Monday, February 14, 2011

What's the equivalent of Bah humbug! for Valentine's Day?

You have a lot to read tonight. I'm too cranky to babble so I'll let you get to it.

Tamara

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Sunday, February 13, 2011

One Week

Next Sunday we should be writing this update from our hotel room. I look forward to that a lot. However, between now and then a few things must get done.

Tomorrow (or today for some of you) is one filled with fanfare and commercialism. So with that in mind I wish you all a great Valentine's Day and a reminder to believe in yourself and others will follow.

Enjoy your updates!

Peace, Health, Happiness and a piece of candy.

Elisa

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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Random

We had a busier Saturday than usual. The February desert was delivered (Red Velvet cupcakes), two weeks worth of comics were picked up, wood was chopped, a grocery store run was made, the living room was tidied and the bathroom cleaned.

Both kids are getting over illness (Duncan a cold and Cal strep throat). E and I are counting the days before Mid-Winter break and vacation. Cal is too. I'm sure Duncan is just looking forward to no school. One more week and we'll be heading to Seaside, Oregon.

Tomorrow more rest for the kids. We've got a few more chores but nothing major. The week ahead will hold lots of work for E. My week will likely be the same. Our kids enjoy breaks but they're still not quite sick of school yet. When Spring break arrives everyone will be ready for that one.

Okay, I've babbled on about nothing for long enough. Get to your update.

Tamara

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Friday, February 11, 2011

Weekend Time

Long week where I actually did things, but it felt like not nearly enough. Oh well, onto the weekend we go.

Here is hoping you all have a great one.

Peace, Health and Happiness.

Elisa

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Thursday, February 10, 2011

You can find hope in the smallest things.

Most days the news makes you wonder why you're even trying. How about something to read that's uplifting for a change?

Hidden Light: The Visual Language of an Autistic Photographer

Tamara

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Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Angry

Too angry to make sense.

Melissa Mia Hall

Melissa worked hard. She owned a home. She paid her taxes (late, but paid). She was trying to live a dream - the American Dream - that supposedly we as citizens are promised - the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. For her, that couldn't be achieved in a traditional job that came with the perks of health care.

But does that mean she had to die?

She was 55.

Tell me again why what America has is the best. Tell me again how universal healthcare is "socialist" and then tell me what you think socialism is. (Hint - it's not Russia!! It's Sweden!!)

Tell me again why the millionaires in the US Congress can have their free - top of the line - healthcare and still deny the most basic care to over 40 million of their citizens - their taxpayers - the people who pay for those millionaires to have healthcare.

Tell me how paying millions of dollars in insurance to profit-hungry companies - who then pay out millions more to profit-hungry healthcare providers - is better than not-for-profit healthcare. And then tell me - if what America has is so great - how is it that they're so low down the lists??

And tell me why a hard-working woman - a writer - only 55 years old - had to die because she couldn't afford to live.

Tell me - how many more people have to die??

I have many American friends - I want to keep them. I pray you all stay well.

Goodnight and may your God/s go with you and keep you safe.

Ze

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Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Things could be looking up

At least as far as work goes. But it's kind of good but bad.

The powers that be have decided that we need more homes in this part of the world. Especially "affordable" housing for local people (as opposed to ridiculously expensive prices-pushed-up-by-incomers stuff). But...instead of refurbishing the empty but scruffy homes in the city, or requisitioning the empty-most-of-the-year holiday/2nd homes or building new homes on derelict "brownfield" sites within the city they've decided to build a whole new town.

On green-belt land.

Three thousand new dwellings in fact, out on Rockbeare Straight near Jack-in-the-Green. Town to be called Cranbrook. Cranbrook, people. It's a flood-plain!! Oh well, they'll learn.

The NIMBYs are still protesting the loss of countryside and the increases in population/traffic/demands on local services, schools, etc. Not to mention that with jobs in the city are being cut left, right & centre. Shops closing. Major chains struggling in the recession etc. there'll be a problem finding work for all these new residents - because you can bet your last shilling that whatever the original intentions it won't be locals that get the house it'll be incomers on better wages...

The protests are fairly heated but it's pretty much a lost cause now. It's a done deal - they're already preparing the road by building a new bridge over the motorway. At least they've thought a bit about the traffic this would bring. Not thought enough of course, since they're not planning on doing anything to the roads into the city (which get busy enough already).

