Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Twas The Month Before Christmas...


Twas the month before Christmas, when all through the house
Decorations were stirring, and playing was Strauss;
The stockings have yet to be hung by the chimney with care,
As we stopped before even getting there;



The 3 of us were nestled in boxes galore,
While I was in the kitchen cooking once more;
And Geordie in his mischief, and Callum in his zone,
Were about to butt heads right to the bone!
When out in the dining room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the kitchen to see what was the matter.
To the room, I flew, like a flash,
Frightened that someone was about to be mash!
The lights were not working and Callum was mad,
Geordie was off somewhere, probably being bad;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature man who was trying to drink beer,




With a swig of that, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he was going to be sick!




More rapid than ever the tree tried to be tame,
Callum whistled, and shouted and called it a name;
"Now, %$*#$& now, #$%^# now, $%*$#@# now, $%&#*!!
On ~@#$^% on $#@%$# on @#$%& and %&^#*%$!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
I am ready to throw you, just like a ball!"



As Geordie did the decorations like the wild hurricane fly,



When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;




So up the stairs more boxes flew,
With ornaments, more lights and Frosty too!
And then, in a twinkling I heard the commotion,
The Geordie had found a new way of devotion!
As I drew in my hand, and was chewing my gun,
He had the Frosty singing and hitting his bum!




He was dancing and prancing, from his head to his foot,
And his voice was crying a great big "WOOT"
A bundle of ornaments he had found on the floor,
And he looked like a peddler just opening the door;




His eyes - how they twinkled! His smile, how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
While Callum was ready to throw him in the snow!




He had a sweet face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.




He was jumping and bouncing like a jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A twitch of Callum's eye and a twist of his head,
Soon let me know I had something to dread;
The tree was finished with a lot of hard work,
And Callum was just about to go berserk!



But Geordie was happy,
And the music was snappy;




So Callum jumped up and gave a whistle,
And away we all flew like the down of a thistle;
Our family was crazy, and oh what a sight,



Happy
Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!






-hemw



















Sunday, December 7, 2008

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sunday Song #13

What I would have given for Susannah Hoffs hair!!!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Back and With Pictures!

So, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Have been out of it for about a month. First with everything happening and just not feeling like writing, Lynn being here and then due to a few craft fairs that I had to get ready for.

Meanwhile, Geordie had his Thanksgiving recital;

Matthew Geordie & Carson


Look at the posture, the attention to the director...I'm so proud!


Matthew, Carson & Geordie
Team Awesome
as Callum calls them, others might say Team Trouble!

Geordie has also started to read and can add and subtract... although he has no idea that he is doing it!

Recently Geordie had not really been himself. He was over tired, whiny, and seemed to not want to do anything. We put it up to not getting enough sleep AS WELL as not getting enough positive attention!

We had been so busy with ourselves and our problems that Geordie just kind of got pushed aside. So, quickly we changed things. Within 2 days he was totally back to himself...and he's been fantastic ever since!

One thing we decided on was taking him out of the lunch program two days a week. Normally Geordie goes to 'school' from 8:30 - 3:00. By the time we get home he does not want to do anything. So, on Tuesday and Thursday I pick him up at noon and we spend the afternoon together. Some days it just might be coming home and working together other days we go to the coffee shop and play games. He loves Domino's and Snakes and Ladders.

Of course a visit to the skate park is always an option!
He can now on his skateboard skate the length of the park. He is also practicing the halfpipe with the board.

Meanwhile we are all doing our countdowns... one more sleep until we go to Grannie and Grandpa's and twenty-five till we are home for Christmas!

Are you counting down to anything?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Monday, November 17, 2008

I'll Be Loving You...Forever!!

So, a couple weeks back my BFF from back home came down for a visit.

This wasn't just any visit...

We were going to THE concert!

The one that we had waited 20 years to see.

You see, it all started back in 1988 when 'Sam's Pick of the Week' on Video Hits was this;



Lynn and I didn't even know each other. She had yet to be cool and come to my school!

