To Vaccinate or Not To Vacciante

After much consideration, listening to both sides, the wonderland household has decided to vaccinate. Now the decision has been made I feel better.

I have talked with friends who went through this months ago in NZ. At least one of them was vaccinated. I cannot confirm if all five were. They did not have side effects and costed rather smoothly through it, but that may have been because one is a bit of an agoraphobe When germs are around

I have read articles and watched and listened to reports. All which are biased either way. I’m not sure it helped. May have just brought my anxiety about it up. But this is what I do know:

1. Yes there is Hg in the vaccine ethyl not methyl (big difference). I would prefer if there wasn’t any, but no Minamata here.

2. That it is a “fairly new” vaccine, but they are using the same methods for previous vaccines that I have had.

3. You cannot get the flu from a dead virus. If you get the flu after getting the shot, you were probably exposed to it days before or with in the two week period before full immunity is reached. In Canada we’re recieving the dead virus.

4. There is adjuvant in the vaccine to boost its efficacy and make it go further so more can get the vaccination if they want too.

5. The risk for my children having a bad side effect from the vaccine are lower than the risk of them getting the flu.

6. We are in the vulnerable group

7. People who are not vaccinated and get the flu and have an “easy” time of it, can pass the flu on to others who cannot be vaccinated. I don’t want that on my conscience.

8. I still believe that washing hands, eating right and exercise are the best way to stay healthy and prevent transmission of disease, but have you seen the nation lately. I will do my best but I cannot trust that others are.

Now I post these reasons just to explain why we are vaccinating and not to change anyones mind. I understand the struggle to decide. We all love our families and wants what is best for them. You do what you gotta do and I will do what I gotta do and hopefully neither of us will suffer.

FOG

Today it is a rainy day and Monday. The cool mist has descended and although there ain’t no snow, I know its coming.

I am contemplating starting a new knitting project, maybe a hat to go with my mile long scarf. Hopefully that won’t take me two years. Thoughts are also turning to my book, hot chocolate and baking. Cinnamon buns are in the oven as we speak type.

My 28 month old won’t go to sleep. Right now I can hear him calling me to get him down from the bunk bed. “Mommy!” “Help!” There isn’t fear in his calls so I’m not worried but I guess I should go and check it out.

Sigh, here I go.

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This just in Sears has called and said that someone will be here tomorrow between 12 and 4 to fix my fridge. I am all astonishment. I haven’t even sent my letter yet. Maybe I shouldn’t get my hopes up. I can’t help but wonder what happened to move their appointment up a week.

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Tweedle 3 is asleep now and I to could use a nap but I have to pick up the boys. I dread waking the little guy. Oh well he joined our life not the other way around. Wow that sounded insensitive.

I think the walk might do me some good. Get the cobwebs out of my head. I sound too much like Eeyore.

The Neighbourhood Writer’s Block.

There is a post here somewhere. I promise. I put it down and now its not where I left it. Things like this always happen to me. Usually its my Keys.

In the mean time, while I declutter, enjoy some pictures.

This was my childhood home until I was six. I don’t remember at what age I move in. This was the home I decided to test my birthday candle night lights that were tied to the wooden bunk bed.

Not a whole lot has changed. The Garage used to be a carport and the driveway was gravel. My parents would be happy to know that the garden plot is still there in the back yard. It looks like the original sheers are still on the window, but I doubt it as they would have to be 30+ years old and should have shredded and died. The colour is still the same. Ahh The memories.

This house, I assume, has changed many hands since Mr. Wonderful’s parents sold it about 3 years ago. The structure and colour remain the same but changes were made to the front door. Originally, at least while Mr. W and I were dating, the house was more blue and had blue doors with a busy white mod pattern. That was changed a bit after we were married. The playhouse is still there in the back and we are greatful that someone has finally moved in. The grass was getting high. It was bothering my husband. He kept saying “Dad would never let it get this high.”

Here is a picture of Mr. Wonderful’s Elementary School. It no longer goes by the same name and has changed since he went there. He still laments the loss of the big orange doors. I don’t think he does well with change.

Navigating The Rating

Back in the day, there were only 4 maybe 5 different kinds of movie ratings. G (general, for everyone), PG (Parental guidance, almost everyone), Mature (you had to be at least 16 or was it 14), R (you had to be 18 and there was usually nudity or extreme violence) at least that is how it went in Canada.

Now it goes something like this.I think they are missing PG-13 or is that American. Also here in Canada some movies that are rated R in the states are rated significantly lower. I guess thats what we get for having a more liberal society. Politics aside its all confusing.

