Got some food from food pantry today for Thanksgiving and...

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also got a couple of coupons from them so could get milk and a roasted chicken from the super market. It looked like was having nothing til some lady on bus told me food pantry giving out food. Cat food running low and just bought it. Will call first and get some Tuesday from them hopefully.

I also spoke to pastor and volunteers about my situation,how make jewelry,art and can't get around to sell it,how broke am,how alone am here as noone to do things with,just now people as acquaintences,not really friends. They suggested come to Bible study and could get a ride home after. Seemed sincere. Said they struggle too but together and it helps. I will give it a shot Wednesday eve.

Denise from church comes by once in a while with a donation like dropped some rubber back curtains she had as place live in is unweatherized. Have reached the point like being alone,especially at night as most people am around, I find annoying in some way within a short period of time.

Had wanted to have mom come to home for Thanksgiving not Thanksgiving day,hang out with cats,have a nice relaxing meal,watch a movie,listen to music..but have meditation class Monday night so can't do it as she can't be alone. I guess can just visit Tuesday with a bottle of grape juice in a bottle that looks like wine,something. I can also make a nice meal,freeze some of it like make a nice chicken salad and bring it next Monday with some home made mashed potatoes(will freeze them). They are having a nice meal at the nursing home she is at so she will have a nice holiday. Also having a tree trimming party 12/1/11 but I can't make that either as is late in day and have to catch b us. Will pay for her ornament to place on tree atleast as it supports their recreation programs. Mom enjoys the activities which is good as her roomie stays in the room and some stay in bed. I had my mom outside on grounds alot this past summer when visited and sometimes she was out front on own in wheel chair.

Am glad she's in a safe place and the staff is ok with her,not great as some idiots there. They say hi to her roomie and ignore my mom when enter room. I will mention this to main nurse. I sometimes am at a loss as to what to do as don't want to make things worse for her or rock the boat.

D.A.R.E. day in Greene County NY

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re:DARE day

Hide Details
FROM:
ann Eagan
TO:
darecop1700@yahoo.com
Message flagged Friday, September 23, 2011 11:37 PMMessage body
Hi,

I am an artist,jewelry designer living in Cairo. I usually go to events and sell my jewelry and art. DARE day is different. Also have been a speaking on living green at green fairs and taught jewelry class at library.What I do is healing arts in the form of jewelry making,art(painting) and some photography. I practice alternative medicine,meditation,deep breathing,stretching etc. My story is one of recovery as have struggled with depression and anxiety(in form of being down,hard to do things like homework and socially shy,nervous to point didn't want to attend school anymore and only graduated as guidance counselor referred me to pastoral counseling at Iona college,as from Westchester originally,went to school on scholarship in Rye) for many years.

What I would like to do at DARE if could is speak on mental health awareness,suicide prevention, teaching tolerance,preventing violence like from gangs,a Columbine, bullying and i see it tell an adult(as gay young teen killed himself recently and had a video on youtube about being harrassed in school for years) It is not easy growing up,being a teen,figuring out who you are,trying new things,trying to fit and maybe don't. Not everyone is or can be a foot ball star or cheerleader. Even they put on a mask and really are just trying to be a certain way to be accepted. Many parents live vicariously through their kids making them do things kids don't really want to do like play foot ball when would rather play guitar.

Sometimes kids feel like they are a disappointment. They can be impulsive and is why drink and try drugs as is around and then get behind the wheel. They don't think things thru and think they are invincible.

The name of my company,such as it is as really an artist on a small budget with a website,is Artzstuf. I could suggest alternatives being the arts in it's many forms:dance,music,painting,jewelry design,theater. I would say to be yourself once you find her/him and not to let anyone tell you you can't do something and give up on your dream just because they have on theirs. Parents will recommend going to business school and then get into whatever when graduate and kid hates it. What I do is clearly not for everyone but I am someone unimpressed by degrees and other things like prestige,power,prosperity. Getting by is enough. I bring beauty into the world What would this world be without people like us,or if everyone was a clerk? We are all different and called to be different things. I think we need to embrace our differences that make us who we are and look for the good in each other rather than the bad or the differences that divide us and as say in 12 step choose 'principles over personalities'. Many adults forget this and encourage 'hate speech',prejudice and raise children with closed minds and full of fear like themselves. I think such homes create bullies.

