Hello again. I know it has been a long time since I wrote on my BLOG but I have a whole new understanding of "Same shit, different pile".
I have simply been praying and hoping for a miracle to happen but as it turns out. So far nothing. But then again one never knows when the universe is stepping in or not.
A real good example of this would be what happened to me last week. As I now only have $2 in my bank account, I have been forced to turn in my 'Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points' for food. I had collected enough points that I would be able to get an $85 credit in the store. So last Friday night my daughter and I went out to do just that. Before we headed out my daughter found some change in her suitcase and was excited that we should first stop and get a bag of potatoes. Great! We love to make mashed potatoes and spiced potato skins as a meal. Even when we had good money this was our favorite meal. So off we went.
We went to the Superstore first and grabbed the spuds but when we came out I got an unbelievable headache. It was the worst I had ever had in my life and instantly brought me to tears. As my daughter is so sweet she insisted that we just go home and turn in our Shoppers points tomorrow. Me, being stubborn kept insisting I just needed a minute to calm down as it was probably due to stress. Nope, my daughter insisted we go home as I was already in so much pain I could hardly drive. She reminded me that we already have potatoes and we are good for the night. So I listened to her and we went home.
As sweet as she is, my darling daughter stepped up and made mashed potatoes and spiced baked skins. Her specialty. By the time it was ready my headache was gone. We ate. I then suggested that it was not too late to go back but we decided simply to wait until Saturday. In the early afternoon I set out to Shoppers and to my extreme surprise they were having a special on that was only Saturday and Sunday, that if you turn in your Optimum Points you get a bonus. Wow, instead of $85 worth of product, we were now going to get $125. I did not find this out until I went to the till to pay. There were no posters up announcing this, only an ad in the flyer. So the cashier froze my order while I went back and grabbed more stuff. Now if we had gone on Friday night like we had planned we would have missed out on this deal. I always tend to miss these deals because I never get the flyer (and if I do, never read them) It all worked out. Thanks to my mysterious headache.
So you never know when good things are happening.
Needless to say I have been looking for work. But things have changed. I went and made my resume and printed up extra copies and put them all into nice folders only to discover that no one would take my resume.
I have been gone out of the country too long to know that every one wants you to sign up online and not in person. The days of meeting someone and smiling and shaking hands have ended. Now we are just words on someones screen. How cheesy.
Well clearly if you can not beat them you join them. My results.... I keep getting back responses that I am too old. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? I am only 42!!! I have never felt so out of wack in all my life. All my experience means nothing because of my age. That is just messed up! Whatever happened to the best person for the job? What ever happened to experience counting?
I did find one job that appealed to me and they called me for an interview. Unfortunately it is a non profit organization that can not afford to hire me unless a grant that they applied for goes through....in 4-6 months. I love the job. It is actually my dream job but I simply can not afford to wait. I need monies now.
So, what has become of my As**ole of a husband? Somehow he was able to go to the Supreme Court of BC and get a divorce granted. As of yesterday I am now officially divorced. I had no say in the process or a chance to make my side heard. Everywhere I turned I was told to get a lawyer and I can not afford one. I could not find a free one. I was awarded minimum payment for my children but no alimony. The court says he was to start paying me Nov. 1st 2010 and the first of every month after that but it is already December 9th 2010 and I have not seen a penny. I may now have to go through the process of having to file for the Province to step in and enforce payment. But as I only found all this out 4 days ago, I have been told the process will take 4-6 weeks before anyone can help me get money from him. So unless he grads some balls this will be a very quiet Christmas.
I was even told beggars can't be choosers. Hey Hey excuse me!!! He has not paid me a cent in 13 years. I am past begging. Why should he get away with this kind of behavior ??? This is okay with the courts?? I sure do not feel like Canada has my back!!
Whatever happened to the old ways of divorce meaning splitting everything 50/50??? Whatever happened to the house we bought together? Whatever happened to our classic car be bought together? What ever happened to the contents of our home we shared before we went to Europe? Simply "What Happened"???
He abandoned me with 3 small children and no money and an eviction to the apartment we were living in. He mentally and physically abused me for years! Why oh why does he get away with all this.
Do you know what I am going to do? Nothing! The way I figure it is this. Our Canadian Government may not have my back but I have faith in a higher power way above and beyond the stupidity that is here on earth. I feel that there is no greater punishment then the loss of ones children. I have incredible kids. My exhusband will never ever know this, he will always miss out on their awesomeness ! I have everything and he has nothing. He could try to replace them by having more kids but there will be no comparison ha ha ha.
There is not enough money on the earth to equal the wonderfulness of my kids and the Love they have for me and I them. He will never know this. One could almost pity the fool. Ha. I said almost.
So where are we and what are we doing? I am staying at a friends cousins guest house. I clean house and do odd gardening chores to help keep us welcome. It has been a very humbling experience.
My kids are still doing home school and I am endlessly looking for work. Like I said...same shit different pile. My kids, especially my daughter, have great hope, faith and belief that something really good will happen very soon. I am told to "Believe in the me that believes in you" this keeps me going.
I joined face book to "Get a life". It has helped me finds a lot of people from my past. It just saddens me that I have no good news to share with them. I have to lie all the time when asked if we are all okay. No one wants to hear how hard life is. No one. I put myself out there a few times with my story but never to hear from these friends again. Thee is one or two that say they care and keep me close but they are no in any kind of position to help me. Their friendship means the world to me.
I have even found some of my Swiss friends. The part that hurts is they do not believe for one minute that we are broke and homeless. That hurts. They do not believe that someone as awesome as Annette Ringier would ever put my family into such a position. That hurts even more.
I guess it is true that you learn who your friends are when you are down. It hurts because if we were in a position to help a friend in need we would. Really. But I am constantly reminded that everything happens for a reason and that it will all work out. So be it.
Everyday I have to wake up and give myself a pep talk to keep my chin up and my hopes high. It is hard, it would be so easy to just give up and curl into a little ball and say F**k it! Clearly I am made of better stuff then that. I chose to keep the faith and hope that "Yes", something GREAT & WONDERFUL is about to happen. The nice thing is, I will know who my real friends are. Clearly. What an awkward blessing.
Christmas is coming soon. We do not care. We have no tree or decorations and certainly there will be no gift exchange this year. But we are simply so happy that we have each other. Really.
My youngest son is about to turn 14 in two weeks. There will be no party, for this I feel bad. My oldest will have a birthday 2 weeks later and the same thing. So please say a prayer and send us some good wishes. We can use all the positive vibes that we can get.
Last night I got an email from my 'Dream Job' at Super Chefs of the Universe http://www.superchefs.tv and it turns out they have more faith in me then I do of myself at the moment. When they can afford me , they still want me. I am very happy for this. In the mean time, they are going to get the word out and help me look for work. How wonderful. Good people like this are few and far between.
I am back in the life of my sister. After losing my Mom, this relationship means the world to me. My kids are also happy to have family. She is not in a position to help but just having her to talk to helps big time. being able to go to her home and have a coffee and laugh feels so good. Having her wish the best for me and the kids is everything to me. I missed her. Living so far away was always hard. I hope we never stray again.
Things are slowly looking up.
Thank you for taking the time to read my Blog. I will write again soon.
Randie
Randie
"Hello World"
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
The end of October
I am feeling bad today. I have spent weeks making a Haunted House all out of paper mache and so far only about 20 groups have come to see it. Tonight is the last night and I hope that more people come. I had to do this on no budget as all our things are in the lockup in Prince George. I thought this was a good idea as my daughter begged me to do it. Now I am feeling a fool.
I have a job interview on Tuesday, I am hopeful but at the same time I have no faith in my talents at the moment. I am feeling more lost then ever.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/community/105306873.html
I have a job interview on Tuesday, I am hopeful but at the same time I have no faith in my talents at the moment. I am feeling more lost then ever.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/community/105306873.html
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Time to Share
Up until now, I have been simply writing this Blog to get things out of my head. I must say it has been helping. Even if no one is reading it.
I now realize, with the help of my children, that I have to put myself out there and share.
This got pointed out to me when I came home from a nice lunch with an old school friend. My kids seen right away that something was up. So I explained that it was very difficult to have a complete conversation with anyone because questions from our past always come up. Things that I can not explain without the feeling of loss and sadness. I do not want to cry over lunch and spoil what could be a nice date.
So my son Brock gave me a quote from 'Wayne's World':
Garth Algar: Uhm, Wayne? What do you do if every time you see this one incredible woman, you think you're gonna hurl? Wayne Campbell: I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. But if you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be.
So here I go. I will share my story with the friends I have on Face Book. If you stick around then we can build a nice friendship. If you never write me again then it was never meant to be.
And most importantly, the next time I get invited out on a lunch date, I do not have to worry about talking about all my history because you already know it, we can just laugh and have a good time.
(although I do not get asked out very often. I even had to hire a date for our prom because no one asked me.
Yup the cats out of the bag now.... I'm a spewing....)
The truth is my wounds are very fresh. My kids and I have had a very terrible experience and we are looking to move forward in a positive direction. But we may need a little help and we may have to learn to trust all over again.
My Daughter made a You Tube video using the few photos we do have, there are actually hundreds more, showing all we have done and lost. It is 10 minutes long so you may want to pour a cup of coffee/tea.
If you are reading this Blog, it is best to go to the very first one from back in August to give you a better idea of what has happened lately.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to learn about our situation.
Bless you
Randie and the Gang
I now realize, with the help of my children, that I have to put myself out there and share.
This got pointed out to me when I came home from a nice lunch with an old school friend. My kids seen right away that something was up. So I explained that it was very difficult to have a complete conversation with anyone because questions from our past always come up. Things that I can not explain without the feeling of loss and sadness. I do not want to cry over lunch and spoil what could be a nice date.
So my son Brock gave me a quote from 'Wayne's World':
Garth Algar: Uhm, Wayne? What do you do if every time you see this one incredible woman, you think you're gonna hurl? Wayne Campbell: I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. But if you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be.
So here I go. I will share my story with the friends I have on Face Book. If you stick around then we can build a nice friendship. If you never write me again then it was never meant to be.
And most importantly, the next time I get invited out on a lunch date, I do not have to worry about talking about all my history because you already know it, we can just laugh and have a good time.
(although I do not get asked out very often. I even had to hire a date for our prom because no one asked me.
Yup the cats out of the bag now.... I'm a spewing....)
The truth is my wounds are very fresh. My kids and I have had a very terrible experience and we are looking to move forward in a positive direction. But we may need a little help and we may have to learn to trust all over again.
My Daughter made a You Tube video using the few photos we do have, there are actually hundreds more, showing all we have done and lost. It is 10 minutes long so you may want to pour a cup of coffee/tea.
If you are reading this Blog, it is best to go to the very first one from back in August to give you a better idea of what has happened lately.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to learn about our situation.
Bless you
Randie and the Gang
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday already
My OH my, time does fly when one is busy looking for work.
I really want this Halloween Event to be a great success!
I feel good today, forgiveness is a wonderful feeling. Hate takes up so much energy.
What needs more energy is the position our Canadian politicians have put us into. Really.
I have so many questions. Like; I do not understand why we have to pay tax at a second hand store?
Correct me if I am wrong but did we not already pay tax on these items? It almost makes you want to go out and buy new just to beat the double tax system down! or is that what they want us to do??? but new and support big business?
I have other questions but I better spread them out. Just joking, I have some paper mache to make. I am in the middle of making a ticket booth and a monster chair. I finished a jumbo pumpkin but now I have to paint it.
The kids spent the last of their pocket money (They were allowed to keep the money from the personal things they sold in the garage sale) and they bought the Sony Play Station Move system. WE LOVE IT.
PLAYSTATION ROCKS. We are the biggest fans ever.
Why bother with any other system? PS3 has everything you need for entertainment! EVERYTHING! I really love the Sing Star and Buzz too! This MOVE is just awesome. Everyone should have one. It makes great fitness on a rainy day.
Well gotta amche. Thanks for reading.
Have a nice Wednesday.
Randie
I really want this Halloween Event to be a great success!
