Some Friends rock...Others show their true colors

I was involved in a 4 car accident last night in front of my son's school. I'm fine, very achy, bad back pain and I have my right leg in an immobilizer and I am on crutches. My passenger is fine too, except for neck and back pain and overall achy feeling. My kids were not with me, thank God! We were on our way out to dinner.

I was stopped at a red light and an 18 year old guy plowed into the rear of my SUV, pushed me into the car into front of me, then pushed that car into the car in front of it. My car was the only one where the occupants were taken via ambulance. We got the worst of the impact. I figure the kid had to be going at least 35 or 40 mph. The 18 year old's car was the only car that had the air bag deploy. I think he may have been on his cell phone because when I got out to access the damage and get his information he asked to borrow my cell phone so he could call his to find it in his car.

Kudos to Honda for a very well built SUV. I have front and rear damage, but my SUV did not fold up like an accordion. My front and rear bumpers shattered. My driver's tail light was hanging by the wires, my grille was smashed to bits and my radiator was punctured, so my SUV is not drivable. The driver's seat also snapped backwards.

Kudos to the local fire department paramedics who were very calming and took great care of us until we got to the hospital. Special thanks to the dude who noticed my knees start to wobble and helped me back to my SUV until they got a backboard, neck brace, and stretcher for me. Up until that point I was insistent I was fine. Lol!

Special thanks to a friend who texted me throughout my several hours in the emergency room and offered to come get me even though she lives quite far and it would have interrupted her plans. You ROCK!

And as for a certain ex-partner who my regular bloggers have become familiar with...you SUCK! I called her from the ambulance (I know very few people where I live and I was really struggling to figure out who to call. Since she has always insisted we be friends, I figured I would call this "supposed" friend, my ex-partner.) I told her what happened and the paramedic promptly told me to get off the phone. It's almost 1pm Saturday as I type this and she has not called or texted to find out how we are.

Although I am achy and don't feel all that great, I feel very lucky that it wasn't much worse. My major complaint though is feeling trapped at home alone. I can't go anywhere because my car is in a lot somewhere and isn't drivable. Not that I feel like going anywhere...it's just the idea that I can't go anywhere.

The cats don't know what to think and they have been afraid to come near me until just now. Maddux was the brave one who just came up to me. Irish just peaks around the corner and stares and then takes off. It's kind of funny.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

What About An Emergency Equals A 30 Day Wait?

Ok, so yesterday I posted about how I was notified that I lost my disability benefits and have no income. So today I went to the local public aid office, completed application in hand, proof of my no income and bank statement copies. Everything I could possibly need to facilitate an emergency application for food stamps and cash. I was made to wait for 2 hours for my "interview" for my emergency application. When my name was called I was told that it would take 30 days. Really? What about the word emergency equates to a 30 day wait? When I asked about my "interview", I was told that was it, buh bye. I was like...wait a minute, I'm applying for emergency assistance, I was told I would be "interviewed" today. The worker told me my case worker was not in and there was nothing she could do. I walked over to the security guard to ask what I could do because 30 days to wait on an emergency is seriously unreasonable. She said to take the next place in line at the counter and ask for a supervisor, which I did. I was told that I could ask for a supervisor, but I would be told the same thing...30 days, and I would have to wait an unknown amount of time to talk to a supervisor. My back was already screaming from sitting for 2 hours in those uncomfortable kiddy chairs they have. I told him never mind and left. Then I went to the township office to talk to them about it because I'd remembered reading somewhere that they provide emergency assistance when public aid can't. Of course the social services person was out of the office, so I left my name and number. They called me back a few minutes ago and told me they only help when you get a utility disconnect notice and recommended I contact my congressmen.

Merry f'n Christmas to me.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Perfect Timing...

I just got notified today that my disability benefits have been terminated. Merry F'n Christmas to me. That means I have no income. WTF? There are no jobs out there. I've been applying for jobs for months and nothing.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

It Happened At Daycare

Writer's prompt - It happened at daycare from Mama's Losin' It.

When my kids were younger they went to a variety of daycare centers. Both home run, church run, hospital run and a privately owned local daycare center.

