… is the only appropriate word for this.
Yesterday the entire 2,5 km track was chewed up by the logging equipment. Today they had again been there to collect the timber and haul it out of there – but less than 24 hours after the devastation yesterday, there was a fresh track made by one of the guys from the Ski Club. Now, wouldn’t you know someone had already managed to walk in the tracks when I was there shortly after 5 PM? I guess it was easier than to walk on the side…. Grrr.
This is one of the ski trails just on the edge of town. I’ve started taking Loki for walks there as there are fewer dogs frequenting that area than the one closer to home. I realised the other day that some of the trees along the trail were marked for removal but what met me this afternoon really threw me.
The trail is chewed to pieces by the logging equipment (well, that is fixed after another snowfall…) but what is far worse is that the logging operation in the area is quite extensive.
In a recreational area close to the largest community in the county! As if there isn’t wooded areas in other locations that could be logged! As if…
Incredible!
BTW. Aside from cold shivers every now and then and a bit of a runny nose, I’ve been doing fine after getting the flu shot.
Loki was very interested in the creek here and I couldn’t understand why at first. Until I looked down on the other side of the bridge and saw the remains 0f a moose in the water. The season is still open - this one must’ve been shot by someone outside their allowed area – and Loki almost went into the creek because of the smell.
My feeling yesterday that this would become a busy week was just a hunch I had. Today it was confirmed that this will indeed become “one of those weeks.” A serious case of bullying and harrassment of a child in Grade 7 erupted when said child was given a hard blow to his temple by another child in the same group. Talks with everyone involved took the entire afternoon and I came home feeling totally drained.
By then it was too dark to do anything else than take Loki for a walk along the lighted ski-trails (yes, they are prepared wide enough that people can ski and walk alongside each other) and then come home and find an old picture to post.
I can’t wait for the weekend – and it’s only Tuesday!
…that the snow seems to take so many by total surprise every year?
These ones will probably survive the winter, but there’s an expensive mountain bike parked at a corner that will surely be demolished by the snowplow before long.
A quick walk along the shore this afternoon, to clear my head and allow Loki to stretch out.
Yes, that’s the first ice forming on the lake and a bank of sand building up on the outside of it. I’ve seen formations like this before but never thought about it, but this must be common along shoals like we have. Looking at this it’s hard to believe that this is the deepest lake in the country.
Tomorrow I’m heading towards the coast for another meeting with the Migration Authorities – this time for a language analysis for -W- as they want to determine if he really IS from the town he claims as his hometown. All in all it should take no more than 30 minutes in their office – for which we’ll spend about 5 hours travelling. Have they not heard of video-conferencing, you ask? Apparently not!
Since I can’t sleep in with the sun poking in through the blinds far too early these days, I took a tour around town this morning. This is some of the things I saw.
Most pictures of the church are taken with the sun shining on it from the south, so this is different in more ways than one. When I turned around to look down the stream, this is what I found…
Somone’s idea of fun, which I’ve never been able to appreciate.
I played hooky for an hour or so this afternoon. I know, techers shouldn’t do that but under certain circumstances it must be allowed. I have even at times encouraged students to do ditch a class – but that’s a story for another time. Today it was about me and my attitude that needed some adjusting.
So I went out to look for more swans and found about fifteen of them spread out over a fairly large body of open water.
There were also Canada Geese and mallards on the water, but I didn’t manage to capture any of them on pictures.
Why was I in a foul mood? The less than stellar way in which a supervisor informed me that I can’t take a one-day course “English for the Noughties” about recent changes in usage….
That expensive???
Nah about $115US.
I’d pay my own travel and since it takes place on a Wednesday, there would be no need for a substitute teacher! I understand the need to be frugal in times like these – but this borders on the ludicrous.
So – I’m paying my own way and to hell with the school board!
Back some time in the late 70’s when I was working at a big hotel in Winnipeg, I broke ground and became the first female Chief Steward in the history of the company. I had pestered the F&B Manager for a couple of months, because I wanted to get away from the reception and booking office… He finally relented and gave me a job with a far fancier title than job duties. I was to be in charge of all dishwashers and night cleaners, most of whom knew little or no English. The day staff was no big problem – they were mostly Portugese or from the Philippines and in most cases they had been working there for years.
The night cleaners were a different matter. Most of them came from Somalia and if they knew any language aside from their own, it was a smattering of French – which I was no good at. They were all – without exception – taking courses in English so they could one day go to university, and they did a lot of their studying at night… Communicating with them was not easy, but somehow I still managed to give them instructions – or so I thought at least. They worked between 10PM and 6AM, the pay was so-so and the job was dirty. They were the ones who cleaned all the stoves, emptied deep friers, cleaned the floors in all kitchen areas and cleaned out the grease traps in the kitchens. It always amazed me how they managed to clean up the pigsty left by the cooks – and STILL have time to study. The kitchens would be gleaming every morning when the day staff came to work – even if the place had looked like a disaster area less than 6 hours earlier.
