Post Hysterectomy Sale

This origianally Appeared on E-Bay 
See This LINK for the original Sale

Also appeared on Craigslist Montreal, See it here

There were no buyers.

Post-Hysterectomy Sale. I am a student attending adult education in St. Jerome, Quebec, my wife is a Logistics Manager living in Sherbrooke. We found out she had Cervical Cancer in September. My wife had a complete hysterectomy during the last week of November and now she can not work for 12 weeks. The course I'm attending doesn't allow me to work either so we're in a heap of trouble when our money runs out in January. My course doesn't end until Feb 2. EI kicks in only after a 28 day waiting period and thats a long time when neither of you are working. Now we always buy certain things in bulk so we have plenty of Maxi Pads. So now we've decided we need to have a Post Hysterectomy Sale, We know we won't get much but someone will get a good deal and we'll get some grocery money. Besides we couldn't figure out what to do with all this stuff now that we won't need it. Here's what you get

1. 11 STAYFREE Ultra Thin Overnight w/wings and ultra soft cover for maximum protection and comfort

2. 27 EQUATE Ultra-Thin w/Flexi-Wings Overnight Dri-Soft with cotton-like cover (Compared to Always)

3. 32 ALWAYS Fresh Ultra Thin Overnight w/flexi-wings and clean fresh scent

4.  A dozen or so ALWAYS Clean dermatologist tested wipes (for those in between clean ups when out and about)

5. 2 opened bottles of MIDOL by Bayer - Menstrual extra strength complete formula and Night-Time extra strength

6. 1 Pregnancy Test

7. 1 Hershey Bar

All of this will be shipped in a beautiful gift basket hand created by my wife who has a flare for gift basket making.

Buyer MUST pay shipping costs $25 in Canada Shipping in the US is 12.50

For more information about us see our website @ http://www.beyondtheroundabout.com

How the Liberal party took away my uterus…

This is no joke. If you read back a few posts, you will see that I had an entry about my lack of medical attention in order to get a simple drug prescription renewal for my asthma medications as I had no family doctor and could not seem to find one in my area.

Well, after sending letters to government officials last year, I was awarded the best family doctor ever – Dre. Raymonde Vaillancourt; she not only filled my prescription renewal request, she also put me thru varied tests that she wanted to see results for in her file. 

When she eventually received the results of my PAPS test; she said she was skeptical about one finding and wanted to push the results a bit further with yet other tests from yet another doctor. 

So I agreed, and was sent to see Dr. Yves-Andre Bureau – a fantastic doctor to say the least. His first order of the day was a colposcopie at the outpatient office at the CHUS in Fleurimont. When he was not satisfied, as a result of my body being strangely assembled; he took no chances and set up a second colposcopie in the one-day surgery unit. After this was done, I came home and was given pain killers, and was back to work in a few days.

 

Then a few days later, at work I began to bleed – quite a bit I might add – but strong willed and hard headed I worked another few hours, and then drove home – a 35 minute drive - and later when I arrived at home, I cleaned up and was met here by my son who quickly called 911 and my yellow chariot (Ambulances in Quebec are bright yellow) arrived sweeping me off my feet to the emergency room at the CHUS once again. Three hours go by and by 9:15 pm – the operating room was set up and I was back in surgery for the massive blood loss. The next morning, I was back on my way home – to settle in for yet another week of recovery. 

Back to work again the following week, and the fine Doctor had tracked me down like the hunted, and said he needed to see me at the hospital ASAP. Back to the CHUS I go. When the doctor finally had a moment for me, he was then called out of the office and was gone for some time; upon his return he said his pager had not stopped and was returning phone calls. When it was my turn – he explained to me the unexpected. Saying that the biopsy results showed the bleeding was due to a pre-cancerous state and he was transferring me to yet another Doctor there at the hospital.

 

Being strong – I took his unforgiving news – went to the car – and cried all the way back home. As I awaited more news from yet another Doctor who wanted to see me, all I could do was think the worse. When Doctor Besette finally called me in, I was waiting in the reception room for well over two hours… many things can go thru your mind – and not always the best thoughts. 

After meeting with Dr. Bessette he gave me some good news – stating that the cancer was only one millimeter and that Dr. Bureau could actually perform the operation. However, because of family history, they wanted me to see Dre. Lepine, a blood specialist prior to the operation. 

Here we go again…. Another meeting… more tests…. and more waiting….  Then the hospital’s pre-operation day! Yahoo! What another great experience and oh yes, more blood tests!!!

 

Then I get the call from the hospital stating the operation would be on November 27. I had made my request clear to Dr. Bureau that he was to take everything at this time – as I did not want to have to go thru yet another operation later on….

 

He agreed to take uterus and ovaries at my request.

 

The day following the operation, upon his daily visit in the hospital Dr. Bureau then advised me that they had found a benign growth hiding behind my right ovary – the size of a grapefruit none the less. So that was removed as well….

