Today was wild! Everything seemed to happen at once! First, I had a phone call from a friend this morning. I guess someone tried to drive across the ice bridge this morning, but the ice wasn't strong enough to carry the vehicle. The ice gave way to the car...but get this....the water is so shallow, that the people in the car were able to crawl out of the car windows and walk back to shore...the car hardly sank at all!
Then, this afternoon I went to go for a run, before the hand games tournament. I ran down the road towards Andy's (a candy shop). When I got near there, I saw a wild horse. I knew we had wild horses, but I haven't seen any before. One of the guys working there was trying to calm it. Long story short, I got to ride the horse bareback, sitting behind the guy! It was incredible! He was able to steer this horse without any reigns at all! I got really scared when the horse rose up on his hind legs and made a loud noise, but I held on tight. We rode for about 10 minutes, then I got off, I was too nervous...I can't believe it!
When I was walking home from there, (I didn't finish my run), I slipped in the mud and fell into the ditch! I was just covered in gross mud. Even my face had mud all over it, because when I tried to break my fall, my hands just slid through the mud and I couldn't stop, and almost face planted. When I got up, I realized that I had fallen right next to a half eaten deer! I was so sick to my stomach! I know that the dogs here eat the dead animals, but I hadn't seen it before, and I definitely didn't ever want to see it that close up....It gave me the motivation to run home..to my next surprise
I guess it is really common here for the water to become contaminated. I got home to shower and the water was not working. They have shut off the water for three days. The locals and the teachers who have been here for a while know this and keep bottles of water in their homes, for these cases, but I have never heard of it, so wasn't prepared. covered in mud that was quickly drying to my skin and my clothes, I walked over to my friend's house and begged to use her water to wash up. She laughed and we poured every bit of water she had into the tub and I took a cold and shallow bath, trying to clean up as best I could.
The hand games tournament was awesome...read about it in my next blog! We won the tournament, out of 25 teams, and each player on our team went home with $500, a $25 gift card to the Northern Store, and a gift certificate to get moccasins made by the elder co-op...I am so excited!!!! The beat goes on!
Anyways, after the tournament, we had karaoke at my house. Everything was going good until my neighbor called the RCMP about a noise disturbance. Now, here's where Fox Lake cops differ from Edmonton cops...Max, the RCMP guy, came over and asked us to turn down the volume a bit. Then...he sang a song with my friend Monica and I before he left! Max was the RCMP guy who rescued us that night on the road, and we have been friends ever since then...he was very kind about the situation.
Time for bed, I'll fill you in on the tournament details later!
Today's Blog Has been brought to you by the supporters of April Fool's Day, namely, Angela! Tune in to my next blog for some truely factual blogging!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The fish
It is Wednesday. The weather here is Fox Lake is beautiful. I desperately need to buy myself some rubber boots because the roads are all just mud...and my shoes are getting filthy. After school, Gayle and I walked to the Northern to buy myself a couple groceries, and the walk was so great that I decided to go for a run as soon as I got home. I ran down the main road, from my home to the Peace River and back. It took 40 mins. I am going to do this every day I think, and gradually build up till I am running for at least an hour every day. Maybe I can still train for a half marathon!
Anyways, I got home and invited my friend from Fox Lake, Nancy, over. We chatted for a long time and had tea together. As we were talking, there came a knock at the door. I answered, and a man was standing against my door frame. I have met him briefly before...but why was he at my door?
"Do you like fish?" He asked.
"Yes." I replied.
The man then left my porch, and I wasn't really sure what was happening. I just kinda stood there and waited. It was too dark outside to see where he had gone to. A few moments later, he came back, with a huge fish the length of this long arm in his hand. WOW! He asked me if I knew how to cut it and I said yes, in theory, but no in practice. The man came in and Nancy and I watched as he expertly filleted that fish on my kitchen counter top. As he worked, the fish flapped about. Even when one whole side of the fish had been filleted and he had turned it over to do the other side, it still was flinching! It made the blood and slim and guts spray in my kitchen. How cool! After he was done, he said, "Call your dad and ask him how to cook it." I had told him that my dad makes great fish, and he does! The fish is Pickerel. I have about $60 of fish in my fridge and freezer! How cool! And I can't wait to cook it...recipes anyone?
Before he left, he gave Nancy two fish, in a plastic bag. Her and I sat down and drank tea again, and screamed every time her fish, sitting on my kitchen floor in the bag, would flap, as they took their last gasp. Finally, we threw them into the deep freeze, after carefully inspecting them in curiosity, and laughed about our adventure for the rest of the night.
I woke up this morning and went upstairs to have breakfast. My kitchen stinks like fish!
Anyways, I got home and invited my friend from Fox Lake, Nancy, over. We chatted for a long time and had tea together. As we were talking, there came a knock at the door. I answered, and a man was standing against my door frame. I have met him briefly before...but why was he at my door?
"Do you like fish?" He asked.
"Yes." I replied.
The man then left my porch, and I wasn't really sure what was happening. I just kinda stood there and waited. It was too dark outside to see where he had gone to. A few moments later, he came back, with a huge fish the length of this long arm in his hand. WOW! He asked me if I knew how to cut it and I said yes, in theory, but no in practice. The man came in and Nancy and I watched as he expertly filleted that fish on my kitchen counter top. As he worked, the fish flapped about. Even when one whole side of the fish had been filleted and he had turned it over to do the other side, it still was flinching! It made the blood and slim and guts spray in my kitchen. How cool! After he was done, he said, "Call your dad and ask him how to cook it." I had told him that my dad makes great fish, and he does! The fish is Pickerel. I have about $60 of fish in my fridge and freezer! How cool! And I can't wait to cook it...recipes anyone?
Before he left, he gave Nancy two fish, in a plastic bag. Her and I sat down and drank tea again, and screamed every time her fish, sitting on my kitchen floor in the bag, would flap, as they took their last gasp. Finally, we threw them into the deep freeze, after carefully inspecting them in curiosity, and laughed about our adventure for the rest of the night.
I woke up this morning and went upstairs to have breakfast. My kitchen stinks like fish!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Guitar
Today was my first guitar lesson. I learned the D cord, the D scale, and we played "You are my sunshine". Mr. Hoosier is teaching me after school for about 10 minutes each day. I am just becoming a bit more of an authentic country girl each day, eh?
