a.m.-Officer reported he found another poached buck just north of -----Street in P----- Lake township. The antlers, hind quarters and loins were taken. 10:44 a.m., officer made contact with a male subject who told the officer the deer had been hit by a vehicle. He was advised it is still illegal to butcher the deer without getting it tagged first. Subject was told to contact DNR officer.... ewwwwwwwwwwww
8:12 a.m.-C----- officer ran a license plate on a vehicle parked at a café that has a traffic cone stuck underneath. Officer advised to call the cafe and tell the vehicle owner that the cone is there and to drop it off at the police department. Red alert! traffic cone theft!
3:52 a.m.-C----- --th Avenue caller advised they had a subject come to their door asking for help as he put his vehicle in the ditch. Units advised. 4:06 a.m., background checks show current ------ County, -------- and ---- counties have warrants on subject. 4:11 a.m., subject is in custody and en route to jail. Officer advised subject also had some THC and will be charged with possession. Mental note. Get rid of stash before calling the cops when your stoned ass puts your car in the ditch.
1:55 p.m.-C----- caller requested an officer because a subject employed by a repo company is wanting to take her vehicle without paperwork. She wants him removed. Officer advised the repo company is going to be taking three of the vehicles that are on this property. Don't complain about 1, or the'll take 3!
11:55 a.m.-Village of D----- caller advised he is a dealer at the gun show in D----- and had to leave his table for a minute. When he returned, he found a Colt 1991 A-1 .45 ACP pistol had been stolen. Officer advised the gun has a 5-inch stainless steel barrel. Gun entered the system as stolen. What is the world coming to when you can't even leave a table full of guns unattended!
6:03 p.m.- C----- caller advised he had a disagreement with his father over what they were going to have for supper. The father has taken off stating he is going to have his son arrested and taken to jail. Officer advised. 6:31 p.m., father came into the office to file a complaint against his son, but he would not fill out a statement. He left rather mad. Dude, don't diss daddies lasagna!
6:59 a.m.- C----- caller advised his 13-year-old daughter hit one of the other kids. Dispatch asked to speak with the child, but she went to her room. Dispatch advised that maybe the daughter should have to stay in her room until she can be nice. Caller was advised about grounding and taking things away as officers cannot discipline children. Nooo comment
1:55 p.m.-R--- County Sheriff's Office requested Chetek ambulance paged for a female subject who has been in a coma for 24 hours and needs to be taken to a hospital. Chetek ambulance en route to -------- Medical Center in R--- Lake. Hello! She's been in a COMA for 24 hours and you just now decided a hospital would be a good idea? Even more dumbfounding? Why not take her to the LOCAL hospital???
8:12 p.m.-C----- caller advised there is a black cat hanging around his residence and it has been biting people. Officer advised the caller released the cat after the bite. They are going to try to live trap the cat and bring it in for shots. Officer also advised the subject that police don't handle cats. But they do store dogs in the back of the truck...
11:34 p.m.-City of C----- P------- Avenue [911] caller hung up. Dispatch called back, no answer. Officer responded to the residence, reported there is a subject who was stabbed, and requested dispatch to page an ambulance. C----- ambulance and first responders paged. 11:44 p.m., officer advised this subject was stabbed in Minneapolis, Minn., and the subject drove back to C----- without reporting the incident or seeking medical attention. Officer will refer this to St. Paul Police Department. Stabbed in Minneapolis, reported in C-----, referred to St Paul PD......... ooh my head hurts trying to figure this one out
11:55 p.m.-City of C----- M---- Street caller advised there are about eight people standing on the east side of the C----- Police Department smoking cigarettes and causing a disturbance. One of the subjects also urinated on the building. Caller advised the subjects have taken off, some on foot, others in a red Jeep. hehe
2:07 a.m.-C----- officer requested an ambulance for a pregnant subject who is experiencing pains. Didn't anyone tell you pregnancy usually ends this way?
5:39 p.m.-C----- -----Street caller advised of a driver of a black truck who sped up to hit a turkey and then grabbed the turkey and put it inside his vehicle and sped away. Officer advised. lol, that's one way to do it!
8:43 p.m.-C----- [911] laundromat caller is yelling that she needs the police there as someone has busted the back off the toilet. Officer advised. lol lol lol
11:28 p.m.-City of C----- B---- Street caller would like to see an officer regarding 25 to 30 juveniles who went across their property. She is very upset and the people are yelling at her. Officer advised this group of people are celebrating something and they are all dressed up in pirate outfits. There are about 50 people involved. They do not seem underage. They are going on the lake. Officer will try to speak with them when they come to shore again. 12:27 a.m., officer advised the pirates have landed at a C----- bar/eating establishment. Pesky pirates!
9:46 p.m.-City of C----- caller requested an officer respond to R------- Elementary School because there are some kids there playing ball and they have the lights on. He pays taxes and doesn't want the lights on over there. Officer advised the kids can be there until 10 p.m., and he will stop and talk to the caller. How dare CHILDREN be at the SCHOOL! Maybe next time they will blow up your mailbox or something productive!
7:03 p.m.-City of C----- caller advised a subject behind the post office appears to be intoxicated and had dropped his pants. Officer advised, no locate. Those darn naked postal patrons are alusive!
7:35 p.m.-[911] P------ Lake caller, who refused to give his name, advised there is a police car traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on USH -- just north of C----- without its emergency lights on. Checked with C----- officer and he is not on USH --. C------- County officers were advised to watch for this vehicle. Calling the police on the police! Genius!
3:58 p.m.-D----- caller requested dispatch to send an officer to pick up his son as he cannot afford to feed him anymore. His son has a warrant from S-------- County. Officer advised. awww how sad!
9:07 p.m.-City of C----- S----- Street caller advised a male subject is in his driveway jumping on and destroying his own vehicle. Information logged. My car is posessed and I must kill it!
2:15 a.m.-S---- Creek ------ Street caller advised his 17-year-old son was playing with a set of handcuffs and put them on his wrists and now they realize they do not have a key. Requested C----- police to unlock him. 3:48 a.m., officer tried keys and drilling and could not get the cuffs off. Subject will have to work it out on his own. Good idea! leave him in the handcuffs, makes your job easier later!
6:42 p.m.-Town of C----- caller advises that someone pulled out his hedge on his lawn and suspects the neighbors. Officer advised and took report. Damn hedge stealing neighbors!
5:35 p.m.-P------ Lake caller advised a car has been parked at the CTH - boat landing west of C----- for the past few days. She saw a guy go down there and not come back. She has seen more crows in the area in the past couples of days ... Officer made contact with the vehicle owners and they are working on getting the vehicle removed. Even the crows hate abandoned cars!
1:39 p.m.-P------ Lake ------ Street caller reported a crow has been in the roadway all day cawing. He thinks it has the symptoms of West Nile virus. Officer advised. Good to know cawing is the first sign of West Nile!
12:32 a.m.-D----- [911] caller thinks some kids are blowing air under her trailer house making dust to come up from the floor and they have cinnamon rolls. She can smell the rolls from outside. She doesn't see anyone though. She states that if dispatch sends an officer to her home, she isn't going to open the door. Officer told to drive by the area. Aaaah the cinnamon rolls will get you busted every time!
11:26 a.m.-D----- caller reported someone put several stickers on his ATV and believes that law enforcement did this. Caller was told this is highly doubtful and an officer will respond. Caller was found to have a child support warrant for over $4,000. Officer en route with subject to jail. Officer also advised there were three new stickers, but they all came off and there was no damage to the ATV. Better pay your child support or the cops will come...... with STICKERS!
3:28 a.m.-City of C----- Darn Republican Street caller advised of five intoxicated subjects playing basketball in the area. Officers advised. Those darn republicans and thier drunken basketball shennanigans! I had to leave the street name for this one to be funny hehe
2:29 a.m.-D---- CTH -- caller about three to four miles south of C----- advised someone in a vehicle struck a cow and it is still alive. Officer advised it was a yearling heifer. 3:09 a.m., officer out at the scene with the other cow and people there will be trying to catch it. Hmmm, something tells me if the cow is running away from you and you need back up to catch it, it's likely fine!
9:51 a.m.-C----- ---- caller reported a stray brown dog in her neighborhood that appears to be sick and is foaming from the mouth. Officer advised the dog is a friendly St. Bernard which naturally drools. Officer contacted the owner of the dog. lol
8:41 a.m.-City of C----- caller advised there is an injured blackbird on the ground flapping its wings on K---- Street. Caller was advised we don't take care of birds. Now if it were CAWING, we'd have a different story
10:24 a.m.-City of C----- L------- Drive caller advised her neighbor just shot snow at her while driving by on a snowmobile. Officer advised. Not SNOW! Stop the insanity!