I have faith in something higher to which call God flowing through me so the sky's the limit. Life is an adventure and not a destination and it is no easier by not taking chances than not playing it safe and being bold. The fearful still fall in the same holes as the fearless.

There are many in this town who like to control it and don't welcome any change or those with different,new ideas. With regard to mental health. Many go down to clinic by park and live lives of isolation on outskirts of society and not mixing with it as are stigmatized. Mental,emotional illness is often caused by trauma at an early age such as child abuse,neglect and ,there are some genetic links that run in families and scientists have even seen with brain scans the brains of those with say depression function differently than those who don't . This is carried into adult hood and wreaks havoc on the one who has it and the lives they touch. Medication helps quite a bit so should tell you something. Besides being a problem in the thought area(negative thinking->bad feeling->negative,self destructive behavior ), there is a problem in how the brain is functioning or the chemistry of it. This affliction effects thousands of people. It is said 3 million people in the US alone have bipolar. How come people aren't talking about this more? I have a mood disorder. I am not one for labels as I am a logical person. They are used by shrinks to get paid by insurance companies. Not into labels that put people in neat little boxes as guess what life is messy. I take an antiseizure drug as I compare when go on shopping spree,the manic working,etc. to a seizure. My mom had them and takes something and antidepressant. Why the shame if is physical but effects the brain and body? Many feel is a private matter. I think there is a link between this and epilepsy. I also was in a car accident,head broke wind shield,at 16. Mild head injury or post concussion syndrome.

Can educate people about head injury too as do a bit dail,can get tired with meds,don't compare,block out others suggestions which took me years to do like don't take meds.

I am not ashamed of what i have as didn't cause this. John Bradshaw who wrote 'Healing the Shame that Binds You' wrote and also he was on PBS'shame is that we are a mistake,guilt is that we made a mistake'. I am no mistake. I even had a librarian here in town stand next to me while i was on pc and she said 'freak',. She is a bully and this makes some uncomfortable as usually hide some similar issues themselves. Say I can why can't you?. Not sure if directed at me as she was hanging around looking at what i was typing. She is odd herself. He describes how dysfunctional families have members in them with different roles:mascot,scape goat and so on. I was the invisible one who got good grades as is how I got any attention. Otherwise I was a slave. Cleaned around home,did landscaping and such. I used to hide from my relatives..

Later was a crime victim,was in unhealthy relationships as unhealthy and never learned how to love and receive it,had trouble sustaining employment due to social part of it,the getting along with others,especially if I felt illtreated and home burgled 2 as is why came up here.
Is common for those to be victimized,especially by criminals as are passive,often alone. I am not sure how you serve this population who one doesn't hear about unless they jump off a bridge or kill family then self after lose a job. I say a bandaid is put on it for years. Comes down to trauma and facing it and dealing with what has happened so doesn't happen again and the suffering stops. One stands up for self,learns to love who they are and go on. Not to sing my praises but I think my story is an important one and a gift to this generation. I am not crazy but have been in some crazy situations and met bullies who didn't stand u to out of fear. 'If don't stand for something you will stand anything' No one deserves abuse. It makes you crazy. I and others like me deserve so much more. Their ignorance,and not in my back yard attitudes keep them from knowing people so they rather distance selves and judge,point the finger which points back at them,as makes them feel better about selves as lack self esteem. they look for what they think are easy targets as see others shooting at them and know we might fight against one but not a whole group. Can honestly say,have 8 neighbors who hardly know mr,dislike and talk about me,say hurtful thins as can be sensitive. I am working on not being so and letting past go that wake up to each morning like Ground Hog Day.

There are self help groups such as Emotions Anonomys and Recovery Inc to heal from emotional illness yet few therapists speak or recommend them. I found out through self help clearing house. I have used many things to feel better and not just traditional methods. Currently I try to work witn 'the system' am in to get out of poverty. Government programs such as VESID say if want to be a clerk again they can ghelp and give me a job coach other wise no dice. Is kind of likie saying was in a fire so now be a fireman. They won't support my vending. Live on disability.

