12 Million Bees

Truck hauling 12 million bees overturns

Local beekeeper, experts from Agriculture Canada called in as people with allergies warned

June 30, 2008 02:36 PM

THE CANADIAN PRESS

"ST. LEONARD, N.B. – Beekeepers in New Brunswick had the unenviable task today of recovering 12 million honey bees from a truck that overturned on the Trans-Canada Highway in the northwest corner of the province.
One beekeeper described the bees as “nasty” after their ordeal.

RCMP Sgt. Derek Strong says the flatbed truck, carrying 330 crates of bees, was travelling on a highway ramp near St. Leonard when the load shifted and the truck overturned shortly after 6 a.m.
When the truck landed on its side, many of the crates — each containing four hives — broke open.
“With the impact they just went crazy,” said beekeeper Edmond Bellefleur, who drove from his home in nearby Drummond to have a look.
“The ones that were able to get out, did get out.

You could see some others sticking to the hives, but once they started to open the netting and unpacking the hives one by one and putting them on pallets, then they really started to fly, and they got nasty.”

The rest of this story can be read here.

There is now an update from CTV News here.

Hopefully by nightfall they will have been able to recapture all of them without any injuries.

BEE careful out there every one.

Got Milk

Eating a well balanced diet with an emphasis on calcium provides you with a solid base for healthy bones.

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin (as your body produces it when exposed to the sun) helps your body absorb calcium.

Milk is the best dietary source for helping bones as it is not only rich in calcium, but is fortified with Vitamin D.

Most North Americans do not meet their Vitamin D requirements through milk, margarine and exposure to sunlight.

In Canada, for at least half of the year exposure to sunlight is inadequate to supply the daily Vitamin D requirement.

Overuse of sunscreen and spending more time indoors compounds the problem.

Our ability to metabolize nutrients, or absorb the good things from food, declines with age, and as a result, increases our risk of osteoporosis.

This is why it is essential for elderly people to make every effort to maintain adequate amounts of Vitamin D and calcium in their diets.

So, be sure to consult your doctor or dietitian if you believe you are not getting enough sun exposure or are unsure of your Vitamin D and/or calcium intakes.

The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D for adults is 400 international units (IU) and 800 IU for people over 50.

Studies in nursing homes have shown that the overall hip fracture rate dropped by 50 per cent when all residents were given supplements of 1000 mg of calcium and 1000 IU of Vitamin D.

Dairy products are the most calcium-rich foods available, and also contain many other nutrients essential to your health.

While calcium is found in other foods, it is difficult to meet your daily calcium requirements through these sources alone.

Plant foods are a less concentrated source of calcium than dairy products, and our bodies generally absorb only 30-50 per cent of the calcium contained in our diet.

Cooked broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and rutabaga are your best vegetable choices.

Compare your calcium sources and remember that all sources are not created equal.

So choose wisely, and remember, you need to eat an awful lot of broccoli (12 spears) to get the same amount of calcium as in just 1 cup of milk or yogurt.

If you have any doubts about the amount of calcium in your diet, consult your doctor or dietitian.

Obecalp= Placebo

Fake pills for kids stir controversy.

Doctors raise fears Obecalp, a new children's placebo, will condition them to look for cures in pills.

June 28, 2008

Megan Ogilvie

HEALTH REPORTER

Toronto Star


"Small, sweet and studded with cherry flavour, Obecalp would easily entice any candy crazy kid.
And for some parents, the white chewable tablets may be equally as tempting.

The medicine, the first of its kind, is marketed as a cure-all for small hurts and ailments, able to treat everything from upset tummies to sleeplessness without the risks of adverse side effects.
That's because Obecalp is nothing more than a fruit-flavoured sugar pill meant to calm and soothe a child using the power of placebo.

Though it may seem harmless, it raises a flurry of ethical questions about whether it conditions kids to always look for a cure in a pill.
"I invented Obecalp when I realized that children might need a little more than a kiss to make it go away," writes Jennifer Buettner on its website, where a bottle of 50 pills can be purchased from anywhere in the world for $5.95 U.S.

The Maryland mother of three launched Obecalp – placebo spelled backwards – online this month.
But experts are wary of Obecalp and say there is no need for a placebo pill in clinical practice, let alone in a parent's medicine cabinet.
Many believe it is wrong to intentionally dupe children into thinking a sugar pill is real medicine. And others are concerned a placebo will set a dangerous pill-popping precedent for children, creating a generation of kids who believe every ill and ailment can be fixed with medication.
"Almost no pediatrician would prescribe it and few parents would turn to it," says Dr. Maden Roy, chief of general pediatrics at McMaster Children's Hospital and who consulted other hospital pediatricians about the product."