I feel good today, forgiveness is a wonderful feeling. Hate takes up so much energy.
What needs more energy is the position our Canadian politicians have put us into. Really.
I have so many questions. Like; I do not understand why we have to pay tax at a second hand store?
Correct me if I am wrong but did we not already pay tax on these items? It almost makes you want to go out and buy new just to beat the double tax system down! or is that what they want us to do??? but new and support big business?
I have other questions but I better spread them out. Just joking, I have some paper mache to make. I am in the middle of making a ticket booth and a monster chair. I finished a jumbo pumpkin but now I have to paint it.
The kids spent the last of their pocket money (They were allowed to keep the money from the personal things they sold in the garage sale) and they bought the Sony Play Station Move system. WE LOVE IT.
PLAYSTATION ROCKS. We are the biggest fans ever.
Why bother with any other system? PS3 has everything you need for entertainment! EVERYTHING! I really love the Sing Star and Buzz too! This MOVE is just awesome. Everyone should have one. It makes great fitness on a rainy day.
Well gotta amche. Thanks for reading.
Have a nice Wednesday.
Randie
Sunday, September 19, 2010
New Chapter
It is Sunday Night, I have spent the day making props for the
Halloween Haunted House.
Yes, I am still making it because I still wish to keep my word
and there is a need to make more awareness to the homeless
issue here in Canada. After all, it could happen to anyone.
I know this event will be very successful. I am happy to do it.
Tonight, I will sleep like a baby.
Have a nice night.
Thank you for reading my Blog
Have a wonderful Monday
Best Wishes Always
Randie
Halloween Haunted House.
Yes, I am still making it because I still wish to keep my word
and there is a need to make more awareness to the homeless
issue here in Canada. After all, it could happen to anyone.
I know this event will be very successful. I am happy to do it.
Tonight, I will sleep like a baby.
Have a nice night.
Thank you for reading my Blog
Have a wonderful Monday
Best Wishes Always
Randie
Sunday Night, once again.
It has taken me a few days to write because going to the lawyers sent me for a loop.
So, who cares that I do not remember my husbands birthday? or where he was born? or the date we got married? Clearly I put a lot of useless information out of my head. Who knew I would have to remember these things again.
I tried to explain my situation and it threw the lawyer for a loop. He could not understand why Annette Ringier would bother to pay me for three years."'Who does that and why"? I tried to explain...
and Yes a lot has happened
and it is very confusing
and parts of it is actually unbelievable.
But I am not making it up!
My Karma is too important to me.
Besides my daughter says "Hey, if we were going to make it up, we would add a dragon or two"! she is funny.
I did not want to talk about Annette with the lawyer but he insisted on knowing my income for the past three years and where it came from.
And then trying to explain how we ended up homeless because of it all was even harder.
He also wanted to know why I have not gone after my husband sooner?
Well, i was on the other side of the world and we were doing okay. I was just so happy that he was on the other side of the planet why bother???!!! Besides the few lawyers I spoke with said it was impossible to deal with such a situation because of the distance and costs involved and the language. So I had to decide. I chose to move on without him.
AND HEY, WHY DOES A MOTHER HAVE TO ASK FOR MONEY FROM HER HUSBAND FOR THE KIDS??? WHY WOULDN'T A FATHER JUST GIVE THE MONEY BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!!
I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!!
As it turns out, my husband is asking for a divorce just now because he has decided to get married again. What kind of woman would want to marry such an irresponsible man? I hope she gets an iron clad pre-nup
agreement to protect any children she has. It is clear this man can not keep a promise.
All in all I really wish them luck. Really.
I am just so dang happy to be free.
So it is very very clear that in order to keep going there is so much I have to put out of my head. So much! Then when I have to talk about it with anyone, like my friends cousin after the visit to the lawyer, it just drains my energy dry. It starts up all the nightmares and makes me sick to my stomach. I just can not do it any more. I have had it. I have really really had it.
So where does that leave me?
Besides fed up?
I have to keep my energy so I can keep doing the best I can for and with my children.
I need to forgive my husband...
I need to forgive Annette...
I need to forgive my Mother...
FORGIVE, FORGET, AND MORE FORWARD.
I believe that karma is not how people treat you but the result of how you treat people.
If these people have been brought into my life to test me, then test me no more.
I forgive them.
Will they be a part of my life again. No, but I am okay with that.
(hurt me once shame on you...hurt me twice, shame on me)
I now move on.
It is time.
Ahhh, I feel better already.
So this will be my last BLOG on the subject. Sorry, but this is how this chapter ends.
So, who cares that I do not remember my husbands birthday? or where he was born? or the date we got married? Clearly I put a lot of useless information out of my head. Who knew I would have to remember these things again.
I tried to explain my situation and it threw the lawyer for a loop. He could not understand why Annette Ringier would bother to pay me for three years."'Who does that and why"? I tried to explain...
and Yes a lot has happened
and it is very confusing
and parts of it is actually unbelievable.
But I am not making it up!
My Karma is too important to me.
Besides my daughter says "Hey, if we were going to make it up, we would add a dragon or two"! she is funny.
I did not want to talk about Annette with the lawyer but he insisted on knowing my income for the past three years and where it came from.
And then trying to explain how we ended up homeless because of it all was even harder.
He also wanted to know why I have not gone after my husband sooner?
Well, i was on the other side of the world and we were doing okay. I was just so happy that he was on the other side of the planet why bother???!!! Besides the few lawyers I spoke with said it was impossible to deal with such a situation because of the distance and costs involved and the language. So I had to decide. I chose to move on without him.
AND HEY, WHY DOES A MOTHER HAVE TO ASK FOR MONEY FROM HER HUSBAND FOR THE KIDS??? WHY WOULDN'T A FATHER JUST GIVE THE MONEY BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!!
I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!!
As it turns out, my husband is asking for a divorce just now because he has decided to get married again. What kind of woman would want to marry such an irresponsible man? I hope she gets an iron clad pre-nup
agreement to protect any children she has. It is clear this man can not keep a promise.
All in all I really wish them luck. Really.
I am just so dang happy to be free.
So it is very very clear that in order to keep going there is so much I have to put out of my head. So much! Then when I have to talk about it with anyone, like my friends cousin after the visit to the lawyer, it just drains my energy dry. It starts up all the nightmares and makes me sick to my stomach. I just can not do it any more. I have had it. I have really really had it.
So where does that leave me?
Besides fed up?
I have to keep my energy so I can keep doing the best I can for and with my children.
I need to forgive my husband...
I need to forgive Annette...
I need to forgive my Mother...
FORGIVE, FORGET, AND MORE FORWARD.
I believe that karma is not how people treat you but the result of how you treat people.
If these people have been brought into my life to test me, then test me no more.
I forgive them.
Will they be a part of my life again. No, but I am okay with that.
(hurt me once shame on you...hurt me twice, shame on me)
I now move on.
It is time.
Ahhh, I feel better already.
So this will be my last BLOG on the subject. Sorry, but this is how this chapter ends.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Early Thursday Morning
Good morning. It is supposed to rain again today but I guess all in all we need it:)
So, it is already halfway through September and we have come a long way from being evicted
in the middle of summer. I do not think that I have even had a minute to catch my breath. Oh
but wait a minute, I have not had a minute to catch my breath in over 19 years, so why start
now!!! My time will come. Besides I have learned over the years to just take one day at a time
and live each moment without regret.
So do I have regrets? Not if I believe that everything happens for a reason. It is clear to me
that God has a plan for us, we just have to keep the faith. Without that then I would be pissed
right off at the world around us all the time!!
Maybe it is like on the show 'My Name is Earl' and Karma is using me? Maybe this situation is
not about us at all? but about how strong we are and the job that needs doing, maybe we are
the ones to do it?
If you have read our story so far you may be wondering if I have had any word from Annette Ringier?
Well, no. I have contacted her to let her know of the situation we are in but I do not think she likes
to feel responsible at all.
I assure you that one day when I am rich, I will not treat people this way. When you offer to help
someone you do not do it half way, you do it right or you do not offer at all!
It makes me think of that song by the 'Black-eyed Peas' - Where is the Love. Oh I love that song.
So, back to the puzzle... where are we? Where did we end up? Well let me tell you.
I am writing a book on our entire situation, starting with the life we had in Switzerland and moving
on to our traumatic return to Canada. So far in this book I have had a couple of Swiss heroes and here
in Canada I have come across my first real set of Heroes. Not one but 5.
Call it the 'Power of Prayer' or 'Karma' but every once in awhile the Universe 'throws you a bone'.
As I told you, I first went and knocked on the door of my in-laws only to be rejected, so I went off to
a woman's shelter only to be told they would have to split up our family. So... I landed on the doorstep
of my old friends parents and bless them, with a hug and a welcome they took us in for a couple of days. This reunited me with my old friend. Oh God it was and is so good to see her again.
Like I said before, in situations like these you quickly find out who your friends are. It turns out I do
have friends.
After a couple of days and endless phone calls to Homeless shelters and lawyers and being turned
away by both we were ready to pack things back up in the van and go off East where maybe they have
better help for their Homeless then here in BC.
After being all repacked and ready to go, we were invited to go to my friends cousins place for pizza
for a birthday. Pizza, well okay. Plus one more night enjoying the good company was not so bad either.
When we got there and spent a bit of time meeting everyone, my friends cousin came and took me by
the hand and led me around the corner to what turned out to be his guest house. We were invited to
stay for a bit to gather our wits.
Wow.
Did I say that loud enough?
WOW.
Even with a dog, 2 cats and a ferret we were welcome to stay.
What a blessing. We then took my kids over to see and they were just as shocked as I was.
So, it is already halfway through September and we have come a long way from being evicted
in the middle of summer. I do not think that I have even had a minute to catch my breath. Oh
but wait a minute, I have not had a minute to catch my breath in over 19 years, so why start
now!!! My time will come. Besides I have learned over the years to just take one day at a time
and live each moment without regret.
So do I have regrets? Not if I believe that everything happens for a reason. It is clear to me
that God has a plan for us, we just have to keep the faith. Without that then I would be pissed
right off at the world around us all the time!!
Maybe it is like on the show 'My Name is Earl' and Karma is using me? Maybe this situation is
not about us at all? but about how strong we are and the job that needs doing, maybe we are
the ones to do it?
If you have read our story so far you may be wondering if I have had any word from Annette Ringier?
Well, no. I have contacted her to let her know of the situation we are in but I do not think she likes
to feel responsible at all.
I assure you that one day when I am rich, I will not treat people this way. When you offer to help
someone you do not do it half way, you do it right or you do not offer at all!
It makes me think of that song by the 'Black-eyed Peas' - Where is the Love. Oh I love that song.
So, back to the puzzle... where are we? Where did we end up? Well let me tell you.
I am writing a book on our entire situation, starting with the life we had in Switzerland and moving
on to our traumatic return to Canada. So far in this book I have had a couple of Swiss heroes and here
in Canada I have come across my first real set of Heroes. Not one but 5.
Call it the 'Power of Prayer' or 'Karma' but every once in awhile the Universe 'throws you a bone'.
As I told you, I first went and knocked on the door of my in-laws only to be rejected, so I went off to
a woman's shelter only to be told they would have to split up our family. So... I landed on the doorstep
of my old friends parents and bless them, with a hug and a welcome they took us in for a couple of days. This reunited me with my old friend. Oh God it was and is so good to see her again.
Like I said before, in situations like these you quickly find out who your friends are. It turns out I do
have friends.
After a couple of days and endless phone calls to Homeless shelters and lawyers and being turned
away by both we were ready to pack things back up in the van and go off East where maybe they have
better help for their Homeless then here in BC.
After being all repacked and ready to go, we were invited to go to my friends cousins place for pizza
for a birthday. Pizza, well okay. Plus one more night enjoying the good company was not so bad either.
When we got there and spent a bit of time meeting everyone, my friends cousin came and took me by
the hand and led me around the corner to what turned out to be his guest house. We were invited to
stay for a bit to gather our wits.
Wow.
Did I say that loud enough?
