Watch this Video and CLICK!

          Today I had a a tiny regret...oh why did we leave the sand, sun, and CIA???
          On Facebook for the past few days I noticed a video and thought to myself, I should watch this...due to the busyness of occasional teaching, taking a course, and another unsuccessful job interview, I let it slide down my wall. 
          But thanks to two Facebook friends down in St. Maarten, this video popped up on my page again.  I took the five and a half minutes to check it out and click, LIKE.  Not only do I like it, I LOVE it!!  Familiar faces are front and centre, thanks to the effort of the teacher (Ms. Blanchette) and the dancers from CIA.  Congratulations!
           I hope it raises your spirits as it has mine!!! Simply click, view, and enjoy! 

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjUBtCXqvd1E&h=2AQEoUA1yAQFAvIJEXMpTlqhC4pZDCLJALW1yEIc35IrTIQ

Until next time,

Bee Rich      

An Unbelievable Beautiful Winter Morning!

An early morning ski!

           This morning was Sunday.  I woke up early and noticed the sun just peaking above the horizon.  Looking at the clock (6 a.m.) I stretched, yawned, and poked my husband. "It's time to get up if you are going fishing," I reminded him. 
           We made our way to the kitchen for that first cup of coffee and made our plan for the day.  He was going fishing and I would be doing course work before we left to visit my brother in "the city."  I finished an "e-tivity" and then looked out the window.  The fresh snow on the lake beckoned to me, and before I knew what was happening, I was dressing in layers, pulling on my ski boots, and sliding down the path to the lake. 
           I put on my skis and adjusted my poles.  Step, slide, pole, step, slide, pole...out I skied to the middle of the lake.  Stopping to capture my trail behind me on the digital camera, I also clicked a pic of our home on the up on the hill.

A winter wonderland!

         The I turned and headed down the lake in the direction of the ATV tracks.  Step slide pole, step slide pole, etc. In 500 metres I had lost my breath and my heart was pounding.  What a feeling!  I stopped to catch my breath and take a few more pictures. 

         
             What was that coming up the lake?  Was it a skid-oo? A fancy ATV? Superman?  I wasn't sure. You see my husband had just bought a new-to-him ATV and I had not seen it in action.  Honestly, as it came closer, I thought it was a snowmobile.  It couldn't have been my husband.  He hadn't been out on the lake long enough to even drill a hole.

           Then I realized that I wasn't wearing my glasses, so I couldn't see who or what it was riding up the lake, that was until it was right beside me...

           To my surprise it was my husband with a tale of woe to tell.  First, his new-to-him toboggan had fallen down the hill,breaking one ski.  He abandoned it at the bottom of the hill and headed out to his favourite fishing spot.  Once there, he got out the motorized auger to open the holes in the ice.  Unfortunately, snow had gotten in to where snow should not be and it would not start.  He had left his hand powered auger with the abandoned toboggan, so he had decided to come back to pick it up.  On the way back he noticed that the motor of the new-to-him ATV was running hot and steam was pouring out.  "Not a good morning," he told me. 
           Not to totally spoil a perfect morning I asked if he could do me a favour and take my picture, just to prove to my readers that yes, I was on the lake at 7 a.m., the temperature was -11 C, and I was wearing a smile.  Thankfully he obliged and this is what he saw:

Yes I do LOVE winter!!!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

A Tragedy on the Road

No one wants to see this on our roads

          This week was a challenging one for me as I taught every day of the four day work week.  My jobs were at two schools, both very close to home.  Both schools are in small communities and have just over 100 students on site.  All-in-all, it should have been a perfect week; however, events on Wednesday early morning proved otherwise. 
          During the night on Tuesday the weather was a "mixed bag" of precipitation a little rain, a little snow, and then falling temperatures.  Wednesday morning I left a little earlier than usual so that I would get to school on time to get organized.  While driving on the first stretch of highway between our town and the next one, I came upon the scene of an accident.  Two vehicles were involved and both were in very bad shape.  As I braked to move to the side of the road, the Jeep swerved a bit and I thought to myself, I could be in trouble here.  Fortunately I was able to stop, and so did the two transport trucks travelling behind me.  I looked around and realized that no one else was on the scene.  The accident must have just happened and 911 had not been called.  I reached for my phone and then realized that it was at home. 
         My thoughts turned to what could I do in this situation. I decided to drive up through the vehicles to the waiting trucks.  The first driver had a cell phone so I asked her to call.  I drove to the second truck driver and told him that 911 had been called.  I asked him if he thought I should stay, as I was on my way to work.  He replied that he was fine, but that the road was terribly slippery.  "Drive carefully," he told me.
         As I drove away I wondered how many people were involved and how many had survived the terrible crash.  I thought I could stop at the OPP station in the next town and report the accident.  However, as I approached the town, the first ambulance was on its way to the crash site.  I proceeded along the highway another 20 kilometres to the school.  I drove slowly (between 60 and 70 kilometres/hour) and ended up with a line up of cars behind me. 
        When I arrived at the school I told the secretary and a teacher about my experience, and then went on with my day.  In less than an hour, news came to the school that three people had died in the accident, while two others were taken to hospital in serious condition.  The very sad news was that one of the deaths was a mother of two students at the school where I was teaching for the day. 
        Sad but true.  Later that day I called the OPP because they were looking for information about the accident.  I spoke to the investigating officer and asked if I had done the right thing.  Because I had not seen the accident, he assured me that there was nothing I could have done, even if I had remained on the scene. 
          Considering the circumstances, I was better off to go the school, support the staff members there, and carry on with my job as an occasional teacher.    

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Words to live by...

         

I LOVE My Life!

Chocolate Cheesecake, compliments of a neighbour!

          You may think that life on a cottage road in the middle of Winter could be boring.  Well, sir, let me tell you that this past weekend was the best.   Company arrived on Friday and brought a delicious dinner.  Saturday was sunshiny and warm. The men spent most of the day on the ice and both the perch (keepers) and the bass (non-keepers) were hooked.  The neighbour brought over a lovely dessert and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with my hubby's sister and husband and neighbours. 

The Family Day Weekend Gathering on the Lake!

Our Neighbour's Grandson, double ice fishing!

Neighbours and Friends
Relaxing by the Fire after
Skating, Bowling and Fishing!

Then on Sunday the neighbours from across the Lake organized a gathering on the ice.  There was skating around a smooth oval, bowling on the ice, ice fishing, and relaxing and catching up around the fire.  What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Monday was Family Day here in Ontario.  It was a day for me to catch up on my course, tidy the house, do the laundry and prepare for a little more occasional teaching. 

I am so fortunate and happy to have a little balance in my life these days. 



Until next time,


Bee Rich

Our Brother-in-Law Caught a Bass
(and then returned it to the cold water)

Thinking of Family on Family Day Weekend!



Our dear daughter in tartan pjs in Scotland

Nice Niece and Nephew!

         










          It is Family Day Weekend.  We were expecting a big crowd of people here this weekend but, unfortunately, only two of the five expected family members could be here.  After all it is mid-winter and some people have colds that they do not want to share with everyone.  Sad indeed.
          However, a three day weekend lies ahead of us with the promise of sunshine, moderate temperatures, perfect ice fishing conditions, and time to enjoy! Saturday breakfast is over, dishes are done, the "boys" are out fishing,  and I have some time to write about my terrific family.
          I was born as the third child of five.  My older brother lives in Ottawa.  He is now recovering from a broken leg sustained while walking though a parking lot.  He is coping well despite the severe decrease in his physical ability to get around. 
         My younger sister lives in the Toronto area.  She celebrated her last chemo treatment three weeks ago after being diagnosed (for the second time) with breast cancer.  Her positive outlook is inspirational to me and she is using her time off work to pursue other interests. 
         I also have an older sister and a younger brother who live in the sunny south.  Because of our geographical differences we have not been able to keep in touch with one another as well as we could. And sometimes I feel guilty for that. 
        My mother is now 80 years young and keeps herself very busy despite her physical limitations.  She lives relatively close by, but again, I need to go and visit her more often.
        And then there are our children.  Our son is married with a child (our precious grandson) and our daughter lives in Scotland where she works for an oil company.  What I enjoy about our daughter is that she is in contact with us almost daily.  Despite being so far away, she has made a strong effort to stay in touch.  Again, another inspiration to me.
       I am fortunate indeed.  Not only do I have a wonderful people on my side of the family, my husband's family is extensive.  As one of 12 children, he had three brothers and eight sisters. Since his brother came to live with us in September, I have heard wonderful stories about their childhood and spent time with many loving people.
       So, on this Family Day Weekend, I hope you enjoy the times that you have with your own family.