The good news is there will be hundreds of construction jobs going while they build the town. This is fantastic for local construction workers - we've had three major employers go belly-up in the past year -the contracts available for Cranbrook are a huge boost.

I sent my bids in today. With luck, by Easter I should know if I'm in work for the rest of the year. Good, well-paid work. It'll be great - it's been a very lean couple or three years.

I'm torn though. I'm glad of the chance of proper work - but my heart is with the NIMBYs - it's a crying shame to watch all those green meadows vanish under tarmac, brick, and concrete.

Ze

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Monday, February 07, 2011

Ramble from phair

Wanna hear about a $2100, 4 minute, .9 of a mile ambulance ride and a $1200, 4 hour ER visit? Don't know about the MRI cost but my follow up doc visit was $140. I'm going to guess the bill will cap out at $5000.

Before you cry out for Universal Healthcare, remember I live in the Commonwealth. We've had Universal Healthcare since 2006.

Isn't it working well controlling ridiculous costs?

A week before Christmas, I started my shopping after work. No, it was not procrastination that slowed my progress with the annual ritual. I was working like a fool at the day job, staying up late writing, relaunching my website, sick with a virus, and fighting with my new insurance company about my prescriptions. I'd been without my meds for about a week. Didn't think it was a big deal. Why would I?

HUGE MISTAKE. Had I called my doc, she would've given me meds to keep me covered while ripping the insurer a new one.
I left work at 4pm. Entered the toy store at 4:05pm. It is a favorite of mine. It's in my old home city; a dangerous, decaying den with little hope of recovery. I shop there because of customer loyalty and I can usually get hard to find items. They don't do a whole lot of high end sales.

Walking down an aisle, I felt oddly euphoric. I don't drink or take drugs...I'm weird enough, thank you. There was a shelf with stuff I wanted to look at but I couldn't figure out what those things were. For a brief moment, I didn't have a thought in my head. Nothing around me made one bit of sense. It was all familiar but still unknown. I wasn't scared. I was just moving.

HUGE MISTAKE: If you ever feel like this, sit down immediately! Scream for help because you're gonna need it.

The very next thought in my head was my own name. Somebody was calling me. I was looking at my feet hanging out the back of an ambulance and two paramedics, who were young enough to be my kids, were shouting at me.

"Relax! Don't move. We've got you."

"Why?"

My voice sounded far away. I wondered if anybody heard it. I wondered if anything was real. Certainly, nothing felt real. My clothes were heavy. My arms were like logs across my chest. My feet were pointed east to west.

"You had a seizure."

His voice boomed. Somebody was behind me. I couldn't see him but I pictured the character Taget from my book. I kept expecting a huge paw to land on my shoulder. It was strangely comforting.

These three paramedics had great questions. What meds do I take? When did I eat last? Do I have somebody to call? Who's my doc? Does this sort of thing happen often? Tremendously important questions they needed answered. Unfortunately, I didn't have any answers. Other than my own name and the image of Taget adjusting my oxygen with his massive paws, there wasn't another thought in my head.

We rolled into the ER at 4:15pm. The pieces of my life started to fall back into place. I had a family member, two in fact, to call. In addition to a ride home, I needed a change of clothes. Let's just say, there was a wardrobe malfunction and leave it at that. The nurses, doctor, and techs were super nice. I couldn't remember my brother's phone number sequence. I had all the numbers but not in the right order. The nurse left me with a cell to play with the series of digits until the MRI people got to me. On the nine millionth try, my brother answered his phone. I cried for a solid five minutes while he patiently asked yes and no questions to guess where I was.

In addition to the seizure, I damn near bit through my tongue. The whole thing was black and blue and swollen. Then there was the fall issue. I fell face first into the shelving holding very large Teddy Bears. The impact destroyed the display and sent me tumbling across the concrete floor. None of the bears were able to break my fall. I slammed my head several times before I skidded to a stop at Barbie's Townhouse.

I was discharged from the ER with fairly heavy medication on board. My brother drove me back to the store to find my phone. It was in my car. Don't remember why I left it there. We went into the store to thank the staff for helping me. I was never hugged by so many strangers before. They were worried sick but the hospital couldn't tell them how I was. They were relieved I was walking and talking again.

On the ride home, my brother stated we would grab some clothes and the dog. He and his wife wanted me to spend the weekend with them. I wanted to argue but the look on his face changed my mind. He was ashen and his lips were so pale it looked like he had the fright of his life. So, I agreed. He tells me now that I looked worse.

