We Have Been Flooded Out of Our Home.....( and do see the Posts and photos below...)

Ok...so you all know that 6-6 and I were trying to get to Brooklyn, and we had started to pack. And we were still looking, and that even our Landlord was being uncooperative by refusing to write a reference letter for us for NYC. ( Which one needs for NYC). We had rented from him for 5.5 years, and yes I admit that some of those years were difficult with him, but Rent and Bills were always paid. Always.But I also know I was an excellent Tenant and did my best. Our homes were clean, well cared for and yes beautiful thanks to many of my efforts.

Below you can read what happened very late Mothers Day Night, and read how a Water Disaster was actually made worst by the Landlord Response (or lack there of). 6-6 and I are living in a hotel, I have actually been spending my money I had saved for The Move ( and thank heavens I had it and thank heavens for those who Donated to our Move, for without that little nest egg 6-6,critters and I would have been Homeless by Wednesday AM. ). The Rental Insurance Company is working with us and will help, and have now put us in a Different Hotel, but this is going to be a process. We did lose almost everything. We have a little pile left, that the Insurance Company is storing and I will go through and try to salvage what I can. We lost

everything from clothes to furniture to electronics to books ( yes our precious Library).

I did have a Tornado bag that had some basic clothes ( jeans shirts and tea, and a screw driver and scissors and phone charger and flashlight and pet food...I wish I had put shoes in it , I really do....I did grab that) We did grab the one laptop ( it did get wet, but so far seems ok). And then I did grab my Signed Michelle Obama book ( I always wondered in an emergency would I remember that....I did...) And I did also grab the suitcase with the Photos. ( the ones in the storage part of basement and attic are gone.)

I spent all week dragging wet stuff to the curb, because Landlord would not allow SERVE PRO to house, so I basically emptied a 3 story house by myself, and it was strange watching so many people come and pick through my wet stuff at the Tree lawn. I am documenting everything here and Facebook and I do have two TV investigative teams reading/ following these posts and updates. So you might see a story soon on Local News on why a SHUT OFF VALVE is so critical on ALL Toilets.

The Renters Insurance Company have been wonderful, once they realized we lost our home they have been great. And the Fire Dept I can not thank enough or sing their praises loud enough, I am beyond grateful that they tried to save my Art and books.

It's funny as a Nurse for years I have taken care of people in Disasters, even worked for Red Cross, and even tweeted help to Japan and Haiti, and I never thought I would have one. I always have had a Earthquake or Tornado Bag, but never thought I would need to use it....There are Lessons in all of this, and I know 6-6 and I will find them...Lilly Dog and Harry Cat and 6-6 and I are at a Hotel, and we are grateful to have beds to sleep in and a place that is warm and dry.

So for now 6-6 and critters and I are in Hotel and trying to figure out what next and what to do and how to get through this. We are survivors and we are strong and we will somehow still get to Brooklyn. I am doing a 99 Report this Friday to explain about this Critical Toilet Issue, Renter Rights, and why this matters. I think with so many renting due to the Housing Collapse, some of these Renter Skills might be helpful for others. And yes if you want to help during this crisis, we would be grateful, as it will be awhile before there is a check from the Insurance Company ( PayPal is on the side). And yes do send us good thoughts, much Light....we would be grateful. Thank you.

Photos of the Flood Damage....

These photos show the Dining Room Ceiling falling and the fan hanging by a thread ? and the debris and water in the dining room. ( More Explanation below). I even tried to set up barricades with boxes and mattresses to keep water out of the front rooms, out of all our rooms there only two rooms I was able to keep the water out. My son's front bedroom ( although his TV Room and back clothes room and hallways closet were ruined). And the downstairs Living room, although there was some water-just not as bad as the Diningroom-here you can see the stairs and the diningroom floor. and the tarps. Under the Tarps in the dining room was all of my stuff packed for the move- my clothes, my books, my music, my favorite things. And some of Rob's books. ( we had a really beautiful library, two whole rooms of books that we had moved all over the country. That Library was Our Thing....And yes, the Tread Mill got soaked....and then some of the furniture in the basement got even more soaked underneath). The Front part of the radical attic did get some water-but I used a box spring to keep some out, but it was everywhere, I have to say Mattresses did work to save some of the rooms or absorb some of the water. I actually had waves in the attic and in the basement as it rained down. It was up to 8 inches deep in the basement by 3AM. The photos don't really show the water Raining from floor to floor, I had trouble photographing that so you could see it. But it did rain down all three floors.

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Ceiling in TV room under 3rd floor gave out within 30 min. Black water hitting everything. I was frantically trying save and salvage stuff, slipping and sliding and dodging falling debris. ( I could have seriously used a hard hat). The TV Room on the 2nd floor is....was our Family Room, it is where all of our Music, Films and Games and even favorite books were. It is where we watched TV, Netflix, Battle Star Gallactica Marathons. We were due Monday to start a DrWHO marathon. And it is where all of my son's games were, his playstation, all that gaming stuff that guys need to Save the World....and yes it is where the computers were, because we had just been watching Sunday Night TV when this happened.....I have never seen that much water rain down...it seriously reminded me of Seattle. It was like watching a Monsoon or a Hurricane in the House. I have lived through much and helped many disasters when I worked for the Red Cross ( quakes, hurricanes and floods), but I never thought I would go through such a thing and be fighting to save what matters minute to minute.... And the Landlord refused to come and shut off the Water to the House. And the Fire Dept even called him and told him to come and he refused. It's all on record, including my frantic phone calls to 911. I seriously wonder if the amount of water that flooded the house, all three stories and basement set a City Record. The Fire Dept - God Bless them, I am so so grateful to them, and I need to make them cookies.

