I felt like an actor in the movie “Platoon” hitting the deck in order to save my own life. I nearly got hit in the head with a wild turkey yesterday. This is why I love Norfolk. When you go out for a walk in the woods, you really don’t have to be too concerned about getting attacked by anything, except for maybe poison ivy and mosquitoes. Yesterday was perfect for a walk. Goldie has been doing really well with whistle training, so she doesn’t stray that far. As soon as she hears that whistle, she runs over to me for a treat. So I am walking along, enjoying a beautiful fall morning, and Goldie runs off into the woods. Suddenly I hear crash, bang, scatter scurry, bang. It sounded like a deer running through the woods. I have had that happen before, where the dogs had chased a buck out of the woods, and I nearly got mowed down. This time however, it was not a deer, it was a male turkey, followed by a female turkey. The male flew out of the woods (not very graceful at all) and went straight up into a tree. But it didn’t end there. The female turkey, come flying out of the woods, and was aimed straight at my head. I hit the ground, and the turkey flew over me and continued over to a bunch of trees. So there I lay, covered in dirt and soybean dust, and I thought……..perhaps I should wear a helmet while walking the dog? That turkey was so close, I could have grabbed it. My heart was pounding in my chest, and Goldie ran over to me to see why I was laying on the ground.
The funny part is, this isn’t the first time this has happened. A couple of years ago, while walking Sadie and Goldie, they chased a whole bunch of turkey’s out of the woods. I didn’t even know which was to turn to get out of the way. Goldie ended up catching one of the turkey’s ripped the breast meat out, and then dragged the dead bird home to her kennel. Anyone have a similar experience?

Not because they are dirty. But because it is getting cooler. I love flannel sheets. This is the perfect time of year to put the flannel sheets on, and sleep with the window cracked open just a bit. I love the fall. October is my favourite month of the year, but there is so much to do. Changing the sheets is no big deal, but the air conditioner has to be put away. That means cleaning it out and lugging it down the stairs. The trailer has to be prepared for storage, which means I have to take everything out of it that could be damaged by freezing. We also have to put something over our strawberry plants. Hay? I don't know, I haven't read up on it yet, but something has to be put over them during the winter. (I’ve never had strawberries before.)
In preparation for winter, I also want to buy some cedar trees and plant them along our property line. We need some sort of wind break along the back of our property. Then there is the big task of going through our clothes, and putting all of the summer clothes into those big plastic totes, and getting all of the winter clothes out. You know what? I don’t care about how much work has to be done. I am the happiest this time of year. I love the cool air. I love the weekends my husband and I spend together cuddled up on the couch, watching hockey and football. Or the time we spend outside getting ready for winter. I love fall fishing on Long Point Bay. I love the smell of the marsh at Long Point during the fall, and seeing deer, geese and ducks. October in Norfolk County is the best month of the year. It isn’t too cold, it isn’t too hot. We have the Norfolk County Fair (mmmmm reese’s pieces fudge) Pumpkinfest, and many other fun events!

I took a tour of the Norfolk General Hospital mammography room today. Michael Badawoy and I went to the hospital to see the old mammography machine and talk to the radiologist about the benefits of having digital mammography. The differences between the machines are phenomonenal.

Now just so you know, I am not going to explain this how the hospital would. This is just you and I, and you know I tell it like it is, so here is what I learned. I also want to point out that the technology NGH has right now can help save lives. But right now, the hospital has second best. Wouldn’t you rather have the best equipment looking at your equipment? When a breast is squished in the mammography unit, an x-ray is taken. The x-ray is taken to the radiologist, who puts it up to a lighted board, and looks at the tissue. If there is a lump found, it is measured by hand. A lot of the time, the doctor has to use a magnifying glass, (yes the old fashioned, hand held magnifying glass) to look at the tissues and inspect for lumps. Then you proceed with treatment from there.

The new digital mammography machines works like this. You still have to have your boobs pressed, (from what I hear, it is like having your cheek squeezed by grandma, but it lasts a while longer) but the difference is how the picture is taken.

We all know digital cameras are superior in many ways to film camera. You can crop the photos, and look at details close up. Digital Mammography works that way. The doctor can look at a lump, that may not be cancerous that has been in your breast over several years. The doctor can put the digital photos layer by layer on top of each other to see if the lump has changed shape. There is no magnifying glass needed. There are no films on a white board. It is all on a computer screen. Breast cancer kills 1 in 9 women. Men can get breast cancer too. That means of your 9 female co-workers, one of them will get breast cancer. I think residents of Norfolk deserve the best equipment at our hospital. The radiothon is October 15th. Take the time to donate to the Sooner the Better campaign.

