3 FRIENDS + 3 DAYS GRACE

As I mentioned in my last entry, I was a tad bored and needed action.
Adrenaline junkie. At my age, totally guilty.

I got a bit more than I bargained for.
It all started a few days before the holidays.
My lovely, sassy co-worker Katherine Bourgeois asks me if I wished to see 3 Days Grace in Montreal. Luc Bélanger is interested in going too and ask Pierre if he wants to join in the fun.
We needed at least one sane person in the group.
The next day, it`s all settled, we`re going : January 14.
It`s a Monday night but as Styx sings so well: we`re wild, young and free.
Not quite, I must get my favorite babysitter : my sister.
Now momma can go out without a worry.

So D-day finally arrives and it`s snowing snowmen outside but aboard a 4x 4, life is safer. Easy does it.

There were actually three shows that night : Econoline Crush, Seether and 3 Days Grace.
Pierre looks forward to Econoline Crush. I look forward to Seether and Luc and Kat basically look forward to all of the above but mostly 3 Days Grace.

Poor Pierre,because of lack of parking we got to the Metropolis late and we only got to hear the last 3 notes of Econoline Crush. He was a bit crushed ( pardon the pun-too easy ).
But life is good, our kids are in good hands and on with the show already.
Seether lived up to my expectations. They were great.
As for 3 Days Grace they were simply fantastic and I`m not talking about the household cleaner.
Kat sang along the whole show while I was jumping up and down.
Pierre was mostly down: sitting down due to back problems since November.

I had a free show between Seether and 3 Days Grace when I went outside a few minutes during intermission.
The Metropolis is located on Ste.Catherine Blvd. in downtown Montreal. Just that, I should have known.
I was outside 2 minutes and within those minutes, a fight broke out just beside me while a homeless old man asks me for loose change. The bouncer, or should I say the Berlin wall working at the door starts yelling at the poor homeless old man . I`m telling Jabba the Hut that everything is cool, he`s harmless. Poor man runs away scared and the huge bounceer tells me : " Don`t worry little lady, I will protect you. " Protect me from what ? He`s a little old homeless guy shorter than me by the way. He couldn`t have hurt me, he was too weak probably from lack of food.
And that ladies and germs is why I will never live in a big city.

Back inside and the show must go on. 3 Days Grace come on and it`s simply divine.


The show ends and and we finally find the truck. One last stop before we hit the road for good. It`s 1:o5 A.M.
We`re all working tomorrow morning but who cares, the show was terrific.
2:30AM.: Are we there yet ? Maybe I`ll take the morning off says one while another agrees, knowing very well we`ll all be at work in the morning since work needs to be done right ?
We`re professionals, we`re wild, young and free.
Well we didn`t look all that young this Tuesadaymorning .
I looked like roadkill ( dead animal on the side of the highway ) so did Pierre. Luc looked fine ( young gun so...) but Katherine looked radiant with her thick curly hair bouncing on her shoulders. Her pinkish hue on her cheeks that matched her wool sweater. She glowed.
While she was all pink and cute, I was green and green with envy.
Did you see the question mark hanging over my head all day today : Will I make it through the day ?
I did and actually had fun today.
To tops things off, I literally had people lining up at my door today for different reasons but I survived without injuring myself or other people. Praise the Lord !

Tomorrow we reward our 2 logo winners. FINALLY.
I know who the winner`s name is now. I eventually clicked.
I`m happy for both of them.

Our bookdrive ends this Friday so I can redistribute them in the schools next week.
Thanks guys.

Encounters with Canada got a few students interested in going to vist the big capital city.
You`ll enjoy your week , I guarantee it.
you`ll thank me later.
I even applied as a monitor for next year.
I enjoyed it that much.

Special mention to Patrick Bernier who dropped by my classroom last period today while I was teaching my kids in Sec.2.
He caused a commotion and left me picking up the pieces with the students.
I owe you Mr.B.
When you least expect it, expect it.
But it was a little funny though.
I don`t know what he had for lunch today, most probably chocolate.
Thanks for the special errand though.
I might not take my revenge after all.


