BROKE A NAIL!

                                                                        

I don't have gel nails, or press on nails or any other fancy nails (though I might get some for my wedding,) but when I break a nail it inevitably leads me to the top of a slippery slippery slope. Breaking the nail happens first, next comes the ripping of jagged nail from finger, followed by filing of rough edges with teeth. The final result is always acceptable to me, but definately sub par to those forced to hold my hand or feel my scratchy fingertips on their skin.  

Apparently, I am not the only one who tries to rectify digit deficiencies with her teeth.  Scout also used her teeth to attempt a self manicure and hers turned out about as successful as mine do.  Actually, Scout did more damage to her nails than good.  We ended up having to take her to see the vet, who cleaned the ugly nail mess, who wrapped Scout's paw in a bandage and sent her home with instructions to keep the bandage dry, to keep Scout quiet and in the house and to keep Scout from walking too far for the next 5 days!  I put a plastic bag on Scout's bandaged paw and let her outside for 1 minute....so begins "nail rehab."

Looking at Scout with the plastic bag tied over her bandaged paw brought back memories of a time when I too used plastic grocery bags to keep my feet dry.  

My sisters and I used to spend hours playing in the creeks in our pasture. We each had a pair of yellow rubber boots, ONE pair of rubber boots.  It's funny, how when your a kid, you will slosh around in wet, overflowed boots for hours not wanting to stop the fun found in the creek.  Everynight, we'd turn our boots over the vents knowing that there was no way they'd be dry by morning when we'd want to head back out to the creek.  Mom's solution to wet rubber boots, was to have us stick our feet into dry, plastic shopping bags before shoving them back into our rubbers....genius!

To Marty's horror, I also busted out the old "feet in plastic bags before in boots" trick last spring when I  got a hole in my dog walking boots.  Apparently, Marty didn't understand the fact that I didn't need new boots when, for only one more month of puddles, a plastic shopping bag could keep my socks dry.  

One of these days, Marty will join us girls and wrap his digit with plastic before putting it in rubbers...he he!!!

HAMBURGERS AND FRENCH FRIES

 Ever since I can remember I have had hamburgers and french fries, apple pie and ice cream for dinner on October 25th.  It's Dad's birthday dinner and though Dad, bless his soul, has been gone for 10 years, we continue the tradition, in his memory! 

Every year for Dad's birthday we'd eat, Dad's homemade burgers and homemade fries followed by Mom's homemade apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream. Delicious!  After Dad passed away, the four of us swore we would remember Dad on his birthday by eating his favorite birthday meal.  No matter where in the world we were or who we were with we've all remembered Dad as we gobbled greasy burgers.

I have enjoyed burgers and fries on October 25th, by myself and with good friends. I have enjoyed restaurant burgers, fast food burgers and homemade burgers. I have smeared ketchup on skinny fries, sweet potatoe fries, homemade crinkle cut fries and New York fries. I have enjoyed every mouthful, but not one single bite has compared to the ones I shared sitting across the table from my Dad!

Miss ya Dad!

Love ya Dad!!!

Happy Birthday!!

Brrrr!

  

I woke up this morning to heavy snow falling.  I looked out the window and added some mits and another hoodie to my backpack before heading out the door. I was heading to my friend, Christina's house.  We had planned to drive to Strathmore (an hour east of Calgary) to a farm where Christina rides Paint horses for a super nice couple.  Christina had convinced the couple to let us take their truck, trailer and horses to Kananaskis Country! Finally, we were going riding in the mountains!!! 

I drove to Christina's in the unseasonable snow storm and knew without a doubt that we'd still be going, nomatter what Mother Nature thought.  Christina, like me, is always up for an adventure, especially if horses are involved.

The forecast was for clear skies by afternoon and we had faith that clear skies are what we'd find.  We loaded the two paint horses into the trailer in the rain and wind and headed west, praying for sunshine!  

2 hours after leaving the farm, we pulled into the parking lot in Kananaskis and unloaded the horses under clear skies! The wind howled, but from the shelter of the beautiful trees, we couldn't even tell.  This was the paint's first "field trip" and we were so proud of them.  They did spook at one super scary rock, but they didn't bolt when a crazed deer came running full tilt for us. They didn't flinch when the crazed deer jumped into the river putting on a show, swimming and splashing around.  They carried us up muddy slopes and back down again and 2 hours later, those Paints, hopped willingly into the trailer again and settled in for the long ride back to their farm.  

Our adventure started at 8:30 this morning with pancakes and ended at 9:30pm with Bacardis. I go to sleep now, tired and happy after a full day of adventure!!!

CUTE?

Today, randomly, I found a couple of things cute, that normally wouldn't be.

Number one: someone vandalized a table in my classroom. They wrote, in pencil all over it. Cute? Not normally, but the fact that they wrote french words made the crime less offensive in my eyes....

Number two: I was walking by the grade one bathroom today and I heard a very young boy's voice saying: I don't know who did it, but when I find out they are gonna get an ass whoopin'!  Swearing? At school? Not cute, normally, but somehow, coming from a 6 year old, spoken with conviction, it passed as adorable.