The rest of the story can be read here.

*****************************

I am sitting here shaking my head in disbelief as I am reading this story.

Just what have we become as a society that we expect, no demand, instant gratification?

Are we all with the mindset that a *pill* can cure just about anything?

Are there parents out there who will fall for this marketing ploy?

Unfortunately I know that there will be many who will purchase these and soon will be *prescribing pills* to their children instead of using their common sense and kissing the boo-boo away.

How very very sad.

Haircut

Woman's Version:

Woman 1 - Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cute!

Woman 2 - Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, You don't think it's too fluffy looking?

Woman 1 - No, it's perfect. I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this look I think.

Woman 2 - Are you serious? I think your face is adorable. And you could easily get one of those layer cuts - that would be just perfect on you, I'm sure. I actually considered doing that myself, but I was afraid it might accent my long neck.

Woman 1 - Oh, that's funny. I would just love to have your neck. Anything to draw attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.

Woman 2 - Are you kidding? I know lots of girls that would absolutely kill to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms - see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get the most darling clothes to fit me so much more easily.

Men's Version:

Man 1 - Haircut?

Man 2 - Yeah.

******

There are several variations in the hair growth pattern of people all over the world. There can also be differences in the normal hair growth rate due to various climatic conditions.

Seasonal changes also play a major role in the rate of hair growth.

Effects of seasonal variations in hair loss are temporary and the hair easily grows back after a period of time. But there are factors like genetics which have a severe effect on hair growth rate.

The normal rate of hair shedding is about 50-100 hairs a day, but some seasonal changes can trigger the hair shedding to occur even two times faster. Studies are still being carried out to find out the role of seasonal changes in hair re growth.

According to researchers, hair grows steadily in winter while shedding starts increasing in spring and reaches its maximum in fall to have 100 hairs shed in a day. The shedding also affects rate of hair regrowth.

The rate of seasonal hair shedding and hair re growth can vary from person to person. Some people are prone to shed large amounts of hair but they soon can have their hair growth restored through quick hair re growth with the change of season.

Since hormone receptors play a major role in hair loss, exposure to day light has some role to play in hair shedding.

A fluctuation in hair growth or shedding due to seasonal variations is a normal process. The seasonal changes in hair regrowth or shedding are replaced as soon as there is a change in the season.

Dumb and Dumber?

Dumb and Dumber?

Or Not?

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to a customer, "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you."

The barber puts a five dollar bill in one hand and

four quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?"

The boy takes the quarters and leaves.

"What did I tell you?" said the barber.

"That kid never learns!"

Later, when the customer leaves the barber shop, he sees the same young boy coming out of an ice cream store.

"Hey, son! May I ask you a question?

Why did you take the quarters instead of the five dollar bill?" he asked.

The boy licked his cone and replied,” Because the day I take the five dollars, the game's over.”

***********************

So why do I feel so dumb?

I have had so many problems with posting with Blogger and getting spacing correct.

Sometimes it works and most times it does not (like in this post.)

Does anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong?

Or is it a Blogger problem?

ABC Wednesday--W

The children's story of Winnie-the-Pooh Written by authour A.A. Milne Who attended Westminister School and Trinity College. One of Milne’s teachers Was H.G. Wells.

The illustrations Were done by E.H. Shepard.

Yes it is ABC Wednesday over at Mrs. Nesbitt's place
Just head over there to learn how to participate.

The only W that I could possibly use on ABC Wednesday Would have to be Winnie-the-Pooh of course.

The book was published in October 1926. Milne named the character Winnie-the-Pooh after a teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, who was the basis for the character Christopher Robin. His toys also lent their names to most of the other characters.

Christopher Milne had named his teddy after Winnipeg, a bear which he and his father often saw at London Zoo, and "Pooh", a swan they had met while on holiday.

Winnipeg the Bear was purchased from a hunter by Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn in White River, Ontario, Canada, while en-route to England during the First World War.

He named the bear "Winnipeg" after his hometown in Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Winnie", as she became known, was surreptitiously brought to England with her owner, and gained unofficial recognition as a regimental mascot.

Colebourn left Winnie at the London Zoo while he and his unit were in France; after the war she was officially donated to the zoo, as she had become a much loved attraction there. Among her many young fans was Christopher Milne.