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This is the Kitchen the Night of the Flood.Ceiling and Floorboards from above falling all over kitchen. Water Raining Down. The Photo next to it is the actual kitchen ceiling falling ( lamp is still holding..or hanging there. I put that lamp in....it still looks nice). Firemen brought in 5 huge tarps and they collected some of the water, but sadly stuff under the tarps was already soaked.

But the Firemen were amazing, they did little things, like tried to save my art and my paintings. Much of my art was painted by AIDS patients in Seattle, so it is priceless and irreplaceable in so many ways.

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The Illegal Plumbing Set Up in the 3rd Floor Toilet that caused Our Flood

There are lessons in all of this, so that is why I am sharing. This is the attic toilet ( yes, the little tiny toilet on the 3rd floor, in the Radical Attic), and no one ever believe that this little tiny tubing could and did cause so much damage. A little after MN, I had gone upstairs to wash my hands, go to the bathroom, and get ready for bed. I was falling asleep watching TV with 6-6, I had had a very nice quiet Mothers Day. I turned to go down the stairs and I heard this Giant WHOOOSH...then I went in the bathroom and that little tubing was shooting massive amounts of water all over, it was like a fire hose gone wild. I could not hold on to it , or direct the water out the window or to the tub ( it was too short). And I was slipping and sliding and falling all of over the tiny bathroom battling it. I was soaked and the room was filling with water, so I did what any woman would do. I slammed the door and barricaded it with a bunch of packed moving boxes and blankets etc. But by then the bedroom was filling and the storage area and water was rushing down the stairs. So I really quickly ran downstairs told 6-6 to go to the Living room, threw the cat in a crate ( poor thing) and leashed up Lillydog for 6-6 to hold on to. Within Minutes it was raining down on all floors. Room by room I was trying to set up barricades or cover things or gather what we treasured. The whole time banging on wall next door trying to wake up neighbors, because Shut Off for the Water is in their basement-not mine. And I tried to call landlord- it rang and rang. I called PD, they said to call plumber or landlord. Finally 40 minutes into this fiasco I called the Fire Dept, and they arrived within 7 minutes. They tried to save what they could with huge tarps, sadly most of what I owned was already wet and ruined by then. I am grateful they tried to save my art. I am grateful that I have had Renters Insurance since I was 17 and never used it...ever until now. The Fire Dept did crimp the line with Pliers ( I wish I had thought of that), and then banged next door and finally accessed basement shut off of all water, and they did call Landlord and speak to him. The Huge Tarps did collect the rain that fell all night and the falling plaster. The Next Day I alone dragged those huge heavy tarps outside to get what water I could out of the house. I did call Renters Insurance that night and did also call SERVE PRO and get a claim Number to come to home and assist with Water Clean Up. Landlord arrived at Noon., and refused to allow me to call SERVE PRO. He said he would have "His People" come. They never did. At 3PM he arrived worried about his "floors" and even left me phone messages about cleaning his floors. He brought no people, he brought one bucket, one dirty old fan, one dirty old wet mop, and three towels and one hefty garbage bag. I will blog separately about what he said to me at Noon, as it is unbelievable. At 4PM Monday he brought his Plumbers in and they replaced the Illegal Faulty Toilet Set up. ( They left stickers on the new set up that was purchased at my local ACE hardward. For Less than 10 Dollars much damage to Home and My belongings could have been prevented.). None of his "people" ever arrived to the home to help with the Water Clean Up or removal, I alone cleaned up ALL the Debris while ceilings and water were still falling. I put it all on the Curb. For five days I did all of this by myself, with no help from Landlord or his people. He did leave me messages expressing concern re. the Condition of the Floors. 6PM he tried to get me to Mop said Floors. I left Mop on backporch where he placed it. I removed all the water and wet debris in an effort to prevent mold. SERVE PRO would have come and dealth with it better than me- it's absurd that he refused this service that would have helped so much. IF you have insurance and a claim number, let them come, they are the PROS.

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The Main Plumbing lesson in this for all of us Renters is that ALL Toilets must have a Shut Off Valve. And that all Renters need to have access to Water Shut Off for house or access to Someone who will come shut off water. Landlord Refused to come to house, and even refused when Fire Dept asked him to come.

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NOTE TO ALL FUTURE Landlords : Don't EVER hand me a MOP to clean your floors after your negligence flooded my home and my belongings. I am an Excellent Tenant, but cleaning Flood Damage is not my responsibility.

NEW Toilet Set up as of 4PM Monday....

As of 3PM Monday Landlord arrived. At Noon I had pointed out to him that the Illegal Toilet Set up had flooded home, when he tried to blame me and my son for this awful disaster. At 3PM he came back and within half hour, his Plumber Steve and assistant arrived, he took them to the attic and showed them the toilet. And they then walked to local ACE hardware and brought supplies to FIX the toilet , setting it to PROPER code. ( The sticker was left on the new line and new valve, the actual replacement parts were under 10 dollars.)

THIS is what a legal toilet set up should look like. The Tubing should be sturdy and strong and there should be a shut off valve. This is code for most cities.

