This is about the third incarnation of a post on Halloween - yes I am aware it's a month away yet, however, it's been on my mind all week. Been thinking about ideas for decorating for (hopefully) all the little trick or treaters who usually come around. Wondering how many there will this year since last season was the lowest count in the 6 years we've been here - about 50% lower than previous years. We do get a high turnover of residents here since these are rental properties, and the vast majority of kids here are newer than we are, many new this year. Wonder how many of them are going to trick or treat, or even celebrate Halloween?
In the schools it's orange and black day, not Halloween, at home it's Halloween and the Witch's New year - don't ask lol That's just how it's known around here. That or Easter - slip of someone's tongue many years ago ;)
On the plus side there's Boo at the Zoo on the weekend before and both local malls will be handing out candy and treats to kids in costume.
There will be decorating and dressing up and handing out of candy and possibly partying. Possibly. Maybe. Perhaps. There will be pumpkins lit and candles and haunted trees - which if anyone looked REAL close also carry the names of those who have passed over. But no-one except me looks that closely and they make great decorations! There will be hats and bats and a big spider, a magical clock and a cauldron of plenty.... what else what else? Still working on it....
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Livininthehood #4 #warongardens
As is usual I find myself wondering many odd things in the course of the day. @JeninCanada wondered how much trouble she'd get into if she turned her front yard into a vegetable garden instead of leaving it as grass. It's a question I've wondered too - not that I have a yard right now, front or back since we live in a rental complex that has shared green space - yet it's something I've wondered in the hypothetical.
Why IS it such a crime to take time and resource consuming lawn and turn it into something more useful, less wasteful and often more visually appealing? Everyone bombards us with instructions to eat better, get healthier, lose weight, feed our kids more fruits and vegetables, avoid pesticides, etc. Government is always telling us that north America is suffering a plague of obesity and poor health.
Then doesn't it make sense to allow people greater access to fresh produce instead of restricting it? To allow people to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in their own yards and to increase the number and availability of community gardens. Especially in less well off neighbourhoods where people often have least access to affordable healthy foods.
I know it's a pet peeve of mine that there isn't a community garden within walking distance of here, and I do still believe that our 'Hood is one that could seriously benefit from having its own community garden if we could find a space for it.
Seems to me that the so called war on garden ( #warongardens) has a lot more to do with power, control and conformity than it has to do with vegetables. Maybe my sense of logic is just skewed, but wouldn't we all be better off if there were more vegetable gardens and less lawn? Like a re-designing of the Victory Garden campaign? Wouldn't we all be better off, and healthier, if more people were allowed to plant up gardens and eat and share their produce? One neighbour has too many tomatoes, so swaps them with another who has a surplus of onions, say. What is wrong with that? OTHER than taking control out of the hands of government and putting it back into the hands of the people? (The people who government is supposed to be working for, FYI.)
Instead apparently there is a war on gardens in many places just now, we won't even mention the chickens ;) Is it any wonder that Guerilla Gardening is taking off in more and more places? There shouldn't be a need for it but there is - as the saying goes, it is often easier to get forgiveness afterwards than to request permission beforehand.
Meanwhile the powers that be continue to tell us to be healthier, while at the same time denying us the opportunity to do it for ourselves. As long as it is about power and control instead of about people and food, there will continue to be a need for guerilla gardeners and for those who dare defy convention and turn their lawn into vegetables. Just a thought.
Why IS it such a crime to take time and resource consuming lawn and turn it into something more useful, less wasteful and often more visually appealing? Everyone bombards us with instructions to eat better, get healthier, lose weight, feed our kids more fruits and vegetables, avoid pesticides, etc. Government is always telling us that north America is suffering a plague of obesity and poor health.
Then doesn't it make sense to allow people greater access to fresh produce instead of restricting it? To allow people to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in their own yards and to increase the number and availability of community gardens. Especially in less well off neighbourhoods where people often have least access to affordable healthy foods.
I know it's a pet peeve of mine that there isn't a community garden within walking distance of here, and I do still believe that our 'Hood is one that could seriously benefit from having its own community garden if we could find a space for it.
Seems to me that the so called war on garden ( #warongardens) has a lot more to do with power, control and conformity than it has to do with vegetables. Maybe my sense of logic is just skewed, but wouldn't we all be better off if there were more vegetable gardens and less lawn? Like a re-designing of the Victory Garden campaign? Wouldn't we all be better off, and healthier, if more people were allowed to plant up gardens and eat and share their produce? One neighbour has too many tomatoes, so swaps them with another who has a surplus of onions, say. What is wrong with that? OTHER than taking control out of the hands of government and putting it back into the hands of the people? (The people who government is supposed to be working for, FYI.)
Instead apparently there is a war on gardens in many places just now, we won't even mention the chickens ;) Is it any wonder that Guerilla Gardening is taking off in more and more places? There shouldn't be a need for it but there is - as the saying goes, it is often easier to get forgiveness afterwards than to request permission beforehand.