In the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne offers this explanation of why Winnie-the-Pooh is often called simply "Pooh":

"But his arms were so stiff ... they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week, and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off. And I think - but I am not sure - that that is why he is always called Pooh."

**********************

Reading and enjoying the story of Winnie-the-Pooh as a young child is probably the main reason why I love reading so much.

And it is definitely why I became a teddy bear collector and lover of all things Bear related.

Rules For Life

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period of this time around.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time, informal educational institution called life. Each day in this school, you will be given the opportunity to learn lessons. You may appreciate the lessons, or find them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is through a process of trial and error, and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately “works.”

4. A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have grasped it. You may then go on to the next instruction.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of live that does not contain teachings. If you are still alive, there are lessons still to be learned.

6. “There” is no better than “here.” When your “there” has become your “here,” you will simply obtain another “there” that once again looks better than your “here.”

7. Others are merely mirrors of yourself. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it represents to you something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is ultimately up to you. You are given all the tools and resources you need; what you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. The answers are inside you. The answers to life’s questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

A Fish Story

Ted E was stopped by a game warden recently as he was coming back from the lake.

He was carrying two large buckets of fish.

As it was during spawning season, the game warden asked, “Do you have a license to catch those fish?”

Ted E replied, “No, sir! These here are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?” the warden replied.

Yes, sir, you bet.” answered Ted E.

“Every night I take these here fish down to the lake and let them swim around for a while.

Then I just whistle, and they jump back in the buckets, and I take them home.”

"Baloney. Fish won’t do that.” said the game warden.

Ted E looked at the officer with an expression of great hurt, and then said, “Oh, yeah! Well I’ll just have to show you then. It really does work, don’t you know?”

“Okay, I’ve got to see this!” responded the game warden, who was really curious now.

So they returned to the dock, where Ted E poured the fish into the lake and stood waiting.

After several minutes, the game warden turned to him and said, “Well?”

“Well what?” replied Ted E.

“When are you going to call them back?”

“Call who back?” asked Ted E.

“The fish!”

“What fish?”

Pregnancy Boom

Pregnancy Boom at Gloucester High
By KATHLEEN KINGSBURY


“As summer vacation begins, 17 girls at Gloucester High School are expecting babies—more than four times the number of pregnancies the 1,200-student school had last year. Some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip. Others blamed hit movies like Juno and Knocked Up for glamorizing young unwed mothers. But principal Joseph Sullivan knows at least part of the reason there's been such a spike in teen pregnancies in this Massachusetts fishing town. School officials started looking into the matter as early as October after an unusual number of girls began filing into the school clinic to find out if they were pregnant. By May, several students had returned multiple times to get pregnancy tests, and on hearing the results, "some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Sullivan says. All it took was a few simple questions before nearly half the expecting students, none older than 16, confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together. Then the story got worse. "We found out one of the fathers is a 24-year-old homeless guy," the principal says, shaking his head.”

The rest of the story can be read here.

This news story has been the subject today (Friday, June 20, 2008) of many radio talk shows and on-line forums.

So many people are in shock that such a *pact* could be made by these children.
That’s right I said children because that is what they are.

Is anyone else not surprised by this news article because I personally am not shocked by what is happening in today’s society?

The push to have children dress as sexy fashionistas, the overt sexual undertones to the music and movie industries and the idolization of movie and music stars who are treading a fine line between shock factor and just plain old bad taste are the norm.

When news stories seem to glorify teen pregnancy such as the announcement of the birth of 17 year old Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter this week, just what can we as a society expect?

What I find so sad is that there are probably many other children who are reading and hearing about this story and probably thinking to themselves “Let’s try that. Sounds like a great idea!”

Coffee Drinkers

Coffee drinkers have slightly lower death rates


CTV.ca News Staff

"A new study has found regularly drinking coffee does not increase a person's risk of dying sooner, and may actually reduce death from heart disease.


The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that regular coffee drinking (up to 6 cups per day) is not associated with increased death rates in either men or women.
In addition, drinking both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee was associated with a lower rate of death from heart disease.
Study co-author Esther Lopez-Garcia says, "We found the consumption of coffee, even in high amounts ... six cups per day ... was associated with a lower risk of all cause mortality."

The rest of the story can be read here.

