Sunday, May 08, 2005

A Schmallmark moment

Step-parenting has got to be the most thankless job in the world. Even counting those jobs which sniff out underarm odor, or test other people's turds for signs of disease. But then these are paying jobs so perhaps they shouldn't count. I can't think of any parallel to step-parenting. Wait a minute. Being a worker bee comes close. Slave and toil to make honey and along comes some schmuck in a net and steals it, puts a lid on it and says he made it. Yeah, that about covers it.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

A letter to Peter Mackay

Today I wrote a letter to Peter Mackay, who I believe is the deputy leader of the Conservative Party. I wrote it in frustration at the Conservatives who are threatening to force an election and spend even more of our tax dollars just because they want to be right.


Hello Mr. Mackay,

You seem to be the only voice of reason in the Conservative party during these frenzied days so I am appealing to you, as a very concerned citizen and frustrated taxpayer, to please, please convince Mr. Harper to get down off his high horse and think before he drives this country into another election all because he wants to be right.

Us little guys - otherwise known as ordinary citizens - feel totally helpless when we see what is going on in the halls of power.

Yes, we are totally repulsed by what has gone on under the Liberals. Mr. Gommery is getting to the bottom of that. But we also have no assurance that what has happened under the Liberal mandate didn't previously happen under the P.C. mandate, and all other mandates since Confederation. In other words, to us little guys, it looks like the system is broken. Plain and simple.

What we want and need is someone who will fix the system, not just grab the reins of power of the current broken-down, lice-infested system.

What we want and need is someone who cares enough about this country to make things right - and what better time to effect change than when the opposition has the government on the ropes. Mr. Harper could do so much good for Canada by sitting back, putting on his thinking cap and coming up with solutions for how this country is best governed. For that matter, under a minority government, we could have some of the best government this country has ever seen. All it takes is for people to care more about the country than they do about their political careers.

The prospect of another election when my vote will once again not matter one hoot under the first-past-the-post system, is discouraging, depressing and downright scary.

I would personally like to see the party system disbanded. Let every MP be elected on his or her own merits.

If we can't have that, then, for the sake of all that is fair and decent, then we at least need Proportional Representation. Why is it that neither of the two main parties will espouse that view? Probably because they have too much to loose. The country and democracy is the biggest loser.

Mr. Mackay, please, get your leader to stop screaming media-sound-bites that sound good but mean nothing. Please get him to stop wanting to be right and instead get him to think of Canada first, not his political future. I wrote to him very nicely last week to express my concern for the direction he seemed to be taking. I never even got the courtesy of a reply. This does not auger well for his future as a leader. My letter to him is attached.

Signed,
A concerned and sad taxpayer.

Sunday, May 01, 2005

What a weekend!

Last night someone came ringing our doorbell and hammering on the door at 10:30 p.m. I was immediately wary. Hubby was prepared to open the door to see who was there until I screamed at him to just look out the window and only open if we know who it is. He looked out. Nobody there. I looked out from the stairwell window. Saw nothing. Nobody. Hmm. We pondered a bit, looked out some more and then went to check the back door and the garage. Nothing unusual there. Back to the front door. Still nobody about. We opened the door and ventured out. Nothing to be seen. Could smell cigarette smoke though. Could also smell it in the hall and the kitchen. I was spooked by this time. Called the neighbour across the street to see if she'd heard anything. She hadn't but appreciated the heads up.

Hubby went to the bathroom. I went to water some flowers. While I was filling up my jug, there was light knock on the door. I panicked. Hubby said I was hearing things. That it was just him in the bathroom. I said if it was only him if he was knocking in there. He wasn't. We ventured to the front door again and looked out. Saw nothing. Eek. Then saw our neighbour's husband standing away from the steps. Phew. He said he hadn't wanted to spook us.

He said he had been in the garden doing some odd jobs and saw two fellows at our door. They had torn off down the side path (which is not visible in the dark so they had to have known it was there.)

Today one of the stone steps was overturned so we didn't dream this.

I hate living here. I hate having to be afraid to open my door. I can't wait to get back to Newfoundland where if someone will hammer on your door only if they need your help badly or if they're mummering.