The May Long Week!

Well, the week after the May long weekend is a short work week, but it certainly didn't feel short!  This was for a variety of reasons.  For one thing, I had a lot to get done at school.  It was deadline week for the school newsletter (which I put together) and I just started my last unit of grade 2 science which meant lots of planning and prep.  It is also the time of year when the kids at school really would rather be somewhere else.  For sure their minds are, or they have just used up all their available brain cells.  It is called Spring Fever and it has hit with a vengeance (ugh!), especially since the weather has improved so much.  As I age, I've noticed that my patience for this behaviour at this time of year has dwindled away.  I've always noticed Spring Fever but now it really gets on my nerves.

Another thing that made this week feel so long is all the "drama" (for lack of a better word) going on at school.  It is really depressing at school right now with all the budget cuts going on within the district and the declining enrollment for our school for the upcoming school year.  Because of that, our staff is being cut to only 6 full time teaching positions.  E. A.'s (educational assistants) are being cut too.  We will be losing 4 of the teachers we have now.  I know that I will have some sort of position but I do not know what it is.  I have been cut down to a 0.2 FTE with the possibility of it becoming more when school starts again.  This is not unusual for me.  I usually do not know what my position will be for the next school year.  It's just really sad to see the school change so much and watch the people you really admire leave.  I know that change is inevitable but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Some positives occurred this week too.  Although they added some cheerfulness to the week, they made the week feel long as well.  I guess I have just gotten too used to my lackluster evenings at home.  Clarence, the boys and I treated ourselves to a concert.  It actually was Clarence's birthday present.  We bought tickets to see Burton Cummings in concert at the Jubilee Auditorium and it really was a treat.  Burton Cummings definitely looks older but his voice is still as great as it was 35 years ago.  He put on a great concert singing all the old "Guess Who" hits (No Sugar Tonight, Clap for the Wofman, Albert Flasher, Running Back to Saskatoon, These Eyes) and lots of his solo hits (Stand Tall, My Own Way to Rock, Break It to Them Gently, I'm Scared).  He even sang a few from his new album.  He is 63 years old now but he still has a flare for entertaining.  Jonathon and Benjamin were thrilled with it.  Jonny said it was the best concert he has ever been to (and he has been to quite a few lately).  I have to admit that I was thrilled too, just as I was back in the early 1980s when Clarence and I saw him (that was at the Jube, too!)  Magnificent both times!

Burton Cummings:  he still ROCKS!

The concert was definitely the highlight of my week however the treats did not stop there.  Friday night was spent with colleagues (past and present) at Melissa Skinner's beautiful new home.  There was tons of food and lots of great company.  It was great to see Anne Marie, Kathleen, Colin, Marci, Fiona, Erin (and baby Sydney), and Melissa again.  They all changed schools as a result of last year's "down-sizing," except for Erin (who had baby Sydney instead).  And Angie received word yesterday that she will be joining their ranks as an ex-Donnan teacher.  I wish her nothing but the best, but I will miss her dearly (as I have all the others).  Change sucks.  Regardless, I enjoyed the evening catching up with everyone.   It was a good ending to a long short week. 


Today I took my frustrations out on my yard.  Well, kind of.  I put a lot of energy into digging holes in the dirt and transplanting plants.  A couple of weeks ago, I received some leftover Arbor Day trees from the grade ones at school.  Actually, I took the leftovers.  There were nine little evergreen seedlings that needed a home or they would just go into the garbage.  So, I rescued them.  I've done this for a number of years now whenever there are leftovers.  Some years, I get quite a few and other years only one or two.  Whatever I can get I will take.  Our acreage is in definite need of trees so I will take all the free ones I can.  Last Sunday, I dug up a new "flower bed" to plant them in.  I made it a little big so I decided I would divide some of my perennials and transplant them in this new bed too.  I have some daylillies and a bergenia that have gotten quite big.  I also wanted to move one of my peonies that was getting crowded out  by my other big plants, so that is what I did.  I also planted some sunflower seeds.  I bought some Sweet Pea seeds, but I couldn't find them.  I will have to take a better look for them tomorrow.    


 I had some pictures of my handiwork outside but for some reason, my computer doesn't recognize the file when I try to download them.  I guess I will have to try that again tomorrow as well.