WOW.
Even with a dog, 2 cats and a ferret we were welcome to stay.
What a blessing. We then took my kids over to see and they were just as shocked as I was.
By nature my youngest took me aside and said "Sure but how long until we are kicked out of here?" So I said ,lets just take a moment to catch our breath and stretch out someplace other then a van seat.
My kids like it here on the coast very much. They absolutely hated it in Prince George because of the smell we could not even enjoy going out into our beautiful back yard. At least down here we could go out and take in some fresh air.
I take the time to go down to Blackie Spit to let our dog run around freely and breath the salt air. Oh God it feels so good to be home. The spit used to be my back yard when I was a kid.
Up until now I have kept our whereabouts private because I still do not want to cross paths with my ex.
But now that I am organizing a charity event, I know that will be very hard to do. And you know what?
F%&# him. He is the idiot and not me. How dare he make me feel scared and unable to return to my own home. How dare he.
You know what else my friends cousin has done for me? Got me a lawyer that I am meeting today to take matters under control. Wow.
I am not sure how it will go but at this point "Bring it On!"
I have the judgment with me about what the Swiss Judge ruled and if that does not hold up in the courts here then I will march right to the newspapers to let them know that people should know that when you leave Canada your life will no longer matter. I sure hope that does not happen! What judge would doubt another judges ruling? After all, do not all judges go by the same book?
If we were still in Switzerland enjoying our lives as we once did, and my husband asked for a legal divorce, I would say just do it. Bug off. But for some reason we are here and having to deal with the situation, so maybe he is meant to pay? Maybe all my years (13 to be exact) of taking care of my children at no cost to him is not universal justice? Maybe he needs to pay his share to be at peace? Who knows?
All I know is that we need help.
So, do I want much? Not really. I think about it this way. With the earning power of a man, he should have at least, by the very minimum, put away $300-$400 each month in a savings account for the kids. $100 each for them and $100 for my alimony. Or is that too much to ask because that is a couple of games of golf for him?
Who knows.
Any how.
I figure if he did at least that then by minimum he should have at least $50,000 in this savings account and that should help us to make a down payment on a house to call home (because oh God, we do not ever want to be Homeless again, renting is too risky) and enough to make the mortgage payments for a year while I get back on my feet work wise.
My kids like it here on the coast very much. They absolutely hated it in Prince George because of the smell we could not even enjoy going out into our beautiful back yard. At least down here we could go out and take in some fresh air.
I take the time to go down to Blackie Spit to let our dog run around freely and breath the salt air. Oh God it feels so good to be home. The spit used to be my back yard when I was a kid.
Up until now I have kept our whereabouts private because I still do not want to cross paths with my ex.
But now that I am organizing a charity event, I know that will be very hard to do. And you know what?
F%&# him. He is the idiot and not me. How dare he make me feel scared and unable to return to my own home. How dare he.
You know what else my friends cousin has done for me? Got me a lawyer that I am meeting today to take matters under control. Wow.
I am not sure how it will go but at this point "Bring it On!"
I have the judgment with me about what the Swiss Judge ruled and if that does not hold up in the courts here then I will march right to the newspapers to let them know that people should know that when you leave Canada your life will no longer matter. I sure hope that does not happen! What judge would doubt another judges ruling? After all, do not all judges go by the same book?
If we were still in Switzerland enjoying our lives as we once did, and my husband asked for a legal divorce, I would say just do it. Bug off. But for some reason we are here and having to deal with the situation, so maybe he is meant to pay? Maybe all my years (13 to be exact) of taking care of my children at no cost to him is not universal justice? Maybe he needs to pay his share to be at peace? Who knows?
All I know is that we need help.
So, do I want much? Not really. I think about it this way. With the earning power of a man, he should have at least, by the very minimum, put away $300-$400 each month in a savings account for the kids. $100 each for them and $100 for my alimony. Or is that too much to ask because that is a couple of games of golf for him?
Who knows.
Any how.
I figure if he did at least that then by minimum he should have at least $50,000 in this savings account and that should help us to make a down payment on a house to call home (because oh God, we do not ever want to be Homeless again, renting is too risky) and enough to make the mortgage payments for a year while I get back on my feet work wise.
Plus there should be some left over for seed money to start up this business my oldest son came up with. We know that when it pans out we will never need to ask for money or help again. We would actually be in a position to help others. After all, that is a family goal. It always has been. To be in a position financially to help others.
When I had my 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada' I helped others all the time. I taught English for free. I hosted birthday parties for free for the poor. If you came into my cafe and could not afford food, I fed you without thinking twice. Every event you see that I did on my You Tube video was done for free. Yup Free, free free.
I figured that as long as we had a roof over our heads and food in our tummies, why not.
We look forward to that day coming again. Giving feels so good. It is the taking that is hard to deal with.
Are we "Homeless' ? Yes, Homeless house guests. Are we broke? Yes. Am I on the system? No. Why?
Because my Uncle sent me a bit of money I was told that it would be deducted from funds I would receive and because they have told me straight out that I could lose my kids and I do not want to risk that.
Are my kids in danger or in a bad way? No.
I ask them all the time if they would prefer to go and live where they have more stability then what I can offer them at the moment and they smile and say;
"Oh Mom, you worry too much. You keep us safe and fed, we will not be broke forever, something good is about to happen, just wait and see. We do not need to break up and have unwanted experiences.
We have seen Extreme Makeover and see how some other families have had to live. At least they have
each other and that is what matters most. That is what we have, each other and lots of memories and
history together, that is what makes us stronger as a family. When we are rich and look back, wow we
came a long way and we did it as a team!"
I told you I have great kids. GREAT KIDS. Soon to be great adults. GREAT ADULTS.
So wish me luck today. I see this lawyer this afternoon. I will not cry, I will not cry. I will keep my chin up and tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God. I hope this lawyer is ready, for he is about to meet...
Randie.
Have a lovely day. I wish you well and Thank you for being with me through all this.
Bless you All
Randie
When I had my 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada' I helped others all the time. I taught English for free. I hosted birthday parties for free for the poor. If you came into my cafe and could not afford food, I fed you without thinking twice. Every event you see that I did on my You Tube video was done for free. Yup Free, free free.
I figured that as long as we had a roof over our heads and food in our tummies, why not.
We look forward to that day coming again. Giving feels so good. It is the taking that is hard to deal with.
Are we "Homeless' ? Yes, Homeless house guests. Are we broke? Yes. Am I on the system? No. Why?
Because my Uncle sent me a bit of money I was told that it would be deducted from funds I would receive and because they have told me straight out that I could lose my kids and I do not want to risk that.
Are my kids in danger or in a bad way? No.
I ask them all the time if they would prefer to go and live where they have more stability then what I can offer them at the moment and they smile and say;
"Oh Mom, you worry too much. You keep us safe and fed, we will not be broke forever, something good is about to happen, just wait and see. We do not need to break up and have unwanted experiences.
We have seen Extreme Makeover and see how some other families have had to live. At least they have
each other and that is what matters most. That is what we have, each other and lots of memories and
history together, that is what makes us stronger as a family. When we are rich and look back, wow we
came a long way and we did it as a team!"
I told you I have great kids. GREAT KIDS. Soon to be great adults. GREAT ADULTS.
So wish me luck today. I see this lawyer this afternoon. I will not cry, I will not cry. I will keep my chin up and tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God. I hope this lawyer is ready, for he is about to meet...
Randie.
Have a lovely day. I wish you well and Thank you for being with me through all this.
Bless you All
Randie
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday Night
Rain rain go away.
I must admit the gray sky does nothing to put a smile on my face.
I know, I know it is the season but maybe I needed summer just a bit longer.
I am trying very hard to stay optimistic about my situation but some days it
is hard to keep my chin up. I know I have to stay strong but days like today
I could just melt into bed (preferably with a sexy man) and not get out at all.
My son has come up with an awesome business idea and I mean 'Off the Hook
Awesome', so I am going to pull myself together and by the end of the week I
will have a business proposal put together and ready to flog the idea to an
investor. I know it sounds like I have big 'Mojo' (or some people would say...
Big Balls') but when you are a single mother of three you have to!!!
Just because I do not still have my 3 businesses does not mean I am a bad
business person. Remember that they were taken from me. I was in another
country and at the mercy of the help given to me. (again as seen on You Tube)
This time it will be different. This time I will be in control. Or rather in equal
partnership with my oldest 'Computer Genius Son'. And if you are going to
go into business with someone it is important that you trust them!
Now all I have to do is find a trustworthy investor! Any ideas??? :)
I may be down financially at the moment but I am not here to stay. If it means
I have to go back to scrubbing toilets then "Scrubbing I shall"!!
I will do whatever it takes to keep my family afloat (except sell my body)!
When we succeed with this new business venture, we will step out of the box
and help others. We will give back by helping put a stop to the 'homeless problem'
that is in Canada.
Step by step if we all do a little bit this problem will be solved.
YES, I challenge you too!!
What can you do to stop this terrible problem?
There has to be something you would be willing to do to make a difference.
To start things off, I am going to organize a 'Haunted House' this Halloween
to raise money and awareness for the homeless!!!
As you seen on my You Tube video, last year in Prince George I made such
a Haunted House for Center City Remax and we raised $1300 for the St Vincent
Food Bank in just one day.
I am a mover and a shaker !!!
Okay so $1300 is not much but it if every business out there raises and donates
this amount it will quickly add up. If you are a business owner it may even be tax
deductable! So there!
Lets pull together Canada and show we care because being homeless can happen
to anyone.
YES, it could even (God forbid) happen to you!
Wouldn't it be nice if we prevented it before that happens :)
So, this Monday I start organizing Halloween during the day and preparing our
business proposal by night.
We will get the job done. We will make a difference.
If you want to help please email me at:
randie@myself.com
Just maybe you can help make our path a little less bumpy :)
...and if you can not help us, please just say a prayer for us. Thank you.
In between all this work I will be cooking and cleaning and taking care of my kids.
Although they do help a lot now that they are all older. My daughter is a wondeful cook
and often prepares meals without even being asked. I am very lucky.
They are signed up in Home School again as it is easier for them to work at their own pace
on the computer. Once we do find a permanent home they will join school. Right now they
have a lot of online friendship as well as each other. Plus they tend to make friends easy
where ever we go.
Just last week my daughter went to the movies and a sleepover. They are all doing okay.
All our pets are okay too. By walking the dog 3 times a day, we get plenty of fresh air.
The cats give us just pure love and comfort. The ferret is a bundle of entertainment.
Bless them all. We are very thankful to have them in our lives. We could never give them up.
We are just one big happy (homeless) family.
Thank you for reading along.
Good Night and Bless you
Randie and the Gang
I must admit the gray sky does nothing to put a smile on my face.
I know, I know it is the season but maybe I needed summer just a bit longer.
I am trying very hard to stay optimistic about my situation but some days it
is hard to keep my chin up. I know I have to stay strong but days like today
I could just melt into bed (preferably with a sexy man) and not get out at all.
My son has come up with an awesome business idea and I mean 'Off the Hook
Awesome', so I am going to pull myself together and by the end of the week I
will have a business proposal put together and ready to flog the idea to an
investor. I know it sounds like I have big 'Mojo' (or some people would say...
Big Balls') but when you are a single mother of three you have to!!!
Just because I do not still have my 3 businesses does not mean I am a bad
business person. Remember that they were taken from me. I was in another
country and at the mercy of the help given to me. (again as seen on You Tube)
This time it will be different. This time I will be in control. Or rather in equal
partnership with my oldest 'Computer Genius Son'. And if you are going to
go into business with someone it is important that you trust them!
Now all I have to do is find a trustworthy investor! Any ideas??? :)
I may be down financially at the moment but I am not here to stay. If it means
I have to go back to scrubbing toilets then "Scrubbing I shall"!!
I will do whatever it takes to keep my family afloat (except sell my body)!
When we succeed with this new business venture, we will step out of the box
and help others. We will give back by helping put a stop to the 'homeless problem'
that is in Canada.
Step by step if we all do a little bit this problem will be solved.