I think if you are drinking six cups per day you might be addicted to coffee.
So how can you tell if you have an addiction to coffee.
Maybe you are addicted if:


Juan Valdez names his donkey after you.

You can ski uphill.

You speed walk in your sleep.

You answer the door before people knock.

You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.

You just completed another sweater and you don't even know how to knit.

You sleep with your eyes open.

You lick your coffee pot clean.

Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.

You're the employee of the month at the local coffee house, and you don't work there.

You've worn out the handle on your favourite mug.

You go to AA meetings for the free coffee.

You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in.

You're so wired you pick up FM radio.

Your birthday is a national holiday in Columbia.

You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.

You introduce your spouse as your "Coffeemate."


And finally, your life's goal is to "amount to a hill of beans."

Tiger Woods Done for Year

Doug Ferguson

Associated Press

"Tiger Woods is done for the year, but not without one last major that he said might have been his best ever.
Woods explained why Wednesday when he revealed he will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee that he injured 10 months ago."

The rest of the story can be found here.

I never knew or could understand why golfers are considered to be so important until I did some research.

Consider this what I found:

In 1923, Who Was:

1. President of the largest steel company?

2. President of the largest gas company?

3. President of the New York Stock Exchange?

4. Greatest wheat speculator?

5. President of the Bank of International Settlement?

6. Great Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the worlds most successful of their days. Now, 85 years later, the history book asks us, if we know what ultimately became of them.

The Answers:

1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.

2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.

3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.

4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.

5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.

6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, in that same year, 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen.

What became of him? He played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95.

He was financially secure at the time of his death.

The Moral: Forget work. Play golf.

ABC Wednesday--V

Vincent and Valerie with their Very tiny son Vladimir Visit acquaintances for a Very proper Victorian tea.

*

Yes it is ABC Wednesday over at Mrs. Nesbitt's place.

*************************

The following are a few tidbits of interesting etiquette trivia to share with friends over tea and crumpets:

A lady at a ball should not burden a gentleman with her gloves, fan and bouquet to hold while she dances, unless he is her husband or brother.

A business address should never be seen on a visiting card.

A card with a photograph on it is a piece of vulgar conceit.

The only gifts which should pass between ladies and gentlemen who are not relatives are books, flowers, music and confectionery.

Do not be too familiar on short acquaintance. Nor presume to address them by the first name. This is a presumption which some people never forgive.

A host should see that he has no wallflowers in his home, by providing such ladies with partners, in an unobtrusive manner, so as not to wound their self-esteem.

When a gentleman goes to a ball without a lady he must place himself at the disposal of the hostess, and dance with any ladies she selects for him.

During a walk in the country, ascending a hill, or walking on a bank of a stream, if the lady becomes fatigued and sits upon the ground, do not seat yourself by her, but remain standing until she is rested sufficiently to proceed.

A Short History of Medicine

I have an earache.

*******

2008 B.C. - Here, eat this root.

*******

1008 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.

*******

*******

1858 A.D.-

That prayer is merely superstition. Here, drink this potion.

*******

1948 A.D. -

That potion is nothing more than snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.

*******

1988 A.D. -

That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.

*******

2008 A.D. -

That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.

*******

Noah’s Ark

Flooding in Iowa city forces 24,000 from homes

CTV.ca News Staff

"Water has started to recede in an Iowa city where flooding submerged hundreds of city blocks and forced 24,000 people to leave their homes."

The complete story can be found here.

My prayers go out to all who have been affected by this flooding.

Stay safe and here are some things that I learned from reading about Noah's Ark.

*

*

Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something really big.

Don’t listen to critics.

Do what has to be done.

Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.

Build on the high ground.

Speed isn’t always an advantage

The cheetahs were on board, but so where the snails.

If you can’t fight or flee...float

Two heads are better than one.

Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth.

Don’t forget that we’re all in the same boat.

When the crap gets really deep, don’t sit there and complain, shovel!!

Stay below decks during the storm.

Remember that the ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals.

If you have to start over, have friends by your side.

Remember that the woodpeckers inside are often a bigger threat than the storm outside.

No matter how bleak it looks, there’s always a rainbow on the other side.

and most important

****

DON’T MISS THE BOAT

Happy Fathers' Day

to my husband Ted E

to our son with his two little cubs

to our son-in-law with the newest

little bear cub to our family

and to all the other Father Bears

out in the world.

Hope you all have a marvelous Fathers' Day.