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Princess of Fox Lake
This weekend was the Head Start Carnival in Fox Lake. It is an annual event that brings all of the families out to compete in different events. Saturday, the events were all scheduled to be outdoors, and Sundays events all took place in the gymnasium. Each event cost $5. If it was not an individual event, then the pair had to be a mixed team. Because of this, I felt like I was "looking for a man" the entire weekend...luckily, I always found one! I think, only because I paid for us...lol!
The first event on Saturday was the Toboggan pull. The men pulled the woman to the finish line, and then the women pulled the men back. I was paired up with a small man. Needless to say, he found it difficult to pull me! And when it was my turn to pull him, I was in such a rush, I ran faster than my legs and face planted into the wet snow. We had so much fun! I think we came in fifth of ten teams.
The second event was the snowman making contest. I asked Leroy, my friend, Nancy's nephew, to be my partner (and he was my partner for most of the weekend then). I ran home and got supplies to decorate our snowman with. Our snowman was the largest of them all, standing just as tall as us, maybe a bit taller than myself. We had a tough time getting those heavy, huge, and wet snowballs on top of the base, but we did it! He had a Mexican sombrero, and golden chocolate loonies for eyes. His nose was a carrot and his mouth made out of black licorice. His ears were wedges of grapefruit. He had three buttons, made of pink margarita umbrellas, a white scarf with pink tassels, and a pink and white belt. He wore my white moccasin slippers and his arms were made from my scrub brushes (still with food in them from doing dishes the other night! Leroy and I came in first! As soon as I took my items off of the snowman, the children had him destroyed into nothing in seconds...I could hardly believe it..oh, well :)
The third event was tea making. I had Chester as my partner. He is the guy who is coaching me in volleyball with Nancy on Tuesday nights. His job was to make the fire. My job to make the tea. As soon as they yelled, "Go!", I ran with my teapot into the snowbank and filled my teapot with snow. when I came back to our fire area, I helped Chester to make the fire by using his ultra sharp knife to make kindling from on of the logs. We built the fire around the teapot. Once the fire got bigger, we used a stick to life the teapot out of the center of the fire and onto the top. I ran and grabbed a snowball, as the teapot had to be full of boiling tea to win. (The teabag was in the pot before the competition began). It didn't matter though, because the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd winners were already announced. We had fun though. Unfortunately, while Chester was putting out the fire, he burnt his foot. He was okay, but I needed to find a new partner for the next event.
The next even was bannock making. Nancy suggested I ask J.B. to be my partner. I thought she was joking. He is a prominent elder in our community. But Nancy encouraged me, and I found some courage and went to ask him....I didn't even know if he could speak English! I asked him, and he laughed and then said yes. I didn't realize that minutes before he had turned down his daughter! His wife, who teaches my children Cree, said she would coach me from the sidelines on what to do. Before the event began, all of the woman lined up at the back of a truck and filled their bowls with three cups of flour. Then, they put baking soda in. JB knew I didn't know what I was doing and graciously snuck in to put in the right amount for me. Then I mixed it with my hands. Next, I added a heaping spoonful of lard. I massaged the ingredients together in my hands until JB laughed and said I could stop. His wife whispered to me to make a well. When they shouted, "Go", I poured slowly one cup of water into the mixture and began mixing with a fork first...until his wife whispered to me to just use my hands (that's what they used back then she said, and it's supposed to be like back then!). It really looked awful, like I had done something wrong, but she was smiling, and then whispered to make a snake from the dough. Then, I wrapped the dough like a candy cane around a stick that JB had previously prepared for me, with the bark expertly scrapped off, and one of the stick cut to a sharp point. By then, the fire was crackling and alive. I gave the stick to JB and he jammed the sharp end into the wet grass. The bannock was just beside the fire, so the fire was smoking the bannock. Then, we sat and waited. Every so often, JB would rotate the stick. We lost the event because we thought it was competing for taste, not time. But, the bannock was excellent. And my face broken into the excited, wide, and happy grin made JB smile too. I thanked him and his wife, who laughed at my delight!
The deep snow foot race I won. Need I say more!
On Sunday, I helped to run the children's carnival in the afternoon. The children were so happy and easily pleased. The gym was full of laughter and smiles, and I can't lie, my face hurt from smiling for so long, but I just couldn't help it. there was balloon darts (my station), bottle ball toss, face painting, and pin the tail. The prizes were awesome and the children got 5 tickets for $5.
The evening was for adult events again. I asked Leroy to be my partner for skipping. It was one big rope, and the man held it and the partners skipped together. Most of the partners skipped less than four times successfully. One partner group did 26. I told Leroy we had to win! We are an awesome team...we did 54, then I asked him to stop, because I felt like we were just showing off then. We won anyways! Leroy is really shy, but he smiled all the way back to his seat.
I begged him to do the Wheel barrel race next. I shouldn't have. We lost horribly! I picked up his legs so he could walk on his hands, but I think I was walking to fast, and he fell. And me, with my desperate winning attitude at the moment, told him to get back up and try again. He did, but fell again and then again. We quit. Full of laughter, we went back to our seats and watched the rest of the competition.
At the end of the night (I didn't compete in any more events after that), they counted up the points of each participant that weekend. Then the top male and female were crowned Queen and King of Fox Lake! I was second for the girls though, and was named Princess of Fox Lake (for the night anyways). I went home with wonderful prizes, and so did Leroy. As I walked home, people called out to me, not by name, but by, "Princess", and wished me a good night. I slept really well that night!
The first event on Saturday was the Toboggan pull. The men pulled the woman to the finish line, and then the women pulled the men back. I was paired up with a small man. Needless to say, he found it difficult to pull me! And when it was my turn to pull him, I was in such a rush, I ran faster than my legs and face planted into the wet snow. We had so much fun! I think we came in fifth of ten teams.