YES, I challenge you too!!
What can you do to stop this terrible problem?
There has to be something you would be willing to do to make a difference.
To start things off, I am going to organize a 'Haunted House' this Halloween
to raise money and awareness for the homeless!!!
As you seen on my You Tube video, last year in Prince George I made such
a Haunted House for Center City Remax and we raised $1300 for the St Vincent
Food Bank in just one day.
I am a mover and a shaker !!!
Okay so $1300 is not much but it if every business out there raises and donates
this amount it will quickly add up. If you are a business owner it may even be tax
deductable! So there!
Lets pull together Canada and show we care because being homeless can happen
to anyone.
YES, it could even (God forbid) happen to you!
Wouldn't it be nice if we prevented it before that happens :)
So, this Monday I start organizing Halloween during the day and preparing our
business proposal by night.
We will get the job done. We will make a difference.
If you want to help please email me at:
randie@myself.com
Just maybe you can help make our path a little less bumpy :)
...and if you can not help us, please just say a prayer for us. Thank you.
In between all this work I will be cooking and cleaning and taking care of my kids.
Although they do help a lot now that they are all older. My daughter is a wondeful cook
and often prepares meals without even being asked. I am very lucky.
They are signed up in Home School again as it is easier for them to work at their own pace
on the computer. Once we do find a permanent home they will join school. Right now they
have a lot of online friendship as well as each other. Plus they tend to make friends easy
where ever we go.
Just last week my daughter went to the movies and a sleepover. They are all doing okay.
All our pets are okay too. By walking the dog 3 times a day, we get plenty of fresh air.
The cats give us just pure love and comfort. The ferret is a bundle of entertainment.
Bless them all. We are very thankful to have them in our lives. We could never give them up.
We are just one big happy (homeless) family.
Thank you for reading along.
Good Night and Bless you
Randie and the Gang
Friday, September 10, 2010
In the paper today
Wow did you catch the front page of the Province Newspaper today?
"Fighting Homelessness WATTS' WAY Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts is determined to make a difference and isn't waiting for the Provincial Government to act"
Surprise, surprise! I keep saying there is a problem. And when you open up to read the story what is the focus? That in order to be homeless you must be having some kind of drug problem. What?
Where are the real solutions as to where to go and what to do?
What about the people who have problems like mine?
I am homeless so hear my rant...
If our Government can flip the cost of the Olympics without a second thought, then why oh why can it not put an end to being homeless?
How about the idea of when you lose your job you are subsidized, so you do not lose your home too, and put into a proper job program to get you back up on your feet instead of getting lost in the system. Why not?
Social Service or Unemployment Insurance does not even give you enough to make it through the first month! They think this is some kind of 'Tough Love' well get over yourselves politicians, your system SUCKS!!!
By the way, who was the idiot that set the minimum wage at $8-$10 an hour? Who? I can tell you this, the person that set this wage does not work for this wage! No one can run their household on this income. NO ONE! And when you can not run your house hold then what happens?? Oh yes, you know... drug abuse and alcohol abuse because you get to the point that you just do not care any more. Yes it is true.
No, I do not have a drug problem. The money I received from Annette Ringier made sure all my bills were paid. The problem was I could not find a job that could do the same. And without help to reestablish my business I would never be able to pay all my bills. Thus, I am now homeless!
What if the minimum wage was set so you could pay your bills. This means your rent, hydro, food and medical. Would you be stressed then? No! Would we have hundreds of thousands of people running to their doctors for drugs to deal with stress? NO. I say No No No!!!
It is a vicious circle our Government has put us into. Vicious and needless!
I am very serious! Did you know that there are woman that stay in abusive situations just because there is no help out there for them to go to. No job that will pay enough to live independently from their abusive spouse.
So they stay and the abuse continues! 9 out of every 10 abused women stay because of money (or lack of it)
And drug abuse. do not get me started!!! Who are the biggest drug dealers?? Oh you know who!
The doctors! Yes that is right!
Just look at the crap they are passing out! And 90% of it all is to do with stress related issues. And do not tell me otherwise, but money (or lack of it) is the number one cause of stress!
Really we all know this, we are not stupid (well not all of us).
Why are the kids having stress? Because there is no one at home! In order to make the bills all paid both Mom and Dad have to work! So Government, who is raising our children? The schools Ha NOT! The doctors passing out drugs and what they get addicted to from there just goes on and on and eventually gets taken to the street. This is how our children are being raised! Shame on Canada.
Please, I have spoken to a number of people both rich and poor. I have heard stories from both sides that would make your toenails curl under! The bottom line is, there are drugs out there being given by our 'Doctors' that are very addictive and detrimental to your health and well being. Why is this allowed to happen? Why? Are we not supposed to trust in our 'Family Doctor'? Trust in our 'Government'?
It is the 21st century and I am not sure who to trust! I trust myself and I trust my kids. Is there not anyone else out there???
What if we just stopped and took a step back to look at our priorities? What if we stopped and did the right thing.
We hear about Random Acts of Kindness. What if our Government practiced it?
Think about it for a minute. Who would actually suffer?
Big businesses that is who.
Why because instead of having people work for slave wages they would have to pay their employees a wage fit to live on.
Other then their own personal pocket books being effected, would this not make for happy employees? Is it not true that happy employees equal a happy work place? Yes, it does.
Come on, a good example is Mr Jim Patterson. Does he really need to make billions of dollars? I mean good for him but is greed not a 'sin'?
Hey Oprah Winfrey is worth that and more but she gives back. She gives back lots. I think it is called Karma.
What if all employers have to hire people and pay them enough to at least pay all their bills. Then they are happy workers and do not have to over stress themselves and get a second part time job to make ends meet? Or have the ability to keep their spouse at home to care for the children and make sure they are fed right and off of the streets and happy.
What if???
Okay, just maybe I am seeing things a lot differently then the average person because I am drug and alcohol free :) or maybe because I have been out of the country for long enough (10 years) to see that the grass is greener on some sides of the fence.
But what if we could really change things so our Canada was as great as people think she is! Really, all the people in Europe think that Canada is the greatest place on Earth to be. No one could figure out why I loved living in Switzerland so much.
Maybe we could live up to our reputation? Just maybe eh?
As it is, right now. No one I know is Europe actually believes that I am now homeless and that there are over 1 million homeless in Canada. "In Canada Randie, you must be joking"! No one understands that we have long line ups at food banks and homeless people sleeping on our streets.
I wish the world was filled with people like Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Oliver and the teams that come together for 'Extreme Makeover'. Bless them all. If we had this in Canada then just maybe our Canada could be all she could be.
I know that her people wish for this wholeheartedly.
Good People
Good Faith
Good Government
Good Food
Good God...where is the Love?
Thanks for letting me rant ahhh. I can breath now.
I have to go. I must look for a job.
Wish me luck.
Oh, by the way, what does 'Over Qualified' actually mean? You would think that companies would appreciate someone with lots of experience to bring to the table.
If anyone knows of a job I am qualified for, please let me know. I have 3 kids to take care of.
Thank you
and have a lovely day
Randie
"Fighting Homelessness WATTS' WAY Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts is determined to make a difference and isn't waiting for the Provincial Government to act"
Surprise, surprise! I keep saying there is a problem. And when you open up to read the story what is the focus? That in order to be homeless you must be having some kind of drug problem. What?
Where are the real solutions as to where to go and what to do?
What about the people who have problems like mine?
I am homeless so hear my rant...
If our Government can flip the cost of the Olympics without a second thought, then why oh why can it not put an end to being homeless?
How about the idea of when you lose your job you are subsidized, so you do not lose your home too, and put into a proper job program to get you back up on your feet instead of getting lost in the system. Why not?
Social Service or Unemployment Insurance does not even give you enough to make it through the first month! They think this is some kind of 'Tough Love' well get over yourselves politicians, your system SUCKS!!!
By the way, who was the idiot that set the minimum wage at $8-$10 an hour? Who? I can tell you this, the person that set this wage does not work for this wage! No one can run their household on this income. NO ONE! And when you can not run your house hold then what happens?? Oh yes, you know... drug abuse and alcohol abuse because you get to the point that you just do not care any more. Yes it is true.
No, I do not have a drug problem. The money I received from Annette Ringier made sure all my bills were paid. The problem was I could not find a job that could do the same. And without help to reestablish my business I would never be able to pay all my bills. Thus, I am now homeless!
What if the minimum wage was set so you could pay your bills. This means your rent, hydro, food and medical. Would you be stressed then? No! Would we have hundreds of thousands of people running to their doctors for drugs to deal with stress? NO. I say No No No!!!
It is a vicious circle our Government has put us into. Vicious and needless!
I am very serious! Did you know that there are woman that stay in abusive situations just because there is no help out there for them to go to. No job that will pay enough to live independently from their abusive spouse.
So they stay and the abuse continues! 9 out of every 10 abused women stay because of money (or lack of it)
And drug abuse. do not get me started!!! Who are the biggest drug dealers?? Oh you know who!
The doctors! Yes that is right!
Just look at the crap they are passing out! And 90% of it all is to do with stress related issues. And do not tell me otherwise, but money (or lack of it) is the number one cause of stress!
Really we all know this, we are not stupid (well not all of us).
Why are the kids having stress? Because there is no one at home! In order to make the bills all paid both Mom and Dad have to work! So Government, who is raising our children? The schools Ha NOT! The doctors passing out drugs and what they get addicted to from there just goes on and on and eventually gets taken to the street. This is how our children are being raised! Shame on Canada.
Please, I have spoken to a number of people both rich and poor. I have heard stories from both sides that would make your toenails curl under! The bottom line is, there are drugs out there being given by our 'Doctors' that are very addictive and detrimental to your health and well being. Why is this allowed to happen? Why? Are we not supposed to trust in our 'Family Doctor'? Trust in our 'Government'?
It is the 21st century and I am not sure who to trust! I trust myself and I trust my kids. Is there not anyone else out there???
What if we just stopped and took a step back to look at our priorities? What if we stopped and did the right thing.
We hear about Random Acts of Kindness. What if our Government practiced it?
Think about it for a minute. Who would actually suffer?
Big businesses that is who.
Why because instead of having people work for slave wages they would have to pay their employees a wage fit to live on.
Other then their own personal pocket books being effected, would this not make for happy employees? Is it not true that happy employees equal a happy work place? Yes, it does.
Come on, a good example is Mr Jim Patterson. Does he really need to make billions of dollars? I mean good for him but is greed not a 'sin'?
Hey Oprah Winfrey is worth that and more but she gives back. She gives back lots. I think it is called Karma.
What if all employers have to hire people and pay them enough to at least pay all their bills. Then they are happy workers and do not have to over stress themselves and get a second part time job to make ends meet? Or have the ability to keep their spouse at home to care for the children and make sure they are fed right and off of the streets and happy.
What if???
Okay, just maybe I am seeing things a lot differently then the average person because I am drug and alcohol free :) or maybe because I have been out of the country for long enough (10 years) to see that the grass is greener on some sides of the fence.
But what if we could really change things so our Canada was as great as people think she is! Really, all the people in Europe think that Canada is the greatest place on Earth to be. No one could figure out why I loved living in Switzerland so much.
Maybe we could live up to our reputation? Just maybe eh?
As it is, right now. No one I know is Europe actually believes that I am now homeless and that there are over 1 million homeless in Canada. "In Canada Randie, you must be joking"! No one understands that we have long line ups at food banks and homeless people sleeping on our streets.
I wish the world was filled with people like Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Oliver and the teams that come together for 'Extreme Makeover'. Bless them all. If we had this in Canada then just maybe our Canada could be all she could be.
I know that her people wish for this wholeheartedly.
Good People
Good Faith
Good Government
Good Food
Good God...where is the Love?
Thanks for letting me rant ahhh. I can breath now.
I have to go. I must look for a job.
Wish me luck.
Oh, by the way, what does 'Over Qualified' actually mean? You would think that companies would appreciate someone with lots of experience to bring to the table.
If anyone knows of a job I am qualified for, please let me know. I have 3 kids to take care of.