Toxic Plastic Shower Curtains

From CBC News:

Toxic shower curtains
June 12, 2008
The Canadian Press

"The smell of plastic shower curtains may be hazardous to your health, according to a new study.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shower curtains may release into the air 108 toxic chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phthalates and organotins, accounting for a smell that can cause adverse health problems affecting the lungs, central nervous system, liver and kidneys, suggests the study by the U.S.-based Centre for Health, Environment and Justice.

A spokeswoman for Bed Bath and Beyond in Canada said Thursday the retailer is aware of the study's findings and is moving away from PVC curtains.
The study's authors are calling on Ottawa to ban PVC curtains and force manufacturers and retailers to instead sell cotton ones.
"The study results speak for themselves," said Theresa McClenaghan, executive director for the law association. "These are extremely high results for the initial period for sure, for indoor air."

The study tested five brands of shower curtains and found more than 100 volatile organic compounds were released into the air over a 28-day period. Each curtain contained some chemicals already banned in toys in some U.S. states and the European Union. In Canada, they're simply listed as *toxic.*"

****************************

****************************

Is it just me or is it time for all of us to not rely on so many petroleum based products?

I read the term "toxic" and I can truthfuly say that I am deeply concerned.

I personally do not have a *plastic* shower curtain in my home but I wonder how many people do and is having one causing harm to your home environment?

Unicorn Found

Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy
Deer with single horn is found in nature preserve in Italy and nicknamed 'Unicorn'

By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press

ROME -- A deer with a single horn in the center of its head -- much like the fabled, mythical unicorn -- has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.

“This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, told The Associated Press. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal."
The 1-year-old Roe Deer -- nicknamed "Unicorn" -- was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said.
He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

The rest of the story can be read here with a photo of the unicorn deer also.

I remember as a child being told that the unicorn was just a mythical creature.
But in my heart and in my dreams, I knew it was real.

And now there is proof.

ABC Wednesday--U

U--Ursula Ursidae the Teddy Bear Under the Umbrella Uses her SPF 15 sunscreening lotion especially after swimming Underwater.

*

Yes it is ABC Wednesday over at Mrs. Nesbitt's place.
Just head over there to learn how to participate.

*

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The minimum SPF recommended for outdoor sun exposure is 15.

For example, a person that normally burns in 10 minutes when out in the sun without protection, could stay out 15 times longer (150 minutes) and not burn with a sunscreen SPF of 15.

However, depending on the intensity of the heat, sunburns could occur in a much shorter time. In addition, sunscreen should be reapplied often, especially after swimming or sweating, and applied over all exposed areas of the body.

Even if wearing sunscreen, given the skin cancer risks and skin aging involved with overexposure to the sun, it’s best to limit sun exposure between 10am and 4pm, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

All I Need to Know About Life

I Learned From My Teddy Bear


Hugs are even better than chocolate.

There's no such thing as too many kisses.

One good cuddle can change a grumpy day.

Love is supposed to wear out your fur a little.

Listening is as important as talking.

It's okay to let your stuffing show now and then.

Someone's got to keep their eyes open all the time.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

Everyone needs someone to hold onto.

There's no friend like an old friend.

Swim With the Bears

I found an interesting place to visit in Cochrane, Ontario, Canada.

It is called the Polar Bear Habitat & Heritage Village.

Cochrane, Ontario is a Northern Ontario town situated on Highway 11 approximately 720 kilometers (445 miles) north of Toronto.
Incorporated in 1910, the Town was named after the Honourable Frank Cochrane, then Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines.



The Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat is the only polar bear rehabilitation facility in the world. There they rehabilitate non-releasable polar bears from sub-standard zoos, circuses, private ownership, and the wild.

One of the interesting things that you can do (in season) is swim with the polar bears.
The Habitat offers a wading pool for children and the young at heart where they can swim right next to a polar bear. But don’t be afraid, there is a huge, thick, very sturdy window between you and the polar bears!

Their web site even has a Bear Cam.

Doesn’t that sound like an interesting activity?
My grandsons are still a little too young to really benefit from this, but you can be sure in a few years, we will be making the trip up north so they can enjoy this with me.
You probably are correct in assuming that I will be the one who will get the most fun out of this trip.

Heroine Bears her Head

from The Canadian Press

"OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- When she took part in a local fundraiser for cancer research, all Stacey Fearnall thought she had to lose was a full head of hair.

Instead, the 36-year-old waitress at Nathaniel's restaurant in Owen Sound, Ont., who raised more than $2,700 for the charity Cops for Cancer in exchange for her locks, was laid off when she showed up for work earlier this week with a shorn head."

