As you probably know from my previous blog post. Franklin County Massachusetts is in the grips of a Heroin addiction. An addiction so strong that it is killing our young people, or condemning them to a life with a monkey on their backs.  Getting help for this addiction has been also hampered by our geographic location. Until now the addict had to travel to Springfield, South Boston or Framingham. Therefore there are no services available for detox in Franklin or Hampshire Counties. There are also a severely limited number of beds in those facilities, with a growing number of addicts fighting for space.

The State of Massachusetts and the City of Greenfield have chosen to put a detox/rehab center in the former Lunt Silversmith Building on Federal Street. This Center would kill the proverbial 2 birds with 1 stone. Bring a much needed detox/rehab facility to the area and make use of a building that has been vacant for many years.

This has caused the typical “Not in My Backyard” debate. That by putting this detox/rehab center in Greenfield it will cause the following:
1.  More Heroin Addiction
2.  More Crime
3.  That Building could be used for something else.
4.  We don’t want a building full of junkies in the middle of town, put it somewhere else.

Answers and rebuttals to those complaints:
1.  A heroin detox/rehab center does not cause more addiction, any more than an alcohol detox/rehab center causes more alcoholism.
THAT ARGUMENT IS INVALID
2.  A detox/rehab center will not invite crime to Federal Street in Greenfield. The patients will not be wandering the neighborhood at night. It will be in effect a hospital.
THIS ARGUMENT IS INVALID
3.  This building has been vacant for many years and off the tax rolls. Leaving it any longer will allow it to fall to further disrepair and it will enter the realm of the Greenfield Forgotten Buildings.
THIS ARGUMENT IS INVALID
4.  It all boils down to this, well the problem lies within the heart of Greenfield. So therefore that is where its solution should be.
THIS ARGUMENT IS JUST AN OPINION.

This was best said by my 18yr old last night. “We are the last large town on the Heroin Highway before the runners reach Vermont, we have a huge problem and it is only gonna get worse if we don’t address it. Greenfield, and the surrounding towns are being lost and overrun by heroin, we need to fix this, before there is nothing left to fix”  Therefore put the Center in the Lunt Building, use that building for good, put it in My Backyard, because my yard is the one with the weeds that need to be cleaned up.

     In the past 2 days I have seen a story about parents who locked there child outside the house and made her sleep in a tent approximately 1/4 mile from the house. For the offense of eating a Pop-Tart!!!  A Pop-Tart I say, this teenage girl all of 14 years old was banished to a tent with a roll of toilet paper, and a whistle. She was told to report at a certain time of day to get her food. If she wasn’t there, than she didn’t get fed. These parents have lost their minds, someone finally figured out what was going on, reported them to the authorities. That young girl was placed in DSS custody, her 4 siblings were placed with their grandparents and the parents were transported to jail. Exactly where they all need to be.
     Shortly after viewing that story I saw another one that was even more disturbing. A 22 year old man in CT jumped off a bridge into the CT river, which is traumatic and terrible all on it’s own. What makes this even more tragic is he had in his arms his 2 year old son. The 22 year old survived and was transported to a hospital. His toddler son was not so lucky, they found his body today, approximately 5 miles downstream from where his father plunged them into the river.
     Both of these stories have left me confused, shaking my head and wondering. Did these people think their children were commodities, things, possessions?  Did they not view them as human beings, to be loved and cherished? I truly do not understand some of my fellow humans sometimes.

I am really tired of seeing Blog Posts and articles about “You are Enough”, “Or How to Draw the Line”. I realize many of them are about how not to run yourself ragged on over crafting and over doing for your children and everyone else in your life. That part of being “enough” I get. I retired my hot glue gun a long time ago. It only comes out on special occasions when I truly want to make something look pretty. The part about being ENOUGH that I don’t agree with is this. I am an every changing being. I am always evolving, I will NEVER be enough for me, I always want to be a better version of ME. I want MORE education, I want to know how to do things BETTER. 

