The Books Nook

From Vegetables to Musicals

2008-07-30T08:08:00.004-06:00

I'm trying to decide if I should go downtown to the Farmer's Market this morning. It's overcast - dark actually - and I just know that by the time I get there it will be raining. I'm afraid I'm not quite that devoted to locally grown produce. I know, I know, in some people's eyes that makes me a bad person. Well, so be it.

I went to see Mamma Mia! last night. Loved it! Main Man decided to come with me, and I don't think he loved it as much. The early show sold out, so we went to the late one, which was dangerously close to doing the same. Still, we counted the males in the audience, and I think we achieved a grand total of 19.

So - yes- it's a chick flic. So what? I adored the kitschy-ness of it all.

We had seen the stage musical when it danced through town a couple of years ago, and I think Main Man enjoyed that more than the movie. I enjoyed them both - in different ways. I didn't really find the stage musical kitschy, and that was what I considered one of the best parts of the movie.

Some notes:
1. I'm not a big Meryl Streep fan, but she was amazing in this. She sings beautifully, and with real emotion. I also got the feeling she was loving every minute of participating in this production.

2. Pierce Brosnan can't sing very well, but he makes for great older-guy eye candy.

3. Julie Walters mesmerizes me when she's on the screen. I love her. She is hilarious in this, but I've also seen her in more serious roles that she masters perfectly.

4. Colin Firth seems like he would be the nicest guy if you ever really met him. Who knows though? Maybe he's just a really good actor.

5. If/when you see this movie, make sure you stay for the closing credits. There are scenes worth seeing as the credits run.

6. If possible, see this one with your girlfriends, girls, and not with your main man.

To New Beginnings

2008-07-29T08:56:00.004-06:00

Often at this point of time in the summer, I'm feeling depressed. I look at the glass as half empty, the summer as half over. This summer, though, is different.

July has been a very busy month. Our family spent the first two weeks in beautiful British Columbia. Then, #3 had a dance daycamp in our home city on the third week. And last week, I took him to Calgary to a different dance camp. We spent the week with my aunt and uncle. As wonderful as it was to reconnect with family I hadn't seen in a while, it felt so good to get home at the end of the week.

And - this summer - August is full of possibilities. It's so nice to have all that pesky travelling over with. Now I can concentrate on little projects, field trips with the kids, and some plain, simple R & R.

I feel as if my summer is just beginning!

Out of the Loop

2008-07-28T22:17:00.002-06:00

It's been so long since I've written.

I'm sure no one will read this. I feel as if I'm starting all over again.

And in many ways I am.

I've enjoyed the lack of commitment over the past months. I mean - really - should a hobby be a demand on one's life?

I already have a sufficient number of demands. Really.

Still, I've missed the online interaction. I always considered my readers close personal friends, even though I had met very few of them personally.

Well, I'm hoping to join the community of the blogosphere once again - if you'll have me.

I hope to re-enter the loop.

All is Fine

2008-01-14T22:54:00.000-06:00

All is fine in our lives.

Christmas was wonderful. It was chaotic...but wonderful. There's this unbearable lightness of being one feels watching children open their stockings.

"He knew! He knew! How did he know?!" exclaimed #3 as he tore through his stocking items. And I concur. Just how did Santa know exactly what little things #3 wanted? He really must have spies.

Routine has set in once again. Life is busy at school. My debate team is hosting a tournament on Thursday, and performance nights for the musical I'm helping direct will be mid-February.

#1 did not make the basketball team at his school, but has stepped up to offer to help the coach as team manager. He's eager to be in the loop, even if he can't make it in the hoop.

#2 will be eleven years old on Wednesday. Time flies so fast once you have kids. Is it the zombieism from lack of sleep or is it that time's effects show so much more on kids? Just why does the very act of giving birth seem to put the entire rest of your life on fast forward?

Main Man is brutally busy at work. He goes back to the office just about every evening after supper to work on his current project. Huge deadline toward the end of the month. Then hopefully he can catch up on his life.

Nothing much more to add. We keep putting one foot in front of the other. It seems to keep us heading in the right direction.

STRESS with a Capital S

2007-11-23T21:12:00.000-06:00

Today was report card day. It's a really stressful time for me. Three times a year I get to experience mind-numbing stress and debilitate my family with my vile temper.

I like to think that I would be diligent with my responsibilities in any case, but I teach in an interesting community. It's a suburban community in which most of the population is composed of urban professionals with college educations and expectations of the same for their children. Many of them tend to hold the teacher responsible if any of their little darlings get a mark which doesn't please them. It is very important for me to have documentation up the wazoo in order to justify every mark on every report card.

Next week - Tuesday and Wednesday evenings to be exact - parent-teacher interviews will be held. Those are the height of stress. Christmas can begin in our household and in my heart when those are over with.

The kicker of it all is that last night we received an email from my mother-in-law informing us that my sister-in-law (Main Man's sister) is experiencing a very stressful time. I believe the quote was "STRESS with a capital S". Her stressful time is that she is in the process of preparing to move her family into her dream house (with the financial help of my mother-in-law; it's a long story - for another time, perhaps). She (my sister-in-law), incidentally, is a stay-at-home-mom (something I've dreamed of being all my life but, alas, I don't have the nerve to ask others to pay my bills; if I sound bitter, I am).

My mother-in-law will be staying at our house overnight tonight. If my sister-in-law's STRESS becomes a topic of conversation, I may pull someone's tongue out.

Christmas Mysteries

2007-11-12T22:46:00.000-06:00

The Christmas commercials have begun.

I'm excited about Christmas. It's my favourite time of year. I love it for many of the reasons that other people hate it. I love the buzz, the excitement, the gift-buying, the card-writing, the concerts, the parties, the getting together with family and friends, and the heart-bursting happiness of it all.

If this season makes me so happy, why do the commercials have the effect on me that they do? They can make me cry at the drop of a hat.

What's up with that?

Thankful Thursday

2007-11-08T19:28:00.000-06:00

This week I am grateful...

...that it hasn't permanently snowed yet. Autumn has seemed longer than usual this year. I'm pleased.

...that seven-year-olds actually sleep during sleepovers.

...for slow cookers.

...that I got a raise on my last pay-cheque.

...for long weekends.

...for the excitement of election time, especially when the big picture ends up pretty much the way I want it to end up. (Too bad the little picture didn't.)

...for my church community.

...that Halloween is over.

...that Christmas is just around the corner.

...for those brave men and women who serve their country in the military.

Have a great week, all!

Mother Guilt

2007-11-05T07:10:00.000-06:00

I'm encountering heavy doses of "mother guilt" these days. It's no one's fault. No one is intentionally doing it to me. It's just me, wishing I could do a better job.

#3 had a terrible cough in the night. He should probably sleep in this morning and stay home from school. But no, I can't let him do that. I'm already taking a day off later this week, so I can't just out-of-the-blue call in and say I won't be at school today.

#2 is performing a reading at his school's Remembrance Day ceremony later this week. Of course, I am unable to attend.

#1 has a volleyball game after school tomorrow, but, because of musical rehearsal, I can't go to that, either. (Side note: I've only missed one other game so far, and Main Man hasn't been to any of them. I suppose this time it may be his turn.)

I just wish I could be everywhere. We're constantly told at work about how expectations are high, and accountability is very important, but that leaves no room sometimes for expectations and accountability at home.

Why am I a Food Fool?

2007-11-04T21:34:00.000-06:00

I wish I could stop eating. I keep sneaking items from the boys' Halloween candy stashes. The worst part is I don't even care what I grab. I scarf down the first thing I touch as I reach blindly into the pillow slip.

Also, for some reason I can't convince my family to eat leftovers. I open the fridge and I see these great leftovers that I don't want to see go to waste, so I fill a little bowl and toss it in the microwave. "Mmmmm," I think, "that sure tastes good. Maybe just a little more..."

I think I've eaten several meals worth of hamburger soup and spaghetti over the last few days - only it's been between meals.

Why can't I stop eating???

Rambles...

2007-11-03T20:24:00.000-06:00

We're having a sleepover at our house tonight. #3 is having a little friend sleep over. Come to think of it, it's the first time he's had an overnight friend. I think the bigger boys were almost as excited as #3, as they like this little friend, as well.

Right now the four of them - and my biggest boy, as well, of course - are in the livingroom watching Spiderman 3 while I'm relegated to the kitchen. I'm doing just fine, though. I've got Gone with the Wind on Turner Classic Movies, blogger, and a glass of red wine. Frankly, I think we all feel that we have the best of the deal. Isn't that the way it should be?

Life has gotten the best of me once again, and it has been much too long since I've written. We are in election season here in our province. Main Man is usually quite the political animal, but that hasn't really been the case this time. We don't even have a sign on our lawn. Scandalous!

My biggest interest election-wise is that my niece's husband is running for office. Unfortunately, I'll not have the opportunity to vote for him as he is not running in our city, but I've been sending victory vibes his way constantly, so I hope everything goes well for him. I know that both of them have been working very hard, so, regardless of the outcome, they will be very happy that it will be over soon.

"You should be kissed - often - and by someone who knows how." I love Gone With the Wind!

Life continues to be busy at school. We have begun rehearsals for this year's musical - The Pirates of Penzance. It is always a highlight of the school year, and, although I enjoy the rehearsals, the time commitment is a little overwhelming: every noon hour and an hour every day after school until our performance dates in February. I feel like much of the rest of my life takes a backseat during musical season.

"I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"

Well, they've decided to take a break from Spiderman, so I've been challenged to a game of Operation. I'm off to remove a funny bone.

Hope this rambling note finds all of you well and happy. Cheers!

How is it...

2007-10-14T21:31:00.000-06:00

... that, after being up seven or eight times with a six-year-old with a fever and the stomach flu, I feel like I spent the night running a marathon and he (aforementioned six-year-old) wakes up with energy to burn?

Tell me - how can that be?

Power, Anyone?

2007-10-09T22:29:00.000-06:00

On the way home from work today, I ran into a stretch of road where they were doing some construction. They had a policewoman in the middle of the intersection directing traffic. She was doing a fantastic job. She had the required air of authority, and all of the rush hour traffic was courteously following her directions.

As I awaited my turn to proceed, my mind travelled through an interesting maze of thought.

My first thought was, "Oh, sure, send the little woman out to direct traffic while the men do the important jobs!"

My second thought was, "Wow, she's good - and look at the power she has. Look at how all of these people are obeying her, even during rush hour when they're all stressed and in a hurry to get home."

My third thought was, "I would be terrified being her. I never want that much power!"

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-10-07T23:09:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone has had a wonderful day.

Today our family celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is the holiday off work, but we generally have our big celebration on the Sunday evening.

I hosted Main Man's mom, his brother and sister-in-law, their two sons, and our sister-in-law's mom. It wasn't really a houseful, but it was as big a houseful as we're accustomed to.

I served turkey (of course!), stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams with orange juice, tarragon carrots, a corn dish I make with sweet peppers, maple squash, home-baked bread and corn muffins, and spring salad mix with red and green onions and peppers and a raspberry vinaigrette. My sister-in-law and her mom brought dessert - pumpkin pie and cherry tarts. The whole meal was a roaring success. We have leftovers galore, so it looks like my diet is not going to start again for at least a few more days.

Much of the clean-up is now finished, although I must admit that I'm hitting the hay with still a few dirty wine glasses on the counter beside the sink and a couple of stubborn pots and pans soaking in the sink.

Main Man and I worked as quite the team today. We really do have massive amounts of abundance to be thankful for.

I'm Ba-a-a-a-a-ack!

2007-09-29T07:08:00.001-06:00

Well, I was finding the whole blogging thing a little overwhelming, daunting, even - dare I say it - a little boring, so I decided to take some time off.

Actually, the word "decided" may give me too much credit. It wasn't really a conscious decision, and, in fact, after a week or so of not posting, I wasn't even sure I would ever come back.

It's been over a month now, though, and I've made it through the whole back-to-school time, and I feel refreshed. Indeed, I feel as if I have a new attitude toward my little Nook.

