My Grandmother

I guess it will be a matter of time...I mean...she is about 89 yrs. old. She had lived through so much in her life. Right now she is staying with one of her daughter's family as her health was slowly declining purely due to age.
Today I received news that my grandmother had fallen and broken her pelvis. Though not only does she have to deal with that but druing a routine x-ray to her torso, they found a mass in her lung about 5.5 cm. in diameter. A ct scan confirmed it. She has lung cancer. I guess it seemed to bother me more than I thought. After I heard the news I was in a foul mood. Angry and snapping at people till I finally broke own. I didn't cry long...only a few minutes or so before it passed. I just hope she doesn't suffer too much. All I can do is offer up my prayers for her and wait till I hear the news that she has passed on.
Despite the fact I was never fond of her as a child who didn't seem to care or treat me very well, she is the only grandparent I have left.

Earth Day

Yesterday was Earth Day. Created in 1970, it is a global day of observance of the need to protect the earth. Now...it's not just for this day to do our part to help the earth but every day. This day reminds us to do our part throughout the year to make the earth a better place to live in. Once people realize how simple it is to conserve at home and on the go it can quickly become a way of life.
Here are some things you can do...tips to help you.
First...smart shopping. Buy what you need and not what you want. Borrow or rent things not normally used that much. For instance, when I had a garden in my back yard, I borrowed neighbours tools/machines to till the soil. I didn't have to spend hundreds/thousand dollars just to buy something I would use twice a year. Also buy used items from garage/yard sales and thrift/second-hand stores.
Second...simple savers. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Use aerators on faucets and shower heads and weatherstrip windows and doors. I know one person who put a brick in their toilet tank so it would use up less water!
Third...transportation alternatives. Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation to get where you need to go. When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure.
Fourth...food choices. Choose local and organic foods that are in season and support local food producers. Some even choose to eat less meat.
Fifth...washing and drying. Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry. I found cold water works just as well as warm or hot water. If you don't have a clothes line outside or its winter, set one up in your basement or an area of your home that isn't used much. (like a spare room)
Sixth...heating and cooling. In the summer, set your thermostat to 23°C or 24°C and In the winter, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C. Also install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats.
Seventh...close to home. Vacation, travel and work as close to home as possible.
Eigth...bathroom basics. Take short showers instead of baths and close water taps while brushing your teeth.
Ninth...careful cleaning. Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products and make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water. You can find these recipes on the web.
Tenth...don't discard. Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash. Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers.

So there you have it. Some ideas you can bring into your own household. Just like how important to keep your own home tidy and clean...it's just as important to keep the earth tidy and clean as best as possible.

Please...that sun is too bright!

Yes folks...with spring finally here we are finding that the days are getting longer and in the mornings the sun comes up earlier and earlier. Now...I don't know about anyone else but I am a light sleeper. I can't have it noisy nor can I have light. I refuse to have those eyecovers because I don't want to have to keep lifting it up to peek at the time. My dh sleeps on the couch mostly because he snores and I can't get a wink of sleep because he is so loud. So not only did I need something for the bedroom but for the windows in the living/dining room.
So...first thing is first. I need to find something for the living/dining room. The local fabric store had a going out of business sale. I found lovely crushed velvet curtains in a burgandy colour. Regular price for one panel was $75.00 but was on sale for only $25.00. I couldn't pass it up. So I took them all. (there was 5 panels left) Now four of them were the same colour. One wasn't. It was more of a purple colour so I though that it would be long enough that I could cut it in two and after some hemming I'd have curtains for my own room.
They work great for keeping the light out and look great. Though because the one in my bedroom was cut short, I don't think it looks as good as I had hoped. So for now...I will keep them because they keep the drafts and the light out well. Perhaps one day I can find a good deal like that again but this time I'll keep them long.

What is Goth?

This is a funny question...why? Because of what I have found out there pertaining to this. Some out there will argue it's just the music...some will argue its how one dresses and others it's a state of mind. There are even different themes out there I have found...Victorian, Punk, Emo, Egyptian, Cyber, Christian, Vamps, Fairy...the list goes on and on. And there are actually people who fight and argue over this. I'm happy to have it all under one big umbrella of "Goth". Makes things quite simple for me. LOL!
What had drawn me to goth? Probably it first started with my love for Halloween. Then when I hit the teens...like many out there...started wearing black an so on though I didn't dress too much like a goth, I liked some of the music and alot of other things that goths liked. As I got older I wasn't into the goth scene as much till the goth in me was almost non-existent. The last 5 years I slowly started back...getting more black clothes, etc. I used to dye my hair but I had started getting gray hair sooner than most and it was frustrating having to colour often and doing root touch ups. But at times I take the plunge and dye it again. (Will do it again soon). Now remember...just because people dress all in black doesn't mean you call them goth. ;)
Some people don't care for labels...it doesn't matter to me. Some say I am goth, others don't. I don't wear black every day but I do love the colour. I don't listen to all the music some say a goth should listen to...I love all kinds but that is because I'm such a music lover. ;) (Not saying those who don't listen to all kinds are not a music lover) Some goths like the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, John Keats, Lord Byron, and others who lamented the pains of lost love and the inner wounds inflicted by a cruel society.
I've actually found on the net someone posted a list of 175 types of goth! LOL! I know it's hard to categorize everyone into one category but for me it's just easier to put them under the category "Goth". You will always have people with their opinion of what is or isn't goth. Some say you are happy or you don't wear black all the time or don't wear black nail polish so you are not goth and other crazy things like that. LOL! Personally...I'm just myself and if they call me goth then fine. I don't really care.
When people see those who look goth are actually afraid of us when they don't need to be. People like that need to put aside the stereotypes and not be unsettled by how we appear. As the saying goes...you can't judge a book by its cover. Like anyone else...we want to be treated respectfully. Goths are usually very interesting to talk to, and I think hearing our perspectives on society and life can be both challenging and stimulating.