I would like some help in sharing it with schools,t DARE,with the police force(to give them a different slant on mental illness to wellness) and to educate people and bust the stigma. If expose it to the light of day,it loses it's power to control and scare us.

Walking in the light,

Ann

Flea Market was a Bust,Thanks for nothing Carol and Chamber of Commerce of Cairo,NY

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Attended flea market in Cairo, NY for the first and last time apparently this season. Carol from Chamber of Commerce here asked for $20 from me to sell at school lawn,when last year she said if there was space I didn't have to pay if space,as I said on disability. There was plenty of space as not many buy here so less vendors come. She said 'You pulled the same thing last year and don't come back next week'. I said she said could last year to which she said she didn't. I then said 'fine., not like make anything here anyway'. Maybe I'm crazy but isn't it the Chamber of Commerce's job to promote people,businesses and in my case artists who create jewelry and art here in the Hudson Valley so people can buy here to better the economy? Instead I was oppressed once again here and 'beaten down' and not encouraged,supported,praised for my work.(No one sells jewelry but me in Cairo) They charge a fee to join I can't pay. The 'youth fair' is $40 to sell there for one day. I only sold $ 40 last year and then fee had to be deducted from it so not worth my time. I sat in a hot tent for hours. Crazy! Then they wonder why many drink,drug,sell drugs in this town, when they don't support the poor to better selves creatively as am creative but infact look the other way,ignore them as if they will just go away, as not their problem when in fact is everyone's problem. Is a cold way to live not to care about your neighbor,especially when he or she has fallen beside you and yo can help in a small,simple way by giving a smile,a hello,not working against them but helping them get out of the pit of 'despair' they find selves in. At least I try and don't sit on butt watching soap operas feeding my face complaining about things and feeling sorry for myself.

I comfort self in knowing not all see things as I do so I can let anger and them go and move on. I work a 12 step program. I think everyone needs a program to 'deal' now a days with others so don't 'personalize' what do and say as is just them. Many are 'rude,crude and inconsiderate' now and just think of selves. The pathetic thing in this is that when you' think about self all the time,you don't think much of your self'. All they have is their bitterness as they are devoid of love and God. I pray i never get like this.

Today although had a straw hat on,bottled water and a portable fan,felt my body over heating due to the sun as was out in the open as was shady in morning when got there but then wasn't. I left as felt ill. Unlike many other vendors there, I had no awning and large table. Mine is home as can't carry it myself so walked there pushing a cart with chair,small table and product selling in a knapsack on my back. Do what have to do. everyone's situation is different.Can clearly see my situation is different than the rest there. She says 'others pay so can't just let me not or others won't want to either'.She seems miserable,angry and wants to make others feel the same. I will pray for her and the others in this town like her who don't have any sense of decency or 'heart'. They do nothing for you but work against you and talk about you within eAR SHOT. tHE MEN ARE LIKE 'WASH WOMEN' AND THE WOMEN BEHAVE LIKE 'OVERGROWN CATTY BRATS'. 'Some times your the wind shield sometimes your the bug' i don't have to do anything to her. God will take care of her. She doesn't know how 'lost' she is as it is by 'giving' and being 'kind' to those in need that you get blessed. 'You can't take it with you'. people wonder why they are depressed. It is how they live that makes them so.

My pets are 'my family',other than mom in home and I do my best for them and love them very much. When I ask for some help from those in community I live in,from people in better situations,working with friends,family and a car I get a slap in the face. No one does anything with me either as they are 'too good' to be my friend. All I can say is their loss.

Cairo is like many small towns in upstate NY. People came to and live here to be left alone and ran away from crime,pace and overpopulation of city. Sadly anything or anyone in a vacuum doesn't grow as humans were not made to be 'islands'. The 'townies' are ignorant,hostile,ultraconservative,narrow-minded and unfriendly. I say screw em. I walk with head phones on,do for self and amuse myself and do business else where. If you have a business,are looking for a nice community to live in, or looking to vacation in the 'Catskills' and shop,have lunch and chat some place with 'nice' people,,I'd say don't stop here.Why? The devil lurks here. He has many in bondage to sin and addiction. He is dancing leaping for joy in the streets of Cairo who has given up on itself and it's people within,especially those who make them look at themselves. They are deluded into thinking they are'good' and 'better than' the trashy people on welfare as they put it when they are worse as should know better than to act this way. 'If any man has strength let other light their candles to it'.