12:32 p.m.-S---- Creek ------ Street caller reported a couple of pigs in the roadway. Officer advised. Pigs, cows, birds oh my! These animals ought to learn right of way!
7:20 a.m.-P------ Lake caller advised of a bay-colored horse on the roadway in front of their house. Horses too!
4:23 p.m.-C----- caller advised she is stuck in the car wash. C----- police department advised they will contact someone.
5:14 p.m.-C----- caller advised while she was gone and her elderly mother was home a subject, who identified himself as an appraiser from B-----, went through the house and took pictures. The man did not leave a business card when he was done. Caller would like to see an officer. How dare he not leave a business card!
8:57 p.m.-City of C----- officer advised of a call from a female subject who stated she has been talking to a male subject on the Internet and now he is harassing her. Female said this man is a registered sex offender. 9:05 p.m., officer is out on Dallas Street with the offender. Here's a tip! Don't give registered sex offenders your address over the internet!
3:51 p.m.-[911 hangup] C----- caller advised her dog must have stepped on the phone and dialed 911. All is okay at the residence. Talented dog!
7:50 p.m.-[911 hangup] P------ Lake call came in, dialed back and spoke to a male subject and his wife. Their daughter had dialed the wrong number. Parent states they have a daughter who knows everything. When asked if there was trouble with the daughter the parent advised, "No more than usual." How exactly do you dial the wrong number and end up calling 911? I mean especially when you know everything!
6:44 a.m.-[911] D---- caller advised a 70-year-old male is complaining of chest pain for the past 24 hours and he is lying in bed. C----- ambulance and New A----- first responders paged. Again, 24 hours must be the magic number! If you are alive after 24 hours you deserve for us to call you some help! Is this some sick contest?
9:11 p.m.-[911] C----- caller advised of a situation at a supper club/bar establishment where officers were needed to respond now. The call came in from another dining establishment pay phone. Contacted the business where the call originated and was advised there is no situation going on there. Contacted the other business who also advised there is no problem going on there. Officers en route to business where call originated. Officer advised the emergency caller had made a bet with his friend that 911 would still work even if he didn't put quarters in the phone. Officer is mailing a citation to the caller. Yes folks, proof that 911 still works without quarters!
5:03 a.m.-[911] City of C----- caller advised he has a small lump on his back due to possible bug bite. He would like an EMT to come check it out. Caller advised an ambulance would have to respond, we can't just send an EMT out. Caller was told to contact B----- Medical Center to see if they thought he should come in right away and to call dispatch back. Gosh, why don't doctors make housecalls again?
6:03 p.m.-D---- caller advised there is a suspicious vehicle parked back on a driveway into his potato fields off --th Street. Plate lists to a C----- driver. There is an air compressor in the back seat. The caller believes the vehicle has been there for one to two days. Dude, remember that time you lost your car in the potato field?
10:14 p.m.-C----- officer advised another officer has a Rottweiler in the back seat. They are not sure where the dog belongs. 11:09 p.m., officer is en route to Barron pound with the dog. Wait, You aren't going to store it in the back of the truck?
7:07 p.m.-City of C----- cell caller advised she is taking a 5-year-old kid to the hospital and will be speeding to get there. She was not given permission to do so. She then asked for an escort and was denied. Caller was told an ambulance could be paged for her. Caller advised she did not want that and then hung up.
2:43 a.m.-City of C----- caller advised of a couple of subjects inside a convenience store/gas station who are tossing salads around and yelling profanities. The subjects are intoxicated. Officer advised. Well how ELSE are you suppose to get tossed salads?
8:34 a.m.-City of C----- caller advised someone knocked over two "R----- for Sheriff" signs in her yard last night. Officer advised this is an ongoing problem. Yet he won the vote! Maybe his brother was the governor or something.
10:35 a.m.-[911] C----- caller wanted to know if there was anything we could do about a mouse in her house. Caller was advised to set a trap. Caller didn't know if her father-in-law had any. Caller was advised not to call 911 for this type of call and she hung up.
10:45 p.m.-C----- caller would like someone to go check on his brother as he has not been able to get hold of him for over three months. Officer advised the brother has the wrong phone number. Aaaah, it's nice to see such tight knit families.
9:49 a.m.-C----- officer advised he took a report of a female subject walking and dancing and singing on CTH - near G-------. Officer advised the women got into a vehicle as a passenger and traveled in an unknown direction. Walking and dancing and singing? How DARE she practice such lewd behavior! In the middle of the morning no less!
6:57 p.m.-[911] C----- caller advised her 79-year-old husband started himself on fire when he was smoking while on oxygen. The fire is out and he has burns on his face, shoulders and back. Chetek fire department and ambulance paged. Chetek ambulance requested L------- Medical Center-R--- Lake ambulance intercept. It's not easy being king...... of STUPID
8:04 p.m.-[911] City of C----- caller reported his 7-year-old son is missing. Officer advised. The child was found sleeping in his bed. They are Always the last place you look!
12:48 a.m.-City of C----- apartment building owner advised a female subject just left the apartment building and left behind the 5- to 6-year old daughter who is crying. Officer advised he gave the female a warning about leaving the kids alone. A warning?!
2:45 p.m.-C----- caller advised he fell off the toilet and is wedged between the toilet and bathtub. He is not hurt, but can't get up.
11:40 p.m.-C----- caller advised of an auto accident in front of H------- Autobody. No personal injuries. 12:02 a.m., officer en route to jail with subject for operating while intoxicated. I guess if you are going to wreck....... this is a good place to do it!
9:41 a.m.-C------ caller advised a man with a white beard is looking into windows in the neighborhood. Maybe it's santa checking to see if you are being naughty
1:20 a.m.-C------ caller requested an officer stop by her residence to check out a "critter' in one of her bedrooms. She is currently hiding in the bathroom. Officer advised, no locate on the "critter." Meanwhile, across town....
11:50 a.m.-City of C----- cell caller reported she is stuck inside the automatic car wash. Officer contacted the caretaker of the car wash. 11:59 a.m., officer clear as the caller is out of the car wash. You have to wonder if this was the same lady
1:57 p.m.-[911] City of C----- caller is asking for assistance as her bird has flown out of the house and is sitting in a tree. Caller was told the police department would be notified but are not sure what they can do for her. Now, if it were a CRITTER, they'd be right over
8:20 p.m.-L------- Medical Center in R--- L--- advised a Lifeline call came in from a C----- residence that she had fallen and can't get up. C---- ambulance paged. Just too cliche not to give credit to
11:36 p.m.-Village of D----- caller advised she can smell something weird in D----- again. When caller was asked where the smell was coming from she said she does not have any windows open. Caller was told it must be something in her house. Asked her if she could smell it outside, she said she was not going outside. Caller advised the information would be logged as officers so far have not been able to smell this smell in D-----. She said she will be praying a lot tonight. SEriousely....
2:30 a.m.-C----- caller advised she is on P------ Lake and is missing a swimmer. During the conversation, the missing swimmer appeared. Wouldn't be funny but for the way it's written.
6:57 p.m.-Village of C------ caller just witnessed someone steal a goose from the wild. He boxed the wild goose and put it in the back of his truck. Attempted to contact DNR, unable to reach. Sent officer on a wild goose chase, no locate. ROFL I'm serious, I am not altering these aside from the cities/streets
1:38 p.m.-[911] C----- caller stated a female came to the door yelling for help as the cops are chasing her. The subject left, headed south. Officer advised.
10:21 p.m.-Village of C------ gas stations caller advised they had a gas walk-away in the amount of $6.33. The subject left on foot heading southbound with a leaky gas can. Officer followed the track from the leaky gas can to a residence. The suspect is not at that address. 11:22 p.m., officer has male subject in custody for theft.
1:51 p.m.-[911] D---- caller advised that she has seen a bear run across the field. Caller was advised of our non-emergency phone number. She advised that it is a long distance phone call from New A-----. If I had to pay long distance charges every time a bear ran across the field i'd be BROKE!
6:39 p.m.-[911] City of C----- caller wanted to know why the sirens weren't going off because it is hailing in C-----. Caller was told the sirens are not for hail.
9:51 a.m.-[911] Received a 911 call from a B----- caller who stated that they have a large brown goat in their yard. Officers advised, no locate.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Everybody dies famous in a small town
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Christmas decorations!
That's right. You read right. Christmas decorations. You see, I live across the street from a family much like the Griswolds (tell me i'm not dating myself!). This older couple across the street every year on November 1st begins filling thier yard with an obscene amount of lightey-uppy, animated, blinking, flashing crap that makes the electricity flicker on the entire block from the time they illuminate it (dec 1) til the time our poor retinas finally get a break for another 11 months (January 1). Keep on the lookout for pictures.
