Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Coolest invention in Tupperware


Ok .. now I don't normally go around giving free advertising to companies, well except for Epicure spices earlier, but these are the COOLEST invention since sliced bread. I was invited to a Tupperware show last year and went to check out for the social aspect more then I needed another plastic container. Well the rep demonstrated these so cool containers and how they keep produce forever. Well ok maybe not forever but for a long time, much longer then normal fridge crispers so thought what they heck. They had a special on buy one get one half price and another small one free or something like that so I invested in them.

No word of a lie they do save the produce for a crazy amount of time. Most of our produce would end up in the disposal as it would go bad before we could use it (thanks to my husband's insane addiction to Costco) but now we actually would use up all the produce. So I think great, next time I get invited to another one I am getting more. Of course I don't get invited. The smart thing would have been to just contact the company and buy some but then I would have been guilted into hosting a show and I didn't want to go there. Lo and behold a few weeks ago we went to a Baby Fair that one of our neighbors as an event planner was hosting and there was a booth from Tupperware! YEAA!!

I asked if they had these special containers and she said yes but only in the fall colors of yellow and orange.. hmmm mine are white and blue.. but thought who cares they are in the fridge so bought a bunch more.. now I just got back from the produce market and am going to happily store all my goodies in their own containers. What makes these containers cool is they have littel "flaps" that are either both closed, both open or one of each depending on what is stored in them. It's these little portals that allow the right amount of moisture in or not in that saves your produce. Check it out!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Last week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUw6zOuE0Jc

I hope that link works out. This is my last week in training for the run. I still am looking for family and friends to do the run with me or walk with me or push a baby stroller with me. Or stand at the end of the line and cheer me on. This is the first race I have been in and although I am not going to be anywhere near the front I know with all the extra training I have been doing I won't be last. This week I will aim to do my 5k's in under an hour. That is my goal. Under an hour pushing the stroller with a 40 pounder. I am going to do it. One footstep at a time. Come on everyone... I know you reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally want to do this with me :)

It's for a great cause. No one woman every wants to hear those words "I'm sorry but you have breast cancer". One in 9 women this year will be diagnosed. Those are terrible odds. We need to do this. Will you help me in this fight?

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Families are Forever

Yesterday I got a great surprise in the mail! The fact that it was in the actual snail mail was a surprise in itself hehehe. But it was a hand addressed envelope with a return address from Saskatoon. Now I only know a handful of people from there and none of them came from that address. The name was vaguely familiar but couldn't place it. After a few minutes of trying to think of who it was from ( I know I know why not open the envelope? I already said it was a surprise to get an actual letter that wasn't from my mom and I was prolonging the anticipation) I finally opened it.

Inside was a hand written letter (again a surprise cause who still writes and not type??) from someone in my family that had been told of my announcement to do the Run for the Cure. I had to re-read it to figure out who this was and had to go to my genealogy to realize she was the daughter of a sister of my maternal grandmother. I think that makes us 2nd cousins perhaps??? But she wanted to send her support with her words and sent a donation along for me to include.

Now you all know I don't do the crying thing. I have what Oprah calls an ugly cry, face gets all red and scrunched up, I can't catch my breath then it comes out in these huge old wrenching sobs,,,so over the years I have perfected the art of biting down on my molars and insides of my cheeks when I feel myself getting to that point and it passes. Well I felt it was safe to let go reading this letter because I was alone and after all who would see this mug turn ugly.

I also got an email from another 2nd cousin.. this one I did know as we have been exchanging family history info over the last couple of years... she wanted to let me know that she took my original email that I sent her to let her know I was running and she posted it on that side of the family's web site. Blew me away. These are 2 women not even from my generation. I don't know if I have ever met either of them in person. If I did it would have been at my grandmother's funeral if they were there. But both of them came forward to support me. One said that this disease has really struck our family hard and how wonderful it was that someone was going to stand up to it.

I don't know how much I can do but I am pretty loud!! And I may be only one voice but I can usually out speak or out talk anyone so I think I can use that talent to move this forward. It made me realize this week that families are forever.. no matter if you are several generations removed, or you have never met... we are for all time and eternity, through sickness and in health... and for today.. this week.. I am strong, I am invincible, and I will run for the women in our family.

Thanks Therese and Claire... you will give me strength next week!!