Isn't it ironic that Cairo got it's name from Cairo,Egypt, a city that enslaved many Jews. Cairo,NY is a reflection of this. Many of it's people are shackled in chains. Some are free but they are secret Christians too afraid to share their faith with others. God made this world,Jesus was born of Mary and died for us so we could be saved. He was the son of God and rose again. The Holy Spirit lives in each Christian so whom shall we fear?! No man or woman. 'greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world'. Today is a modern day version of Sodom and Gomora. People are doing what want and what feels good,ignoring the Bible and paying the ultimate price as they are growing further and further from God and his plan for them and following Satan instead. They might not be devil worshipers but a leapord has many spots and the devil can assume many forms in the prettiest and handsomest of faces and sweetest of voices saying what you want to hear. By reading the Bible,keeping in the word,applying it to your life,sharing it with others by attraction not promotion as Jesus did(if people didn't want it He moved on),you are obeying God. I am 'in the world but not of it'. Is why am not popular as am sharing something people don't want as they don't want to do what's best for them in the long run but rather pursue their selfish,carnal natures.

..

Snow Today and It's Almost May..

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Yes it went down to the 30's last night here in Upstate NY, when it was 80 last week! Nuts.

On another crazy note..I will be moving again as my landlord is nutty,stupid,crazy and mean. After I moved the rest of my belongings in and after being at my new place for 2 months already, she informed me that she wanted me out. Her reason was I had too many belongings. She didn't even give me time to put them away. If I had the place would have been neater,cleaner and uncluttered. I even offered to get a shed to put some things in or a storage site which I did but no dice. I just spent money on phone and cable installation and moving and now had to rent a truck again to put my stuff in storage and rent a storage site too.

I am finding it hard what with pets to find anything decent. I also want a 1 BR apt/cottage for just me and my pets as my roomie is nutty,stupid,inconsiderate,sloppy,dirty,rude,etc. and I have had enough. I really tried to hang in there with him but I woke up to my coffee maker being destrroyed after he started a fire last night while he was cooking and lied to me about it as when I said I smelled something burning in the next room, he assured me all was well. This after he got in an accident with the truck rental and scraped the top fat a gas station awning, while I waited for him and a neighbor who was helping with the move, for two hours in a storage locker,freezing! I am tired of not knowing what he will do next and am sick of the insanity of him,my neighbors and my landlord. I am done.

This morning I responded to an ad for a caretaker in exchange for room and board as said pets ok, as I need to tak care of my mom to get her out of nursing home. She will have an aide for 4 hours daily and I could be helping the man who is a quadraplegic, then and watching my pets. I know it sounds like alot but rents are high in Westchester and my options are few. I am hoping my my will improve so I can get my own place with a subsidy toward rent for disabled like myself so this is temporary, I hope. Keep you posted..

Super is Installing My Hot Water Heater as I Speak..

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finally..Yes I am getting a smaller,brand new heater. Should be more cost efficient as well. Yesterday was pretty ugly as landlord came over demanding the rent but I told him he would not get it until he did repairs and only then would he get it minus deductions from days we went inconvenienced. This angered him causing me to call authorities on him. Don't think we will be seein him again at my door anytime soon,lol..Interim the rent money is safely tucked away in the bank and the note to the landlord from the bank is taped to my door,. He removed the last one I had for him stating that I would be deducting for days went without and he should have received the letter from the courts stating he has a court date with me regarding a rent reduction due to place being below the accessed value due to repairs not being made in a timely manner. I think in this case and all cases it is significant to establish a paper trail and to contact the proper authorities like the sheriff,town officials,code enforcement,social services and so forth to show good faith in that I tried to get things fixed and was willing to pay rent after so I don't appear in the wrong and a deadbeat tenant. This will all help my case, :).