The second event was the snowman making contest. I asked Leroy, my friend, Nancy's nephew, to be my partner (and he was my partner for most of the weekend then). I ran home and got supplies to decorate our snowman with. Our snowman was the largest of them all, standing just as tall as us, maybe a bit taller than myself. We had a tough time getting those heavy, huge, and wet snowballs on top of the base, but we did it! He had a Mexican sombrero, and golden chocolate loonies for eyes. His nose was a carrot and his mouth made out of black licorice. His ears were wedges of grapefruit. He had three buttons, made of pink margarita umbrellas, a white scarf with pink tassels, and a pink and white belt. He wore my white moccasin slippers and his arms were made from my scrub brushes (still with food in them from doing dishes the other night! Leroy and I came in first! As soon as I took my items off of the snowman, the children had him destroyed into nothing in seconds...I could hardly believe it..oh, well :)
The third event was tea making. I had Chester as my partner. He is the guy who is coaching me in volleyball with Nancy on Tuesday nights. His job was to make the fire. My job to make the tea. As soon as they yelled, "Go!", I ran with my teapot into the snowbank and filled my teapot with snow. when I came back to our fire area, I helped Chester to make the fire by using his ultra sharp knife to make kindling from on of the logs. We built the fire around the teapot. Once the fire got bigger, we used a stick to life the teapot out of the center of the fire and onto the top. I ran and grabbed a snowball, as the teapot had to be full of boiling tea to win. (The teabag was in the pot before the competition began). It didn't matter though, because the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd winners were already announced. We had fun though. Unfortunately, while Chester was putting out the fire, he burnt his foot. He was okay, but I needed to find a new partner for the next event.
The next even was bannock making. Nancy suggested I ask J.B. to be my partner. I thought she was joking. He is a prominent elder in our community. But Nancy encouraged me, and I found some courage and went to ask him....I didn't even know if he could speak English! I asked him, and he laughed and then said yes. I didn't realize that minutes before he had turned down his daughter! His wife, who teaches my children Cree, said she would coach me from the sidelines on what to do. Before the event began, all of the woman lined up at the back of a truck and filled their bowls with three cups of flour. Then, they put baking soda in. JB knew I didn't know what I was doing and graciously snuck in to put in the right amount for me. Then I mixed it with my hands. Next, I added a heaping spoonful of lard. I massaged the ingredients together in my hands until JB laughed and said I could stop. His wife whispered to me to make a well. When they shouted, "Go", I poured slowly one cup of water into the mixture and began mixing with a fork first...until his wife whispered to me to just use my hands (that's what they used back then she said, and it's supposed to be like back then!). It really looked awful, like I had done something wrong, but she was smiling, and then whispered to make a snake from the dough. Then, I wrapped the dough like a candy cane around a stick that JB had previously prepared for me, with the bark expertly scrapped off, and one of the stick cut to a sharp point. By then, the fire was crackling and alive. I gave the stick to JB and he jammed the sharp end into the wet grass. The bannock was just beside the fire, so the fire was smoking the bannock. Then, we sat and waited. Every so often, JB would rotate the stick. We lost the event because we thought it was competing for taste, not time. But, the bannock was excellent. And my face broken into the excited, wide, and happy grin made JB smile too. I thanked him and his wife, who laughed at my delight!
The deep snow foot race I won. Need I say more!
On Sunday, I helped to run the children's carnival in the afternoon. The children were so happy and easily pleased. The gym was full of laughter and smiles, and I can't lie, my face hurt from smiling for so long, but I just couldn't help it. there was balloon darts (my station), bottle ball toss, face painting, and pin the tail. The prizes were awesome and the children got 5 tickets for $5.
The evening was for adult events again. I asked Leroy to be my partner for skipping. It was one big rope, and the man held it and the partners skipped together. Most of the partners skipped less than four times successfully. One partner group did 26. I told Leroy we had to win! We are an awesome team...we did 54, then I asked him to stop, because I felt like we were just showing off then. We won anyways! Leroy is really shy, but he smiled all the way back to his seat.
I begged him to do the Wheel barrel race next. I shouldn't have. We lost horribly! I picked up his legs so he could walk on his hands, but I think I was walking to fast, and he fell. And me, with my desperate winning attitude at the moment, told him to get back up and try again. He did, but fell again and then again. We quit. Full of laughter, we went back to our seats and watched the rest of the competition.
At the end of the night (I didn't compete in any more events after that), they counted up the points of each participant that weekend. Then the top male and female were crowned Queen and King of Fox Lake! I was second for the girls though, and was named Princess of Fox Lake (for the night anyways). I went home with wonderful prizes, and so did Leroy. As I walked home, people called out to me, not by name, but by, "Princess", and wished me a good night. I slept really well that night!
Friday, March 23, 2007
talent competition
tonight at 7 pm I will be at the school with my video camera to record the Fox Lake Talent Competition. I will also be there to perform with my band!
We are a hillbilly band. We have a guitar player, Mr. Hoosier. The Banjo player is one of his high school students. And myself. I will be playing the oven rack with my spoon. It's gonna be great!
I'll tell you about it later and maybe I'll show you the video!
We are a hillbilly band. We have a guitar player, Mr. Hoosier. The Banjo player is one of his high school students. And myself. I will be playing the oven rack with my spoon. It's gonna be great!
I'll tell you about it later and maybe I'll show you the video!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Parent teacher interviews
Parent teacher interviews were today. They have been the source of much stress and excitement for the past couple days....ever since report cards finished! Hmmm...something always seems to take the place of things that were stressful. Anyways, the children went home at 12:30 pm today, and interviews were on a walk in basis from 2-4, 5-7.
I asked a bunch of the other teachers what they were doing for interviews and they were very helpful. I took ideas from each teacher and prepared for my interviews. I must say, taking their ideas was very helpful!
I had all of the children's work out for the parents to see. When they came in, I picked up their child's pile of work and we went through it at my desk. First, we went through the things that the child had done with their previous teacher. Next, I showed the parents the child's Language arts folder, and explained the way that I was teaching them...using the Jolly Phonics program. some of the children were present for the interview and I asked them to demonstrate to mom and dad what we have been doing in class. Then we looked at their math folder and I explained what we were doing in math. We also looked at their dictation book. And then question time!
Most of the questions were about whether or not their child would go to grade one. We have a grade in between grade one called, "primary readiness". I had lots of comments from parents about their children coming home and singing the songs we have been learning, saying their sounds and doing each sound's action. Many of the parents told me stories about their child at home, and what they like to do at home. The interviews went well. I had no uncomfortable moments. The parents were great, and all spoke well enough English that I did not need Colinda to translate at all for me! I am happy that it is over, and I don't know what I was stressing about.