The whole story and her picture can be found here.

After reading the story and seeing her picture, I can not understand why Staceys’ employer would not let her continue working.

What her picture and story say to me is that this is one super woman who looks fantastic.

Kudos to you Stacey and hopefully this news story will make her employer stop and think.

The best thing her employer could do would be to hire her back immediately PLUS make a generous donation to the Canadian Cancer Society.

*******************************

Update--Many comments on CBC news website concerning this.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/05/shaved-head.html#socialcomments

And Staceys' personal page with a picture of her before the haircut.

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/CopsforCancer/COPS_ON_BlueWater_?px=1344621&pg=personal&fr_id=2760

On ABC Wednesday---T

T --- Two Teddy Bears

Talking on Their Telephones


Today I visited The Mental Pause Chronicles where she has posted a link to Mrs. Nesbitt

Here is what Mrs. Nesbitt wants you do.

“How to participate in ABC Wednesday.

1. Post your T picture on your blog.

2. Come to my blog and sign in on Mr. Linky

3. Enjoy the beautiful T pictures of the other bloggers of the day.”

*****************

What a great idea. And of course with today being the letter T, just how could I not resist joining in the fun.

Inside Out

I am feeling torn apart and inside out after reading a blog that I have been following.

For a little while now I have been reading

Monday Changed Everything which is a blog of a courageous young woman whose husband died Monday, October 15, 2007.

It is her painful story of her life and what she has been enduring since that terrible night.

After reading her blog, I was overwhelmed at the amount of courage she has shown in these past days and months.

Her own words on Tuesday, April 1, 2008:

"It is sinking in deeper and deeper that he is really gone. He isn't coming back. I always knew this mentally but it is now really hitting emotionally. I am really doing this by myself. I am really living a life without him. Years and years seem to stretch before me now and all I can feel about them is that he won't be there to share them with me. I will always be alone. Always missing and loving someone who I can't see, feel, hear or touch."

But in these past few months I have read about her struggles and her feelings and I thought that she was really starting to adjust to her painful new life, a little bit at a time. Her putting her true feelings in her blog has seemed, to me anyway, that it was helping her to cope slowly and one day at a time.

And then today I visited her blog and read this:

"Locking it Up

So, the inevitable has happened. Someone from "real life" has started reading this blog and got mad about its contents, so I have to lock it up. That makes me sad because I have connected with so many widows with young families through this blog and have had a safe place to vent, rage, think, and reflect on things. We have shared each others lives with each other- the good and the bad. Shared our hopes and our not so nice thoughts. Through it all I have been honest.

But I just had a very sad conversation with the friend I have been writing about lately, and well, this blog was used against me. If I am going to continue to have a safe place that I can be honest and share my journey with other people going down the same horrible road, I should not censor myself.

If you want to continue reading please either leave your email in the comments or email me directly @----------

I will leave this post up until June 7 and then I will be locking it up.Edit to add: if you email me, be sure to take out the spaces in the email address.

I am overwhelmed already by all the positive emails and comments. Makes me feel a little better after the incredibly horrible day. Grandma came and picked up the kids so that I can cry it all out- the loss of this blog and the loss of the friendship. Thank you."

How very sad for this brave young lady who was only trying to work through her grief by blogging her true feelings and thoughts.

So my friends, my question to you is, would you feel that you would have to make *your* blog private if someone you knew disapproved or was not happy with what you were trying to say in your own words?

Which Came First

the chicken or the ------?

I have had a few people ask me which comes first,

the photo of the bears or the post.

To tell the truth-----it all depends!

Sometimes I have a post in mind and I have to search for the perfect teddy bear photo.

(Google is my friend!)

And then there are times that I find a picture of a bear that suggests something that I find amusing or that is relevant to what is happening in my daily life or the news of the day and/or that some one else has posted.

Since I began this blog, a few short months ago, I have been pleasantly surprised at how many people out here in the blogging world are interested in the topics that I am posting.

This medium of communicating with other like minded people has both amazed and astonished me. I have discovered so many different people around the world who either make me think and research subjects of importance to me or (and to me this is the best part) give to me, my smile or laugh of the day.

To all of you -----------Thank You all so much and keep on posting.

You all make my day!

And if anyone is out there who have photos of bears feel free to let me know.

I would be grateful to anyone who could help increase my supply of bear or teddy bear photos.