I will not beat myself up if I don't post every day. In fact, I will plan to post once a week-ish. That way, I will be happy with myself if I manage to post more often than that.

I have so missed my blogging friends, and I hope all is well with all of you. I will be by soon to visit and "catch up". I'm not putting any timelines on that, either, though, so please don't take it personally if it takes me a little while.

Laid back. That is going to be Library Mama. Indeed, that's the only way this blog thing can work for me.

There are way too many other things in my life that are true duties. I can't afford to let a hobby become the duty at the top of the pile.

Hi again, everyone.

I thought...

2007-08-22T21:59:00.000-06:00

...that seeing Back to School items in the stores as early as July 20th was a little over the top, but this next one takes the cake.

This evening - August 22 - we received our Sears Christmas Wish Book!
(By the way, this isn't a picture of the one we received. I just loved the nostalgia of the picture on this cover. This little girl looks a lot like I used to look.)

Canoe Handle It?

2007-08-20T23:26:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow morning #1 is off on a wilderness canoe trip with a group of youth from our church.

I'm sure he'll have a phenomenal time, but, as is a mother's prerogative, I'm worried for him. I'm worried it will rain and he'll be cold and wet. I'm worried he'll drop his backpack in the river and ruin all his stuff. I'm worried he'll run out of toilet paper. I'm worried he'll miss me. (Yeah right - as if that last one will ever happen!)

I've packed his backpack for him, including waterproofing everything as well as I could. I managed to roll up his sleeping bag with his pillow, air mattress and pump all in one roll. I've done everything I possibly can to make his trip safe, comfortable and enjoyable. I guess the rest is up to him.

He has no doubt that he'll have a great time, but he hasn't had the life experience I've had that allows me to look at the situation in a much more realistic (or is that pessimistic?) manner.

Happy Anniversary

2007-08-19T23:02:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note to wish my beloved Main Man a happy anniversary.

As of 3:30 this afternoon, we have enjoyed 18 years of wedded bliss.

Well, I suppose not all of it has been bliss, but it has definitely all been worth it.

Thanks for everything, Main Man (AKA Mentok). Here's to the next 50 years!

Next Top Model

2007-08-18T21:28:00.000-06:00

Alright, I admit, I have a new guilty little pleasure.

Over the summer I have become addicted to the variety of "Next Top Model" shows.

I've been watching episodes from Britain, Canada, and America.

It's difficult to describe exactly what attracts me, but I think I see them as a type of travel show. I mean, watching them is like learning about a culture very different from my own, from a country very different from my own.

Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

High School Musical 2

2007-08-17T22:40:00.000-06:00

Aren't they just too cute for words?

We've already watched it twice today.

Of course, the second time we had to sit through Main Man heckling it, but that's the price we have to pay in this household.

Hello Again

2007-08-16T20:10:00.000-06:00

I think this may be the longest blogger-break I have taken since I first started.

If any of you were at all worried, everything is fine. The days just seem to flow by and, before I know it, it's bedtime. Main Man is usually on the computer in the evening, and, as he is the one working all day, I figure he deserves a little computer recreation in the evening. I haven't the heart to kick him off just so I can blog.

Besides, I could be doing my blog entries sometime during the day when he's at work. I guess I just haven't had the motivation. Something has snuffed out the spark of blogging for me.

I start back to work in a week.

And you know, because it has been such a great summer, I feel okay about that.

The weather has been GORGEOUS this summer! And we've had a couple of great little holidays - our fantasy trip to the Okanagan Valley, of course, and this past weekend, we took a little excursion to my home town for their agricultural fair. I was able to see all of my siblings and my dad and his wife and a few old friends from high school. Also, the boys were able to enter some things in the fair - academic work, crafts, and such - so it was exciting to see how they did. #2 in particular was very successful, earning about $30 in prize money. He's deservedly very proud.

Well, it's almost time for storytime for the boys, so I guess I'll sign off. I hope everyone out there is doing well

Surprise, Surprise!

2007-08-03T19:23:00.000-06:00

At the end of the work day I went to Main Man's office to surprise him by inviting him for after work drinks.

At least I tried to.

As I was on my way, my cell phone rang. I frantically searched through my purse to retrieve my cell phone, but I missed the call. Luckily, it rang again right after I found it.

It was Main Man.

He had come home early to surprise me!

Picnic in the Park and More

2007-08-03T07:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the boys and I took a picnic down to the park near Main Man's office and treated him to lunch.

The lunch itself was nothing special - Black Forest ham on fresh home-baked bread, raw veggies, melon, cookies and soft drinks - but the time together was wonderful.

I hope Main Man found it as much of a boost to his afternoon as I did.

When we arrived home, the little boys continued work on their BIG PROJECT. They are in the midst of going through the massive amount of toys, books, action figures, and Hot Wheels cars in their room and playing "Love it or Shove it". They're doing a fantabulous job! I'm very proud of them. They're being far more ruthless than I would be. It's probably best that I leave them on their own to do it, or they wouldn't be nearly as efficient. ("Oh, but Sweetie, your Auntie Heather bought you this for your third birthday! You can't possibly throw that out!" There's no stronger sentimentality than that of a mother.)

In the evening, Main Man did something he hasn't done in a very long time - he went for a bike ride. #1 got a new bike this summer, so Main Man asked to borrow it. I sent him off the the grocery store for a few things. #3, who is a bicycle maniac this summer, begged to accompany him. So off they went - my oldest (so to speak) and my youngest - on an excursion farther than #3 had ever ridden away from home before. When they returned - well after dusk, I might add - both of them were pumped beyond words. They had had a ball together out on their quest, and they had even managed to remember to get the groceries I had asked for!

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-26T22:25:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful for the kindness of others, especially for the following situations:

- for my very good friend from work who lent #1 her copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows after she finished reading it.

- for my amazing brother-in-law who was able to completely fix my dryer. It's been making funny noises since January, but it completely died on Monday. We asked him to come over and assess the situation. It turned out to need a couple of parts and a knowledgeable hand, and now it runs very well, and - I might add - very quietly.

- for another very good friend from work who had all of the "girls" in for drinks this afternoon. She had had her kitchen renovated and was eager to show it off to all of us. I'm so happy for her and her husband. She has spoken for years of looking for a new house; today she seemed very happy right where she is.

- for my sister-in-law who has invited me over tomorrow to pick cherries from her tree. She has promised me a couple of recipes to put them in, and I look forward to baking pies and muffins.

- for the lady who walked #3's bike home for him after he had a bit of an accident just down the street. She had been driving by when she saw him fall and hurt himself, so she stopped and walked him home, bringing his bike for him. I had never seen her before. People can be so kind!

Time now for me to call it a night. I hope all of you are well and happy.

Harry Has Left the Building

2007-07-21T20:01:00.000-06:00

Last night we took the boys to the largest bookstore in town to attend the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows launch party. It was a festive evening filled with costumes, treats and excitement.

The Science Centre mentioned in my last entry had people there hosting "Potions Classes" and showing off animals that wizards may have such as snakes, mice, and lizards. There was a craft table set up with colouring sheets and paper neckties and spectacles you could colour and decorate. A magician performed late in the evening. At one second past midnight, when the book was finally released, there was a reading of the first chapter by the fireplace.

The anticipation was palpable as children ran among the stacks. Teenagers hung out in packs attempting to look indifferent. I heard one young twenty-something say to another, "Let's head next door for a beer and come back later." People began lining up at the cash desk hours ahead of time waiting to buy their copy, and there was a line-up in a different area of the store for those who had pre-paid. People of all ages awaited their chance to know the fate of the most famous boy wizard ever.

Although we had no plans to stay until midnight, #1 ran into some friends and wanted to stick around. Main Man and I took the little ones home around 11:00 and he returned to retrieve #1 later.

We haven't bought the book yet. I did put it on hold at the library, but we are 157th in line, so I expect we will end up buying it sooner rather than later. #1 desperately wants to read it before someone spills the beans to him about what the ending will bring.

I expect it will be the first title on the first purchase order I write for my library in the fall, as well.

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-19T13:54:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful ...

... for my very own bed after being away on vacation for ten days. As Dorothy so eloquently put it, "There's no place like home!"

... that I still have three quarters of my summer holiday remaining.

... for the summer children's programs offered by our public library. Today we saw a performance called George and the Jester, a one-man show where the guy acted like a court jester and taught about medieval life. He was an interesting guy, a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and he had handbuilt a lot of his props including a rare Irish harp, a lute, and a cross-bow. #2, especially, found it very interesting.

... to have Ruffy back. He didn't come on our vacation with us, and we missed him very much. He had fun too, though, as he stayed with the lady who gave him to us two years ago. She and her husband love him very much, and their grandchildren enjoyed playing with Ruff when they visited.

... for good friends and neighbours who kept the home fires burning while we were away, like Ruffy's loving guardians, and our neighbours on either side who took in our mail and watered Main Man's garden. There were several break-ins in our neighbourhood while we were away, but, thanks to our diligent neighbours, our humble little home suffered no intrusions.

... for the beauty of summer gardens.

... for the energy to complete my new summer fitness routine. I've been determined to walk Ruffy every morning before anyone else wakes up (except when we were on vacation and he wasn't with us), and I've done well with that. This week I kicked it up an notch, though, and I've begun a walk / run routine in which I walk 100 steps, then jog 100 steps. It's gotten my heart rate up just that much faster, but it's achievable. I know that running the entire distance would be beyond me for sure.

... for our Science Centre. We have a family membership, and it's probably one of the best investments we've ever made. We spent part of the afternoon there yesterday, and it's amazing how they have such a wide variety of activities, something for everyone of any age.

... for good clean water to drink on a hot day.

... for family swim time at our local public pool. From 6:45 to 8:00 every evening, families swim for free. Yesterday was a hot, drippingly humid day, and a quick dip after supper was just what the doctor ordered.

I hope everybody has a fantastic week.

Thankful Thursday

2007-07-12T21:51:00.000-06:00

This week, I am thankful ...

... for vacations. This week we are in sunny Westbank, British Columbia, in a Bed and Breakfast with an unbelievable view of lovely Lake Okanagan. We have our own private deck on which we can sit and have breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening, and after dinner, we can sit in the hot tub on the deck and watch the lights across the lake twinkle to the stars above.

... for days with temperatures of 35 degrees (Celsius, that is, for my American friends), and beautiful beaches on which to spend those days.

... for Main Man taking the boys to see The Transformers Movie on Tuesday evening, so I could spend an evening all by myself enjoying the view off the deck (and I don't need to tell you how peaceful that view was when I was all by myself!).

... for Noxzema, for sunburns.

... for the patience to deal with Main Man's ideas, like when he decided to take us on a drive around the lake and we ended up with an overheated engine on an abandoned logging road. Hey, the scenery was spectacular! (Positive thoughts, positive thoughts, positive thoughts... ;-)

... for the deliciously intoxicating flavour of Lake Okanagan wine. How amazing to encounter a dozen or so tiny vinyards on just a short little drive.

... for the wonderful feeling at the end of a holiday that I am ready to go home, no matter how wonderful the holiday has been.

Hope everyone is having a great week. Thanks so much for your comments and your visits. I'll be checking in much more regularly once we hit home.

The Language Police Are On the Job

2007-07-04T08:56:00.000-06:00

#3 and I went to the first puppet show of the summer season at the library yesterday. We were treated to a very entertaining rendition of Walter the Farting Dog.

You can vividly imagine, I'm sure, the hoots of laughter emanating from the crowd, chiefly consisting of children ranging from three to eight years old, every time the puppeteers gasped the word "fart" or sounded the whoopie cushion (every thirty seconds or so).

#3 was no exception. He enjoyed almost every second of the performance. I say "almost", because there was one moment when his giggles gave way to a frown of perplexity and discomfort.

In one scene two burglars invade Walter's home in the night. Not wishing to wake anyone, one of the intruders tells the other to "Shut up!"