Did y'all have a great Halloween? I love Halloween. Every year I procrastinate and stress out about it and finally throw costumes together at the last minute and we all have a ball....... well almost all of us. The kids don't wear costumes to school here, because they like to suck every ounce of fun out of everything in school, but I made them cute NON costume-costumes. Hailey, Shay, and Jack went to school wearing Smarties candies glued to thier pants and shirts that said "Smartie Pants" hehe.
I remember being a kid and going out trick or treating at like 6:30 and staying out til some ungodly hour. Due to the town sucking the fun out of everything, trick or treating is now from 4:30-7pm . I know, s-a-f-e-t-y....... Blah, what fun is trick or treating without the added danger of being mangled by a large SUV?
Anyway, so the minute the kids came through the door work began on Christian's costume. His costume consisted of about a million small lengths of white fabric. The end effect (which I didn't get a picture of) was awesome, really looked authentic, not that i've ever seen a REAL mummy but you know, from all those cheesy movies. So here's how the outfit was after wrapping...
Rather cute lil mummy, complete with spider. Then we did Jacksen's costume..... Captain Jack........... sans the nasty dreadlocks.
And Shaylin, the pretty witch. Although I couldn't resist putting spider webs on her cheeks and bugs on her face, but she was a pretty witch nonetheless.
And then Frogger Nate. What is it about a baby that they can be so freaking adorable even with a green tear streaked face? He DESPISED his costume.
Oddly enough he wasn't at all afraid of daddies mask.
And the dog...... Ok the dog isn't dressed up. I'm just not one of those that thinks dogs in people clothes is cute. But the dog got her picture taken anyway.
I didnt' get Austin and Hailey's pictures, my friend did but I don't have em yet so you'll have to use your imagination. Hailey was a corpse bride and Austin was... Austin.
So then we headed out to a friends house and we all headed out the door. Can you imagine 3 large families out trick or treating? It was fun indeed. Keep in mind a couple kids weren't with us but between us 3 families there are 16 children. SIXTEEN! Ages 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 9, 8, 7, 5, 5, 5, 3,3, 2, 9months, 6 months. Let's just say that since this town doesn't have sidewalks, we made for some really congested streets.
Of course Jack started crying about 5 minutes into it that he was freezing. You see, I'm not one of those parents who drives the car around, inch by inch, following the kids door to door lest they get cold and need a ride. If you are getting free candy, you get out there and freeze your ass off for it like I had to.
I noticed that it isn't like it use to be though. When we would go out as kids every light in town would be on, we would literally go door-to-door. Now, at least here you maybe find 1-2 houses on each block that are lit up, sometimes none at all. You can see the people are home, they are just holding out on the candy giving..... may karma bite them in the ass for it too! Evil rotten no-good candy hoarders.
After we got all the candy little hands could stand to carry we all headed out to the town Halloween party. The kids played games, ate hot dogs, and won dimes (wonder how many kids ATE thier prizes....... dimes? not really the best idea, ya think?) Then we went home and they ate until thier stomachs cramped and they fell into deep sugar-crash induced comas. Even Nate, who got his first sucker.
Another Holiday closer to Christmas! Donations for our Christmas fund can be sent directly to our bank........... if you are so inclined.
Wisconsin senate passes breastfeeding in public law!
Ok, so it still has to pass the assembly and be signed by Governor Doyle before it is "for real" but WTG Wisconsin for finally taking a step in the right direction!
Current Wisconsin law simply states that it is not a crime punishable by law to breastfeed in public, which offers no protection at all.
The NEW law will make it a crime to harass a breastfeeding mother! Punishable by a $200 fine!
WTG Wisconsin senate! Let's hope the Assembly is as smart!!!
It's about time!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Because breastfeeding a college student is frowned upon
So, You have to actually feed them.
For the first time ever folks. I'm participating in a blogging contest. Is that even what they are called? Well it is today. This is my entry for the blog contest at The Parent Bloggers for Deceptively Delicious
I'm trying to win a $250 gift card to Williams- Sonoma. So here it is.
Since Breastfeeding a college student is frowned upon, you have to get them to eat!
You'd think with 6 kids I'd have heard it all. Growing up I was the pickiest eater on the planet to the point my mother had to search high and low for those military plates that had partitions so that my food would never touch. If for some reason it DID touch I couldn't bring myself to eat anything on the plate. It really wasn't any wonder I didn't hit 100 lbs until 4 months into my first pregnancy.
I've been pretty lucky with my kids. Christian, who is now 9 has been my one child who has a deep aversion to anything green and vegetabl-ey. He has convinced friends and family that he has a cooked carrots allergy (apparently something happens to the carrots when you cook them, making him allergic). He will be a wonderful chef some day with his wonderful mastery of stuffing a pork chop with vegetables....
The other night at dinner we were all carrying along in our obscene, not-dinner-appropriate coversations as per usual when Christian excitedly looks up from his plate and exclaims "What happened to my beans?"
Now. He might have gotten away with it if A: he weren't so obvious in his statement or B: the dog weren't sitting under his chair on alert. Both things alerted the hubbster and I that Christian had finally thought of the trick that kids have been using for centuries...... feed your veggies to the dog.
It didn't take long for the small fry to realize he was busted. He spent the next 5 minutes trying to make himself cry but failing miserably in the attempt due to the insane elf-like laughter speweing from his mouth at every attempt. Until we informed him that now he had to eat another helping of stuffing hehe *insert my own evil elf laugh here*
What he doesn't realize is that he's playing the game with the lady who wrote the book haha.
Not nearly as entertaining as the year he convinced everyone he was Jewish...... but that's a story for another day.
Bumbo seat recall.. Or Why you should need an IQ test to create life
I'm sure you've all heard of the Bumbo seat recall. If not inform yourself HERE
When are we going to start taking responsibility for our actions? When you purchase a baby seat that has the words "DO NOT USE ON ELEVATED SURFACE" permanently imprinted into the seat, and you then decide to put the seat with child in it on a counter top and said child falls out and cracks his noggin who is responsible?
In this country, apparently the maker of the seat! Parents! Heads up! WATCH YOUR CHILDREN! Stop blaming other people for your failure to supervise your children. What else should we recall? Food? Gosh your child could choke when you leave the room! Baths? They may drown!
Come ON America. If you can't read and follow simple directions maybe you should leave the parenting to someone else!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
One way to get out of going to the dentist...
So this morning didn't go well.... Ok all day didn't really fit in with my plans.
This morning starts with Craig waking me up to tell me he's going to work to put the order in. Next thing I know he's waking me up again to tell me it's nearly 9:00. I have to be at the dentist office at 9:50 and it's a 45 minute drive. You do that math.
So, mad dash around the house getting dressed, brushing and flossing (can't forget to floss on dentist day!) and fly out the door thanking God the car has 3/4 of a tank of gas in it. I get about 3 miles from home and realize I have no wallet and since we've canceled the cell phone contract and not gotten around to activating our old pre-paid phone again I also have no phone, which always makes me nervous.
For about 1/4 of a mile I contemplate turning around for my wallet. What if I get pulled over? Oh well. What if I'm in an accident and knocked unconcious and they can't identify me and give me penicillin and send me into an allergic reaction and I die a horrible anaphylactic death? I know....... who thinks like that right?
I decide I'll take the chance. I'm already going to be late, I can't turn around now.
So I drive and listen to my favorite morning station 104.5 WAXX morning show
I get about halfway there and while entering a tiny one store town with an insanely polish (i think) name I hear this strange noise, almost sounds like the rumble bars you run over to alert you to stop ahead. As soon as it starts it's gone and as it ends I hear the sound like when you run over a small object and it bounces up and hits the underside of your car. My car seems to be driving fine, runny smoothly and nothing is different so I continue on.
About 3 miles later while going around a corner I hear another noise. A noise that I cannot explain away, almost a wobbling sound. I decide it best to pull over and just take a walk around the car to be sure there aren't any pedestrians hanging from my bumper that I failed to see. Sure enough...... I get out and my eyes immediately fall upon.............. it......
A FLAT TIRE!
Ok, no problem right? I mean I spent my formitive years sitting on top of 350 big blocks. I learned to change oil before I learned to write my name. I can DO this. Never mind that as I look around my PTSD from 1999 when I saw a man get hit by a car while helping out a stranded motorist is slowly rearing it's ugly head. I can DO this.
I pop the trunk and.......... wait..... there's no spare tire in the trunk. Well I'd never seen one there before but I guess my mind thought that since I now needed one that one would automatically be there when I opened the trunk. I don't even see a jack in there....... uh oh. Where the HELL is the spare?!