( Please see the Landlord Response post about that Noon conversation and handling of the Disaster.)

Our Life at the Curb....Yes I alone lugged a Soaking Wet Three Story House to the Curb

( This photo is just one pile at the curb, all week long I kept dragging more and more wet damaged stuff to the curb, because Landlord would not allow SERVE PRO to come to the home, even though I had a claim number).

So the Landlord refused to come the Night of the Flood, even though I called him, and the Fire Dept ordered him to come to the Home. He refused. The Incident began a little after MN. I did contact him right away, the phone rang and rang. I did call 911, and PD and initially got nowhere. Then 45 minutes into the Crisis I thought of calling the Fire Dept, they arrived at home within 7 minutes. ALL of the water damage was caused by a Faulty ILLEGAL Toilet set up in the 3rd Floor.

He told Fire Dept he would come in the Morning. Meanwhile Son and I stayed up all night and were stuck at home with no running water, no toilet and stuck in one room away from the falling debris and water, and with no where to go.

He arrived at Noon. He was very angry and inappropriate, he blamed me and my son for this Disaster and said we had to get out right now. Period. He was rude. He made not one inquiry as to our Health, Wellbeing or Safety. I informed him that we had paid Rent and Water until the End of May, and that because he had refused to write a Reference Letter for NYC we had already lost two places. I informed him we had no where to go and would have to go to a hotel. He offered no shelter assistance , even though our rent is paid through to June 1st. I asked to have SERVE PRO Water Specialists come to the Home as I had already filed Renters Insurance Reports and SERVE PRO gave me a claim number. He told me that they were not allowed in the home, he was adamant and angry. I said that I wanted to try mitigate the water and debris damage to my belongings, but I also pointed out that this would help the home as well. He refused, and stated we had to be out within 3 days, and that he would bring his own people in to deal with the water. He said if I wanted a reference letter I would have to sign a "Deal" and "agreement" with him and get out now. I did not agree to these conditions and did not answer him, I did point to the toilet and said "That is Illegal, NONE of this would have happened if there had been a Shut Off". I then went downstairs and continued clean up.

At 3PM he arrived to home with a Broom, dust pan, 3 towels and one dirty stinky wet mop. I had only spent two hours away from home and had been already cleaning up since early am. ( I only took break to take son and pets to hotel. ) I had basically been up all night fighting the water and falling debris. I had been bagging up debris and dragging wet boxes and belongings to yard, I was informed not to do that as he was concerned about the grass. And he also repeatedly expressed concern about the wood floors. I said nothing. I kept working quietly removing all the wet stuff, I removed ALL the heavy wet FD tarps by myself and empty debris into garbage bags . At first I was dragging mattresses around the house to try to dry them, eventually I took them to the curb. The debris kept falling from the ceiling, it was heavy and filthy.

At 4PM he walked with his plumbers to the Local ACE hardware and got the Proper Replacement Parts for the toilet. Then they came back and fixed the toilet. Landlord swept one bag of debris up , claimed he was ill with sinus infection, he put the debris bag in his car. It was unclear where I was supposed to put the wet debris , porch was an option, but that was where I was trying to place dry stuff. By Noon the stench from the wet debris and plaster was disgusting. I continued to navigate around falling plaster while I cleaned up. He was in attic with Plumbers chuckling.

At 6PM he came down and said he was leaving, and tried to hand me a MOP and get me to"Lightly Mop" the floors before I left. I looked at him and carefully quietly explained that I had not eaten or slept in many hours ( since Saturday) and that I was going to the Hotel. The Mop is still on the backporch five days later.

During the Week I heard nothing from him, not a single call asking if we were ok or safe or had shelter. I did get messages expressing concern about The Floors. Not a Single Water Specialist ever came to the House. I cleaned out the house on my own working four days straight dawn to dusk, and alone. On friday the Renters Insurance sent over a team to help me finish, because I was too tired. And they packed up what was left, and I will go to their storage unit and finish the clean out of the wet and damaged stuff. It was not a very big pile. Almost everything we own was put to the curb, even many carefully packed boxes that were ruined.

Final Letter to Landlord After Flood Disaster....

(1) House Vacated. ALL Wet /Damaged Belongings put to curb, mostly in garbage bags.

( If Serve-Pro had come they would have removed the wet belongings.) Home was

thoroughly vacated by 3PM today.

(2) House is emptied, 2 dressers left and 2 sets of shelves. On third floor there are a few pieces of furniture.

ALL wet furniture and materials from first and 2nd floor and Basement were removed. One Dresser in

Basement was too heavy, but seems to be drying. ( The Back Room of basement has water stains

still, those were at the home before I even moved in, I always wondered if there had been previous

flooding or water damage. You blamed previous tenants. )

It is Unfortunate that you would not allow me to use SERVE Pro to come and clean out the water.

2 Fans and windows open are not enough with that amount of water that flooded home. My Insurance

Company did step in and help me do FINAL Clean out today as I had no help all week, and worked

to remove all my wet belongings. You had said on Monday that you were going to have your people

come to the home ( Noon Monday). That is what you said, yet at 3PM you arrived with your plumbers,

and they changed the In Fill Tubing on the 3rd Floor toilet, and also put a VALVE on the Toilet.

It is a shame that those two pieces were not on Toilet all along, 10 Dollars would have saved much

damage to Home and my family's Belongings.