A shadow instantly crossed #3's face and he scooted over to the side where I was seated to inform me, "There are little kids here. They shouldn't say, 'Shut up'!"

Yes, it's nice to know that he's on the job!

Eye Candy Analysis

2007-07-02T19:29:00.000-06:00

Okay, so we're at the beach yesterday for Canada Day, and I came to a disappointing realization.

It's much easier for a man to enjoy eye candy at the beach than a woman.

Here's my logic:

It takes absolutely no work for a seventeen-year-old girl to look good in a bikini. Heck - I looked fantastic in a bikini from the age of sixteen to the age of twenty-five or so. And that was through absolutely no effort on my part - no dieting, no organised exercise. The hardest part was buying the bikini.

Young men, however, must put some effort into looking good in a bathing suit. Skinny doesn't cut it. They have to work out in order to have biceps and abs that I'm interested in looking at. Sorry, guys, that's just the way it is.

And I really am sorry. Believe me! Because yesterday, Main Man's eyes just about fell out of their sockets several time as he ogled the bikinis, while I was doomed to view skinny eighteen-year-olds and paunchy forty-year-olds.

This could be a painful summer.

Elation!

2007-06-26T21:00:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note to inform all of you that I finished filling out my last report card earlier this evening. I will proofread them tomorrow, so I'm not completely scot-free, but I'm still feeling pretty fine.

I can't believe I survived this month. It's been the busiest June on record for me, and that's saying something!

July is so close I think I can taste it. (Then again, that could just be all of those weekend barbecues repeating on me.)

Freedom, here I come!

I'm All Barbecued Out!

2007-06-25T07:46:00.000-06:00

This weekend I attended six barbecues. These were no ordinary barbecues, mind you. They were those extra-special community-type barbecues where you must leave your vegetables at the door. Only carnivores and carbivores allowed!

It started Friday at noon, when the school where I teach held their community barbecue.

Friday at suppertime, our boys' school had theirs.

Saturday morning was #3's soccer wind-up game, followed by a noon barbecue. Saturday afternoon was #1's soccer wind-up, followed by an early afternoon barbecue.

A little later on Saturday was #1's birthday party at which we treated five 12- and 13-year-old boys to - you guessed it - a barbecue. (Ed. note: Mini-carrots were offered at this one. Of course, I was the only one who ate them.)

Sunday afternoon was #2's softball wind-up, followed by yet one more barbecue.

Really, by Sunday afternoon, even the boys couldn't look at a hamburger or a hotdog.

We all went home and treated ourselves to a homegrown lettuce salad with all the trimmings - and not a barbecued item in sight!

And Now From the "I Wish I Had This Problem" Department

2007-06-12T19:48:00.000-06:00

The latest excuse for not handing in homework on time:

Dear Mrs. LibraryMama,

Little darling cannot hand her homework in today because the cleaning lady moved it and we can't find it.

Sincerely,
Little Darling's Mom

Happy Day to #1!

2007-06-11T15:41:00.000-06:00

Just a very quick entry to let everyone far and wide know that, as of today, I am the parent of a teenager!

Today is #1's thirteenth birthday.

Happy birthday, big guy!

Proud Mama

2007-06-10T16:37:00.000-06:00

I have to quickly jot down my thoughts about this morning before the day races by.

This morning, my #1 participated in a youth-led service at the church. I was so incredibly proud of him!

There were six kids between the ages of 11 and 14 who, under the patient guidance of our minister, led the entire service: the music, the prayers, the sermon, and they even managed to include some drama.

#1 presented part of the sermon, acted as Goliath in the drama, and played his saxophone and his guitar. I quietly sat back and tried not to get too emotional in light of his accomplishments.

The piece de resistance was once we got home, though, and Main Man - my confirmed Buddhist husband who had attended the service in support of #1 - hugged me and thanked me for raising our kids as church-goers. Even he was overwhelmed with the fantastic vibe emanating from these great kids.

It does feel good to know that I have had a part, however small, in providing the opportunity for #1 to meet such wonderful friends.

Wendy Whiner Sees the Light

2007-06-09T22:07:00.000-06:00

Do you remember that series of sketches on Saturday Night Live featuring Doug and Wendy Whiner?

I'm afraid I've been quite the Wendy Whiner lately, and I'm sorry for that.

I've managed to lose many of my regular readers and even more of my regular commenters. Thank you so much to those of you who have stuck with me through my slump.

Right now, what I most regret is how churlish I've been to the parents where I teach. Granted, there are some parents there who don't really understand the concept of cooperating, and who seem determined to stir up problems that essentially don't exist, but there are also many wonderful parents who seek only to support us and, more importantly, support their children.

Friday, immediately after I was observed in my classroom by my principal, I walked into our library to be greeted by three tables full of appetizing salads, fresh bread and rolls, beautifully displayed meat and cheese trays, and decadent desserts. Our school council (AKA PTA) had planned a lunch for our staff during Teacher Appreciation Week in February, but scheduling conflicts had created problems. They decided to postpone the luncheon until June, and I can't think of a more wonderful day to have it. (Although, because I felt weak with relief due to the completion of my observation, I ate way too much. Oh well! C'est la vie.)

It was a truly wonderful lunch - and it seemed to be made-to-order for my situation.

Unexpected

2007-06-09T07:48:00.000-06:00

So much for sleeping well last night...

I'm nursing a respiratory infection that, during the day is mildly annoying, not really enough to slow me down very much.

At night, though, as soon as I lie down, it becomes this hurricane of coughing. Finally, at 3:18 a.m., I had some hot lemon medicine and slept quite a bit better after that. Still, no rest for the weary. It's 7:30ish now, and I'm preparing to spend the day at the school amid my mountains of marking.

Hope I can keep my wits about me.

2007-06-08T23:27:00.001-06:00

I find my heart a little lighter this evening. And it's probably for a very silly reason.

I wonder if you remember that months ago I mentioned that this is my year to be formally observed and evaluated by the administration of my school.

This should not be all that stressful for me. I mean, after all, I've taught for 19 years. What are they going to do, fire me?

Not to mention that I've received numerous commendations from my division administration, often after parents have contacted them with glowing accounts of my teaching.

Why do I still - quite literally - lose sleep over this?

My principal is my friend. He and I share a laugh at least once a day, often more. Why do I burn up with nerves, my face red and my shirt sticky, when he is sitting in my desk, watching me teach?

There really is no reason for all of this silliness.

The good news is that today, I experienced my last observation - for the next four years, anyway.

My lesson went really well. The students, thinking that he was there to observe them instead of me, behaved extremely well. Almost too well. My principal was taking down data on my classroom management skills, and there weren't any situations to manage. Still, that's a nice problem to have.

We met after the lesson to "debrief", and he spoke about how my voice compelled people to listen when I speak. He spoke of a mutual respect that was evident in my class. He spoke of how the lesson flowed calmly and naturally.

As he spoke of all of this, all I could think about was how well I would sleep tonight.

Stay on Track

2007-06-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

Today is track and field day at the school.

I am in charge of the high jump event. I enjoy this day, but I worry a lot about injuries at my event. I worry that someone will land heavily on top of the bar and hurt his or her back. I worry that they will fall off the mat with momentum and hit their head on the hard ground. I worry that they will slip and fall backwards. It's the lunch break now, and so far, so good.

It's a beautiful day - clear blue sky, burning sun, slight breeze - perfect for track. Luckily this year I remembered my sunscreen.

June...

2007-06-01T07:21:00.000-06:00

... bleeeccccchhhhhh!

June will be such a blur. In addition to year-end recitals and concerts, there will be the Cancer Society's Relay for Life, in which #1 and I are participating. It is an all night walk-a-thon. Why it has to be overnight is beyond me, but I signed up because our church school is participating in honour of our friend and fellow teacher who died of cancer last November. I'm trying to be positive about it, but I'm afraid it will ruin me. I'm one of those people who really need their sleep, and June is my busiest month.

Oh, we're also chasing after 6 soccer and softball games every week.

And this weekend there's a multicultural festival in town (3 evenings) that the kids really want to go to, and we really want to take them to. We've never been before, and that is really a travesty, because it is quite the phenomenon!

Oh - and in the midst of all the hoop-la this month, I have to complete all of my report cards.

I will try to blog as often as I can, but if I miss for a while, forgive me.

Summer holidays are on their way! (That's the idea that gets me through.)

Thankful Thursday

2007-05-31T06:46:00.000-06:00

Just like a couple of weeks ago, I have many things to be thankful for, but I am going to focus on just one.

First, some background: in addition to The Books Nook, I have a classroom blog. I write at the end of every school day about homework the kids have or about upcoming events or about interesting things that have happened during the day. I use it chiefly as a communication tool with parents, keeping them informed of what goes on during those seven or eight odd hours during the day that their kids have lives that don't always involve parents.

Yesterday, when I sat down to do my classroom post, I logged on to our blog and found my latest Books Nook post - on my classroom blog.

Yesterday morning I had dashed off a post quickly before I left for work, and I had accidentally posted it on the wrong blog!

My first reaction was complete and utter mortification! I hurriedly deleted the post and sat, holding my chest for a moment as my heart ran a sprint.

Then, as my mind cleared, I began to analyze the situation. First, I checked my statcounter. As my luck would have it, I had had more visitors that day than usual.

Next, I thought hard about the content of my post. It was a really quick post about a computer game I've discovered on addictinggames.com , and the only personal editorial comment was that discovering a new game could be dangerous for me this time of year. Okay...deep breath...that's not so bad.

And that's where Thankful Thursday comes in. I am so very grateful that my accidental post was not this or this. I think I might have been looking for a different position for the fall if that had been the case!

By the way, my new obsession is a game called Lucky Balls. Give it a try, but don't say I didn't warn you - it is fairly addictive!

What Was the Right Thing to Do?

2007-05-28T23:03:00.000-06:00

I attended a church council meeting tonight.

It was probably the first one in which I invested any emotional attachment. My question is, though, was that the right thing to do?

Until tonight, I was detached, sitting back, learning the ropes, nonchalantly voting on financial statements and whether or not to purchase a new stove for the catering committee.

Tonight, though, our church school co-ordinator's contract was up for renewal.

Not to seem biased, I have to say that she is currently an invaluable part of my life - my spiritual life, anyway. But I don't want to seem biased. ;-)

First, as a church school teacher, I owe her a debt of gratitude because she makes my job do-able (Is that even a word?). She does virtually all of the preparation, she runs all of the joint portions of the time (ie: the opening singing, the large group prayers, etc.), and she completely co-ordinates the large-scale productions, such as our musical. Without her, there probably would not be a church school, certainly not to the extent that we enjoy now.

Second, as a parent, I owe her a debt of gratitude because without her efforts, I'm not sure #1's life would be nearly as inter-twined with the church as it currently is. She was hired almost two years ago now, right around the time when #1 started to get a hint of "pre-teen attitude". Without our co-ordinator causing church school to be cool again, I may have lost him from the fold, so to speak. Instead, now I have a 12-year-old who has volunteered to regularly change the saying on the sign in front of the church, advertising up-coming events and who engages in discussions regarding religious symbolism in the movies with the priest .

Third, she is my friend. I appreciate her work so much, but I also treasure her friendship and would never want to lose that.

So, I'm sure you can see why, in a discussion regarding the renewal of her contract, I could possibly get a little hot under the collar. Of course, there are only two people on church council who have anything to do with the church school, so several of the opinions put forward were overshadowed by ignorance on the subject (Again, no bias intended ;).

I tried hard to sound detached, intelligent, and impartial, but I'm not sure it worked.

The good news is that yes, we are re-newing her contract. The other good news is that, during the refreshment time after the meeting, I had a chance to suck up to all of the people I may have (just slightly) offended during the meeting.

I hope I did the right thing.

Brotherly Advice

2007-05-28T06:48:00.000-06:00

Today is the track and field meet at the boys' school.

#2 is a little worried, as it's his first meet. Last night, he was anxiously thinking aloud, "They haven't even taught us how to do the ball-throw yet."