Thank you
and have a lovely day
Randie
An update reminder
Here is the Your Tube Link I keep going on about in my blogg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7qtlqy27gU
It may give you more of an insight as to who I am.
It is all show at the start but midway and at the end my fight is clear and simple.
Thank you for your support.
Randie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7qtlqy27gU
It may give you more of an insight as to who I am.
It is all show at the start but midway and at the end my fight is clear and simple.
Thank you for your support.
Randie
Homeless in Canada
Wow, who knew that there are so many homeless in Canada? Will someone please tell me why our Canadian Government sends money out of the country when our people need help right here? What about the old saying "Clean up your own back yard first"? or "Charity starts at home"? Well let me tell you, if you think the homeless are all a bunch of drugged up users and horrible has-bins then you are very very wrong! It can happen to anyone, nice people too!
We are now homeless. I do not use drugs or drink alcohol, heck, I do not even smoke regular old cigarettes!
I am definitely not a couch potato. I have just been put in a bad situation (and if you seen my You Tube site, then you know who put us here) anyhow...
Please, no more sending money out of the country, if you want to help, help your fellow Canadian.
I tried to go to a shelter and do you know how many are already full? No, because unless you need help you never look at what is out there! Well, let me tell you, FULL!!! Yes, there is a chance to go to an emergency woman's shelter but... my boys are not welcome and I am told they would have to go to a youth house for boys and yes the boys there have drug and/or alcohol problems and many have sexual abuse or violent abuse issues. So I asked where do the 'Good, clean boys go"? and I am told that 'good clean boys have good homes and do not need a shelter'! What kind of BS is that??? I made a good home for my kids. Hey not just good it was excellent.
I am not going to break up my family and put my children in a situation they do not need! Whee is the love? Where is the help?
I also went to Social Service, they can give me $1200 a month. WOW, that does not even pay rent for the 4 of us or put food on the table. Yet Mr Gordon Campbell, our BC leader, can give himself a raise??? For doing what? Give me a break.
anyhow... (I say that a lot)
I took my children to their Grandparents house and they would not even open their Gate to us. I said we are homeless and I was told to go and get a lawyer. With what money? Even legal aid will not help me. I called over 15 lawyers and they all want some kind of retainer fee.
What kind of Grand Parents do not open the door and give shelter to their Grand kids? Bad ones I suppose.
I thought that it would be a big sacrifice to give my children over to them but better that then live out of our van. A good mom is supposed to make sacrifices right? I tried.
What kind of man has 3 kids and does not support them? A bad one I suppose. What kind of man would rather give good money to a lawyer then directly to his children? I we had received money on a regular basis over the years, we would never have had to deal with Annette Ringier in the first place. Everything I have done over the years was in order to provide for my children, including creating a Children's Center so they could come to me anytime.
I pray to God every day and wonder why all these 'Good for nothing people' have been brought into my life?
Yes, I did have 3 wonderful children but would I have not had them even if I was with a wonderful man too? Or was that the trade off I had to make in order to have such wonderful kids? I wonder?
It is late and I need my sleep. I am having a hard time finding work. Okay sure, you need a home address to get a job but you need a job to get a home address... I tried to explain that one to Annette too but I guess it fell on deaf ears.
I figure that I will simply win the lotto 649 and the lotto Max, get us into a home, start up a business, help the needy, meet and marry Keanu Reeves and that will be my happy ever after.
A girl can dream can't she?!
(Well I am off to dream land to dream just that :)
Tomorrow is another new day, something good will happen. I am sure. After all, good things happen to good people right. Right?
Have a wonderful day/night. Bless you for being there for me to share this with. Amen
Randie
PS
Where are we? I will save that for another time. You will not believe it.
We are now homeless. I do not use drugs or drink alcohol, heck, I do not even smoke regular old cigarettes!
I am definitely not a couch potato. I have just been put in a bad situation (and if you seen my You Tube site, then you know who put us here) anyhow...
Please, no more sending money out of the country, if you want to help, help your fellow Canadian.
I tried to go to a shelter and do you know how many are already full? No, because unless you need help you never look at what is out there! Well, let me tell you, FULL!!! Yes, there is a chance to go to an emergency woman's shelter but... my boys are not welcome and I am told they would have to go to a youth house for boys and yes the boys there have drug and/or alcohol problems and many have sexual abuse or violent abuse issues. So I asked where do the 'Good, clean boys go"? and I am told that 'good clean boys have good homes and do not need a shelter'! What kind of BS is that??? I made a good home for my kids. Hey not just good it was excellent.
I am not going to break up my family and put my children in a situation they do not need! Whee is the love? Where is the help?
I also went to Social Service, they can give me $1200 a month. WOW, that does not even pay rent for the 4 of us or put food on the table. Yet Mr Gordon Campbell, our BC leader, can give himself a raise??? For doing what? Give me a break.
anyhow... (I say that a lot)
I took my children to their Grandparents house and they would not even open their Gate to us. I said we are homeless and I was told to go and get a lawyer. With what money? Even legal aid will not help me. I called over 15 lawyers and they all want some kind of retainer fee.
What kind of Grand Parents do not open the door and give shelter to their Grand kids? Bad ones I suppose.
I thought that it would be a big sacrifice to give my children over to them but better that then live out of our van. A good mom is supposed to make sacrifices right? I tried.
What kind of man has 3 kids and does not support them? A bad one I suppose. What kind of man would rather give good money to a lawyer then directly to his children? I we had received money on a regular basis over the years, we would never have had to deal with Annette Ringier in the first place. Everything I have done over the years was in order to provide for my children, including creating a Children's Center so they could come to me anytime.
I pray to God every day and wonder why all these 'Good for nothing people' have been brought into my life?
Yes, I did have 3 wonderful children but would I have not had them even if I was with a wonderful man too? Or was that the trade off I had to make in order to have such wonderful kids? I wonder?
It is late and I need my sleep. I am having a hard time finding work. Okay sure, you need a home address to get a job but you need a job to get a home address... I tried to explain that one to Annette too but I guess it fell on deaf ears.
I figure that I will simply win the lotto 649 and the lotto Max, get us into a home, start up a business, help the needy, meet and marry Keanu Reeves and that will be my happy ever after.
A girl can dream can't she?!
(Well I am off to dream land to dream just that :)
Tomorrow is another new day, something good will happen. I am sure. After all, good things happen to good people right. Right?
Have a wonderful day/night. Bless you for being there for me to share this with. Amen
Randie
PS
Where are we? I will save that for another time. You will not believe it.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Another day...
Well we hit the road at 3am in the morning. My kids packed up the important stuff into the van (the dog, 2 cats, the ferret, the cooler the lap top, a bag of cloths each) and pulled me out of the house. They were tired of seeing me clean and struggle. I never had to leave a place in such a mess before but the kids convinced me that I am cleaning for the bad team.After all, what kind of people talk about God on one hand and on the other hand evict a woman with 3 kids out onto the street? Knowing we have no place to go or money to go with?
(Okay the house is not so bad but I am a bit of a Monk when it comes to cleaning and anything out of sort bothers me. The house is always kept clean but all the moving and sorting and packing disturbed a lot and it bothers me)My kids are right the 'bad team'. I always seem to be working for the wrong side. It is time I looked out just for us. So into the van we went.
But to where? well, I got an e-mail from my sister that she said tells me my husband wants a divorce and is willing to pay for the kids. So I thought that we would head down to the inlaws house (since I do not know where to find my husband) and ask them for help.
It was not a smooth ride. But we were all sure we would find help. The van broke down only once. The engine thermostat died and we kept over heating. Lucky for us we found a garage with a heart of gold and they charged us for the part and not the labor. Bless them!
It was a long drive but we arrived in White Rock at 3am. The kids let me take a nap as they played cards in a 24hour McDonalds sipping tea. Then they woke me up at 6am so we could go down to the beach and watch the sunrise. Oh God it felt so good to be home :)
We raced down the White Rock pier, it felt like old times (for me anyway as I grew up there in my teen years)
Now to face the inlaws and find help.
Wish us luck.
(Okay the house is not so bad but I am a bit of a Monk when it comes to cleaning and anything out of sort bothers me. The house is always kept clean but all the moving and sorting and packing disturbed a lot and it bothers me)My kids are right the 'bad team'. I always seem to be working for the wrong side. It is time I looked out just for us. So into the van we went.
But to where? well, I got an e-mail from my sister that she said tells me my husband wants a divorce and is willing to pay for the kids. So I thought that we would head down to the inlaws house (since I do not know where to find my husband) and ask them for help.
It was not a smooth ride. But we were all sure we would find help. The van broke down only once. The engine thermostat died and we kept over heating. Lucky for us we found a garage with a heart of gold and they charged us for the part and not the labor. Bless them!
It was a long drive but we arrived in White Rock at 3am. The kids let me take a nap as they played cards in a 24hour McDonalds sipping tea. Then they woke me up at 6am so we could go down to the beach and watch the sunrise. Oh God it felt so good to be home :)
We raced down the White Rock pier, it felt like old times (for me anyway as I grew up there in my teen years)
Now to face the inlaws and find help.
Wish us luck.
Monday, August 16, 2010
4th Blog
Okay, it is Monday today and we woke up to a crimson son. It looks wild. Maybe it is air pollution?
Prince George has a very extreme pollution problem, it stinks here. literally
Well I dragged myself down to the Welfare office to ask for help and guess what. They can not help me at the moment because they have to assess my situation and urgency. Apparently this will take 3-4 days.
I guess having no phone to be reached at and no residence to reside in is nothing of urgency? I told them I am broke and we are evicted but still there is no help and no offer of which direction to go. Why is that?
Please take a moment to understand. yes I am Canadian but for the past decade i have had the chance to live in the country of Switzerland. A land where they take care of their people, there are no food banks, there are no homeless shelters. Just people ready to help people. What is our problem Canada?? We have 1 million homeless on our very own door step! Where is the help? Where is the love?
So, we will finish packing up and go. Where? I am going down to my home town of White Rock and wait Social Service help out there while on the beach (in fresh air). I have to sell all my jewelery to do get gas money.
Well it is not my jewelery, I have never really owned any. Really!I only have the little bit I made at the garage sales. It should get us some gas and food, if nothing goes wrong we should make it. God Speed.
If there is absolutely no help in Social Service in my White Rock then ...
I have no choice now but to land on the doorstep of my in-laws. This should be interesting. We do not have a good, or any, relationship at all. But what choice do I have. It is not about me, it has never been about me. It is about the kids. I need help to keep them safe.
Although I do not consider my inlaws a safe place or exposure to my husband safe. I would have no choice.
I have raised my kids wonderfully and I have confidence they can hold their own.
Yup, they can really hold their own.
Me on the other hand, I do not know how to NOT break my husbands nose when I see him again. If I see him.
My kids tell me (Oh God they are smart)
You can not get mad at stupid people. They are stupid and do not know what they are doing. You can not laugh in their face either. The only choice we have is to smile and remember they are stupid and nothing they say matters.
We actually sit around and have these conversations. It is wild. I never did that when I was their age. Speak wise.
We all agree with George Carlin, people are okay... one minute at a time. After that the stupidity level is no longer tolerable.
Or like Jeff Foxworthy puts it. "Life would be a lot easier if stupid people had to wear a sign". "Here is your sign" Then we would know who to speak to or not.
Makes complete sense to us.
There are some days when we would like to have a pile of "I am Stupid" signs and just pass them out as we go.
How bad is that to say.
I put my resume out there asking to work with intelligent people. I have had no responses.
Well, I have got to go. Busy busy busy. Packing, cleaning, cleaning and packing.
Have a lovely week. I am not sure when I will be back on line because I also have to return all our internet equipment to the Shaw office today. But I will keep this lap top with me as I am sure we will be able to fine a free connection somewhere along the way.
Thank you for listening ( yes I know you are reading, it is just an expression)
Randie
Prince George has a very extreme pollution problem, it stinks here. literally
Well I dragged myself down to the Welfare office to ask for help and guess what. They can not help me at the moment because they have to assess my situation and urgency. Apparently this will take 3-4 days.