 

Today, I find myself in the recovery stages – a week after the operation – awaiting news on the biopsy of my uterus and to see if I will need any type of follow up treatments. So far, the recovery process is more painful than I expected – and sleep patterns are definitely different.

 

All this to explain that if I had not sent my request to the Liberals – the party in charge at the time – not one of these events would have taken place, and I would be a very sick person later on in life. 

So, I dare say, thank you to the Liberals for taking my uterus – and the team of Sherbrooke doctors who have taken such good care of me since writing and sending that letter - Dre. Raymond Vaillancourt, Dr. Yves-Andre Bureau, Dr. Bessette, Dre. Lepine and the kind CLSC nurse; who removed my surgical staples at the clinic onCamirand Street. 

December 9, 2008

Useless Car Information

The most popular color is…

Cars today are available in a wide range of colors – however we all know that famous line from Henry Ford who was often quoted as saying “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” History has it that black paint dried faster than any other paint at that time.

In today’s society, cars are available in every color imaginable. Some people say the color of the car represents the personality of the owner; and the history of the red car being ticketed by police more often than any other car is still a common assumption.

For seven years in a row, silver has been the most popular color; this was apparently seen as a high-tech color and an easier car to sell on the pre-owned lot. Last year, car buyers were more apt to purchase a white car. According to statistics from 2007, 19% of new car buyers purchased a white car; and 22% of luxury automobiles were also purchased in white; 18% were silver, while 16% of the new car sales were black. Of course all these statistics are made available by the DuPont 2007 Global Automotive Color Popularity Report. Other cars that made the list were red at 13%; grey at 12%; blue at 12%; beige/brown at 5%; yellow/gold at 3%; and green at 2%.

And now, the most expensive car…

The Veyron by Bugatti; at around $1.25 million, it is the most expensive car ever made. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 hits 60 mph in 2.5 secs., does the quarter-mile in 10.5 secs. and reaches its top speed of 252 mph in just 55 secs. After a long absence from the market Bugatti, along with a little help from its parent company Volkswagen has reclaimed its title as the ultimate performance car and holds the title as the world’s most expensive car in production

And to keep them shiny…

What kind of wax do you use on your antique automobile? If you’re the sort of person who only uses the best of anything on your jewel, then the answer is clear, the most expensive car wax in the world is what you should be using. Swizöl International, a Switzerland-based company that specializes in handmade car care products. Their cheapest wax, “Onyx,” is priced at $95. Their most expensive standard wax, “Mystery,” can be purchased for $555. However, these prices do not include the $40 pretreatment required before applying these waxes. Their waxes are so costly because, unlike other brands,they are produced with 30% to 60% carnauba. This allows Swizöls waxes to achieve a high level of hardness and transparency; and the waxes are infused with essential oils to make your car smell as good as it looks Carnuba is a wax that is derived from the leaves of the carnuba palm. This plant is native to and is only grown in a couple of Northearstern Brazilian states. It is known as the queen of waxes, and can usually be found in form of hard yellow-brown flakes.

Swizöl's elite wax costs about $2,800. Each year, only few car buffs can get their hands on this most expensive car wax. Swizöl’s “Divine” wax is specially formulated for the car based on the color and the paint combination and brand used. It’s so exclusive that it even comes with a hand-engraved plaque bearing the owner’s name and a serial number, and oh yes, let’s not forget, the certificate of authenticity.

And now the bigger challenges

Yes, it is time for change – and the American public has agreed in more ways than one that it is time – history was made on November 4, 2008 – and now the newly elected President of the United States of American will have a major mess on his hands; he will have to pick up the pieces and make things right again. In a few months, we will see him take to the Oval Office, and a set of new challenges await him.




The cover of the Chicago Sun-Times says it all.





Will he be able to make the changes he has spoken so much about during his campaigning? That again will be a challenge – he even said it over and over again, it won’t happen overnight – he needs your support in order for changes to happen, he needs time. He is not a miracle worker, he is human, and the obstacles he has to overcome are great.

One can only hope that he will not let the American public down – here in Canada, a large percentage of the country from east to west have also been bitten by the Obama bug and were more interested in the US elections than the Canadian elections which just took place.

Political students from Montreal made the trip to Chicago for the election night hoopla. They were as intrigued as the rest of the world and wanted to see first hand what made this man tick and why people were so attracted to him. They came home with the sense of having been overtaken by his powers of believe and make it come true.

What is it about this man? He speaks and we understand where he is coming from. He did not grow up rich; he had troubled times in his past; however he has overcome them. He is aware of what the average family is presently experiencing, with the job cuts, mortgages, and the overall high cost of living. He claims he wants to bring back jobs to Americans. That is a great first step. Obama is a fighter, a strong individual with a great sense of work hard and make it happen.

Some still believe that he is too young for the position of President; but lets not forget, the President does not run the country alone… there are many people behind the scenes who help make it happen. There are committees, and the Senate, and a huge arena of political colleagues who will show him the ropes, and be there to guide him along the next four years, and if all works out maybe even the next eight years. He has already asked ex-Clinton staffers to come onboard.