I had way more parents than either Colinda or I were expecting. we thought, 10 max. I had 18 of my students parents show up! 3 of them were of students I have never met...parents coming to assure me they would start to send their children. Parents also get to fill out raffle tickets after each interview, and at the end of the evening, there are a bunch of prizes they can win....I think we drew about 20 names from the box. I think we do this to promote the parents coming to the interviews. It works though!
After was the dinner and a movie in the gym. It was really disappointing to see how few people showed up for this grade eight fundraiser. I am not even sure that they broke even for the night. It was great service though! And the food was delicious. I give those young adults a huge high five for excellent effort.
Now, it is time to sleep. Another day is waiting to begin. My bed is calling my name. Have a wonderful day my friends. Until next time!
I asked a bunch of the other teachers what they were doing for interviews and they were very helpful. I took ideas from each teacher and prepared for my interviews. I must say, taking their ideas was very helpful!
I had all of the children's work out for the parents to see. When they came in, I picked up their child's pile of work and we went through it at my desk. First, we went through the things that the child had done with their previous teacher. Next, I showed the parents the child's Language arts folder, and explained the way that I was teaching them...using the Jolly Phonics program. some of the children were present for the interview and I asked them to demonstrate to mom and dad what we have been doing in class. Then we looked at their math folder and I explained what we were doing in math. We also looked at their dictation book. And then question time!
Most of the questions were about whether or not their child would go to grade one. We have a grade in between grade one called, "primary readiness". I had lots of comments from parents about their children coming home and singing the songs we have been learning, saying their sounds and doing each sound's action. Many of the parents told me stories about their child at home, and what they like to do at home. The interviews went well. I had no uncomfortable moments. The parents were great, and all spoke well enough English that I did not need Colinda to translate at all for me! I am happy that it is over, and I don't know what I was stressing about.
I had way more parents than either Colinda or I were expecting. we thought, 10 max. I had 18 of my students parents show up! 3 of them were of students I have never met...parents coming to assure me they would start to send their children. Parents also get to fill out raffle tickets after each interview, and at the end of the evening, there are a bunch of prizes they can win....I think we drew about 20 names from the box. I think we do this to promote the parents coming to the interviews. It works though!
After was the dinner and a movie in the gym. It was really disappointing to see how few people showed up for this grade eight fundraiser. I am not even sure that they broke even for the night. It was great service though! And the food was delicious. I give those young adults a huge high five for excellent effort.
Now, it is time to sleep. Another day is waiting to begin. My bed is calling my name. Have a wonderful day my friends. Until next time!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tuesday
Today was an excellent day! I am going to the elder co-op today. They are having their craft sale today, where they are selling beading, leather items, and blankets they have made. I have no idea what to expect for items to be there, or for prices. Then, volleyball tonight.
My oven is finally getting fixed...well, sort of. They said it is so old, they will just buy me new one. It's bitter sweet though, because I will be moving this week into the sevenplex and will not get to enjoy the brand new oven! Oh, well.
It was not a cold day today, but because so much snow fell last night, some of the buses, and all of the horse carriages were not going today, so less kids. I think that I might have to shovel when I get home! I am glad I wore my boots today!
I am getting excited about coming home!
My oven is finally getting fixed...well, sort of. They said it is so old, they will just buy me new one. It's bitter sweet though, because I will be moving this week into the sevenplex and will not get to enjoy the brand new oven! Oh, well.
It was not a cold day today, but because so much snow fell last night, some of the buses, and all of the horse carriages were not going today, so less kids. I think that I might have to shovel when I get home! I am glad I wore my boots today!
I am getting excited about coming home!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Monday
I can't be any happier that report cards are finished. I did 38 report cards, and I don't ever want to do them again! Now, I know this is not a realistic wish, but I just want to get across to you how stressful I found it. At least, now I know what the expectations are for the report cards and I understand the report cards that I am using, so it will be much easier next time, or at least less stressful.
I am actually looking forward to parent teacher interviews on Wednesday. I have met very few of the parents of my students. I feel prepared for the interviews and I have very few parents that I need to approach with concerns, so things are looking well for that night. Also, the principal and the vice-principle have voiced very clearly that they want us to come to them with any concerns that night, and to feel free to invite them to any meeting if we foresee difficulties. This is a terrific school. Lots of support, care and concern here for the staff. After the interviews, there is dinner and a movie in the gym...so we get fed and entertained right after.
I had an excellent weekend. All of my friends came over to my home for a ST. Patties day party. We didn't play any games but just socialized all evening. It was so great. And guess what mom...I served all of the food in my Princess House serving ware! It looked beautiful! It was Mexican themed and everyone wore their sombreros for the whole night. Teachers rock!
I am looking forward to this week. Today was colder that -40, so I only had 13 kids. It was a great work day, and the kids were actually eager to do testing with me. They really like the cool stickers my sister mailed to us and because they only get them after testing, I have a line up of kids. Sherry, you are wonderful!
I love teaching and I love working here. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I need them up here.
I am actually looking forward to parent teacher interviews on Wednesday. I have met very few of the parents of my students. I feel prepared for the interviews and I have very few parents that I need to approach with concerns, so things are looking well for that night. Also, the principal and the vice-principle have voiced very clearly that they want us to come to them with any concerns that night, and to feel free to invite them to any meeting if we foresee difficulties. This is a terrific school. Lots of support, care and concern here for the staff. After the interviews, there is dinner and a movie in the gym...so we get fed and entertained right after.
I had an excellent weekend. All of my friends came over to my home for a ST. Patties day party. We didn't play any games but just socialized all evening. It was so great. And guess what mom...I served all of the food in my Princess House serving ware! It looked beautiful! It was Mexican themed and everyone wore their sombreros for the whole night. Teachers rock!
I am looking forward to this week. Today was colder that -40, so I only had 13 kids. It was a great work day, and the kids were actually eager to do testing with me. They really like the cool stickers my sister mailed to us and because they only get them after testing, I have a line up of kids. Sherry, you are wonderful!