Vancouver LDS Temple



it's taking wayyyyy too long :( I should send Keith over there to build this. It would have been done by now. Man the days of not going to Seattle anymore is so close I can almost taste it! Oh wait.. that was ice cream from dinner I was tasting!

http://www.lds.org/temples/construction/0,11437,1940-1-594-0,00.html

Thursday, September 25, 2008

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Book Review #2: Strong at the Broken Places



This book is from Richard M. Cohen

I had planned on reading this book last as I knew it would make me delve into the very locked part of me that never comes out. But I also know myself very well and knew if I did not read it next I would never read it. I meant to do the book review last week but was busy planning Keith's 55 th surprise birthday party, our staff training, then getting this nasty mouth and throat infextion where literally was not able to take for FIVE days unless absolutely necessary!

Anyway the book review:

ok.. I am not an emotional person. I do my crying in private and never lose control. When I get a hold of a book, any book I just sit and read till the last page. This book took me forever to read as I kept having to put it down. It made me realize I was human, I had faults, I was not alone in my illnesses, that others are worse off then I am but most importantly I learned that I have a very large supportive family and how very blessed I am. I should be ashamed for keeping them always at arm's lengths. Anyone that has a chronic illness or is a supporter of a family member or friend who is chronically ill NEEDS to read this book. Must supply own tissues.

Ratings out of 5 stars: *****

Word of the Week

So today is Tuesday... well ok it's after 2 am Wednesday but as technically I have yet to go to bed it is still Tuesday..so here is a conversation between 2 granddaughters tonight at dinner. Rosaleen is 4 and Miranda is 3. It's usually sleepover on Tuesday nights which is why they are here having dinner. Keith and I are done and are in the loving room watching tv. The 2 of them won't stop talking to even eat. At once point the conversation begins this new turn:'

Miranda: Nana I'm full
Nana: No you are not you hardly ate your dinner you need to eat more

dinner continues

few minutes later
Miranda: Nana my tummy hurts
Nana: Let me see your plate.... sees plate.... no you have to eat the rest of your yellow and green beans and half of your meat that you sucked all the applesauce off... away she goes back to table

Rosaleen: I know why your tummy hurts
M: why
R: Cause you have poopinjestion (Spelt as it sounded!!!)
M: what's that Rosaleen
R: It's when your food turns into poop
M:EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW no it doesn't!
R: Yes it does
M: Nana does food turn into poop?
N: Yes Miranda it does
M: as she looks at her plate.. this doesn't look like poop this looks like beans and meat
R: no it turns into poop in the tubes in your stomach
M: I don't have tubes in my stomach as she lifts her shirt up and says "SEEEE"
R: You can't see it but it curls around in your stomach and as you eat more food it pushes old food into containers like the ones in your fridge but these ones are soft and smaller

SIDE NOTE: Keith has a pillow stuffed in his face and tears running down his face and I have one hand covering my mouth and my other hand pinching my nose tight cause when I am laughing hard I do this nasty snort no one should ever hear

R:...then when the old poop gets shoved in these containers and you don't eat enough vegables and fruits even the ones you don't like and taste like poison that your mom and dad give you to eat you have to eat them cause they help to push the old poop out.
M:No they don't
R: yes they do
M: then what happens?
R: then the poop gets hard and that is when you get poopinjestion and then you can't go in any other people's bathrooms cause it takes too long to come out and it really hurts so you have to go home and go upstairs and sit there and make funny faces to push the poopinjestion out then you will feel better. You never want to get poopinjestion it's not nice
M: Daddy gets poopinjestion the other day

SIDE NOTE:Everything to Miranda is "the other day"

M: Daddy goes to the bathroom all the time and makes funny noises.. when I go home tomorrow I will tell him he has to eat his vegetables and fruit so he doesn't get poopinjestion anymore.

R and M: Nana we don't want to eat anymore.. as they come around the corner into the living room
R: PAPA!!!!!! STOP!! You are squishing the pillow on your face like on the movie.. stop it Papa
M: Nana Papa is crying he needs a kiss to make his owie all better
Me: Keith stop laughing hysterically you are scaring the girls as he slides off the recliner onto the floor finally being able to laugh out loud from having laughed into the pillow repeating the same word over and over again....poopinjestion...

you gotta have a sense of humour in this house or you would go slightly insane

By the way in case you wonder what I do in the middle of the night here is a pic of me that Keith took sneaking behind me scaring the daylights out of me.. notice the time? Always working on our big Seminar coming up on Oct 18th. Don't you just love my Pooh Jammies???

