An Early Halloween

As a child I was big into dress-up. In university I lucked out with an on-campus job as the manager of the costume department for 4 years. That meant free access to period costumes from all through history. I was in my glory. I regularly turned up for class dressed in Victorian costume or half a tux, or whatever other exploration in fashion history struck my fancy that week. It meant that I could satisfy my desire to play dress-up into my early twenties (when, I realize, that most people have outgrown it).

When I graduated and took on the grown-up task of teaching, those days were sadly placed behind me. Professional attire was expected every day- no whimsical experiments in what it really feels like to wear a corset (not the lingerie ones, but the real ones). Just teacher clothes.

missed that opportunity a lot in the first years of teaching. But now I get to revel in the opportunity to go crazy with costume one day a year. I love it. Here in GN Halloween is almost as big as Christmas. The kids get very excited. Everyone dresses up. There is a big dance at the Complex. It a big deal.

Today we had our school celebrations. I realize that it is only the 29th, and yes, Halloween is actually on the 31st. We have a half day tomorrow and the class that is in charge of hot
dogs won't really be able to participate in the celebrations, so in the interest of everyone wanting to celebrate, we had Halloween today.

These days are always a wee bit crazy. If you aren't a teacher, imagine a costume birthday party that lasts for six hours. Think of the level of kid energy, sugar intake, and then add a 40 minute power outage in the middle of it all. That was today.

We were doing quite well until the power went out. We were warned at the beginning of the day that the power would be out from 11 to 11:30, so the kiddos were not taken by surprise. Nor were the teachers left hanging in the middle of a computer lesson or lost their overhead project right before making the key lesson point.

However when 11:30 rolled around and the power didn't come right back on, things got a little ragged at the edges. It was overcast and we only have 2 windows in each classroom, so it was a bit challenging to see anything to continue math, in my classroom. My students were troupers and tried anyway, but really, what was I thinking?

So, we let it all hang out after lunch and watched a movie together, ate our potluck party snacks, and had the traditional costume parade in the gym. If was exhausting, but a fun afternoon. Another reminder why I love my job.

Not everyone gets to dress up, play with kids, and parade around the gym once a year.

Jeffrey Davis (1953-2009)

I am so thankful for the blessing of my family right now. I have riches beyond compare in an amazing husband, two healthy, beautiful, energetic children, and friends and family across this province. I have work that brings me joy and changes the world one student at a time. I can look out my windows at a view more beautiful than any painted in a landscape. What a rich life!

My uncle did not have such a life. He died alone in a trailer and wasn't found until a week later. My mom was notified on Wednesday. She, as the eldest sibling, is taking the role of executor and sorting out how to lay to rest a life that was short and lonely.

This was an uncle that I barely knew. He lived with us for a few weeks when I was a teenager; camped out in his tent on our property during one of his rare trips out east. I can't remember the last time I saw him. I do remember writing a story for an assignment in high school that fictionalized that last visit. I think I have that story tucked away in a box somewhere. It wasn't particularly flattering to a person who spent too much of his time in bars and was told with the narrow narrative voice of a teenager with a black and white view of the world.

When you lose someone that you were not close to, but whose death is deeply saddening to someone who you were close to, there is a different kind of grieving. I don't feel any loss for a person with whom I had no personal relationship. I do feel pain for my mom and my uncles who lost their sibling without warning and without a chance to say goodbye.

Beauty

Every time I drove to town I am struck anew with the vast diversity of beauty in creation. Last week the trees had lots of amber leaves fluttering in the wind. This week most of the amber is gone, but now the contrasting values and tones of green are becoming vivid against the grey skeletons of the deciduous trees. Some of the conifers have turned into flames of tangerine and look like they are dying. What a glorious death!

There are clear lines of tree-species as you look at each hill. The inspiration taken by the group of seven by the northern Ontario landscape is so very present still. I hope we will never batter this land beyond seeing that beauty.

I am sad to see new 'camp roads' being tamped down by the Saturday storm troopers this week. That is my new term for the Kenora locals who head for the bush every weekend. They are all driving north towards Grassy with pickups loaded with ATVs and camp gear on Saturday morning as we head into town. Then, as we return home loaded with new books and groceries, they are also returning home, loaded these days with wood.

There is a species of bird that migrates south directly through this region. They have white on their bellies and seem sandy-coloured on their backs when in flight. Mostly I noticed their white undersides, which seems to flash against the grey road as they fly ahead of the car.