I am still plodding away on the on-line CPA refresher courses, that is something that I do for ME, last weekend I took a bread baking class with my sister-in-law. We learned to make baguettes, the scale is not happy, but oh it was so much fun. Those are things I do for me. I get my hair done every 6-8 weeks, to keep the grey under control, because no matter how lovingly you tell me those are strands of glitter growing out of my head. They are still wiry strands of grey hair. I know I worked hard for those grey hair, but I much prefer the red/gold/blonde combination that my stylist can create out of them. I try to get my body to the YMCA at least once if not twice a week and swim 1-2 miles. It is as much for my strength, and my health as it is for my sanity. No one can talk to me for the hour that I am in the pool. With my goggles, ear plugs and bright pink swim cap on. I am locked away from the world in my own cocoon of watery peace.

These versions of “enoughness” and yes I just created that word, it sounds pretty good. I do for me. My version of ENOUGH is to make me happy, not the rest of the world. I do a crap load of the other kind of that, dinner prep, laundry, kids to sports, and someday I know I will miss it when it is gone. So I intersperse their ENOUGH with MINE to come up with a BALANCE that makes my life work.

    

      In the span of 2 days SCOTUS has upheld Obamacare and given LGBT couples the right to marry in all 50 states in the USA. To say that Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia is pissed off is a vast understatement. He is pouting like a 3 year old that someone took away his Matchbox Cars and told him it was nap time. I hate to break it to you Justice Scalia but the world around you has changed. Obamacare or The ACA gives Americans Health Care. Something that you as a Supreme Court Justice have anyway, but maybe the man that changes the oil in your car, or walks your dog, or trims your hedges does not. At least not without ACA. I know Obamacare has its flaws, but until we as a nation can make the leap to single-payer health insurance. This is the stop gap measure. Single-payer health insurance will face the large insurance lobby as its major stumbling block to success.
     As for the second ruling, the one that gave every american the ability to marry. I am unequivocally happy about it. There is absolutely no reason that gays should not be allowed to enter into the institution of holy matrimony in every state in this Union. Allowing each state to set their own rules was tantamount to having different currency for each state. It made no sense, we all live in this big crazy melting pot of a country, and we all need to play by the same matrimonial laws. As for Justice Scalia, if he cant seem to get with the times, then maybe he should vacate his post for someone who can?!

     I am a lucky girl, a very lucky girl. I have a really cool dad and I will be the first to admit I am a Daddy’s Girl. I went everywhere with my Dad. To the hardware store, to the dump, to the lumberyard, just anywhere he went I was his sidekick.
     My dad taught me that there wasn’t much a girl couldn’t do, hammer nails, paint a room change your own oil, drive a stick, fix holes in walls, hang a picture (straight of course) write a kick ass resume, make amazing fried chicken, strip paint off furniture, mow the lawn and even change a tire.
     As a little girl my dad was my hero, there was nothing he couldn’t do. If I broke it he could fix it. He was my Superman, he dried my tears and fixed every thing. He coached everything in town. Basketball, baseball, he was harder on me than anyone else, and I was not athletically inclined. I kept score for everything he coached for that I didn’t play, just to go with him. He was well loved and respected, as Coach Whalen, my Dad, doing his thing!!
     He worked hard, as a Postal Employee, first as a Window Clerk, then as a Postmaster. On weekends he would bartend private parties so my Mom could be home with us. He built additions on our house, a porch, a den, a garage with an addition to it, a new bedroom and bathroom for my Mom. They have been married 49 years, that is a feat in itself.❤
     He would tell you that he was just doing what Dads do, but in my eyes he is my Superman.  His fuel is coffee and his kryptonite is oysters!!!

     It seems that the societal norm has changed. When I was growing up there were just certain words that were not to be uttered, they included Nigger, Cunt, Fuck, Slut, Bitch and Whore. These days it seems that there is no word off limits, or rather no word off limits to certain sections of the population. The young  men call each other Niggas without giving one single thought to what that word means. It was the derogatory name given to the slaves by the plantation owners. Yet they think it is cool to call each other it, as a form of endearment.
     In the same breath they call their young ladies Bitches and Whores, and the women respond to those terms without complaint. I for one will not stand for a man calling me any of those names.
     Along with the societal norm changing has come a double standard. If we, and I say we encompassing those of us that are not black. Were to use those names or terms of endearment as they refer to them. Then we are considered racist. 
      I have a suggestion for every one concerning these words. Let’s just remove them. Remove them from the standard vocabulary, remove them from the slang, remove them from the music.  By allowing one section of the population to use those words, it has both reinforced the degradation as well as continued to reinforce the class system that we fight against on a daily basis.
     I would hazard to guess that if you were to use any of these words in the corporate workplace you would find your job gone and  your office belongings handed to you in a cardboard box. My suggestion to all that think these words are appropriate would be to remember where they are derived from.