I saw no people arrive to mitigate the Water or the damage or assist with the clean out that you

had said were coming. You left a Mop for me to clean the floors, it is still on the Back Porch.

I don't do Water Damage Clean Up. I did work hard to try to save my own belongings from the

excessive Water and Mold.I did this alone while Ceilings were Falling and water was dripping.

I did pull out all 5 Giant Tarps that were water filled, and removed water and debris. I cleaned

four of them and returned to the Fire Dept. The Fifth one is still out back drying out,

you can return it to them. The Falling Debris was swept to the side of the rooms.

At 12 Noon on Monday you had ordered us out and said that The Flood was our fault, it is

not our fault, it is due to a Illegal Toilet Set Up, and that NO ONE came to shut off the water,

that is why the Fire Dept. called you in the middle of the night , early Monday Morning.

(3) During Clean Out Someone did come and open first floor windows while I was cleaning out,

and also spare keys were removed from kitchen counter. ( I assume you came to home

as you left me messages and emails about the floors and windows, that you perhaps

also collected my keys of the counter.) Front Door is locked, windows were left

open as you requested.

(4) On Monday at Noon, You had said that if I wanted Reference Letter I needed to sign an agreement with you.

I have rented from you for 5.5 years,. paid rent and bills and took care your premises.

I will not be signing any agreements or making any "deals". As a Tenant I met my obligations.

Please do not contact me. Your "reference letter' is no longer needed. Rent and Water for May

were paid to you in full. ( For the record you said that I needed to pay May because I "did not

give enough notice", yet I did lose Half Month Rent, and had to pay hotel bills for loss of

housing as of May 14th, as Home was not inhabitable.)

(5) Keys have been mailed to you. ( They have been sent certified.)

(6) Utilities :

(a) Electric has been taken out of my name, you must call them by Monday to set up bill in your name,

or it will be turned off to the Home.

(b) Dominion Gas, I will be paying off my bill, as of Monday the company will come to the Home,

assess integrity of the Water Heater, and Furnace and the Stove as both were submerged with massive amounts of water.

As they are your property, you will need to be there between Noon and 4PM and they will also do Final Meter Readings.

( I have written down the Final Numbers.)

(c) water is also shut off on my side.

(7) For contact you may email or send written mail only.

The 99 Report Radio Show for Friday May 11th Welcomes Maysoon Zayid

Listen to internet radio with 99 Report on Blog Talk Radio

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At about 2:10PM we will have Maysoon Zayid on the 99 Report. We are so lucky to have her on the show. We will be talking to her about a variety of issues, we are so lucky to have this extraordinary thoughtful woman on the show to share. She is a Writer, Commentator and Comedian. I think many of us loved seeing her on Countdown , and would love to hear more from her, especially in these trying times. Her humor is wise and insightful. As an American Woman,as a Muslim, a Palestinian she is educating and advocating and helping derail ignorance (islamophobia ) with her Humor and Perspective.....On her BIO on her site, the first thing that is mentioned is that she is a Humanitarian, critical in these times of Broken Compassion. ( Her Website, http://www.maysoon.com/ has more as well. )

I hope to ask her about her current work, projects and her program Maysoon's Kids, a scholarship and health program that assists Disabled and wounded Refugee Children and orphans. And also find out more about her Screenplay "Law" and her recent Comedy tours, what she saw and learned. We will be discussing her thoughts on the current ongoing war on Women, and the current political landscape, and much more...

You can follow her on twitter @MaysoonZayid and her website www.maysoon.com and www.arabcomedy.com

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Show also will include Power of Five, Occupy Compassion, #MittHappens and another MOCfrom Lee Camp, as well as some new music.

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Dennis Campbell will join us at 3PM and share with us about his New Book about the War on Women called the Vagina Wars. ( He is a known journalist who has been on our show before, and shared with us about his other two books, Lipstick on this Pig and also the wonderful Egypt Unshackled.)

Brooklyn Dreams.....We are so close......but we need a little help....

Many of you know that 6-6 and I have been trying very hard to get to Brooklyn so he can study what he loves at Brooklyn College. When the Economic Collapse 2008/2009 happened The Dream was put on Hold.

So 6-6 and I have spent this year trying to get everything in order. Paying off Bills and All Rent is paid off and we have given notice and we have been Looking for Housing daily since March.

And we have only 2.5 weeks to go, and I will be honest the past 4 weeks have been beyond hellish....and our Landlord is being less than helpful. ( Which is sad as I have rented from him for 5.5 years and have been a wonderful tenant...seriously coping with my Radical Attic and No Heat....and refinishing the attic floors and painting and patching walls....etc). I tried to go to NYC and Look for a place and then I got very sick on the Road and had to turn around and come home with no place Found. And the Car Accident really set our Savings and Finances back in a horrible way. And yes there were bills for Xena too, but every cent of those were worth it. And the list goes on and on, this amount of Obstacles has really created much worry and stress....I am very committed to helping 6-6 Reach This Dream....and we are so close...