I love teaching and I love working here. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I need them up here.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday
I haven't anything new to report except that I am still doing report cards, and will be at the school for a bit longer tonight. There are two tough parts about this. first, I have two classes, and thus, more report cards to do than any other teacher in this school. Second, I must make up report cards for everyone of my registered students. Now, I have been teaching here for a little over a month, right? Well, there is a large handful of students that I have only met a few times...or even better, not at all!
Thank God for Colinda. She is my blessing during this stressful time. She reminds me what each child looks like, how the acted when they were here and who they hung around. She knows these kids, both as a teacher and as a community member. My principle has also been very patient with me, to help these report cards to look professional and positive...even when it is hard to be positive!
Ready for the juicy gossip?
Rumor has it that the local women's hand game team met last night. One of the topics? Should they invite that white girl to play. I hope they choose yes!
Hand games are a traditional game here. I haven't had the chance to play, or even watch yet. I believe though that there are no mixed games, but female and male teams only. I had really wanted to play at our PD day in Garden River, but my team wasn't scheduled for that event. That's okay though...I rocked the karaoke machine!
Thank God for Colinda. She is my blessing during this stressful time. She reminds me what each child looks like, how the acted when they were here and who they hung around. She knows these kids, both as a teacher and as a community member. My principle has also been very patient with me, to help these report cards to look professional and positive...even when it is hard to be positive!
Ready for the juicy gossip?
Rumor has it that the local women's hand game team met last night. One of the topics? Should they invite that white girl to play. I hope they choose yes!
Hand games are a traditional game here. I haven't had the chance to play, or even watch yet. I believe though that there are no mixed games, but female and male teams only. I had really wanted to play at our PD day in Garden River, but my team wasn't scheduled for that event. That's okay though...I rocked the karaoke machine!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Tuesday
I am beginning to feel as though I have developed a rhythm in the classroom. It's nice, because the kids are noticing, and learning what to expect. They are learning the routine and it is helping to calm down the classroom a lot. We do constant review of the routine and the children who know it help the others who are irregular attenders, which is nice. Kinda the group mentality. The regulars do it, the others copy and/or follow.
I also feel as though I have figured out my class. I know which ones need more guidance and which ones can complete tasks on their own. I am learning their personalities and can figure out who is having a good day, and who's having a bad day...just by the way they are acting. It feels good to know my kids, because then I can help them better.
I revamped my language program for my K4 students. I think that this will be better for them. It is simpler and it allows them to have a bit of a shorter attention span during work time. I think that my K5 program is not for them...it involves too much time just sitting and working.
On a separate note, report cards are fun.
Ya....anyways, to be serious, I must tell you all something. The people who read my blog are primarily friends and family. And I am so happy to have you all in my life. It would not be very easy to live so far away from you all if I didn't know for a fact that you were all praying for me and supporting me daily. I am so thankful to have parents who love me so much, and who encourage and motivate me whenever they get the chance. I am blessed to be best friends with my most beautiful sister. I am blessed to have my nephews leave cute messages on my answering machine to make me laugh and smile till my cheeks hurt. I am blessed that my brother makes sure I know how much I am missed, and each time he talks to me, we make plans for what we might do when I come home. My friends email often and we talk like I am still a 10 minute drive away.
It means so much, and I want to take this time to tell you that I love you. I miss you all terribly and can't wait to spend time with you. Each and everyone of you has given me a very special gift...beautiful memories of our times together. Thank-you.
Report cards are done Friday, and then the weekend is busy. Monday, life returns to normal...and I will be on the phone all night long every night...to you!
I also feel as though I have figured out my class. I know which ones need more guidance and which ones can complete tasks on their own. I am learning their personalities and can figure out who is having a good day, and who's having a bad day...just by the way they are acting. It feels good to know my kids, because then I can help them better.
I revamped my language program for my K4 students. I think that this will be better for them. It is simpler and it allows them to have a bit of a shorter attention span during work time. I think that my K5 program is not for them...it involves too much time just sitting and working.
On a separate note, report cards are fun.
Ya....anyways, to be serious, I must tell you all something. The people who read my blog are primarily friends and family. And I am so happy to have you all in my life. It would not be very easy to live so far away from you all if I didn't know for a fact that you were all praying for me and supporting me daily. I am so thankful to have parents who love me so much, and who encourage and motivate me whenever they get the chance. I am blessed to be best friends with my most beautiful sister. I am blessed to have my nephews leave cute messages on my answering machine to make me laugh and smile till my cheeks hurt. I am blessed that my brother makes sure I know how much I am missed, and each time he talks to me, we make plans for what we might do when I come home. My friends email often and we talk like I am still a 10 minute drive away.
It means so much, and I want to take this time to tell you that I love you. I miss you all terribly and can't wait to spend time with you. Each and everyone of you has given me a very special gift...beautiful memories of our times together. Thank-you.
Report cards are done Friday, and then the weekend is busy. Monday, life returns to normal...and I will be on the phone all night long every night...to you!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Friday
Today was a PD day, and the three schools in the Little Red River got together for a "get to know you" day. John D'Or and ourselves, Fox Lake, drove to Garden River for the event. They have the newest school and two gyms, so it was easy for them to host the event. The road to Garden River is not as bad as I thought it would be, though, no better than the road to Fox Lake. There are some bridges you must cross that are so narrow, with no railings at all, that when you look out either side of the windows in the vehicle, you can't see the bridge at all. Our driver slowed down to about 10km/hr to go over these bridges. He told me stories about how people have driven off the sides of these bridges. Scary. This is also a logging truck road. Seeing how it is so narrow, the logging truck and our vehicle both have to put one side of our vehicles in the ditch to narrowly pass eachother on the road.
I was invited to ride with some of the locals in their truck. So I rode with my TA, her best friend, a parent of one of my kids, the girl who invited me to play volleyball, and the driver, a guy I see at the school all the time but I am not quite sure what his job is. We laughed and teased the whole way. They spoke English the whole way. This made me feel very welcome, because I know that they would have had an easier time communicating in Cree.
