Archive for the ‘Ramblings’ Category

So Long Summer, I’m Sad to See You Go!

Today is the first day of school here in my little area of the world.  It doesn’t matter what I do I’m always nervous on the first day.  This year may be a bit different than most though, I’ve taught the better part of my class, either last year or three years ago, so I have a pretty good idea as to what I have to look forward to.

Of course with the first day of school comes the crashing end to summer and not just summer vacation.  The weather this past weekend was very much autumn-like with cooler temperatures and the sure sign that summer is coming to an end.  The leaves have started to change colours and are even starting to scatter the ground.  We have had a hotter than average summer, but I am honestly sad to see it go.  The long days of sunshine does a body and mind good.  I love the longer days, I’m more awake, I get more done.  With the end of summer comes the end of productivity.  Sounds pretty pathetic doesn’t it?  It’s true, especially once winter comes around.  I go into hibernation mode.  But we’re not quite there yet, so I have some hope left in me.

One thing I think I will miss most is all the time I have been able to spend bouncing through blogs, seeing what’s up in people’s lives, what people are creating, what people are sharing.  I found some really awesome blogs over the summer and I very much see my Reader being very full during the week.  I guess the good thing will be some relaxing time on the weekend getting caught up with everyone.

I am going to try and keep as caught up on my writing too. I have enjoyed writing as much as I have this summer.  It’s been very enjoyable for me.

It’s not all doom and gloom though.  I’m looking forward to this school year.  The group I have will be a bit of a challenge, half are in a testing year, half are in a different division (my split, crosses the line between junior and intermediate grades).

I’m looking forward to teaching what I have planned, it’s going to be a busy and exciting year.

I’m looking forward to the one field trip I have planned.

I’m looking forward to working with a new teacher at our school…it’s his first year with his own class and the enthusiasm is almost sickening, but also the most invigoratingly, positive attitude and you need that sometimes.

I’m looking forward to red and yellow leaves (although I’m not looking forward to clearing them off the yard).

I’m looking forward to snowy white fields (although not yet and not long).

I’m looking forward to watching my students grow into a new maturity (although the hormones can stay outside the door!).

I’m looking forward to Christmas presents being wrapped.

I’m looking forward to hanging with Hubby during his Christmas break.

I’m looking forward to the reading conference I’ve been doing to for four years, in February (already letting my principal know I’d like to attend a day…even though it’s NOT on a PD Day this year).

I’m looking forward to reading a few books over the coming months (I’m optimistic…hopefully 3 or 4, which is really quite sad).

I guess the end of summer isn’t so sad after all…I mean another one will come around again next year.  Right?

Another great Tuesday linkup or two…

I find it funny that I used to love watching award shows. Used to. Now, I just can’t be bothered for pretty much all of them. I occasionally watch some of the Academy Awards but that’s about it, and even then, my attention is usually pretty short.

I think I watched about 2 minutes of the Emmy’s that’s it. I did however log on to People.com to see the dresses afterwards and I’m watching Entertainment Tonight as I type this. I guess my attention is drawn to snippets at best. I do understand that I should probably hop over to Youtube to see if I can find the opening…I can’t imagine it’s not there.

Anyone watch the Emmy’s…did I miss anything else?

Update: Just watched the opener…oh my goodness, that was bloody AWESOME.  I don’t think I have ever seen such a great opener for an awards show.

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Mother Nature has decided to tell us that she is still very much in charge. Last Friday I froze because I went out in shorts and a t-shirt, determined to wear them a bit longer. Well, that lasted a whole 24 hours before she decided to throw another log on the fire and turn the heat up again. It’s in the low 30Cs and that doesn’t include the humidity…that just makes me melt. I may actually get to bring the dog in for one more swim before school starts next week.

What’s really annoying…by the weekend the temps are supposed to be half of what they are now. I know I live in Canada, but it still amazes me that we can get such temperature swings. And apparently we are going to get warm weather through Halloween. I can’t complain about the temps, but the allergies, that’s another story!

What’s good about the weather…the only day I have to go into the school this week, Thursday, is supposed to be rainy and the start of the temps starting to drop.  That will certainly make it a bit easier to go.

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SIL was in a dragon boat race on Saturday.  To park, we ended up parking on the bike path – I didn’t know it at the time, but we lucked out by not getting a parking ticket.  There just wasn’t enough parking for the number of people who were attending.

This was the first race she had ever been in…as a matter of fact, it was the first for most/all of the team.  And…

They came in first in the gold category.  The only category higher was platinum…and they almost made it into that category on their first race.  After the first race they were 11 out of 59 teams.  Not bad for a bunch of newbies!!