But, we both saw this and it was love at first sight! A year later, we met!

Back at that time, nobody ever came to Halifax so there was no way we were ever going to see them in concert.

We enjoyed the albums, Hangin' Tough; Merry, Merry Christmas (holy Aria's basement); and Step By Step. After playing Step By Step in the school band our love fizzled a little for them.

Then came the day 5 years a go when I was watching MuchMusic and Joe McIntyre was to be on... I went and met him!

Move forward to Spring 2008.

The Reunion Tour! AND they're coming to Atlanta! The end result;


We had a blast!!!

Best concert I've ever been too!!

...and I've seen Paul McCartney!

Really, we were both expecting to be entertained but we weren't really expecting them to be, well, good.

They were!

Seriously!

Okay, there were a few not so good sounding moments.
But look at them!!!



As for the audience... average age had to have been 32! Lynn counted 17 guys between our time in the arena and walking to the car and the place was sold out!! Many of the ladies sitting around us had to have been into their forties!

How did we react?

Well, for the first hour we both stood there with huge smiles on our faces! When they were just about to come out and old pictures of them were being shown on the screen Lynn placed her hand on my shoulder. Now, for those of you who know Lynnie you know that #1 the girl does not do any kind of touching and #2 it takes a hell of a lot to get a reaction from her.

As for me! I'll admit it!! I did a little screaming. But just a little!

We both did a lot of singing... if you listen closely you can hear;


I guess you can say we came full circle... please keep in mind that Joe is singing to me here!



Seriously!
He remembered me from when we met at MuchMusic five years a go and he hugged me!






Wednesday, November 12, 2008

32 Candles - complete with underpants fiasco!


Today I am living Sixteen Candles + sixteen

Like Sam I have yet to receive a birthday wish!

Unlike Sam;

-who slept on the sofa so that her grandparents could have her bed.
I moved to the sofa in the middle of the night because a 4 year old was in ours!

- who gave her underpants to a 15 year old (who then made people pay a dollar to see them in the boys washroom).
I was rudely awaken by someone going on about not having any clean ones (my fault; but still...) and believe me...it went on, and on, and on! It's possibly still going on in his head!

The extra sixteen years made a little bit of a difference.

I thought I was about to get a 'Happy Birthday' when Callum came back upstairs. I was smile ready and this is what I got, "where's my lunch?!" (please use gruff, annoyed voice).

So! Seriously! Who wants to pay a dollar to see Callum's underpants?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

November 11th


In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row
,
That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below
.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lt.-Col. John McCrae






Sunday, November 9, 2008

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Please don't hate me because of my socialist ways...

Been here for 5 years!

All under the Bush administration.

The first year, I'll forgive you for!

The last four...not so much.

As most of you know, this place is not exactly the best fit for us. Before moving here, we realized it was 'the belt' and that culturally we are very different but we didn't think that it would matter that much!

It does.


People thought I would move to the right in my beliefs living here.

I didn't, I moved more to the left!

Politically and religiously we are worlds apart from most of the people who surround us.
The democrats are too right for us!

Luckily we have made some great friends.

Not all Americans are loud and obnoxious... nor are all closed minded and ignorant.

We have tried to surround ourselves with these people. Kept the others out!

We have had people on many occasions say in our presence, "they're not Christian so they don't have good morals" -that's word for word

Callum met someone once and the first thing they said to him was, "if it wasn't for us you would be speaking German!".

I have had an educated woman ask me, "well, if you have gun laws in Canada how do you protect yourself if your government turns against you?"

Then there are the people who have argued with me about universal healthcare and what it's "really" like and how bad taxes are. Even though they have never lived outside their county or visited outside their country!

My son is American. He is also Canadian and Scottish!
I think of him as Canadian first. It wasn't his fault he was born here. ;)

Last night was great and I'm glad that we are here to be a part of it.

Last night I was proud of you, my son's country.

You're taking the steps to becoming more like Canada!! ;)


-------

Monday, November 3, 2008

Nothing exciting, just trying to get back on track!

