We're in the middle of moving right now and everything is pretty much packed up. I'm really looking forward to getting out of here! We keep finding more and more mold in the trailer. I moved Luca's receiving blankets and there was that gross black fluid running down the pipes. With everything being moved, the mold spores are so much worse. They sat around for months and now that we're packing, it's awful. Poor little Luca is the worse off out of the three of us. He woke up every hour last night unable to breathe through his nose. After enough crying though, he'd get the massive amount of boogers out. Him not being able to breathe made it impossible to breastfeed so we didn't really sleep much at all. It's unlikely that we'll have Internet for another week, so this is my farewell to you all!
Catch you on the flipside.
In other news, my blog has its own facebook page to make it easier to keep track of when I write a new post. Stop by and say "hi" or something :]
While I've been following the Evolution Diapers patent story for some time now, I've been slow to publish it here. (Sorry!) For the blog post where I talked about the story, see here! While the patent was announced by Evolution diapers on March 18th, Today it's official, and the patent for the one sized diapers buttonhole elastic design was published onto the patenting website! I'm wondering what Fuzzibunz is going to do from here, and what action Evolution Diapers is planning on taking. I guess we'll see what's happening in the next few weeks in regards to all of that.
It's really nice to see a work at home mom company come out on top of a corporate giant. Fuzzibunz never did get back to me on the patenting issue, and never told me where they were made (China, by the way). Really says something about their customer support.
Disclaimer: I don't work for either company, and have never been paid to say anything by either company. all opinions are my own.
We went to the Prince George Travelling Film Festival last night, and saw "Oil in Eden." Watch the 15 minute film below!
It's a documentary about the pipeline the Enbridge Corporation wants to build form the Alberta tar sands across the rocky mountains, ending in Kitamat, where the oil will be then be put in tankers who will have to navigate through the many islands to get to their destination. This is crazy! Not only would a pipeline through the mountains be risky business, but to expect a tanker to be able to navigate these islands is just insanity. Here's a map of the pipeline, and you can see how small the channels that these tankers are supposed to navigate through.
First Nations communities all over British Columbia are opposed to the building of the pipeline, as coastal communities rely on the fishing and game for food. "It's not a matter of if but when a major oil spill would happen if they were to go ahead with this proposal. That will impact salmon, bears, and the incredible wildlife that goes on there. Not to mention First Nation Communities that rely on the ocean for survival" We can we step up to this corporate giant and say no, though! Respect the native land, and its wildlife, and say no to Enbridge Oil.
If you want to go that extra mile spread the word and contact Enbridge, letting them know that you want BC to remain beautiful! For a more permanant solution, perhaps think about cutting down on the plastics you use day to day, or take the bus to work once a week!
Now I'll be the first to admit, I'm no green thumb.
My fern is wilting away in the corner of the room, and my dieffenbachia no longer has any leaves. The sago palms leaves are bleached yellow. It's all very depressing. I do love plants, I love the way they look. I love the oxygen they fill the room with. I just have little success with maintaining a watering schedule, or keeping a proper temperature (pilot light goes out once a week) for my plants to thrive. Fungus gnats were a bit problem for awhile there and had a lot to do with over watering on my part.. heh.
I was recently given a little lemon sprout. He's flourishing, and while not all of my gardening endeavours are complete fails, I'm willing to say that it's a pretty 50/50 split... okay maybe more 60/40.
I've gotten better though! I've had more time for my plants (and self) as baby has become more independent, and we'll be moving to a place with a more stable temperature in just under a week (yay!). I think it's time to try again! I'll still be giving my green thumbed friend my Sago Palm. Mostly because I found out the plant is extremely toxic to humans and pets. My fern is starting to brighten up since I began misting it every day. Now that spring is here, I'm going to give a go at this gardening thing again.