Then you get into the warnings… talk about adding another layer of vagueness. My middle Tweedle went to a birthday party about a week ago and saw the movie Mama Mia. I didn’t think much about it because I hadn’t seen it yet and the score was all ABBA. What is there to worry about? Later that night when my husband and I were at the video store I grabbed the back of the movie and saw PG (Parental Guidance) with nudity and theme warnings. Needless to say I was a little disappointed that he had seen the movie and phoned one of my sisters right away, who I knew had already seen the movie. She assured me that there wasn’t any gratuitous sex scenes, but was alarmed herself that the movie was shown at a 7 year olds birthday party. With themes about marriage, shacking up, homosexuality, and a a daughter trying to find out which of three men her mother had affairs with was her father, she found that highly inappropriate for seven year olds. It doesn’t matter how good the soundtrack is. Heres hoping my little Tweedle’s “ADHD” kicked in and he wasn’t interested.

That night after the kids went to bed Mr. Wonderful and I settled in to watch our own movie. “The Bank Job” rated 14A (kids 14 and older can see) with a warning for violence, language, and sexual content. We thought it would be might ok because at least there wasn’t a warning for nudity. The movie opens right away with the sexual content and doesn’t get any better from there. I attributed that to the English (European) sense of entertainment. I was wrong.

Friday we rented the movie Crossing Over. The movie has been raved about all over the radio. It stars Harrison Ford. I like him so I was looking forward too it. We had to turn it off. This movie was also rated 14A. In the 30-45 min that we saw of it, It had Gangsters, sexual acts, nudity and according to kids in mind we didn’t get to the meat of it. None of this was on the warnings. I was chatting with Mr. Wonderful after, we came to the conclusion that we weren’t the target audience. This movie (except for some heavy immigration themes) was visually targeted for the teenage boy and meant to fill his head full of garbage. Too bad, I would have liked to explore some of those themes.

I’m not out to get these movies I’m just expressing the frustration with the vagueness of the rating system and wondering why these institutions/ organizations think these movies are appropriate for 14 and older. I’m not even old enough to see some of the stuff I saw. I also hate wasting my money.

The Approach

We are entering the last phase of school. The boys have a week left and projects are winding down. Although I would like to take D’s car project and make him do some adjustments, I am leaving it up to him. He needs to learn to do the work without me pushing him, and he needs the grade he deserves, not the one I deserve.
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I am officially into the second half of my thirties. I find I am no closer to some of my goals than I was 10 years ago. Obviously those goals are not much of priority maybe I should look at them again and make revisions. I don’t want to be 40 and have a midlife crisis.
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I am presently training for the Melissa’s half marathon even though I am only registered for the 10. I’m not sure I can be committed to the training schedule so we will see what happens. I’m doing this mostly to lose weight and secondly to prove to myself that I am strong. I have until the end of september. That seems far away but it really isn’t.
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Earth Sandwich

When Tweedle D was the age of Tweedle 3 he was in the hospital for observation. He was there for about 5 days. They wanted to see how he ate, measure his food and run a whole gamut of tests for he was classified as Failure to Thrive or in other words losing weight. I stayed with Tweedle D pretty much the whole time. I slept at the hospital, ate at the hospital, played at the hospital for I had nothing much else to do. Mr. Wonderful would come in the mornings sometimes and after work, bring me some dinner. When he left for the night our little family would have a family prayer and then a group hug. It started out being called “Group Hug”, but then as the days progressed it evolved in to a “Tweedle D sandwich” (parents on the outside, kid in the middle)

When Tweedle E was old enough he got his own sandwich and again with Tweedle 3.

This morning as the boys were getting ready to go, we hugged each other and said “Earth Sandwich.”

Unfortunately, that was all we did today for Earth Day. It snowed and the plans to spend an hour removing garbage got garbaged. Next year I plan to make these, if I can figure out how to make them more globe-like. Just so you don’t think I am lame, that will also be on top of the garbage cleaning.
Have you hugged your Earth today?

“For The Love of Pete.”

I truly believe I came up with that phrase. I remember saying it when I was very young and every one else was saying “For the love of God.” I being young thought that was a swear (as in taking the lords name in vain) and most of me still does.

Now why Pete. Well there is some logic to that. When I was younger there were a lot of St. Peter jokes so I thought some one else that the world thought a little Holy should be substituted so I started saying “For the Love of Pete.”

Unfortunately I never “coined it” and therefore don’t receive any credit or royalties. I would prefer the credit though money would be nice. I’m sure the person who came up with the Childhood poem “Alyson and Wonderful sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…etc.” feels the same way. I would like to know who made that up, just as I am sure there is someone out there who would like to know where the phrase “For the Love of Pete” came from.

This however is not the point of my post. The phrase came out a need to express ones frustration with undesirable situations that befall them in life.

Well friends, I am so there. As some of you know I am a property manager. I look after 8 units. I get a monthly commission and a break on my rent. Part of my job is dealing with people, the other part is books. Lets just say I prefer the books.