Well, it's been a very eventful couple of weeks.

Kind of...

On the 24th we 'celebrated' our five year anniversary of arriving here.

The weekend of the 25/26 I had a craft fair in Atlanta. It went well. Especially considering that people are watching their pennies...big time!

My friend Lynn also arrived on the 25th, she just left on the 1st. It was her second time here. It was great to have her here. I was in need of something comfortable.

While she was here, we went to the New Kids concert. That is all I'm saying about it for now. It, in itself needs it's own post and I have to get the pictures/videos downloaded!

Then of course there was Halloween! Geordie had been set on being a cowboy for the last month. As he talked about it little by little we realized that really he wanted to be Woody.


So, costume consisted of...jeans (his), boots (one of Callum's co-workers son's), plaid shirt (his), vest (I quickly made on Thursday morning), sheriff badge and belt buckle (both found at hobby lobby and then badge glued to a pin and 'belt buckle' glued to ribbon), toy gun (yes, I folded and got him a toy gun...it is now gone!), and then the hat and bandanna.

He loved it!

So, on Thursday evening we went to the Halloween party in the square with some friends;
please note that Geordie is posing for this picture...


...and they tricked and treated around the different businesses.

Friday morning was trick or treating with his school and then the regular one on Friday night. By that time we had way too much candy and since I'm on a whole reduce, reuse, recycle;

I reduced the amount of candy by reusing it to give out, therefore recycling it!

I'm not sure how Halloween is back home any more but here we find some of the 'customs' quite, well, weird!

For example, a lot of people drive. They either sit in their car and watch their children go door to door or drive their children from door to door. I'll remind you all here that we are in a sub-division. It's crazy...it's not like it's cold!!!

Then there is the house that had huge treat bags for the children, coffee for the adults and pamphlets on their church!

Geordie did figure out how to get more candy out of people. When treating he would get the candy, say thank you and then stand there. People would laugh and put more candy in. He had it down to a science.

As for everything else. Thanks for all the great comments! We're doing fine!

Meanwhile...anyone want to buy a house?!?




Monday, October 20, 2008

It's my body and I'll cry if I want too!

Haven't felt much like writing anything recently.

Haven't been around much either.

The other day I read someone's blog and it mentioned some bad news. As she wrote, "if one wishes to share the ups in one's life, then one must also share the downs".

I have told of some things. Such as the house situation, my southern BFF moving away, being in 'lockdown', to name a few.

But this time, it's a little more personal.

...and for some it might be Too Much Information!!

So, here goes...

I'm not ovulating.

Due to all the stress that happened with the house last year, I stopped ovulating.

We found this out back in March. We had been 'trying' since November.

You see, Geordie was a 'first try'. Our second pregnancy was also a 'first try' but we miscarried (Nov/06) at what we thought was 8 weeks but it was actually 6. By the time we could try again we had decided to put it 'on hold' and move back to Canada.

Then everything with the house happened.

Once we figured out that we would be stuck here for a bit we decided to start trying again.

No go.

Went to the doctor and found that I was not ovulating.

I just finished up five cycles of clomid (2 to figure out the dose and then 3 with the 'correct' dose), where the medication only worked once. We found out on Thursday that my last cycle of it did not work. The office quickly put us in for an appointment Friday morning.

So now I'm on other medication AND another 3 cycles of clomid. If this does not work the next step is a fertility specialist. Which really, right now is NOT an option.

I was all for three years between my children, we are now working on five... or more!

I also wanted to be finished by 30! I'm turning 32 next month!

Geordie can not be an only child!! His personality is so in need of a sibling!!

In my bubble...none of this would have happened!!


-----

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Sunday Song #10

I am not a big country fan...at all!! But I used to love this song when I was a child...



Thursday, October 16, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #11

Here are 13 things that have kept me away from this thing in the past week...


1) Getting the house ready. Still some painting to do.

2) Putting the house up...yes, house is now truly for sale... but does that really mean anything in this economy?!?