On that, good night everyone,
Annie

OKTOBERFEST IN JANUARY FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Why Oktoberfest in January ?
I`m not late or early but right on schedule actually.
Every year the school organizes an auction where prizes are offered by the teachers or put for auction for the students.
There are usually around 35 prizes in all.
Students buy a 25 cent ticket for a chance to win a prize of their choice.
I had put for auction a typical German meal at my house with Pierre, my bud Paul ( history teacher ) and myself.
The winner could bring a friend.
It so happens that a student from Intensive English won. I taught her in Sec.2 and 4 and is now in Sec.5.
So Karine won and she is bringing Fannie ( another very familiar face from Intensive).
The date is set for Friday January 18th, 5: 00 p.m.
This Friday.
As I`m writing, I`m listening to German drinking music and am thirsty all of a sudden...
Anyway, back to the subject.
We have at school an exchange student this year in Intensive.
Her name`s Marina.
Where is she from : Germany!
Guess who`s coming to dinner too ?
Actually, she`ll help me because as you know, I can not, will not, would never ever cook.
Then why for the love of God did I put a meal up for auction ?
The cause: all the proceeds went to charity. At Jean Nicolet School : we care.
And I relied totally on Pierre as my cook who had no idea I had put this up for auction in the first place.
Hey, I like to live dangerously.
So Maryna will help me out with the meal .
What`s on the menu : paté de foie gras, bagette,pumpernickel bread, pork with a very heavy gravy, something I can not pronounce nor spell ( where`s Marina when you need her ? ), apple pancakes and apple cheesecake torte ( I`ll make it myself the night before ) as dessert. Etc...
Sorry, no beer or German wine.
German WHINE I can do though .
Rosie ( my daughter ) just yelled I should have listened to THIS music today ( German beer drinking music ).
I was house cleaning all day and I need LOUD music to get the job done. Funny how German drinking music never popped up as a music of choice for cleaning.
I would have taken way too many breaks .....
Anyways, you can`t air guitar to this kind of music. It has one purpose : make people drink.

Is it just me or is it too quiet after the Christmas holiday? I`m bored.
I miss the action, the fun, people, the food, the ... everything.
I`m so bored I`m actually considering going shopping as a distraction tomorrow. You heard me.
Am I bored or what . I`ll bring Rosie along, it`s never boring with her . And SHE likes shopping.
It`ll probably end like the last time : didn`t buy a thing for myself because there were way too many people but bought loads of stuff for the kids.
That`s shopping when you have kids.

So on this, I`ll try to go entertain myself by knitting ( I don`t knit ) or reading or better, my favorite pastime : bug the living daylights out of Pierre.
Hey, I like to live dangerously....

Countdown : 3 months before the Mustang finally gets out of the garage .
Oh I forgot to mention she has a name now : Metallicar. She`s silver.
I know, I forgot to take my meds again.
Jean Coutu, here I come.

Maybe I could wash her again since I have so much time on my hands at the moment.

Tata,
Annie

A CHALET AND A PROJECT

What a joy to see all of you back all rested ( some not ) and glowing.

I found out most of you had a great holiday, were very spoiled and enjoyed being with your loved ones.

It`s good to know that even though you are teenagers you still enjoy being with your family ( parents included) . There`s hope for my kids. I figured when they hit 14-16 years old the last thing they`ll want is being with mom and dad therefore planning on enjoying the next 8 next Christmases. Wrong, you guys had quite a family holiday and were all smiles when talking about it. That really impressed me. You guys are great.

Our Jean Nicolet School tradition was just fun this year. For those not attending the school, the tradition consists of the whole school ( staff and students ) skipping period 1 to get together in the central corridor for free juice and doughnuts and lots of mingling between the teachers and students.

I had the chance to speak to my kids and to those I had last year now in Sec.5.

One told me she is going to study Language Arts to become an English teacher ( the new generation woohoo ) and told her our profession needs passionate and energetic teachers and she fit that profile.

I then chatted with an other student to fix our dinner date. Karine won the typical German meal I had offered for the school`s Christmas auction and she won. January 18 is the official date and surprises are already in the works.Can`t wait.



By 9:30 I had had 3 cups of java and was pumped. Along with the all the hugs and kisses from my kids I was bouncing off the walls so much I was bubbly. By noon I was ready to go back home and take a nap while thinking : " But I`m only 35, what will it be when I`m 50 ?"

Ahem.

So I quit the coffee and switched to water. I still had the whole afternoon to do and didn`t want to scare my kids by talking 100 miles an hour.

Before I went to heat up my lunch ( I was meeting a certain sec.5 student for a secret project )I meet another sec.5 student waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

" Annie " he tells me, " Remember the homemade caramel you gave me the last day before the holidays ? Well I dropped the jar and it broke so I never got to eat it ! "

Etienne has the cutest puppy eyes after my son`s so what do you think happened ?