So I am respectfully asking if you support a Mom trying her best to help her Son Reach his Dreams....Please if you would give even just a little bit to the PayPal Button on the Side...We would be ever grateful.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I am not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, And the world will be as one." John Lennon "Imagine"

About Our Lovely Xena .....And Letting Go

This is our Lovely Xena as she kept me company one Friday doing the Radio Show. She would always perch near by and listen attentively and look so serious. And there were many debates on this year and she would sit on this same table and turn her back to the TV wisely. Her whole life she had this way of perching and looking so wise and regal.She often say on this table, or laid by side while I wrote. I really think she helped me write both books, I could not have finished them without her. She was 16 this year, and yet she looks pretty much the same as when we first met her and she was so young. My son was just a little boy living in the Northwest.

And this spring when she was so sick she kept searching for her boy, she curled up with his old shirts looking content and so sweet. I wrote in the Earlier Post about her Battle with Kidney Failure ( I will post it below.) And 6-6 and I were so blessed that we have had these last two months with Xena. Watching her look out the window at her birds and the squirrels and the Leaves in the trees. I watched her watch the Spring Come, knowing in my heart it was her last Spring. I made her Chicken and Catfish and Turkey Broth and Tuna, and I would sit and smile and watch her eat. And then this past few weeks she took a turn, and I would sit and feed her with a spoon. So ladylike as she would sip from the spoon. So dainty. And I again moved down to the floor with her. And if she had a night when she was up pacing I would pace with her.

And at some point she had made the decision to let go. She was in pain and she would not let me give her the SubQ Fluids, it was too painful to have me stroke her or hold her, or give her fluids. Yet there was one little spot on her Forehead she would let me rub gently, so I would.

And she was very uncomfortable, very quietly bearing it, but clearly hurting. And then by Monday she did not know not recognize LillyDog or @20PoundWonder Harry Cat....and she could not sleep at night at all. So I talked to Dr.Linda and made some decisions to help Xena. I realized she was not going to be able to die comfortable at home, that she needed my help, my Hospice Skills were not enough. So it was decided that I would pick up medicine to help her go to sleep at home and then take her to Dr. Linda to help her.

So Monday Night I stayed up all night with her and she paced and I stayed with her. She was scared of 6-6 and his size 21 feet, and that upset him,that she no longer knew him. So he could not really say Good Bye. And at 5am sitting in the half Light of Ending Night, I looked at her and realized something. For all these years she usually has spent most of her time sitting by the door, waiting and watching. And I finally realized she was waiting for Her Basset Abby to come Home. Abby her first Dog, and First Love. They used to sit on the sofa together by the Front Door, and Abby would sleep and Xena would sit above her perched on the arm. They made quite a pair. They loved each other. Abby died of cancer in California June 2004. Xena was actually at her side when the Doctor came to give her the medicine at our little Rooming House Room by the Beach. But it finally hit me when we took Abby to be Buried, Xena did not understand and kept waiting by the door for her to return.

So at 5am I looked at Xena and said ,"Xena when it gets a little lighter, I am going to give you some medicine to help you sleep and you will get to be with Abby, you will see a Bridge, and she will waiting for you on the Other side of the Bridge and you won't feel sick anymore and you won't hurt and Abby will be so glad to see you and she will show you where all the Birds are. And I am sure there are places for you two to snuggle. And one day I will come and Find You, I promise." And she looked at me so clearly so Knowingly and then she even went and sat in my lap , which she never does. And so we sat there together and waited for the Sun to Rise so she could go on her Final Journey.

And so at 9 am it was raining out, it reminded me of a cool NW Spring Morning...It reminded me of Bellingham and bringing her Home to the house with the Little Picket Fence that she loved....And how she would sit under the Budgie Cage on the porch and watch the sky and protect her little friend. And how she would get tangled in the Clematis on the porch. And how she loved Standing Tall on our 1920's RumRunner behind the garage and hiss at the Neighborhood Dogs. I sometimes thought that she was confused and thought she was a Dog.

I sat and stroked her head and told her I loved her and then she willingly climbed into the Grate, the only time she has ever done that. And I gave her the medicine that Dr.Linda had gotten me. And I told her to get some sleep Sweet Princess and I went to wash my hands and when I came back she was sleeping deeply. Which is what we had wanted all along, for her to be comfortable and to have some Real Sleep and some Peace.

And then I took her to the Vet's Office and they helped her a little further , it was peaceful and she was asleep, sound asleep, and even had a slight smile. She looked so lovely. And then I took her home so 6-6 and the animals could say goodbye. And today I took her back to the Vet's office and they will cremate her and I will still be able to take her to Brooklyn with us.

And some day I will get back to California and I will bury her with Abby at the Beautiful Pet Cemetery ( all of our Critters are buried there). Xena will always be with us. I think I tried to do right by my Soul Sister, I hope so. She taught us about Strength, Loyalty, and Courage. For now 6-6 and I will be remembering her and treasuring all she gave us. Beautiful Xena the Warrior Princess lives on in our hearts. I thank everyone who has been writing to us and Loving her and sending her Light. We are so grateful.

Xena Our Warrior Princess...Her story and her illness...Thank you for all the prayers and Light

(This Post was originally posted 3.4.2012. Sharing Her Story again).