If you don't have it, it is all you can think about. Sometimes more than your hair loss, wrinkles, weight or sex. If you have lots of it, it doesn't mean that you are happier, and you likely just spend more. Right now, I've got 8 dollars in my wallet. That will last me through the week. I will splurge with my money on trips, but I will be frugal in regards to other purchases. I can honestly say I don't worry about money that much. It isn't because I am raking in the big bucks, but between Joe and I, we make enough to have a nice life. Sure we'd like more, but who wouldn't. With the economic crisis in the U.S., a lot of us are looking at our mutual funds/RRSP's and wondering what next months statement will look like. I know mine will be down, but it jumps all over the place anyways. I'm more concerned about the cost of groceries and gas. I spend on average 100 dollars a week on groceries. Last year, I used to spend around 80-90 dollars a week. The price of almost everything has gone up. Gas has skyrocketed, so now we have to shell out 10-15 dollars more a week for that. Those living on their retirement savings will take a hit this week, and they still have to pay the high prices for food and gas. Will we ever see food and gas prices go down? Or do you think we haven't even hit the tip of the iceburg yet?

Canada’s fertility rate reached a 10-year high in 2006, when women aged 30 to 34 had more babies than women aged 25 to 29 for the first time, Statistics Canada said Friday.
So is it better to have your children when you are young? Or when you are in your 30's? Or, should more of us choose not to have kids at all?
Personally I can see benefits and downfalls to either being young or old.. If you are young, you usually are not as financially well off as you would like to be. Your career is only somewhat established. However as most of us know, is anyone ever really financially stable in this day and age?
My mom had me in her late 30's. She had already had 3 children at a relatively young age (early 20's) and then I came along, with there being almost a decade difference between my brother and I. I think the nice thing for my parents, is that they had already been through the whole parenting thing before, and when I came along they were pretty laid back and knew what they were doing. The nice thing about having babies in your twenties, is that you have more energy and when you are in your 40's you will have money because your children have now grown up. (unless you are still paying for their education)
My husband and I have chosen not to have children. For various reasons, we just decided that children were not something that we wanted to have in our lives. Some say it is selfish, I actually think it is smart. Why bring children into this world if you don't really want them? Then you just end up resentful. I know people who have had children because it seemed like it was the thing to do as an adult, and now although they love their children very much, they wish they hadn't had the kids in the first place.

What do you think? Did you have your kids young? Or did you wait until 30's? Or maybe you were like my parents, had some children young, and had another in your mid thirties?

Ha! Got your attention didn’t I. You see a blog titled breast and you think, what the heck is she writing about now? Well, let me tell you, we need your help. This morning the radio station had a meeting with Norfolk General Hospital and Amtelecom. We are finalizing plans for our 7th annual radiothon. It is taking place October 15th, and we are going to be raising money for a digital mammography unit. A digital mammogram gives a much clearer picture of the inside of the breast. It is the latest in technology for detecting breast cancer. This unit costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, so we hope to help raise money for a good portion of that. Every year that we have the radiothon, I am amazed by people generousity. Let’s face it, a lot of us are not rolling in dough, and the fact that you take the time out of your day to donate by phone, internet, or by coming down to see me and all the fine folks from the hospital at the Simcoe Town Centre says something pretty good about our community. I have seen children bring down jars of change to the radiothon. I have seen seniors on pensions come down with 10 dollars to help. It all adds up. Being part of the day is a lot of fun, and it really doesn’t feel like work. Often though, the radiothon has broken my tough exterior (lol, yeah right) and has almost brought me to tears on air. Ok, I did tear up one time with a woman who had cancer and went through hell and back, but is now very close to being declared cancer free.

October is all about breast. It is breast month. There is the Run for the Cure on October 5th. Well on October 15th, it is all about the breast on CD 98.9. So if you have a couple of extra dollars, please help. Having a digital mammography unit at Norfolk General Hospital will benefit you. Think about yourself, your mothers, your sisters, your grandaughters, and hey, breast cancer can affect men too, so donate to the Sooner the Better campaign.

The entire county is a buzz over Zombies. 40 extras are needed for the a Zombie movie, and I know 2 people who are auditioning. It is pretty exciting that a movie is going to be shot in Port Dover on Sunday. Even more exciting will be to see the “locals” in the movie once it’s finished. One of our co-op students J-R is trying out today. He has his zombie impression down pretty good, and he is really excited about trying out. Although I generally don’t watch scary movies, I may have to bite the bullet and watch this one. Especially if J.R. ends up as an extra!
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My friend Linsey (the one who had the giant baby) gave me a couple of books to read, and I am so excited! Sophie Kinsella wrote the Shopaholic series of books, but this book strays from that character and is about a woman with amnesia who ends up with a better life than what she had before. I just finished “This Charming Man” by Marion Keyes. It was a good book, but I think it would only appeal to woman.
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Grey’s Anatomy is on tonight. All I know from the promo, is that Rose (the nurse who dated McDreamy) says she is pregnant, so there goes the happy time for Meredith and Derek. Hey Howard, did you get a chance to watch the Big Bang Theory on Monday night? Leonard was hilarious!

