Two glorious days spent with five year olds, were made memorable by the following:
Emma -Madame, I found this cube on the floor.
Me - You can put it on my desk.
Emma - That's not your desk. That's Ms. M's desk!
During our Body Break dance exercise, one tiny, little girl crossed her arms during the entire routine. When I asked her why she didn't participate, she replied "It's annoying".
At recess they were going outside and it was bitterly cold. I told the wee ones they could eat their snack in the warmth of the classroom when they came back in. One bright little one chimed, "We don't do that. Ms. M says that is a waste of classroom instructional time!"
I continued laughing with my next assignment, Grade 5 French Immersion. These are ten year olds. I had chosen one to captain a team, and choose his batter line-up to play a game of baseball, not literally, but in the classroom, as a kind of spelling bee by another name. He was having a hard time getting his batters up, and as time was precious, I asked him, nicely, to get his batters organized. A member of his team said, with such wisdom, "'Madame, you have to understand. David operates in another dimension!"
Why can't things ever be SIMPLE?
I always think...hope... and pray that my life kind of starts to slow d-o-w-n at some point. Instead, it just seems to pick up speed!
I have come off of an eight day roller coaster ride. Believe me when I say that I don't blog about "EVERYTHING" that happens in the course of my life. For example, I never blog about POF, and I could write a book JUST on that subject. If you don't know what POF is, I am not going to tell you because you don't need to know. :)
In an eight day period I taught every day, different schools, different languages, different levels, and had one snow day. On that snow day, I spent it in my basement mopping up the guck from the kitchen drain pipe backup, and mopping, scrubbing and forever sanitizing the corner of the basement that was used as a kitty litter by the previous tenants. Two months later it STILL stinks!!
I prepped for and went to a job interview. Furthermore, after umpteen phone calls, I got an appointment with a specialist after being on a six month waiting list. THANK YOU NB for universal Medicare. However, if you want things to move along, you can't wait for them to call you. YOU have to be call, follow-up, ask questions, and insist. No one cares more about your health than YOU!
I also spent seven long days dealing with a house that is for sale, with the agent being in Denmark, (yeah, the country of Denmark!) my ex in one city, me in another and the potential buyers in another. The logistics alone of trying to communicate offers and counteroffers, are enough to drive anyone around the bend. I actually Face Timed with my agent at 2:00 am in the morning her time. This should NOT be so complicated. T'was all for naught too!
Meanwhile, my dishwasher is falling out of the wall, and the fluorescent light fixtures in the bathroom have blown. I am not tall enough, even on a chair, to change them and the ladder is too big for the size of the bathroom, so I have to wait three days for the super to come. My expected company arrives in the fray! My dear walking partner from The Camino, who lives in Michigan, arrives for a five day stay, to spend time with her mother who lives nearby, in a retirement home. We spend the first night reminiscing about Our Camino, and drinking wine until 3:00 am in the morning! Not smart! The wine and the 3:00 am part, anyway. I also advise her that if she wants a shower in the morning or evening, when she is here, it will have to be done IN THE DARK!
So, it is finally the weekend. I have to fax a very important document like y-e-s-t-e-r-d-a-y, so I dash off to the library, where it gets faxed. I take a break to visit my mother and have a game of Scrabble. Four hours later I get a call that the document hasn't been received. HOW CAN THAT BE? I have the confirmation slip showing it went through. I was in the process of changing to go snowshoeing, so those plans went out the window, as I had to dash back to the library, before it closed in an hour, in order to REFAX that document. Why o WHY didn't I just go to Staples in the first place?
I am at the end of my rope by now. This is the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak. In TOTAL frustration, and despair, I lose it and drop the "F" bomb THREE times, yelling and screaming it at the top of my lungs. I know my neighbours on each side are gone, so I can really give 'er. Then I see my poor Vimy! The first "F" bomb, he just skittered away. The second one, he tried to hide under the table, and the third one, poor thing, he took off upstairs. He has never seen me like this. I must admit though, that I felt so much better after I let it all hang out!
Apparently even our pets know that you shouldn't swear and do NOT like it when you do. So I won't be doing that again any time soon. I promise Vimy.