Now what? I pace the length of my car in the weeds a couple of times and decide that I need to walk to the nearest house. I start walking and realize I don't SEE any houses. I turn around and walk the other way (no, really I'm not blond lol). On my walk I contemplate who I can call.... seeing as how I have no money. I remember that my uncle owns a service station a couple towns away and hope he will be nice enough to come and help his penniless neice who never calls him. I approach this tiny white house that could well belong to a serial killer but maybe not. As I walk up the driveway there are NO LESS than 52 dogs barking at me from behind fences. Tiny dogs, but I'm sure if they ganged up I'd have been toast.
I approach the door and knock and hear what sounds like another 86 dogs inside ( I may be UNDER estimating here)............. oh lord let me live through this.....
A woman answers the door wearing nothing but Wisconsin Badgers t-shirt. I tell her my dilemma and she invites me in to use the telephone. I ask for a phone book and look through it and cannot find the phone number to my uncles station...... seems in my years of using the internet for everything I've done forgotten how to use a phone book or something. So I call my husband and ask him to look up the number. I tell him how I can't find the stupid spare and he tells me it's "underneath".....
I get my uncles phone number and get lucky. Not only is he at the station but he will come and get his estranged neice out of trouble, whew. I call the dentist and explain why I am not, at this moment, walking in thier front door for my appointment.
I kindly thank the lady (still wearing only her skivvies and t-shirt) and make my way back to my car, breathing a sigh of relief that not only did I not happen upon the home of a serial killer, but I wasn't mauled by a pack of angry chihuahua's either. Once back to my car I look underneath the back of the car for the spare..... no tire there! HA! Shows what he knows!
A bit later my dear uncle pulls up in his tow truck. He immediately pulls this nifty little flap up in my trunk and finds the cute never-been-touched-since-factory-install tire and quickly changes the tire. Thankfully he didn't give me too much of a hard time for being automotibile challenged and I have an uneventful drive home where my husband has a good laugh at my troubles and my 5 year old incessantly accuses me of popping the tire due to speeding and running red lights.
THEN. A couple hours later I get a phone call from my mother telling me she's going in for an urgent MRI scan on her lungs. An x-ray revealed a spot on her lung. She's never smoked a day in her life. We end up sitting at the hospital for 2 HOURS waiting for her scan..... joy A little prayer that the results come back great would be appreciated!
Anyway. So that was my crazy day.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
A little poem
My teenage son didn't appreciat this poem NEARLY as much as I did hehe
Don't mess with mothers....
My son came home from school one day, with a smirk upon his face.
He decided he was smart enough, to put me in my place.
Guess what I learned in Civics Two, that's taught by Mr. Wright?
It's all about the laws today, The "Children's Bill of Rights."
It says I need not clean my room, don't have to cut my hair.
No one can tell me what to think, or speak, or what to wear.
I have freedom from religion, and regardless what you say,
I don't have to bow my head, and I sure don't have to pray.
I can wear earrings if I want, and pierce my tongue & nose.
I can read & watch just what I like, get tattoos from head to toe.
And if you ever spank me, I'll charge you with a crime.
I'll back up all my charges, with the marks on my behind.
Don't you ever touch me, my body's only for my use,
not for your hugs and kisses, that's just more child abuse.
Don't preach about your morals, like your Mama did to you.
That's nothing more than mind control, And it's illegal too!
Mom, I have these children's rights, so you can't influence me,
or I'll call Children's Services Division, better know as C.S.D.
Of course my first instinct was to toss him out the door.
But the chance to teach him a lesson made me think a little more.
I mulled it over carefully, I couldn't let this go.
A smile crept upon my face, he's messing with a pro.
Next day I took him shopping at the local Goodwill Store.
I told him, "Pick out all you want, there's shirts & pants galore.
I've called and checked with C.S.D. who said they didn't care
if I bought you K-Mart shoes instead of those Nike Airs.
I've canceled that appointment to take your driver's test.
The C.S.D. is unconcerned so I'll decide what's best.
I said "No time to stop and eat, or pick up stuff to munch.
And tomorrow you can start to learn to make your own sack lunch.
Just save the raging appetite, and wait till dinner time.
We're having liver and onions, a favorite dish of mine.
He asked "Can I please rent a movie, to watch on my VCR?
"Sorry, but I sold your TV, for new tires on my car.
I also rented out your room, you'll take the couch instead.
The C.S.D. requires just a roof over your head.
Your clothing won't be trendy now, I'll choose what we eat.
That allowance that you used to get, will buy me something neat.
I'm selling off your jet ski, dirt-bike & roller blades.
Check out the "Parents Bill of Rights, It's in effect today!
Hey hot shot, are you crying, why are you on your knees?
Are you asking God to help you out, instead of C.S.D..?
Friday, October 19, 2007
Pregnancy makes women live longer!
Interesting! This report is a couple years old i'd be interested to see what further research has been done. Throw away your birth control! Husband's get busy! You are saving your life.
This is LONDON 09/07/04 - News and city section Pregnancy 'makes women live longer' By Rebecca Smith, Evening Standard Health Reporter Scientists believe they may have unlocked the secret of why women tend to live longer than men. It is all down to motherhood. The cells from the developing baby pass into the mother's bone marrow during the early stages of pregnancy.
The scientists say these cells may rejuvenate the mother's own, repair damage and fight disease, prolonging her life. The findings, in today's Lancet, could explain why women who have had children are less likely to develop arthritis, multiple sclerosis and breast cancer. Professor Nick Fisk, a specialist in foetal medicine at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, said they have found that stem cells from the foetus are stored in the mother's bone marrow and some had changed into bone. All the women in the study who had sons had male stem cells in their bone marrow.
Professor Fisk said: "Every time a woman gets pregnant she gets a shower of stem cells that can fight disease." He said more research needed to be done to find out if the stem cells in the mother's body protect against some disease but contribute to the cause of others.
©2004 Associated New Media
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Middle school to offer birth control to students
Has anyone read this story yet? If not, take a minute to do so and then come back...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/18/middleschool.contraception.ap/index.html
I respect the intent. Really I do. As a former teen parent I can tell you that it is not fair to parent OR child to bring a child into this world when you haven't finished growing up yourself. Even the teen parents that make it tend to look back years later and realize that they wish they could have done it differently, if only in the realization that they could have given their child so much more if they had been able to grow up themself before trying to raise another person.
Having said that, I have to say WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING AMERICA? When the SCHOOL has to do OUR jobs.
For instance I was asked one day what the appropriate age might be to have "the talk" with kids... WHAT? Why does the word SEX make us squirm so much? If we can't say the word SEX in conversation with another adult, how the HELL are we suppose to talk to our kids about it? Say it with me people.......... S-E-X SEX. Get comfortable with it.
We shirk our responsibilities as parents it seems, right about the time they enter kindergarten, earlier if our children attend a preschool program. It seems that we walk away from them that first day of school, dust off our hands and say "whew, now someone else can do the hard stuff". It is YOUR JOB, until THE DAY YOU DIE people. I hear it all the time, teachers saying the one thing they love is when they get that one student who's parent is interested and involved in their children's education. How sad is it that it's one child.....
Now, we get to get out of "the talk" too! If our kids want to talk about sex they can go to school and talk about it, heck they can even get birth control!
Some of you are saying "but they are going to do it anyway, you can't stop that". Really? I don't buy it anymore than I buy that if you talk Joe Schmoe down from the roof he's about to jump off of, and be his friend and help him realize that his life is worth something that you've done nothing..
There is a fine line we, as parents of pre-teens and teens must walk. The fine line between being their friend and being their parent. I think if you drift too far to one side you are in trouble. We must constantly walk that line.
It's not easy. Parenting wasn't meant to be. The labor pains are just the beginning. It's silly to think that giving birth to a child is the hard part. But WE SIGNED UP FOR IT, and now a lot of us aren't stepping up to the plate.
Don't let the school confidentially give your children birth control. Don't allow yourself to be taken out of that equation, as it's one of the most important things you will ever do as a parent.
Step up America. Take the time, find the time. TALK to your kids. Open the door of communication and LEAVE IT OPEN. Let your children know how you feel about the choices you know they will face as teenagers and young adults. TELL them about your teen years, open and honest.
That way, when the time comes that they have the hard choices to make, you just might have the honor of being INVOLVED in that decision!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The wintertime pinch
This time of year, every year it happens. After a summer where the tourists come and have more brains that money and overtime is abundant..... eventually they all go home and the money pinch starts.
This year seems to be hitting harder than most. This pay period we will live on $100 for 2 weeks. *sigh*
It will all work out, it always does. But it's frustrating inthe meantime!!!
