This is the first post of my blog, and the Title will require a bit of explanation: My friend Scott and I were stranded after a series of health crises he suffered. Taking care of Scott became a full time job for me, but I was not getting paid for it, so we were stranded and broke. MDC put us up in a hotel for the last several weeks of April 2015, and we moved into Unit A of the Duplex owned by Kyle G. Torgerson, (landlord) and managed by his property manager Katie Howard, who identified herself as the head Broker of Parkwood Management.
On the first day there I immediately pointed out to Katie that there was a serious problem. If there was a fire, Scott might have a terrible time escaping from it if the front door was compromised, because the only other escape route was a bedroom window. Scott is morbidly obese and had recently had a hip replacement. He is still unable to balance and walk properly on the new hip. He uses a walker or cane to get around. The window was problematic as an escape, because I didn't know if he could get out of it. But there were other issues surrounding this problem. Assuming he could make it into the backyard, Scott would find himself in an enclosed space with no way out. The backyard is very narrow, and, for some peculiar reason, Kyle had padlocked and bolted the gate to the backyard shut from the outside. We were not given keys. Therefore, if Scott and I escaped the fire into the backyard, we would be trapped there, very close to the burning house, with no way out.
Katie literally ignored my comments on this vital issue, and neither Joan nor Katie answered my questions. I was left stranded with grave concerns.
Other parts of the units were set up with this same peculiar strategy. Kyle also had a code to a lock that kept us from seeing, or having access to, the fuse box and water heater. These became issues later, as you will see. The first point I want to make is that the units locked the Tenants out of certain areas, which forced the Tenants to contact the owner/landlord in the event of emergencies, because Parkwood Management never provided us with any other phone number, Katie routine lied about or denied reasonable repairs, and Kyle was always willing to ride in and save the day, like a carpentry capable white Knight. The only problem was that Kyle expected something extra for his efforts. That 'something extra' will become clear as I continue.
The first week there, as we moved in, I kept smelling fire. I called Katie, and (instead of sending an electrician or someone who was trained to assess the situation) she came out herself. She said the fire smell was coming from a creosote buildup in the dryer hose, but that was not a fire hazard, so there was nothing to worry about. If you are reading this blog and you recognize how stupid and incompetent that sounds, and how dangerous her ignorance was to us, you will be amazed at the width, depth and breadth of her stupidity and incompetence as this blog continues, because, from beginning to end,
Katie Howard was wrong about everything she said, and caustic to anyone who had actual facts on their side.
Next: How I met Kyle:
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Surviving Kyle
Sunday, October 4, 2009
First Blog
Welcome and Thank You for visiting my blog. I am under construction at the moment, but I hope to have some designs online very soon.
I want to make this blog about improving crochet, elevating the Art; I hope to have an impact on the advancement of what is often called "the humble art of Crochet". Crochet has always been the people's Art, and I would love to see it get the recognition it deserves, while improving the quality of the fabrics we make so that they are uniquely crochet-beautiful!!!
I am currently 61. I have been knitting, crocheting and quilting since my Grandmother and Aunt came in and sat me on the couch at the ripe old age of 5, and announced that it was a crying shame that I was already 5 years old, and still didn't know how to knit, crochet, etc.. I thought I had done something wrong, so I was worried. But, when i found out they were trying to help me and teach me a wonderful skill, I kept working with those needles and that hook, as well as the squares of fabric they gave me to sew together, until I could turn out a product that they approved of. Trust me when I say that took quite a while and a lot of hard work. :-)
My Grandmother's father was a Stone Mason. After producing a prodigious number of daughters (13 in all) he died. Perhaps it was the enormous amount of estrogen with which he was surrounded. At any rate, he left my Great Grandmother with a stone house and 13 girls to care for. She made her way in the world by teaching the girls to knit, crochet and quilt and selling what they made. Thus, to my Grandmother (who was the eldest of the 13 girls) these crafts were important to survival. She made postage stamp quilts, (quilts made from postage stamp sized pieces of cloth) and NOTHING was wasted in her home.
Growing up around this influence, I strongly believed in practical designs that work hard and last. Beauty was something that was the result of making each garment a perfect confection of good design and well done handiwork: I believed (and still believe) in elegant, not extravagant design.
This has changed a little bit with time, because I believe that too many crochet designs of the old school look a bit like rugs that someone tried to make into a wearable fabric. I confess that I do not crochet antimacassars, nor am I intrigued by garments with too many holes. I like to work in lace, but I like the lace to be prim- beautiful, but practical.
My family believed that life is full of surprises and it is best to be prepared, so running about with a garment that will offer no comfort in a cold wind, or be worthless on a dark and stormy night stranded away from civilization, is not my cup of tea. To be fair, I have designed some, out of curiosity and because I like the stitches. However, I will not offer much of this line on my website.