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Question 2

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 ~

Last week's affirmation was the first of a three-part series. It began with my recalling having read somewhere or been told by someone that, when I die, I will come face to face with God and that He will ask me three questions. I have given these three questions a great deal of thought, and in fact I think about them at some point almost every day. I don't think the questions will be posed as a pass-fail, congratulations-you're-in or sorry-but-you're-outta- here kind of test, but rather as part of a "welcome home" conversation between God and me, an "I'm-so- glad-you're-finally-here!-Tell-me-all-about-it!" chat, the kind of excited, breathless exchange one might have with a family member after returning from a lengthy trip to faraway lands.

The first question was "What did you learn?"
The second is "How much did you love?"

I think that what God will want to hear is whether I came to understand that love really is what this life is all about, that it's everything, pure and simple.

Pure and simple. Love everybody. Nothing complicated about it. Yeah, right.

Love is the most important lesson we are sent here to learn, and it is far and away the most difficult. I struggle with it every day, as I'm sure most people do. Let's be honest here. There are a lot of people who are downright difficult - if not impossible - to like, much less love. For example,
just yesterday my neighbor...

Well, let's just say it's a good thing I don't have to have this conversation with God today (at least I don't think I do; today's not over yet) because I clearly have a long way to go in learning about love. I guess I can only share how much I have loved to this point in my life; after that, I will tell you what I hope to be able to say to God when I graduate from this cosmic classroom and finally meet the Head Master.

Let's see. How to begin. How much have I loved so far?

I have loved my husband like one can only love one's truest, best friend, the better part of myself, mirror of my heart, the one who has given my life passion beyond romance, my partner on this journey, the witness to my life. But I guess I don't need to tell You, God. You know the rest, and readers (not to mention our kids)
might find it a little icky.

Speaking of kids, I have loved my children with an unconditional, fiercely protective, overwhelmingly joyful and sometimes deeply painful love that no one but a mother could understand. I would literally give my own life to save theirs. Oh, yeah. For a minute there, I forgot. That's how You love us. And You did that, didn't You?

I have loved my family and my friends, even though this one was really hard sometimes. I mean, do You remember that time my brother...oops. Sorry.
Look who I'm telling!

I have really, really tried to love everyone, God, but just yesterday, this woman at the post office...

Okay. Now you see how far I still have to go. Better skip right to what I hope will be my answers to the question "How much did you love?" by the time I am called upon to answer it. Here is what I believe He will want to hear:

I have loved my neighbor as myself, and I have learned that everyone is my neighbor. I have loved every person who has ever hurt me, and I have loved them hard, because You taught me that love in the face of anger and terror is the most powerful, unstoppable, undefinable force in the universe.

I have loved countless scroungy puppies and kittens and old, tired, sick dogs and cats and every precious creature that lives and breathes upon this earth. When I have witnessed cruelty to any living being, I have stepped up and done everything in my power to end it because that is love in action, and love without action to back it up is, well, not love.

I have loved this planet, our Mother Earth, that sustains us, and I've made every effort to learn how to care for her and live in a way that gives back to her more than I take.

I have loved this life You have given me and been blissfully and gratefully aware of every breath I have taken, every sunrise and sunset, every shooting star, every spring, summer, winter and fall, every, every, every...

I have loved my body because it is the temple of my spirit, the house I live in, my transportation and armor on this journey. I have given it nourishment, activity and rest and cared for it as I know You wanted me to. I have had to learn to love it although it causes me great grief and a lot of pain on any given day and just when my limits up of how much I can handle with my body I get slammed with something else. I mean seriously, who else do you know gets infected with Lyme's Disease, Fibromyalgia, debilitating disc disease and now Cancer. Am I still to believe that I can handle everything I am given? But I knew it was my temple and I had to take care of it, I started exercising, eating healthy, lost 150 pounds, all good stuff and still I struggle. But I try and take care of this temple the best I can.

I have loved the unlovely and the unlovable, the hated and the hateful. I have loved
with no second thoughts, no regrets.

Perhaps hardest of all, I have learned to love myself. You know what that's all about, Lord, so I guess I don't need to explain.

But You, God, You I have loved without measure, and my fervent prayer, now that I am at last in Your presence, is that I have lived my life as a small but worthy reflection of Your love for me.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Training Update

First of all I want to stand up and take my hats off to all of you that have emailed me, called me, sent me cards and flowers of support, have pledged donations of support and especially to those of you who will be by my side on October 5th. My heart and soul are so overwhelmed by this outpouring of support it blows my mind away.