This evening will be busy. We will have parent teacher conferences from 5-6, then I have to get home and get Hailey dressed (well, she dresses herself hehe) and prettied up for her choir/band concert at 6:40. We are gonna end up eating dinner at like 4:30 so assuredly we will spend the second half of the concert hearing "I'm hungry" from the small set. Maybe I'll stuff some snacks in the diaper bag........ that'll shut 'em up.
Had to take Hailey into urgent care last night. She has pneumonia..... how great. So she's on zithromax for 5 days and codeine to sleep at night. She still wants to go to school, bless her litlte heart. She's loving school now that she's really busted her butt and gotten her grades up. All A's and B's! She's in special education but has done all of this in the MAINSTREAM classroom! Couldn't be more proud of her.
Anyway. Sorry the updates have been sporatic lately. I've been spending a lot of time working on Alex's new site. Go check it out! And don't forget to print off a few copies of the Random acts of kindness graphic..... giving is good! www.alexandersheart.blogspot.com
Friday, October 12, 2007
The little surprises you find.....
Welcome to the world baby!
Brayden Edward arrived at 11:13pm last night weighing 7 lbs 13 oz. His mommy had a very difficult labor and did it 100% drug free and was AMAZING. I am forever indebted to you, Allen and Rissa, for allowing me to be a part of something so miraculous......... Thank you
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RISSA! What a great birthday present to be holding your perfect little boy right now!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Guess what I'm getting tomorrow?!
A brand new baby nephew, that's what!!!
I'm so excited. Mommy to be goes in at 1pm tomorrow for induction and I have the honor of being invited to be her doula! Can't wait!
This has been a crazy week. I'm not sure why, I've gotten nothing accomplished, but it just seems to have been rather chaotic.
We have a new goal in our "get out of debt" plan. Starting January 1, all "extra" moneay (what's that?) will go to pay down our truck loan. Our goal is to have it totally paid off within a year. Then, the next year we'll start on the car. Both vehicles should last us quite a while so we could have a few years with NO VEHICLE PAYMENT! Wouldn't that be nice!
We also turned off our cell phones saving us $160 a month. We are just trying to cut out any extras, as we have gotten a bit caught up in the world and the things we think we need that we don't.
With all the cuts we've made so far we right now have an extra $260 a month in our pockets. Doesn't sound like much but when you live paycheck to paycheck it's a lot!
Too bad we need heat and lights and insurance or we could really be swimming in extra cash hehe.
Must go finish making dinner!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Life aint always beautiful
Isn't that the truth. 2 children who's websites I frequent died yesterday. They both had a brain tumor called a diffuse pontine glioma. It is inoperable and treatment is aimed at slowing it's growth. The average life expectancy is 6-12 months.
This morning Hailey and I were talking about hard subjects, as we frequently do. We talked about Alex and how he fought so hard to be here and how people aren't always perfect but sometimes the least perfect have the most to give. I wonder sometimes what the greater plan is for us all. The why's are so difficult to deal with sometimes. I don't think I will ever understand why Alex died. I don't know that any parent who loses a child ever gets that moment of clarity.
I think about all the children who are simply denied the chance. The babies who are lost to "medical termination" upon their parents finding out they have down syndrome, or some other abnormality that makes them "less than perfect" in the eyes of the world. It makes me angry. I wish I had my disabled child, I WISH I could push him in a wheelchair, I wish I could hug him, kiss him, and sing him to sleep.
I am comforted in the fact that we did everything we could. He was in an amazing hospital and every medical opportunity was available to him. We could have "let him go" as some would have. HE chose when it was time to go, I'm grateful for that.
Every one of us is less than perfect in some way. If we ought to abort a baby because it's not "normal", where is the line? Aborting one who has a cataract? who will need a brace for scoliosis? And when is the line drawn? If they are taken before birth it's ok, but when will we start moving on to sacrificing 2 year olds who contract a disease? I just don't understand how we think we have the right to decide who lives or dies. It doesn't make sense.
I was once reminded that God gives us free will, but he also gave us a brain. But did he intend us to use that brain to make decisions best left to him? Where is THAT line? You have to draw it somewhere.......... so where?
I struggle with these questions. A few days before Alex died I finally broke down completely and relinquished control to the lord. Right there in front of the dormatories of the University, in front of the busy hospital. I'm sure I looked like a lunatic but the weeks of what felt like running through water finally caught up with me and I had nothing left to give, I had no fight left in me. I told God he wins, I give him control. It was then that the put my son out of his misery. I never gave up on Alex but I gave up my selfish fight for him with God.
Some people don't understand the decisions C and I make regarding our family. It's difficult sometimes because it would be senseless for us to learn the lesson we did, to give up control, and then try to take it back now. But what does God intend for us to have control of, and what does he solely take control over? I just don't know.
To some people it's all so simple. It's just not for us. I don't think things will ever be simple again. Things use to be so simple even though we didn't realize it, now the seemingly smallest things just aren't anymore.
It's exhausting sometimes. This post probably makes no sense either hehe, it's one of those that I'm just typing as I'm thinking so I apologize for that. It's one of those more for me than you kinda posts.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
President Bush vetoes SCHIP bill
It's official, our lovely president has vetoed the SCHIP bill which would have doubled the number of insured children in this country. Way to go! Hope you sleep at night! It really was a brilliant bill too! And had over a 70% approval rating.... a helluva lot more than ole Georgie himself has!
He encourages all middle class Americans to "buy health insurance". Really? Cause we never thought of that?! Life must really look that simple when you have cash to spare....
Next week we'll send a couple million more overseas, and a couple thousand more men and women to die, meanwhile some kid will be in the ER dying of pneumonia because no ped would touch him because his parents couldn't pay. BRAVO America!
Here's a thought? Instead of spending billions fixing Iraq, why not fix the USA first! What a concept!
Ok, I said there would be more. Here it is. There has been a lot of buzz about this today of course. I actually read on one blog someone say, and I'm paraphrasing... When are people going to stop looking for a handout and take responsibility for themselves. There's always planned parenthood. Really? WOW. Planned parenthood gives prescriptions for medications for 6 year olds? Subsidizes the cost of leukemia treatments? Interesting. I guess I'll have to read up more on Planned parenthood!
It's easy for the insured to be a bit clueless. It's easy when you have insurance and you go to the doctor and most of your bill gets paid. It's easy when your children are healthy. What if your son got cancer? What if your son needed a cancer treatment not covered by your insurance? Would you have $160,000 in your pocket to pay for that? Or would your child die in that hospital bed waiting for donations from friends and family to get the treatment? Have you ever seen a million dollar hospital bill? Because I have. I have held one in my hands, with my name on it. Have you? What would you do if you did? Would you ask for help? Do you think you'd be deserving of help? Or would you sit back and say that you made a mistake by having a child when you didn't have the means to provide for him, even though you had no idea he'd get cancer, or be born sick?
Planned Parenthood is great. It's easy to say "don't have kids if you can't afford them"....... if only life were that simple. If only having a child ensured you the finances you have at that moment, for the rest of that child's life. Wouldn't that be great! I want to live in THAT World!
Stop being so arrogant in beleiving that YOUR health coverage will always be there. Insurance companies are struggling, yours could shut down tomorrow and where would you be? Your child could get cancer or meningitis tomorrow, where would you be? Don't be so arrogant to think that the people who aren't insured or are underinsured are less than you or don't try hard enough, it's not always that simple. Planned parenthood isn't going to pay for a bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant, no matter how hard you want to try to beleive it.
And to say that not having children in the first place is the answer is laughable at best. YOU COULD LOSE YOUR JOB TOMORROW and where would you be? Go ahead, call planned parenthood and see if they will pay for your childs hospital bill. Let me know what they say....
I am thankful that that million dollar hospital bill was nearly ALL paid by insurance. But I would NEVER sit here on some pedestal thinking that the kid who laid in the bed next to us didn't deserve his care because his parents couldn't afford it.
It all boils down to what I always say. We are failing our own. Some of us like to sit in our own little bubble and say "i'm ok, I don't know what's wrong with those idiots" ....... it's easy to take that road. To think that other people have the problems they have because of choices they made. But just once why not think about it..... are Jane and Joe homeless because they lost their house when their son died of cancer and they couldn't pay? It's easy to say they are losers who dont' take care of their children and don't provide for them but it's far more difficult to actually find out WHY. And it's extremely difficult for some of us to see ourselves and part of a whole, to leave the "every man for himself" mentality that plagues this country.
Every child in this country is entitled to a free public education through grade 12, yet no child in this country is entitled to a doctor visit, a simple vaccination, or surgery to remove cancer from their stomach yet we pay taxes on everything from our homes to chewing gum. Heck we even pay tax on our medications and surgeries! How is that for irony!