   

     I have been known to tell my children that “life isn’t fair, a fair is a place we go to ride rides and eat funnel cakes.”  This year of Babe Ruth Baseball has totally brought that home to me. Connor plays on a team with 13 other boys,  with ages from 12-15. Connor has played baseball since he was old enough to toss a ball, it really is his game of choice.
     He has played Cal Ripken Little League, Middle School Ball, High School Ball, Tournament Ball and Babe Ruth. As you can see his life revolves around baseballs, gloves and bats. This is the last year that he will be eligible to play Babe Ruth, he will be too old next year. He is one of the senior players on the team. Yet he has spent time warming the bench this year, so that the 7th and 8th grade favorites of the coach can play.  That is above and beyond not fair, that is just true sorry coaching.
     I am not looking for my son to be given anything other than what he is due. He is a great shortstop and second baseman. He has been hitting the crap out of the ball, and when he gets on base you can bet your butt he is gonna steal bases and score if given the chance.
     15 year olds have paid their dues to play every inning of every game in this league. Next year if they play they will have to be at the bottom of the barrel playing Mickey Mantel. Connor loves the “Great American Game”,  but has chosen not to play Babe Ruth Tournament Ball this summer, because it means playing for this coach. So in the span of one season you have destroyed baseball for him. Congratulations, for a job not well done.

   

    What is the fascination all of a sudden with women choosing not to shave?  I realize that our bodies belong to us and we don’t have to impress any one else, but really ladies. Unshaven armpit hair stinks!!  No amount of anti-perspirant or deodorant can mask that stink.
     It is warm, now June, almost July, that means sundresses and tank tops and halter tops abound. Not to mention bathing suits. With the lack of clothing please do us all a favor and make an appointment with your razor ladies. No one wants to see your armpit hair, or your unshaven legs. And for the love of all that is holy please don’t post your hairy armpits or legs on Facebook or Instagram. No one wants to see them.

     I was in the liquor store yesterday, purchasing my favorite beer. My favorite summer beer is an odd one, and I will be the first to admit it.

A beer that tastes like grapefruit juice with a kick, my hubby sticks his nose up at me and says it is foo-foo beer.  I picked up a six pack and before I carried it to the counter I picked him up a six pack of this

It tastes like Root Beer with a kick, no fruit involved. No sharing involved either, problem solved!🍺🍺☺;)

  

     I have come to the conclusion that someone knew what they were doing when they made sure boys had both Moms and Dads. My youngest son is the epitome of a whirling dervish, being still is torture for him, and his father completely feeds that energy.
     In the span of 6 short weeks he has fractured his ankle and sustained a concussion. The fracture occurred during baseball practice and the concussion occurred this Monday during Gym while playing baseball, and to think I am worried about him playing football next year, at least they will give him a helmet and pads.
     While his Dad feeds the energy, and can’t understand why he is supposed to rest his injured parts. I am the one telling him that he has to rest his injured ankle so it doesn’t develop arthritis. What 15 year old cares about arthritis?  And I am now telling him that he has to rest his brain.
     A teenage brain is still “cooking”.  He needs to rest it, so that he can properly heal, that means sleep, minimal eye and brain stimulation. I know what it means, but now try putting it into effect with a 15 year old that can’t be still. He is sure that I am punishing him and at this point can’t understand why he can’t go to school until next Monday!!  His Dad though I love him just doesn’t get “Concussion Protocol”, and thinks I am being ridiculous. I just roll my eyes and tell him that he has probably had many concussions, and maybe that is why he is like he is👀👀.
     Knowing that I am doing the best for my kids, makes it right, even if I have to fight with the hubby about it. He may get it some day, but until then I will keep doing my thing.