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Mar. 17th, 2009 @ 10:11 am I Love March Break
Yesterday, I:

- washed my car
- almost finished the choir CD I've been dragging my feet on for so long
- filed my income taxes
- paid all my bills
- got a Kitchener Public Library card (and a book on CD for my road trip, and a DVD)


I also:

- slept in
- cooked a hot breakfast
- read a good chunk of my book
- watched a movie
- enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine of a freakishly, fantastically warm almost-spring day
- played around with watercolours and finally made something to put in a frame I bought several months ago

And that, I do declare, is a perfectly lovely balance of work and play.  Let's make every week March Break week, shall we?
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Jan. 15th, 2009 @ 11:43 pm New Things
There were 17 little men sitting in my living room tonight.  I tried talking to them, but conversation fell a bit flat, so now they're in my purse.  If you've read Flat Stanley, you might get the joke.  If you haven't, then you definitely should.  Someday when you've got 20 minutes, plunk yourself down in the kids section at Chapters and have a quick read.  Stanley gets flattened by a bulletin board.  Once he's flat, he doesn't have to buy plane tickets anymore; he travels by mail!  I'm looking for creative friends to host some of my grade 1's Flat Stanleys: you can take him out and about in your city and then send him back with  a few photographs and notes about you and Stanley enjoying the sights.  Let me know if you're up for the fun and I'll send a Stanley your way.



I joined a book club tonight.  I took a chance on a random posting on Kijiji and it looks like a pretty good chance. :)  We're reading The Hour I First Believed as our first book, and I was a bit shocked to learn it was almost 800 pages when I placed my amazon order. 

I also finished my SMARTboard training tonight and had a fun-filled school choir practice, which involved shouting out hymns in Latin and following along on giant cue cards written out in phonetics.  Never a dull or ordinary moment, folks!



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Dec. 23rd, 2008 @ 04:37 pm Happy Holidays
I am taking the "Holiday Season" quite literally and doing as little as possible.  Reduced to a list of numbers, however, my day seems quite substantial:
  • up at 7:40 a.m.
  • 4 cups of coffee
  • 2 crossword puzzles
  • 16 homemade dinner rolls, left to rise under 7 layers of blankets (1 for me, 15 for Katie's Christmas dinner)
  • 2 hours at the piano
  • 1 load of laundry....and another one in the washing machine that I'm just remembering now...
  • 4 dozen "peanut blossoms" at 375 for 10-12 minutes
  • 1 load of dishes
  • 7 versions of "Go Tell It On the Mountain" during a CBC documentary
  • 2 more cups of coffee
  • the final 163 pages of The World According to Garp
So many numbers, and plenty of time left to contemplate Christmassy things, such as: whatever happened to the kid who has the "Every time a bell rings...." line in It's a Wonderful Life?; and could I turn my green cardigan into a pillow for my couch?
Happy Holidays.  Mmm hmm.
-
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Nov. 19th, 2008 @ 07:13 pm Hiber Nation
Twice as long to get from point A (school) to point B (home) tonight.  CBC radio keeping me company, fishing for Kleenex (my weapon of choice in the battle of Me vs. November Cold) and smirking at the F150 in front of me whose all-seasons can't seem to get a grip.    Snowboots leave tell-tale prints in the parking lot as I crunch toward my apartment door and fumble with cold metal key in cold metal lock.  Been wishing since lunchtime for a Kindie Winter Special (grilled cheese) to call my own and now one is sizzling--bread/marblecheddar/bread--in my cast-iron pan as I warm myself with leftover weekend wine and feet on the baseboard heater.  Craig Cardiff sings me towards serenity.  I contemplate which pair of flannels to pull on these evening and reach with a feeling of obligation towards the half-finished Margaret Atwood on the ledge.  I am a member of the Hiber Nation.
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Nov. 13th, 2008 @ 11:23 pm (nothin to say here)
Out of the penguin pants
and into the polka dot pair.
Oh, how I love Pyjama Spirit Days!
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Nov. 11th, 2008 @ 11:30 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 9
i conduct the choir
the music travels through me
in a power surge

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Nov. 10th, 2008 @ 10:16 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 8
Beat It

this too will pass and
if we play music it may
even dance on by

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Nov. 9th, 2008 @ 02:38 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 7
The View From My Window

two paintbrushes peek out
from my neighbour's back gutter
...there's a story here...

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Nov. 7th, 2008 @ 06:50 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 5
Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Just These Chicken Wings?

orange wedge, unfiltered ale
mullets out at four o'clock
friday afternoon
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Nov. 6th, 2008 @ 11:49 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 4
3 weeks is longer
blah blah blah than it first seems
inspiration please
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Nov. 5th, 2008 @ 09:06 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 3
Flash of Wonder

car headlights highlight
safety in neon yellow
walking belts at dusk

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Nov. 4th, 2008 @ 07:11 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 2
Please Form Line (and Opinions) Here

holding up the line
they won't return it, you won't
return. let me buy.

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Nov. 3rd, 2008 @ 08:22 pm 3 Weeks In Haiku, Day 1
Daylight Savings

(Forgive us our debts.)
60 minutes in the black
I am saved, redeemed.
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Oct. 26th, 2008 @ 09:16 pm Grammar Police, I Have a Crime To Report.
I am completing a survey.

I am completing a survey for the University of Ottawa's Undergraduate English program.

I am shaking my head at the first question:

"Did your experience in your program of studies exceeded, met or fallen short of your expectations?"

Reader, hear my cyber-whine:  this is the ENGLISH program. I hope, for the University's sake, that the person hired to write the survey was a graduate of some *other* post-secondary institution...

Oh. Now I'm on to section B. First question:

"How much did your program of studies contributed to your...?
Write clearly and effectively."