" Etienne, what a coincidence I have a brand new jar upstairs in my office in the fridge and a little something you might like with it , just follow me "

And to my office we went.

I hand him the jar in question and freshly homemade bread done last Sunday night. Actually my bread machine made it but it`s a real treat.

Of course there was a bunch of teachers in the office and enjoyed telling me I spoil my kids too much and asked what THEY should do to get the same star treatment ?

Etienne and I just ignored them.

Why do I spoil them so much ?

I don`t think I do really.

I just give a little of what they give me.
They feed me and I feed them caramel.

I taught these kids 2 years and unconsciously spoiled me rotten by being interested, interesting, so sweet and authentic, always giving their best, trying new stuff ( risk ) and they`re cute.

How many teachers on God`s green earth can boast about that ? Honestly.

They give me a lot so once in a while, I give back.

My kids in Sec.2 and 4 this year : SAME THING.

Etienne : enjoy darling.



By now you`re wondering about the title of today`s blog and when I`ll get to the point.

Well, for the past ten years ( Nadia correct me if I`m wrong ) my sisters and I reunite at this chalet ( log cabin ) way up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere where we gather together with our husbands ( NO KIDS ) for 3 days and basically do a lot of things : A lot of eating, dancing, playing poker, eating and not a lot of sleep.

We try to stop time for a few days : no phone, no tv and lots lots of talking and laughing.

This year after a few years of absence , our baby brother ( he`s 30 ) joined us with his fiancée.

It was her first time at the chalet and I hope to God we didn`t scare her.

My sisters ( we are three girls and a baby brother ) my brother and I have tons of fun together. We become kids again- pesky even ( you`ll have to check pesky in the dictionary kids ).

Always respectful and in good taste but pesky. We turn 5.

We figure the spouses are the only adults in the chalet and that`s not a reference sometimes.

Unfortunately my brother had brought a karaoke this year.

Bad idea.

We loved the darn thing but we had no talent.

You should have heard Caroline singing Scarborough Fair( Now titled : A Caro Scare ) or Nadia, Caroline and I with Lady Marmelade ( Now titled: 3 filles malades )

Bad, nasty even.

We thought we were great.

It`s only the next day when we viewed the video ( because we like to film our stupidities )

did we blush. We finally understood why our two dogs were howling so much.And our spouses too as a matter of fact !

Have you ever laughed so much you cried. Well that`s life up on the mountain in the chalet- for three days.

Now do you understand why I miss it so ?

But seriously next year, Karaoke : no way !

Unless my brother accidently packs it........



Ok Annie, enough -what about the project ? I need your help.

Actually there are two ;



Number One :

January 27 is the international literacy day ( the quality or state of being literate, esp. the ability to read and write. )
Lots of elementary schools within our school board need books.
Kids like books in general but if they are good and not too outdated. And what better way to encourage elementary kids to read than with " new " books. Not new , right out of the store new, but in the sense never been seen book. Understand ?
I am sure you have old books at home somewhere you haven`t touched for a while and do not know where to store them anymore .
Why not give it to teachers who have books so old that they are actually as old or older than me. Imagine.
So you have till January 18 to hand in your books that I will redistribute across the school board in your name.

Number Two :
For my own personal research I need your input.
Answer the following question on a loose leaf ( it shouldn`t be long ) and hand it in for January 18 also. Bonus points for anyone participating.
The question :
In all your years as a full-time student, aside from the subject they taught, what have teachers taught you over the years?
For example, take your grade 6 teacher, aside from math, French etc.what did you learn from him or her ?
I do not want any names, keep it anonymous but do write yours on the loose leaf so I can give you your bonus points.

On that,
Tata,
Annie

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

What do you do when 2007 was so great you don`t want it to end an a new year is just around the corner ?
You deal with it while savoring each little moments of 2007 to the last drop.
Every year I like to remember the year,month by month and look back on the special highlights.
I`m still grateful I can remember because sometimes ( more often ) I do not even remember what I had for breakfast.
I will spare you all the details but let me say : rarely can you say you had the opportunity to fulfill a lifetime dream and I had the privilege to realize 3-THREE of my dreams in just one year.
Here goes:
#1- Bought my " new " 1973 Mustang.
Named it after my two kids : Filou and Rose ( Filou`s Rose Royce ) . Do ya get it ?

#2- Went to Fenway Park in Boston again but this time saw a game ( they won too ).

#3- Had a role in a short and professional movie. What an experience !!