I surely hope that none of you up there on that pedistal ever lose your jobs, your coverage, and I certainly hope your child never gets cancer. But I do hope you remove your head from the sand at some point and think that tomorrow, the unthinkable could happen and you could find yourself in the street with a sick child and no way to pay for his treatment. You are not above tragedy and I would gladly take an increase in my taxes to get YOUR child his medication.
So, if the solution is that everyone who cannot afford a million dollar hospital bill, or heck lets even just say if you don't have $100,000 in savings RIGHT now to pay for a doctor bill if you lost your insurance tomorrow......... you shouldn't have kids. I'm not sure what you should do if you've already had them, but you should run to planned parenthood right now and get some hormone pill to prevent you from having a child because you cannot afford one and WE should not be having to increase our taxes to pay for your "mistakes". Got that?! I don't care if you have a good job with good insurance, what if you don't next week? How are you going to pay for that bill?! Yeah........ I don't know either.
I must say that I've heard some arguements on things that make me roll my eyes and giggle. But for someone to say that the answer to our healthcare crisis is planned parenthood.......... I think that might be up there with the STUPIDEST things i've heard in my entire 31 years.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Family ramblings
Thought I'd do a little update on me and mine. Since I know you don't ALWAYS want to read my rantings! hehe.
Let's see. It's been a busy couple of weeks or so. Hailey is doing well in Cross Country aside from a horrid respiratory infection knocking her on her butt this week. Thankfully her meet on Thursday got rained out anyway.
The 20th was Jack's 5th birthday. FIVE!! Can you believe it? Seems like yesterday he was an infant! They DO grow up so fast don't they?
Here are a couple photos from
his birthday
so myself!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Are YOU poisoning your children?
Approximately half of the United States' drinking water supply is fluoridated in an attempt to reduce dental cavities in children. Thankfully the town I live in does not (as of now anyway, hopefully they keep thier senses) artificially fluoridate our drinking water. My children do not take fluoride rinses at school or receive fluoride treatments at the dentist office. In the past 4 years, since I have begun actively limiting the fluoride my children receive thier teeth have actually IMPROVED and none of them have had a cavity, without any other change in their dental routine.
Most Americans are unaware of the dangers of ingesting fluoride. Most dentists, physicians and scientists are even unaware of the dangers of fluoride. How many of us have actually taken the time to read up on it, just once?
Facts About Fluoride
~ Fluoride is NOT FDA APPROVED
~ According to Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, fluoride rated #2 on the toxicity scale, right under arsenic and above lead.
~ In the March 22, 1990 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Mayo Clinic reported that fluoride increased hip fracture rate and bone fragility.
~A study by Procter and Gamble showed that as little as half the amount of fluoride used to fluoridate public water supplies resulted in a sizable and significant increase in genetic damage.
~Epidemiology research in the mid-1970's by the late Dr. Dean Burk, head of the cytochemistry division of the National Cancer Institute, indicated that 10,000 or more fluoridation-linked cancer deaths occur yearly in the United States.
~In 1989, the ability of fluoride to transform normal cells into cancer cells was confirmed by Argonne National Laboratories.
~ Since 1991, the New Jersey Department of Health found that the incidence of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, was far higher in young men exposed to fluoridated water than in those who were not.
~In addition to the well documented toxic effects of fluoride, fluoride even at dosages of 1 part per million, found in artificially fluoridated water, can inhibit enzyme systems, damage the immune system, contribute to calcification of soft tissues, worsen arthritis and, cause dental fluorosis in children.
"The American Medical Association is NOT prepared to state that no harm will be done to any person by water fluoridation. The AMA has not carried out any research work, either long-term or short-term, regarding the possibility of any side effects." - Dr. Flanagan, Assistant Director of Environmental Health, American Medical Association.
"I am appalled at the prospect of using water as a vehicle for drugs. Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis. Any attempt to use water this way is deplorable." - Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd, Past President of the American Medical Association.
The fluoride used for water fluoridation does not have FDA approval and is considered by the FDA as an "unapproved drug".
And it's not just in the water or supplements. Did you know that if you have wheaties with milk, and a can of coke for breakfast you have injested 233% MORE fluoride than the standard 1ppm daily recommended dose? There's no getting away from it I'm afraid, it's in everything you eat and drink. The water sprayed on the crops contains fluoride, so does the fertilizer. The LEAST we can do is NOT put it in our bodies above and beyond what we are forced to take in already.
But it saves our kids' teeth you say? WRONG
~In the largest U.S. study of fluoridation and tooth decay, United States Public Health Service dental records of over 39,000 school children, ages 5-17, from 84 areas around the United States showed that the number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth per child was virtually the same in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas.
Dr. John Colquhoun, former Chief Dental Officer of the Department of Health for Auckland, New Zealand, investigated tooth decay statistics from about 60,000 12 to 13 year old children and showed that fluoridation had no significant effect on tooth decay rate.
But it's NATURALLY in the water you say? So if it's a "natural" substance it can't be bad for you!
WRONG. Fluoride is an environmental pollutant. It is a waste product of aluminum and fertilizer production.
Prior to 1945, fluoride was responsible for many lawsuits against these industries. This fluoride destroyed crops and animals, leading to the lawsuits. The limited public view was that fluoride was an environmental pollutant that needed to be eliminated from the environment.
As a result of clever public relations campaigns, fluoride was magically transformed from an environmental pollutant to an "essential nutrient necessary for producing healthy teeth." The science was poor, but the P.R. campaign was great. It became an American staple and Industries not only made millions from selling this environmental pollutant to water companies and toothpaste companies, but more importantly, it saved billions of dollars that would be required to clean up this environmental pollutant.
So, what can you do to protect yourself from fluoride?
First, avoid fluoridated water. Boiling water removes chlorine, but concentrates fluoride. Water filters do not remove fluoride, unless there is a reverse osmosis component. Children should avoid fluoridated vitamins and fluoride treatments at the dentist. Everyone should avoid fluoridated toothpaste. Work on your legislators to get fluoride out of the water supplies. Buy a reverse osmosis system for filtering your drinking water. Do not allow your children to take fluoride supplements at home or at school.
The next time you go to the dentist, copy and paste the below form and ask your dentist to sign it before you accept the prescription for fluoride or have it put on your teeth in the little tray.
Please link others to this post and spread the word about the dangers of fluoride use!!!!
_____________________________________________________________
Affidavit
In my professional opinion as a currently licensed and practicing dentist in the state of ______________ the ingestion of supplements of hydrofluosilicic acid is safe, approved by the Food and Drug administration for ingestion and the American Medical Association for internal ingestion and I have disclosed all side effects to my patient.
As a licensed dentist, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of ___________ I hereby certify that the above statement is true and correct.
__________________ print name and title clearly
__________________ Signature of licensed dentist
__________________ Date
__________________ State of licensure
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Toby Keith- Love me if you can
I must start off by saying that I don't like Toby Keith. I think he's good for banking on whatever the cash cow of the moment. His album "shock'n y'all" proved that. Making a buck off commercial patriotism. Didn't hear a damn thing 'bout the red white and blue until it was worth a buck.
He's been called "the voice of our generation".......... PUKE! If THAT'S the voice of our generation....... where do I take my name off the list? His music use to be decent, now it's pure bravado, sexism, and machoism, he's also a childish hypocrit .......aside from that, his new single totally has me hooked. I *gulp* actually feel it describes ME in a sense. Here's the chorus to that song.
"Love Me If You Can"
I'm a man of my convictions
Call me wrong, call me right
But I bring my better angels to every fight
You may not like where I'm goin'
But you sure know where I stand
Hate me if you want to
Love me if you can
Aside from the fact that I am not a man, I think it's pretty spot on. I'm not sure sometimes what I have more of, enemies or allies. But that's ok because as Eugene Debs said:
"When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority are right."
A couple more quotes for today
It is time to get back to basics, time to go back to nature and ourselves. ~ Darina Stoyanova ~
And one the funniest comedians ever (whom I don't agree with on everything either)...... George Carlin
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."
"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity"
"People who say they don't care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don't care what people think"
"The next time they give you all that civic bullshit about voting, keep in mind that Hitler was elected in a full, free democratic election"
"The reason I talk to myself is because I’m the only one whose answers I accept"
And just for shits and giggles...... some lovely quotes from our Commander in Chief
"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." —Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002
"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." —Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000
“See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don’t attack each other. Free nations don’t develop weapons of mass destruction.”
I want each and every American to know for certain that I'm responsible for the decisions I make, and each of you are as well.
I've been talking to Vicente Fox, the new president of Mexico... I know him... to have gas and oil sent to U.S.... so we'll not depend on foreign oil.
They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program
Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.