I have said it in the past on this very blog – Barack is your next Superman – he will do what he can – he believes, and you must believe as well. You must understand the challenges that he has to overcome, and the sacrifices that will have to be made in order to get the USA back to being what the world has become to know of this powerful country.

Barack is no fool – he is well educated, as is his lovely wife Michelle. Together they have two lovely little girls, and they want nothing more than what we all want; the world to be a better place for our offspring, and to make it better for us along the way.

Barack and Michelle await the news and watch the results, state by state, on the television screen as we all did on November 4, 2008.

I strongly believe that he will be a great influence to younger Americans, Canadians, and residents of many other countries around the world. He has already proven that he can overcome challenges, and write a new page in the history books. Let’s give this man four years to turn the country around – and we will all be able to judge him at that time; but he made it clear, it will take time, and he also made it quite clear that he is everyone’s president, even if you did not vote for him, he is going to fight for you.

In his words: “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington… I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

Barack, awaiting his moment on the stage in front of a huge awaiting crowd in Chicago on election night 2008.

Give him a chance to prove himself once again. And let’s set the calendar for another blog entry in four years to see exactly what his accomplishments have been.

Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow

Karen Eryou

It sure was nice to see such a grand display of vehicles in Granby during the recent car show. There were spotless originals, sheep-skin car seats, skulls and crossbones, Betty Boop, VW rabbits and buses, motorcycles, snow machines, you name it and you could find it among participants at this years show.

Unfortunately there were also some muddy spots and some vendors who picked up early and went home; such a shame as Sunday turned out to be a nice day except for a short-lived downpour of raindrops. Mother Nature plays a big part in the success of an event of this magnitude.

We ran into familiar faces, and also noticed new exhibits, cars, and products in the flea market area. It is always nice to see the entire site from atop the hill – that is when you realize just how big this show really is.

Then there are the volunteers, who work so hard to make sure everything is just right, and try their hardest to make sure if it’s not right, to find a solution and get if fixed as soon as possible.

It’s also nice to be walking around and listen to the visitors on the site who are admiring the antique beauties and comment on how they knew someone who owned such a vehicle, or explaining to their children that this was a real car.

When you compare today’s automobile to yesterday’s you can see the difference in the workmanship as well as the thickness or weight of the metals used in the construction. The doors were heavier back then, the hoods were heavier back then, and you did not get the gas mileage you do today back then.

Yes the automobile has evolved as everything has in today’s world, and we are now looking at alternatives to gasoline-powered automobiles. Maybe our ancestors were not so very far off with their steam-powered automobiles. Yes, they were noisy, but heck, to run on water today would be great with the gas prices we face at the pump every time the gauge on the dash say E – I believe that E stands for expensive as opposed to empty.

Maybe, Sherbrooke’s very own, George Foote Foss was paving the way to the future back some 100 plus years ago with his invention of the first horseless carriage in 1897. Mind you it did not obtain very high speeds, only 12 miles per hour, but did obtain about 50 miles to the gallon, and it could successfully climb the city’s steepest hills.



Or maybe even Stanstead’s very own Henry Seth Taylor also had a crystal ball and saw what the future had waiting in the wings as he set forth and invented a steam buggy of his own. He began construction back in 1865 in a shed off of Stanstead’s Maple Street. He constructed his own cylinders, transmission arms and more. Parts that needed to be forged were done by Joseph Mosher.


In the Stanstead Journal of 1867, this is what was said of Taylor’s invention:
“This mechanical curiosity is the neatest thing of the kind yet invented the whole carriage, engine and boiler only weighing 500 lbs. The boiler made of steel, 16 inches in diameter, and 30 inches high, contains 207 5/8 flues nine inches long. The engine is two brass cylinders 3 ½ in. bore by 10 stroke, working direct to the wheels by cranks in the simplest manner.”


Then came the first gas-powered car to see the light of day in 1886, an invention of Karl Benz.




Maybe it’s time to look at our environment, and take the history lessons left behind by our ancestors and invent a sleek looking – steam buggy of today. I’m sure that in today’s world, there are enough engineers and developers that somebody could come up with a very cute, yet efficient vehicle that would not cost a fortune to run and keep the oil millionaires out of our pocketbooks.

We may never see it, but who knows, maybe our offspring will be volunteering at the Granby car show in generations to come, and see an entire new kind of vehicle, that is more efficient, and less costly to purchase and run than today’s “tacots”.

Engineering departments around the world, to the drawing pad, or make that the computer, and let’s see what you can come up with for the next generation of automobile.

Electric Vehicles ZAP into Montpelier

On a particular Saturday morning, a couple weeks ago, we left the house early and headed towards Burlington, VT. At the red lights in Montpelier, corner of River Street, I happened to look over to my left, and at Walker Motors, I saw these little automobiles and trucks that had the notations on the doors that these vehicles were electric.

As my head swung back for a second look, Chad asked me what I was looking at – upon my description of what I had just seen, we turned the shinny black Vibe around and headed back on our tracks, only to stop at the dealership and investigate further.