Still no hot Water so am going to sue landlord for rent reduction in Small Claims..

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court. Super came by today to measure hot water heater and said we would maybe have a new one Thursday, while I was pouring hot water I heated on the stove over the dishes in the sink. I am totally disgusted and sickened literally by this situation. I think it is inexcusable to expent rent when one doesn't supply the bare essentials of habitability to their tenants. what do you think? I have been looking but it is hard to find anything affordable and adequate.

No hot water at my home now for 4 days..

with no relief in sight. Broken hot water heater and the landlord and super know about it and don't seem to care..landlord is jOhn Cass on County Route 85 in Cairo,a slum lord..Was told by super first that he would price a new one and now he says he will vacuum the old one and see how it goes..but to be patient as he is moving. I said I can be patient but it seems that the landlord appears the firs to the month for the whole rent regardless of the fac that the place is up to par or not which is not fair. Front door is damaged and you have to slam it har t o shut it and the heat goes out the sides and drafty. Frig. door is equally damaged and again you need to slam it whiile the cold air goes out the bottom..The oven doesn't work and we wnet a week with no heat,hot water or cooking fuel when the pipes froze and the furnace broke too..We have no screens in the windows nor storm windows and so on...need I really say more!? Seems to be a common trend with the slumlords in beautiful down town Cairo,Ny and the building dept. does nothing.

I am officially out of my last home as of today...

I am glad to be gone. The sheriff department came out Monday to make sure I took whatever was left in the cottage out. He said if I didn't remove my damaged property from the front lawn, that I would be arrested. How nuts! Can they do that? I don't know. I need to consult with my attorney that has been helping me with my case from Legal Aid. Who should be arrested is my previous landlord who rents a property taht is but a summer cabin, year-round. How is that right?! Anyway, I was kind enough to sweep through the place ane my friend cleane the oven and I wiped down and emptied the frig. but was he happy/ No! Perry Holst, the slumlord and landlord "you call that clean? you are such a fuckin slob!" He said this right in front of the sheriff who said nothing but warned me when I was obnoxious to the landlord as I dropped his keys on the ground in front of him instead of hand them to him as I wanted no contact or to show him any respect. Another slumlord alert link is here in Albany. Another one is on craiglist for middletown,NY. Another article on Slumlords can be found here, but in this case it is from the landlord,stating why he and his wife plan on becoming slumlords after being kind landlords who rented to people or tenants who in their opinion took advantage of them including one they couldn't even evict after 6 months of trying. I'd just like to say that this sounds odd and extreme as 3 months is the maximum time allowed to evict someone.
NYC slumlord info is here. Article called 'My brother the slumlord' is here which offers another interesting slant on this issue.
Lots of info on slumlords here on the Golden Cockroach page. ha..Another post on slumlords is on Slumlord Interactive.

For more on tenant rights and evictions, read here. More info here on proper procedure for eviction. New landlord told me to remove anything by the front door as I was moving it in. He said the town would fine him. Is common to have things outside the door when moving it in on my planet which is earth. It is all removed now though. Happy house hunting and renting all!

Hall of..Shame...

winter snow in park in Cairo, NY


Landlords who keep your security deposit are also low lifes...

I looked at a cottage at the 'Lake Elissa' camp grounds or rather it used to be a camp site..Now 'Lisha' rents the cottages out year round. She also asks for pet insurance,pet security of $ 200. and does a credit check..She also has Welfare clients in there so not sure how they are there as people on Welfare notoriously have bad credit! Wack! She kept our security deposit we put down on the place,claiming it wss nonrefundable because she could have rented it out but was holding it for us for 2 days. Two days made all the difference?! She couldn't have taken their names and addresses and phone numbers and called them back as soon as we said we weren't taking it? Our credit sucks as we are poor and disabled and also my dog is hard to insure because she is a pitbull. Lisha you suck! My friend Bill plans to sue her for the $ 100. in small claims court. he is a Vietname Vet. Shame on you Lisha. How low can you get? Very, obviously and you are hard up too! This behavior will bit e her in the proverbial butt as it is not the first time she has done this probably nor the last but hopefully justice will be served as i think many make a side business doeing jus this. my friend and i have lost out on atleast 3 security deposits in the past. Grrr..