There ought to be limits to freedom.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Once again, America doesn't get it.
As promised, my views on the welfare system.
As a general rule, we are taught to look down on welfare recipeints. Why can't they get a job? Why can't these people just figure it out?
You might be surprised at how many people you know secretly get food stamps, childcare help, travel vouchers, Medical assistance of some type, even WIC could be considered welfare assistance. But why are SO many Americans in need of this type of assistance? And why do some people buck the system and take "more than their fair share"?
Once again, we are failing our own. It seems to generally go like this.....
We grow up dreaming of the job we will have. We spend thousands of dollars in college only to find that our "dream job" doesn't pay us enough to survive.
Did you know the average price of a home in this country is somewhere around $230,000? Ok, at roughly a 7% intrest rate you are paying a mortgage of roughly $640 per month. Let's figure your monthly living expenses from there, assuming you have 2 children, (slightly less than the national average)
Mortgage $640.00
Insurance $35.00
Taxes $125.00
Car payment $600.00 (2 vehicle family, you drive economy cars, used)
Car insurance $70.00 (assuming you have a good driving record)
Food $900 a month (your baby drinks formula btw)
Toiletries, cleaning, diapers etc $150.00
Heating/cooling/electricity $250.00 (again, low)
Gas $100.00 (we are saying you have a short commute)
Daycare $800.00 (national average is $7000/year/child in the US. I assumed you found a nice old granny instead)
Clothing $100.00
Healthcare insurance premiums/copays $600 (based on national averages)
Other household utilities $150
Student loan repayment $500
Credit card payment $200 (national average)
Now, notice I did not include luxury items like cable, internet, or even telephone. No dance lessons, trips to the movies, No Christmas, birthday presents. nothing. You are scraping by here, your kids have nothing to play with but sticks and rocks. You do not have a penny going into savings and do not give charitable donations. You do not drive anywhere but work. This simply covers the VERY BASIC necessities in this day and age in this country. I am also assuming here that you have health, dental, vision, prescription coverage, 1 in 6 americans do not.
Ok, so total up just those necessities and you get $62,440 per year in basic living expenses. Figuring that you both work 40 hours per week and deduct the average 17% of your income in taxes, social security, etc you EACH must earn over $19/hr just to afford LIVE. You need to bring in approximately $73,000 a year just to pay your bills.
Now, why are so many people on welfare? The "average" hourly pay last year for US workers was $15.04 per hour. On an average American income you can barely afford basic necessities when BOTH parents work!
So, given those numbers....... and I really did try to base everything on statistical reports. When I couldn't find one I guessed low..... Given those numbers, even a lot of above average paid workers in this country need some form of assistance just to get by.
The US census bureau for 2006 released these figures, defining the "classes" of income.
$97,032 & above - Upper income
$60,000 - $97,032 - Upper middle income
$37,774 - $60,000 - Middle income
$20,035 - $37,774 - Lower middle income
below $20,035 - Lower income
Given those figures. Even the upper middle class will struggle financially without some form of assistance. Where does YOUR income fit in?
Now. Consider that the average income limit for assistance (not includeing WIC) is net $1667 per month, which means in order to qualify for food stamps you would need to each make less than minimum wage for a family of 4. $5.21/her each, or $10.42 together. If the "average" family needs to make over $19/hr to pay the bills, and you need to make $5.21/hr to qualify for assistance that leaves a LOT of people out, getting no help at all. Even people making minimum wage won't qualify!!!!
So, before you dog on someone getting assistance......... think about just how bad off that person has to be just to qualify for that assistance.
Given this information it's no wonder at all that American women are being forced to run back to work before their babies cord stump is even dry. The United states does not have a provision for paid maternity leave so we get 6 weeks unpaid on average. Let's take a look at other countries for a moment and how they help keep mothers and babies together for that critical bonding time. Percentages are of the mothers working income. This is paid BY THE GOVERNMENT and does not include provisions in place by the mothers own employer.
Austria
16 weeks
100%
Belgium
15 weeks
82% for 30 days, then 75%
France
16-26 weeks
100%
Germany
14 weeks
100%
Italy
5 months
80%
Switzerland
8 weeks
100%
Japan
14 weeks
60%
Russia
140 days
100%
Singapore
8 weeks
100%
Israel
12 weeks
75%
Ireland
14 weeks
70% or fixed rate
Sweden
15 mnths (either parent)
75% for 12 mnths, then flat rate
Canada
17-18 weeks
55% for 15 weeks
Also note that many countries give new parents a one time cash benefit of $3,000-$8,000 upon the birth of a child. This is NOT considered a welfare hand out, but a basic right to citizens.
A point that must be made is the United States' blind stab at something similar in the per child tax credit and Earned Income tax credits (currently being phased out) which give lower income families deductions on income taxes for children. This is NOT always a refund, and only applies to people in the low to low-middle tax brackets, which we've already learned is well below what should be considered poverish.
Is it a wonder the population of the United States is on the decline? Is it a wonder we have so many homeless, starving people in this country. Is it a wonder that our welfare rolls are busting at the seams? And is it any wonder that babies are spending more time in daycare than with thier parents?
Again, WE, as a country are FAILING OUR CHILDREN!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
living without Alex 9-16-07
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2007 02:15 PM, CDT
this post moved from Alex's original blog
Why do some kids get thier miracles and some don't? I don't know that I will ever understand that. I find myself envious of people who get it. It's very strange to read the story of a kid who made it back from deaths door and have this strangely sad feeling. Most people read stories like that and feel better about life, I do not.
I've been trying to get myself back in my "happy place". I tried to find a counselor to talk to and none are taking new patients that my insurance covers...... it figures.
Many people don't really know this about me but I've had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since childhood. (I know, if you've seen my disaster of a house you are really surprised huh?) And it's really flared up again. I almost don't even notice it until I'll be instinctively making all the vents in the car perfectly straight or something and Craig will just mess them all up and tell me it's OK if they don't all face perfectly forward...... no it's not! hehe We joke about it a lot because it's really just stupid things like that, but it's just the overwhelming need to have certain things perfect. Hard to explain.
It's not just silly things either, the obsessive thoughts are what is debilitating. The "death monster" that I spoke of before. It's like if I don't do the "rituals" then something bad is going to happen. You'd think people with OCD would live in immaculately clean surroundings. That's not really true. The silly rituals get in the way of things and some days you can spend hours just making sure every sock in the drawer is folded the right way, that the other stuff doesn't get done. So while my house may be a rat trap, there is something that is perfect....... dumb eh?
Anyway. I'm working on it. I go back and forth with it getting bad and then it becoming nearly nonexistant. Now that i've realized that's what this is I just have to recognize it and deal with it and get it to regress again.
But for now, don't mess with my vents! hehe
Well, that was fun
Just a quick note on the previous post. I have to clarify again that when I say that WE are failing our children I do NOT mean that if you coudln't breastfeed, or even if you could and didn't succeed that you are a failure. YOU didn't fail.......... your fellow women, your "village" did.
We need to educate our fellow women, support them, help them succeed. We need to find better ways of getting breastmilk to babies when they cannot get it from their own mothers. We need to stop always looking for the easy way to fix a problem and start fixing it the right way.
Check back in a few days for my sure to be a problem post about welfare! And don't assume you know what my opinion will be on it, I'll bet you'll be wrong!
Anyway, moving on.
I have so many things to do today so here I am sitting at the computer. We found a free garage sale yesterday and I got the kids a lot of new clothes. So my laundry room has once again vomited into my kitchen. We haven't gotten the plug put in for the 220 downstairs so we can run the second dryer, really need to do that!
My house is a sty lately. A 14 room house is NOT easy to keep clean while caring for 6 little mess makers. Nate is a totally cling-on lately and must be held by me at all times. If I so much as walk to the other side of the room he's crying. Poor daddy is feeling a bit like chopped liver. Now he knows how I feel when Shay, as a baby chose him as her favorite! On one hand it's really neat to know that he trusts and loves me that much, on the other I really wish I could use the bathroom in peace at least once a day!
We have to get rid of our cats. Craig's allergies aside, they are driving me crazy. They now have decided that they love Nate's pacifiers. And steal them out of the bed in the middle of the night to take off and chew on them! It's getting a bit expensive! At first they'd steal em out of his bed, well then he decided he'd rather sleep with us anyway and now they come up in OUR bed and steal it. I've had enough! So, if anyone wants a kitty........ I will hook you right up!
For those of you who've been posting in the guestbook at our 9 year olds website, he loves it! Keep it going. If you would like to keep up with him and what's going on right now with his health please email me at kat_76_99@yahoo.com and I'll give you the url. I'm not going to post it here after what happened with our other son's site. As long as that person still has access to this blog, I can't be in full confidence here unfortunately.
