Thank You

Well it`s that time of the year where we get a breather ( a little time off ) and can actually breathe .
It`s Thanksgiving folks so bring that turkey on .
Actually, turkey on Thanksgiving isn`t so popular here. It`s more of an American and Canadian tradition. Too bad, turkey is underrated.
I know you guys prefer the 4 days off to the food, so do I ; but let us not forget WHY we`re off in the first place.
I do not want to turn all religious but think about this . Putting aside the Catholic element to the holiday, this holiday is necessary.
First to take a break before the hectic schedule leading us to the christmas holiday and most importantly and the word says it all: to give thanks, to be grateful.
Thanksgiving is entirely linked to the period of the year we call HARVEST.
Farmers harvest what they sowed last spring. Thanks to their harvest, we may have a diverse variety of fruit and vegetables on our tables.
Yeah so what I hear. We are so used to living in a society where abundance is a daily thing that we so often forget that it is not like this GLOBALLY.
We are privileged. We don`t have to hunt for food and water. We don`t have to walk miles to fetch water. We just jump in our cars and go buy some. Not everyone on the planet can do the same.
It`s not my fault I was born on the right street !! No it certainly isn`t but can we at least recognize that we are fortunate? Can we at least appreciate, if only for a day, the fact that we live in society where bare neccessities like food , fresh water, peace, education, health care and respect of our civil rights are often taken for granted? Just turn on the local news and see for yourself that NOT everybody lives in the same conditions as we do.
Oh, this is not a guilt trip but just a little pause to say : wouldn`t it be fun if for a change we had more of this attitude : It's not having what you want ,It's wanting what you've got.
Appreciation and being grateful do go hand in hand. But first we must recognize what we have and NOT take it so much for granted ( prendre pour acquis ).

I sound so serious. NO I am not a preacher in my spare time.
Speaking of : you know how the saying goes " Practise what you preach and do what you teach " ?
I am embarrassed to say I didn`t do that on Friday.
Let me explain . Friday October 5th was a ped day for us teachers while you guys were busy preparing the turkey. Ped days consist of meetings ,reunions and personal work ( correction, preparing exams etc. ) in other words : fun stuff.
Friday morning started with a staff meeting at the library with the 3 principals. Mr. Pruvost had us grouped in small groups to perform a very specific job.
I couldn`t do it. The job was fairly easy to do. The problem was I couldn`t focus, concentrate.Plus at my table were teachers I like to have fun with. In a social context this would not have been a problem but when you have a job to do, it becomes one.
I was sitting next to Katherine Bourgeois with whom I have a special bond. She really makes me laugh. And she doesn`t need to talk. Just writing about it makes me laugh. And I obviously make her laugh too.
So we did just that. Oh Katherine was much more disciplined than me. She wrote all the things we had to write for the rest of the team and came up with very good ideas while we were brainstorming.
But I MUST NOT sit next to her. If we had been 15 years old and sitting in a classroom, we would have been separated by the teacher right away.
And this is my point. Teachers are not that different from students sometimes. We have more self-discipline but we do not apply it all the time. No, let me rephrase that : I do not apply it all the time. Taking responsibility is afterall, part of being an adult !!!
But there are people at school that have this effect on me. I turn 12 ( years old ) when I`m around them. And there are also some people I just love to make laugh. They`re so much fun to have fun with. Anyway, to be continued.

I want to take the opportunity to thank certain people :

1- A certain English teacher named Guy : for getting all dirty because he was hiding on the ground next to my truck in the school parking lot to scare me by going " BOO". I didn`t get scared but I certainly laughed . And eventually he did too.

2- A certain science teacher named Pat who watches a certain tv program I love and lets me talk about it all the time . He always sincerely listens to me .

3- To Katherine. You make me laugh and feel like a kid .

4- To Karyna who likes to ask me English stuff. You make me feel useful and needed.
I also ask her English stuff too.

5- To my kids : for making me feel what truly is unconditional love.

6- To my husband : because you are always there no matter what.

7- My sisters : they represent unconditional love, a common history and tons of fun.

8- My students : because they are so darn cute when they work hard in class !

9- Baileys : my dog and walking partner. For leading me places when I need to .

10 - My Mustang : for making me feel like I can do anything ( except speeding $$$ ).
Old Mustangs are just plain BEAUTIFUL. I can`t explain it.

11- My books : what a great addiction. The look , smell and texture of books are simply addictive. I`m sure I `ll die holding a book in my hand.

12- To life : for offering me choices and opportunities.

On this note I wish you a great Thanksgiving weekend.

THANKS for reading,
Annie c;