Until next time,

Bee Rich 

'Nother nice niece and nephew

My hubby, his sister, her hubby

Our grandson with his other grandmother!

My son, his son, and son's son's mom plus Beagle

Out of the Mouths of Babes!

          When I was a little girl I used to watch Art Linkletter's Kids Say the Darndest Things.  It was sometimes cute, sometimes rude, and often funny.  Today I had a reminder that one of the reasons I like spending time with small children is their outright honesty.
          Lately I have been a little sensitive about my rising numbers, particularly my weight and my age.  One I can do something about- eat less and exercise more.  The other, there is not much I can do about it.  I am what I am!
         This week has been the busiest I have had since embarking on the occasional teaching journey.  Monday was a grade 7/8 class.  Then on Tuesday, another grade 7/8 class.  On Wednesday I taught in a grade 5/6 class.  Tomorrow (Friday) I will be back with one of my favourite age groups- all day Kindergarten. 
         Today was an interesting day at school.  I was in for a teacher who teaches "the Arts" and today was Drama Day with six different classes.  Things went very smoothly.  The planned activities were fun and the students responded with enthusiasm.  That was until the final class.  The lesson was going well until a four year-old boy looked at my hand and said, "Why are you so old?"
         I cannot write what went through my head in the split second before my quick and witty reply. "It's because I've had so many birthdays." 
        He looked me in the eyes and said, "Oh."
        I am so thankful for the time I have had and for the children who keep me honest!

Until next time,


Bee Rich
         
         

Happy Birthday to Bee!

That is me, second row, on the right.

          I was born in 1956. It was a good year.  It was an Olympic (Winter and Summer) year.  It was a Leap Year.  Mid-February- right when the blahs are the worst, I came into this world.  I am so thankful to have had 56 years here on Earth, in North America, in both the United States and Canada, a couple of years in Egypt, and a year in the Caribbean.  I call it my "diamond birthday"  born in '56 and turning 56!
         I remember my "golden birthday".  That is the birthday that I turned 13 on the 13th of February.  I turned into a teenager in 1969. Today I spent the day with teenagers.  Tomorrow, I am spending another day in another school with teenagers and it is Valentine's Day.  Should be FUN!
         Facebook messages have poured in from all over the world.  I feel so happy and blessed to have so many family members and friends who were able to take the time to say Happy Birthday!  It is truly amazing and somewhat humbling.  Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful words. 
         It is 2012.  It is a good year.  It is an Olympic (Summer only) year.  It is a Leap Year.  Mid-February-right when the blahs are the worst, I come home from work and my husband has dinner in the oven, wine on the table, and snacks put out for a celebration.  Neighbours arrive, food is eaten, wine is drunk, candles are lit and blown out, stories are told, and I smile.  I am blessed!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Life as it should be!