Excuse me: your sentence has a hole in it.  This is a joke, right?

I sure hope I win the $500 draw.  I will use the money to buy several grammar and style guides, which I will hand out, street preacher-style to random passers-by at the corner of Laurier and King Edward.
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Oct. 15th, 2008 @ 06:57 pm Google Fun. I'm going to bed.
1: Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search:
Lyndsay needs to turn 3 more or gain 68 more Vampire points to reach the next level. Lyndsay needs to bite some chumps.

2: Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search:
Lyndsay looks like she's about to do a monkey impression in the first pic.

3: Type in "[your name] does" in Google search:
Lyndsay does tricks: Lyndsay and a little boy battle to see who does better tricks.

4: Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search:
Lyndsay hates wasps...hangovers...flying...the wind...

5: Type in "[your name] goes" in Google search:
Lyndsay goes to the Zoo!

6: Type in "[your name] loves" in Google search:
Lyndsay loves Mega Thursdays!

7: Type in "[your name] eats" in Google search:
Lyndsay eats approximately 2 1/2 cups of dog food a day.

8: Type in "[your name] has" in Google search:
Lyndsay has no real friends to speak of, and she has never learned to become aware of her appearance or social skills.

9: Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search:
Lyndsay wants some cake.
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Sep. 30th, 2008 @ 09:56 pm Hello World
I had dinner with Cousin Trev (and company) on Saturday night, and he let me know that it's been a while since I've posted much of anything on the old LJ. This led me to reminisce about times when I had nothing better to do (not *nothing* to do, just nothing *better*) and, finding myself with few small moments of "nothing better to do," I've decided to give the world a long-awaited update.

So...I am now living (and still working) in the Kitsch. Yes, I did hole up in Mom's basement for the summer, but I've reclaimed my independence and reduced my commute by resuming residence in the city that refuses to love me back. Although things didn't work out quite as well as planned (i.e. still no permanent job) I've decided to stick it out for another year and see what happens. This is starting to feel like home...and living in the exact same place for the next year ought to help with that a bit, too.

This is my first night in my new place. Last night would have been, but I left my keys in Drayton. So tonight, after a somewhat awkward, somewhat enlightening book club meeting, I did a bit more shopping and then settled in to scrubbing the heck out of my new bathtub. Things are looking brighter, thanks to America's Favourite Eunuch, Mr. Clean, and his Magic Eraser which is truly worthy of its name. My eyes are stinging from the chemicals and furious scouring, and my place now smells like a community pool, but the seven outermost layers of grey have been removed. (Hah! America's Favourite. You know U loves it!)

Pictures of the new place will follow, but for now my living room is completely bare and things aren't quite clean enough for me to show you. (Yes, even Little Miss Messy has standards.) Stay tuned. And, hey: stay smilin'!
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Aug. 25th, 2008 @ 09:11 am Summer Vacation Mush Brain
Here's a Monday morning tip for all you would-be Marthas out there: if you'd like your laundry to come out clean, it always helps to *actually put it in the washer.* I just washed a load of water this morning. I am now officially 2 hours behind where I had hoped to be by this point in the day (obviously it's more than laundry that's getting me sidetracked), but I had a good laugh. (One final tip: you can get a pretty good echo when you belly laugh into an empty washing machine. The happy feelings almost make up for the stupid, stupid, stupid ones.)
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Jul. 14th, 2008 @ 11:53 am What I've Been Up To
I'm gaining confidence that I can handle the stressful, over-worked 10 months of teaching for this relaxed 2-months of "vacation." Don't get me wrong, I'm still working: I've already been in to the school to meet with my new team teacher and I'm finally making a dent in that professional reading pile that I've been hoping to get to forever. Still, I'm finding a little time to relax. (Okay, make that a lot of time. I'm not gonna lie: it's fantastic!)

I'm playing around with fun stuff on the Web (all in the name of professional development, I swear) and I made this map of places I've been lately.
View Larger Map

Today, I'm living dangerously and finding out what happens when I put my "do not machine wash" linen dress in the washing machine. It was a Value Village find and I can't justify spending money on drycleaning it.
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Jun. 22nd, 2008 @ 04:52 pm short pause.
So I'm writing some last minute comments on writing portfolios before they go home tomorrow and I absolutely must share. Copied exactly as she wrote it, here are some sweet words from my little friend, H:

The best thing abowt
Grad One is the best
teacher in the whole
wide world. Shes nice
and preety and has a nice name. She is
Beter then aney teacher
i ever had. She smils alot her
name is miss. B. i can
tell her how i fell if
i fell sicke or i am hert or
happy or sad. I like her
everone liks her to so i
will rmember all the
time shes the best. shes not
mean ever.
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Jun. 17th, 2008 @ 08:37 pm Hip, Hip Hooray for Donkey Day!
Just 7 more teaching days left with my special little group of 18 6- and 7-year-olds, and today was one of those good ones that's going to make it even harder to say goodbye to them next week!

We went to the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, outside of Guelph, for our year-end trip. This is a really neat place that rescues and rehabilitates unloved or unwanted donkeys (with a couple of goats, sheep and a dog thrown in for good measure).

Kids say the darndest things. Favourite quotes of the day....

"Which one do we get to take home?"

"Wow! Come over here and watch this goat pooping! It's going everywhere!" (Which sent half a dozen kids crowding over to Ooh and Aah.)

"Aw!" (pointing to a goat) "A *baby* donkey!"

"I'm kinda disappointed. I thought maybe they were going to show us how to rescue donkeys from drowning and stuff."

(Standing in line for the porta potty:) "I don't have to go to the bathroom. I just want to wash my face." ("Uh, you can't wash your face in a porta potty, hun.")

"Will you come and get me this summer and take me to see the donkeys again? My mom would say it's okay."

Gotta love grade 1.
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