I never expected this kind of response.. I was thinking a few "way to go's" type of thing but not this. I am blown away I don't know how to explain it. The tears are almost constant these days... especially so in my training... every time my knees start hurting from going too far, that picture of the women in my life goes right in front of my heart and soul and I keep going... when my spine feels like it is about to give away.. that picture is right in front of me.. when I think my muscle cramps from the fibromyalgia is going to stop me from getting dressed and getting my butt out that door, that picture propels me forward.

I am doing the 5K part of the run and every day I am doing at least 5k's. Most days I am pushing my granddaughter who is about 50 pounds plus a 25 pound stroller which usually has my purse some books for her and several water bottles (reusble I might add hehehe) and away I go. This week I have a sinus migraine which I have never had in my life. They are refinishing the hardwood floors at work and the smell makes me so nauseous I was throwing up halfway through my staff training 2 days ago.. yesterday the pain in my face kept getting worse so went to the walk in clinic. He went to touch my face and I threw up in his lap.. very lovely of me I might add!!! but the pressure of him just barely putting his fingers on my sinuses was too much. He gave me medication to take but has not kicked in yet.But that will not stop me.

So today and every day for the next 2 weeks , I will be doing 10K's a day broken down into 2 separate runs.

I don't want to be last at the finish line. So I will do the first one early in the morning and then the second one later in the day. It is Keith's birthday and our anniversary today and as I head out the door as soon as I log off here I will go while it is dark and peaceful and run for my mom Pauline, my sister Adele, my aunts, Cecile, Lucienne, Winnifred and Irene (who was my godmother) all other then Pauline have died from cancer, I will run for Lareta, Mary, Linda and Jen so they don't lose THEIR mum, I will run this morning in the dark for Senthia, Britnee, Latitia, Sinead, Amber, Rosaleen, Miranda, Aisling and Kloie so they will still see me on THEIR wedding day.....''

This morning I will run in the dark for Keith, Douglas, Kim, Eugene, Jody and Curt so they can support me so I don't trip on the curbs. Today I will do that 2nd run for Terry, Dallas, Darien and Regan so they have someone in their corner rooting for them when their moms get on their cases for annoying their sisters.

Today I will run a 2nd run for my brothers Claude, Daniel, Richard and Norman so that they won't lose another sister to cancer






Today I will run that 2nd run to celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary with Keith so that we have 27 more reasons to keep going. But mostly today I will run that 2nd run just because I know I can stand up to cancer and not let it get a hold of me.

Friday, September 12, 2008

First of 3 Questions

"I didn't know I had a quarrel with him."
~ Henry Thoreau in answer to the question,
"Have you made your peace with God?" ~

I don't know where or even whether I heard this or read it, but at some point in my life I came to believe that God and I really will be having a face-to-face conversation one of these days and that I need to be prepared to answer three important questions. These three questions, I believe, if answered truthfully and thoughtfully, can pretty much sum up for Him what I've done with my life. Of course I know that He already knows what I've been up to down here, but He wants to see if I know, if I've really "gotten it."

I believe the first question I will be expected to answer is "What did you learn?"

I'm pretty sure this question doesn't have anything to do with algebra. I hope this question doesn't have anything to do with algebra. I think He's going to want to know what I've learned from living this strange and wonderful life I've lived. I think about the question every day, and I think about my answers every night. Some of the answers get tweaked now and then, but here are a few of the ones I've prepared so far:

*We can't unbreak eggs, but we can make one magnificent omelet out of that mess.*We grow and learn during the tough times, not the easy ones.That must explain why I'm so big and smart - just kidding, Lord :)*God has a sense of humor.*Eat lots of fiber every day.*Sometimes eat a little ice cream.*Someone should invent high-fiber ice cream.*Your mother can always tell if you're lying.*Don't lie, ever.*Nothing is permanent except the human spirit, so stop worrying about the stain on the carpet.*Sometimes we do get more than we can handle, but God doesn't give us the bad stuff; God helps us handle the bad stuff we get from "other sources."*The right tool for the right job.*Put Dad's tools back where you got them.*The "Big 'C'" stands for "Big Courage."*Whatever your heart desires, do it now.*Walk every day.*My scars are beautiful; they are the brushstrokes in the masterpiece that is my life.*When in doubt or fear, hit your knees.*I will never look like a supermodel, but I have really beautiful feet.*You must do the thing you think you cannot do, and every time you do, you are stronger and braver than you were before.*Even if I cannot walk, my soul can dance.*There are really only three things I have to do every day: breathe in, breathe out and say "Thank you!"*Be infinitely kind and compassionate because everyone you meet is hurting in some way.*Celebrate the sunrise.*The supper dishes can wait; time with my family won't.*A brave heart is the most powerful weapon in any fight.*Never underestimate the power or the potential of the human spirit.* Statistics cannot predict any single outcome.*Wear sunscreen.*We are here to take care of each other.*Every human being has worth and value, and if I can't see it, then I need to look again through my Father's eyes.*Dream big for there is little power in little plans. *Ride every carousel you see.*