There were many events at the PD day. When we arrived, we were all randomly divided into animal teams. I was a fox. The teams included staff from each of the three schools. We were competing for points to win prizes at the end of the day. There were many events. We played pictionary, beach volleyball, floor hockey (I was the goalie...we lost!), jeparody, and (my personal favorite) karaoke! No one on my team wanted to sing. I think I sang eight songs. After two or three, some of the members of my team sat with me and sang, but refused to use the microphone. I had so much fun! Our team got along really well.
For lunch, we had a native take on tacos. You put a piece of bannock on your plate, and then you layer your toppings (ground beef, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa). It was really quite good, and very filling. Bannock is very filling. I ate my lunch with some people I had met at the convention in Edmonton who are from John D'Or. The one girls name is Angela...an instant connection, eh?!
Each grade level got together for an hour to just get to know eachother and talk about what they were doing in their classrooms. I learned some very interesting things that I will try in my classrooms. I also really liked the way that the kindergarten classroom was set up. They had a mini amphitheatre in the room for the kids to sit at, instead of sitting on a carpet for group time. I want one!
Before the closing ceremonies, I heard a rumor that one of the guys on my volleyball team was singing up a storm in the karaoke room, so I ran down to check it out. We belted out a couple tunes together with a crowd of excited listeners...we rock!
The closing ceremonies were simle and short...the best way. We drove home. I slept half the way. I got home at about 3:30pm. I fell asleep. I decided not to get up, but to sleep all day and night. Let's get over this sickness already!
All in all, I liked the PD day. Let's do it again soon.
I was invited to ride with some of the locals in their truck. So I rode with my TA, her best friend, a parent of one of my kids, the girl who invited me to play volleyball, and the driver, a guy I see at the school all the time but I am not quite sure what his job is. We laughed and teased the whole way. They spoke English the whole way. This made me feel very welcome, because I know that they would have had an easier time communicating in Cree.
There were many events at the PD day. When we arrived, we were all randomly divided into animal teams. I was a fox. The teams included staff from each of the three schools. We were competing for points to win prizes at the end of the day. There were many events. We played pictionary, beach volleyball, floor hockey (I was the goalie...we lost!), jeparody, and (my personal favorite) karaoke! No one on my team wanted to sing. I think I sang eight songs. After two or three, some of the members of my team sat with me and sang, but refused to use the microphone. I had so much fun! Our team got along really well.
For lunch, we had a native take on tacos. You put a piece of bannock on your plate, and then you layer your toppings (ground beef, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa). It was really quite good, and very filling. Bannock is very filling. I ate my lunch with some people I had met at the convention in Edmonton who are from John D'Or. The one girls name is Angela...an instant connection, eh?!
Each grade level got together for an hour to just get to know eachother and talk about what they were doing in their classrooms. I learned some very interesting things that I will try in my classrooms. I also really liked the way that the kindergarten classroom was set up. They had a mini amphitheatre in the room for the kids to sit at, instead of sitting on a carpet for group time. I want one!
Before the closing ceremonies, I heard a rumor that one of the guys on my volleyball team was singing up a storm in the karaoke room, so I ran down to check it out. We belted out a couple tunes together with a crowd of excited listeners...we rock!
The closing ceremonies were simle and short...the best way. We drove home. I slept half the way. I got home at about 3:30pm. I fell asleep. I decided not to get up, but to sleep all day and night. Let's get over this sickness already!
All in all, I liked the PD day. Let's do it again soon.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
tuesday
well, yesterday 12 staff didn't come in. And today we thought we would try to do better, so 15 staff didn't show up. It makes the day really difficult when the other people in the school aren't around to do their jobs. We all have to do our jobs for the school to run smoothly, or their is chaos. Anyways, I am very happy that I was feeling well enough to drag myself to school today, because I don't think that there would have been a sub for me, even though the principal said not to come in. We had only six kids today because of the cold weather and I was able to relax throughout the day and didn't have to push myself to hard, so all things work out!
Friday is a PD day. We are going to Garden River with John D'or Praire. I encourage you to look it up on a map...there is basically no road in!
This coming weekend the school liason, Daniel, has invited me to join him and his family as they go to snare rabbits. I will get to set up my own trap. I will get to set my own bait. I will learn to check the trap. Once I have a rabbit, they will help me to skin it and then I will be able to dry the fur. I will get to keep the rabbit meat and they will show me which parts are good for me to eat. I am very excited and I can't wait...this is the reason I am here...to learn these customs and traditions!
Oh, I was swabbed for strep at the nursing station and nothing came up. It's just the flu they say. The nurses gave me a whole bunch of different types of cough medicines and candies for free, so I am set. drink lots and take these. I did and I am...probable why I am feeling better.
I am hosting the teachers St. Patricks day party at my home and I am very excited. And I might be moving soon. The nicest teacherages are the 7plex, and one space just opened up. I don't know why, but I was given the chance to move in there...I think I might. It is three levels, Two big bedrooms up stairs with two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen with lots of stogare on the main floor, and big basement (not finished) with washer and dryer. There is a backyard...so front and back entrance, and it is closer to the school. It's on the end, and my friend Gail will be living next door. I don't really see any negatives to this, so I think I will be moving soon...And it comes with Satellite hooked up because the guy before me doesn't want to take his stuff with him, so I won't have to buy all of the equipment, it will already be there. Hey, more room for family and friends to visit! I'm going to be here for a while, so there is lots of time to visit!
Did I tell you that I am going to sign next years contract? Super exciting!
Friday is a PD day. We are going to Garden River with John D'or Praire. I encourage you to look it up on a map...there is basically no road in!
This coming weekend the school liason, Daniel, has invited me to join him and his family as they go to snare rabbits. I will get to set up my own trap. I will get to set my own bait. I will learn to check the trap. Once I have a rabbit, they will help me to skin it and then I will be able to dry the fur. I will get to keep the rabbit meat and they will show me which parts are good for me to eat. I am very excited and I can't wait...this is the reason I am here...to learn these customs and traditions!
Oh, I was swabbed for strep at the nursing station and nothing came up. It's just the flu they say. The nurses gave me a whole bunch of different types of cough medicines and candies for free, so I am set. drink lots and take these. I did and I am...probable why I am feeling better.