3) Getting ready for Autumnfest, which is next weekend.

4) Catching up on Weeds and Tudors.

5) Thinking...no comments! and trying to make decisions!

6) Looking for jobs.

7) Addicted to MLS - even more than normal!

8) Olympics.

9) Trying to get our grocery bill down.

10) Knitting...I have so many projects that I've been putting off. Mainly because it's too hot in the summer to knit here and with the cooler temperatures (finally) I'm able too!

11) Trying not to be bitter and mean.

12) Nagging Callum

13) Trying to ignore the gunshots and the damn election...that is still going on!!

So, not really all that exciting! Here's hoping after this weekend all will be in place...and after Tuesday when the cleaning lady comes the house will be super amounts of presentable!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #10

Here are 13 confessions...

1) I am a SAHM with a cleaning lady.
- she comes every 2 weeks, does bathrooms, the floors and dusting. We pay for this by not eating out. I prefer to cook over clean, so our one night a week of pizza is gone; instead, I never touch a vacuum!

2) I still love Joey McIntyre - when we lived in Toronto, I was studying for an exam, it was 3:00, exam was at 6:00. I found out Joey was to be on MuchMusic, that day! I was going!! Called a friend to join me, no go! (I know that Roberta is still regretting that one!). Went down by myself for the 5:00 show and met him. He's even better looking in person. Got to the exam just after 6:00 and I passed it!

HE HUGGED ME!!!!
I'm 20 sleeps away from the concert! EEEEEEEE!!!!



3) I enjoy annoying people.
- I can bug Callum until he's blue in the face. It is so much fun to me! I do it to others as well. That's when you know you're a friend...when I bug the living tar out of you! ;)

4) People falling is the funniest thing to me.
- this is a genetic thing. My mother also finds this funny and we have found that Geordie does as well. Last Christmas when we were home, Callum and Geordie were waiting at a stop light, a guy walking on the sidewalk slipped on some ice...Geordie laughed his head off. He was 3!

5) I can't wait to see HSM3.
- I have watched the others too many times. Go Zach!!

6) After washing my hands I always dry them on my husbands bath towel.

7) I put vinegar on BBQ chips.
-I know! Weird! It makes them soggie but if you put just the right amount you can still eat them with your fingers. If you use too much, you need to use a fork. Don't knock it till you try it! It brings out the taste of the BBQ!

8) I do this when I have a bad cold. It works!







9) I eat pizza with a fork and knife.
- even back in 'the day' when we would be at pizza corner after a night downtown.

10) I had a pass to The Palace during University...and I used it! Back then it was just the 'ol Palace

11) I ALWAYS lift my feet when going over train tracks. It's good luck...Nan says so!

12) 10 years a go during my first undergrad degree I passed a class and I don't know how!
-The grades were 50% term paper, 30% written exam, and 20% take home exam. Everything was due on exam day. The night before I started studying and writing the papers. I did not get very far. The next day when I went into the exam the Prof asked me where my papers were. I told him that I put the term paper under the door of his 'other' office (he had 2) and that I will pass in the take home portion of the exam by the end of the night (he was one of those by midnight types).
When I finished the exam, I walked out of the room and didn't care! It was my last exam of the year and I really didn't want to have to go and write those things. So, I didn't!
Marks came back...lets do the math, the most I would have received would have been 30%
IF I had done well on the written exam.
I get my mark... B+


13) See this pot...

It has chili in it.

I took this picture this morning.

The chili was made back in May, possibly April.

I'm afraid to open it!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

I used to have a life...seriously!

A couple of years a go Geordie and I had an 8 hour layover in Toronto when we were going home for Christmas. He would have been 2 months shy of 3 years.

So, I rented a car and we checked out the city. I showed Geordie where we used to live, pre-Geordie and where I used to work.

When showing where we lived...

Geordie: "You live here?"
Me: "Yes, Daddy and I used to live here."
Geordie: "...but what about me?"
Me: "you were not born yet, it was just Mummy and Daddy"
Geordie: "huh?!?"