And while we were there, we saw the biggest husky I have ever seen.  I’m 5’5″ and the head of this dog was above me hips.  Apparently he wasn’t done growing either.  I found out from SIL afterward that the dog was just a pup…at six months old!  Holy crap, that’s going to be one BIG dog.

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Shopper’s Drug Mart…what are you doing?

I went into my local Shopper’s the Monday and wandering the aisles I came across quite the “display.”  Not only was there Thanksgiving decorations, with a bit of Halloween thrown in…and Christmas.  There was also Easter and Valentine’s Day.  Really, seriously!!  I think this brings a whole new meaning to the one stop shopping idea.

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Anyone got a pressure canner they want to lend me?  I’m not fully serious about this, but I was hoping to can some of the HUGE bag of green and yellow beans my neighbour sent me home with on Sunday night.  Alas, I think I am going to have to survive with freezing the beans instead, as there doesn’t seem to be a safe was of preserving them without a pressure canner and I’m not spending $150+ just to get one.  Either way, homegrown beans in winter will be awesome!

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If you’re a NASCAR fan, you’ll probably know about this t-shirt.  Kevin and DeLana Harvick made the most out of a stupid comment made by Joey Logano and decided to raise money for their charity.  I just helped the cause.

The look on the one girls face made me laugh…not your typical t-shirt for small town Ontario!

And just incase you were wondering, I’m linking this post up…

Some of you have been blogging happily about your kids going back to school this week.  Yeah for you!  Here in Canada we don’t go back until next week and in most cases the week after.  My students will arrive all full of enthusiasm and fear on September 7th.  Some of the students I will have are in my room by request, others based on the conversations with staff members to see how each students works, how they get along, etc.

I have a grade 6/7 split this year.  Unlike last year where I had 3 grade 7s, this year’s group is almost 50-50.  Either way, it’s not a great split.  It’s a split that crosses two divisions, which for one thing means the grade 7s have more work, not just generally speaking but because the social studies get split in grade seven to be history and geography.  Tee-hee-he!  I get to give that one away.  And the grade 6s have to write the provincial test.  For me, the test is no big deal.  I’m going into my seventh year at my current school and six of them I have taught a grade that has provincial testing.

I don’t stress provincial testing, until we get the results, which sadly/gladly rarely surprise me, after all I taught the students for an entire year.  Why don’t I stress the test?  Simple, I teach the curriculum and know that I have done everything I can to get each group of students through the year and ready for the test.  Do I teach to the test?  I’d be lying if I said no.  Unlike my American cohorts who have testing every year, we only have it in grade 3 and 6, in the elementary grades.  I teach to the test from the standpoint that I look at tests from the previous year and share strategies with my students on how to go about answering those questions.  I teach them how to write properly, I try to teach them how to problem solve.  See, it’s not really all that hard…and gee, aren’t these two skills that the students will take beyond my teaching them anyhow.

I’m actually going somewhere with this post.  Several weeks ago I left a comment, actually it was an email because the comments were closed at that point, about the lack of creativity in schools.  Sadly there are quite a few teachers who insist on teaching using what is affectionately known as the drill and kill method, or rote learning.  I’m not one of those people.  Love it or hate it, I’m one of those teachers who rarely uses her desk for anything more than a coatrack and dumping ground.  I’m one of those teachers who is constantly looking on the internet to see what other’s are doing, to see what I can do better.  I’m one of those teachers that some teachers don’t like.  It may be because I make them uncomfortable, it may be because I use technology.  I don’t do this for either of those reasons.  I do what I do in my classroom for my students.

I have only been teaching (in the classroom) for eight years and I can honestly say that I am not teaching the same way now that I taught then.  I have changed my teaching probably every year.  What worked for one group may not work for another group.  This is one of the reasons I do not believe in the drill and kill method, because students learn differently.

I had a student a few years ago who just needed to stand to work.  The student was in on was disruptive when working, as a matter of fact as long as he could stand to work, he was no only on task, but often so on task he almost zoned out.  I had no problem with this method of working at all.  My supply teachers, well that was another story all together.  It drove them nuts!

I’m not saying any of this to toot my own horn. I’m sharing this because of the email exchange I had with this person (I’m sorry, but I don’t have a blog name, just the email addy).  I’m sharing this more to tell you that there is definitely creativity going on in schools, I promise.