It's been a tough few weeks since my expensive ambulance ride. My memory is patchy at times. But, my tongue healed well. I'm a little nervous about what will happen next. Some days more than a little. The doc thinks it was a perfect storm of random events which lead to the seizure; withdrawal from my meds, exhaustion, a virus, dehydration, and malnutrition. She hopes it was a fluke...so do I.

I've gotten back to the day job and writing. But, I've carved out bigger chunks of time for sleeping. Meal breaks have also taken a priority status not previously recognized. Cell phone bill climbed a bit too. My brother is checking in more often. He had quite the scare...so did I.

phair
www.phair1.com


Okay, phair...please continue to carve that time out and consider that a permanent fixture. Take it easy and hopefully another will not occur. Sorry about the cost, but happy you are on to better days.

Now back to the update, enjoy.

Peace, Health and Happiness.

Elisa

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Sunday, February 06, 2011

Weekend Wrap Up

So we accomplished a few chores and a lot of Facebook...works for me. Tonight we welcome back Passion and Perfection (not too large).

Here is hoping you all have a great week and I will chat at you later on. Reminder... if you want to ramble, announce, or complain...write me.

Peace, Health and Happiness.

Elisa

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Saturday, February 05, 2011

Teeny

You've got a light update tonight. Have at it.

Tamara

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Friday, February 04, 2011

Announcement Night

This one is from the one and only Lara Zielinsky.
The host of "Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women's Fiction," Lara Zielinsky will be interviewed on "Alternative Perspectives" on WRFG 89.3 FM (Atlanta)

The show is "Alternative Perspectives", the host is Betty Couvertier, and the interview starts at 7:30 pm Eastern (4:30 pm Pacific). The interview topic is Zielinsky's writing and editing background and the story behind how she started hosting "Readings in Lesbian & Bisexual Women's Fiction."

If you are in the Atlanta/North Georgia area you can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM. Anywhere else you can hear it stream live through the website: http://www.wrfg.org

Listen if you can. Comments are welcome to the station page, or to Lara Zielinsky.

Something nifty to check out! Now on to your updates, enjoy!

Peace, Health and Happiness.

Elisa

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Thursday, February 03, 2011

Winding Down

The work week is coming to a close and it seems to have actually flown by for me. Work is actually going well these days as my nightmare project has actually been dropped, of course not completed but in the end it was the right move.

So Friday steps up for us tomorrow and that is grand. As fast as this week has gone many things seems to have gotten done, so onto a weekend with less plans than normal, but chores all about I am sure.

Here is hoping the rest of the planet and the people on it find some Peace, Good Weather, Health and Joy.

Elisa

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Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Gung hay fat choy

Chinese New Year tomorrow - we enter the year of the rabbit (or rat - depending on which zodiac you use) so Happy New Year to our readers who are of Chinese ancestry.

Thoughts are with our Aussie readers, especially those in QLD. Blimey you folks are getting hammered by the weather gods. Stay safe guys.

Not a lot else to say tonight. Enjoy your updates.

Goodnight and may your God/s go with you.

Ze

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Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Made it!!

Got my tax return done in time. Just in time in fact. Eleven o'clock yesterday morning to be precise. I don't think I could have cut it any more fine if I'd tried. Still, done is done.

Finished the painting job last week, too. So I'm currently without a contract. Fortunately it paid enough so that I'm ok for my essential bills/expenses until the end of February. But I'll need to have found something before then.

Got a phone call this morning from a chap who runs an orchard - I did some tree-planting for him a couple of years ago - he wondered if I'd be up for planting some more. He's got planning permission for another 2 hectares. I said "Yes" of course. Now we need to pray the weather co-operates. You can't plant apple trees if there's a heavy frost (digging the holes & filling them pushes frozen soil onto the roots, which is very bad for them) or of course snow or ice. It looks good for the rest of the week though. Fingers crossed.

I've been a lucky little sod lately, as far as books are concerned. I won a draw just before Christmas and got a free book. My good friend Lynn Ames sent me a present at the beginning of January - another free book - one of hers I really wanted.

And I've just won another draw run by an author friend on her Yahoo group - Barbara Davies and got yet another free book Frederica and the Viscountess.

Jammy git, aren't I??

Maybe I will buy a lottery ticket at the weekend - can't hurt, can it??

Ze

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