I have come off of an eight day roller coaster ride. Believe me when I say that I don't blog about "EVERYTHING" that happens in the course of my life. For example, I never blog about POF, and I could write a book JUST on that subject. If you don't know what POF is, I am not going to tell you because you don't need to know. :)
In an eight day period I taught every day, different schools, different languages, different levels, and had one snow day. On that snow day, I spent it in my basement mopping up the guck from the kitchen drain pipe backup, and mopping, scrubbing and forever sanitizing the corner of the basement that was used as a kitty litter by the previous tenants. Two months later it STILL stinks!!
I prepped for and went to a job interview. Furthermore, after umpteen phone calls, I got an appointment with a specialist after being on a six month waiting list. THANK YOU NB for universal Medicare. However, if you want things to move along, you can't wait for them to call you. YOU have to be call, follow-up, ask questions, and insist. No one cares more about your health than YOU!
I also spent seven long days dealing with a house that is for sale, with the agent being in Denmark, (yeah, the country of Denmark!) my ex in one city, me in another and the potential buyers in another. The logistics alone of trying to communicate offers and counteroffers, are enough to drive anyone around the bend. I actually Face Timed with my agent at 2:00 am in the morning her time. This should NOT be so complicated. T'was all for naught too!
Meanwhile, my dishwasher is falling out of the wall, and the fluorescent light fixtures in the bathroom have blown. I am not tall enough, even on a chair, to change them and the ladder is too big for the size of the bathroom, so I have to wait three days for the super to come. My expected company arrives in the fray! My dear walking partner from The Camino, who lives in Michigan, arrives for a five day stay, to spend time with her mother who lives nearby, in a retirement home. We spend the first night reminiscing about Our Camino, and drinking wine until 3:00 am in the morning! Not smart! The wine and the 3:00 am part, anyway. I also advise her that if she wants a shower in the morning or evening, when she is here, it will have to be done IN THE DARK!
So, it is finally the weekend. I have to fax a very important document like y-e-s-t-e-r-d-a-y, so I dash off to the library, where it gets faxed. I take a break to visit my mother and have a game of Scrabble. Four hours later I get a call that the document hasn't been received. HOW CAN THAT BE? I have the confirmation slip showing it went through. I was in the process of changing to go snowshoeing, so those plans went out the window, as I had to dash back to the library, before it closed in an hour, in order to REFAX that document. Why o WHY didn't I just go to Staples in the first place?
I am at the end of my rope by now. This is the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak. In TOTAL frustration, and despair, I lose it and drop the "F" bomb THREE times, yelling and screaming it at the top of my lungs. I know my neighbours on each side are gone, so I can really give 'er. Then I see my poor Vimy! The first "F" bomb, he just skittered away. The second one, he tried to hide under the table, and the third one, poor thing, he took off upstairs. He has never seen me like this. I must admit though, that I felt so much better after I let it all hang out!
Apparently even our pets know that you shouldn't swear and do NOT like it when you do. So I won't be doing that again any time soon. I promise Vimy.
My life is one STEEP learning curve!
I have had a garage before. I had one for seven years, actually. I never had any problems. I know how a remote garage door opener works. Or at least I thought I did!
I backed out of my garage this morning, after opening the door with my remote. We had a blizzard yesterday, but I had already checked the night before. I knew the plow had cleared the driveway so it should have been clear sailing.
I heard this CLICK, CLICK sound as I am backing up, so I stop. I don't see anything behind me. I continue to back up, ever so gently, and I still hear the CLICK, CLICK!
So I stop and look up. OMG - the garage door is CLOSING above me and my little car. It is only the antennae that is stopping the door from squashing me and Jiminy Cricket. With my heart racing, I go forward, back into the garage, and the garage door pulls up.
What happened? Well, I was in a hurry; I was late for work, as I had received a very late call to come in. So, I had picked up the remote in my hand as I was backing out, (thinking I was saving time), but it must be some SUPER sensitive. It triggered the door to start closing, although I know I NEVER clicked it.
At least my antennae didn't snap off! It's still there, on the roof. I don't know if it works or not.
Yet another lesson learned! DO NOT pick up your remote unless you intend to use it. Or better yet, clip it to your visor, which is something I hadn't even thought to do yet in the six weeks I have had it. I will do that. TOMORROW.... first thing!