JUST A COUPLE PICS

     

Took Scout to the dog park today. She is adorable! Much more adorable here, running free, than she was at home where she chewed the end off the cord of the fan and spread bits of wire and plastic all over the livingroom!!!

SNOWY COMMUTE

This morning I woke up at 6am, pulled on my long johns, my track pants, my turtle neck, my hoodie, my winter coat, my neck warmer, my tuque and my mittens.  I grabbed Scout's leash, snapped it onto her collar and headed out into an October Winter Wonderland.  It had snowed all night and it was still snowing, but a lotta snow wasn't gonna stop Scout and I from getting in a morning walk.  We traipesd through snowbanks that had formed where walking paths used to be and skidded across icy streets.  We were just about back home when I noticed the string of cars spinning out, trying to climb the hill leading from our street to the "main drag."  Some of the vehicles were sliding backwards, while the drivers steered madly, trying to avoid collisions.  It is scenes like these that make me acutely aware of the fact that I am a commuter and though I swear up and down, I will NOT let traffic rule my life, it, infact, does!!!

I threw some food at Scout, tossed my work clothes, my make up and my curling iron into a sac and jumped into my jetta.  Armed with seat heaters and working windshield wipers, I headed into battle!  My wheels spun slightly as I shifted into a lower gear praying the light at the top of the hill would still be green when I got there.  Taking my chances at blasting through a yellow light would almost be better than stopping halfway up the hill and trying to get started again when the light changed back.  My car crawled up the next hill behind a long row of red tail lights.  Between the seat heater, my long johns and my stress level, my ass was beginning to sweat and I congratulated myself on having the good forethought to have packed vanilla scented lotion in the sac that held the clothes I planned to change into once making it to work. I strategically weaved through traffic avoiding cars sliding sideways and backwards, avoiding vehicles traveling too slow and holding my own while being passed by those traveling too fast. 

I made it to school safe and sound, but it took my double my drive time! I snuck into the staff bathroom where I put on my face, smoothed the wrinkles out of my slacks and tried to do something with my greasy, tuque flattened hair.  I sighed as I headed to my classroom.  If bad hair was the only price I had to pay for being a commuter today, then I gladly accept the bill, I know there were several out there who paid a much higher price!

IT AINT WINTER YET!

According to the calendar it is not Winter yet, it is still Fall but somebody forgot to tell Mother Nature.

                                     

The deck furniture looked chilly at 9pm, Tuesday, Oct.13th, the middle of FALL!!!!!!

I am not done with flip flops and barefeet.  My closet still houses capri pants and tank tops. My bike is still handy at the back of the garage, ready for fall riding.  My windshield scraper and car brush are still burried under the summer things in my car, my running shoes, my ball hat, my riding clothes.  My winter mitts and tuque are still on the high shelf in the closet, not yet ready to switch places with the light weight mini mitts and vests with hoods. I am still ordering ice caps at the drive through, not hot chocolate.  Can it really be time to switch it up? Already?? 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
I am thankful, ofcorse I am

for so much more than the Thanksgiving ham.
I'm really thankful that I don't need to put into rhyme

how greatful I am all of the time.

All I'm gonna do is post a photo or two,

of the things that top my list.

People and things not pictured, were not missed

I thought of them all but I cant figure out how to post

photos of all of the things I love the most

seems blogger and I can't see eye to eye

on picturing posting, no matter how I try.

So I will end by saying I am truly thankful for so much as you can tell

but this old computer and blogger, can go to hell!!!!

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The good news is, Marty came home after being gone on a business/pleasure trip for 8 days. The good news is, I got to go pick him up from the airport.  The good news is, I got to drive the van, so we'd have room for all his luggage when he landed.  The good news is, I got a really great parking spot, close to the "arrivals" door.  The BAD news is, the parking spot was in a covered lot that wasn't quite tall enough for the van and the tule box (snowboard box) on top!!!! OUCH!!!

GENERATION GAP

As the "Options" Teacher, I feel lucky.  I get to teach over half of the kids in the school, allowing me the opportunity to build positive relationships with a lot of great kids.  I also get to work with students of all ages, ranging from 6 to 14 years old.  Working with such a range of ages can be challenging, exciting and comical. 

Last week, for example, I saw the comedy.  I teach grade One, one period a week. I am supposed to do a DPA (Daily Physical Activity) class.  Since the weather was great most of September, I have been taking the little cuties outside to play.  On our way to the playground last Thursday, I caught two boys peeing on a bush!!! What could I do? I laughed! Then I told them to pull up their pants!  "What?" They asked, "we had to pee real bad!!!"  I love the innocence of stuff like that!  So carefree, so NOT self concsious! 

The next day, I had grade 7's working on a project.  I took a few minutes to just sit on my stool at the front of the room and observe the kids. I zeroed in on two BOYS talking very quietly but very intently.  I could see that one boy was looking at the other boy's eyebrows.  Finally he asked, "Do you shave your eyebrows?" "Yeah, I get a big mono brow if I don't" "Well, you need to shave them again, hairs are growing back!"  

What? Boys worrying about eyebrow grooming????    How did they go from peeing on bushes to manicuring their faces????