Have you read Mocha Momma?  If not, why not?  She’s an educator who inspires me to keep up my crazy ways. She’s also proof that there is creativity still going on in schools.

It’s coming, maybe not this year, maybe not next, but there is a change going on in schools.  It’s just a matter of time before people are not needing to post about the lack of creativity in schools.

This is just another example.

I found it fascinating to read about what is going on in the education system in New Orleans since Katrina.  I just hope it doesn’t take a disaster to bring change to your schools.

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Care to join in on the fun…or to see what others are writing about today?

I was up late the night before because I lost track of time when putting together my classroom newsletter than goes home at the beginning of every year.  Not a big deal, it’s still summer and I didn’t have to get up that early to go into the school.  That said, I also figured it would mean I would be good and tired the following night and be able to get a good night sleep.  HA!

11 pm – Get ready for bed. I was pretty tired at this point so things were looking pretty good. Remember to take allergy pill.

11:20 – Let the dog outside one last time.

11:30 – In bed.  Hubby had left the TV on so I thought I’d watch it for a few minutes.  Apparently I was tired enough though because I couldn’t even tell you what I was watching, but I think it may have been Entertainment Tonight.

11:45ish – Give up on TV, too tired and ready to sleep.

12:10 am – Here a dog barking down the road (I’m in the country, this is not a normal occurrence). My dog starts barking, of course!

Toss and turn, toss and turn

12:54 – My nose decides this is the time to have a sneeze attack.  Wake Hubby up with all the noise.  Oops.

12:55 – Hide in the washroom until the sneezing is done and my nose isn’t running anymore.

1:00 – Back to bed.

Toss and turn, Toss and Turn.

Refuse to look at the clock, because really all I want to do is sleep!  Refuse to get up and do something, because, although I can’t get comfortable, I am more comfortable lying down.

5:00 – Alarm starts going off…not mine, Hubby’s

5:09 – off again, plays a little bit

5:21 – off again

5:30 – off again, here a bit about traffic not being heavy ( I know people commute, but I almost want to say Duh! to the radio because traffic should not be heavy at 5:30 in the morning).

5:40 – off again

5:50 off again (now, I can usually sleep through these, but considering I wasn’t sleeping anyway…)

6:00 – off again, Hubby gets up and turns off the radio!  YEAH!

6:30ish – Hubby comes into to say goodbye.  YEAH!  I should be able to get more sleep.

Toss and turn, toss and turn.  This time with the dog beside me, not Hubby.

7:00 – Oh look, that’s the time.  I’m NOT getting up yet.

Toss and turn, toss and turn.

730ish – Dog’s panting “wakes” me up.  Turn the ceiling fan higher.

7:54 – Really?  It’s only been an hour since I last looked at the clock, how can that be?

8:30 – Damn, only 30 minutes later…and I’m still not getting up. Pull blankets up closer because the ceiling fan is making me too cool now and I refuse to hit a button to lower the speed.

9:00ish – Cat jumps up on the dresser and somehow opens the top drawer, trapping her up there.  Jump out of bed to get her down.  Screw it, I’m going back to bed.

9:45 – Heck, this just isn’t working.  Drag my sorry butt out of bed and hope I’m so tired tonight that I will actually be able to sleep!

10:40 – Sitting here typing this because that’s about the only thing I have energy for or care to do.

Sidenote: Coffee will not be helping me stay awake today…coffee in fact puts me to sleep.

So I will probably flog this one for a week or so, but after having several people ask me about it last week, and many more ask me about it in the previous weeks and months I have finally added a Google Friend Connect widget. The only problem, it’s not that easy to find. You’ll have to head right down to the bottom and add yourself because the silly thing is wider than my sidebars. I’d love it if you would add yourself.

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It’s almost time to head back to school. Actually, classes start exactly two weeks from today. Last year was such a very hard school year, despite having a great group of students that it’s taken everything I have to get ready for the coming year. I’m very glad to hear that I am not the only one who has felt like this. Apparently, several of us A-type teachers have done next to nothing this summer. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. On the good side, it means we have tried to relax and rejuvenate. On the bad side, we’re likely to do the same thing to ourselves again this year because we will feel like we are so far behind.

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Friday night Hubby put the movie Airspeed on.  Oh, it is not a good movie in any way, shape or form, but I found myself watching it anyway.  I wish that Canadian productions were better, but they are not,  not even close.  What I did find funny, aside from the horrendous acting was the fact that Elisha Cuthbert (from 24 fame) was in it and I didn’t even recognize her!  Let’s just say she’s come a long way in her acting abilities since then.