Photo from Fall 2010....we had just moved and Xena loved looking out the front window, spying on the neighborhood. She turned and gave me an approving , knowing look. ( She was almost 15 in this photo....)
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I love this photo of Xena, we were watching the GOP Clown Debates in my room, I had just called Newt a " Bloviated Asswipe", yelling at the TV , and she turned her back on the TV and gave me this All Knowing Wise Look..and I took her photo. I will never forget that moment....her look and the way she turned her back made me laugh so hard, I called to 6-6 to come look.
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I do believe that Circles of Light help healing.....And I believe that Animals, our pets are also very much a part of our Families. Xena is a part of our Family. We got her not long after the Millennium, in 2000 , she was four, and a Throw Away Cat, she had been living outside for months, as her owner coped with a new baby. There was an ad in the Paper basically saying" Beautiful Ill Tempered Cat named Xena needs to Move Somewhere. " I was intrigued, I took my son with me to go get her, he was nine at the time. I don't know why but I read that ad and thought she needed us. In many ways we rescued each other. I forever will be grateful to this beautiful Tortoise Shell Wonder with the mysterious hazel eyes.

First The Story Of Xena

So she came to live with us, but would not come inside or really come to us. Yet daily we would spend time with her, trying to play with her or offer her all kind of lovely treats from tuna to catfish to toys. We would sit in our garage and try . It was very quickly obvious she had had no human contact for months. So we fixed up a lovely spot for her in the garage and kept acquiring things for her to play with from Tree Branches to Carpeted Posts we tried it all...She liked the garage and she liked the Deck next to the garage, we lived in Bellingham in a little house in town that had 2 decks and a garage, and by that spring I had also acquired a Lovely old 1920's 22 Foot Wooden RumRunner for my Husband ( it was a Anniversary Birthday Present,
it was barely seaworthy and a sight for Sore Eyes, it needed much work,but I literally bought it for a Six pack of Beer and 20 dollars, and we put it behind our house up on Barrels so we could work on it. ) The Best part of getting the Boat "The Mystery" was that it was a wonderful spot to sit out back climb on the Boat and dream or watch the sun set or have a beer or if you are a boy, pretend you are a pirate...and Xena claimed it as her home, she loved it. There was nothing better than watching her stand on the Bow and proudly hiss at the neighborhood dogs. She loved walking around her boat and eating up there and sleeping in the sun. How she climbed the ladder was also quite a sight. People used to love to take photos of her sitting on her Boat, Perched waiting to hit the High Seas.



Her other favorite spot was the Front Porch Deck, sleeping on the railing under the Budgie's Cage...smiling up at him. For some reason she never ever tried to pester Tweetie, and she actually protected him from other animals and cats. And so over time she became very much part of our herd and even began to trust us and see us a Friends. And by that first spring she would come to us, come when called (yes , really) and eat tuna sandwiches from our hand and even come inside the house at Night to sleep. I gave her my office and she slept under my desk, sometimes with the big old Basset Abby by her side.

When Trouble Befell Xena

For those that have read "Silent Fallout" sadly Xena was one of the members of my family that truly suffered retribution for my Work as an Environmental Activist. ( Or atleast we think that was part of what happened.) Yet Something Else was happening in
Bellingham at the same time our Family was getting harassed and sadly those event also crossed our Timeline...and Xena's.

In 2001 and 2002 in Bellingham , WA there was a series of cats that suffered Mutilation and worse. The cats were taken , vanished and then they would reappear in pieces. Who ever took them cut off their tails, skinned them or shaved them near the Tail and left a Mark or Marking , an Initial. And some of the cats Tails were actually hung on signs or Lamp posts. Xena was Cat No 6 and she was the Only Survivor that I know of. Many of my Environmental Friends that knew of my work fighting the Chemical Plant that was Dumping near the Bay and the Drinking Water were sure that the attack on our Cat was not random that it was targeted. We will never know, but this is what we do know. She was Stolen on a Monday Night, and she was Missing for 5 days, and everyone was searching for her. As she was a well loved and known Neighborhood Cat. ( By the time that she was taken, we had had slashed tires, break ins, brakes tampered with, and death threats. We had learned quickly while I did my County Wide Health Survey that my work as a Whistle Blower about the Mercury was not appreciated by Certain Entities, hence the reason that everyone thought it had to do with my Environmental Health Work and Advocacy).

So on every night I would walk around the hood searching for her and yelling for her, and others came too. On the 6th day, at night, near MN, I found her, hiding shivering under a deck behind a fence 3 houses down. She would answer me and there was no meow and no purr, but she came out from under the deck and a hole in the fence up to me....And she was wounded and very thin. She had marks on her , and clearly someone had tried to shave her and carved a W on her, and tried to cut her tail. I took her home and nursed her and she sat in a box of towels crying and I laid on the floor next to her and promised her she would be okay. And the next day I took her to the vet and we saw how traumatized and hurt she truly was. We dressed her wounds and took her home. And I nursed her that summer, and she never went outside again and she never went on her boat again. It was written up in the Local Newspaper and they were rude about it. I called the Paper because I was worried that Someone was going to kill or hurt more , or even kill a person or a child next. The Paper tried to paint these Cat Attacks as "Pranks" , I was convinced that they were a sign of deep trouble and a possible murderer being groomed or training. (And yes even Police Reports were filed as well...again there was a lack of concern that many of us in our Hood felt was even more concerning.)

( This Concern was shared by others....and if anyone remembers these times by fall of 2002, the DC Snipers went on a Rampage and they did indeed come from spending time, approximately 2 years in Bellingham, and there are and were residents there that did ponder the Cat Attacks which ceased Sept 2002.When John Allen Willams and Lee Malvo lived in Bellingham they lived in the York Neighborhood and Fairhaven, the same hoods where most of the cats were attacked and killed. When they lived in York, 2001, they were one street over from our street).