I guess having no phone to be reached at and no residence to reside in is nothing of urgency? I told them I am broke and we are evicted but still there is no help and no offer of which direction to go. Why is that?
Please take a moment to understand. yes I am Canadian but for the past decade i have had the chance to live in the country of Switzerland. A land where they take care of their people, there are no food banks, there are no homeless shelters. Just people ready to help people. What is our problem Canada?? We have 1 million homeless on our very own door step! Where is the help? Where is the love?
So, we will finish packing up and go. Where? I am going down to my home town of White Rock and wait Social Service help out there while on the beach (in fresh air). I have to sell all my jewelery to do get gas money.
Well it is not my jewelery, I have never really owned any. Really!I only have the little bit I made at the garage sales. It should get us some gas and food, if nothing goes wrong we should make it. God Speed.
If there is absolutely no help in Social Service in my White Rock then ...
I have no choice now but to land on the doorstep of my in-laws. This should be interesting. We do not have a good, or any, relationship at all. But what choice do I have. It is not about me, it has never been about me. It is about the kids. I need help to keep them safe.
Although I do not consider my inlaws a safe place or exposure to my husband safe. I would have no choice.
I have raised my kids wonderfully and I have confidence they can hold their own.
Yup, they can really hold their own.
Me on the other hand, I do not know how to NOT break my husbands nose when I see him again. If I see him.
My kids tell me (Oh God they are smart)
You can not get mad at stupid people. They are stupid and do not know what they are doing. You can not laugh in their face either. The only choice we have is to smile and remember they are stupid and nothing they say matters.
We actually sit around and have these conversations. It is wild. I never did that when I was their age. Speak wise.
We all agree with George Carlin, people are okay... one minute at a time. After that the stupidity level is no longer tolerable.
Or like Jeff Foxworthy puts it. "Life would be a lot easier if stupid people had to wear a sign". "Here is your sign" Then we would know who to speak to or not.
Makes complete sense to us.
There are some days when we would like to have a pile of "I am Stupid" signs and just pass them out as we go.
How bad is that to say.
I put my resume out there asking to work with intelligent people. I have had no responses.
Well, I have got to go. Busy busy busy. Packing, cleaning, cleaning and packing.
Have a lovely week. I am not sure when I will be back on line because I also have to return all our internet equipment to the Shaw office today. But I will keep this lap top with me as I am sure we will be able to fine a free connection somewhere along the way.
Thank you for listening ( yes I know you are reading, it is just an expression)
Randie
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Blog #3
Hot dang, it is hot out today.
I got up this morning and made another van load to the dump and another full load to the cardboard recycle.
Then we made another load to the lock up, but before we could unload we had to spend almost an hour moving the stuff around like a Tetris game. The cheapest lock up does not have very much space, so in order to make the last of our things fit... we played box Tetris.
Does anyone have any idea how hard all this moving is? I would like to hear.
I am sure Annette Ringier has no idea the stress she has put me and my children under.
When I was not able to pay my rent and found out I could not qualify for any social assistance.
Yes that is right! As soon as I discovered Annette ended her financial help to me, I dashed down town to find help. First I went to the 'Elisabeth Fry Society' because they are said to help woman. They listened to my story, with much compassion I must add, and then they dashed me over to 'Immigration' as I was told it was an immigration problem because I have been out of the country for so long.
It was the immigration officer that told me I have no help coming to me and that my e-mails between Annette, her helpers and I have no legal standing.
Plus I do not qualify for any social assistance because I have had no Canadian taxable income for 18 years now. ( I was a stay at home Mom before we went to Europe)
I was told to liquidate all my assets and only after I did that I should then be allowed to move into a woman's shelter.
A woman's shelter!!??
So I asked if I could get a Government grant to reopen my Childrens center because I have everything needed except for a room to set up in. I was told there is no grant for me because of cut backs.
This makes me mad because I recently read in the paper our leader of BC, Mr Gordon Campbell (Who, by the way I used to work with when I was 'Vancouver's Mascot Tillicum' ) just gave himself a raise. Where are his cut backs???
So that is basically what I have done. Liquidated. There was so much stuff to go through. Not only did I have the 300 boxes I mentioned already But, there was also our full household belongings. I can not afford to store all of the things or transport them.
I know this because without the 300 boxes sent from Europe, it already cost me $4400 to move our household items from the house in Salmon Arm up here to Prince George. That is too expensive to do again. What if I have to transport further? Ouch.
So we did as I said ...garage sale, garage sale garage sale.
At least before this, Annette paid. Now I have to pay.
I am still of the opinion that if she had set us up right in the first place we would not only already be settled but we would have saved so much money!!!
Again, I e-mailed Annette and her helpers as to what was happening but it is clear that they just do not care.
It would be different if she was doing this to a single person. but I am alone with 3 kids, just what do they expect of me.
To be honest the few people I have shared my full story details with in person , have told me straight out they would have given up by now. Curled up in a little ball and died.
So either I am really strong or really stupid?!
Being strong is okay to a point. In Switzerland everyone called me "Power Frau". but to be honest, I really wish I did not have to be so strong. I dream of a Hero to sweep me up in his arms and take care of me for a change. I dream of having an equal relationship where someone has my back.
A girl can dream can't she?
And what is with this finance company evicting me without very much notice. 3 weeks is not enough time to reorganize ones life. I kept saying I am alone and how do I do everything in time? They tell me "Oh, so sorry but we are running a business and not a charity. We are already being kind to you".
The stress alone of trying to meet their deadline was off the hook. I know if I have enough time from the start I would have been able to go through and organize our things better and have a more successful garage sale.
I ran around sleepless and stressed like a chicken with its head cut off to make the deadline, only to have them kindly extend it for me by 2 weeks. Ughh Thank you but Aghhhhhh!!
What did they expect of me?
What did Annette expect of me?
I am only human people. Where is the love?
Like my neighbors? Where is 'love thy neighbor? They all talk about their faith in God but do they step outside the box to help? No,
When my van got broken into twice. And the house was vandalized, I ran around and took the time to organize a neighborhood watch. It was the right thing to do ( so I thought)
Everyone knows I am alone with kids and no man but do they stop to offer to help or take a load in their truck to the dump? No, They mostly drive by and do not look at me. Where is the love.
This frustrates my kids because they said, "Mom, if any of our neighbors were in the position we are in,we know you would be the first to step up and help out".
They are right , I would.
See, it is because I am too nice.
I need a nap.
This Blog venting is a good thing. I get everything off my chest and out of my mind so I can keep my chin up and concentrate on my positive affirmations.
Like; something great is about to happen! This is just a cleansing period in our lives. Everything is going to be okay. Right?
I am told, God only gives you what you can handle, I just wish he would not trust me with so much.
and how about the saying "If it does not kill you it will make you stronger" How strong am I meant to be???
Thanks for the vent
Have a lovely Sunday
I am going to watch 'My Name is Earl' and then take a nap. I have much to clean around here.
Randie
I got up this morning and made another van load to the dump and another full load to the cardboard recycle.
Then we made another load to the lock up, but before we could unload we had to spend almost an hour moving the stuff around like a Tetris game. The cheapest lock up does not have very much space, so in order to make the last of our things fit... we played box Tetris.
Does anyone have any idea how hard all this moving is? I would like to hear.
I am sure Annette Ringier has no idea the stress she has put me and my children under.
When I was not able to pay my rent and found out I could not qualify for any social assistance.
Yes that is right! As soon as I discovered Annette ended her financial help to me, I dashed down town to find help. First I went to the 'Elisabeth Fry Society' because they are said to help woman. They listened to my story, with much compassion I must add, and then they dashed me over to 'Immigration' as I was told it was an immigration problem because I have been out of the country for so long.
It was the immigration officer that told me I have no help coming to me and that my e-mails between Annette, her helpers and I have no legal standing.
Plus I do not qualify for any social assistance because I have had no Canadian taxable income for 18 years now. ( I was a stay at home Mom before we went to Europe)
I was told to liquidate all my assets and only after I did that I should then be allowed to move into a woman's shelter.
A woman's shelter!!??
So I asked if I could get a Government grant to reopen my Childrens center because I have everything needed except for a room to set up in. I was told there is no grant for me because of cut backs.
This makes me mad because I recently read in the paper our leader of BC, Mr Gordon Campbell (Who, by the way I used to work with when I was 'Vancouver's Mascot Tillicum' ) just gave himself a raise. Where are his cut backs???
So that is basically what I have done. Liquidated. There was so much stuff to go through. Not only did I have the 300 boxes I mentioned already But, there was also our full household belongings. I can not afford to store all of the things or transport them.
I know this because without the 300 boxes sent from Europe, it already cost me $4400 to move our household items from the house in Salmon Arm up here to Prince George. That is too expensive to do again. What if I have to transport further? Ouch.
So we did as I said ...garage sale, garage sale garage sale.
At least before this, Annette paid. Now I have to pay.
I am still of the opinion that if she had set us up right in the first place we would not only already be settled but we would have saved so much money!!!
Again, I e-mailed Annette and her helpers as to what was happening but it is clear that they just do not care.
It would be different if she was doing this to a single person. but I am alone with 3 kids, just what do they expect of me.
To be honest the few people I have shared my full story details with in person , have told me straight out they would have given up by now. Curled up in a little ball and died.
So either I am really strong or really stupid?!
Being strong is okay to a point. In Switzerland everyone called me "Power Frau". but to be honest, I really wish I did not have to be so strong. I dream of a Hero to sweep me up in his arms and take care of me for a change. I dream of having an equal relationship where someone has my back.
A girl can dream can't she?
And what is with this finance company evicting me without very much notice. 3 weeks is not enough time to reorganize ones life. I kept saying I am alone and how do I do everything in time? They tell me "Oh, so sorry but we are running a business and not a charity. We are already being kind to you".
The stress alone of trying to meet their deadline was off the hook. I know if I have enough time from the start I would have been able to go through and organize our things better and have a more successful garage sale.
I ran around sleepless and stressed like a chicken with its head cut off to make the deadline, only to have them kindly extend it for me by 2 weeks. Ughh Thank you but Aghhhhhh!!
What did they expect of me?
What did Annette expect of me?
I am only human people. Where is the love?
Like my neighbors? Where is 'love thy neighbor? They all talk about their faith in God but do they step outside the box to help? No,
When my van got broken into twice. And the house was vandalized, I ran around and took the time to organize a neighborhood watch. It was the right thing to do ( so I thought)
Everyone knows I am alone with kids and no man but do they stop to offer to help or take a load in their truck to the dump? No, They mostly drive by and do not look at me. Where is the love.
This frustrates my kids because they said, "Mom, if any of our neighbors were in the position we are in,we know you would be the first to step up and help out".
They are right , I would.
See, it is because I am too nice.
I need a nap.
This Blog venting is a good thing. I get everything off my chest and out of my mind so I can keep my chin up and concentrate on my positive affirmations.
Like; something great is about to happen! This is just a cleansing period in our lives. Everything is going to be okay. Right?
I am told, God only gives you what you can handle, I just wish he would not trust me with so much.
and how about the saying "If it does not kill you it will make you stronger" How strong am I meant to be???
Thanks for the vent
Have a lovely Sunday
I am going to watch 'My Name is Earl' and then take a nap. I have much to clean around here.
Randie
second Blog part 2
Oh hey, I just realized it is Saturday! well Sunday! I do not have to go and grovel at the welfare office until Monday. Ahhh
One more day to hold onto my self respect.
Thanks for listening
and have a lovely Sunday
Randie
PS
Isn't Ty Pennington wonderful. I love his energy. I was just thinking about him because I love the show extreme makeover. We need an extreme makeover. If we had a home to make over. I wish this also happened in Canada.
Bless the makers of the show and everyone that has ever worked on it or been apart of it. And certainly bless all the needy people whos lives needed the help.
One more day to hold onto my self respect.