To me, a woman's beauty is in her mystery. We enhance our beauty when we are not revealed. I believe that what we conceal is what is sought after by the men who clamour for our attention. When a woman is modest in her apparel, a man must dig through many layers to get to her truth, and, of course, he will never, EVER make it all the way- there will always be great secrets in reserve. My crochet, knit and quilt designs reflect this point of view.
I will be selling patterns on my site that are clear and well written, so you don't have to struggle to figure out how to make the garment. I have been appalled by the flawed patterns in various high priced designer magazines. If you follow my patterns with reasonable skill, your fabric will be strong and beautiful, and you won't wind up on row 3 or 30 wondering how in the world the designers (or their ill paid workers) managed to make anything remotely resembling the beautiful picture on the cover page using the instructions they have given to you. In other words, my patterns will consistently produce the fabric in the picture.
I will start putting up patterns very soon, but we are moving (on the physical plane, not on the etheric-here in this blog spot).
Other things I may offer here include Chinese tea recipes for various conditions- things I use to stay healthy, and, if their is an interest, perhaps some of the fruits of my many studies.
So, I hope you will feel welcome here, that you are in sympathy with my attitude, that you enjoy my patterns and my blog and that you and I will become friends in due time. Now I am off to have a cup of tea.
Blessings and Light,
LindaSue
I want to make this blog about improving crochet, elevating the Art; I hope to have an impact on the advancement of what is often called "the humble art of Crochet". Crochet has always been the people's Art, and I would love to see it get the recognition it deserves, while improving the quality of the fabrics we make so that they are uniquely crochet-beautiful!!!
I am currently 61. I have been knitting, crocheting and quilting since my Grandmother and Aunt came in and sat me on the couch at the ripe old age of 5, and announced that it was a crying shame that I was already 5 years old, and still didn't know how to knit, crochet, etc.. I thought I had done something wrong, so I was worried. But, when i found out they were trying to help me and teach me a wonderful skill, I kept working with those needles and that hook, as well as the squares of fabric they gave me to sew together, until I could turn out a product that they approved of. Trust me when I say that took quite a while and a lot of hard work. :-)
My Grandmother's father was a Stone Mason. After producing a prodigious number of daughters (13 in all) he died. Perhaps it was the enormous amount of estrogen with which he was surrounded. At any rate, he left my Great Grandmother with a stone house and 13 girls to care for. She made her way in the world by teaching the girls to knit, crochet and quilt and selling what they made. Thus, to my Grandmother (who was the eldest of the 13 girls) these crafts were important to survival. She made postage stamp quilts, (quilts made from postage stamp sized pieces of cloth) and NOTHING was wasted in her home.
Growing up around this influence, I strongly believed in practical designs that work hard and last. Beauty was something that was the result of making each garment a perfect confection of good design and well done handiwork: I believed (and still believe) in elegant, not extravagant design.
This has changed a little bit with time, because I believe that too many crochet designs of the old school look a bit like rugs that someone tried to make into a wearable fabric. I confess that I do not crochet antimacassars, nor am I intrigued by garments with too many holes. I like to work in lace, but I like the lace to be prim- beautiful, but practical.
My family believed that life is full of surprises and it is best to be prepared, so running about with a garment that will offer no comfort in a cold wind, or be worthless on a dark and stormy night stranded away from civilization, is not my cup of tea. To be fair, I have designed some, out of curiosity and because I like the stitches. However, I will not offer much of this line on my website.
To me, a woman's beauty is in her mystery. We enhance our beauty when we are not revealed. I believe that what we conceal is what is sought after by the men who clamour for our attention. When a woman is modest in her apparel, a man must dig through many layers to get to her truth, and, of course, he will never, EVER make it all the way- there will always be great secrets in reserve. My crochet, knit and quilt designs reflect this point of view.
I will be selling patterns on my site that are clear and well written, so you don't have to struggle to figure out how to make the garment. I have been appalled by the flawed patterns in various high priced designer magazines. If you follow my patterns with reasonable skill, your fabric will be strong and beautiful, and you won't wind up on row 3 or 30 wondering how in the world the designers (or their ill paid workers) managed to make anything remotely resembling the beautiful picture on the cover page using the instructions they have given to you. In other words, my patterns will consistently produce the fabric in the picture.
I will start putting up patterns very soon, but we are moving (on the physical plane, not on the etheric-here in this blog spot).
Other things I may offer here include Chinese tea recipes for various conditions- things I use to stay healthy, and, if their is an interest, perhaps some of the fruits of my many studies.
So, I hope you will feel welcome here, that you are in sympathy with my attitude, that you enjoy my patterns and my blog and that you and I will become friends in due time. Now I am off to have a cup of tea.
Blessings and Light,
LindaSue
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