Hamilton Indigenous Housing

Yesterday entering the community room I looked around and found a good seat near the dessert table. Tenants Judy, Sandra, Dave and his sister Sue plus we had a special guest “Stan” at our table. The highlight for me was listening to his view on the bureaucrats in the native community. We started off with tenant Catherine saying grace and a lovely prayer then the people lined up at the buffet table. During this time the KMHC staff were totally unaware tenant Linda was upset.   She was sitting by herself at the other end of the room practically in tears. Empathy for others is something I’m good at so I walked over to comfort the woman. She appreciated my concern. The KMHC staff were also servers at the buffet table and I got gratification seeing Ingrid Nosel the HSC aka the cop caller finally doing some work around here. :P Fellow tenants – I notice we have a collage of native tenants at KMHC.  Some are humorous, strange, weird, shy, quiet, outspoken, sensitive while a f...

We’re having a big snowstorm in the land of Canada and where else would I be but stuck in my man cave.   Correction since this is a Native housing blog I’ll use the term ‘Teepee’. :D   Anyway with the passing of a fellow tenant the mood in the building is somber and quiet and rightly so. Then last night something happened, my next door neighbor Deloris had another smoke alarm scare.   In one of my previous blogs dated August 24, 2011 I wrote a story how poor Deloris tripped the smoke alarm and I came to her rescue.   Here’s the sequel. Last night while on the computer I could hear a smoke alarm sound it came from Deloris’s unit, just as I was getting ready to check on her, she came running to my door totally scared and confused.   I then took control of the situation her unit was filled with smoke.  I checked the stove area and sure enough she must have fallen asleep while making something to eat. The poor woman was making toast in the oven and it was i...

This morning my intercom rang and I answered it I heard the police talking in the background but nobody responded when I said hello!   So I hung up. I thought that’s strange I then looked out the window and noticed a police cruiser and ambulance in front of the building. It wasn’t until later in the day I received confirmation tenant Miss Norma has passed away.   Just yesterday she opened the front door for me after I went shopping and she looked ok. Goes to show when our time comes there is no warning. I have fond memories of Miss Norma she was a fellow tenant but only an acquaintance we never hung out together.   Once in a while we would chit chat if we met in front of the building. When I first moved to KMHC she made me feel welcome and warned me to avoid the bitches (gossipers and backstabbers). I use to see her often sitting outside the front entrance then after she had her last surgery I’d rarely see her. Miss Norma & I had conversations about this place s...

Hamilton Regional Indian Centre held their Christmas Community Dinner at a banquet hall on Kenilworth Ave S.   This is my 3 rd year attending this event and I had a good time. We showed up early and found good seats. The cost to the event was non-perishable food donation so I brought two large shopping bags full of canned goods, pasta and rice. This was not a fancy affair, no waiters or fine dinnerware, no fancy linen, all this came about thanks to the HRIC staff and native volunteers who cheerfully helped serve the food.   Only five of us tenants showed up for the dinner and I’m happy to announce tenant and friend Shirley won the 50/50 draw.   Funny story: for reasons only known to Shirley after dinner she decided to walk over to Dollarama to shop for a few items. She was late getting back and nearly missed out when they called her winning ticket.   The dinner was open to all nationalities we don’t discriminate. I said hello to many non-native guests from down...