Dear God, thank You SO much for giving me a full scholarship to this cosmic schoolroom called "life" and for being my teacher and ever-present companion as I make my way through the joyful lessons and the awful ones. Sometimes the learning curve is really steep, and I am afraid to even try, but with Your guidance and patience, I am able to move from lesson to lesson. Be with me today, Lord, and every day of my life as I have so very much more to learn.
Amen

Monday, September 08, 2008

Run For the Cure

This post comes after a long time of soul searching. As most people that are reading this know I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 9 months or so ago. I had to have surgery and have more to come later this year but for now I have a clean bill of health. I have spent this year keeping busy, keeping my head buried in the sand thinking that if I don't think about the Cancer I really can pretend it isn't there. And it isn't about not having enough faith in God to keep me safe. There is not a woman out there that doesn't feel that terror in her when she founds a lump and waits for results, or a woman out there that doesn't 100% believe doctors when they say they got it all. After all if that first cell got in their body the first time then it can get in again.

I saw a commercial at the beginning of this year for the Weekend To End Cancer for the Labor Day Weekend but did not want to register for it as we had a grandchild that was due at that time. But the CIBC Run for the Cure is on for October 5th and after spending last couple of weeks thinking about it I realized that I want to do the run. I need to do this run. It would be so easy to continue saying I am fine, I will be fine, I have faith. But I know I need to do MORE, something more.

Anyone that knows my family knows we have been touched by cancer many many times over. The survival rate for cancer isn't the greatest and there is usually a couple of us at any given time dealing with this disease. I have a picture up on my living room wall of my mother, daughter, daughters in law, and 8 granddaughters, plus a now one month old granddaughter who was born after that picture was taken. And I was sitting in the living room just starting at that picture and it became very clear what I needed to do. I needed to raise awareness for this disease. I needed to do something to make my voice heard. I needed to do something to raise money for research. I needed to make sure I did something so the females in this picture would not have to go through this again.

On Friday I watched a show called Stand Up 2 Cancer. The stadium where people were held 60,000 and all seats were taken. The host had everyone stand up, then asked those that either are a survivor of cancer or has someone in their life that is struggling with cancer to sit down. It blew me away. There were few people that were remaining standing. It was celebrities that were doing this show and they pledge a % of their income for the next year to Cancer research. I knew then this had to be done.

I looked at that picture on my wall again and thought of those 13 females that got affected by this disease, that because of me, their chances of inheriting this disease just jumped.It is no longer time to sit with my head in the sand. I will stand up to cancer. I have registered with the CIBC Run for the Cure marathon that will happen October 5th of this year. I have been training for it for the last couple of weeks so that my legs and spine are strengthened.

Please check out this website www.cbcf.org/run/ where you can see where my goal is how I am doing. I am asking for your help if you can. You can either be part of my team and run at the same time in your city (there are cities all over Canada). Pick the one closest to you. If you get registration cost of $40 in by September 19th we can get our team logo on our t-shirts :)

Or you can help by pledging a donation. This you can do by donating in a secure fashion online or I can put it on my pledge sheet. I do guarantee you I will finish this race and I will do it with pride and honour. Please do not feel like you have to donate hundreds of dollars (although I will never refuse that hehehe), anything you can at all will help. Just think if they were just 100 dollars away from finding a cure or a new medication that wasn't chemo or radiation for treatment!! How much better our lives would be without this disease.

I have lost my Father, my only sister, and 4 aunts to cancer. I won't be another one that my family has to watch die. Please visit this site:

www.cbcf.org/en-US/home.aspx

as soon as possible or just email me and let me know you would love to run/walk/ push a baby stroller/join me here in Vancouver or else run with me in the city where you live. When you click on the link it will give you a list of cities that have runs going on at the same time. You can do the 5k or the 1 K run. I would love to have this SMILESONLY team as my team. Together we can make a stand. We CAN stand up to Cancer. You and I. Together.