The privately owned local daycare center was a well run establishment. Lots of friendly staff. We didn't really know any of the other parents, but got an invite from one of them for a birthday party for their child. The daycare center owner took us aside and told us not to go to the party. She provided no explanation why we shouldn't go. So my mind wandered...considering all the possibilities...

Could the parents be drug dealers or gang members?
Could the parents own guns in the household?
Are the couple weirdos or clingy people who once you go to an event you can't have any peace?
Could the place where they live be a dump?
Is the husband a screamer/abuser?

I don't know the answer, but my curiosity was getting the best of me. Still, we did not go. What would you have done? Would you have gone to find out for yourself if one of my possibilities was true, or even something I never considered?

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Today we picked Julie Andrews. Here’s Wednesday Wickedness!

1. “All love shifts and changes. I don’t know if you can be wholeheartedly in love all the time.”
Have ever felt that you’ve been in love with someone constantly over a long period of time? I guess it depends on how long you mean, but in general I'd say yes.

2. “I am an optimistic lady.”
How optimistic are you? I'd say I'm fairly optimistic. If I weren't, I don't know how I would have gotten through the tough times.

3. “I don’t think today’s younger audience… would even know what 1920s musicals were like.”
Do you have any knowledge of 1920 films or musicals? If yes, any favorites?
Charlie Chaplin movies. Don't care for them though.

4. “I hate the word wholesome.”
Play word association. I say “wholesome” and you say: Vanilla.

5. “I have always wished I could learn to be a potter. I love collecting ceramics; it would be so fulfilling to create something lovely.”
What have you always wished that you could be? Employed in a very well paying job with lots of vacation time, and a friendly, supportive boss.

6. “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”
Tell us about something that you had to persevere through. Hello! Read my blog!

7. “Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.”
How do you define your self discipline? Knowing when to stop. (Applies to just about anything.)

8. “Sometimes opportunities float right past your nose. Work hard, apply yourself, and be ready. When an opportunity comes you can grab it.”
Have you ever missed a golden opportunity? Hellz yeah! But I try not to dwell on those and try to move forward.

9. “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and… SNAP! The job’s a game!”
Have you ever had that perfect job that was always entertaining? I've never had the perfect job...but all of them have been entertaining in one way or another.

10. “Sometimes I’m so sweet even I can’t stand it.”
Has anyone ever considered you as sweet?
Actually yes...quite a few peeps.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

I'm Making Cookies...Hand Me A Hammer And WD-40...

Sunday we had a cooking baking/Bears game viewing get together at a friend's house. (Ok, can I first say dat da Bears are embearassing?)

We made Sugar Cookies, Pfeffernüsse, Hershey Secret Kiss Cookies, Spritz Cookies, Kolachke, Almond Crescents, and Peanut Butter Cookies. (Wayyyyy too many Peanut Butter Cookies.) It was 3 of us adults making the dough for each and one of the kids helped decorate the Sugar Cookies. (Thank you!) Of course all the kids were around when the cookies came out of the oven!

So where does the hammer and WD-40 come in? Doesn't every dyke require a hammer and WD-40 to make cookies? I brought my KitchenAid stand mixer (Awesome! Love it! It made some of the really stiff doughs a breeze to mix.) The hammer comes in when the bowl gets stuck in the KitchenAid base and no matter how hard each of us pulled to try to free it we just couldn't do it. So I asked the hostess for a hammer and began tapping on the side of the bowl, tapping on the underside of the base, and tapping the bowl handle. One of the other adults asked for WD-40 and we sprayed it around where the bowl attaches to the base. We tried a butter knife to try to pry into the space between the bowl and base. Couldn't budge it more than a couple centimeters after all of that! Finally, I had the hostess take firm hold of the base while I tried to push the bowl in the opposite direction. It moved a couple centimeters. We tried again, a couple more centimeters. And again, and finally the bowl was freed from the base! OMG! We laughed so hard! One of the kids took video of part of the struggle. It was hilarious! OMG! We could not stop laughing. Sorry I can't post the video here, the video is on a camera that cannot upload to a pc.

So...have you been baking cookies for the holidays? What have you baked?

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010