I was sitting at the kitchen table with a friend- who brought BIRD a gift, some 'bird friendly' plants to turn my office into a mini  dazzling jungle! - lol 
We were sitting there when he asked me - “Did you hear Marco the Strain Hunter died yesterday?”  My mind instantly went - What?? Marco dead? From TY?? But not a Strain Hunter..  I do not have a FB feed,  it was confirmed online instantly
- Franko The Strain Hunter has died.

I felt bad for my friend as I started to cry, he apologized.  He did not know it would effect me the way it did. In a way I thanked him,  it was nicer hearing it from a friend than seeing it on line myself. I am floored.  

Franko was the very first person Storm met at our very first EXPO and  asked to take his photo with him - he looked up to Franko “The Strain Hunter!” The guys signed a Poster to him, it hangs in his apartment still, and struck up a conversation with him, I was thrilled.   Storm visited them in Europe last year and went fishing just this past summer with Arjan, the look on his face when he confirmed the news  said it all.  
Franko was by far one of the most passionate growers there was out there.
Photos of him fondling the plant like they were his lovers & they were.   He will be deeply missed, I can’t imagine how his business partners/closest friends, as well as his family are feeling.  Rest in Peace Franko and THANK you of being a positive influence in my sons life & for Cannabis - WORLD WIDE.

By the Grace of God - yep.
xox
<><

Wow this was/is a difficult blog still to this date. 
Let me start by saying Norm (my hubby of 20 years) can drive me nuts!  I live with him and I’ve said a few things about Norm in the past -some not so nice! LOL 
BUT NEVER will you hear me say he is NOT a hard worker. ASK anyone, and he really gives it his best. 

As a matter of fact, the last company he was at, he was there 9 years, when the bosses house needed work - It was Norm that did it. He is also an incredible trouble solver and is called into many sites where they don’t quite know what happened or even how to fix it - they called Norm many times.  I still remember the first Christmas, the BOSS made a point to thank Norm for joining the company and all the amazing work he was capable of!  I am well aware of what Norm is capable of! Everything you see the busy beaver Norm built! He never stops.  He is also a VERY loyal employee. 

A couple of years ago - days after an expo - I was on the back deck recovering! I am so exhausted after an expo - it’s given me an entire new respect for those that do it full time!  Well, Norm shows up beside me and it’s only 2p.m.  Another thing about Norm - He is never sick, never calls in sick - unless he is dying and never plays ‘hookie’ - he then proceeded to tell me he thinks he has been fired!! 

I was shocked! What could he have possibly done to be fired!? 

He left a magazine and a tiny bag of catnip at a job site.

Norm was (and is) so proud of us as a family - what we do and the EXPO just literally passed not 24 hours was EXCITED,  Norm although never seen is a big part of it all - I’d never be able to do it without him - he was sharing with the guys at work  how the weekend went - one of the guys asked Norm to share our son’s story -with him... Norm went to his truck and brought one of the magazines - the Treating Yourself magazine that featured Storms story in it, (You can read it here) he also had one of my business cards I hand out at the expo. - * I’ve blogged about it before.. I hand out business cards with small amounts -1 tsp. of catnip in them, CLEARLY marked CATNIP * Marco made sure I did this for the expo. They are great people see me hanging out little baggies and come and get them, only to giggle when they see that is is catnip. They continued to discuss as they ate lunch...

Norm forgot the magazine and the catnip at the house (an empty home at the time)
he was called into work the next day and a STRIP was ripped off of him!  The boss was disgusted!!  He said “The client said the company had a bunch of STONERS working for them!”

Norm was sent home until they decided what to do about it...
I tried right away to sort it out! Poor Norm was so upset! I could not figure it out! 
It WAS just a magazine - found on an empty job site. No cannabis - No shoddy work - NOT FROM MY HUSBAND, no smoking - NORM NEVER smokes Cannabis.. and it was the magazine explaining Storms story!  I sent an e mail saying I would be happy to apologize to the home owner and explain about Storm and the situation. 

