Temptation

This is the season for me to fight temptation. That's because everyone has mandarin oranges. I really like mandarins. However, I'm mildly allergic to citrus. If I eat too many oranges, I get laryngitis. I used to get laryngitis every year in December and I could never figure out why, until Lloyd pointed out that the only time I ever ate citrus fruit was in December.

Now to add to temptation, the local grocery store has pomellos in. If you don't know what a pomello is - it's sort of like a grapefruit on steroids. The ones I've bought are about the size of a cantelope, and they're much sweeter than grapefruit, but definitely the same grapefruit-like flavour. I had a student in Yellowknife that would bring me 1-2 a week (imported directly from China) when they were in season.

So in three days I've eaten an entire pomello and a mandarin. I hope I won't be sorry. I think I'd better restrict myself for several days now.

Chores

One thing I've noticed about living by myself is how little some chores need to be done. I'm doing laundry this morning. About once every three weeks I run out of clothes and figure it's about time. Thursday I bought groceries. That's about once every two weeks. (Mind you, I eat lunch in the cafeteria at least twice a week.)

Unfortunately, some chores still have to be done at very regular intervals. Dishes must get washed. (God bless dishwashers - and they have to be unloaded/reloaded about once a week). Floors must be swept.

Some chores don't have to be done at all. Beds don't really have to be made - just the covers flipped back. Then when I do laundry (and put away all of my clothes), make the bed really, really well.

It's time to put a new load in the wash.

Special Day?

It's my 20th anniversary today. I'm finding this week to be difficult. Please keep me in your prayers.

The beginning and the end

Report card marks were due in today by 4 pm. I went to school for 7 am and got them completed by 3:50. I had a meeting at 4 that went to 5:30, then another at 7 that went to 8:45. I feel like I've spent too much time doing tedious tasks today.

However, the new six week term starts this week. It's always exciting looking forward to new terms. This term in English the theme is supposed to be "Indigenous and Norse Narratives". I think I'm going to call it "Telling Stories". I'm planning to start with telling my story and then move on to telling other stories. I always have a short scripture passage I have the students memorize related to the theme, but I haven't found one yet for this theme.

Tacos in a Bag

Western hosted Women's 3A Volleyball provincials this weekend. It was a big deal. There were nine other teams, plus Western's. We had to provide score keepers, linesmen, door people, a canteen etc. for two gyms. I took tickets and helped with the canteen.

Now, I've been involved with schools for over 20 years (most of that time in the NWT) and I have to say that some things are definitely cultural. Apparently "tacos in a bag" are a very common gym food or canteen food down here, but I'd never heard of it. If you're not in the know either - you take an individual bag of taco chips (doritos), open it along the side NOT at the top, add a spoonful of hamburger cooked with taco seasoning, grated cheese, chopped onion (optional), chopped lettuce, salsa and sour cream. Add a fork. Let the customer stir well. It's essentially an individual taco salad. No mess. The only equipment that's needed is a crock pot for the meat. I tried one. It's pretty good too.

However, taco's in a bag are unheard of in the north. I bet they'd be a big seller too. The typical gym food there is chili, sloppy joes or hot dogs. In the far north you might get caribou stew or muktuk (depending on availability). Muktuk is whale blubber. I've never had an opportunity to try it, but I hear it's really chewy and somewhat fishy.

We had lots more than that at the canteen though. You could buy fruit and dip, veggies and dip, fresh fruit, chocolate bars, soup and sandwiches, pop and bottled water, coffee and tea, cookies, rice crispy squares or puffed wheat squares; the list goes on. Hopefully we've made a fair bit of money from the whole thing.

What a Day!

Had a great weekend! Went as a coach of Western's Bible Quiz team to Morden, MB (Bible belt country). It was exhausting, but a lot of fun. The team did really well - ended up 6th out of 20 teams in the B division. There were about 240 teenagers, coaches, officials, etc. there.

Today however. I had one of those days that.... whatever they pay me.. it's not enough! Had outright defiance from more than one student, had another student ask me to please wear deodorant.

I can continue to count my blessings. Chapel this morning was very uplifting. I really enjoyed it. Today was an aberration, I don't get days like that very often. Everyone, regardless of their job, has days they wish it was someone else's job. Today was my turn, I guess.

A day off

Today's a holiday - I work tomorrow and then have Wednesday off. Sounds good to me. I slept in until 5:55 (as usual) this morning, then woke up, rolled over and went back to sleep until nearly 8. Then I picked up a book and remained in bed until I finished it. Very nice.

It's now nearly noon. I've practiced piano for an hour. I think I'll do some sewing this afternoon. After all, my brother has twins that I haven't even seen yet, and I must need to make them baby quilts, as I have for the other 20+ nieces and nephews I have. Maybe I'll see if I can get to S'toon and visit them Wednesday.

My Latest Trick

I'm supposed to be working on sight reading right now for piano. My teacher has loaned me one of her books (actually from when she was a child) of really easy hymns to sight read through. They're about a grade 2/3 level. There's very few of them I don't know, so that even makes it easier to sight read. So... I've upped the bar a little. I either have to sight read them with the metronome (which means I don't fudge the timing) or I have to sight read them and transpose them up or down a step or two.

Can I do it yet? Not well. We're working on it. It'll come.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Well, Ruth walked into my apartment and said, "Here it is!" It was right there - I must have been blind. That's the way it goes somedays.

Daylight Savings Time

For the rest of the world (not including Saskatchewan), today was the start of daylight savings time. I have never understood this. This is partially because I grew up in Saskatchewan where we didn't change time twice a year. It is also partly because in the NWT, one hour's difference makes no difference when you lose 6 minutes of daylight everyday. Daylight savings time still means that you're getting up and going to bed in the dark.

So, why does cutting one end off a blanket and sewing it onto the other end, make the blanket any longer?

Where oh where?

Last Sunday the sermon went on extra long, so we didn't really have much time for Sunday school. Ruth and I co-teach the 8-11 year olds. Because there wasn't much time, we did an activity instead of the regular Bible story. Then we rushed out right after service to go to Kennedy for Grandpa McMillan's funeral.

I usually prepare Saturday for Sunday's class. However, because I had prepared last week, I didn't worry about preparing yesterday. I got up, went to get my materials.... where are my materials? I've searched the apartment over and can't find them. I phoned Ruth and she checked her car and house. Not there.

So, Ruth and I winged it this Sunday. This gives me a week to find when I put them.