#1 replied with the air of contemptuous authority that only an older brother could convey, "I believe ... you throw ... the ball."

(Note the pauses for dramatic effect.)

;-)

This time of year...

2007-05-27T09:30:00.000-06:00

...seems to bring out the real craziness in my business.

A few weeks ago, a friend from the university told me that one of her profs had speculated in class that in the next five to ten years there will be a new designation of student requiring special ed help. This student will be labelled "The Pampered Child" and will require special ed help because they possess no problem-solving skills.

At first I thought she was joking, but then I encountered the following.

One day last week a parent of four told one of my colleagues, "Every day when my children get home from school I ask them how their day was."

Okay, I know what you're thinking - probably the same thing I was at this point in the story - "That's nice."

Just wait...

She continued on, "If any one of them can't tell me something positive, I call the school right away."

Wow! Think of the problem-solving skills those kids must have!

Speaking of the Circus...

2007-05-26T07:13:00.000-06:00

Last night, #3's little dance troupe performed at a local arts festival.

It was spectacular! (Granted, I am a biased stage mother.)

There are five of them in the group, and they were all clowns in a circus act. Oh - except #3. He was the ringmaster.

They garnered loads of applause, and we were all very proud. Even the older boys had to grudgingly admit that it was a lot of fun to watch.

After each of the groups from #3's dance studio performed, the adults from the group - the teachers and others who perform with them - executed two dances. One was a robotic type synchronized piece, and the other was a fire dance. It was so cool! (Oops - I guess "cool" isn't exactly the word for a fire dance, is it? Oh well, you get the idea.) Again, even my cynical 12-year-old was just about blown away with the acrobatics and showmanship of the act.

A word about our dance studio: we are absolutely thrilled with the attitude toward dance that it puts forward. Dance is not just a show with our teachers; it is an experience.

I will try to describe what I mean. You know how dancers in a group are almost always expected to look identical to one another? Perfectly matching hair, make-up, fake smiles. That's not the case here. Each of the little boys put together his own costume. They were individual and creative. And the smiles were anything but fake.

These children are not just learning dance steps and routines. They are cultivating a love for dance and performing that will hopefully last them a very long time.

Bravo, #3! We're all very proud of you.

Somedays I Feel Like Joining the Circus...

2007-05-24T23:08:00.000-06:00

You know, somedays the most bizarre part of my job is dealing with the parents. The kids are really a delight compared to their parents.

The circus is coming to town. Our school, like many others in the vicinity, have received vouchers to distribute to the younger students. These vouchers can be traded in at ticket outlets for circus tickets.

A friend of mine who teaches Grade Two received this phone call today at noon hour.

Hello, Mrs. M. I'm calling to let you know that my husband and I are dead set against circuses, particularly those that exploit animals. When Emma (name changed to protect the innocent) came home with her circus voucher, she promptly threw it in the garbage. We were very proud of her. We do feel, however, that she is old enough to make her own decisions about a topic such as this, and she has decided to attend the circus after all. Would you please send another voucher home with her this afternoon?

Is it just me, or is that not one of the strangest things you've ever heard?

Maybe I've just become an incredibly jaded teacher. Actually, there's no maybe about it; I have become cynical and jaded.

Still though, is that bizarre or what??

Thankful Thursday

2007-05-24T19:49:00.000-06:00

This week, I am thankful...

...that it has been raining and snowing almost all week, because it has given me a week off of soccer and softball. I really needed that time to catch up on laundry and other household tasks.

...that when the Grade 2 student who was running in the hallway at recess ran into me, I was holding the water bottle I got at Dollarama, not the brand new "World's Greatest Librarian" mug the boys gave me for Mother's Day.

...that Main Man was able to download the season finale of Brothers and Sisters, because I had to miss it when it aired Sunday night.

...for the Highland Games, which we attended on Sunday. The afternoon was spent watching highland dancing and "heavy games" like the caber toss, and listening to some fine pipe and drum bands. Then, the evening brought the ceilidh, with lots of dancing and Scottish refreshment. What a wild time! And the kids enjoyed it all as much as we did (well, all except the "Scottish refreshment"!).

...for the recovery of our friend from church - a little guy about 11 years old who was high-jumping at his school and missed the mat, hitting his head on the concrete floor of the gymnasium. He was hospitalized for almost a week, but when we visited him Sunday, his Dad described his recovery as 100%.

...for four day weekends!

...that the store where Main Man bought my outfit for the job-interview-that-wasn't takes back returns so readily.

...for my big brothers, both of whom are celebrating a birthday today. Yup, they were born on the same date, six years apart. Cool, eh?

...for those moments when the boys cause each other to double over in giggling fits.

...for #3's new Spiderman light-up sneakers. I paid only $6.94 for them!

Have a great week, everyone.

World History According to #3

2007-05-22T07:09:00.000-06:00

#2 (after watching the movie The Wedding Singer): I wish I'd lived in the eighties!

#3 (who had not seen the movie): Really? Why? You'd have to fight knights and stuff!

Thankful Thursday

2007-05-17T07:25:00.000-06:00

This week, I am thankful for many things, but I will write about one particular one.

A week ago today, I was frantically getting a C. V. together. I had not applied for a job in 18 years, but I was going to take the leap and apply for a new job.

First, I need to establish something: I love my job. I had not been scanning the employment pages for weeks, desperately seeking a way out of my dead-end job. That was not my situation at all.

However, a job had materialised that I was interested in. It was with the same school division I have been teaching in for almost 20 years, and it would mean no report cards to fill out, no parent-teacher interviews to smile through, and virtually no marking to take up my weekends. It was an itinerant position in which I would visit six specific schools and help their staffs design and carry out "literacy programs". Basically, lots of work with teachers, some work with students, and none of the stuff listed above which is burning me out. There would be a fair bit of driving involved, but I like driving. And in this position, I would get paid for my mileage, as driving is a requisite for the job.

I worked really hard on getting this job. My Mother's Day weekend was completely engulfed in preparations for the interview: buying just the right outfit and shoes (not easy among all those Pussycat Doll shoes!), reading up on theories and methodologies of teaching reading and writing, anticipating questions and preparing the perfect answer for each one.

Well, folks, I didn't even get an interview for the job.

And I can honestly say that I am grateful.

As I already wrote, I love my job. I really do. And I think I love my job even more now.

Every day the kids I work with make me smile.

And over the past few days, every time I've smiled at work, I've said to myself, "How could you have considered giving this up?"

Really, how could I have considered giving it all up?

Shoes Blues

2007-05-14T07:16:00.000-06:00

I had to drag a very unwilling #3 with me yesterday as I shopped for a new pair of shoes for work.

Heavily laden with a head cold, he flopped down on a bench as I scanned the wide variety of sandals, most of which were totally inappropriate for professional wear.

He must have noticed that too, for as he sat there with red weepy eyes, trying to keep his head up, he commented, "Mom, these shoes are not for you. These are Pussycat Doll Shoes."

____________________________________________________________________
Editor's Note: Life is a whirlwind here. I'm afraid I have too little time to visit you right now. I even have too little time to reply to comments. I still love reading them, though, so if you happen to stop by, feel free to leave a little blurb. I miss you all, but I'll fill you in as soon as I can. L.M.

Overheard by the Grade Six Lockers

2007-05-10T07:09:00.000-06:00

Grade Six Boy #1: But I thought you really liked her!

Grade Six Boy #2: Nah ... that was yesterday.

How Sexy Are You?

2007-05-07T07:04:00.001-06:00

Check this out!

I'll have you know that I'm a steamy 9 on the scale.

Watch - all of you are probably 10s.

Hah!

Let me know how you do ... if you dare.

Wasn't That a Weekend!

2007-05-06T18:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure I'll have enough time to get everything down in one sitting. This was the ultimate weekend. I'm still having trouble believing we fit it all in!

Friday suppertime saw me off to the church for an institute for church leaders. I still feel that calling me a church leader is a bit of a stretch, but, as a member of church council, I was expected to attend.

It started with a pizza supper, then an evening of exploring our own personalities and those of each other. Normally, I find these sorts of things slightly (if not very) annoying, but this was sort of enjoyable. There was lots of laughter, and everyone had an open mind.

It finished with a wine and cheese, but I begged off as the boys had been on their own through the evening, and I felt I should get home to them. Main Man was out of town for the weekend at a conference - more on that later.

Saturday morning I was back to the church bright and early for breakfast before continuing the leadership institute. I didn't enjoy Saturday morning quite as much. The focus turned the corner to explore how the talents, skills, and personal attributes we discovered the night before could best be used in our work for the church. I'm not sure if my lack of interest Saturday was caused by fatigue or extreme self-centredness. Possibly a little bit of both.

Lunch was also provided, but again I had to beg off because I had to get #2 to his guitar lesson.

Most of the afternoon was spent in preparation for the evening, because what an evening we were planning for! Each of the boys was off to a sleepover (Thank you so much, you wonderful people who helped us out!), and I was off to spend the night here with Main Man on the last night of his conference.

The boys set off to their various destinations, sleeping bags and pillows in hand, backpacks filled with overnight necessities such as pyjamas, toothbrushes, toys, videos, and junkfood, at about 5:00, and I was off on my own. What an amazingly decadent feeling! I was off on my own for the next 20 hours or so - no kids, no dog, no homework. Main Man was the only thing left that I would have to cope with. (Ha-ha - just kidding, Honey.)

Before I headed out on the open highway, I stopped for a quick visit to a grocery store for some essentials for a romantic evening: fancy cheeses and crackers, smoked oysters, pate, olives, and cheesecake. Next stop: the liquor store for a fine bottle of Australian Shiraz.

When I arrived at the hotel, Main Man was still schmoozing at the conference reception, so I curled up on the king-size bed and watched the beginning of Casablanca on tv. How peaceful, how quiet, how delinquent!

Once he arrived at the room, we enjoyed some appetizers, then we headed down the street for dinner. We found a trendy, casual place that specialized in international appetizers and tapas. The food was heavenly. We shared an herb tomato soup with coriander cream, an order of Portuguese roll-ups (bacon-wrapped dates), some coconut crabmeat dip, and some spicy lamb wraps. We ate so much, we felt like Weebles when we were done.

The night was young, though, and we had to keep going, no matter how Weebly we felt.

After changing into our bathing suits, we set off for the geo-thermal pool. I could actually feel the tension leaving my muscles. It was like swimming in paradise. I could have napped right then and there. When we arrived at the pool, we had thought we might stay until midnight when it closed, but it was so relaxing, we headed back to our room about eleven o'clock, just in case one of us did fall asleep in the pool!

We had also expected to spend some time at the casino before we hit the hay, but the pool had done both of us in. We were spent - in a beautifully relaxing, peaceful way.

We awoke in the morning, lounged, and watched tv. Again, I felt almost corrupt; it was Sunday morning and I was not teaching Sunday School. Would I be struck by lightning?

Eventually, we made it down to the brunch buffet in the hotel restaurant, perhaps our only disappointment of the experience. For a fairly hefty price, we "enjoyed" a pretty ho-hum brunch. Still, nothing could dampen our weekend.

After a bit of shopping in various and sundry gift-shops, we headed home to our boys, and our lovely serene mini-break was but a memory.

Still, it's a memory to keep us going for quite a while.

Newsflash: Since we arrived home, #3 learned how to ride his two-wheeler ... all by himself. Yes, you read that correctly - he learned how to ride a two-wheeler without one lesson from Main Man or myself. He simply started off on our driveway, pedalled down the slope into the street (Fortunately, we live on a very quiet street.), and took off.

There will be no holding him back now, no matter how hard we try!

Am I an Optimist or a Pessimist?

2007-05-02T07:33:00.000-06:00

You Are a Realist

You don't see the glass as half empty or half full. You see what's exactly in the glass.

You never try to make a bad situation seem better than it is...

But you also never sabotage any good things you have going on.

You are brutally honest in your assessments of situations - and this always seems to help you cope.

Are You An Optimist or Pessimist?