I am hosting the teachers St. Patricks day party at my home and I am very excited. And I might be moving soon. The nicest teacherages are the 7plex, and one space just opened up. I don't know why, but I was given the chance to move in there...I think I might. It is three levels, Two big bedrooms up stairs with two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen with lots of stogare on the main floor, and big basement (not finished) with washer and dryer. There is a backyard...so front and back entrance, and it is closer to the school. It's on the end, and my friend Gail will be living next door. I don't really see any negatives to this, so I think I will be moving soon...And it comes with Satellite hooked up because the guy before me doesn't want to take his stuff with him, so I won't have to buy all of the equipment, it will already be there. Hey, more room for family and friends to visit! I'm going to be here for a while, so there is lots of time to visit!
Did I tell you that I am going to sign next years contract? Super exciting!
Monday, March 5, 2007
Monday
I am very sick today. The principal sent me to the nursing station after school and has asked me not to come tomorrow. He is wonderful.
Pray for health please!
Angela
Pray for health please!
Angela
Sunday, March 4, 2007
The Round Dance, Friday night
The Round Dance is similar to the Tea Dance, but there are noticable differences.
In the middle of the gym floor, three long tables were put together to make a big square, and chairs were put all around. The tables are full of handmade drums. The gym walls are lined with a couple rows of chairs. The bleachers are out. The elders are sitting on the stage behind a row of table with the microphone. They call up the first group.
A bunch of men from the community approach the table and find their drum...or the drum they wish to use. The men are young, teenagers, and old, elders, and every age in between. There are about half a dozen. They all stand behind their chair and begin their singing, all sining at the same time in unison, all banging their drums at the same time, in unison. There is a leader. All night long, whoever the leader is...the video camera is on him and a tape recorder is held up near him.
The dance looks the same as the tea dance. Everyone is in a chain and side-stepping. Men and women are mixed, it doesn't seem to matter. The children are so eager to get up and dance. They seem to form the middle circle that is dancing around the men in the middle. There are toddlers who can barely walk who are dancing and they can because they are being held up on either side by other children. Every chain dances in the same clockwise way. Yound and old dance. Some people have no expression on their face...the older ones. The young adults and children all laugh and smile and chat during the dance. The gym is loud, with the sounds of the singing and drums, the sounds of our feet moving to the beat, the sounds of children laughing and playing, and eveyone talking and enjoying the community being all toether in one room.
I dance. I am not nervous to join. There are no other white staff here tonight, so I can't wait for the comfort of seeing a non-local up there dancing too. The children all come to where I am sitting and beg me to join them. The locals next to me give me looks of affirmation...that yes, I should go. I dance. I am smiling because my children are smiling huge smiles at me the whole dance. No one looks at me like I don't belong. Instead, I see people I know in every corner of the gym and they wave at me as I dance with their children. I am a Fox Laker for the first time today. It's because I have joined with them without the company of non-locals.
I bought my students pop and chips and chocolate bars. We sat on the dirty gym floor and ate together. Children are not allowed to sit on the chairs because there are not enough and they must respect their elders. A child should not be on a chair if someone older is standing or sitting on the floor. So I join them and they love our picnic. After, a woman makes her teenage son move from him chair. She has poor english but she says something to the effect that I am his elder, so I should sit. I am honored.
The round dance is faster and less formal than the Tea Dance, and I love it. I love the music.
In the middle of the gym floor, three long tables were put together to make a big square, and chairs were put all around. The tables are full of handmade drums. The gym walls are lined with a couple rows of chairs. The bleachers are out. The elders are sitting on the stage behind a row of table with the microphone. They call up the first group.
A bunch of men from the community approach the table and find their drum...or the drum they wish to use. The men are young, teenagers, and old, elders, and every age in between. There are about half a dozen. They all stand behind their chair and begin their singing, all sining at the same time in unison, all banging their drums at the same time, in unison. There is a leader. All night long, whoever the leader is...the video camera is on him and a tape recorder is held up near him.
The dance looks the same as the tea dance. Everyone is in a chain and side-stepping. Men and women are mixed, it doesn't seem to matter. The children are so eager to get up and dance. They seem to form the middle circle that is dancing around the men in the middle. There are toddlers who can barely walk who are dancing and they can because they are being held up on either side by other children. Every chain dances in the same clockwise way. Yound and old dance. Some people have no expression on their face...the older ones. The young adults and children all laugh and smile and chat during the dance. The gym is loud, with the sounds of the singing and drums, the sounds of our feet moving to the beat, the sounds of children laughing and playing, and eveyone talking and enjoying the community being all toether in one room.
I dance. I am not nervous to join. There are no other white staff here tonight, so I can't wait for the comfort of seeing a non-local up there dancing too. The children all come to where I am sitting and beg me to join them. The locals next to me give me looks of affirmation...that yes, I should go. I dance. I am smiling because my children are smiling huge smiles at me the whole dance. No one looks at me like I don't belong. Instead, I see people I know in every corner of the gym and they wave at me as I dance with their children. I am a Fox Laker for the first time today. It's because I have joined with them without the company of non-locals.
I bought my students pop and chips and chocolate bars. We sat on the dirty gym floor and ate together. Children are not allowed to sit on the chairs because there are not enough and they must respect their elders. A child should not be on a chair if someone older is standing or sitting on the floor. So I join them and they love our picnic. After, a woman makes her teenage son move from him chair. She has poor english but she says something to the effect that I am his elder, so I should sit. I am honored.
The round dance is faster and less formal than the Tea Dance, and I love it. I love the music.
Saturday
We set off in the morning for High Level. 8am. We shouldn't have
gone as the roads were awful, but Father Mineen followed behind us in
his truck part way, so we felt better. We had lunch, shopped, shopped
and shopped some more! It was 4pm when we decided to head home. It
takes about half a tank of gas to go one way, so we needed to fill up.
Mary, the elderly lady I was driving with, pulled her car up to the
gas and filled up. Guys...she put deisel in! She was so upset when
she found out and she actually slammed her door...Anyways, we drove to
the dealership across the road. They were upset that we drove the
vehicle at all. And they were closing. So how do we get home?!? We
were given the go ahead to drive the vehicle a few blocks down the
highway to Recovery Auto, and they would fix us. As we drove, the
vehicle crapped out on us. We had to walk. The wind was wild and the
temperature was -30. The technician there said I looked like Rudolph
when I walked in!