My Co-workers gave me a necklace when I had my surgery and this is what is engraved on it. I wear this necklace nearly every single day since I received it. It is my mantra and I repeat it every morning when I wake up:

What Cancer Cannot Do:
It cannot....
invade the soul,
suppress memories,
kill friendships,
destroy you,
conquer my spirit,
shatter hope,
cripple love,
corrode Faith,
steal eternal life,
silence courage

And it will not take me away from my family, from my husband, from my 5 sons and my daughter and my daughters in law that I consider as daughters, from my grandchildren, those here now and those yet to come to our family.

This race will be for you. If you at this time of your life can not help out by doing the walk or by monetary donation, I would love to have your prayers and thoughts with us on that day. I have started a journal since I was diagnosed and any emails I have gotten this past year that has words of encouragements in it, I have printed them and put them in my journal. Please know that support is also important to me. Your prayers have gotten me through this past 9 months and continue to get me through this.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Election season

#1. When I become President of the World I am going to abolish election signs plastered all over the boulevards and yards.

#2. When I become President of the World I am going to make it illegal for politicians to bad mouth the other parties.. instead they will have to actually talk about what THEY are going to do not what their opponents are going to do

#3. When I become President of the World I am going make it illegal for offices to call me and ask me who I am going to vote for.. HELLOOO!!! What planet are you from? Do you not realize that here we have SECRET ballots for a reason?? Because I DON'T want to tell you who I am voting for. Especially considering the fact that I don't even know who you are and you want me to tell a complete stranger something very private???

#4. When I become President of the World I am going to set up an electronic buzzer to my phone and if the person calling (see note #3) calls me at dinner time or right in the middle of a really good plot in a show I am watching you will get a buzz that will make you sing!

#5. When I become President of the World I am going to work it out so who I vote for will actually win every time :)

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Rude Rude and then there are Richmond youth

As most of you know I had major surgery in March and every 2 weeks I have had to go to Vancouver to see the surgeon. Most of the times I took the bus then the train then another bus. But at times when my back would be very sore I would take a different bus from Surrey with only 1 transfer but I then go through Richmond. I noticed something the first time I took that 2ND route. Now I take the bus every where I go if it is car far so I am used to the lack of courtesy youth give to adults but nope not on this trip. When it happened every time I took that route I realized it wasn't an isolated incident but in fact the Asian youth that actually have manners.

Let me explain. Anytime the bus would pick up elderly passengers regardless of the sex, Asian youth (male and female alike) would stand up automatically, bow and give up their seats. Any time a female regardless of age or race came on the bus the male youth would automatically give up their seat. Many weeks I took this route and every single time it happened. Without even looking at street signs I knew when we had crossed the boundary into Richmond. Here I thought courtesy amongst youth on the transit system had disappeared.

Now fast forward to this past week...I had been out with my 4 year old just before the weekend and on the way home she had fallen asleep in my arms while we sat on the bus stop. There is no waking this child when she has fallen asleep. So here I was lugging her, my purse and my bags getting on the bus. All the seats were taken and although there were youth sitting in seats that are designated "assistance needed" seats no one got up.

Monday, to help out our daughter who had been really ill on the weekend, Keith and I went and got their kids school supply lists and went to Wall-Mart to get the rest of the supplies they still needed. What a mess!!I went to ask one of the clerks if they had supplies in another area of the store and was told no just by the door.. a cramped very small area that was made worse by 60-70 backpacks all over the floor, an older teen was reaching up on the top shelf to get some duo-tangs and brought the whole box down scattering them all over the floor.. she just picked up the ones she wanted and left the rest. Because I had a cart I couldn't even get around the aisles, I finally left to ask a clerk if they could send someone over to clean the mess as you could not get around. This was what I was told "Well if you didn't wait to do your shopping till the day before school started you wouldn't have this mess and I'm not cleaning it up or sending someone to clean it up we never made the mess". Then the other day, I am out for my walk pushing my granddaughter in her stroller just boogieing along. We stopped at a red light and this young adult comes up to the same stop, looks at us both then looks at me and says "Isn't she a little old to be still in a stroller?" Uhhhhhh aren't you a little young to be wearing your father's pants out in public as they can't possibly be yours they are hanging around your ankles!!! Idiot.

There has been a lot of talk about Asian gangs out here and a lot of shootings, crimes etc involving Asian gangs.. but after watching these Asian youth on the bus system every 2 weeks for 3 months and then watching the youth out here all I can say is.. the Asian transit gangs obviously needs new recruits and more members!