( But needless to say all of us viewed Xena as beyond brave, we know she fought bravely to get back home to us. And we know that to this day she does not like to be handled much and we know why, and we understand the trauma she went through. It is why there have been very few Vet visits through the years. It is also why early this am when the Vet suggested weeks of IV/SQ fluids or even euthanasia, we knew that she has to die at Home on her own terms. with us by her side and as little discomfort as possible.)

From 2002 On Our Lives went through Many Changes. In Fall 2002 A Multi Media Investigation Request and report was filed on Bellingham regarding the High Level of Contamination that was effecting the Health and Wellbeing of thousands in the town and the County. ( This request has only been filed by one Other Mom, Lois Gibbs for Love Canal, it had to be filed with DC EPA ( Criminal Division) and Justice Dept.) Once it was filed due to the Risks and Threats our Family had to leave Bellingham . And so began an odyssey that lasted many years. For me, and my son, we ended up Losing our Home and Our Friends. And I also lost my Marriage. And during the Bush years, as a Scorched Whistle Blower I ended up living in multiple states with my son. And our Animals , our loving creatures, the tiny herd were truly family. And Xena is the only one that has survived and been with us since Bellingham. She is now 16.



And Now within the past Week Our Brave Xena has become very Ill

So for the most part she has been well all these years. I always set up multiple perches in our home so she can look out the window. Both times when we had to move ( as Renters) due to Foreclosure Problems , I found places where she could look out the window and watch the birds and squirrels and lay in the sun. Sunspots are a treasured thing in our house. And along the way we rescued a Dog named Lilly in California and we also rescued a battered marmalade wonder cat here named Harry. And she played with him, shared the Sun and the Bird Spot and chased him up and down the stairs, and occasionally playfully bit his tail. She has dined well on Chicken and Fish that I fix for the critters and occasionally had snacks of half and half, or my coffee. She has always found ways to lick the Oreo Wrappings and she always had Turkey for thanksgiving. And she loved Spaghetti with Parmesan cheese. And she loved sleeping on my bed by my head, especially in the winter. ( even though the past two winters I had an Unheated attic room ).



And then last Wednesday night it all changed, she got very sick, she was wobbly and having trouble getting around, yet that morning she had been chasing Harry like usual. At first I thought that she had had a stroke. By the next day she was less wobbly and trying to drink, but still not right. Friday we had huge storms and yellow skies, and tornado warnings. I was worried about taking her to the vet and also worried about those Yellow Skies. By Friday Night she again didn't sleep was pacing and crying and I knew that I was going to have to take her to the Vet.

And what we Learned at the Vet and What now for our Lovely Xena
So I took her to the vet at 8am on Saturday Morn, after sleeping on the floor with her for three nights . They drew Blood and gave her IV fluids and did a bladder puncture for the Urine Sample and they gave her meds for the nausea and discomfort.
She purrs when I am next to her and she only cries if I leave the room....And so today early this morn the Vet called, her labs were awful....She does not just have Kidney Disease, she is in total Kidney Failure. She also has a Kidney Infection. She most likely had Kidney Disease for quite a while. But I did not know. She was eating and drinking ok. She threw up sometimes , but I thoughtit was due to being chased on the stairs. Her Labs were the worst that the Vet had ever seen, BUN 294 and Creatinine 11.2. So I had two talks with the Vet today, and I will do Hospice at home for her. As a Nurse, I have provided hospice care to so many over the years, and many in Seattle in the 90s during the AIDS Crisis. And I also provided Hospice Care to two dogs. But Never a Cat....But she must be allowed the chance to die here, at home with us, on her own terms....I owe her that.....
And if you read the history above you can see why I can't give her IV/SQ fluids at home, or why she hates being Handled by Anyone....yes, even me.....But I want to her be able to die at home...Her Home....Her Terms.

As many know....son and I are moving to Brooklyn NYC in the Spring, in May. Sadly I just spent a huge junk of our moving money this weekend, hoping to save her life, so that she would be with us for the move,because I can't imagine her not being with us.. But now moving without our Lovely Xena, and that breaks our hearts....I have heard there is a Pet Cemetery in Brooklyn.....But for now we will do our best to make her final days comfortable....and dignified...just like her....and give her the TLC and love that she has always had and that she quietly gave us too.....We wish we had more time with her, just a little more time. So please do send her Light and keep her in your prayers...Thank you..... ( I will try to post updates in the Comment Section for now.....)

So If i am not here or Facebook or Twitter ....I am laying on the floor next to her...stroking her head and telling her how beautiful she is.....Our Xena Warrior Princess...


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8PM March 6th
First off I have to thank everyone..I have had amazing messages of support here and on Twitter and Facebook...so much Love and Light..6-6 and I are beyond grateful...