I'm going to buy a frew airplants in the next few days. writing this post has kind of reminded me about them! They require no soil, and are probably the most low maintenance plant I've come across. All they require is some soaking once a week, and indirect sunlight. For care instructions and info, click here! I've been browsing etsy for the past few hours, and it's no big surprise that people have come up with all sorts of artsy ways of arranging air plants. All air plants here are available for purchase. Just click the pictures!I'm not affiliated with any of these shops.
If you're really interested in these, they sell them super cheap here!
Iwent to theInternational Day for the Elimination of Racism March that the Third Avenue Collective and Daniel Gallant put on yesterday. One of of the guest speakers, Lucky Power, spoke with emotion of his days with the UN in Sierra Leon and Yugoslavia. Race wars ending with everyone killed, children and all. The Citizen newspaper ran an article on him and the event. Violet Bozoki spoke of racial profiling. "My blood flows red just like yours, not brown or black." Another speaker talked about his encounters with homophobes, and racism within the RCMP was touched on as well.
So here are a few pictures taken with my crap old camera phone!
Some of the crowd
Jay, owner of the Third Avenue Collective
Lucky Powar.
And the get-together at the Third Ave Collective afterward!
We are moving into an apartment the beginning of next month, and we're not going to have a washing machine, so I figured, well I better learn how to make them so I never run out! I've also been frustrated with the lack of natural fibers used in cloth diapers. The fuzzibunz I currently own are basically plastic wrapped in plastic shipped from the overseas sweatshops of China, yet claim to be Eco-friendly.While they may be more earth friendly then disposables, why should we need to choose a lesser evil?
To the point, this is when a friend sent me a link to Rita's Rump Diapers. Rita offers a free print-out template and clear instructions on cloth diaper making! It's really simple and I've made about 3 diapers out of old receiving blankets. You could also use old cotton or flannel sheets. All together I've spent a dollar on the elastic to make three diapers. So cheap! I'm really not an advanced sewer, either, and my sewing machine isn't an expensive one. Also, I had never sewed an elastic before this, and it came out great! In thirty minutes, I had finished my first cloth diaper. I'll be customising them to fit Luca, and I think that's probably the best part. They're made for your baby, by you. They fit newborn to toddler.
I made this with a receiving blanket!
While you do need a sewing machine, and a printer to print the pattern off, but you could probably buy yourself new ones with the money you'll be saving using her patterns. Especially if you used disposable diapers before making your own. (like me..)
If you're more of a visual learner, here's a video to go along with the pattern. It helped me a ton as she's very concise in her instructions.
"I think psychedelics play a major part in what we do, but having said that, I feel that if somebody’s going to experiment with those things they really need to educate themselves about them. People just taking the chemicals and diving in without having any kind of preparation about what they’re about to experience tend to have no frame of reference, so they’re missing everything flying by and all these new perspectives. It’s just a waste. They reach a little bit of spiritual enlightenment, but they end up going, ‘Well, now I need that drug to get back there again.’ The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without the drug." -Maynard James Keenan, on psychoactive drug use within his band, TOOL
If you'd like to keep yourself sheltered and contained, do yourself and me a favor and stop reading.
It's almost been two years since I left with Dennis for Southern BC. Back then, I believed that I would spend the rest of my life travelling, learning from the people we met along the way. I made it my goal to take a lesson from each person who gave us a ride, or each hitchhiker we would run into. I fell in love with the compromising positions I found myself in, and the fight for survival. Even if that meant dumpster diving, or busking without a guitar. Hiking down the train tracks, and sleeping on white sand beaches of Nelson. The privileged had spent millions building mansions overlooking the lake and Selkirk mountains where we were staying for free.