PS: Now I remember. There is no clip to clip it!
I backed out of my garage this morning, after opening the door with my remote. We had a blizzard yesterday, but I had already checked the night before. I knew the plow had cleared the driveway so it should have been clear sailing.
I heard this CLICK, CLICK sound as I am backing up, so I stop. I don't see anything behind me. I continue to back up, ever so gently, and I still hear the CLICK, CLICK!
So I stop and look up. OMG - the garage door is CLOSING above me and my little car. It is only the antennae that is stopping the door from squashing me and Jiminy Cricket. With my heart racing, I go forward, back into the garage, and the garage door pulls up.
What happened? Well, I was in a hurry; I was late for work, as I had received a very late call to come in. So, I had picked up the remote in my hand as I was backing out, (thinking I was saving time), but it must be some SUPER sensitive. It triggered the door to start closing, although I know I NEVER clicked it.
At least my antennae didn't snap off! It's still there, on the roof. I don't know if it works or not.
Yet another lesson learned! DO NOT pick up your remote unless you intend to use it. Or better yet, clip it to your visor, which is something I hadn't even thought to do yet in the six weeks I have had it. I will do that. TOMORROW.... first thing!
PS: Now I remember. There is no clip to clip it!
Teaching can make your day and break your heart.
There are days you wonder why you are still teaching and other days when you thank God that you are. Yesterday was the latter for me.
I filled in for a French Immersion teacher. The mini-prof of the day (a student) went around asking six other students how they were."Comment ça va?" Regardless of their answer, it had to be justified. When one little sweetie said "Ça va bien! and the mini-prof continued with "Pourquoi?", the former replied "Parce que Madame Duguay est ici." I have seen children sob, upon hearing that their regular teacher is absent, so for me, this was a supreme vote of confidence.
At indoor recess I was on supervision. In one classroom, every time I stopped in, someone would run to me complaining about the same student "He pushed me. He hurt so-and-so. He won't be nice". I could see that the young fellow in question was beginning to feel targeted; he was getting upset. It is easy to tell when he puts his head down dejectedly on his desk. So I quietly asked all the class to leave him alone, to stop picking on him; to cut him some slack, in other words. I then called him out to talk to privately and what he said broke my heart. "I am sorry Madame. I couldn't take my pill this morning, because they were none left."
This child was having a terrible morning, because he couldn't control his impulses and he wasn't able to take the medication he NEEDED to function. How sad is that?
The moral of the first story? Be GRATEFUL for life's small, sweet moments.
The moral of the second story? If you have to take a pill, literally, take it! And be GRATEFUL that you can.
I filled in for a French Immersion teacher. The mini-prof of the day (a student) went around asking six other students how they were."Comment ça va?" Regardless of their answer, it had to be justified. When one little sweetie said "Ça va bien! and the mini-prof continued with "Pourquoi?", the former replied "Parce que Madame Duguay est ici." I have seen children sob, upon hearing that their regular teacher is absent, so for me, this was a supreme vote of confidence.
At indoor recess I was on supervision. In one classroom, every time I stopped in, someone would run to me complaining about the same student "He pushed me. He hurt so-and-so. He won't be nice". I could see that the young fellow in question was beginning to feel targeted; he was getting upset. It is easy to tell when he puts his head down dejectedly on his desk. So I quietly asked all the class to leave him alone, to stop picking on him; to cut him some slack, in other words. I then called him out to talk to privately and what he said broke my heart. "I am sorry Madame. I couldn't take my pill this morning, because they were none left."
This child was having a terrible morning, because he couldn't control his impulses and he wasn't able to take the medication he NEEDED to function. How sad is that?
The moral of the first story? Be GRATEFUL for life's small, sweet moments.
The moral of the second story? If you have to take a pill, literally, take it! And be GRATEFUL that you can.
Where was I... when I last blogged?
Oh yeah, it was LAST year, 2015.
Happy New Year to all my readers. Bonne et Heureuse Année! ¡Prospero Año Nuevo!
So... the inch of water in my basement laundry room? I can thank my dufus landlord for that. When he painted the first floor of my apartment back in November, he cleaned the paint brushes and rollers in the KITCHEN sink; not the laundry tub in the basement. Hence the nickname Dufus.