Strengths, Needs, Next Steps

          In the special world of education, teachers assess children according to their strengths (what they do well), needs (what they need work on), and next steps (what they need to do in order to be successful).
          In the special world of hiring teachers, the same is true.  Today I received a telephone call from a very pleasant administrator informing me that the job, for which I had a interview on Monday, had been offered to another candidate. This pleasant administrator asked me if I would like some feedback. 
          I said "Yes, please," knowing that the only way I am ever going to be successful in my quest for a long term occasional teaching job is to continue developing my knowledge, skills, and experience. 
         My strengths- I am passionate about teaching children.  I have a very good "package."  I was one of three candidates out of 60 selected for an interview. 
         My weaknesses- I need to learn more about planning "critical literacy" lessons. I need to attend some school TLCP sessions to learn more about the use of data to drive program planning.  I need to learn more about assessing the use of high yield strategies in my classroom. 
         Next steps- keep applying for jobs, continue to learn about critical literacy and high yield strategies and their application to every day teaching, contact local administrators and get invited to "Teaching Learning Critical Pathways" sessions. 
         In the meantime, I am sad.  I thought I had done well.  As it turns out, I did do well, just not well enough, this time. I have two choice; one is negative the other is positive. I am choosing the positive.  As my mother used to tell me, "if at first you don't succeed, try try again." I will keep you posted! My sadness is turning to hope and optimism. 

Until next time,


Bee Rich
       

Mid-Week Check In

Grandson #1 with one of his Daddy's Favourite Toys

        Since writing last many events have happened in our corner of the world. 
        I spent the weekend with my brother, whose leg is definitely broken.  Although still in pain and discomfort, he is getting better, not worse.
        I booked Monday as a day to prepare for a job interview at one of my schools.  It is a grade 7 Long Term Occasional, which will start in March and go until June.  The interview went well and I am awaiting word as to whether or  not I will be hired.  If yes, I will become much busier.  If not, I will continue the Occasional Teaching, which is averaging three or four days a week. Either way, I will be content.
        Our grandson is growing!  With his growth comes the inevitable milestones that his parents eagerly share with us...yesterday he said "Dada" for the first time.  The picture above looks like he is beginning to sit up by himself.  The first year is such a miracle year and I am thankful that my son and daughter-in-law keep us up-to-date on his growth and development. 
        I completed the first quarter of  the Kindergarten course and am looking forward to carving out time to finish the next quarter work by mid-February.  Time is running short. 
        I have a check up at the doctor's office this evening and hope to pass all of those tests!
        Finally, I am anticipating a trip to the crawl space in our house.  My supervisor husband will be instructing me on how to measure the floor space and height, so that he can plan to put in reinforcement beams to stop the floors from squeaking. 
        In my busy-ness it is nice to get up early in the morning, perform a sun salutation or two, finish my blogging and first coffee before 6 a.m.  I am so thankful!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

I am Proud to Be a Sister

          You are probably wondering what unfortunate or fortunate event has happened since my "Fortunately, Unfortunately" post.  Not much yet.  However, I have spent some quality time with my big brother, who recently broke his leg slipping on the ice in a ski hill parking lot.  His foot got trapped in an icy hole, snapping his fibula in two places and breaking the the head of his tibia, near his ankle. 
          I came for the weekend to help him get set up for his temporary disability, hoping to get some outside help.  He lives alone in a three story semi-detached house.  However, at this point he doesn't qualify for any services provided by the province, so he will need to cope on his own, with his closest relative (me) and his friends assisting, when we can. 
          He predicament reminds me of a time, many years ago, when a friend our ours was in a skiing accident and broke her leg in five places.  As with my brother, surgery was required to put pins and plates in place to set the bones properly.  She also lived on her own but spent two weeks in hospital.  My brother was home five days after his accident.  Eventually our friend's leg did heal and we had a "coming out" party for her leg when her cast was finally removed.
          My visit with my brother was mutually beneficial.  I cooked for him and he helped me prepare for a job interview, which is coming up on Monday afternoon.  I went for a long exploratory walk around his neighbourhood and discovered a part of the city that I had not seen before. I even found a nice restaurant where we will be able to go for his coming out party!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

PS  My brother received a Facebook message this weekend that is significant to me: 

"Imagine being so poor that all you have is money."

