News From The Homefront

I received two parking violations...taped to the driver's side window of my truck; found them posted today - in the rain.

Toronto Police might as well have TP'd my vehicle because the papers - with the bright neon orange label that screams to all passers by that I have been a naughty girl - were so saturated from the rain that they couldn't be peeled from the glass without falling apart (see picture).

The truck needs a transmission. That has been purchased from a salvage yard but I am short $150 to install it plus, because along with that I couldn't afford the registration renewal in January. I didn't think this would be a problem since the truck is parked on my property; not on the street.

Unfortunately, the guys who removed the old trany left the truck jacked up on ramps. Hell, I might as well post a sign beside it that says " A Redneck Lives Here!" And while I'm at it, I'm trying to get my gardening done so if anyone has any spare tires they want to get rid of, I could paint them white and plant geraniums in them. If they are tractor tires, that's even better. I like that scalloped look.

So why isn't this a problem?
This building on the corner behind my house has an exterior wall that is buckling away from the upstairs window frames.

When I was a kid, it had a small market run by the family that lived here. It was a nice building with two spacious apartments that each had two bedrooms and the property was beautifully maintained.

The last owner of it died and rumor has it that he owed back taxes of the five-figure variety, yet he was still charging rent.

I reported the condition of this building to the city months ago. Orange cones were set up along the parameters to no avail.

The residents of the upstairs apartments vacated the building but there are still occupants downstairs who are still paying rent and don't seem concerned that they may be ordered to move.

Several weeks ago I told one of the residents about Ohio House Bill 9, introduced by my friend Mike Foley of Cleveland's 14th District. This bill offers protection for renters living in buildings that are subject to foreclosure.

Well, ignorance certainly must be bliss because this tenant was not at all concerned or worried about losing her home. She even said that her landlord was very good to her (imagine that!).

She and her husband have made absolutely no attempt to apply for other housing and the property has been turned over t0 the heirs of the deceased owner.

It's going to be grab and go! I am keeping my battery charged and my memory card open on my camera so that when I hear the creaking sound of the wall starting to collapse I will be ready to run out in time to video the roof coming down. Keep checking in to my YouTube Channel - thiznat. You can link to it on the right side of this page.

I'll get to it soon...
That's all I can tell my friend Sarah who posted on Facebook, "I'm impatiently waiting for your blog post on life at CWS. Were you there when it was called "Guantanamo Cleveland"? "

Yes, I was and when telling my story of being a resident at Cleveland's most notorious women's shelter, I promise I will open up more than I did when I wrote about what I witnessed while there. I now have no fear of retaliation from the staff as I did when I wrote my A Fly on the Wall series for "The Homeless Grapevine" newspaper.

Sarah blogged about her return to the shelter. We have plenty of notes to compare. Mine from the stand point of being a homeless shelter resident and hers as an activist; trying to help empower the residents.

Status on Jet and Bandit
Both of the girls are doing great although they are not growing as well as their brother Topper and sisters Tipper and Miss 'V'. Our wonderful neighbor Kristy bought two large baby medicine droppers which has been easier to use when feeding the kittens.

Jet and Bandit have had problems eating; neither one knows to suck on a bottle or tip of a syringe but they are finally coming around.

Jet was very near death and Bandit began to have problems with lethargy possibly due to malnourishment. You can read more about what happened at "Paws for a Moment" by clicking here.

Video: Today Show Report: Sacramento Tent Cities

More On The Homefront

Five new additions to our family

Saturday, as I was passing my neighbor's house across the street, they found five kittens in their hedges. Luckily I was there because the neighbors were going to put these kittens in a cardboard box and leave them in the front yard; potentially exposing them to the threat of other animals including the hawks that often circle overhead.

Well, the kittens are mine now. The neighbors' teenage daughter wants one of the two females; well no such luck Babe cuz I'd never turn these babies over to someone who was about to assist in their potential demise.

Well, I went home and got a large storage container, lined it with one of my cat's blankets and returned to rescue these kittens

Here, my cat Goldie meets the kittens for the first time. He has been wonderful; constantly checking on them and even located the kitten's mother, going as far as bringing Mama home for her kittens.

I guess he understands; maybe. He was homeless himself last year until we took him in and brought him with us when we moved.

Anyway, kittens are fine and in the house right now due to the cold spell we are having.

Goldie frets over them; always checking on them and making certain that their mother knows where they are so she is remaining close.

Not only is he my guardian angel, he is a hero as well!

More updates later!

Madoff trades his $7 million penthouse for a tiny jail cell

This woman traded in her home for a couch at someone else's house rather than go to a shelter because she owns a dog.

Another casualty of denial for disability benefits by the Social Security Administration, she is diabetic, has osteoarthritis -both conditions affect her ability to walk. Her wheel chair is broken.

She was dropped off on Public Square by the person who lets her sleep on his couch. He told her to panhandle to earn some money for the $120.00 per week he is charging her for rent.

Unlike this woman, Bernie Madoff gets three hots and a cot, recreation, clean clothes, etc. The figures aren't in on how many people will be homeless from his Ponzy Scheme.

Beginning with the Reagan Administration, over $900 billion has been borrowed from the Social Security Administration to fund other projects. This money is yet to be paid back.

Americans paid into Social Security only to have their applications for disability benefits denied. Americans paid Madoff to manage their investments only to find that he squandered away their money.

Only Madoff is being held accountable.

Let's Begin Shall We?

I began construction on this blog in 2007, less than a month after being approved by the administrative law judge for Social Security Disability. So much has happened and so much time has passed since starting to layout this blog.

Much time, energy, blood, sweat and tears have been spent to get to where I am today.

Contained on this blog will be the telling of my story of my life experience. The career I busted my ass for. The illness I fought to overcome. The discrimination I faced and tried to fight in the workplace to keep my job and prevent my health from deteriorating further. The job loss that a simple accommodation at work could have prevented. My eviction from my apartment of ten years. My time spent homeless in Cleveland, Ohio and the events leading to owning my first home.

So, let's begin, shall we?