When showing where I used to work...

Geordie: "You?!? Work?!?! But what about me? What do I do? I know, I'll stay with Grandad. We play together"
Me: "No Geordie, I used to work there when it was just me and Daddy"
Geordie: "huh?!? Where was I?"
Me: "You were not born yet."
Geordie: "You and Daddy without me?!?!"

Yes...can you believe it?!?! Well, the other day I found that the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree!

Callum: "I checked out your Thursday Thirteen today. I thought it was a little weird."
Me: "How's that?"
Callum: "I've never even heard of some of those movies! Howard the Duck?!?"
Me: "The boys and I killed that movie when we were young!"
Callum: "Well, I've never seen it with you!"
Me: "You do realize I had a life before you, right?!?!"
Callum: "huh?!?!"

*Please ignore fashion in both pictures.
They are old pictures. Both before everyone had a digital! Although, I think my brothers still secretly put on pajamas with feet when they are alone! ;)

------

Monday, October 6, 2008

I ditched my husband and son for roller coasters!

Yesterday I spent 10 hours away from my house with 5 other ladies...

and we went to SIX FLAGS!

We all had a ball!!!

It was so much fun, and so tiring, and so nauseating...

but it was GREAT!

We went on every single roller coaster...I think!

Some more than once!

There were times that I thought I would die!

There were times when I lead everyone in prayer!
YES!! ME!!


But we survived it all, giggling and screaming the whole way!

Would you believe that not one picture was taken?!?!

So, here are some pictures of what I came home too...


Here's a closer look...

Usually the only thing(s) on my counter is the knife block and the paper towels.

Do you think that this is the equivalent to your dog peeing in the corner or eating your slipper when you leave them?

Well, off to clean the kitchen!

When I can finally get up. Am I ever sore!!

How was your weekend?

-----

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Sunday Song #8

I love these Sunday Songs.
As I said before I can spend hours on youtube watching/listening to videos.
I'm starting to find it hard to pick just one song!

This week I've been listening to the new Oasis album. Verdicts still out. It always takes me a little bit to warm up to something. Sloan's Between the Bridges pretty much the only exception!

So, here is my all time favourite Oasis song! I love it! Unfortunately it's not the best recording. Usually Liam sings it. Callum introduced me to this song when we were going out as a couple of the lyrics reminded him of me!

Specifically, "she's in a family full of eccentrics. she does things I never expected..."


Friday, October 3, 2008

Yes, my child eats salad!!

Remember the Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee incident?!?

Or better yet, the lunchables incident?!?

Those aren't the only ones!!

Geordie has now refused those packaged cheese & crackers and frozen pizza pocket type thingies.



-this is the lunchable that Geordie will eat!
Once in awhile he will ask for the pre-packaged one that 'all the dudes at school have' but once we remind him that he thought it was yucky he says, "oh yeah, I just forgot. I like Mummy's lunchables".







Would you believe that he also asks for salad?!?

Seriously! Loves it!

The other day he asked for me to make it for his school lunch.

Seriously!!


Here is what was in today's lunch!

Sorry about the photo, Geordie took it and it was my only one!


Geordie calls them 'my pizza pockets'.

...this was before they go in the toaster oven. I heat them up, making the cheese melt the night before and he eats them cold the next day.






------
The other day, Geordie was doing the 'this little piggy' rhyme.

Now, we are unsure if he is just making it 'his own' or if this is possibly what they say at his nursery school...

"This little piggy went to Walmart
This little piggy stayed home..."

Sometimes Geordie comes home saying different 'things' and we try and pretend that it didn't really happen.

Our motto is, 'anything that they do to him at this age we can reverse!'

------

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #9

Movies I have seen more times than I care to count...not including animation!

Grease



The Goonies



Spaceballs



Can't Buy Me Love



Howard the Duck



The Sound of Music



Wizard of Oz



That Thing You Do!