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Have you heard of Groupon, or FabFind, or Teambuy or Living Social?  I cannot tell you how much I’m loving these sites.  I don’t buy from the very often, but last week I purchased a coupon from Groupon…$25 for a $50 GC at the Gap!  Love it!  Needless to say I went shopping for a few back to school items on Friday.  Between the coupon and the additional money I had to put in, I ended up with a savings of about 40% off the amount I spent…on top of the sale prices the clothing already was. I hope that makes some sort of sense. (BTW, I’m not being paid for any of this paragraph at all…I just love the sites!)

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I have been as lazy as I could possibly be this past week because I screwed my knee up AGAIN!  I actually did it while we were at the race in Michigan, but I haven’t bothered mentioning it until now.  I know better, but I can’t help but push myself a bit more than I should.  I was planning on making a Dr. appointment to get it checked out over the summer, but it hasn’t bothered me until now.  I’ve had knee problems for over 20 years now and back then there was nothing that could be done for me.  I really should make the appointment though so maybe I can get some physio or something for it.

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Speaking of bad body parts…my FIL got some really bad news last week about his bad.  Long story short, his doctor said the problem would heal, and now, months later he finally got to see a specialist who was hopeful that he would be able to help him with the pain.  Not so, unfortunately in the time that it took to get to the specialist and set up the procedure the spine has gone too far and the surgery would have been too risky and the doctor didn’t want to risk it.  So, now there appears to be nothing they can do and my FIL has to live with the pain.  Sadly, this is not the first time small town doctors in my area have screwed up…years ago it took two months to diagnosis my father’s heart attack.  Sometimes small town living can really suck the big one!

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On that note, I’m off to enjoy what is left of my summer vacation.  I only have one day that I HAVE to go in before school starts and I plan on being a bum for as much of the rest of it as I can.

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Oh and just to plug it again…I finally added a Google Friend Connect at the very bottom if you are interested in adding yourself to my list of followers.  Thanks in advance.

Yep, that’s what it is.  I’m having one of those days.  I have no desire to do much of anything.  It’s not like I had a bad night sleep or anything, although I didn’t turn the fan on and I do wish I had, I’ve been sleeping better with the air moving.  But lack of sleep doesn’t explain the ugh of today.

We were busy yesterday that’s for sure.  It started off with making a pasta salad, that I found out hours later I didn’t actually need to make – or so I was told after I made it.  But…people enjoyed it and I came home with none so that’s good.

After the pasta salad, we had a funeral to go to.  Losing track of time didn’t help us, but we managed to get there with second to spare.  And weren’t the last ones to arrive.

Then it was back home to cut some peppers and make some dip for the BBQ we were going to.

The BBQ was great.  Had fun with my cousin, her kids and husband and my aunt, uncle.  There were many others there, but before others arrived this is who we hung out with.  I ate, and ate and ate – lots of veggies and dip, a maybe a few desserts.

Just before it was too dark to go, we went out for a bit of a kayak.  It was great.  The lake was incredibly smooth.  It wasn’t too hot.  It was just perfect for paddling.  We finally thought better of it and got off the water before it became too dark to see us.  I did have a beacon on the back of my jacket, but still.

We didn’t even get home overly late.  As a matter of fact I was in bed by midnight.

And today…nothing, that’s about what I’ve accomplished.

Okay, maybe not nothing.  I did get a Christmas gift almost made (it will be finished by the end of the day, but the NASCAR race took over), I did get a load of laundry done.  Maybe a bit of vacuuming.  I did get a bit of work done in the trailer (NASCAR weekend i a few).  But really, I haven’t done a whole heck of a lot.

The kitchen…it’s a mess!

My craft/computer room…don’t even ask.  It’s still usable though.

My vehicle…I did get some stuff out of it, but the half case of Gatorade is still in there (the other half went in the trailer).

And dinner…I’m trying to figure out if I have enough desire to go to town and get dinner.  Otherwise, it’s 4:36 pm and I have no idea what to make.

Yep, yesterday was great and busy.

But today, well today is just one of those days.

One of the highlights of my week was this tweet.

If you don’t know, Nate Ryan is the NASCAR reporter for the USAToday and a fill-in on Sirrius NASCAR radio.  He was tweeting about the events of the Nationwide race more than a week ago now and I sent a comment and a question.  It’s kinda col to have a reporter tell you, you asked a good question and they would try and ask!