My first acid trip was on those beaches. We had left our backpacks out on the beach, and decided to set out for this big, flat, rock which overlooked the lake. We took our acid as nightfall was approaching, and it was just starting to kick in, when we saw flashlights from the beach. We had heard about the police raids, and how they would burn down tents, and backpacks if they were found unattended, so now we needed to get back to the beach. When we got up and walked towards the woods, we looked at one another in awe, because there was no forest anymore. It was just... blackness. I think we were both pretty unsure about whether we could actually pass through this portal, so we stood there for at least five minutes, kind of assessing the situation, waiting for some kind of clarity. Then Squid grabbed my hand and pulled me through. I felt like we were travelling at light speed, and there was nothing but darkness and shadows, which were shifting around me. Not really menacing at all, but beautiful. I wasn't even aware of my feet as we ran, not tripping over any stumps or roots, just kind of guided by Squid. Then there was light. We raced down the train tracks and I felt like I was seeing all this in third person perspective, and I couldn't stop giggling at the entire situation.When we arrived at the beach, there were no police, but instead, a bunch of Quebecers! Ah, I love the french! We said hello, told them the situation (drooogs), and they set up camp about 100 feet away. The rest of the night was unbelievable. We ended up staring at the sky, where there were patterns fleeting across the sky, moving in every which way. I'm pretty sure I had tapped into the mycelium network. Here's a diary excerpt from the day after.
'I did acid with Dennis last night, and we watched the world turn, churn and destroy itself like a mass. I don't know if I'm human anymore, and not alot makes sence right now. Whatta great first acid trip. Like, We're in Nelson now, waiting for Shambhala, and sleeping down on a white sand beach by these railroad tracks. I'll have to upload pictures. Wowie, acidacidacidchild. I feel so renewed, last night helped me understand why I'm really on this journey, what really brought me here and made me realize what I'm going to do with the time I have. Fuck, I've been so concentrated on Dennis, and other people, and worrying about what everyone else is doing that I'm depleting myself, holding myselkf back. I kinda realize I just need to do everything in this for myself, and let us both grow, seperetely, Man, I feel so good. Just like, looking at the cosmos and taking it all apart, drawing it all in, waiting for the world to end and the firey rain. Damanndamnnnn damnnnn,'
01:46pm | Aug 04, '09
It wasn't like we were messed up all the time though. Shambhala was two days after this, and that was it for drugs on our trip. So I'm kind of wondering whether the proper thing to do right now would be to save this as a draft, delete the whole thing or post it. Ultimately, I know I'm going to post it because I couldn't and wouldn't deny my past. Acid was a large part of my spiritual journey, and I respect it as such. Before I get an influx of questions, I should say that I have done *no* drugs since before I was pregnant. I chose to breastfeed, and I'm not about to do drugs while breastfeeding/taking care of my son. Acid is not addictive. I've done it three times in total, and each time, I've delved into the essense of my being. Would I ever take it back? No. Yeesh, it feels so funny to be openly talking about drugs and how I don't regret doing them, when moms tear each other down for things like not breastfeeding, and disposable diapering. I guess it just comes down to personal choice, and not letting others choose the way you think. Oh, we're all so splendidly different!
Ah, it's 3am already! I spent the last two hours going through Luca's clothes, sorting out which were too small, destined for the donation bin. Nothing really could have prepared me for his little socks though. Oh my. I can't believe his feet were that small... ever. I cried putting them in the bag, heh. Everytime I do this, I always keep a pair and put them in my keepsake box.
Notable part of my day, I gave my mom the ring my ex gave me. Feels nice to have it mean something positive to someone. I have accumulated so much junk, everytime I go through things, I end up finding something I'd prefer to never have seen again. This usually ends in a bonfire.
The winner of the giveaway will be sent a 12.5 x 16 centimeters, sew-on patch featuring Alice and the Caterpillar from the original Tenniel Illustrations of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It's been screen printed by hand with brown textile ink onto pre-shrunk natural canvas fabric. The canvas fabric is rather thick and durable. I've purchased this patch myself, so this isn't a sponsored giveaway.
Although this isn't in any way sponsored, I bought the patch here. Give credit where credit is due :)
To Enter the Giveaway
Leave a comment with your name and email address.
Get the word out! You will be awarded one extra entry per person if you blog about my giveaway/blog, follow my blog or posting a link to the contest on facebook. Only one extra entry per person. This is not necessary unless you want your name in twice!