moving agian sadly..

as land lord wants me out in 30 days as have no thing but a month to month arrangement..Is hard as I have cats and a dog as you may know if you rent also with pets. So..
Went on a wild goose chase today looking at possible apartment and home rentals and did nothing but waste our time and gas and money thanks to slum lord Phil Gellar in Hillsdale,Columbia County,NY. Phil has a cockroach infested placewiht welfare tenants hanging around doing nothing and a mess all in the front and an abismal road to come in ..He really blows and so do all slumlords like him! He gave us lousy directions even and we went through the forest and had deer and sheep walk across the road in fron of us as we passed wild turkey and horses and black angus! NUTS. Beware renters is all i can say.

As a courtesy i am listing his name and now some more past slumlords i met since renting....Morgan Kraus in CAiro, NY 40 Grove St. property. he lives in NJ. Perry HOlst at my present location another absentee landlord who resides in Locust VAlley,ny...he owns 19 and 21 VAn Buren Drive cottages in Cairo, NY..and the corner house and the one next to it also on Grove St, CAiro. He is obnoxious,money hungry and fixes noothing! He rents the cottage i have ben living in ..year round and it is unweathrized and has mold. My sinuses have been killing me and i can't brathe well, since arrival,ugh..Roger Ploof in Albany NY landlord owns property near the YMCA and is a notorious slum lord apparently who takes advantage of the predicament many poor people face in trying to find adequate affordable housing...
These people really burn me up. I am offering a service to prospective renters by telling them of these clowns. You should do the same in your town to protect your neighbor as knowledge is power and in this case, ignorance is NOT bliss.

Come get LOST with me tonight won't you?

Now that is what I call one good looking man!


PREMIERE! Yeh, the new episode of LOST will be on tonight and I don't know about you but you wil find me ofcourse, sitting in my chair with some goodies and a drink watching it with my pets! Did someone say SAwyer?! Yummy!!



I'm FREEZING! It's really cold in here. Oh! NO worries mate. It's just me having my thermostat at 57 degrees because I can't afford to pay the propane bill! Ugh! I am using a space heater taht keeps konking out as blows the fuse here..nice huh?! YEh my place is heated primarily with propane and it cost $3.20 a gallon and it runs me $320. for a 100 gallon tank they fill every three weeks! I received a HEAP grant 2x already and can not expect anymore money from them. I already have an outstanding electric bill of almost $400 that DOH or department of HEalth, is going to pay, as I have a disability subsidy of $160 a monh, they didn't pay since October..and I got a shutoff notice from my utiity company I need to deal with quickly.. which leaves me with like $100 towards next month's bill. I will have to pay like 144 of it as it also includes about $44. in electric. Am sure you are saying to yourself,why don't she get off her ARSS and get a job like you?! Well like I said I am disabled,completely and I have tried to find a job as I applied at Peebles,Walmart and a few other places and I do try to sell my hand made jewelry but..times are hard and noone is buying it but they can afford to get drunk on the beer they buy and are getting cancer from the cigarettes they are smoking so go figure! Maybe a chakra bracelet with healing properties off the stones is what they and what we all need right about now huh?!?!? NO joke I am wearing them all over my body,lol..It does help some.

I sure hope Obama will help with some of this. But..I don't really think so as the expectation on him is so high already, that he can't help but disappoint us. But..f he gets us out of Afghanistan,Iraq,settles the dispute in the Mideast,helps in Darfur and Tibet,makes health care and education FREE for us all,especially helping our veterans who have served and protected us in the wars,continues to protect us from terrorists,develolps sustainable energy sources to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil,preserves our environment,stabilizes our economy by controlling the bailout monies from now on,helps the average joe and Jane from losing THEIR homes and jobs and businesses, then...I think he has earned his salt as president and we can be more than satisfied with our choice! Damn, that was a mouthful!! lol...(laughing manically,at this point!)