They towed our vehicle and hour later, once they finished another tow
job. They took our the gas and deisel and filled it up with regular.
They gave us an oil change. It was now 8pm. They closed at six.
What a blessing that they stayed open for us! Thank-you for your
prayers!
Now it is dark. You should never drive on these roads in the dark,
especially with the road conditions as awful as they were. We decided
to drive. Mary said our angels were with us in full force, so it would be okay. We
sang worship songs all the way home.
Almost all the way home.
a few miles before the ice bridge, we came to a valley in the road.
you just drive down the bank and up the other side. Usually not a
problem. As we appoached the valley, we noticed two trucks stuck. The
road was blocked. We drove down into the valley and parked. I got
out to see if there were people. The one truck was empty, apparently
they had been rescued earlier. The other truck was dead...so no heat,
and full of people. A couple children, a senior couple, the driver
and a young adult. We decided that if we could get our car around,
and up the other side of the bank, Mary and I could get them help.
Long story short we got stuck. Another truck, full of teenage boys
(were they actually old enough to drive?) came, and they got stuck
too. They did manage to push us out though, but then, the bank of the
creek was too icy for us to get our car up. It is 12pm now. Everyone
is full of snow, wet and cold.
I took your prayers and headed off for Fox Lake. Alone, in the
forest, and an hour walk to town. Thank God for the light of the full
moon. Thank God for keeping the wolves off of the road that night. I
made it to town, running the whole way. I went to the RCMP station.
Closed. But...the Round Dance was today...and those things don't end
till 4 or 5am! I went to the school, another half hour walk. I had
to wait for the pipe ceremony to finish when I entered. I saw the
RCMP in the corner.
They are awesome! They came right away....I got to sit in the back of
their car...my dream! So cool :) We went and got their truck and the
emergency gear. We headed back to the road. It took two hours, but
the RCMP got all of the vehicles out...six by the time we got back.
No one had frost-bite, no one was injured...Praise the Lord!
I went back to the round dance with the RCMP and danced with them and
my students for a while. It was 4am. When the RCMP guys left, I went
home and crashed.
I am sick today, but I feel very blessed. Just think...we were able to get our car fixed after closing hours. Our car was not badly damagedmy the deisel mistake. We had a safe drive home on the bad roads. The place where all the vehicles were stuck was at a place close enough to town that we could get ourselves help. The moon was bright. The RCMP were easy to find because of the Round Dance...otherwise, I would not have found help at all people say. The RCMP were able to help everyone.
Count your blessings, even when eveything seems to be going wrong with your day. If you look closely, you'll see that God had his hand on the whole situation and was blessing you the entire time. It's all in the way you look at it!
I love you all and am sorry I haven't written much lately...report card season here!
gone as the roads were awful, but Father Mineen followed behind us in
his truck part way, so we felt better. We had lunch, shopped, shopped
and shopped some more! It was 4pm when we decided to head home. It
takes about half a tank of gas to go one way, so we needed to fill up.
Mary, the elderly lady I was driving with, pulled her car up to the
gas and filled up. Guys...she put deisel in! She was so upset when
she found out and she actually slammed her door...Anyways, we drove to
the dealership across the road. They were upset that we drove the
vehicle at all. And they were closing. So how do we get home?!? We
were given the go ahead to drive the vehicle a few blocks down the
highway to Recovery Auto, and they would fix us. As we drove, the
vehicle crapped out on us. We had to walk. The wind was wild and the
temperature was -30. The technician there said I looked like Rudolph
when I walked in!
They towed our vehicle and hour later, once they finished another tow
job. They took our the gas and deisel and filled it up with regular.
They gave us an oil change. It was now 8pm. They closed at six.
What a blessing that they stayed open for us! Thank-you for your
prayers!
Now it is dark. You should never drive on these roads in the dark,
especially with the road conditions as awful as they were. We decided
to drive. Mary said our angels were with us in full force, so it would be okay. We
sang worship songs all the way home.
Almost all the way home.
a few miles before the ice bridge, we came to a valley in the road.
you just drive down the bank and up the other side. Usually not a
problem. As we appoached the valley, we noticed two trucks stuck. The
road was blocked. We drove down into the valley and parked. I got
out to see if there were people. The one truck was empty, apparently
they had been rescued earlier. The other truck was dead...so no heat,
and full of people. A couple children, a senior couple, the driver
and a young adult. We decided that if we could get our car around,
and up the other side of the bank, Mary and I could get them help.
Long story short we got stuck. Another truck, full of teenage boys
(were they actually old enough to drive?) came, and they got stuck
too. They did manage to push us out though, but then, the bank of the
creek was too icy for us to get our car up. It is 12pm now. Everyone
is full of snow, wet and cold.
I took your prayers and headed off for Fox Lake. Alone, in the
forest, and an hour walk to town. Thank God for the light of the full
moon. Thank God for keeping the wolves off of the road that night. I
made it to town, running the whole way. I went to the RCMP station.
Closed. But...the Round Dance was today...and those things don't end
till 4 or 5am! I went to the school, another half hour walk. I had
to wait for the pipe ceremony to finish when I entered. I saw the
RCMP in the corner.
They are awesome! They came right away....I got to sit in the back of
their car...my dream! So cool :) We went and got their truck and the
emergency gear. We headed back to the road. It took two hours, but
the RCMP got all of the vehicles out...six by the time we got back.
No one had frost-bite, no one was injured...Praise the Lord!
I went back to the round dance with the RCMP and danced with them and
my students for a while. It was 4am. When the RCMP guys left, I went
home and crashed.
I am sick today, but I feel very blessed. Just think...we were able to get our car fixed after closing hours. Our car was not badly damagedmy the deisel mistake. We had a safe drive home on the bad roads. The place where all the vehicles were stuck was at a place close enough to town that we could get ourselves help. The moon was bright. The RCMP were easy to find because of the Round Dance...otherwise, I would not have found help at all people say. The RCMP were able to help everyone.
Count your blessings, even when eveything seems to be going wrong with your day. If you look closely, you'll see that God had his hand on the whole situation and was blessing you the entire time. It's all in the way you look at it!
I love you all and am sorry I haven't written much lately...report card season here!
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