Thanks for listening
and have a lovely Sunday
Randie
PS
Isn't Ty Pennington wonderful. I love his energy. I was just thinking about him because I love the show extreme makeover. We need an extreme makeover. If we had a home to make over. I wish this also happened in Canada.
Bless the makers of the show and everyone that has ever worked on it or been apart of it. And certainly bless all the needy people whos lives needed the help.
My second Blog
What a funny word 'Blog'.
It is 1:45 am and I am calling it a day. I have been packing and moving and cooking and trying to clean.
Like I said we are evicted. What happened. Well...
The only help Annette kept to was she sent me money each month. Nothing had been prearranged, as I had
been told that when we land in Canada we should take a moment to relax and distress then buy a van and go house hunting for a home big enough for my new business. Swiss-Canadian Connection. Ugh that did not happen.
Who knew I would have troubles???
First off we were all in shock and stress was saying it lightly. we were (and still are) devastated!!!
I was sick the whole trip. I may as well have got my ticket for the toilet and not bother retuning to a
seat.
When we arrived we were in culture shock. (and still are)
The hotel was already booked out but they managed to give us a couple of days stay, then we had to go to a
different hotel and then another and another and another.
If you want a good business to be in run a hotel, they are in big demand. It may sound fun the hotel life but
trust me when you do not know your budget and you have no credit card. It is not fun at all. So many of he hotels would not take cash and without a credit card 80% turned me away. The other 20% made be leave a $200-300 deposit. That is if they even took cash!
It turns out Canada is debit card crazy and I did not have one. And without an address the bank would not even give me an account to get one.
I tell you it was crazy and stressful beyond beleif.
Anyhow...
The reason we are being evicted is this:
At the end of June when I was expecting money from Annette, she stopped without warning. Fully knowing that I had not been able to find work or reestablish myself or qualify for any kind of social assistance, she cut me off.
Yes, I wrote to her and to her 2 assistance that were assigned to me. They all knew what would happen and the problems I was and am having. yet still they just stopped!!! No warning the money just stopped and boy was I unprepared.
So, when I could not pay my rent I was given the notice of eviction on the 11th of July telling me we had to be out on July 31st. I was in shock again!
Now not only did my funding stop but we are also evicted. Now what???
I went to look for help and I was told there is no use trying to get anything from Annette because she lives to far away in a different country to fight legally plus she is rich and can fight me under the table.
This made me as sad as I am mad. It is just not fair! If I was given the help promised in the first place we would be settled and earning our own funds. My kids would be relaxed and making friends.
Being evicted on such short notice is difficult when you are also broke and have to do everything on your own.
I am alone. My back needs a rub!
There is just so much to do! Last fall it was organized (separate from Annette) to have all our thing sent out to us. 300 boxes!!! This was my 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada' and personal belongings of mine and my 3 kids.
I was already trying hard to find work so I did not have time to go through all the boxes yet. Now I was not only forced to go through them but in an effort to raise some funds for food and bills, I was now forced to sell everything off.!!!
I can not afford to keep anything. I can not afford to reestablish my businesses, one or the other. I had to garage sale like crazy.
Did I make money, hardly.
Yard sales are a sad business. They go some what like this...
"How much is that?"
"Oh, I will take $20 for it, I paid $100"
"I will give you $5"!
It went on and on like that only it was mostly a dollar here and there. I could not afford to put an ad in the news paper so my market was the posters I made and stuck up on light poles around town.
It is really hard not to be mad and disappointed at Annette Ringier right now. This all hurts very bad.
Her last e-mail to me said:
"You will never run a business"!
"My money gave you fantasy"!
"Take your kids to your husbands parents already and go on social sevice"!
quote, unquote.
I am off to bed. Oh that is right, I have no bed. I am off to the floor.
"Goodnight" or rather "Good Morning"
I have a full day tomorrow.
I had asked my husbands lawyer for help and told her it was ASAP but we had no reply.
She knows to tell him we need this help now but the e-mail reply was for me to go and get a lawyer and pay for it myself.
Like that is going to happen. How do I pay?
Tomorrow, well today, I have to go down to welfare and beg for some money.
Wish me luck
Randie
It is 1:45 am and I am calling it a day. I have been packing and moving and cooking and trying to clean.
Like I said we are evicted. What happened. Well...
The only help Annette kept to was she sent me money each month. Nothing had been prearranged, as I had
been told that when we land in Canada we should take a moment to relax and distress then buy a van and go house hunting for a home big enough for my new business. Swiss-Canadian Connection. Ugh that did not happen.
Who knew I would have troubles???
First off we were all in shock and stress was saying it lightly. we were (and still are) devastated!!!
I was sick the whole trip. I may as well have got my ticket for the toilet and not bother retuning to a
seat.
When we arrived we were in culture shock. (and still are)
The hotel was already booked out but they managed to give us a couple of days stay, then we had to go to a
different hotel and then another and another and another.
If you want a good business to be in run a hotel, they are in big demand. It may sound fun the hotel life but
trust me when you do not know your budget and you have no credit card. It is not fun at all. So many of he hotels would not take cash and without a credit card 80% turned me away. The other 20% made be leave a $200-300 deposit. That is if they even took cash!
It turns out Canada is debit card crazy and I did not have one. And without an address the bank would not even give me an account to get one.
I tell you it was crazy and stressful beyond beleif.
Anyhow...
The reason we are being evicted is this:
At the end of June when I was expecting money from Annette, she stopped without warning. Fully knowing that I had not been able to find work or reestablish myself or qualify for any kind of social assistance, she cut me off.
Yes, I wrote to her and to her 2 assistance that were assigned to me. They all knew what would happen and the problems I was and am having. yet still they just stopped!!! No warning the money just stopped and boy was I unprepared.
So, when I could not pay my rent I was given the notice of eviction on the 11th of July telling me we had to be out on July 31st. I was in shock again!
Now not only did my funding stop but we are also evicted. Now what???
I went to look for help and I was told there is no use trying to get anything from Annette because she lives to far away in a different country to fight legally plus she is rich and can fight me under the table.
This made me as sad as I am mad. It is just not fair! If I was given the help promised in the first place we would be settled and earning our own funds. My kids would be relaxed and making friends.
Being evicted on such short notice is difficult when you are also broke and have to do everything on your own.
I am alone. My back needs a rub!
There is just so much to do! Last fall it was organized (separate from Annette) to have all our thing sent out to us. 300 boxes!!! This was my 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada' and personal belongings of mine and my 3 kids.
I was already trying hard to find work so I did not have time to go through all the boxes yet. Now I was not only forced to go through them but in an effort to raise some funds for food and bills, I was now forced to sell everything off.!!!
I can not afford to keep anything. I can not afford to reestablish my businesses, one or the other. I had to garage sale like crazy.
Did I make money, hardly.
Yard sales are a sad business. They go some what like this...
"How much is that?"
"Oh, I will take $20 for it, I paid $100"
"I will give you $5"!
It went on and on like that only it was mostly a dollar here and there. I could not afford to put an ad in the news paper so my market was the posters I made and stuck up on light poles around town.
It is really hard not to be mad and disappointed at Annette Ringier right now. This all hurts very bad.
Her last e-mail to me said:
"You will never run a business"!
"My money gave you fantasy"!
"Take your kids to your husbands parents already and go on social sevice"!
quote, unquote.
I am off to bed. Oh that is right, I have no bed. I am off to the floor.
"Goodnight" or rather "Good Morning"
I have a full day tomorrow.
I had asked my husbands lawyer for help and told her it was ASAP but we had no reply.
She knows to tell him we need this help now but the e-mail reply was for me to go and get a lawyer and pay for it myself.
Like that is going to happen. How do I pay?
Tomorrow, well today, I have to go down to welfare and beg for some money.
Wish me luck
Randie
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Today is the first day of my Blog
Hello, is anybody out there?
Okay, I just aged myself. I am still shaking my head at the fact that I made a blog.
I got myself into a situation and it has left me high and dry and very much on my own.
You know what 'they say'. "You find out who your friends are when..." Well it turns out that I do not have any friends. None that are in a position to help any way. Does that matter, well it turns out that it does.
Since this is my first Blog I will introduce myself by showing you the video I put onto Youtube. It explains a bit of what I have been going through but that is just a start. There is so much more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7qtlqy27gU
Did you look? Okay, so I was living in Switzerland for 10 years. I went there originally with my husband and three kids.
Oh, just a second the dang tap is drip drip dripping. Okay, that's better.
Yes, okay, I have a problem with speaking my mind. I think therefore I am??? Actually as a single Mom in the never ending world of kids yelling "Mommmmm" I do not have any kind of social life at all. My daily conversations are usually "What?" and "Okay sweetie, is there anything else Mommy can do for you?".
Oh, and that has not changed even now that they are all teenagers :)
I would take the time to find some adult friends... if I only had the time. But I am really not complaining, even if it sounds that way. I am of the mind set that kids are only kids once and to embrace every moment because before long it is gone. I was a kid once and I have no fond memories of my mother ever being there for me. So I want to be there for my kids. I want them to have good memories and no matter what has happened or is happening in my world. My kids are first and I try my hardest to keep them stress free.
I try to keep my chin up at all times even but I have to admit there are some moments that my chin weighs a ton.
I know the problems in my world always start because I am too nice. Really, I have the hardest time being a bitch. I joke about it but at the end of the day I find I have put everyone else first. Oh it is not so bad, it actually feels really good but then I find myself in these predicaments.
I will write more later but right now I have to finish packing up.
You see I have to leave our house tomorrow. Yup, we are moving. Where? I do not know.
Where is Keanu Reeves hanging out these days? I want to live with him.
Oh am I typing out loud?
If you seen my YouTube video you would know I am in a crazy predicament at the moment.
As I started off saying, I was in Switzerland for 10 years (I will explain more later) to make a long story short I went from being abandoned by my husband without any support payments, to having my own Children's Center I called the 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada'. Unfortunately the building I was in got sold and was to be torn down. I put the word out in the newspapers that I was looking for a new location and due to the high costs of life in Switzerland I needed help doing so.
Well my business proposal got taken to Annette Ringier, one of the richest woman in Switzerland and one of her staff called me and said my project was going to be picked up by the Ringier AG company as a pilot project.
Dang, I thought that I won the lottery. We were so excited.
But I should have known from the start things were fishy because I was told that I had to keep private as to whom was helping me. I was told it was because I was in the paper all the time (as seen on my Youtube video) and they did not want the hype and attention. I think hype and attention would have been great for business but I did as I was told because I was so excited to have help. Real help.
I do not read or write German and I speak only enough to get by, so I did as I was told and that was that.
So I thought.
Just as all this was happening I was having another problem. Since my 'Pit Stop' was all packed up my kids started coming home from school bored. When I asked the problem they explained to me that they were doing more at my center after school then they were ever doing in school.
This was a problem.
So, I went to the school and asked if my kids could have more work. Maybe we should test them to make sure they are at the right level. This is where my big problem started.
It turns out that there are a lot of bored kids in the public school system in Switzerland and if they move one child then they would have to move more and this is a problem. You see, it upsets their system and it turns out that there are people that do not like to think outside the box like I do. So, I got into trouble.
My oldest son started to simply stop going to school. "They make me feel like an idiot Mom" "I know I am smart and the teachers do not like this, I hate them and I am not going". What do you do when your kid says this? Well I told my appointed Ringier helper this , she had Annette Ringier pay for tests on my kids. It turns out my son is smart, very very smart. A little Genius to say the least, no wonder he was bored. Poor guy. But the school did not want to accept this, they put him into a hospital saying he must be really sick not to want to go to school. Really, true story. They would not accept he needed more input.
But it was not enough to pick on just one of my kids they had to pick them all apart. To make a long story short. (And now remember, I can not speak or read German)
Even though the teachers and city council members spoke English to me on the street, inside the classroom and during meeting they refused to speak to me in English and made me try and figure everything out in German, even paying a translator to come. (but as it turned out I understood more then I realized after living there 10 years, and the translator was not telling me everything, just what they thought was important.)
Well excuse me but when it comes to my kids, everything is important.
Yes, I will write a book one day! Actually I already started and have a couple of publishing companies interested.