Rules of Participation
My lackey (Dennis) will assign each contestant a random number, which will then be cut up, and placed into a top hat. I'll be drawing the number out of the hat, and notifying the winner the next day.
If you've chosen to help spread the word for an extra chance, let me know and either print screen the webpage or link to it.
If the winner doesn't get back to me within ten days, there will be a second draw.
You can participate no matter where you live or who you are. I don't need to know you personally, either.
Contest will close March 15th at 7pm.
Shipping is covered, it's free
DFTBA
You can post even if you don't have a membership with blogger. Just hit "post anonymously"
Thank you to all who entered! The prize is being sent to the winner! Thanks all, for making this so fun!
First, I must recommend that you listen to this eerie song. It's kind of magnificent, and hauntingly beautiful at the same time. I believe it's about the singers struggles with anorexia, and while I've never had to fight with the disease, I still appreciate the song.
I realized I haven't made a snowman this winter.
The patches I ordered came in today! First we have Mr. Octopie. He's got a designated spot on the back part of my jacket. Displaying my love for all things cephalopod. Second is the well known image in which Mrs.Alice meets the hookah smoking caterpillar
Paid for someones groceries. Consequently, didn't have enough money for my own.
My landlord came up and offered to plow my walkway for me so it would be easier for us to get our stuff out. Peace offering?
One of my friends turned 17 the other day! Here's a picture of the squid pendant I've crafted for her. He's made from polymer clay. Hoping she enjoys it as much as I do!
It's amazing what a difference two hours to myself can make in effecting the rest of my day. I'm a bit spoiled as far as mommies go. Luca sleeps around 11 hours, and has since he was born. I'm usually on the same schedule, but for some reason woke up about two hours early. I did laundry with both hands! And folded it fresh out of the dryer! I made myself a pot of coffee, showered, and even got some alone time with Denny. -ahem-
Afterwards, however, I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed, kind of willing Luca to wake up. Usually I'm just coasting through the day until he takes a nap so I can do something for myself but I just couldn't wait for him to make his squeaky little baby noises, open his baby blues and give me that little "good morning mama" smile. Once in awhile Luca's grandma will come over and Dennis and I will go to town for lunch or something. A few hours after leaving, I usually end up missing Luca to the degree I can't enjoy myself anymore, and every half hour I stop walking because I get a strong feeling that I've left something important somewhere. I think that's where I find the biggest value in going out and being away from him. Coming home and realizing just what a gift he is. It's a lot like Dennis and work. I don't enjoy him leaving for work, but I love him coming home.
We're planning on going out as a family on Wednesday though! I find it really tough to get around with Luca because of the snow, and the lack of plowing in Prince George. Sidewalks mysteriously vanish into snowbanks, giving you one of two choices. Cross the busy highway, or backtrack to the nearest crosswalk (sometimes costing you ten minutes). The buses come once an hour, and most shop owners aren't fond of people seeking warmth while waiting for the bus. Even with a baby. But with Dennis around, I can cuddle Luca into me while he pushes the buggy. Ah, I can't wait.
Furthermore, I can't wait till spring! It's always a bit different then I envision it, but I always imagine Luca and I picnicking under the shade of a big old oak. When I was pregnant, I always dreamed of the day I'd sit out on the grass with Luca, toiling the day away. About a week after he was born, I folded a big sheet up, prepared some sandwiches, grabbed a book and set it all up on my front yard. Right on top of an ant hill. The biting kind. I really do want Luca to be in touch with nature though. I want to spend as much time as I can outside with him. The place we're hoping to move into has a balcony that I'd like to start a garden on. It's a one bedroom, and I love it... except for the stairs. There is no elevator, so I'm not sure how I'm going to get the stroller down those stairs. probably have to rig up the sling and make a few trips. More exercise, though!
Speaking of which...
Luca's grandpa is getting us a jogging stroller! Since I've been eating really healthfully, I've had the huge desire to exercise. I've been Hula Hooping every chance I get, but this is going to be amazing! Luca will just love it! The ones with the 16 inch wheels are kind of the ones we're looking at, as we can go a bit offroad with them. Oh Spring, won't you hurry up?