Consequently, the kitchen drain became plugged and backed up the drain pipe in the laundry room, spewing guck all over the floor. I had already complained to the superintendent before Christmas vacation, that there was water on the laundry room floor, water that had NO business being there. What did he do? Taped up these ancient hoses and told me that would probably fix the problem.
The morning after my arrival back home, my apartment had more men coming in and out of it, than Grand Central station ! Between the super, the cable guy, my neighbour putting up my drapes (God bless him!) the clean-up guy... it all got fixed. Thank goodness it WASN'T a question of sewer backup. I still don't know what those black specks are all over the floor, that I have yet to clean up.
In conclusion, in an attempt to get that EVIL ELF off my shelf, (he who parked himself there upon my return from The Camino), I have made a New Year's Resolution. That resolution was to start attending mass again, and which I have done. I need to get the Big Guy upstairs on my side. :)
So far.... so good. Ten days into the new year, things are looking up!
Happy New Year to all my readers. Bonne et Heureuse Année! ¡Prospero Año Nuevo!
So... the inch of water in my basement laundry room? I can thank my dufus landlord for that. When he painted the first floor of my apartment back in November, he cleaned the paint brushes and rollers in the KITCHEN sink; not the laundry tub in the basement. Hence the nickname Dufus.
Consequently, the kitchen drain became plugged and backed up the drain pipe in the laundry room, spewing guck all over the floor. I had already complained to the superintendent before Christmas vacation, that there was water on the laundry room floor, water that had NO business being there. What did he do? Taped up these ancient hoses and told me that would probably fix the problem.
The morning after my arrival back home, my apartment had more men coming in and out of it, than Grand Central station ! Between the super, the cable guy, my neighbour putting up my drapes (God bless him!) the clean-up guy... it all got fixed. Thank goodness it WASN'T a question of sewer backup. I still don't know what those black specks are all over the floor, that I have yet to clean up.
In conclusion, in an attempt to get that EVIL ELF off my shelf, (he who parked himself there upon my return from The Camino), I have made a New Year's Resolution. That resolution was to start attending mass again, and which I have done. I need to get the Big Guy upstairs on my side. :)
So far.... so good. Ten days into the new year, things are looking up!
NEVER a dull moment... ever, ever!
Crossing the country by air is no mean feat in the winter, let me tell you! First leg of a three leg flight, delayed by three hours; then a missed connection; next a standby seat (I made it, whew!); an arrival for the third and final leg of my trip, with 15 minutes to spare and taking off in a huge storm, only to circle above my destination for an hour, before being able to land, because of a low ceiling. I almost ended up in Sept-Îles, for crying out loud.
How do you express TOTAL relief and gratitude? By HUGGING the two pilots and the flight attendant in the baggage retrieval area, as they waited for their cab to pick them up at the airport.
I am SO, SO happy to be home. Well, except for the inch of water in my basement laundry room!
How do you express TOTAL relief and gratitude? By HUGGING the two pilots and the flight attendant in the baggage retrieval area, as they waited for their cab to pick them up at the airport.
I am SO, SO happy to be home. Well, except for the inch of water in my basement laundry room!
Experience gives you your own definitions of life!
How do I define GOOD SERVICE? Having the car I just purchased driven up to the Miramichi, so that I don't have to go all the way to the southern part of the province to pick it up. How do I define NOT SO GOOD service? Having it delivered with cigarette burns on the back seat, a film of dirt and grime on everything, (I could write my name in the rear view mirror); in need of an oil change, missing plates, the bill of sale, stickers and permit; no driver's manual or extra key, and to boot, a BRAND NEW CONDOM tucked under the driver side visor.
How do I define PERCEPTION? I don't think that the basement of my new apartment still totally reeks of cat urine, though I know it DOES smell. However, my baby Bro comes over to install the washer and dryer, and has to run back upstairs, gagging, and apologizing for not being to stay down there long enough to finish the job all at once. My mother and my sister, arriving later, insist I close the door to the basement, and put a towel along the bottom, to impede the stink from wafting up under the door. So much for my thinking the smell wasn't THAT bad.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, has now become for me "Caveat Emptor", or buyer beware! I buy a used washer and dryer, reassured that both work, and if they don't, I can return them. Of course the dryer doesn't work, and I am not going to ask baby Bro to return them. Too much hassle for us both. A service call repair later, and $80 POORER, I have a functioning dryer. IRONY? My mother moves into her new apartment six weeks later and gives me her old washer and dryer. Now I have to turn around and sell the ones I just bought, because they aren't the same good quality as my mother's appliances, and won't last long, according to the repairman. Did I mention I could use the $300.00 as well?
