Kind of a Drag

This week was a "bit" of a "meeting" week (slight understatement there).  Things are going slightly better with my two 250lb. 6'3" boys however so it's all worth it. I did get my arm twisted again last week and I told my admin team and a few higher ups that I was very close to a "Refusal to Work" as was being advised to me by my Union president because of my unsafe work environment. It's amazing how those three words, or threat of those three words can actually make things happen.  The very next day (Thursday) a young, strong (and may I say very easy on the eyes!) male supply EA who has worked with me in the past and knows both of my big boys very well walked into my classroom at 7:15am. What's even more amazing is that he was on an LTO (long term occasional contract) at another school yet the powers that be were able to pull a few strings and give him to me for the duration of this school year. So on Thursday and Friday I was able to change up the boys' programs a bit as we could move them from area to area more safely. We now have two good non-violent days under our belts with the hopes of many more to come.

We are going to try to get them over to the local YMCA for swimming a couple times of week and to a park with a playground that is just a few blocks away as well as introduce some new, more challenging and hopefully more interesting work tasks that require two adults for supervision instead of one. (learning to use a hammer and a screwdriver culminating in building a birdhouse!)

HAPPY THRIVING BOYS = HAPPY UNINJURED STAFF

While I'm on the topic of school I'm happy to report there are only 54 days left until I take off to PEI!! My older sister is there right now for a few weeks working on her farmhouse which is undergoing extensive renovations. 

She just sent me this picture yesterday as she was walking around her property. It's a little hard to tell in this picture but last year they put on a bright red metal roof - I love it! They've put in some new windows and have a few more to go. They took the rooms all back to the studs and insulated it well - how did people survive all those years in un-insulated homes??? Or did they just get used to being cold all of the time??  Or did they stay in bed for hours and hours?? That would explain the larger families back then I guess :)

On the financial front I went and spent some money - oh no!! I bought one of these:

Cell Glass Fireburner

I bought it through a pop-up store connected to my favourite newspaper - The National Post. It was on sale for half price and I got free shipping plus a $25.00 coupon. We have a lot of wind on our little hilltop in PEI so this will enable us to have a fire safely on even the windiest of evenings. We have friends in Stratford, PEI who had a smaller ceramic version on their patio table while we had dinner outside one evening and I loved it! You can take your fire from place to place. We could be sitting on our front porch while it's raining and still have a fire! It makes me happy so there! Money well spent!

So now I must get busy. We are going to Chatham tonight for a 50th birthday celebration which is being held at a hall with a band and lots of dancing and carousing! And yes, we're staying over. So I need to get my housework and schoolwork done today. Better get crack - a - lacking!

Have a happy weekend everyone!