WAtching SAwyer should heat me up some tho but that aint FREE either! It costs me $57 a month for cable, as Midhudson Cable has a monopoly on this area, and I don't have a clue on how to hook up the converter box I bought for about $10,to save money and get rid of the cable, after the coupon of $40, do you??!?!

more Ruby

Remember plus size model Emme?! Yeh she beat cancer and now has a clothing line for large women. She still looks good too! you go girl!!

Happy New Year,belatedly you all!

Go Obama! Don't forget to catch the inauguration folks!




Yeh Ruby was as much as 700 lbs at one time although the show shows her from 500 lbs. on..She is funny and pretty despite the weight and you can't help but root for her! Link on front page of blog for more on ruby. show is on Hiatus and due back in July folks! Ruby has a blog and is doing fine. She snds her regards to all her fans.

see her and friends, Georgia, jeff here.

Plane goes down in the Hudson River! DAmn! This was such a gift for NY after 9-11 as it could have been so much worse! I think something should be done in the future to prevent birds from getting in the engine. One could put a wire trap over the engine I think..The poor thangs!

Went shopping this weekend!

Cool ice sculpture from winter festival...

Yeh...Despite the recession, I saw a lot of people at the new mall in Westchester, NY on the Bronx border, in Mt. Vernon. Many were flocking to the sales and regularly discounted items at stores like T J Maxx and Petco. I even joined the Pet pals club to save on food and toys and other necessities for my pets. I am glad that one can go to this mall in like 5 minutes from New Rochelle. Before this, we really didn't have any place to shop but dollar stores so we had to drive or hop on a bus or train to White Plains. This is so much more convenient, however; it was a pain leaving with the traffic as there is now urban sprawl! ugh! I still had a very nice time and day in general as my mom went back home after visiting for the holidays so I went down to my old stomping grounds where she lives, to return her!

I bought a nice pair of shoes for like $ 35, some socks,coffee from Hawaii,tea from London etc. I also went to a thrift store and bought some pet training books and some curtains for my new house. I would say that in this economy, these are the kind of places that are doing well..Yes, thrift stores and consignment shops and Walmart,Peter Harris and TJ Maxx, who sell designer clothes for less and Petco and Petsmart, where you can really save on pet supplies and even groom your pet while you are there. And yes.. they are pet friendly so by all means, bring Fido along!

Art as a form of prayer..

I attended a workshop on art as prayer Saturday at Oneness in Peace Center, www.Onenessinpeace.org in Germantown, NY and I enjoyed myself and did some art work while there. They have retreats at their house and offer meditation as a way to connect with God.

Above is one of my recent works. My take of Van Gogh's work. What you think..is there a likeness to it? Do you like it?

Reminds me of being Eco-friendly

Do you buy products like Second Generation to clean with and use their paper towels and such as are good for environment but cost a bit more? Do you recycle and use recycled goods? I plan to check out Petguard pet products as they are organic. I want to see if they are carried in Walmart,go figure. My dog has a skin problem and needs something better than the typical food that is out there with by product in it. By product contains junk that FDA approves as standards are not as high for animals as they are for people. Cat food contains beaks and feathers and ash instead of chicken meal for instance. This is gross but it weighs down a bag. Also the wet food is mostly water so better off with the dry and giving them tuna fish once in a while like I do. Check first three ingredients when looking at the bag of pet food as they have the highest percentage of product here. A good food has grains,vegetables and bone meal. It also is naturally preserved.

Kiss Your FAce is a product line of skin care goods that is organic and not tested on animals.

Dr. Woods has soaps that are organic like castile oil.

Pro Printers Hudson, NY ( a green company)

CSA- community supported agriculture,RT 9G Germantown,NY If you do some work for them like donate a couple of hours a month, you get fresh organic produce all season and get to participate in their dinners they hold all summer where the food is just great! You can also notice the distinct taste of the greens as that's just it, there is a taste unlike say iceberg lettuce. I recommend it as you get to see where your food comes from . Besides this they have a goat for milk,chicken for eggs and an apple grove.

Shot several state troopers near me

scarey as I have been to Delaware Cty and actually lived quite near it in the catskills..about 30 minutes away. They have a lock down going on in this peaceful village til they can confirm taht the body in the house is indeed the gunmen's. News hads been quite bad of late.