Again, to make a long and complicated story short, I was called into a meeting, with the city council and a lawyer paid for by Annette Ringier and I was basically told that I was not a good Mom. That my 'Pit Stop' was bad not only for my children but of the children in my village. I was told that they would remove my children from me because: I would not accept them putting my oldest son into a youth home, as I was told my home was over stimulating for him. My daughter was too 'fat' (which is a complete load of bull, anyone who heard this said it was crazy, big boobs as they run in my family yes, fat no. but if the teacher says it they say it must be so) and my youngest son would not take a shower. All crazy trumped up charges against me because I challenged them and because they were all upset with me for not telling them where I was getting extra money from.
Remember I was told to tell no one that Annette Ringier was helping me? This silence got me into trouble.
So much trouble that: I was sent a letter (in German) telling me that I had to have my 3 kids packed and ready as they were going to remove them from my home. Yes!
(before I go on, I should point out that after we arrived in Canada I was e-mailed a letter stating that all charges were dropped and they were sorry. I am a good mom and my kids could stay with me, but it was too late by then...we were gone and afraid to return.
When I asked the two different lawyers (paid for by Ringier) what to do? I was told to pack a bag each and get out of the country ASAP! I was told that I could not say "Good-bye" or "Thank you" because if anyone knows I am going the authorities will find out and arest me at the airport for 'Kidnapping' (when you sign your kids up in the public school system they belong to Switzerland) and then my kids would be taken and never returned to me. I was terrified, in shock and even writing this still gives me goosebumps!!!
So, again I did as we were told. Crying the whole time in private and chin up as high as I could when my kids were around.
After all it can not be so bad right? Annette Ringier told me that she would pay for our flights, help reestablish us and then continue to care for us financially for 3 years to make sure we were all okay. Not so bad right?
She also knew that I was scared to return to Canada because my marriage ended on a very violent note and I was scared to expose myself or my children to this man. The number one reason I was allowed to stay in Switzerland after he left was because the police told me my husband was not allowed back into the country after what happened and I was to be safe there. I really felt safe. Now this safety net was being ripped from under me at no choice. I was and still am really scared.
But Annette assured me she had my back and everything would be okay. She even told me the new idea I had for "The Swiss-Canadian Connection" was a good idea and worth doing. This means I would get a house big enough so that Swiss kids could come and stay with us in Canada to learn English and see the country.
We would have a home and a job. This would be good right. I was not ready to leave the wonderful Swiss kids behind. I love them very much as they grew up before my eyes. No I was not ready to have to go. Not ready at all. But I love my kids more and when you are a Mom you do whatever it takes. Right??!!!
I tell you fleeing the country was very scary and terrifying to say the least. Okay so Annette gave me money in my pocket. Annette had my back right? Everything was going to be okay? That is what all the e-mails were telling me.
Stupid me, I had nothing in writing and signed. Only e-mails, that I am only now being told, mean nothing. NOTHING!!!
Yup, you guessed it (okay you did see my Youtube video) once we hit Canadian soil the promises were broken. After being sent a bit more money I was then told to go on the social service system.
I WAS IN SHOCK!!! This is not being reestablished. Where was the help? Where was our protection?
If I had known for one second it would happen like this then I would not have taken Annette's help. There were other people interested in helping me. Sure they did not offer a pilot project and lavish me with money but it was good honest help.
I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, trying to explain that after being out of the country for so long I do not qualify for any kind of assistance. I have no credit rating in Canada and I can not rent a home without a job and i can not get a job without a home. I did not come back to be on Social Assistance! And where was the safety net about protecting me and my kids from my husband?
Ohhh it is 9:50, I got to go. After all we are evicted from this house and we have to go tomorrow. Where who knows? But I am sure everything happens for a reason and everything will be okay. Right?
Right!?
Thanks for listening to my vent. I will continue later.
Have a wonderful Saturday
Randie
Okay, I just aged myself. I am still shaking my head at the fact that I made a blog.
I got myself into a situation and it has left me high and dry and very much on my own.
You know what 'they say'. "You find out who your friends are when..." Well it turns out that I do not have any friends. None that are in a position to help any way. Does that matter, well it turns out that it does.
Since this is my first Blog I will introduce myself by showing you the video I put onto Youtube. It explains a bit of what I have been going through but that is just a start. There is so much more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7qtlqy27gU
Did you look? Okay, so I was living in Switzerland for 10 years. I went there originally with my husband and three kids.
Oh, just a second the dang tap is drip drip dripping. Okay, that's better.
Yes, okay, I have a problem with speaking my mind. I think therefore I am??? Actually as a single Mom in the never ending world of kids yelling "Mommmmm" I do not have any kind of social life at all. My daily conversations are usually "What?" and "Okay sweetie, is there anything else Mommy can do for you?".
Oh, and that has not changed even now that they are all teenagers :)
I would take the time to find some adult friends... if I only had the time. But I am really not complaining, even if it sounds that way. I am of the mind set that kids are only kids once and to embrace every moment because before long it is gone. I was a kid once and I have no fond memories of my mother ever being there for me. So I want to be there for my kids. I want them to have good memories and no matter what has happened or is happening in my world. My kids are first and I try my hardest to keep them stress free.
I try to keep my chin up at all times even but I have to admit there are some moments that my chin weighs a ton.
I know the problems in my world always start because I am too nice. Really, I have the hardest time being a bitch. I joke about it but at the end of the day I find I have put everyone else first. Oh it is not so bad, it actually feels really good but then I find myself in these predicaments.
I will write more later but right now I have to finish packing up.
You see I have to leave our house tomorrow. Yup, we are moving. Where? I do not know.
Where is Keanu Reeves hanging out these days? I want to live with him.
Oh am I typing out loud?
If you seen my YouTube video you would know I am in a crazy predicament at the moment.
As I started off saying, I was in Switzerland for 10 years (I will explain more later) to make a long story short I went from being abandoned by my husband without any support payments, to having my own Children's Center I called the 'Pit Stop' and 'Cafe Canada'. Unfortunately the building I was in got sold and was to be torn down. I put the word out in the newspapers that I was looking for a new location and due to the high costs of life in Switzerland I needed help doing so.
Well my business proposal got taken to Annette Ringier, one of the richest woman in Switzerland and one of her staff called me and said my project was going to be picked up by the Ringier AG company as a pilot project.
Dang, I thought that I won the lottery. We were so excited.
But I should have known from the start things were fishy because I was told that I had to keep private as to whom was helping me. I was told it was because I was in the paper all the time (as seen on my Youtube video) and they did not want the hype and attention. I think hype and attention would have been great for business but I did as I was told because I was so excited to have help. Real help.
I do not read or write German and I speak only enough to get by, so I did as I was told and that was that.
So I thought.
Just as all this was happening I was having another problem. Since my 'Pit Stop' was all packed up my kids started coming home from school bored. When I asked the problem they explained to me that they were doing more at my center after school then they were ever doing in school.
This was a problem.
So, I went to the school and asked if my kids could have more work. Maybe we should test them to make sure they are at the right level. This is where my big problem started.
It turns out that there are a lot of bored kids in the public school system in Switzerland and if they move one child then they would have to move more and this is a problem. You see, it upsets their system and it turns out that there are people that do not like to think outside the box like I do. So, I got into trouble.
My oldest son started to simply stop going to school. "They make me feel like an idiot Mom" "I know I am smart and the teachers do not like this, I hate them and I am not going". What do you do when your kid says this? Well I told my appointed Ringier helper this , she had Annette Ringier pay for tests on my kids. It turns out my son is smart, very very smart. A little Genius to say the least, no wonder he was bored. Poor guy. But the school did not want to accept this, they put him into a hospital saying he must be really sick not to want to go to school. Really, true story. They would not accept he needed more input.
But it was not enough to pick on just one of my kids they had to pick them all apart. To make a long story short. (And now remember, I can not speak or read German)
Even though the teachers and city council members spoke English to me on the street, inside the classroom and during meeting they refused to speak to me in English and made me try and figure everything out in German, even paying a translator to come. (but as it turned out I understood more then I realized after living there 10 years, and the translator was not telling me everything, just what they thought was important.)
Well excuse me but when it comes to my kids, everything is important.
Yes, I will write a book one day! Actually I already started and have a couple of publishing companies interested.
Again, to make a long and complicated story short, I was called into a meeting, with the city council and a lawyer paid for by Annette Ringier and I was basically told that I was not a good Mom. That my 'Pit Stop' was bad not only for my children but of the children in my village. I was told that they would remove my children from me because: I would not accept them putting my oldest son into a youth home, as I was told my home was over stimulating for him. My daughter was too 'fat' (which is a complete load of bull, anyone who heard this said it was crazy, big boobs as they run in my family yes, fat no. but if the teacher says it they say it must be so) and my youngest son would not take a shower. All crazy trumped up charges against me because I challenged them and because they were all upset with me for not telling them where I was getting extra money from.
Remember I was told to tell no one that Annette Ringier was helping me? This silence got me into trouble.
So much trouble that: I was sent a letter (in German) telling me that I had to have my 3 kids packed and ready as they were going to remove them from my home. Yes!
(before I go on, I should point out that after we arrived in Canada I was e-mailed a letter stating that all charges were dropped and they were sorry. I am a good mom and my kids could stay with me, but it was too late by then...we were gone and afraid to return.
When I asked the two different lawyers (paid for by Ringier) what to do? I was told to pack a bag each and get out of the country ASAP! I was told that I could not say "Good-bye" or "Thank you" because if anyone knows I am going the authorities will find out and arest me at the airport for 'Kidnapping' (when you sign your kids up in the public school system they belong to Switzerland) and then my kids would be taken and never returned to me. I was terrified, in shock and even writing this still gives me goosebumps!!!
So, again I did as we were told. Crying the whole time in private and chin up as high as I could when my kids were around.
After all it can not be so bad right? Annette Ringier told me that she would pay for our flights, help reestablish us and then continue to care for us financially for 3 years to make sure we were all okay. Not so bad right?
She also knew that I was scared to return to Canada because my marriage ended on a very violent note and I was scared to expose myself or my children to this man. The number one reason I was allowed to stay in Switzerland after he left was because the police told me my husband was not allowed back into the country after what happened and I was to be safe there. I really felt safe. Now this safety net was being ripped from under me at no choice. I was and still am really scared.
But Annette assured me she had my back and everything would be okay. She even told me the new idea I had for "The Swiss-Canadian Connection" was a good idea and worth doing. This means I would get a house big enough so that Swiss kids could come and stay with us in Canada to learn English and see the country.
We would have a home and a job. This would be good right. I was not ready to leave the wonderful Swiss kids behind. I love them very much as they grew up before my eyes. No I was not ready to have to go. Not ready at all. But I love my kids more and when you are a Mom you do whatever it takes. Right??!!!
I tell you fleeing the country was very scary and terrifying to say the least. Okay so Annette gave me money in my pocket. Annette had my back right? Everything was going to be okay? That is what all the e-mails were telling me.
Stupid me, I had nothing in writing and signed. Only e-mails, that I am only now being told, mean nothing. NOTHING!!!
Yup, you guessed it (okay you did see my Youtube video) once we hit Canadian soil the promises were broken. After being sent a bit more money I was then told to go on the social service system.
I WAS IN SHOCK!!! This is not being reestablished. Where was the help? Where was our protection?
If I had known for one second it would happen like this then I would not have taken Annette's help. There were other people interested in helping me. Sure they did not offer a pilot project and lavish me with money but it was good honest help.
I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, trying to explain that after being out of the country for so long I do not qualify for any kind of assistance. I have no credit rating in Canada and I can not rent a home without a job and i can not get a job without a home. I did not come back to be on Social Assistance! And where was the safety net about protecting me and my kids from my husband?
Ohhh it is 9:50, I got to go. After all we are evicted from this house and we have to go tomorrow. Where who knows? But I am sure everything happens for a reason and everything will be okay. Right?
Right!?
Thanks for listening to my vent. I will continue later.
Have a wonderful Saturday
Randie
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