Dirty Dancing



Porky's
We used to sneak this one from my friend Leslie's parents stash whenever we slept over. We had parts memorized!



Sixteen Candles



Footloose




A Hard Day's Night




I can't believe I had to stop at 13! There are still so many more!



Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I love racing, I love racing...maybe if I say it enough it will take! ;)

Did you know that we're having a little bit of a gas shortage in the south/east?!?

Last Monday when trying to get gas I had to go to 3 stations. Then on Thursday when we were driving to VIRginia we stopped in Concord, N.C. for supper as well as gas. Got the supper, couldn't find the gas! All the gas stations were out.

As it is Concord...home of Lowe's Motor Speedway one gas station had racing fuel. So, that's what we got at $2.00 more a gallon (putting it around the same price as they pay in Canada for regular gas!).

As we were driving along we noticed that those gas stations with gas had line ups that went out to the exits. The rest of the gas stations had bags over their handles.

Yesterday, Callum had to go to 5 different stations to get gas. They say that this is going to be going on until the holiday in a couple of weeks.

-------
It was a great weekend for Callum and Geordie. They really enjoyed themselves at the racetrack. It had been six months since Geordie had been to a track, that's the longest he has ever gone! Really, it's 1/9 of his life!



Yes, those are Geordie's own pair of mechanic gloves!

We could not get over the change in him. All he wanted to do was watch the races. It was quite funny, and possibly a little tiresome for Grannie. Luckily we stayed at the track and in the morning he could just sit outside our room and watch the races...as they start at 8 AM!!!

Guess, who does not enjoy that bit!??!




The Wright Team!



Callum and Geordie driving off into the sunset...well to the garage!!
------

As you may guess, racing isn't exactly my 'bag'...but it is my husbands! Not just his but his whole family. Callum was to his first race when he was 6 weeks old...so was Geordie. So, while we've been living down here every couple of months we will be found at a racetrack for the weekend, sometimes monthly!

What do I do? Well, this weekend I read and did about 50 Sudoku puzzles! I will get food once in awhile and I stay with Geordie while everyone else is on the track but that's about it.

Do I feel guilty for doing nothing?!? At first...YES! but not so much anymore. There really isn't anything for me to do. Everyone has their set jobs now...including Geordie.

So, I just make sure that I have a good book and possibly some other things to entertain me. Geordie has learned 'track etiquette' and is quite easy to manage, pretty much all day long now! Yup, from 8 or 9 in the morning until the 7 o'clock dinner in the evening...we're there! For 3 days in a row!

So, that's my 'give'...the racetrack! Years a go when I was playing Callum had to go to all of my games/concerts/practices. That was my 'take'. Years to come will probably see both 'hobbies' happening at the same time. There will be a hell of a lot of 'give and take' there!

For now, I'm more than willing to deal with long weekends with my in-laws and loud cars! ;)


What do you 'give' for your spouse?
Better yet, what do you 'take'?

------

Monday, September 29, 2008

Sunday Song #7

I know, I know, it's Monday but I was unable to get to a computer this weekend!

During the weekend I came across one of 'the greats'!

Yes, my friends,
The Goonies!


Little useless tip of info...The actor who played Lawrence 'Chunk' Cohen is now an entertainment lawyer.

Love that movie! Love this song too...




I don't care what anyone says, Josh Brolin in sweats with short-shorts on top is perfectly A-O-K in my books!

Here's the question; do you think it's a cult or a classic?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #8


My first degree is in music and I have an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Music Education (first of all my M.I.L. makes me say the whole thing! AND early childhood in Canada is from birth, not age 5 like it is down here!). I had also started my MMusEd. at UofT but felt that it wasn't for me.

There have been over 30 bands, orchestras, groups that I have had my name on the roster (in other words, played more that once). Many others where I just stepped in for a bit.

A friend from University recently wrote about this topic, and I thought I would today...

The Prime Minister of Canada has really put his foot in his mouth lately concerning the arts, where he wants to make cuts;

"I think when ordinary, working people come home, turn on the TV and see … a bunch of people at a rich gala all subsidized by the taxpayers, claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know the subsidies have actually gone up, I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people."