I find the older I get the more I don’t want to have to deal with people and their baggage, filth, whatever. Especially people I would not choose to associate with under any other circumstances. Its one thing to choose to be exposed to their junk, its another to be forced to deal with it.

I am already looking forward to the day that I can pack it all in and move away to a far off remote Island where no one will bother me and I don’t have to clean up after anyone, referee their petty fights, or have rotten fruit thrown at my window because I was there bearer of bad news. Wait I’m a mom. I guess that won’t go away entirely.

O how I wish I could say more. Maybe one day I will write a book. “The Moment I Became A Cat woman (A Property Managers Diary).” Get it Cat Woman, an old lady alone with cats. I think the play on words would be enough to sell millions. If the phrase “Cat Woman” catches on for Hermitish old women surrounded by cats, then you know where you heard it first and give me the credit I deserve.

Parting Is such Sweet Sorrow (an Obituary of sorts)

It is with much sadness that we report the passing of our 1999 Dodge Caravan. After suffering at least a year with electrical cancer our much loved van was taken off insurance yesterday and donated to the Kidney car foundation.

The van is survived by Alyson, Mr. Wonderful, the Tweedles 3, and a Black Eagle Vision Sedan. Van came into our life a few years ago and we don’t know much of its past. But it has been our constant companion, carrying us to new places for the past few years. With fondness we will always remember our trips to Waterton, Edmonton, Cardston, Raymond, and East End Saskatchewan. Those trips were made brighter and easier for the van having been there.

Dear Van,

Know that we enjoyed our trips. We enjoyed the comfort you supplied, the ease of separation of children, and the praticality for shopping. You will be missed and not easily replaced

The Wonderland Family.

Le Sigh

Well I haven’t quite decided what to do with my hair just yet and there seems to be a consensus on the bronzer and like. So stayed tuned as to my “new “spring look. In the mean time if you haven’t had a chance to give your two cents, feel free to do so now. The people want to know. Actually I want to know.

I think I’m becoming a narcissist.

Anyway… Spring Break is over. The kids are going back to school tomorrow and I am sad. They seem to have had the crappiest spring break ever. 2 Snow storms. It seems winter isn’t going down without a fight. Text to Mother nature: btw sprng is hr.

Oh yes we did stuff. We went swimming. We had two play-dates with a cousin. We had a Harry Potter marathon (spread over 5 days). We even went to an old-timers hockey game. I really would have like to do something outside though. Something other than shoveling snow. But now it is over and we are back to our regularly scheduled program. *sigh*

It is also the end of the month and I have two move outs to do and one move in. And I think one is going to be a nightmare as I don’t think they have found a place to live. I wish I could discuss this more but I can’t at least not right now. *sigh*

On a good note I finally got my seeds and I will be planting (starting) them tomorrow. Things will look up. They have too.

Dear Dollar Giant Employee,

I understand that your concern for shortage isn’t high on the priority list. You are just a body so the store can be open from 6-9. The fact that it took me more than 5 min to find you tells me this. And where did I find you… squatting on the floor playing with sunglasses. I know you would rather be somewhere else. I get it. I’ve been there. Its a pay check. My complaint however is not really about your lack of service.

When a parent takes the trouble to come down to the store to make their little one apologize for stealing, the reaction they are looking for isn’t one of laughter with a side of “thats so cute.” At least you could have feigned disappointment.

We are trying to teach our son that stealing is a big deal. When you tell him he is cute (a comment he has heard far too often in his life from retail people) it undermines us. Then we have to be harder on the child than we were in the first place. This is a less affective method as we look like crazy old people who don’t know what we are talking about because really, what is the big deal, they weren’t mad and stealing doesn’t hurt anyone. Besides I’m cute I can get away with it.

So next time when you see a parent pleading with their eyes for you to say something that will emphasize the seriousness of the situation say something like the following:

“Oh man.” and make a serious face rubbing chin might be good. “This is very serious. I can’t have people who steal coming in my store.” Fold your arms a get at eye level with them too. “Stealing is wrong, it is against the law. People go to jail when they steal. Is that what you want to happen? Do you want to be taken away from you mummy and you daddy and go to jail.” Then stand up and appear as if you are thinking. “I could call the police, but you did come back so I think I will just ban you from the store. You cannot shop here for at least a month.” Use your discretion I would have been fine for a whole year. “And when you come back, if you do steal again I will phone the police.” Then it might even be good to say “I’m also going to tell my other shop owner friends about you and if they see you stealing they will call the police too.”

You don’t have to follow this word for word, but at least do something other than laugh.

Tomorrow I will be coming down again and hopefully your manager will do something more. I don’t want to have to send him a letter too.

Sincerely,

A Parent Who Is Really Trying