Then one morning when I came into work early I was met by the Chef who was foaming at the mouth. He was pointing at the big stock pot that was empty while sputtering something I couldn’t understand. I junior cook finally filled me in – the pot had been filled with all the goodies that go into making stock and had been left to cool overnight… Admittedly, when you’ve boiled the living daylight out of meat, bones and vegetables of various and/or questionable age and freshness it does look like something one should get rid of – and fast! So a newly hired night cleaner had done just that – emptied the stock pot and left it clean and shiny….
I honestly can’t remember how we managed to placate the Chef but I’m sure it involved lots of coffee and lots of patting on the hand. He was normally a very calm and collected person, but that day we certainly got to know where his limit was.
Now, why did I think of this story? Because I was making my own stock today. I was only using a pot that holds 10 liters – the one at the hotel must’ve been for at least 150 liters…
A heading well suited for this post!
This week has really tested my multi-tasking ability to the utmost. An annual general meeting for the union, meetings about my two guys, negotiations regarding proposed staff-cuts, regular classes and standardised testing to prepare – a bit more than I normally have to face in any given week. Today I sure am glad this week is over, but part of the reason why I’ve been thinking about a possible career change lately is that I can perform too much of my present job on sheer routine.
We’ve been using the same textbooks in English for a number of years. I have tried most exercises, know which ones are good tools for learning, which ones are OK and also which ones are downright useless. I can use my instructions for each text/chapter mostly without changes from one year to another…. Boring! For me, that is – the students are a different bunch every year… Still and all – I feel as if I’m stagnating and nothing scares me more than the thought that my teaching will turn stale. I don’t think that is the case yet, but…
No wonder the job offer I received (and have -sort of – accepted, but not negotiated all terms of) felt like a gift from the heavens! Yes – I’ll be using the same textbooks for my classes next year, so no change there. I will however be challenged with new duties during part of my workday, and I think this will benefit my students as well. The need to think in new and different ways during part of the day should “spill over” into my teaching… Going from teaching-only to teaching/admin also meant that I could step down from the position of chairperson for the union local. Truth be told – I was more than ready to do so, as it must be one of the more thankless jobs there is! I’ll remain as a member of the board though, mostly to help our new chairperson during her first year in office.
Yesterday my students in Grade 9 did two parts of the standardised tests they have to sit. This was reading- and listening comprehension – remains an essay and an oral examination done in groups of two or three. I’ve done a lot of preparatory work with my students during the week and I could see that it was beneficial for many of them. One student who threatened to skip school left the room with a smile on his face and there were many of them who seemed to be much more confident than what they were even a week ago!
I went through all of their answers last night and by the looks of it everyone will get a passing grade!
Now for the one thing I hadn’t factored in for this week. Dealing with a bureaucrat.
There has been some disturbing events surrounding the youths who are placed here while their applications for refugee status are being processed. A couple of them (among others -B-) was jumped by some local thugs at a recent disco dance. They have met some rather unsavory comments from others in the community and the level of frustration is on the rise. A handful of them have been given refugee status, but the majority of them are basically waiting to get deported. The other day one youth was to be escorted to the nearest airport and sent back to his home country – which really set off everyone else. No surprise there!
Right in the middle of this, a minor bureaucrat with the county insisted on holding interviews with the two boys I am entrusted to care for. An interview which is NOT called for – unless they have received their permanent visas and travel documents, indicating their future status of becoming full-flegded citizens.
I tried reasoning…
I tried explaining…
I finally said I did not want the interviews to take place at the present time and signed a paper to that effect. With that I felt the matter had been dealt with.
Not so.
This person went behind my back and arranged for interviews with the two boys and an interpreter. As a trustee for these teenagers I am in the place of a parent for everyone – except a bureaucrat who can’t read the regulations by which her job should be exceuted.
Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you what the interviews were all about…
Every person who receives a permanent visa is required to have an Introductory Plan to determine what level of education they have, what further education is required and what career path they envision for themselves in the future… The interview CAN be conducted before the person has received their visa – but. it. is. not. necessary.
The result?
-H- was totally befuddled and couldn’t understand why he would have to answer all these questions now… -B- took the opportunity to voice his rather selfish feelings about everything under the sun, but refused to answer her questions…
After this she can, however, put a tick mark in another box on a list of To-Do’s.
Isn’t it amazing that snow can be this viscous? You’d think this is snow on ropes but it’s not – just the stuff that has sort of slid off the top of the djungle gym.
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