So after a grrreat year, what more could a girl want you say ?
New dreams of course.
I don`t have any for now except going back to Fenway Park but this time with my husband and kids. Can`t wait.
As for the others, they should float around in my head soon. They usually come when I`m brushing my teeth. I don`t know why. It usually starts with " Wouldn`t it be just grrreat if...."
Then I take action. I believe taking action attaining the objective is just as fun and rewarding as the dream itself. The ultimate goal is great too, don`t get me wrong. You should have seen me at Fenway Park last May.....And when I got my Mustang....Nuts, I simply went nuts .

So today was the first day back at work after almost 3 weeks off.
Waking up with the alarm clock was so brutal, a shock to the system.
Now usually the free coffee at work helps to get in the swing of things but it didn`t.
I basically woke up at around 11:00 a.m, the problem was that I came in at 8:30.
Where was my brain all that time? Still on vacation. I felt like Homer Simpson : " Ummm donuts ..." Except for me it was more : " Ummm,pyjamas, my kids, reading, falling asleep on the couch..." Yep, the lights were on but nobody was home .
When the buckets of coffee finally kicked in though - I was very productive.
Selected the winning logo for the contest with Karyna and Dany . There was no name behind the logo so Karyna and I have no idea who won . It`s great.
Prepared lots of stuff and made a list of all the things I have to do and panicked.
I should have rested more during the holidays. I should have gone to bed earlier, I should have relaxed more shoulda shoulda shoulda.
Well it`s too late for now honey. Your vacation is over and the proof is right in that list . Stop whining and get organized girl.
Why did I have to be a teacher ?
Why not work at Wal-Mart and greet clients at the door ? " Hello, happy shopping . "
Why not work in an office where if you make mistakes it doesn`t really matter ?
Why can`t I be a stay-at-home mom? ( Because I would be so miserable and bored I would kill my kids that`s why ! ).
Because it`s never boring.
Because I need the action.
Because there are never 2 days the same.
Because I`m hyper-active.
Because I love the people I work with ( my kids and co-workers ).
Maybe one day when I grow up I could do a boring job, but for now although I find it difficult to get back in the hamster wheel, I`ve decided to take it one step at a time.
That`s my resolution for 2008.
In my opinion,resolutions are made to be broken but this time I intend to stick to it.

Tomorrow it`s officially the start of the rest of the year and honestly, I can`t wait to see my students. Thank God you guys are great because it would make it even harder to leave my kids and pyjamas behind .
On that, happy new year : love,health and fun. The rest is extra.
Work hard but most of all,play hard.

TaTa,
Annie xx

PS : if you have something really important to tell me tomorrow, I recommend you wait till after 11:00a.m. Just in case....

LOCKED UP !

It started out just like any ordinary, normal day.
I get to school not totally awake but with my cup in hand, it`s a question of minutes....

As I mention in the heading, teaching is never boring and that's the main reason I enjoy it so much.
Today was not boring.
Unforgetable is a better adjective.

I have my ex-student in Sec.5 who charmingly asks me to judge the fashion show auditions ( 75 candidates ) and of course, I can' t say no when it's asked so darn nicely.

Just before:periods 2 and 3 we do our t-shirts and take a group picture downstairs.
So far so good.

I judge the fashion show with 2 of my co-workers and before I go , I accept to do tomorrow's judging for the boys' this time. And off I go to a Sec.2 meeting which I am obviously late to.
I had warned everyone of my tardiness so they weren't too surprised to see me show up.

I have 2 more periods to go so I grab a soup to go ( very practical ) and head back to my classroom.
Period 1 afternoon.
So far so good.
Period 2 afternoon at this point I' m running out of both fuel and breath but there are but minutes left, I should make it in one piece.
That's when it happened.

My Sec.2 kids were working on their Christmas skit : 'Twas The Night Before Christmas and there were just 15 minutes left in the period.
I had 2 students working very well and for a reason which would be too long to explain, they end upin my classroom closet and lock themselves in.
At first I think they are pulling my leg.
They tell me it's Edgar Allen Poe's fault because as some of you know, his spirit lives and he often likes to open the closet door with a creaking sound just to say hello.

So two minutes before the bell rings I feverishly but unsuccessfully try to pry the door open while the rest of the group surrounds me for motivation.
Some of my strong students attempt, in vain.