Once we were out of the car, it took only seconds before a young lady by the name of Amanda Pelkey, a Master Certified Salesperson at the Walker Motors dealership, introduced herself, and began explaining about the cars, the two different models, how they worked, and even showed us the ins and outs of the vehicles. She went and retrieved a set of keys and Chad did not miss the opportunity to try the Xebra 3-wheeled electric utility truck.

Amanda, our go-to-girl, who has a wealth of knowledge on these electric vehicles, also explained that they are the first dealership to offer these all-electric vehicles in Vermont.

Chad said the utility truck was a bit on the small and compact side as far as the driver compartment goes, and said it was difficult to get used to as he’s used to driving a standard vehicle and the pedals were positioned very close together. Amanda explained that it was similar to driving a golf cart. The vehicles are virtually noise-free; however Chad said he did hear a bit of noise while at the wheel… Again, Amanda explained that was the tire-pavement contact.

These vehicles are great for zipping around town, however due to the low speed they presently obtain, it’s not a highway vehicle; by this I mean that it’s a great car to drop the kids off to daycare, get the groceries, etc… but for now, these two particular types are not meant for long highway usage.

However, Amanda did give us a sneak peak at a high performance electric sporty car called the Zap-X, which is engineered by Lotus Design. This will be the most advanced electric vehicle of its kind once it hits the dealerships.

This vehicle has it all – style, speed, advanced battery management, all wheel drive, and 644 horsepower. The car will have a 155 mile per hour speed with 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. And Zap claims that with a 10 minute recharge of the batteries you will be able to obtain a 350 mile range between battery recharge.

Seems like a car of the future, but the only downside I can see is that it’s been a concept car for quite some time now… and according to their website they still do not have a set date for getting this out into the marketplace. Back in January of 2007, Zap had officially made the announcement of the Zap-X Lotus-designed electric wonder.

Zap has been the leader for electric advanced technology vehicles and this since 1994 delivering more that 100,000 electric vehicles in more than 75 countries worldwide. With their headquarters in Santa Rosa, California, their strategy is to serve the ever growing amount of consumers who are seeking a more efficient vehicle.

With the high costs of gasoline, maintenance, etc., Amanda explained the money-saving opportunities by owning an electric vehicle; no more oil changes, no mufflers to replace, etc.

If you are traveling across Vermont, stop by and visit Amanda at Walker Motors in Montpelier, or if Amanda is busy with another customer, don’t hesitate to ask any of the Walker staff information on these vehicles.

I know when my present lease is up; I will be looking for a Zap dealer in the area who will hopefully be offering the awesome looking Zap-X.

Karen Eryou

July 15, 2008

Road Trip to Rock Tavern, NY June 7,2008

On Saturday, June 7th, before the sun has even thought about making an appearance, Chad and I set out on yet another adventure; stopping by the local Mickey D’s for a quick take-out breakfast consisting of a cranberry muffin and a Hashbrown, eating along the way, we were at US Customs on I-91 in Derby-Line, Vt. in no time.

Chad handed the officer in the booth our identification documents, and he asked where we were headed; when Chad answered ‘Rock Tavern, NY’ he asked his partner in the booth if he could go home and change his clothes and jump in the car with us. We’d not even said where we were headed, but he said ‘I know what’s in Rock Tavern’ and wanted to join us instead of working. But he decided he’d better stay and work, after the OK from the officer we headed down the open highway.

We were King of the Road, as early morning traffic is almost non-existant on Interstate 91 southbound, making a few pitstops along the way. In Connecticut we veered off I-91 onto I-84 towards NY State. About 100 miles later, we arrived in NY and had to watch for exit 6, then Rt. 17 to arrive at our Rock Tavern destination.

You see, we attended V-Force Customs open house. For those who are not Orange County Chopper (OCC) fans or bike enthusiasts, V-Force Customs is the brainchild of former OCC television show stars Vinnie DiMartino and Cody Connelly. Vinnie left OCC back in August of last year, and Cody followed suit one month later.

Cody had begun working for OCC at the age of 14, and had been employed there for six years. He has the love of bikes in his blood, having been introduced to motorbikes at an early age. Connelly has said that he found it difficult leaving OCC as it was his first job, he enjoyed what he did, and working there for six years helped him improve his welding skills, as well as his metal working and fabrication skills.

As for Vinnie, he was a star on Discovery Channel’s OCC. Vinnie lives by two rules that his father told him about early on in his life:
Number 1…Never buy or pay for something you can do or fix yourself.
Number 2…The only way to get something done right is to do it yourself.

John, Vinnie’s father, owned a snowmobile/motorcycle shop in the 1970’s – at age 3, Vinnie was already riding smaller scaled snowmobiles (Artic Cat Kitty Cat) and Indian motorcycles.
The shop had experienced a fire, and John then undertook the duties of an automobile repair shop and gas station owner. Vinnie was then 9 years old. Being an observant student at the garage, he had gained enough experience to rebuild his dirt bike engine. From there, at 14, he worked at a small engine repair shop; and his father had adventured out and purchased a golf course. Vinnie worked at the golf course for 10 years, until realizing that he wanted to follow his dreams and his passion for motors and making bikes and automobiles run faster.