More Buyer Beware: The Bissell Carpet Sweeper I buy off Kijiji works, but it seems to blow more than it sucks and it makes a God awlful noise every time I use it. I decide that I am NOT going to buy a used microwave after all, so I bite the bullet and go buy one at Walmart. Buying anything at Walmart is totally against my core values, but hey.... I have been twice burned doing this Reduce, Reuse and Recycle schtick!
HONESTY DOES NOT PAY - You advise your home insurance carrier that your house you have been trying to sell for two years, is now vacant, but being well taken care of and checked at least three times a week. What do they do? They lead you down the garden path with so many different quotes on a quadrupling of your house insurance premium, that you are left reeling and frantic about having your home insurance cancelled before you can get a more reasonable premium elsewhere. Which all leads to untold stress between you and your ex leading up to Christmas. Yeah, right, try to tell me that "Honesty is always the best policy!"
HIGH ANXIETY - Your pooch, who never barks unless someone comes to the door, barks furiously the entire time you leave him alone the first time, in the new apartment. HIGHER ANXIETY? Your landlord calls you on your cell to complain. You think, "OMG, I am going to get thrown out of my apartment, and I have just moved in!" You have to work most days, and your pooch is alone. Who comes to your rescue? Your dog kennel man, a sweetie who lends you his birdhouse decoration, that emits a high pitched sound within 75 feet of any barking dog. Your poor Vimy is so cowed by that noise, that he remains upstairs when you leave. I don't think he dares come down again until I come home. I feel so sorry for him, but the alternative was a shock collar. That I wanted to avoid at all costs. They are cruel!
RIDICULOUS? You work for two different employers, in two different languages; one in French, one in English. One employer hounds you for a certificate of proficiency in French, although ONE- it is your mother tongue, TWO - you have always taught it, and THREE - you have a certificate showing superior proficiency in your second language, English. Ipso facto, since French is your native tongue, you should be quite proficient in teaching it. Correct? Nope! If you don't supply the certificate by early January, or pay $60, get tested and pass, your name will be removed from the eligibility list to teach that language in specialized classes. Another "beggars belief" in my books! I fight back by sending emails back and forth, and exchanging phone calls. On a matter of principle alone, I REFUSE to pay the $60.00.
SUBLIME? The school board in question will reimburse my $60.00 once I been evaluated and designated PROFICIENT, so I cave. I need to work. They can interview me until the COWS come home if they want. I will not be out of pocket. So, ten days before Christmas I am running around downloading an application form to be evaluated, running to the bank for a money order, stamping and posting the two and awaiting notice by email of my testing date. I needed this like I need another hole in my head. Where is the common sense? Replaced by "Policies and Procedures", I am told. "Accept it!" I am told. "NEVER!", I say. Unfortunately, common sense is no longer common.
BRAIN FART? For the FIRST time in my working life, I fail to show up for work, and I DON'T even call. Why? I misread the supply assignment posted by the app on my cell phone. I think it is a one day assignment, but it is a TWO day assignment. Imagine my chagrin when the school secretary calls and asks me where I am. I am obviously NOT in the classroom, where I am supposed to be. I am thinking I have a day off so I am waiting for the dryer repair man to come fix my dryer. So in reality, that repair call cost me over $280.00. Not to mention total mortification on my part.
I have come up with all these definitions as applicable to my life, over a span of less than six weeks. I know we are supposed to be lifelong learners, but I think I have learned QUITE enough for awhile, thank you.