That wasn’t even my first cool Twitter event of the week.  We went to the Brad Paisley concert last week but because of Hubby’s schedule we couldn’t make it to most any of the opening acts.  I couldn’t find anywhere, with time Brad Paisley himself was supposed to perform.  I threw a tweet out to @LiveNation on the very random, but highly unlikely chance I would get a response.

Not only did I get a response, I got three!  All of which made me very happy because we were going to be able to see the entire Brad part of the concert.  More on that tomorrow though.

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How is it possible, that Hubby, in his late-30s has never had a leg cramp?!  He woke me up at about 4:30 the other morning freaking out (just a little) about the fact that his leg couldn’t move and the muscle was all hard and OMG what was go on?!?!?!

After a bit of “coaching” from me he was able to get the leg stretched out and the muscle relaxed and I got to go back to sleep.

Of course I had to hear about it the next day.

Again, I ask, how is it possible he hasn’t had one of these before?  I have many several of them a year.

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Coming back from the concert last week I re-realized something funny and weird about my night driving.

Hey, it was late, Hubby was sleeping and I guess I needed to entertain myself somehow…and I want to know if there is anyone else out there that does this?

So it’s dark, really dark.  We’re on the highway, in the middle of farm country…that’s how dark it is.  Yes, there are a few cars on the highway and I was about to pull over to pass.  As all good drivers, I checked the blindspot over my shoulder and prepared to pull over…and, they I checked it AGAIN!  I get this in heavy traffic.  I get this during the day.  But at night?  I don’t know why but I tend to check my blindspot multiple times driving at night (I do it during the day too) when really if I couldn’t see lights a second ago, where on earth did I figure lights were going to mysteriously appear?

Does anyone else check that blindspot multiple times at night…even though you know that there was nothing there and nothing even remotely in the area?  Just wondering.

Why is that even though I know what’s coming it still makes me upset?  We (Hubby and I) like to watch Deadliest Catch every Tuesday.  I think we’ve actually watched the show since the very beginning.  Last Tuesdays episode was the beginning of the end and I found myself with tears in my eyes.  If you don’t watch the show, one of the main “characters” passed away back in February (and I knew back then that it happened) and in true reality TV form, the show has been following not only the events and happenings of the other captains, but also Captain Phil.  Discovery Channel has done a fabulous job of covering what happened, from Phil being found in his stateroom (after a massive stroke), to his admission and transfer of hospitals.  Tonight is his last  episode…and I plan on having a full box of kleenexes beside me.  I may also have to watch in another room.

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Oh, the farmer’s market!  I made it to the farmer’s market again this week and Ontario produce is finally making an appearance.  I ended up gathering four bags of fruits and veg.  Getting fresh veg is just so much better than the store bought stuff.

If I had more sun (and during the heat I’m glad we don’t) I’d like to have a garden.  Alas, we have tried and failed, but thats okay I’m happy to help my local farmers and buy the food they are growing for me.

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So my Five Finger shoes, yep, they actually are comfortable.  They look ridiculous (and creepy) but they are just so cool!  I don’t know yet if they are helping with my knees but I do notice a difference in my calf muscles.  I can feel them more when I’m walking.  I love walking in bare feet but don’t like the sharp objects (stones, twigs etc) that are around the house and these shoes are a perfect compromise.

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I am so behind in what I wanted to do this summer and you know what…I don’t care!  Well I do care, but it’s not really stressing me out.  I still have a bit of a cough, but otherwise I’m pretty much over my cold.  I may not have enjoyed the cold, but the forced relaxation…that I enjoyed, a lot!

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My friend brought me an early birthday/Christmas present from her recent weekend getaway to Chicago. (They’re not in the same month, not even close)

Like Oprah or not I like the bag!

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I still don’t have the last few plants in the ground yet.  Where they are being planted is in the direct sun most of the day and in the evening, the mosquitoes have been crazy.  I was hoping that with the heat they may have died off, but no such luck.  I am contemplating getting the plants in the ground (before they die) and moving them in the fall.

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My latest Facebook game…

I seem to find a game every summer that is a time killer.  Yet again, I have not been disappointed!

Well, it’s not much, but it’s the randomness that jumped into my mind tonight. Care to join in…

My summer vacation has officially started, not that it started all that great.  What started as a head cold swiftly made it’s way to my lungs and completely knocked me off my feet.  I don’t remember having a cold this bad in a long, long time.  I spent many hours Saturday sleeping because that was about all I could do – something to do with lack of oxygen from full lungs I’m sure.  If I weren’t on holidays it would definitely have been a sick day, and I don’t do sick days very well, I don’t like the extra planning for a supply teacher.  Apparently I’d rather infect my students.