Oh, try something fun (ie: scary) once. Google your name, your kids' names. See what you come up with, it's scary. www.google.com
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
If you are easily offended....
Please keep reading.
I just finished that book I mentioned a few posts ago. Milk, Money, Madness by Naomi Baumslag. I haven't been able to get the following photo out of my head in days....
Photo courtesy of Unicef, Children's Hospital... Pakistan
"This picture tells two stories: most obviously, about the often fatal consequences of bottle-feeding; more profoundly, about the age-old bias in favour of the male. The child with the bottle is a girl - she died the next day. Her twin brother was breastfed. This woman was told by her mother-in-law that she didn't have enough milk for both her children, and so should breastfeed the boy. But almost certainly she could have fed both children herself, because the process of suckling induces the production of milk. However, even if she found that she could not produce sufficient milk - unlikely as that would be - a much better alternative to bottle-feeding would have been to find a wet-nurse. Ironically, this role has sometimes been taken by the grandmother. In most cultures, before the advent of bottle-feeding, wet-nursing was a common practice.
"Use my picture if it will help", said the mother. "I don't want other people to make the same mistake."- Source: Unicef
Think about that for a moment. Just THINK about it. I know, you are thinking "Ok, in 3rd world countries yes..... not breastfeeding probably is this dangerous" Right? Well chew on this.... for every 1,000 births in DEVELOPED countries, there are 77 hospital admissions for formula fed babies in the first 4 months of life, while only five breastfed infants will be admitted to the hospital in that same timeframe. In the united states, 75 million dollars per year is spent for pediatric visits alone for diarreah, 70% of which is caused from Rotavirus, a bacteria in which breastfeeding has a known preventative effect.
Did you know that "low supply" essentially did NOT EXIST before formula was invented? It took very little work unfortunately to convince worried new mothers that thier bodies would fail.
I know, I know......... pediatricians say............ ask your pediatrician just once how much money he/she gets from formula companies in kick backs. I'm sure they will tell you none..... that will likely be a lie. Even your hospital, the one than hands out the diaper bags? Formula companies agreed to be in compliance with the WHO code, in an effort to stop being sued all the time. The WHO code states that they cannot give formula samples. Do they blatenly ignore this? Yes. More frightening is that they've found wonderful loopholes. They pay hospitals a set amount each year, the hospital in turn uses that money to purchase formula sample diaper bags from the formula companies.....end result? The hospital is distributing the samples, not the formula company.
I won't go on and on, lets just say that even I was blown away reading this book. And contrary to what you would think it isn't written in a dogmatic way, the facts themselves speak volumes.
And something we rarely stop to think about. Do you know how many formula recalls have occured in the last 10 years? Not to say the factories that produce it are unclean, but anything produced by human hands or machines risks being contaminated...... even infant formula. Not to mention that powdered formula is the most widely sild form of formula to the poor....... in many countries those people don't even have access to clean water to mix with it!
Why is cow's milk used as a base for infant formulas even though many other animals milks are a much better match to human milk? Money. Cow's milk is cheap. And with the BGH hormone now being given to cows (which has a known carcinogenic effect) it's even cheaper.
The chief executive of Enfamil takes home over 12 million dollars per year.....
I learned a lot from this book. I learned that my son will never, if I can help it, have formula.... ever. I am proud that he has been given the best start in life, every baby deserves to be breastfed........I've said it once and i'll say it again... WE, as a society ARE FAILING OUR CHILDREN. We need to step it up people. Do right by your own kids and help others to do the same. It takes a village to raise a child.
Bring on the hatemail! Again!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
I've decided that I'm finally ready to write the book I have been planning for a while. It will tenatively be called "Broken dreams" and will focus on having and losing an ill child and grieving. There is no grief like that of a bereaved parent and people don't understand and don't know how to respond to us. I am collaborating with other bereaved parents and will be sharing the stories of their children in the book. So far it's coming pretty easily, I'm surprised.
C1 has an interview for a new job on Tuesday. We'll see how that goes.
We are having some health issues with one of our boys. It's been stressfull.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
living without Alex 9-4-07
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2007 08:24 AM, CDT
This post was moved from Alex's original blog
In a wierd way, i've spent the past almost 18 months in a sort of denial. To ask me I would have vehemently swore that I was not in denial, I was coping the best way I could. But I was/am.
I don't think i've ever taken the time to totally process. When Alex was born and got sick, those weeks were such a constant roller coaster. There was never any downtime to think. I never had the chance to really say "Ok, my child was born gravely ill, this is our reality"
After he died, we threw ourselves into things, we got pregnant with Nathan, again, never taking the time to process. To really accept that our child died.
Now that things are leveling out. I find myself realizing that my child was born, he was critically ill, and he died. HE DIED! I read stories of other kids who have died and I feel such a deep sympathy for thier families, it's like I don't realize sometimes that I am one of them.
I remember the Monday before Alex died, the day when the inate "knowing" took over and without being told, I knew he was going to die. I remember making the kids lunch and crying that whole day. Hailey asked what was wrong and I just blurted out "I think Alex is going to die"..... I felt SO bad about saying that, watching the tears well up in her eyes. Yes he had taken a turn for the worse but there had never been a time when anyone said to me "you know, Alex probably isn't going to pull through". I started to question myself. Why would I say that to her?! A child!
That afternoon at the hospital I talked to the child-family life specialist and I didn't tell him that I had told Hailey that, but he said something to me that made a ton of sense. He told me that the worst thing I could do is hide from my kids. They KNOW when something is going on without being told and if you don't say anything, they get scared and upset. If you say it, then at least they know what's going on. You see, kids have a great way of making other people's problems about them. Not that they are selfish, they just always think that if an adult is upset it's somehow thier fault. So by saying what I said, Hailey knew that I was upset about Alex, and it wasn't her fault.
This grieving process. It's hard to get a handle on. There is no right or wrong way to do it and that makes it extremely difficult to know if the things I do, my coping mechanisms, are they normal or abnormal? Am I grieving in a "healthy" way, or not?
I suppose I'm greiving in my way. And that makes it the right way. I just wish someone would come along and tell me how I can put this behind me....how I can understand.
He's been on my mind a lot more than usual lately. It struck me odd the other day when I saw a kid who had a feeding tube and the mom was tending to his needs. I got sad and thought how I wish I had the opportunity. Who WISHES for a sick child? It's so strange, like I was robbed of being mom to an Alex who would have been normal and healthy, but then I was robbed of an Alex who was sick and needed such indepth care. I had prepared myself for spending the rest of my life tending to his needs with medications, doctor visits, surgeries, procedures. And I'm grieving THAT too. I guess anything you prepare for and dont' get is a loss.....
Monday, September 3, 2007
School is back in session baby!
Ok, almost. Tomorrow my 2 oldest start school, and Wednesday thier 3 younger siblings. Stupid you say? Why have kids in the same district start school on different days? That's asinine? Yes.
For the past 2 years the hateful evil wench we call a principal and her sidekick nasty demon spawn administrator have made it so that the elementary school starts a day behind the middle and high schools. Instead of going to school the first day, these children AND thier parents (who's jobs apparently mean nothing) must be at the school at a time designated by the principal to meet teachers, listen to the same lecture over and over, fill out paperwork that must have stripped a good sized forest, pay fees, pad lunch accounts, donate to the PTO..... THEN you walk down a hall where the area dentist, doctor, construction company, whatever hands your child advertisement pencils and bookmarks and whatever else. This all takes no less than 2 hours.......... if you have one child. I, this year again, will have THREE in that school. It will be a full day.
So. All the crap is bought. initials marked on every pencil, eraser, ruler, and backpack (yes, every pencil......... it's required). All the school clothes hung neatly for the first day. Everything in order......
Until......... the night-before-the-first-day-ever-of-middle-school-and-if-i-don't-have-everything-perfect-i'll-just-DIE drama queen comes home from her day at the MN state fair with Grandma. A 30 minute tirade/try to get mom to convince someone to open the mall tonight so that I can get THE perfect outfit ends with everything she owns on her bedroom floor.
Guess who refused to try on any of her clothes in the store? Guess who was too busy with her social obligations to try any of her school clothes on EVER? Guess who is wearing a boys belt tomorrow to keep her pants up? HAHAHAHAHA sorry chicka.... you will live through it.
Boys are so easy in comparison. Austin doesn't really care if he wears holey sweatpants to school let alone THE perfect pair of jeans from Abercrombie. (yes, this is the same child that last week talked of wanting to donate all her money to charity.... funny)
That's ok............ wait til her dad sees the shirt she thinks she's getting out of the house in tomorrow.............. i'll update with round 2 of the "school clothes war" tomorrow
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