         

Dedicated to my Big Bro!

I LOVE February!!!

Our Furry Forecaster!

       
          I am not sure why exactly, but I love the month of February.  Maybe it is because it is in the middle of winter, one of my favourite seasons and Spring is so much closer than in November.  It could also be because February is the shortest month of the year.
          I do enjoy the idea of Groundhog Day on February 2.  Did you know that originally Groundhog Day was Bear Day?  It is a know fact that the first animal to come out and see its shadow on a February 2 long ago was actually a bear, and if he/she saw his/her shadow, he/she would be frightened back in to hibernation for another six weeks.  But, if that bear did not see its shadow, then Spring would be right around the corner.  I guess Groundhog Day sounds so much better than Bear Day, and of course groundhogs are much easier to handle, so in several places across North America, sleepy groundhogs are woken up to predict the seasonal swing time.
          Another reason why I love February is that lovey-dovey day found smack in the middle of the month (except for during Leap Year).  You guessed it! St. Valentine's Day.  I am not exactly sure who St. Valentine was and what he did to become a saint, but I am sure most North Americans will agree that this day is one of the most romantic days of the year.  It is a time when my husband showers me with flowers and chocolates and usually treats me to a wonderful dinner.  I enjoy this spoiling treatment and usually try to get him a cutie card with hearts all over it and tell him how much he means to me.
          Another reason for my heartfelt love of February is that it is my birthday month.  Every year I turn another year older and wonder, how many more of these will I be getting?  I am thankful that the days rolls around each year and always feel special, even if no one else knows that it is "my day." I also have two special birthday buddies.  So if you are reading this, Anne Marie and Donita, have a happy birthday when it comes around.  I will certainly be thinking of you. 
          My final reason for loving February is that it has an inconsistent number of days.  This year, and once every four years, February gets an extra day.  I believe that this is really special.  I have even heard of people whose birthday is on February 29, so that they only have a "real" birthday once in four years.  Confusing, eh? Do you know why we have Leap Year Day once every four years (just like the Summer Olympics)? It is because it takes the Earth 365 and 1/4 days to travel around the sun. The extra day during February every four years helps the calendar to keep in time with our planetary revolution.
          Forget about the February Blahs. February has always been and will always be my favourite month of the year.  I hope that it brings much happiness to you, too!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Good News! Bad News! Good News! Bad News Good News!

Fortunately, we were able to go to Guelph this weekend to visit # 1 Grandson and see my son, daughter-in-law, her mother, my sister and nephew.  Busy but fun! 
Unfortunately while we were away in Guelph my big brother slipped on the ice and broke his ankle in three places.  He was hospitalized in Quebec and is now home, waiting for his little sister to come and help out this weekend. 
Fortunately, on Monday I worked in a grade 1/2 classroom for the day. 
Unfortunately I spent Monday night working on course work and my resume and cover letter for an LTO job and then woke up on Tuesday with a migraine. 
Fortunately I got called in to work at the same school where the resume had to be delivered on Tuesday and I was able to "make it through the day" in a Kindergarten class, barely.
Unfortunately on the way home from school, I pulled off to the side of the road to rest and ended up with one of my four wheel drive wheels in a ditch.
Fortunately a very nice woman stopped to help, recognized me as a supply teacher at her school and got her husband to help get the Jeep out of the ditch. 
Unfortunately the stress of the day woke me up this morning at 3:00 with severe chest pain.
Fortunately, my husband was able to drive me to the hospital and it was discovered that I wasn't having a heart attack.
I could go on, but the result of all of this fortunately, unfortunately craziness is that I have learned that people are around when you need them and hard work pays off. 
The good news is that I now have an interview for an LTO job next Monday.  Yikes!  More stress, but I am hoping to report a "fortunately" incident in the next couple of weeks.  Send positive thoughts my way!

Until next time,

Bee Rich