Vinnie had tried his hand at different jobs, such as auto mechanic, truck driver, and then a bike builder for a small shop. Then he went on to OCC and only after a month of being there, Discovery Channel hooked up with the guys at OCC and put them on television; and the rest of the story is history in the making – the former OCC boys are now following their dreams…

A short drive down the road is the new headquarters of Orange County Choppers, and of course, being so close we adventured out and discovered that television does not do justice to their bike building creations. Once you arrive at OCC headquarters, you are welcomed by the huge logo embedded into bricks in the front of the building and the huge OCC logo appears etched in glass at the top of the window. Up there, on display in that window is a masterpiece bike.

The entire gift shop doubles as a museum, band stand area, and bike shop where you can purchase either a souvenir or an OCC bike of you own. This is a great place and you can spend hours there just admiring all the custom bikes that have been produced by the OCC team. But once again, I must emphasize that television does not do these bikes justice. They are a real piece of art, and I got goosebumps just by looking some of these bikes over, thinking back to the time I saw the bikes being built on television. It’s just amazing and a must see if travelling in that part of NY State. You won’t be disappointed. They even have a glassed-in viewing area of the shop that is accessible to visitors, however when the cameras are rolling, it’s a bit more difficult to get a good look at the shop as the windows are darkened out.

Don’t miss the chance to check out Rock Tavern NY’s two bike shops, OCC and V-Force – I promise, you won’t be disappointed, even if you’re not a bike enthusiast, the art work and construction of these pieces of rolling art is breath taking and well worth a detour.

For more photos click here and find the OCC or V-Force galleries.

Karen Eryou
June 11, 2008

Hemmings Motor News

Hemmings Motor News

– as a child growing up, the Hemmings magazine was like a bible, and was never to be thrown away. It’s as much a part of Americana as anything.
Founded by Ernest Hemmings in Illinois back in 1954, the very first issue was only four pages in size, and approximately 500 copies were sold at .50 cents per copy. Today is a different story, Hemmings has over 180,000 subscribers who dish out 31.95$ for an entire year’s subscription. Copies can even be picked up at certain newsstands and bookstores across the US.
Back in the ‘60s, then publisher Terry Ehrich and his partners purchased the business and moved it to his native Vermont. As the interest grew in vintage car collecting and restoration, so did the magazine.

In 1998, Hemmings Motor News launched their internet site which features over 30,000 searchable cars that are listed for sale; there are car club listings; and so much more.Hemmings also publishes specialty magazines throughout the year, aimed at all types of automobiles; muscle cars, exotic, sporty or vintage.
Publisher Ehrich passed away in 2002, and the Hemmings Motor News was then sold to American City Business Journals of Charlotte, NC.

Hemmings supports hobby car collectors, and attends more than 100 car shows and different events each year. If in the Bennington Vermont area this summer, keep in mind that every other Thursday evening you can attend the Hemmings Cruise-Ins, at their headquarters, where they award trophies and prizes amongst the competitors. Bennington, is located just 35 miles east of Albany, NY. The Cruise-Ins dates for this summer are: Thursday, June 12, Thursday, June 26
Thursday, July 10, Thursday, July 24, Thursday, August 7, and Thursday, August 21. The winners will be featured in Hemmings Motor News. The event takes place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. – with well over 200 cars expected.
Trophies are awarded to the following categories: Coolest Street Rod, Favorite Truck, Publisher's Choice, Favorite Mopar, Best Paint, Editor's Choice,
Favorite GM, Best Engine Bay, Favorite Muscle Car, Favorite Ford and the Driveable Dream.

Fore more information about the Cruise-Ins, you can contact the following: Dot Coolidge at 1-800-227-4373 or email Trisha Grande at tgrande@hemmings.com
Back at their website you can find everything from buying tips, classified advertising, a parts locator, restoration tips, and yes even a price guide.

This is a great website for any car enthusiasts. If you enjoy the printed version, check out their website at: http://www.hemmings.com - and I’m sure this site will find its way into your favourites.

And don’t forget to circle your calendar for the 27th edition of the Granby International slated from July 25th to the 27th. For more information on this event, call Claudette at 450-378-3730.

Understanding Car Categories

What is the difference between a vintage and an antique automobile? I was curious and decided to take on my own question and seek answers to ease my mind and others who are as intrigued as I am.

My first Google search was for the words ‘vintage automobile’ – and my results took me to Wikipedia with the following explications: A vintage car is commonly defined as a Automobile built between the start of 1919 and the end of 1930

My second Google search was for the words ‘antique automobile’ – and again I was directed to Wikipedia with the following explications: An antique car is generally defined as an Automobile over 25 years of age.

With these explanations, it will be much easier to distinguish the difference between the two, and I hope that this fast and easy search with the above results will also help you, the reader in clarrifying the myths between the two.