How do I define PERCEPTION? I don't think that the basement of my new apartment still totally reeks of cat urine, though I know it DOES smell. However, my baby Bro comes over to install the washer and dryer, and has to run back upstairs, gagging, and apologizing for not being to stay down there long enough to finish the job all at once. My mother and my sister, arriving later, insist I close the door to the basement, and put a towel along the bottom, to impede the stink from wafting up under the door. So much for my thinking the smell wasn't THAT bad.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, has now become for me "Caveat Emptor", or buyer beware! I buy a used washer and dryer, reassured that both work, and if they don't, I can return them. Of course the dryer doesn't work, and I am not going to ask baby Bro to return them. Too much hassle for us both. A service call repair later, and $80 POORER, I have a functioning dryer. IRONY? My mother moves into her new apartment six weeks later and gives me her old washer and dryer. Now I have to turn around and sell the ones I just bought, because they aren't the same good quality as my mother's appliances, and won't last long, according to the repairman. Did I mention I could use the $300.00 as well?
More Buyer Beware: The Bissell Carpet Sweeper I buy off Kijiji works, but it seems to blow more than it sucks and it makes a God awlful noise every time I use it. I decide that I am NOT going to buy a used microwave after all, so I bite the bullet and go buy one at Walmart. Buying anything at Walmart is totally against my core values, but hey.... I have been twice burned doing this Reduce, Reuse and Recycle schtick!
HONESTY DOES NOT PAY - You advise your home insurance carrier that your house you have been trying to sell for two years, is now vacant, but being well taken care of and checked at least three times a week. What do they do? They lead you down the garden path with so many different quotes on a quadrupling of your house insurance premium, that you are left reeling and frantic about having your home insurance cancelled before you can get a more reasonable premium elsewhere. Which all leads to untold stress between you and your ex leading up to Christmas. Yeah, right, try to tell me that "Honesty is always the best policy!"
HIGH ANXIETY - Your pooch, who never barks unless someone comes to the door, barks furiously the entire time you leave him alone the first time, in the new apartment. HIGHER ANXIETY? Your landlord calls you on your cell to complain. You think, "OMG, I am going to get thrown out of my apartment, and I have just moved in!" You have to work most days, and your pooch is alone. Who comes to your rescue? Your dog kennel man, a sweetie who lends you his birdhouse decoration, that emits a high pitched sound within 75 feet of any barking dog. Your poor Vimy is so cowed by that noise, that he remains upstairs when you leave. I don't think he dares come down again until I come home. I feel so sorry for him, but the alternative was a shock collar. That I wanted to avoid at all costs. They are cruel!
RIDICULOUS? You work for two different employers, in two different languages; one in French, one in English. One employer hounds you for a certificate of proficiency in French, although ONE- it is your mother tongue, TWO - you have always taught it, and THREE - you have a certificate showing superior proficiency in your second language, English. Ipso facto, since French is your native tongue, you should be quite proficient in teaching it. Correct? Nope! If you don't supply the certificate by early January, or pay $60, get tested and pass, your name will be removed from the eligibility list to teach that language in specialized classes. Another "beggars belief" in my books! I fight back by sending emails back and forth, and exchanging phone calls. On a matter of principle alone, I REFUSE to pay the $60.00.
SUBLIME? The school board in question will reimburse my $60.00 once I been evaluated and designated PROFICIENT, so I cave. I need to work. They can interview me until the COWS come home if they want. I will not be out of pocket. So, ten days before Christmas I am running around downloading an application form to be evaluated, running to the bank for a money order, stamping and posting the two and awaiting notice by email of my testing date. I needed this like I need another hole in my head. Where is the common sense? Replaced by "Policies and Procedures", I am told. "Accept it!" I am told. "NEVER!", I say. Unfortunately, common sense is no longer common.
BRAIN FART? For the FIRST time in my working life, I fail to show up for work, and I DON'T even call. Why? I misread the supply assignment posted by the app on my cell phone. I think it is a one day assignment, but it is a TWO day assignment. Imagine my chagrin when the school secretary calls and asks me where I am. I am obviously NOT in the classroom, where I am supposed to be. I am thinking I have a day off so I am waiting for the dryer repair man to come fix my dryer. So in reality, that repair call cost me over $280.00. Not to mention total mortification on my part.
I have come up with all these definitions as applicable to my life, over a span of less than six weeks. I know we are supposed to be lifelong learners, but I think I have learned QUITE enough for awhile, thank you.
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