Could I possibly be more boring?!

So, what do you think of...

2007-04-30T22:51:00.000-06:00

...this season's "Bachelor"?

The boys and I caught the show for the first time tonight.

The consensus was that he was a bit cheesy.

At one point, he was telling one of the girls how much he admired her spirit, her intelligence, her warmth, her honesty, her generosity, her sincerity...fill in any more cheesy-sounding compliments here.

#2 piped up, "This guy uses more descriptors than a Harry Potter book!"

Out of the mouths of ten-year-olds...

What Kind of Cake Am I? Chocolate, Baby! What Else is There?!

2007-04-30T07:30:00.000-06:00

You Are a Chocolate Cake

Fun, comforting, and friendly.

You are a true classic, and while you're not super cutting edge, you're high quality.

People love your company - and have even been known to get addicted to you.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

I had sort of forgotten about Blogthings until I visited my friend Pissy's site yesterday, and she reminded me of how much fun these things can be.

Try it out.

Wish Me Peace (and a Broken Leg)

2007-04-29T08:11:00.000-06:00

I'm enjoying an ever-so-brief moment of peace before I wake up the monkeys.

This will be a busy Sunday. The church school musical performance is this morning, followed by a potluck hosted by the church school.

The musical is adorable - a look at what life was like for children aboard Noah's ark. My favourite song is "What Do You Do on a Rainy Day in an Ark?" I play the part of Mrs. Noah, and my solo is "Have You Ever Kept House in an Ark?"

This morning I need to finish up my pasta and meat sauce for the potluck and be at the church an hour early for last minute rehearsal.

Wish me a broken leg!

Thankful Thursday

2007-04-26T07:01:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful...

... for the safe travel of my dad, his wife, my sister and her husband. They have been in Europe since early April. We received an email last night from Paris, and it sounds as if they are having a spectacular time and that the weather has been perfect. They arrive home on the weekend.

... for the hard work and dedication of #2's Cub leaders and #3's Beaver leaders. I know I've mentioned my gratitude to them before, but it bears repeating. The wind-up night was earlier this week, complete with order-in pizza and potluck salads and desserts for the whole family. It was a veritable smorgasbord of good food and goodwill.

... for soft overnight spring rains that help coax the eruption of green but do not dampen daily life.

... for yesterday's rejuvenating book day.

... for strong early morning coffee.

... for last night's American Idol show, which helped me appreciate my own life so much more. It was more of a telethon than an Idol episode. I hate to admit that, as I watched it, there were times I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I hate when I let shows like that manipulate my emotions. Did any of you watch it?

... for the patience of my church council colleagues. I was elected to church council in February and I attended my third meeting earlier this week. I'm not sure I've said anything out loud at any of the meetings yet. I've sat back though, and tried to pick up the rhythm of the meetings, and hopefully, I'll be able to contribute something soon.

Literary Heaven

2007-04-25T07:35:00.000-06:00

Today I get to spend the day at a book display.

I will be in a large, hushed room with few people and myriads of books.

New books. Shiny books. Perfect books.

Picture books. Fiction. Non-fiction.

Hardcovers. Paperbacks. Graphic Novels.

It is my idea of heaven.

The only downfall is I must decide which ones I can afford in my library budget and which ones I cannot.

I've always been a very inclusive person. It's just not fair that I have to exclude some of them!

Book Review - "After"

2007-04-20T07:20:00.000-06:00

Francis Chalifour's After is a fictional account of the year after a father commits suicide.

It is not a book I would have chosen to read, had it not been a nominee for next year's Willow Awards.

I don't care for sad books. I don't quite understand the tremendous appeal of Lurlene McDaniel's writing to teenage girls. Perhaps they have not yet encountered their quota of sadness in their own lives, so they must live vicariously.

I, myself, choose to encounter sadness on any level, as rarely as is possible.

But, as it was for my work, I was willing to make the sacrifice.

By the end of this book, however, I was very pleasantly surprised.

The main character of After is fifteen-year Francis, and he is coping with growing up as best he can. Like many young men his age, Francis hates to be different, and, as "the kid with the dead dad", he finds himself always different. On top of that, his dad killed himself, so he is also "the kid with the crazy dead dad." Even worse.

There are absolutely heart-wrenching moments, like when Francis encounters his first breakup with a girl. Francis longs for his father's presence in order to "ask him what you're supposed to do when you're in love with a girl who is so clearly, cruelly, not in love with you".

Also, for a brief moment near the end of the book, Francis gets it in his mind that he will see his father again, so he composes a list of questions he must ask when he does. The list includes (among others) "How did you know you had fallen in love with Maman?", "Were you popular in school?" and "Were you proud of me?" I cried when I read that list of questions. How many of us have wanted to ask those types of questions of our parents?

The book is a tender, heartfelt account of grief. Many times, I forgot how Francis's father passed away, as it is the grief itself the book focuses on: the denial, the anger, the eventual acceptance.

The book vividly portrays those moments when Francis feels he cannot go on, but go on he must, for his mother and his five-year-old brother Luc depend on him. More than once he declares that he will not betray their trust, like his father betrayed Francis's.

After also accurately shows how time heals grief, and, at the end of the book, hope shines on, and we all know that Francis, Maman, and Luc will survive. The gradual retreat of the fog of Francis's grief would be a powerful one for any teenager to read about, but especially one who has experienced a loss.

Thankful Thursday

2007-04-19T07:11:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful ...

... for our Sunday School co-ordinator who is slowly but surely coaching the kids through our spring musical, to be held at the end of the month. #1 has a lead part and rehearses three times a week. The others are in the general chorus and practice only on Sundays. I have a solo part. Yes, you read that correctly. I am Mrs. Noah, and I get to sing a solo. (I'm a little bit excited about it.)

... for running water and for a water heater big enough for all of us to get ready for work / school in the morning without killing each other over hot water.

... that it hasn't snowed this week.

... for days off, like last Friday when I was able to have lunch downtown with Main Man.

... that #1 still communicates with us about his life outside our home. Yesterday at the supper table, he shared with us that he had gotten into a physical fight with a long-time friend at recess time. The friend and a few other guys had been picking away at #1 for a couple of days. Then, at recess, they had been playing a game and tempers flared and it grew into a fight. He has a red mark on the side of his face, but if he hadn't told us about it, I don't think we would have known. Apparently, no teacher or supervisor saw it, which may be a good thing, because they stopped the fight themselves and carried on with life, I guess.

... for my job. Late last week and early this week, I was contemplating schemes and plots to ease my way out of this profession. The kids are fantastic, but all of the other garbage we have to deal with is starting to get me down. This has been a pretty good week at work, though, and, like I said, you gotta love the kids.

Have a great week, everybody!

Getting Back on Track

2007-04-18T07:14:00.000-06:00

Well, after yesterday's post and all of your wonderfully supportive comments, I felt compelled to trudge ahead one step at a time and begin to turn my situation around.

I found a couple of things that I had misplaced, both at home and at work, so that helped a bit.

I'm still behind, but, as they say in the movie What About Bob?, "Baby steps, baby steps."

At my dentist appointment last week, I was reminded that I really haven't flossed in.... hmmmm.... well, a very long time. In my new spirit of self-improvement and non-procrastination, I decided to take out the little sample floss I received from my dentist and floss last night before bed.

This morning I feel like my mouth is full of over-stuffed bean-bag chairs. Guess I over-did it a bit.

I must remember... baby steps, baby steps.

Dragging my Heels

2007-04-17T07:09:00.000-06:00

This spring has been a tough one emotionally for me.

I constantly feel so far behind.

I thought once report cards and parent teacher interviews and library book fair were over, I would be able to relax a little, but it hasn't really seemed that way. I think I got so far behind then that I'm still catching up now.

I'm at the stage now where my mind is so full of things that have to get done that it simply can't concentrate on getting anything done.

I'm misplacing things, forgetting to return phone calls and emails, missing permissions slips that must be signed, just generally in a dense fog of nothingness.

I go through sprints when I feel I must plough through all of the necessary before I can reward myself with a smidge of the enjoyable. Although on paper (or on the screen, I suppose) this sounds like a good plan, it ends up not as good as it sounds, for all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In my case, it makes me grouchy, surly, and snappish.

I gave up blogging for a short while when I was at my busiest. I found that I missed all of you so much that the sacrifice back-fired. I spent almost the same amount of time in front of the computer, but I played mindless games instead, supposedly my reward for the sacrifice. It would have made better sense not to have sacrificed in the first place.

Ofttimes, when my brain is filled with this fog, there just isn't room for logic and priorities and simple common sense.

"Enchanted April"

2007-04-16T07:10:00.000-06:00

I borrowed the video Enchanted April from the library this weekend.

Based on a book written in 1922 by Elizabeth von Arnim, it is the story of four women of diverse backgrounds who decide to rent a small Italian castle for the month of April. Together, they spend most of that month attempting to escape their disparate and desparate lives back home in dreary London.

The four women are played by Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Joan Plowright, and Polly Walker. Each does a brilliant job of giving her character just the right qualities. I especially love the character of Mrs. Wilkins, played by Josie Lawrence. At first she seems slightly batty, but once in Italy, where everyone's mind seems to open to new ideas, she seems acutely insightful.

I won't reveal any more of the story, as you truly must watch it unwind itself in order to enjoy it fully. It is completely family-appropriate, but may be a little bit slow for younger viewers.

And listen carefully to the dialogue. Often the humour is very subtle.

This is one of the best feel-good movies I've watched in a long time.

By the way, if you're thinking of watching it, try to watch it in April.

Beaver Fever

2007-04-15T09:15:00.000-06:00

There was a young fellow at our favourite Guinness-serving establishment last night wearing a T-shirt that read, "I have beaver fever."

I was tempted to approach him, shake his hand and tell him that, as the mother of three boys who have all benefitted from the Beaver program, I truly appreciate his work with the children. I also wanted to tell him that I'm especially appreciative of his commitment in light of the evidence that the work is affecting his health.

Now that's dedication!

Welcome to the Weakend

2007-04-14T08:56:00.000-06:00

I've had the past week off.

I've been savouring a little slice of heaven, forkful by scrumptious forkful.

I had had big plans, but the snow early in the week ki-boshed many of those. And that's okay.

On a lazy week off, I will not apologise for catching the odd Oprah show or for finishing two books or for watching a mindless video with my boys.

We have done jobs we never could have done without a huge solid block of time off. Of course, we tackled the basement - and we are still surrounded by comic books yet to catalog. Perhaps today.

I've discovered, though, that I hate the weekend at the end of a holiday. Is it still holiday? Or is it just a regular weekend? I mean - I would be doing this exact same thing had I not had last week off.

And I still have schoolwork to address, just like a regular weekend. (I know what you clever, organized people out there are thinking - why didn't she do her marking through the week so she could enjoy her last days off? Well, pshaw to you if that's what you're thinking!)

So, I suppose what I'm trying to say is that my holiday is over. This is just a regular ol' hectic weekend in our household.

And I suppose that will have to do.

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

2007-04-13T09:02:00.000-06:00

When I was a teenager, I used to tell people that 13 was my lucky number. I even requested the number 13 as my number on the volleyball team.

You see, I was a very normal - AKA boring - person, and I felt this little bit of silliness made me ever-so-slightly quirky.

Besides, who really believes in these silly superstitions, anyway? I sure didn't

Until... the first time I tried out for my driver's license - on Friday the 13th.

My favourite number totally betrayed me.

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! Do you have any interesting Friday the 13th stories to share?

Thankful Thursday

2007-04-12T19:23:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful...

...for Ruffy's handsome new "do". A girlfriend of mine has a mobile grooming business. It is the most convenient thing! She just knocks on the door, takes him out to the trailer and when he returns, he is all glammed up, complete with fashionable bandanna around his neck.

...that our car passed today's safety inspection check.

...for that weird feeling after you get your teeth cleaned. We have the coolest dentist's office! While I had my appointment today, I watched the tv set into the ceiling. Cool, eh? And I got to have orange creamsicle flavoured flouride.