I also found that the term ‘classic car’ is often used as a synomym for antique car, however, also according to a Wikipedia find, the formal use of the term classic car usually applies only to certain specific high-quality amount of vehicles from the pre World-War II era.

So much to learn, and fully understand when discussing older vehicles that marked history in some way. Now just when I thought I was beginning to understand, I found yet another term, ‘collector car.’ So back to the internet to find out what that means…

According to some, I found that a ‘collector car’ is the term that refers to any of the antique cars, vintage, classic, special interest, muscle or pony cars… ok, here I go again, more terms….

Some information that I found explains that the collector car market is always expanding, so the definition does as well. According to another web search, I found that cars from the 1970’s that would have been abandoned are now being rescued and restored – so if you have the budget you can become the owner of a collector car. Depends on your prerequisits of the fascinating world of the automobile, the nostalgia related to the car, and the amount of money you want to spend, and time you want to dedicate to the restoration project.

Now onto the ‘special interest’ category… these cars were designed anywhere from 1920 to 1970 which generally include all eras of collector cars. Um, confused again, lets continue to search for information. Special interest automobiles are identified as automobiles either for their engineering or style appeal. So factory show cars fall into this category, as do celebrity automobiles.

And now comes the muscle and pony class. This class generally directs it’s members to 1964 or later. According to one group, the car has a high performance listing such as the AMC AMX, Buick GS, Chevrolet Camaro SS and Z-28 models and the list goes on. These are apparently a hot commodity in the collector car marketplace.

Pony class – sounds like something I would hear being called out at the county fair, however, the pony class in the automobile industry simply means, automobiles produced later than 1964 as in the muscle category, but fall into the Ford Mustang class. Some quick examples would be the Mercury Cougar, the Firebird, the Javelin, the Challenger. Pony cars are basically muscle cars with a top of the line performance package.

Who knew that automobile collectors had so many different categories available to them, and that each category is also very defined either by era, performance packages, celibrity status, restoration and value.

So when looking at an older car, remember the year is an important starting place in order to understand what kind of automobile it really is, either classic, antique, vintage, special interest, muscle or pony division. But all in all, the car’s value is always in the eye of the beholder.

Karen Eryou

Employer found

Good afternoon to all the blog readers, I wanted to update you with the flood of emails I sent out and the hits we had on our website by people interested in my credentials and our projects that I landed a job.

Yup, in just a short time; 2 weeks to the day to be exact, I find myself beginning a new career, once again in transport, but more behind the scenes instead of into the line of fire.

This is only a temporary position for now, as I will be replacing someone who is out on maternity leave. But one never knows, if she will return to work, or falls in love with the life of motherhood and want to become a stay at home mommy.

Which ever it turns out to be, I will either be staying on board this new venture, or I will once again be looking after my three months are up; but I will have yet again, added a new experience to my resume.

I would like to say thanks to each and every one of you, who took the time to read my resume, click on our website link to learn more, and follow up with an email back. I appreciate each one of you, and the time you spent here amongst the pages of our website.

Have a great day, and I will embark upon my new journey next Monday morning.

Karen Eryou

P.S. Happy birthday wishes to Cinnamoroll – HK fans will understand!!!

Barack Obama, presidential material

With only a few hours left out on the Democratic campaign trail for the electoral states of Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island, I decided to speak my mind about Barack Obama.

I don’t claim to know a lot about him, however, I have done some research, and I must admit that from a Canadian point of view, if that matters at all, seeing the economy on both sides of the border, I strongly believe that Obama has a plan to make change happen. It won’t be instant, nothing is except dehydrated potato mix and other fast food, it will take time, and citizens will have to make a point of being patient with this man, in order to get America moving again.

He has a great track record for anyone his age; he chose to dedicate his life to public service, he served as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, and he was the leader in the Illinois State Senate. He continues to fight for working families in Washington.

Senator Obama serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees health care, employment, schools, as well as retirement programs. Hence, he is still working hard for the working class.

He is also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee which works closely with the Iraq policy, and he also serves on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, again, focussing on care and services these brave men and women deserve after fighting for, and serving their country.

He is a family man himself, married wife Michelle in 1992, and is the father of two young daughters. Obama is also a religious man, attending Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago’s South Side.

Barack was born on August 4th 1961 in Hawaii. He went on to graduate from Columbia University in 1983 and moved to Chicago in 1985 where he was employed for a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighbourhoods that were plagued with crime and unemployment. By 1991, he graduated Harvard Law School, where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.

He has accomplished so much in so little time, and I strongly believe that he can accomplish more, changes that would be good for Canadians as well as Americans.

On June 14th 2006, Barack gave a speech in Washington addressing his beliefs, the ways the world has changed, and why he wants to make a difference; the name of this speech: “Take Back America.”