The past 24 hours.....Xena came out of the cave dawn Monday...licked my hand and purred.....to me this says that she wants to be here..that she is trying to fight and hang on...So I spent most of day yesterday trying to give her fluids and making a watery paste of the kidney food...she has been sleeping on my mattress on the floor or her favorite blanket...( she came out of the cave, that is huge).I have been carrying her around to her favorite perches so she can see her birds....still spending alot of time just stroking her head and letting her know we love her. Today I did take her to the vet and learn to do the SubQ fluids and also how to give her the nausea meds.And brought her home and again let her look out the window, putting tuna water on the Kidney food paste...she licked it...( not sure she liked it..but she licked it...) She is still in Kidney Failure, and the Lab did rerun her labs, they are what they are...but for now she is here....and I don't think she is giving up...not yet.
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Please do read the Post above, our lovely Xena died on Tuesday March 8th at 9:39 AM. She quietly went to sleep at home with some medicine from Dr. Linda. Please read the post above about our Lovely Xena. Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers for this amazing cat and 6-6 and I. We are grateful for the Gift that was Xena as a member of our family for so many years. We hold her memory dearly.

99 Report for 2PM EST May 4th BlogtalkRadio : Col.Barry Wingard on to share more about GITMO and the Prisoners He Represents

Listen to internet radio with 99 Report on Blog Talk Radio

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(1) COMMENTARY ON #OCCUPY :

As someone who as a Nurse supported Occupy Cleveland I feel compelled to make a statement about the People I met as a part of Occupy here, and the recent Bomb Plot that unfolded this week, and how people are concerned that Anarchy is taking hold of the Movement. I am speaking out as a True 99 Percenter who is worried about the Occupy Movement.

#QuestionOfTheWeek : If anyone knows how to utilize the New Blogger, I need help with LINKS. So get in touch with me if you can.

(2) Lee Camp Moment of Clarity #137 This Week:

Do see his website and his Moments of Clarity and His Tour, ( Scotland, Wales, and NYC and Wisconsin etc.)

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(3) Guest This week is Col. Barry Wingard ::

He will be sharing about GITMO and he will be sharing about his recent trips to Kuwait, London and Afghanistan and the 2 Prisoners he represents at GITMP. Please do read more about these Prisoners reading about them, the Facebook pages are "Free Fayiz and Fawzi" and "Abdul Ghani.

99 Report is proud to have Barry Wingard on show at 2:10PM EST #BTR to discuss his work with GITMO detainees. We also hope that we have an opportunity to discuss NDAA with him as well. ( From Huffpo) Barry D Wingard is a Lieutenant Colonel representing Fayiz al-Kandari. He began his career in the Army as an enlisted infantryman and then an infantry officer. Currently he is a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Air Force, has served 26 years and is a veteran of both Bosnia and Iraq conflicts. The views expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of DOD or its Components. We have set a whole show aside to take Questions and allow Barry to discuss GITMO and the prisoners there. I am encouraging people to call in as well as Send Questions via email or on Twitter @watergatesummer. Barry really wants to have a vibrant discussion. Personally I think we should be talking about GITMO and why it is still open and why Prisoners are still there 10 years ago.



This article by Barry, The War On Terror : Beyond the Military ( Huffpo July 2010)

Article about Barry's Work and Writings (TPM)
WIKI bio on Barry and his work as VET and an attorney.

Really Stunning Interview with Barry regarding his GITMO work in CagePrisoners. A Must read into the extraordinary work of this fine Military Lawyer.

More on Faiz his client from the NYT Gitmo Docket....

Fayiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari's Facebook Page, is the Kuwaiti Prisoner that Barry Wingard represents, please share it and his story. He is at GITMO for over 10 years, basically because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time....doing charity work.....Sitting in Prison...Our Prison..based on hear say of hear say...It's Unfathomable...please get the word out.

Andy Worthington's article on Fayiz is a must read....

Here is the Facebook page of Abdul Ghani the other client that Barry Wingard represents.

Barry was a guest on Awopradio on Sunday Feb 3, 2012 , you can read more about his appearance here or link to the Podcast /USTREAM of that show and hear the dialogue on GITMO and the prisoners. We hope to follow up on this discussion on the 99 Report and learn more about the Prisoners.

PLEASE DO EITHER CALL IN WITH QUESTIONS OR WRITE QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENT SECTION OR LEAVE QUESTIONS ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE OR EMAIL ME. BARRY WINGARD REALLY WANTS A DIALOGUE ABOUT GITMO.

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POWER OF FIVE...FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT MEDIA MIGHT HAVE MISSED:::

(1) Dennis Trainer's New Documentary "American Autumn " ( Blogger has changed settings so I am not sure how to add the link). But do follow him on Twitter and check out the links to his Film. The Film is due out in June 2012. LINK :http://www.occudoc.org/#!home|BlankPage_0,

Here is the Preview for the Film,

(2) I am sharing a story about a Sugar Hill GA woman who is in danger of losing her home because of Medical Care and Medical Bills while their family fights Childhood Cancer, LINK:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/mother-concerned-about-childs-health-home-goes-for/nNQsM/,

(3) NYT, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/nyregion/warrant-squads-spied-on-wall-st-protesters-suspects-say.html?_r=1&smid=tw-share, Article on how Warrant Squads were used to monitor Occupy and Wallstreet Protesters.

(4) Tax Me For &*Xk!!'s Sake by Stephen King, is a must read and must share for the Week,LINK: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2012041830/stephen-king ,

(5) Dennis Campbell's New Book about the War On Women....is out and is a MUST read and share. The Vagina Wars is a Must Read......

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Huge Shout Out to Radio Or Not Nicole Sandler, Shane and Danielle of Talking Left, and Tim Corrimal and Kenny Pick and also Cliff Shecter at WeActRadio. Music Today by FOLD , and "Gotta Believe" by TruNDeed and Sanara Pippens and more.