...that my Easter chocolate is almost gone. I've eaten mountains of garbage this week.

...for Easter holidays. I'm afraid I've had a very lazy week, but it's been great to spend some time with the boys.

...for my sister-in-law, a faithful reader and a fantastic hostess. She hosted a family supper last Friday for my nephew's 19th birthday. Although all of her family dinners are great, this one seemed especially enjoyable, probably because I was looking forward to a week's holiday and could concentrate on delicious food and enjoyable conversation instead of the pile of notebooks waiting to be marked at home.

...that all of my tiny 4-legged guests seem to be gone from the basement.

...for the new minister at our church. She is so personable and genuine!

...for the anticipation of lunch out with Main Man tomorrow at our favourite East Indian place. Butter chicken, here I come!

(This next one is supplied by #1. He's trying to help me finish up quickly because I promised to take the boys to the library when I'm done here.)

...that none of the Catholic schoolgirls at #1's band clinic last week caught his eye. (He's right. My life will be easier - for a short while, anyway - because of that.)

Whistle While You Work (Just Be Careful Not to Suck in)

2007-04-11T13:28:00.000-06:00

The basement archeological dig continues.

We are finding things we had forgotten we owned - and definitely don't need. Clothes we wore in college, textbooks we used in college, videos we watched in college (Good thing Main Man was the first one to find that box and not #1, #2, or #3!).

We've found some good things too, though. We found $46 worth of rolled coins. We found our first dog's "baby book", where I had chronicled the first two years of her life (before we had human children, obviously). We found Main Man's stash of ugly ties and old Hawaiian shirts, with which the older boys squealed with delight.

Probably the most valuable items stored in our cellar both in terms of financial value and sentimental value are Main Man's comics. He has been a collector since he was seven or eight years old. The older boys have been given the task of going through the multitude of boxes and cataloguing the titles and numbers on a spreadsheet. I'm not sure they've ever been given a more enjoyable chore.

Someone....

2007-04-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

....needs to tell Mother Nature that April Fool's Day has passed us by.

We woke up this morning - April 10 - to a blizzardy winter wonderland outside.

I am so tired of snow!

I Am One Proud Mama!

2007-04-09T17:13:00.000-06:00

#2 came home from school one day last week very excited.

His class had participated in a city-wide writing assessment. Each Grade Four student in the system wrote on the topic "A Memorable Event" and then the stories were sent into the division office to be graded by committee.

He was the only student in Grade Four in his whole school to achieved a mark of 6 on his assessment, the highest mark available.

Here is the description of a piece of "6" writing:

This piece is full of creative ideas, with lots of interesting details. The lead hooks the reader's attention and the conclusion wraps the piece up neatly. Through the whole piece, the words are powerful and the writer's voice is strong. This piece is a pleasure to read or brings out strong feelings for the reader.

That's my boy!

Cr(H)appy Easter!

2007-04-08T20:24:00.000-06:00

Happy Easter, everyone!

We have had a - shall we say - very interesting day.

It all started last night when Main Man and I went out after supper to buy Easter Bunny goodies. I know we shouldn't have left it 'til the last minute, but at least that way, we didn't have to worry about the kids finding our hiding place.

By the time we got home, it was late enough that I was very tired. Main Man, on the other hand, had promised to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the boys, so he was bound and determined to keep his promise.

I tried to sit through it, but just couldn't make it. I was so tired!

So I went to bed.

Normally that would not have been such a big deal, but, because I had gone to bed before the boys, the Easter Bunny did not make an appearance - not at his usual time, anyway.

Therefore, he showed up at about 5:00 a.m. (if you know what I mean).

Luckily, I was able to get back to sleep after he woke me up (;-), and I got up to get ready for church around 8:30. The boys dribbled out of bed one at a time shortly after I did, and they were quite excited about their baskets. (Except that, unbeknownst to me- and the Easter Bunny evidently - they all decided they did not like dark chocolate. Funny, it's my favourite. Guess I'll have to eat theirs up for them.).

Anyway, we were about 15 minutes away from leaving for church when Main Man noticed something wrong with Ruffy, our schnoodle. It's difficult to put this delicately. Poor Ruffy had managed to stick a lump of poop the size of an egg to his bottom.

There was no way to remove it easily, so I stripped down (I was already in my church outfit.) and proceeded to bathe our uncomfortable pooch. Now that was a glamourous Easter morn!

We did manage to arrive at church on time, and everything went very smoothly there. Lots of "Happy Easter!"s and "Great to see you"s, and all of my boys actually listened to the sermon (I love our new minister!).

In the afternoon, we began our Easter holiday family project of clearing and cleaning out the basement. We have a contractor coming to begin foundation repair (Our house is 51 years old and built on a swamp.) in early May, so we're trying to either remove or sort out all of the items in the basement before then.

Of course, part of the clean-up process involves cleaning up after our little critter visitors of late. By the way, for anyone who has been following the Library Mama Mouse Saga, we seem to have beaten them. No new signs of their presence in over a week. Believe me, had there been any new evidence, you would not have seen me cleaning up in the basement today!

Anyway, as Main Man pointed out as he worked away at a storage closet filled with evidence (to put it delicately) of our little friends, we were sure having a "crappy" Easter this year.

I sincerely hope that none of you, my fair friends, have had as crappy an Easter as we have had, and that yours was instead very happy.

Growing Up: The Sequel

2007-04-03T22:46:00.000-06:00

Part II

#1 is excited about a jazz band clinic he's attending tomorrow. A trio from New York is coming in to play for and with the kids and to give them some pointers.

Several schools will be attending, including some schools he's never worked with before. He informed me this evening that even a Catholic school would have students attending.

With a dreamy look in his eye, he mused, "Hmmmm, Catholic school girls..."

Boys Will be Boys

2007-04-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

Last night oodles of giggles suddenly emanated from the room that #2 and #3 share. Knowing that could mean trouble, of course I opened the door to check on the situation.

It appears that they were testing the new protective gear we had just purchased for #2, as he will begin sparring in Tae Kwon Do this week.

He was decked out in his new cup, and #3 was trying to kick him as hard as he could in order to determine just how effective it was.

I'm glad I caught them before they began to test the new mouthguard.

Happy Blog-iversary to Me

2007-04-01T23:43:00.000-06:00

Well, it's almost midnight, and I almost let today disappear without making a post, but I decided to bite the bullet and make the announcement:

Today - April 1st - is my blog-iversary.

I've been blogging for a year now. Hard to believe, but, yes, the day has arrived. It all began with this. I know, I know - what fine literature that is, isn't it? (Yes, my tongue is very firmly in my cheek.)

On a more serious note, though, thank you all for reading, and for commenting. There's something very heartwarming about the idea that people who have never met me are willing to type things into their computers to reach out to me and touch me. Thank you so much for your internet-friendships.

I have nothing profound to contribute today, nothing new. I'm sitting here with a glass of wine, enjoying the evening, having a little celebration all to myself.

All I will do is share my favourite post over the last year, the most poignant for me. I actually hoped to submit it to a magazine at one point, but I now know I never will. The closest I will come is to share it with my blog friends. I hope you enjoy it.

Sweet dreams, my friends. Please come again.

Growing Up

2007-03-31T23:29:00.000-06:00

#1 is definitely growing up.

He is now at least two inches taller than I am.

This afternoon we were at the church for an inter-generational Palm Saturday event. The event finished with a closing prayer in which we all stood in a circle holding hands. #1 just happened to be standing beside this girl who is just a little older than he is and is very pretty (but is absolutely and completely aware of it, if you know what I mean.).

I was giving him the gears about it on the way home. I said,"I noticed you happened to be standing beside someone interesting when we all got to hold hands at the end."

With eyebrows going up and down and a huge silver bracey smile he replied, "I know!"

Main Man was also giving him a hard time over it at supper. His advice was, "Be careful. You don't want to be just the flavour of the week."

#1's reply? "Oh, but what a week that would be!"

Kindergarten Wisdom

2007-03-30T12:34:00.000-06:00

I had the kindergarten students in for story-time this morning.

I told one of the little guys that I liked his shoes.

He informed me that he had much nicer ones at home. He called them his wedding shoes.

I asked if someone special was getting married.

"No, no one is getting married," he replied, "but my grandpa got dead."

Thankful Thursday

2007-03-29T06:59:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful...

...for the new minister at our church. Her induction ceremony was on Sunday evening. #1 was a server for the ceremony. I was very proud of him. I digress, though: our new minister is fabulous. She seems to be really interested in youth, which suits our family perfectly. This Sunday, she's going to join the youth group in a rousing game of lazer tag!

...for #1's curling season, which wrapped up yesterday. He had a great time, and it would appear that he is hooked. He's already talking about gathering together a team for next year.

...that I've managed to shake most of this terrible cold I've had for the last week. My energy level is beginning to pick up, and I no longer go into full-out panic mode if there isn't a box of tissues in my line of sight, so I guess I must be getting better.

...for #2's dedication to his Tae Kwon Do. He tested on Tuesday, and we find out tonight if he passed onto his first official belt. He was pretty nervous before his test, but he did a great job.

...that #3 brought home the right rubber boots after Beavers on Tuesday. We got an email this morning that one of the little guys went home with someone else's boots (a common occurrence at this time of year when just about every 4 - 11 year old wears standard issue Wal-Mart $8 wellies), so I quickly checked, and we're in the clear.

...for my Mp3 player, which I dug up and re-juiced on the weekend. I hadn't used it much through the winter, and I'm so glad to be using it again. I love the feeling of being totally immersed in my music. I've taken to wearing it when I mark books and papers in the evening. Now, that sure cuts down on distractions!

...that daylight once again shines through the kitchen window while we eat supper. I love when the days begin to get longer. I always look forward to that first morning of work after the Easter break, when my alarm is greeted by daylight.

...that April Fool's Day falls on a weekend this year. As a teacher, I consider this occurrence a special gift from God!

Have a great week, everyone!

High Beams

2007-03-20T06:53:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted. It's also been quite a while since I ventured out to visit any of you.

Report cards and parent teacher interviews seem to act as high-beam spotlights, highlighting my inadequacies - to myself anyway.

When life is that busy, my children are neglected. I spend hours and hours out at that school in report preparation, not to mention the extra evening hours spent conducting the interviews themselves. As independent as my boys are, it simply isn't fair that they are sacrificed in order for me to help other people's children. They would never speak a word of complaint, but I can feel it.

I would love to be that mom whose kid has new rubber boots to wear to school on the day of the first big thaw. Instead, I'm the one waiting for the weekend for the time to drag the old ones out of that big bin o' boots in the basement. "If the old ones don't fit, maybe your brother's old ones will."

I would love to be that mom whose kid never has a hole in his sock at Beavers. Nope, that's not me. I would love to be the mom who has the perfect outfit ready for each kid to wear to school for St. Patrick's Day. Instead, I had to shake out green t-shirts from the massive pile of yet-to-do laundry, hoping beyond hope no spots showed.

And my house? Whoa - that's a story I simply cannot tell. As well as the aforementioned laundry, my kitchen floor badly needs a scrub and the boys' rooms need a bull-dozer.

You would think that a three day weekend would cure all, but frankly, I spent the weekend doing things with my kids, not necessarily for them. I took #2 to the National Tae Kwon Do competition held in our city. I took the boys to the Science Centre. I played cards with #3.

I was a mom.

Next weekend, I'll be a housekeeper.

Minor Victory

2007-03-16T14:51:00.000-06:00

We caught one.

But only one.

And I know there are more.

Hopefully not too many more...

Update: Saturday morning

2 more!

Further update: Sunday morning

1 more.

(This is really starting to creep me out.)

Thankful Thursday

2007-03-15T06:47:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful...

...that I'm starting to see the light through my two whirlwind weeks of work. This bout of report cards and interviews is almost over. Whew!

...that I made it through half my parent-student-teacher conferences and no one has yelled at me yet.