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So now that vacation has begun, I feel overwhelmed.  It was a crazy busy school year and I’m overwhelmed about not having as much to do?!  There’s something wrong with that.  I’m sure the feeling is only temporary…I hope!

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I’ve started the first book on my summer reading this…so far…it’s okay.  More later, when I’m done. (No L, not your book…that’s next.)

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It’s bloody hot here now!  Last Tuesday it was a whopping 14C out…by the Sunday…30C+.  It’s official Mother Nature doesn’t know what she’s doing. This is the weather forecast for the week…

See that “feels like” temp on Wednesday…shoot me now.  That’s just plain crazy!

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I think we’ve decided to try golf.  By we, I mean Hubby and myself.  We spent whatever time I was awake on the weekend at different golf shops.  You know what I have to show for it…golf balls.  It’s a start.  As always I seem to pick the wrong time of year to start looking into a sport…finding shoes is almost impossible right now.  I’ve almost chosen a set of clubs.  This is exciting news because it will give us something else to do when we go trailering.

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My goal this week…to get the rest of my plants in the ground.  I have a bunch of lavender plants to plant, but need to get the new garden dug and honestly I haven’t been in any shape to do it.  Based on the heat…about 11 pm sounds like a good time to do it.  I will get it done though.

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I’m making my second trip south of the border in less than 2 weeks.  I have a pair of shoes I need to exchange…they fit, mostly, but I forgot to adjust the straps on the ankle to their a little too big. Funny thing…my mom also has a pair of shoes to exchange too.  She looked at the size, but didn’t try them on.  They’re men’s shoes.  Oops!  Oh well, that means more yogurt and K-cups!  I’m weird like that…drive 3 hours to bring back groceries.

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One of my favourite things about summer and the heat…cooking on the BBQ.  I make everything out there.  Last year I made cookies and lasagne on it.  Not sure what crazy things I will try this year, but I have a few months to figure it out.

Care to join in on the fun, or perhaps see the randomness of some other awesome people.  Hop on over then.

Thank you for your patience…I’ve been too tired, too busy and not home to be able to post over the past few days.

It’s the last day of school for the kids today and boy oh boy is everyone ready for it.  I have to go in again tomorrow and finish up but it should be a pretty easy day.  I also have a few students coming in to help me out.  How crazy is that…they are willingly coming in on the first day of their summer holidays.  Gotta love them.

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I finally got my US shopping itch resolved this weekend.  I wasn’t planning on going until later this week but when my mom called asking if I wanted to go on a roadtrip to drop off my brother and sister-in-law I really couldn’t say no.  Beside she paid for the gas and the hotel! I definitely scored there.

I couldn’t believe how quiet it was going over the border.  There was one car in front of us going in and four or five coming home.  It took less than 15 minutes to come back.  And I learned something coming back.  Aside from never admit to bringing back dairy products…don’t ask, how of all the stuff I brought back cheese and yogurt were the two things I mentioned.  And my mom…she told the guys she brought back…butter!  So I learned that we can only bring $20 worth of dairy products back during a visit.  Good to know, but also kinda sucks.  Milk is so much cheaper, like half the price.  So is cheese.  And we don’t have Yoplait yogurt up here and I LOVE the Key Lime flavour!

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Sometimes it pays to complain on Twitter about the service of a company.  I posted a tweet about the bad service, well actually it was refusal of service – because it was too close to closing (10 minutes from) at New York Fries.  Guess what?  They started following me and asked me to follow back so they could get more information.  I feel for the poor girl who refused to serve us…I highly doubt she’ll have expected me to post on Twitter, let alone have someone from the company ask for more info.  I don’t think she’ll know what hit her, but I bet she’ll just make the fries next time.  (I only made a stink about it because my sister-in-law is allergic to just about everything and it was the only thing she could eat.)

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I’m somewhat disappointed to be Canadian after this weekends G summits.  The G8 appeared to go off without a hitch or so much as a protestor.  The same can’t be said about the events in Toronto.  As a matter of fact on the way home from Niagara Falls we saw the caravan of buses flying down the highway.  Little did we realize until the 11 p.m. news that the buses were full of police officers being brought in as back up.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out this little video.  I’ll take a bit of comfort in knowing that some of the more aggressive protestors weren’t even Canadian.

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I’m looking forward to the summer break…a bit of Key Lime yogurt and a long weekend with the Hubby!

Won’t you join in on the weekly Tuesday random ramblings…or check out what others are rambling on about.