Nothing.. no reply.. 2 days later - Norm was called into the office and the bosses wife -  told Norm how “she could understand what we are going through...”  REALLY!? 

BUT, they had to teach others a lesson!  
Norm was sent home from work with no pay for 2 weeks. 

I WAS LIVID. I contacted a lawyer who told me that he had no doubts that what they were doing was illegal but he was out of Ontario and I’d have to call someone locally- Keep in mind I am not well - pre surgery.  I have to pick my battles - We are very much like the rest of you and LIVE paycheck to paycheck - That was over $2000. gone that we were not expecting!  It was and alway be to me, when they literally took food off our table. OVER a magazine and ignorance. 

Well - everything for a reason - the irony was I DID just finish the expo and we had some money that went all to bills- so much for my new glasses. It was June and we decided to HAVE FUN! Stuff got done! Norm had an unexpected vacation. I did not want him to go back. BUT he knew he had to - until we could sort stuff out.

EVERY time I thought of it, it hurt. Why? I should be use to ignorance and judgement by now, I’ve had it from a few good friends. BUT NORM? Norm never intentionally hurts a fly, he is such a hard working guy and he really was loyal specifically to the boss, I liked him too. He was a great hugger. <That was it. WE were hurt. Were we not part of the  company family all these years. They know what we deal with, Norm such a great employee - did they not even think to defend him!?  They said the owners were muslim- and that Cannabis is a sin. All I could do was think ‘GIVE Me a break’.

AND to prove a point?!?- $2000. What exact lesson was that? It wasn’t bad enough that you teated him like a criminal and ripped a strip of him for a topic that is about our son’s life saving medicine! I can tell you it was a good thing it was Norm in that office and not me.- Norm who would bend over back wards and did many times for that f*cking company.  Well - it was not long after that that he went into one of the VP’s office and questioned money that was not on his paycheck for hours worked - the response he got was “GET out of my office YOU are on thin ice! “   Talk about professional.  That was it. It got so bad I could hardly talk to Norm - I hated him going to work for people who treat employees like crap but we have bills to pay ;( 

Thecompany continued to ‘bully’ - the only word that I can think of.. what a way to treat your employes that work to get you where you are. Men who all have problems of their own at home, and are berated by ‘bosses’ that they help make rich.

Ask and ye shall receive, one fellow was leaving  the company not too long ago and Norm mentioned to him as he was leaving “tell them if they need anyone else call me..”

Norm later received a call from the owner of a company called Findlays restoration.
He was asked to come in for an interview, he was offered less pay - not much less but a bit - he came home and I said - “I DON'T CARE! TAKE IT and get OUT!"  

Ironically as Norm was waiting to serve out his TIME - the last 2 weeks.. a memo went out to all the guys = calling them all a bunch of morons more or less- that need their ‘mommy’s to pack their lunch boxes’ and ‘should have memo’s stapled to their temples”.  I kid you not.   WOW.  

Norm is like a new man! I had a hard time thinking about all the rotten stuff the last place did - because he is so happy at this new place! He comes home daily tell me things - like all the others that work here can’t stop raving about what an awesome guy the owner is, he never yells, he is a great person to work for, he makes you feel appreciated... 
Just a few short months & his mood is a complete turn around. 
All I can say is thank you. Thank you for a lesson on so many levels.  

Thank you for teaching us - no matter what - we will fight for what we believe in and under no circumstance ever - will we be ashamed out Storms medicine and sharing it with the world.  Friends, family, co workers - until someone walks in your shoes I could care less what they think.  It was an expensive lesson  ‘it’s only money’ 

As it stood we were provided for ❤  and once again we survived. 

AND: One door close and another SWINGS OPEN!!  In this case the drywall, wood & paint is greener on the other side!
Have faith!  <>< XOX