...that I made it home last night. By the time we were finished interviews at about 8:00 p.m., a wicked spring blizzard had blown up. Many teachers on staff had decided to stay overnight in the small town in which I teach. I was determined, though, to make it home to my family. I have to admit that I am more than slightly resentful of these evening interviews. I work so many hours beyond school hours already that I really resent being told that I have no choice about these interviews. I have a six-year-old, dagnabit! He needs his mom around.

...that#3's jazz band is performing at a festival this evening. Of course, I'm unable to go see the performance (I have the last half of my interviews.), but I'm grateful that he has the opportunity.

...that I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. I always get a new lease on life with a new haircut.

...for the church St. Patrick's Day Irish Stew night coming up on Saturday. It's a hoot! They even serve Guinness. I go to such a cool church!

...for what we hope to do after the church stew night. Main Man and I have plans to go to our favourite Irish night-time establishment and celebrate St. Patty's Day in true Irish fashion. We can't wait!

Have a great week, everyone. Thanks for hanging in there with me through the rough times.

9:20 p.m.
Addendum: I am ever so thankful to be all finished parent-student-teacher conferences. I'm enjoying a glass of wine, preparing for a bubble bath to celebrate. Hip-hip-hooray!

Book Review: Post Mortem

2007-03-12T06:53:00.000-06:00

Patricia Cornwell's Post Mortem is a fairly old book, but I'm one of those people who likes to start reading a series of books from the beginning.

It is the story of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Richmond, Virginia's Chief Medical Officer, and her quest to find the serial killer who has raped, tortured and killed four young women. In addition to Kay's gruesome job, she's also dealing with her ten-year-old niece, Lucy, who is visiting. Lucy is coping with a little emotional baggage of her own.

I listened to this book on CD as I drove to work and back over the last couple of weeks. Perhaps had I actually read the book, I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, I found stretches of it unbearably clinical and technical, and I simply clued those sections out as I tussled through the traffic.

I didn't care for the voice of the woman reading onto the CD, either, which is rather odd since it's the same woman who reads the Janet Evanovich books on CD, and I love when she reads those. I just got the feeling that she was finding Post Mortem as dull as I was.

I'll probably give the next book about Dr. Scarpetta a chance, but I don't think I'll listen to that one. I'll try reading it instead and see if that helps.

Just a Quick Note...

2007-03-11T17:03:00.000-06:00

...to check in and say hi to everyone out there.

I've been working really hard. Reports go out tomorrow, and I will be ready.

I was out at the school from 8:15 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. yesterday and I got so much done. Still, I have comments to finish up on the cards. I hate writing them, but, as a parent, they're my favourite part to read on my own kids' reports, so I will keep slogging away.

Just wanted everybody to know that all is well, and that I really appreciate those who are still stopping by and are still commenting. Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply here or to return the favour on your blogs.

This will be another busy week, with Book Fair in my library all week, and with Parent-Teacher Interviews Wednesday and Thursday evenings, but I do get Friday off in lieu of working both those evenings, so #3 and I have big plans. He keeps asking, "How many more sleeps 'til you get to spend the morning with me?" He'll be in kindergarten in the afternoon, so we have to jam all our fun into the morning.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is: if you don't hear much from me this week, I'm fine, just busy, and I am thinking of all of you.

Take care.

Book Review: Sadie the Ballerina

2007-03-09T06:27:00.000-06:00

The new Willow Award nominees are out! The new Willow Award nominees are out! And I can't wait to read them all.

I decided to start with a little tale by Joan Betty Stuchner called (warning, there are spoilers located in the following link) Sadie the Ballerina, and I am so glad I did. Not only is it a delightful story, but Bruno St.-Aubin's illustrations are enchanting - all pink and swirling, just like a ballerina.

Sadie desperately wants to go to ballet school. She loves to point her toes and twirl and dance. Her mother, however, simply does not understand and says things to Sadie like, "Wouldn't it be more fun to go to clown school?"

When the ballet comes, though, her parent do take Sadie to see The Nutcracker. I especially like the description and the illustration when Sadie and her parents are walking through the lobby of the theatre. When the show begins, Sadie is entranced, especially with the lovely Sugar Plum Fairy and the handsome Nutcracker Prince. She becomes so overwhelmed, in fact, that she does something only Sadie would do. If you want to know what that is, you'll have to read the book. ;-)

If you have a girl who dances, or, even better, one who longs to dance, you must read this book to her. I read it to my younger boys, too, though, and they enjoyed Sadie's spirit and spontaniety, as well.

Idol Wisdom

2007-03-08T19:58:00.000-06:00

#3's comment as Antonella sang her farewell song this evening:

"She's hot, but she sucks at singing."

Thankful Thursday

2007-03-08T06:31:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful...

...for my job. At this crazy, hectic report card time, I often forget how much I truly love it. There isn't a day goes by that these students of mine don't make me smile.

...for my husband. Again, he often bears the brunt of my busy-ness at this time, but I do truly appreciate how he takes up the slack with things around home, even though it's often a busy time for him, as well.

...for #1. Last night I was telling him that I was getting too much attitude from him, but, all things considered, we probably get a lot less than the average family.

...for #2. Somehow, without our realizing it, he has grown into the most responsible of the three. He is meticulous about getting his homework done, he is usually patient and guiding with #3, and he actually cleans his room when he is asked to. Who'd 'a' thunk it?

...for #3, who can make me smile through anything. Last night I was at the kitchen table, books spread all around, red pen in hand, when he came in and asked me for a snack. I snapped, "Please get your father to get you a snack. I'm too busy." Seconds later, he was by my side, asking in his wee voice,"Are you too busy for a hug?" Priorities, priorities...

...for my dog. I often have trouble sleeping at report card time. You know, you've all done it - you wake up and you stew about unfinished things, will you have enough time, will you find that paper you lost, blah, blah, blah... Anyway, I have found that if I can touch the warm fur of my dog, it relaxes me and helps me settle back into sleep. And luckily, he's a bit of a cuddle-pup, so it works well for him, too.

Have a great week, everyone, and take some time to ponder what you are thankful for.

Energy Boost

2007-03-07T06:51:00.000-06:00

I went to a seminar yesterday on "Increasing the Effectiveness of Your School Library Program". It was spectacular. I always consider a professional development opportunity a success if I learn one thing I can use the day I go back to work. I probably learned at least a dozen at this one.

The presenter was dynamic and had us rolling in the aisles with some of her stories. She works in San Diego, California, but she is actually, in her own words, "a Southern Belle from South Carolina." The best part? She actually is a teacher librarian. She actually knows what she is talking about. I think that is what made her stories so incredibly funny; we've all been there, done that.

We each received a handbook of ideas she had compiled to help with all aspects of teacher-librarianship. I expect it will be dog-eared and well loved.

This handout includes pages and pages of lists of great books for kids. I've already started putting some on hold at our public library so I can preview them. I'm so excited!

It was great to have an energizing day like yesterday to get me through this terrible period of report cards. 5 more sleeps - if you can call them that. I didn't sleep very well last night. I just have to keep telling myself - this too shall pass. In a little over a week, when parent-teacher conferences are over with, I'll be sleeping like a rock.

I think...

2007-03-05T07:05:00.000-06:00

...we have...

...a mouse...

...in our house!

(Any tips out there?)

"The Elephant Man"

2007-03-04T08:35:00.000-06:00

Our family caught a little more than half of The Elephant Man on television Friday night. I had never seen it before. I suppose that's not especially surprising, considering it came out when I was in high school and lived out in the boonies, a hundred miles from anything resembling a movie theatre.

It was an awesome film. Main Man was actually heading out to do some errands after supper when the boys and I started watching it, and he stood with his coat and boots on at the door, entranced with the story. I bet he stood like that at least twenty minutes, unable to draw himself away. (Too bad it was on a no-commercial channel.)

What really amazed me about the experience of watching it with the boys, though, was their reaction to the way John Merrick was treated. #2 and #3 were particularly vehement in their contempt of the people who mistreated him.

After watching that famous scene in which Merrick shouts out, " I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!", #3 spontaneously shouted out, "Good for you!" I actually think he had tears in his eyes.

It is extremely gratifying to think that my boys might actually "get it". You know, you work so hard to instill values, and you hope and pray that it might actually be taking hold. Sure is nice when a simple, unexpected time like this shows you that you might actually be on the right track.

Wasting Time

2007-03-03T11:28:00.000-06:00

I snuck out of the house this morning before anyone else was up.

Report cards go out in ten days, so I'm in cramming mode. I wanted to get out to the school early to get some serious work done.

I worked for a couple of hours and I found myself very hungry, so, even though it was only 11:10, I decided to have my lunch. Well, it's now 11:30 and I'm finished my veggies and dip and my rice cakes and tuna. With a lunch like that, I'm going to feel like picking up a burger at about 2:00!

I'm not quite ready to delve back into the books, so thought I'd visit good ol' blogger and say hi to everyone. If you're reading this, please leave me a comment. I'm looking for lots of little diversions today.

Sitting here in this isolated classroom crunching numbers, I'd really like to know that someone's thinking of me.

Thankful Thursday

2007-03-01T07:03:00.000-06:00

This week, I am thankful...

... that our Oscar party is over for another year. After 17 years of putting on a certain type of party, you would think that it would be just a mere hiccup in your week, but it's always a major cough, almost a gag, no matter how successful. It's so much work.

... that Main Man is making more of an effort to turn lights off when he walks out of a room.

... that #1's braces are more manageable for him now. I was getting a little worried about the number of Advils he was popping.

... that #2 had a fabulous time on his Cub Scout ski trip, and that, unlike his father on his first foray onto a ski hill at age 10, he did not break his leg!

... that #3 had such fun on his first sleepover Saturday night. I think the family might be vegetarian. He said they had peanut butter soup for supper. He wasn't all that impressed with that, but had a great time otherwise.

... for movie nights with the girls. Even if the movie isn't all that great, it's nice to get out.

... for supper out with the girls. (Yes, I've had a big week!) Last night a group of us teacher-librarians got together and attended a fundraising dinner for the Willow Awards. It was an evening of delicious food, delightful conversation, and divine literature.

... that March has arrived, which must mean that spring is just around the corner. We did, however, have a major snowfall last night, so that corner may still be a little far away yet.

... that, even with report cards less than two weeks away, panic hasn't set in yet. I'm sure it will soon, though.

Have a great week, everyone!

"Music and Lyrics"

2007-02-28T07:08:00.000-06:00

Watching the movie Music and Lyrics is like reading a Harlequin Romance while listening to really bad music.

I like Hugh Grant and I like Drew Barrymore. I even like them together. I just don't like them together in this movie.

Have you seen a commercial for this movie? If so, then you have seen all the good parts and you've heard all the good lines. Interesting, as I listened to the audience laugh, I noticed that they really only laughed at the lines that were in the commercial.

Sadly, as bad as the movie was, it still must have captured a small piece of my heart, as in the climax at the end - you know, the part where the Harlequin male lead truly captures the heart of the female lead by doing something totally romantic and unexpected (although everyone expects it) - I still shed a tear or two. I'm such a softy.

Of Cabbages and Kings, Toilets and Lightbulbs

2007-02-27T07:15:00.000-06:00

This li'l ol' Oscar party of ours tends to cause a fair bit of stress in the days leading up. Both Main Man and I are concerned that things be great for our guests. Notice I don't write that we wish they were perfect; we know that's impossible.

Often, we have at least one knock-down, drag-'em-out argument during this time.

***I must take a brief commercial break to point out that my philosophy of arguing in front of the kids is that it's fine as long as two conditions are met: 1) No name calling or swearing, and 2) they should also see you make up. ***

Thursday morning, Main Man went to use the washroom just before leaving for work. It irks him to no end when one of the boys forgets to flush, so - sure enough - he blows a gasket because the toilet isn't flushed.

I'm a little irritable myself, so I point out that whenever his little pet peeve happens, we all have to jump to make it better, but when someone leaves a light on in an empty room (my pet peeve), I must go and turn it off myself.

