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Came home from work today to discover that my mom had taken our tree down. It's only fair. After all - it's her tree. She bought it a few years ago at a local hardware store.
 
Beloved said:
We didn't really celebrate it as Christmas, but my mom used to make a supper. This was the Christmas she celebrated as a child, but then in her adult life Christmas was celebrated on the 25th for her. She referred to it as "Little Christmas", and so did we.
Click to expand...
Ukrainian though, or a different culture?
 
Yep...a good day at school! And I'll still have time for Scrabble, Seeler...in the evenings. Life is hard for some of my little ones, and sometimes they are genuinely relieved to get back to the routine of school. Some have endured family drunkenness, family illnesses and loud fighting. One girl who lives with Grandma and Grandpa told me that her Grandma is in the hospital with a heart attack. Tough lives; tough kids and I love them all.
 
Watching the hockey game with my family. Hoping everyone is having a good night. The temperature has dropped here, but nothing compared to the weather out west.

Tabitha, surprised it is the first snow day ever. Is that because you just don't call them, or because the amount of snow being received is much higher than normal.
 
Asking for thoughts and prayers for my great aunt. My mom went to visit her this weekend and found out she is in the hospital in critcal care. She has congestive heart failure and seriously infected legs. I had planned on going to visit her this week but got a call this evening from my mom informing me that she has declined further and did not recongize my mom when she visited today. Though she is in her late 80s she was always a very active person and still working part time at her sons' dental clinics, this has been a VERY fast decline.
 
oh dear Greywolf - sad to hear of your aunt's health decline. Prayers & thoughts for all of you.
 
@Pinga . I know in AB lots of snow days are really days that it is too cold for children to be out waiting for the bus, or fears of what may happen if bus has an accident- so temperature and road conditions

Now it was Kelowna school division that cancelled today (not mine). First the private schools, then the private Christian schools, then the francophone schools shut and finally the public schools. The college sent everyone home at noon. Not sure what the university did.

It was a huge amount of snow in a short time, a record I'm sure. Road crews are not equipped to keep up as it happens rarely here. Not everyone has decent snowtires. The garbage trucks slid into the ditch on some of their rural routes.

So I'd say the unusual amount of snow in a short period made roads unsafe and so the school closed. Temperatures are quite mild -5 or so.
 
I almost always check in every day - often more than once - yet every so often threads get away ahead of me. Weren't you people busy watching a hockey game last night? Go Canadians! They gave us some highs and lows, and a tense 3rd period.

Greywolf - I'm sorry about your great-aunt. Old age isn't for sissies, I'm told. It isn't easy when a person's years catch up on them - suddenly like with your aunt, or gradually like my sister. She has struggled with congestive heart failure, swollen legs and generally retaining fluids, as well as other health problems for years now - and she is not yet 80. I'm saying a prayer now for your aunt and for those who love her.

I'm always thankful for people like Tabitha and Nancy who work with and care about the children -- keeping them warm and safe and providing a refuge when home isn't always nurturing.

Nancy, what ages do you teach? It sounds like you may teach in a difficult area -- but I know that even in what we might consider privileged areas there are children who's home life is not the Beaver Cleavers. I think of my grandchildren when their mother was sick - my grandson was in Grade 1 and his big anxiety each day was 'who's picking me up from after-school care?' and 'where will I sleep tonight - grandma's or grammy's or at home?' and then going through the separation and now living half-time in one home and half in another. No one knows what goes on in the homes of some of the children who arrive at school each morning. Thank heavens for caring teachers.

I think you're beating me in our current Scrabble game - unless I can get some better letters than I'm stuck with and find some triple spots to play them.
 
Good morning all. Woke up fresh today at 7am. Not early for many of you folks, of course but I sign that the transition from vacation mode to the standard schedule is going well.

I am thinking of what to do in March, and thinking of taking a week off and redoing our bedroom. I have picked out a bedroom suite, but, would like new carpet or flooring, painting, and new closet doors. I should be doing the kitchen and living room, but, I haven't given up on an addition, and so don't want to invest quite yet in the kitchen, so master bedroom seems like a good way to go. Maybe some new windows on front and a front door as well. Knock them all off with professionals in a week off. What do you think? do-able? I figure I can book the contractors in advance for a day for the new closet structure (not complex, just the existing closet was built by someone who wasn't a professional and the doors have never fit right. Then, once that is done, paint, then have carpet laid, then...furnitre delivered. So weekend, purge the room. Monday, closet. Tues/Wed, paint. Thurs, carpet, Fri bedroom deliver, Saturday, move stuff back into the furniture/closet, then, weekend Kijiji the old suite.
 
Sounds like a plan to have a really nice bedroom by the end of a week. Go for it! (I can personally attest to the soothing qualities of the colour lavender, which is what I last repainted my bedroom).
 
well Pinga unless you have a garage to store bedroom suite in I might sell it before the renos-and you and hubby move into away sons room. I know renovations usually last longer and cost more than planned.
 
Prayers, Greywolf....So hard for you right now.

I teach Grades One and Two....For the last few years it has been SK and Grade 1. I get a new student tomorrow, one who will be attending this as her third school this year, has attendance issues, two siblings with two different last names, and has no report card because she hasn't lived anywhere long enough for anyone to assess her learning. My class has some tough experiences in their lives but they are such wonderful young people, that I know they will welcome and nurture this new young person.

Today, we sang a new year's song, and all 20 of my kids automatically formed a circle, with their arms linked around each other, singing, smiling and moving to the music. When the song was done, I said: \'Wait! I have to get me camera!" They are precious. Our school closes after this year, and these students will be sent off to different schools, so this is the last few months of this particular group being together. I will enjoy them....And I know I will miss their loving, brave characters.
 
Nancy - it sounds like this work is a calling for you, and I wish all children could have such caring teachers as you seem to be. Your post is a great reminder to us of the challenging lives some children face. Stability and acceptance are precious commodities to them.

So will you too be moving schools at year end?
 
Nancy, we live in the area identified as highest needs in the region. Our school had many teachers like you who were amazing gifts to the kids. I was afraid it would close as it is a big old school, but the region decided to expand on it and retain it. Quite thankful, as had they shut it the area would have become significantly more needy. It is a great school. It doesn't have a lot of extras, but, when I retire with no work, one of my volunteer ideas is to volunteer there.
 
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