He spoke of his family, the history behind his name, his ancestors and their roots, he also spoke about why he decided to become a politician, and how he would travel to bake sales and barber shops to meet the people of America. In this speech he spoke of September 11, he spoke of the war and the flag-draped coffins that arrive at Dover Air Force base, he spoke of the present government and those who run it, he spoke of health care, and FEMA, he also addressed the issue of jobs being lost and the big corporations heading to Mexico or China for cheaper labor.

He’s aware of the situation we are in today, and he also knows that Americans are well aware of the current situations. He believes that as individuals we each have responsibility and as a group we have collective responsibilities to each other.

Obama believes in his political party – and suggests accessible health care for all Americans, not one that will force Americans to choose between a health care plan that will bankrupt the government and one that bankrupts families. The same idea with tax breaks for families who can’t afford insurance, he believes that a modernized health care system would give every family a chance to purchase insurance at a price they can afford.

He discusses his points of view on terrorism and fundamentalism – military diplomacy, and the strength of the US alliances.

Obama sees an open, honest government that doesn’t peddle the agenda of which lobbyist can write the largest cheque.

Together, with Obama, the Democratic Agenda would be the American Agenda. Because he wants citizens of the US to be proud Americans once again. Put an end to being divided, and running into ideological walls and roadblocks. Obama strongly believes that Americans everywhere are desperate for leadership, they are longing for direction, and they want to believe in government once again.

I’m as intrigued by the Obama craze as any, but I believe that if change is to come, he would be the best candidate for what he believes in. I believe that Americans are not only looking for change, but believe that change is needed in Washington. A new chapter needs to be written in the US history books, and Obama just may be the right person to bring on the changes that we, as Canadians and Americans, need.

Obama did not just surface from nowhere and decide to run for the Presidency of the United States, he’s worked hard, he’s dedicated, and he honestly believes in change.

If you believe in change, make a difference, be heard, and let your vote count.

Barak Obama might just be your next Superman.



Karen Eryou

Employer wanted

It sure is nice to sit at home and look outside to an empty parking lot, only to realise you are the only one sitting at home, searching once again for a well-deserved job. It’s not so nice after all.

Being a dedicated worker and enjoying new challenges have always been my best descriptions; however, last week, February 19^th to be exact, I was confronted with a letter by the new accountant at a small privately owned transport company where I had been employed for over a year, and had accomplished many things that would have cost the owner much more money than my salary actually was to do these out of office.

Having been a member of the workforce for many years now, I always pride myself on my accomplishments and what I can offer the new employer.

I’ve had some rough times lately with employers as they have been in financial binds or decided to restructure in order to save a couple salaries along the way.

In my most recent stint in the transport business I worked on obtaining the ACE accreditation for crossing the border (electronic manifests); C-TPAT approval and its Canadian counterpart PIP. I also had the owner of the company contact a transportation lawyer (whom I knew from other transport jobs I had in the past), this in order to fight traffic fines and save our valuable transport points – this in maintaining a satisfactory listing from the Quebec government.

I also worked more than 40 hrs per week – eating lunch at my desk while answering the phones, all to make sure that the drivers were well attended to, and if a problem happened, I was there to handle it and find a quick solution - I also worked from home during snowstorms – and during holidays in order to make sure everything was running smoothly.

I also helped design and write the content of a website that this last employer did not have. In working with the website aspect, I would send out massive personalized emails to potential customers, and draw them to the website. If we only received one prospect from a massive email campaign, it was one potential customer that we did not have prior to my email, and this tactic generated traffic to the website for future potential customers. People got to know who we were and the services we offered. I would call our customers to let them know where their shipment was each day, and would also give them a call once we were delivered. I strongly believe that customer service needs to be this way. The customer is the one paying the bills.

Business development takes time – and it does not always see a quick turnaround, but one prospect’s interest is one more than what we had before the email campaign.

Job restructuring sucks – as it presently means that I must find a better job, or one that will see my talents and offer me a decent wage for services rendered, and in today’s market with a strong Canadian dollar, trade with the US is happening at a much slower pace.

Some job restructurings are acceptable in the eyes of an employee – but for one to ask that a talented employee, who takes their job at heart, is asked to take a considerable pay cut for at least a year, and continue to work as hard as before, it hurts… it almost seems as the employer was not appreciative of everything that I obtained for him; nor was he fully understanding of the impact that he was asking me to take.

My rent does not go down in price, and the cost of living does not go down either, I still have a car payment, and I still have food to purchase and put on the table each day. So how can one accept such an undertaking? I’m asking myself that each and every day. Did I make a wrong move, should I have stayed and got behind on my bills for this employer? Then I always come back to the same answer in my mind, I don’t think so, I truly believe that things happen for a reason, and something better will come along. I will be faced with a new bunch of challenges, and maybe be respected for my knowledge and my work ethics.

The internet job searches have not produced anything concrete yet, a few leads, but no firm job offers. I’m still sending out my resume on a daily basis, even to companies in my area that are not posting job openings; and even to companies who do have job openings, that I’m not totally qualified for, all this in hopes that maybe someone out there will be interested in the person that I am, and the talent and knowledge that I have to offer, and give me a chance.