As my last two posts were written in haste, I didn't have the time to sit down and explain just what black mold is. Mold itself is actually a necessary and beneficial part of our ecological balance. Without it, decomposition of organic materials would be slow going, and we'd have a lot more waste to deal with. The only real issue there is with mold, as with most things in nature, is when it decided to take up residence in our homes. Toxic black mold thrives in moist environments, and if the cause of the moisture isn't dealt with quickly and effectively, mold spores take up residence and spread quickly to other areas of the house. These airborne spores have negative and sometimes very serious effects on human health.
Not my house... but it's almost pretty.
The University of Minnesota has this to say about mold and its effects on human health;
"Molds have the potential to cause harmful side effects to humans. Before they can cause such side effects, they must first enter the human body and then be distributed to the appropriate site within the body. Once the molds reach their intended site, they go through a basic metabolic process. It should be noted that the metabolic processes that each mold experiences is typically the same. Molds colonize on an organic food source, consuming it. Within the human body, the byproduct of such process is typically a poison to humans, called mycotoxin.
Mycotoxins are the reason for the adverse health effects in humans. These health effects include inflammations, allergies, and/or infections. Mold spores enter the body through inhalation and ingestion. They can also be absorbed into the body through the skin. Once they enter the body, they can become harmful depending on the sensitivity of the individual, toxicity of the mold, and susceptibility of the exposed individual. It has been found that mold spores that are inhaled have greater toxicity to humans than those absorbed by the skin or ingested. Molds can also be an antigen to the body."
As is the case with most mothers, my main concern is my son., and it's generally accepted among the medical community that babies and infants living in houses with mold are at risk of acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage. When my docter told me about this, I was shocked to hear that this condition characterized by bleeding of the lungs and in many cases, is fatal. Additionally, babies growing up in damp homes where mold and mildew are present develop more respiratory illnesses such as croup, pneumonia, and bronchitis. This finding appears in the July issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
I should mention, do-it-yourself black mold removal is never recommended if the mold problem has spread to more then 10 feet, as the spores are microscopic and can spread to clothes and other sources of moisture when you take the walls apart. Often, you end up doing more harm then good by aiding the mold spores in spreading. Only a professional contractor will know how to eliminate the moisture source that is causing the mold growth and also easily figure out if there is more than just what meets the eye in terms of mold damage. Also, although it will temporarily fix the situation, Chlorine bleach is not really an effective long term solution because it lacks penetration and its effects do not last.
If you end up in a rented dwelling with a mold problem, bring it up to the landlord. Have him or her sign an agreement and set a date or timeline for the mold and underlying cause of the mold (a leak or other source of moisture) to be dealt with. Have them sign it, and get a copy. Be sure they follow the timeline, and don't let them put it off. Mold should be dealt with immediately. If the mold issue seems to be too large (more then 10 feet) for them to do it themselves, protect their safety as well as the safety of your belongings and tell them that you want a professional to come in and deal with the problem. If you're unsure of anything, or if they reject this idea, contact the tenants board. they will answer all of your questions and see to it that a professional is hired to clean up the issue out of your landlords wallet. Most importantly, be informed about your rights so you're not taken advantage of. Don't be afraid to ask for things in writing, and ask questions. There are some really great landlords, but there are landlords who don't care for the health of their tenants. The latter bunch are just in it for a quick buck and will try to cut costs at the expense of your health. Don't let them intimidate you. You have the upper hand and the responsibility to not let them exploit you or your family.
My landlord reads my blog! I have no idea how she knows about it, but as the story goes, she drove over to my place. Which, by the way, would have been a five minute walk. She demands to see the mold, and when we show it to her, she gets livid, and says that it's our fault for not maintaining the roof. No, more like she's gone and painted over a disgusting fallacy. She came in, screaming (in front of Luca, though I told her many times to calm down) about how it's not mold, when obviously roof leaks + old trailer is the recipe for black mold. She demanded I take down my blog, because for some reason she thinks it's illegal to express my constitutional right to speak freely. More info on your constitutional rights here!