So...today I will list 13 things that ordinary people do daily that have to do with the Arts!

1) Watch a television program

2) Listen to the radio

3) read a book, the paper

4) hum

5) whistle

6) tap your foot

7) doodle

8) use furniture

9) go to a website

10) take a picture

11) go to a movie

12) clothes

13) the design of the house you live, the building you work in, the car you drive

All these things have to do with THE ARTS! Do they not?!?

So, really, how is it that 'ordinary people' do not have a connection to the arts?


- goodness, I didn't mean to be 'ranty' this week.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Can you righfully criticize another countries health care system?

I can!

Why?

Because I have lived in two countries that have two totally different health care systems!

Which one do I prefer?

USA
Where we have now lived for 4 years, 11 months and 1 day

-or-

Canada
Our home and native land, where we were born and raised


We work for a Canadian company and we have one of the best health care programs in the US. Well, that's what we are told!

When we arrived we were a little over five months pregnant. Let me tell you...a little stressful changing doctors as well as systems!

We would pay out so much money each paycheck (on top of the insurance payments) to go towards the hospital bills; a lot like a layaway plan or one might say, just like TAXES!

Anyway, what was great was that I went to the doctors office, I had three doctors looking after me. It was for sure that I would have one of MY doctors, that I had been seeing, delivering my baby.

What was also great was everything was done in that one office. Blood tests, in one room, ultrasound in another. I remember, a week before Geordie was born asking the doctor if he was in the right position. She looked at me and said, "let's go check!". To the ultrasound room we went (ten steps away...tops!).

Since then for the most part things have been okay. We were having some problems with bills being paid from the provider but that was due to Callum's HR department not knowing how to do their job.

Then, back in the spring, this happened?!?


Do you know how much this cost us?!?!

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS

yes, $500.00


In Canada, we would have left the hospital and never had to deal with it again! Here, we have to come up with $400 (we had already paid the $100 co-pay) right now to pay it!
As we're trying to get the hell out of dodge (ie. sell the house, leave this country owing nothing as well as money to leave it with)...$400 is quite a sum! Well, really, it's quite a bit at any time!

Here's the thing...the whole ER experience was just as long as it would have been in Canada, possibly a bit longer because we had to deal with the whole money thing.

That blows that whole 'you wait forever with universal health care'!

When going to the doctor, you also wait just as long here in the States as you do in Canada.

Yes, there are waiting lists in Canada for various tests and operations but there are also openings left for emergency cases.

Here, in the US, money is taken out of our paycheck by Callum's employer and goes to the insurance company. The insurance company then only pays for a percentage of the bills, we have to pay the rest. I'm not even going to go into the fine print of things...I have heard people in the medical field have problems understanding the system. Now, the 'rest' that we pay, only is so much per year. It's something like after $2000 the insurance company steps in and takes over 100% of the bill.

In Canada, taxes are taken from your paycheck. You do not have to 'top off' any medical bills after that.

What I think people do not understand is that in this country you are paying out, just as much (sometimes I think more) as what Canadians do with Universal Health Care. Difference being... everyone has health care in Canada! AND you don't have surprise bills popping up!

So, I do believe in Universal Health Care?!? Yes, maybe for the most part because that's what I grew up with but it's also because I think it makes sense!

With that being said, I do think that there are some things that Canada can do to make it better. I'm all for a two tier system (basic health care for all, and a private sector for those who want to pay more). I also like the idea of the co-pay. Paying $5 dollars when you go to the doctor is not much to ask. Maybe $25 when you go to the ER. Might make people think about if they really have to go!

Sorry, I am going to get a little hypocritical here as I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state! But one thing that I really do not understand, specifically down here in south (a.k.a. The Bible Belt) where they are all wild about WWJD and they seem to be the most against Universal Health Care!

Seriously...What Would Jesus Do?!?

I think that Jesus would be all for Universal Health Care...don't you?

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