August 20, 2011 DAY 2339

Well it has been almost a month since I have posted in my diary and blog.

I have been watching the protest rallies across this province for accountability in CAS. I am honored to say that I am friends online and in person with so many dedicated individuals fighting for justice for families.

I can’t believe the summer is almost over.

I have had a few barbeques and spend many of my days dealing with clients in downtown Hamilton. I follow the news daily for stories and deal with poverty and its issues on a daily basis through referrals and client advocacy.


Everyone has days in their lives that they can say are the most memorable dates of their lives whether they are good or bad. I now have 4 events in my life that are memorable.

• On November 12, 1986 my first born Candice was born at 1:08pm at 21 ½ inches long with long black hair and not a peep of crying just laid there staring at the world was my first memorable date.

• The second date was on November 7, 1993 was when I first got together with Ed, my man; now after 17 years we are going on 18 years together, not yet married, friendship, lovers, pals, people that speak on the same level, love and romance, with lots of trials and tribulations along the way; with 9 children, 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

• The third date is a date that is the reason why I write in this blog and diary. It was March 24, 2005. I have been writing every day since. It is the day that Vinny and Paige, my step son and granddaughter left my home, our family ripped apart by the Hamilton Children’s Aid Society and they were never returned. It has been 2 335 days since they have been home or even came to visit me and Ed. That is a very long time. I have written 45 poems from the heart, went to countless court cases and a mini trial. I attended almost 30 supervised visits with the CAS watching our every move and all the time they knew the children were never coming home. We had hope, we had our family, and we had each other me and Ed. After this date is why we started fighting for the rights and the protection of families everywhere in Hamilton, Ontario and Canada against the Children’s Aid Societies of this country.


• The last date that was memorable will be August 6, 2011. I will remember that date for one specific reason. Remembering the girls growing up with New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys, I had pitched in on a present with 4 of my friends to get a client/friend some tickets to the Hamilton show to see the reunion tour of the NKOTBSB on this date. We got the tickets in February of 2011 and we kept it a secret from her until her birthday until the end of June. I knew all the songs, the XBOX still has the burned CD music on there. My daughter Candice was out west and couldn’t come out for the summer so I figured at some point during the month of July I could win tickets to see the concert. My friend was taking her middle daughter to the concert so that option was out. I spent 2 weeks by the phone, listening for contest songs and cues to call with three cell phones and a house phone on standby. Unfortunately I didn’t win the tickets. The day of the concert was approaching. It was raining and wet on August 6, 2011. I was out shopping for fruit and vegetables and I was singing all day long the NKOTBSB songs were all over the radio. I got a call at 5:30pm from my friend and she said to me “meet me at COPPS Coliseum” as she had found another ticket for me. I was hesitant but went down there in the rain. I was walking towards her and of course not dressed for a concert; just a t-shirt and sweatpants, a baseball cap white and my oversized purse with my cell phone in tow. She was standing there and her middle child wasn’t with her. She had hurt her leg and now I was going to the concert with just my friend. I cried when I entered the coliseum and kept asking my friend to pinch me. It was the best thing anyone has ever done for me as a friend. I was so thankful, I still relive that night every time I hear the songs on the radio. I sang all the songs, got to see the Backstreet Boys on stage, and had the greatest time of my life that night, all the while thinking I wish Candice was here…I gotta tell her on Facebook when I get home. I took lots of pictures, which I shared with her and even got to touch one of the New Kids on the Block member’s hand. That was so cool.


Our group National Academy of Social Advocates and Child Assist Services will be hosting a community garage sale and barbeque for the Labor Day weekend of September 3, 4, and 5th. We are in the process of setting up contacts and to see how many people would like to participate. I will be posting a Face book event and putting advertisements in the local newspaper and on Kijiji.

I figured I would pop in and post and let you know that the summer has been slow but not a day goes by that I don’t think about why I write in this diary and blog.

We are here to protect children and families from the Childrens Aid Society!!
Thank you for your support!!