We noticed them last fall just before the snow and only saw them for a few weeks. They were back for a short time in the spring. I think they might be from the Arctic. I wonder how far they have to go before they find their winter homes?

The geese are all gone, but many ducks are still lingering on the lakes. Does that mean an Indian summer is in store for us? Or are they foolish ducks who will be taken by surprise next week when winter arrives in all her pristine cold glory? I hope they know something I don't.

Another One Down for the Count

I am rising from the ashes of exhaustion and coughing and Kleenex everywhere. Note to self: buy stock in Kleenex. I am on my way to health. I am. I am. But the blasted coughing just won't stop!

To keep a positive attitude I keep reminding myself of how unbelievably horrible I felt all last week. This is nothing. Just a niggly post-cold tickle THAT IS DRIVING ME AROUND THE BEND BECAUSE I CAN'T TEACH WITHOUT HACKING UP A LUNG EVERY FOUR WORDS. But really I am glad to be on the mend, etc. Stiff upper lip and all that.

However (says the Eeyore in my head) now LK is coming down with the same thing that I had and just toddled miserably off to bed before nine o'clock even. Ho-hum. Another week of sickness in our house.

Sweet, sweet health. Whilst thou darken my door before the next moon? PLEEEAAASSEE!

Too Sick (Warning Contains Whining)

It was a very long week, following a very long week. Ironic when both were 3 1/2 day work-weeks. But were they ever long days!

Last week our Fearless Leader was away at a conference. Without giving us advance warning. Wasn't too pleased about that. But, I was very proud that even though the mice did play while the cat was away, they left the building standing and nobody quit.

This week the mice made Fearless Leader a very busy cat getting things back into shape. Why is it that the mice only respect the cat? What about we teacher-cats? Are we not fierce enough? Still working on that one.

This week was incredibly long because I woke up Tuesday feeling a bit under-the-weather and it just went downhill from there. It has been five days of feeling REALLY CRAPPY! And I am sick of it. I have taken every cough suppressant, cold & flu thingy I can find. I have eaten chicken noodle soup. I have slept as much as my coughing body will let me. I even took a day off work too sleep more. I really want to get better!

I want to play with my kids. I want to hug my husband. I want my voice back. I want to get up and feel rested. I want to enjoy work, not drag myself through the day trying not to look like the zombie I feel like.

It was so bad on Friday that Fearless Leader even told me that I looked like crap- not in those exact words of course. My darling husband replied, when asked if I really looked that bad, "I wasn't going to say anything, but I was surprised you left the house looking like that."

Waaaaaa!

I am going to bed. I will blog again when not so grouchy, tired, sore and miserable.

From my New Desktop...

I am actually blogging from my Christmas present; a new laptop. I can actually work at my own table (my multi-purpose craft/work table) on my own computer. My wondefulforgeousamazingincredible husband bought me a laptop for Christmas. Early even!

I am over the moon with delight at being able to work at home at the same time as LK. I don't have to go into school every night to finish my plans. I don't have to negotiate computer time with my spouse. WooHoo!!!

My happiness knows no end.

Shopping Trip

I have a wee bit of shopaholic in me. So, when the car is due for a visit with the dealership I am quick to offer to do the drive to Winnipeg and slip a bit of VV and Winners into the trip. This weekend we had Monday off- Treaty Day, so it worked out perfectly to get an early morning appointment and the requisite visits to my favourite stores as well.

I had a big list, Christmas presents featured heavily as we were not anticipating another trip to the city before the holiday. However, there is electrical work that needs to be done and they had to order parts, so back we go in the next month.

Two days and countless stores. By the time I was finished even I was tired and ready to go home. Interestingly, we were in Old Navy, which I used to really like, and I was not even tempted the least. Hmmm, tastes are changing.

However, I could have spent another day poring through the stock in every Winners in the city.
I arrived home with the Christmas list mostly crossed off, and a new rug for the living room. We had a cheap brown rag rug that was making do on the floor. Takes off the edge of the cold, but not at all inviting for sitting on and playing on. I found a lovely striped rug in Home Depot with all the colours I love in it. It reminds me of a sweater I had several years ago. Now both kids are sprawled on the floor in the living room to watch tv rather than huddled on the couch.

The highlight of the trip was a pair of shoes. Black peep-toe pumps (I know that I don't need another pair of black shoes) with 4 inch heels. Totally not practical, but soooooo yummy. And they make me feel tall (a substantial task). I wore them to school today and made it an hour before I changed into lower heels. Perhaps I will save them for dates...