Suffice it to say - we discuss this at length all the way in the car as I drop him off at work.

After we arrive at his office and he jumps out (You all would have been very proud of me; as angry as I was, I still slowed down for him to get out!), #3's voice pipes up from the back seat of the car, "Okay, are we finished arguing about toilets and lightbulbs yet?"

A Glimpse into the Empty Nest

2007-02-26T12:53:00.000-06:00

Main Man and I had the house to ourselves for five hours on Saturday evening. It felt like an out-of-body experience, almost as surreal as our Saturday evening out two weeks ago.

#1 was out babysitting for friends of ours.

#2 was on a weekend ski trip with his Cub Scout troop.

#3 was on his first sleepover.

I know what you're wondering - probably exactly what a girlfriend of mine asked last evening when I was relating this story to her - if we had the house to ourselves for five hours, what did we do for the other four hours and 45 minutes? ;-)

Anyway, as I'm sure you'll consider going down that particular road to be just ever-so-slightly TMI, I will turn the corner...

Main Man and I cannot complain in the least about our social life. Now that #1 can so capably babysit, we get out once every week or two - more than we have in years. Still, being alone together in the house is extremely rare - so rare that I can't remember the last time it happened.

Unfortunately, this rarity fell at a time when it was difficult to take full advantage. Our family was in the middle of preparations for probably our biggest night of the year - the Academy Awards.

Every year since we've been married, Main Man and I have hosted an Oscar party. We pride ourselves on certain traditions peculiar to this particular gathering. Every guest goes home with at least one doorprize. When an acceptance speech goes on too long or someone undeserving wins a statuette or a production number is just too bizarre (Remember Rob Lowe and Snow White?), guests delight in throwing marshmallows at the television. Every guest fills out a ballot indicating who will win each category - yes, every category, right down to best documentary short and best sound mixing - and throws two bucks in the pot. Whoever gets the most picks correct wins the pot. For second and third prizes, we provide donated restaurant gift certificates. We just don't consider it a successful party unless at least five or six guests are sitting on the floor. We simply don't have seating for everyone. And food! Well, basically, I don't sit down at all, as I'm kept busy keeping the kitchen smoking (so to speak) as the snacks and appetizers make their way guest-ward.

Anyway - I digress. Back to our evening alone together...

As I was saying, Main Man and I were busily cleaning house for our big night. I often say - if it weren't for the Oscars, my house would never be thoroughly cleaned!

We did take some time for ourselves, though. We ordered in from our favourite East Indian place and enjoyed a delicious meal of Samosas, Channa Masala, Butter Chicken, Basmati Rice, Naan, and Raita with a fine red wine. Our boys aren't big on East Indian, so it seemed like the perfect thing to do with them gone.

Still, as wonderful as our romantic meal was, it didn't take long for my heart to feel the stabs of hunger pangs. I really started to miss the boys. Finally, about 9:00, I gave in and phoned #1 to see how his babysitting job was going. He was doing just fine; he had tucked in the little girl he was looking after and had settled down to watch some tv. Main Man wouldn't let me call to see how #3 was making out at his sleepover. As it was his first, Main Man was worried I would make him homesick. But I missed him! Maybe I wanted him to be homesick!

Oh, not really... I know that isn't healthy.

Still, I've never really considered before then just how empty that empty nest can be.

Band of Brothers and Sisters

2007-02-24T10:02:00.000-06:00

Last night was "February Blues" at our local high school. Performing were various jazz groups from the school community.

The first act was a little group called "Junior Green and Gold". They happen to have a very talented first saxophone called #1.

It was a lovely evening. There were tables laid out with blue tablecloths and flickering candles. Exotic coffees and caloric cheesecakes were available. Main Man and I felt as if it was date night, even with #3 sitting between us.

Although the acts on stage - both orchestral and vocal - were spectacular, I enjoyed the entertainment offstage just as much. Watching these music students with their friends touched my heart. This is the culture I want my boys to be a part of when they enter that big scary place called high school.

When I was their age, I attended a tiny rural high school. There were six students in my graduating class. Although I admit wholeheartedly that that situation gave me distinct advantages with regard to things like student/teacher ratio and social situations (It's hard to maintain a "clique" with only six kids.), occasions such as last night's "Blues" give me pause to consider what I might have missed out on. How wonderful to have a music program at all, let alone a jazz program comprehensive enough to provide an entire evening of entertainment. And even more wonderful to have a group of friends who live for the same things you do. Imagine being able to choose your friends based on interests and values and not on geography. It would have been unfathomable in my high school experience.

The high school our boys will attend is perhaps the largest in our city. Last night, in addition to #1's elementary group, two jazz bands and two vocal groups performed. These ensembles were formed only from students from the high school. The population of the school is huge, and the talent is immense. The friendship and camaraderie amongst this particular group of kids, though, is palpable: the way they cheer each other on, the way they send an encouraging glance or smile after a friend performs a solo, the way they wave to one another on and off stage.

Because #1 is part of the jazz band, he is getting to know kids from other elementary schools in the high school area. These will be his friends when he enters those formidable hallowed halls. He will have a safety net that other kids may not have, because he is beginning to weave that net now, two years before he really needs it.

Last night, I could see that he is already amongst his band of brothers and sisters.

Bracing News

2007-02-22T23:24:00.000-06:00

My #1 got his braces today. He's doing pretty well.

I think he's adorable. As a teenager, I always thought the guys with braces were cute. Guess I still do.

Funny the little things kids worry about. A new girl in #1's class has braces, and she has a bit of a speech problem. #1 thought her speech concerns were caused by her braces, and he worried that his braces would do the same for him. He's relieved that they haven't.

Tomorrow evening, # 1's jazz band has a concert. I hope he'll be able to play. We've been told that it's much easier to play the sax than the trumpet after getting braces, so I have my fingers crossed.

Tomorrow is also career fair at his school, so he'll be presenting all afternoon. I hope he'll be okay.

I'm pleased that he's not shy about smiling with his new grills. Actually, I think he quite fancies them. Maybe he believes his old mom that he looks cute in them.

Bracing Update: When #1 came home for lunch, one of his front brace brackets had come loose. I rushed him to the ortho over his lunch hour to get it fixed. The ortho is really a great guy - he fixed it right away and was very apologetic for the pain caused as he did. (BTW - He's a real cutie too. I think #1 will need his mother to accompany him to all future appointments. Dad just won't do.) #1 still had time to eat lunch at home before heading back to school. He seems to be coping with career fair pretty well.

Teachers' Convention

2007-02-19T22:32:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day of our two-day convention. I know that the event takes hours and hours of work for the organizers, and I do appreciate their efforts, but I still wonder what the point is.

The day consisted of greetings from various important people, a miserable motivational speaker who shrieked at us about living our dreams and remaining positive, a business meeting in which the powers that be really did try to make the discussion pertinent to the four hundred or so attendees, and then one more motivational speaker who actually wasn't bad.

By the end of the day I was numb. I missed my students desperately.

Time for Some Comedy Relief

2007-02-17T10:27:00.000-06:00

First ... a good joke.

And now ... a funny story about #3:

We have a college-age nephew who is studying engineering. He has really great marks and has worked on teams that have created some award-winning projects. I must admit that many of his projects are beyond my brain's comprehension capabilities.

One of his teams is developing a "space elevator". From what I understand it is a method of transporting materials to and from space without the use of a Space Shuttle.

#3 is fascinated by this idea. After listening with rapt attention, his little voice piped up, "Wow, that would be one long elevator ride! You'd get really sick of the elevator music!"

Thankful Thursday

2007-02-15T17:43:00.000-06:00

This week I am thankful for...

... life.

One of my colleagues was home sick this week for three days. The woman filling in for her was a mom from our school community (I've taught both of her kids.) who is now a retired teacher.

We had the chance to renew our acquaintance this week. We chatted over lunch and I helped her with questions she had on our school routines. She filled me in on what her kids are doing now; they're in their late teens, early twenties. She told me excitedly about her upcoming trip to Puerto Vallerta. She had recently celebrated her sixtieth birthday.

This morning, on her way to substitute at a different school, her car was struck on the driver side full force at an uncontrolled rural intersection by a car driven by a seventeen-year-old boy. She is fighting for her life as the doctors struggle to control her internal bleeding. I think the boy and his mother, also in his car, are doing well.

Evidently, the first vehicle on the scene after the accident was a school bus full of students. The scene was horrific. Counsellors were called to the school to help the kids deal with the trauma.

All I can think of is the look in her eye as she told me about how much she loved Mexico.

Just a lesson, I suppose, in making each and every day count.

Am I in David Lynch Film?

2007-02-12T06:53:00.000-06:00

Some surreal observations from our evening out on Saturday:

- a woman at least seventy years old dancing among the college crowd. She danced alone, and she appeared to be sitting alone. She had the figure of a prima ballerina and she danced beautifully. It was difficult to take your eyes off of her.

- two young women with serious big hair, dancing suggestively with drinks in their hands. Did I say suggestively? It looked like they were about to switch into lap-dance mode at any moment. One of them appeared to be pregnant; however it could simply have been what she was wearing. Still, the surreality of it all was too much to bear.

- a young woman with dwarfism who was with two very tall friends. Perhaps from our vantage point up in the balcony, the height difference among the three of them was exaggerated, but, added to the other incidents, it bore retelling.

And now for the piece de resistance....

- as we left the warmth of the building and walked out into the brick wall of frigidity (we're still in the deep-freeze here), we passed a rather dumpy young man bundled up from the cold, speaking into his cell-phone. The phrase we overheard as we passed?

"Yes, but you hurt me too, Mother!"

I'm on the Prowl!

2007-02-10T20:12:00.000-06:00

I have just had so much fun!

Main Man took the boys to an early movie. I think they went to see Eragon.

We have plans to go out for a couple of drinks to our favourite Irish pub after they get home.

I have just spent the last hour or so getting ready for our date. I mean, really getting ready, just like back in my college days.

These days, getting ready to go out means making sure the supper dishes are off the table and the last load of laundry in the dryer is folded before I fix my lipstick and try to find a shirt that isn't too spotty or wrinkled.

Tonight was a different story. I showered, shaved, spritzed, brushed, moisturized, blow-dried, curled, sprayed, tried on a few outfits, and applied real honest-to-goodness make-up, not just lipstick. I feel like a million bucks.

Move over Heidi and Tyra - Library Mama is in fine form tonight!

Random Friday Thoughts

2007-02-09T23:08:00.000-06:00

I came home from work exhausted and slightly headachey today. It seemed like an awfully long week. After supper, I fell asleep on the couch while reading (not a comment on the book). I was told later that Main Man had fallen asleep on the other end of the couch. Meanwhile, our kids were having a grand old time eating popcorn and watching tv in our bedroom. I know I'm going to be sleeping on popcorn crumbs tonight.

The boys locked themselves out of the house today in -27 degree Celsius weather. Luckily we have an amazing neighbour who fed them lunch and looked after them after school until I could get home. I often wonder what I would do without our wonderful neighbours.

Last Friday and again tonight, we had a family game of Kaiser, an old card game I used to play as a kid on the school bus. Ever played it? It was a blast from my past. I'm a player, though. When I'm playing a game, I like to play the game. Main Man and the boys would rather joke around and distract each other. By the end of the evening, I was quite tired of people speaking just to hear their own voices. I know, I know...I'm a party pooper. They've already informed me of the fact. My question is this, though - why even play a game if you're constantly going to forget whose turn it is?

So it's Valentine season. How does everyone feel about that? I don't mind it. It's kind of a nice day for teachers. I'll get lots of little "for the teacher" valentine cards and maybe even a few chocolates. Still, here at home on the other end, I'm not sure how much I like supervising a kindergartner printing out the names of all his friends. Grade 1 is so much better. Guess I can look forward to that. #3's biggest concern is that he wants to write "I love you" on the valentine for one specific girl in his class, but he's a little ambivalent about the thought. I figure he's just another male who is afraid to commit.

And is it just me, or was Anna Nicole Smith more than just a little creepy?