She wouldn't leave the trailer when I asked her to, telling me that it's her trailer and she doesn't have to leave. So, because I felt like she was acting aggresively, I dialed the police. When I told her that I was calling the cops, she told me that she'd leave. When I hung up, she started yelling at me again. So I called the police a second time and didn't hang up. The best part of all of this? I got it on video. Well, the audio part, at least. So I have proof of all I've said and I'm thinking that after speaking to the poepoe about this further, and seeing how she's going to deal with all of this, I may upload it to YouTube with appropriate tags.
Slander is illegal but only if you are defaming someone else falsely. For instance, if you were to say that Joanne is a cheater and you tell everyone in town that she always cheats and lies, this is slander. If you say that Joanne cheated in a game of bingo and this is true, it is not slander because you aren't saying anything that is false even though it is not a positive comment. So Joanne wouldn't be able to threaten you with legal action if something you said about her was true.
I'm planning on warning people about Burl's Trailer Court via other free-speech mediums, ie. Craigslist and Kijiji. Because I don't ever want anyone to go through this.
Well it looks like we're moving again. I'm disappointed about the entire thing, being that this trailer is so perfect for us other then a few small things and one BIG thing. It's a three bedroom trailer, and although the rooms are pretty small, I have my own room, next to Luca's room and Dennis has his own game room. The biggest perk? The trailer is right next door to Dennies moms house, which has been such a huge help because she's great with Luca and helps us get into town. No carpet, all laminate.. The area is great, just enough out of town to be assured we're not living in and breathing in the pulp mill smog, and close enough that we're still on the bus route. Oh! and did I mention the yard and shed that I could easily turn into a greenhouse? No? Well all of this and the fact that it only cost us six hundred dollars (and those damn utilities) to live here each month.
So why would we move? One day we noticed our walls leaking brown fluid from under the windows. We were kind of weary, and when we cleaned the brown fluid away, the paint had been eaten away. After a quick check on google, it began to look like we had a black mold problem. But only under one window. So we boycotted that room. Quarantined it. Ignored the headaches and congestion... until ooze began coming out of all the windows, and black spots began eating through the fresh paint. Fresh paint 'someone' knowingly painted over the mold. For anyone reading this blog, paint does NOT fix mold. It's just an easy way to trick a family into renting your shitty trailer. Now, I'm trying really hard to convince myself that she may have not known about the mold. Maybe she didn't know the severity of the mold situation, but when I asked if she'd be able to come and have a look, her reluctance told me that she was pretty aware of it being there. When I went to the docter about all of the headaches, congestion, fatigue and general shittyness, she checked me over and asked if I had come in contact with black mold. When I told her my landlord was waiting till spring to deal with the issues she told me to move out as soon as possible because there are no reasons for waiting to clean the mold up. Then she told me of the risks involved with not just me but Luca as well. I moved to the hart area to escape air pollution. Yuck.
There are also some other pretty minor things... like the pilot light going out while we're sleeping, and having about 6 of my fish and shrimp die as a result. Now, I really love my fish. I'm a big ol' softie, and I don't like to see them die. Especially when it's from something like freezing to death. The hot water tank, for a three bedroom trailer, is pitiful. Honestly. If I do dishes, I can't shower. I can't fill a tub up more then two inches before it runs out of hot water, so in order to bathe Luca, I need to fill the sink (which he's WAY too big for) and sponge bathe him. It's not easy when he's both a slippery and squirmy 7 month old. We're on a three year lease. Hopefully she lets us go without any kerfuffle. Even though I feel like I should be causing some sort of kerfuffle because I really hope she doesn't get some other family in here. Black mold isn't okay, and landlords have an obligation to deal with problems as severe and detrimental to health it as soon as they show up. So off I go, to put my one months notice in.
(Expect a follow up blog fairly soon)
((The word "kerfuffle" is in spell check. Not even kidding))