I enjoy scrapbooking and greeting card design in my spare time, cooking, writing, business development, etc… and would love a good paying opportunity; even a legitimate work from home offer would be great right now. Anything would be great – the bills are not taking a detour from my mailbox just because I’m not presently employed. They don’t know that – but I sure do, and the stress level of not knowing when the bills will be paid is high.

Here’s to a better day, a better economy, a better job market, and a potential employer with a heart who’s not shy about paying a decent salary for work rendered.

Karen Eryou

Chad's Artistic Valentine's

Cupid, the child-like winged deity often associated with our modern Valentine's Day, is according to some, the son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. According to Greek mythology, Cupid is known as Aphrodite's son, Eros.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion Valentine cards are sent each year, making February 14^th the second largest card-sending holiday of the year only to Christmas where 2.6 billion cards are sent.

Historic facts remind us that written Valentine's began to appear after 1400, and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum; however the first commercial Valentine card produced in the US was created by Esther A. Howland in 1840. Her creation back then resembles today's scrapbooking art flare as she produced her card with lace, ribbons and colourful pictures known back then as scrap. (This is what I created for Chad this year)

Today, traditions change, and many like to make this special day between their loved ones very special and a day to remember for a very long time. As was Valentine's Day in our house.

Chad leaves the house very early in the morning as he has a long day of meeting and greeting customers, and picking up packages, clearing customs, unloading his cube truck, and picking up his northbounds, to finally head back home as the sun slowly sets. On this day, Chad awoke very very early, and began planning a scavenger hunt around the house for me when I was to finally wake up.

When I did awake, Chad was sitting in front of the computer working on a transportation website that he created and maintains. As I stumbled into the bathroom, I did not turn the ceiling light on, and guided myself with just the 'Greenlite' nightlight. Then something extremely pink caught my eye, and I turned around and snapped on the light. The three-door mirror over the sink was filled with heart-shaped post-it notes, and one huge heart was created with all the small sticky notes in the center of the middle door. Along the bottom, were three other sticky note hearts of a different color – filled with sweet words and messages, along with clues to a scavenger hunt in our house that took place at 3 a.m.

I followed the clues, and at each location was yet another heart-shaped sticky note with a heart-shaped chocolate and more clues to move onto another room of the house… our cat Pacha, was wondering what was happening at such an early time of day. As the clues came to an end, I found the gift that was hidden and awaiting for me… an Avril Lavigne CD. Chad knows just how much I enjoy her rocker sounds and purchased the CD for me as my Valentine's Day surprise.

The mirror decorations itself were great – and I did not take them down until just this week – however I've saved the pink hearts. Call it imagination, call it cute, call it what you want, I call it love.

Check out Chad's work of art!!!

Thanks Chad for the lovely day, I will never forget!!!

Vega, Motor Trend’s Car of the Year…

A few weekends ago, I found myself watching a Let’s Make a Deal marathon on GSN a cable television channel – and I was amazed that I actually remembered some ofthe hilarious deals that contestants made by trading for what was behind a curtain or in a box.

Canadian Monty Hall would offer California contestants dressed in funny attire strange gifts, sometimes valuable, sometimes not, but the funniest of the prizes to see today are the cars of yesteryear. These television programs are not all that old, and yet the cars look so odd and outdated compared to today’s elegant, sleek, and expensive versions. These television awarded gifts were pricey back then… Wow, I wish we could purchase a new car today for a mere 3000$.



The television show aired in the 60’s and 70’s, and people really did dress in strange getups, and hoped to be chosen to trade in a postage stamp for a car or a chance at what was hiding behind the curtain…. maybe a cool prize, or maybe a worthless one, such as a farm animal or popcorn.



Those days are long gone – but some of those automobiles are still around. The television marathon jogged my brain and the car that was a usual giveaway was a Vega or an Astre – those were the days.


Today, we don’t see very many of these automobiles around the countryside – but it sure is fun to sit back and watch television and remember all the cars from the past.

The Vega was a subcompact car, available from 1971 to 1977 – the Vega was available in a variety of versions, notchback, hatchback, kammback and panel express. From 75’ to 80’ the Monza coupe was based on the Vega, as was the Monza wagon. The Pontiac Astre was a Canadian version, available from 73’ to 77’. Hard to believe, but Motor Trend actually chose the Vega as the car of the year in 1971.

I believe that there were a total of 2,154,434 Vegas and Astres built in those years – and despite their problems, they were a huge hit. A few of these beauties were built right here in Ste Therese, Quebec.

These cars were also prizes on many other US game shows such as Hollywood Squares, Wheel of Fortune, The Joker’s Wild, Gambit, Truth or Consequences, and the debut broadcast of the Price is Right hosted by Bob Barker gave away a blue 1972 Vega Kammback wagon. The price of the prize was 2,746$. That seems like such a small price to pay for a new automobile today. In today’s marketplace, I’ve seen them on the internet selling for around 7000$ US – but the decked out versions, that have been used for drag racing are selling for about 13,000$.