What do you do when everything else fails ?
You get Line.
She tries.
The girls are doing fine, not panicking at all but I certainly starting to.
Line giggles which helpslower my adrenaline-adrenaLINE- get it ?
A few minutes later, a whole group of curious come in the classroom.
Teachers.
Who do we finally fetch and eventually gets the door open ?
Joseph the maintenance man.
Bless you Joseph.
While Joe was working on the door, I remembered I had the camera in my office.
Got a lot of it on it.
At least the best part: Joseph and Georges CAron unhinging the door, pulling the door open and the girls finally getting out in one piece , blushing but smiling.

Nice going girls, you were as cool as cucumbers.
GIRL POWER !

I am so going to milk this one with these girls-they`ll have to beg me to stop teasing them about this !!!


On this I say buy lottery tickets, with your luck you may not have to go to university after all.

Tata
Annie

PS : From now on NOBODY goes in my closet-unless I put you there!!

What am I listening to lately?
New band I discovered :http://www.myspace.com/smallsins
Great when driving .

Tata,
Annie

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK !

Hi Guys.
I'll be brief tonight.
Two things I want to talk about.
Make that three.
Ok so I might not be that brief after all.

1- Tomorrow December 11th is D Day.
Philipe is coming and we will finally get the chance to write on our t-shirts.
I'm bringing the camera and taking a group picture.
Should be pretty good.

2- Before we head off on holiday, I want to remind you that you can borrow any English books in the bookshelf in the back to bring home .
You'll miss English so much while you' re home you' ll want to read English stuff for sure.
Do not hesitate.

3- I also want to congratulate you on your behaviour in class.
When we get this close to the holidays, students usually slack off a bit and become a little bit rowdy.
So far so good with you guys.
I hope I do not jinx it by talking about it.
Just keep up the great work and everything will be just fine.
As you saw today, this week and next are pretty full so we can`t quit now.
We also got lots of fun stuff on the program so keep it up guys.

Wow I can be brief .

Tata,
Annie

YOU CRY, I CRY, WE CRY

Imagine a certain ped.day: Friday afternoon to be exact and I`m off because of overtime I did at school.
Pierre is in Québec city with Paul Lachance and Frank Brisson ( my favorite dudes at school ) visiting museums for school.
So I`m all alone with the kids.
As I mentionned earlier, they had great report cards and Félix-Antoine was sucking up to his mom for no reason- everything`s fine.
Ok he talks too much in class.
Félix talks too much period.
Try driving to Ottawa with him - wishing you could drop him off on the highway.
He talks A LOT !
I told his teacher to do what she had to do and that she has our full cooperation.

Anyway, back to my afternoon off.
We eat lunch and then it starts snowing.
A Christmas snow.
Alright kids-get dressed, we`re going out.
And we did.
We walked to the dépanneur to rent a movie and for a walk.
On the way I meet my twins I taught last year : Olivier and Carl.
What a treat.
God I miss them.
We talked for about 15 minutes while my kids were making snow angels in the snow banks.

When we finally get home, we watch Chalotte`s Web : Le Monde de Charlotte.
I read the book when I was in elementary school and saw the animated version when I was my son`s age.
I was at my grandma`s house. I will always remember it.
So we cuddle and watch it.
It is very sad at the end and my son cried.
As he is crying I see myself at his age at my grandma`s house and remember how much I had cried back then.
So I cry with him.
And Rosie`s crying because we are crying.
Filou is a very sensitive boy. He has no shame crying at his age and I wish he`d stay like that forever but I do know there will come a time when crying because of a movie will be unacceptable so in the meantime, I`m enjoying it ( really ).
Rosie and I will have the rest of our lives to cry over sad movies.
It`s a girl thing.

How did it go in Rosie`s class ?
Wonderful!
I even got a group hug.
These 6 year olds lifted me off of my feet, literally. Twice.
Thank you Mrs.Louise for inviting me.
Invite me again.
My little ballerina had her last class tonight before X-mas vacation and we ( the parents ) were invited.
Wow.
She has progressed a lot since last year.
She enjoys it. She is focussed and she is good.
Mommy`s proud.

Tuesday December 11 is coming around.
What`s so special ?
Philippe Taillon is coming back to help us with your t-shirts.
You guys did a great job selecting a social issue and your slogans.
Example : Drinking and driving : Drink-Drive-Die.
Simple,clear message, very effective.
Congratulations everyone.
I can`t wait to see you wear the actual t-shirts!
Next time, we`ll write funny messages on them.
After March break.


I gotta go,
I have to deck the halls early tomorrow morning.
TaTa
Annie