In the past couple of months, I have changed the way I dress. No longer do I wear jeans to the office,(not that anyone here would care) or t-shirts. Something has changed, and I just feel that dress pants/skirts/blouses/ are the way I should go. I’m not a 20 something anymore, and I feel I should dress professionally. However it was pointed out to me recently that a lot of people in a “manager” position do not dress the part. For example, the guys who run Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream show up everyday in jeans/shorts/t-shirts. Richard Branson of Virgin/Mobile wears a cowboy hat and jeans to work. Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computers wears ripped jeans and turtleneck to work. If you own the company, you can wear what you like. The Ben&Jerry guys wouldn’t want to wear anything to fancy if they are sampling ice cream all day. Karen Matthews of the Norfolk County Fair will often wear jeans with a blazer, which looks very nice.

When I first changed the way I was dressing, everyone made nice comments, but sort of looked at me funny. Don’t get me wrong, when I was a reporter, I would dress up to go to meetings, or if I had some sort of event to go to, I would wear something nice. I guess I just feel like maybe I am starting to get tired of the whole jeans and t-shirt deal. As soon I get home though, I rip off my clothes and change into my jogging pants and t-shirt. Do you think there are some clothes/shoes that inappropriate for the workplace? I guess it depends on what you do. But for an office environment, what do you think of flip flops? I don’t have a problem with it, but a couple of my friends say it is not in the best taste. What about crocs? Is that suitable office footwear? Or how about short shorts, or low riding pants, cleavage tops, running shoes, what about shirts with flames or skeletons on them? You know like Ricky from Trailer Park Boys. Or should it matter what we wear? Isn’t it enough that the person is good at what they do?

We are fortunate in Norfolk, that as soon as you go into Norfolk General Hospital, or Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, you are assessed by a triage nurse. Just recently I visited Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, and the staff there made sure I was looked after right away. The triage nurse at TDMH faces the waiting room and can see you as sit in the watiting room. Last year I had the same treatment at Norfolk General. The triage nurse faces the waiting room. You are assessed almost immediately.
Today, the death of a man in a Winnipeg ER is under investigation. When I read this news article, it made me think of the health care system in the U.S., for those who don't have insurance. The man sat there for 34 hours, before he was discovered. This story is heartbreaking, because while on the one hand, I feel for his family and how devastated they must be. I also feel for the hospital staff, who are hard working people, and yet somehow this man sat there in need of treatment and died. Now, before you jump to conclusions, things are a little different in Winnipeg. The waiting room in the ER is sometimes used by homeless people who are coming in out of the cold. A spokesperson says the man did have some contact with staff, but not a triage nurse. But when it comes down to it, he appears to have been forgotten. Perhaps there set up is not like ours is, where the triage nurse can actually see the waiting room. It will be interesting to see where the investigation goes when completed in 4 weeks.

How many of us drag our butt's out of bed, and head into the office feeling awful? We come into work sick, and then make everyone around us ill. A lot of us don't have a choice in the matter, there isn't anyone to do the job, or perhaps you can't afford to miss a day's pay. Last week, two co-workers had colds, and I was on a disinfection spree, cloroxing everything, and washing my hands to the point of redness. Nothing is worse than a cold when it is warm out. I think it just aggravates me all the more, because I'm sick and it is nice out. When you are sick and it is cold out, you kind of don't care because why would you go outside anyways! If you are like me, and you desperately try to stay away from someone sniffling, sneezing and wheezing, there is a good reason to be keeping the three feet rule in place. In that three foot space, the sick person has a cloud around them of germs, everytime they exhale, respiratory viruses come out. Your keyboard at work should be swabbed with a disinfect wipe, because it contains millions of germs, then there is the lightswitches, and don't even get me started about door handles and grocery carts. I'll admit that I am a bit obsessive about the germs, but I detest colds. Trying to do radio with a sore throat is no good, and trying to be my happy on air self while sick, results in me taking a lot of cold medication.

Doctors agree that taking a multivitamin and exercising is the best way to ward of flues and colds. One of the great benefits of working out on a daily basis, is strengthening the immune system. So hopefully I can ward off the flu and cold. Other tips to avoid the flu.....avoid touching your face, get enough sleep, and proper nutrition. You should also try and stay at home if you are sick, I know it is hard to do sometimes, but you don't want to spread it around! Of course, no matter how strong your immune system is, or how many precautions you take, you may not be able to avoid every cold that goes through your workplace. It is still worth a shot though. And you can always blame the sick person, perhaps that could help you feel better!