Meanwhile the powers that be continue to tell us to be healthier, while at the same time denying us the opportunity to do it for ourselves. As long as it is about power and control instead of about people and food, there will continue to be a need for guerilla gardeners and for those who dare defy convention and turn their lawn into vegetables. Just a thought.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Livin' in the 'Hood 3
Walk to school yesterday got a little faster when my walking companion got a text from her teenage daughter that she was having an asthma attack at high school. So L had to run grab the kindergartener out of school early then head for the high school. Last time it happened to the teenager she passed right out cold and the school had to call an ambulance. Same teenager already has issues since a tip to the dentist revealed that as suspected her TMJ is out of line and needs treatment. So a call was made to the specialist and guess what? That costs $230 just to walk in the door and get an appointment. Up front. No direct billing. And the insurance won't cover it. At least not unless the specialist direct bills, the insurance refuses it and then it gets appealed. But the specialist won't direct bill anyway.
AND that's $230 just to get in to see him, no treatment, nothing. Like most of us L doesn't have a spare $230, plus everything that'd come afterwards, in her pocket to pull out at the drop of a hat. So how is the teenager supposed to get the treatment she needs?
Everything is getting more expensive, almost by the day, and people have less and less money left over after they pay the bills, rent/mortgage, buy food, pay school fees, insurance etc. Especially around here. I know too many people here who were living pay check to pay check because there was never anything left over, only now, as the cost of everything is rising and wages are not keeping pace it's not so much living pay check to pay check as can we make it from one pay check to the next? Or, who can wait till the next pay check and who NEEDS to be paid now. Between what groceries/clothes/school stuff do we need now and what can wait until the next pay check?
It's not just a few facing those dilemmas nowadays, it's an ever increasing number of people as the cost of everything rockets. Something is very off in the 'Hood and getting ever more off as time goes by.
AND that's $230 just to get in to see him, no treatment, nothing. Like most of us L doesn't have a spare $230, plus everything that'd come afterwards, in her pocket to pull out at the drop of a hat. So how is the teenager supposed to get the treatment she needs?
Everything is getting more expensive, almost by the day, and people have less and less money left over after they pay the bills, rent/mortgage, buy food, pay school fees, insurance etc. Especially around here. I know too many people here who were living pay check to pay check because there was never anything left over, only now, as the cost of everything is rising and wages are not keeping pace it's not so much living pay check to pay check as can we make it from one pay check to the next? Or, who can wait till the next pay check and who NEEDS to be paid now. Between what groceries/clothes/school stuff do we need now and what can wait until the next pay check?
It's not just a few facing those dilemmas nowadays, it's an ever increasing number of people as the cost of everything rockets. Something is very off in the 'Hood and getting ever more off as time goes by.
Livin' in the 'Hood 2
Got home from school, took the dogs outside for a pee and the little neighbour girl was over the road waving at me. She's a sweet thing, no more than 3 yrs olds, and unfortunately mostly unsupervised when outside just like most of the other around here. There's more than one 2 yr old who runs around playing outside in the parking lot, green space and roadway with minimal if any adult supervision. It's a miracle none have been hit by a car yet or had something equally bad happen to them.
Something like the potential accident I ran into on the way home from school. Walking down the alleyway (back road) - which I may have mentioned serves 4 schools in one small area - when I noticed something on the ground. Then another. Some kind of pill, no idea if they were OTC or prescription but they sure shouldn't have been lying on the road. Probably went out with the trash and ended up not in the trash can, just waiting for some little kid like the aforementioned girl to come along and pop it in their mouth thinking it was candy.
Stupidity like that just annoys me, big time.
People, dispose of stuff properly - pills, glass, everything! Last week it was condoms in the alleyway, this week pills. What next? A needle, a knife? People this may be the 'Hood but it's our "Hood, we live here, can we at least TRY and take care of it and the people in it?
Something like the potential accident I ran into on the way home from school. Walking down the alleyway (back road) - which I may have mentioned serves 4 schools in one small area - when I noticed something on the ground. Then another. Some kind of pill, no idea if they were OTC or prescription but they sure shouldn't have been lying on the road. Probably went out with the trash and ended up not in the trash can, just waiting for some little kid like the aforementioned girl to come along and pop it in their mouth thinking it was candy.
Stupidity like that just annoys me, big time.
People, dispose of stuff properly - pills, glass, everything! Last week it was condoms in the alleyway, this week pills. What next? A needle, a knife? People this may be the 'Hood but it's our "Hood, we live here, can we at least TRY and take care of it and the people in it?
Livin' in the 'Hood 1
School year is under way and that means spending more time hanging around outside school, waiting to go in or waiting for ids to come out, and THAT means more time hanging around with or listening to my neighbours and all the other mums at the school doors. Never underestimate what you can learn at the school door if you pay attention.
I may not know all of them, by a long way, but they're all my neighbours in that we all live in the same "Hood - that's why our kids go to that school. In fact we live in half the 'Hood since that's one of two elementary schools that serve the area.
People have laughed at me for saying I live in the "Hood unfortunately it often feels like it's true. More than that, it often feels like here in Calgary when you say "I live in the "Hood," the next question off the listeners lips is "Which one?"
As "Hoods go ours isn't too bad, in some ways. In others.... Demographics are interesting - we have a higher than average immigrant population, more visible minorities, higher ESL and more poverty than many areas. We also have a high percentage of rental properties and therefore a correspondingly high turnover of residents as people move in and out. Pretty sure I've mentioned that before. We do NOT have a higher than average crime rate even though there is a perception that we do - as has often been said the fear of crime often outweighs the reality.
Yet it often feels as though we are one of the forgotten neighbourhoods, that we're too difficult? too transient? to new and fresh? to be worth bothering with. Pretty sure I've said that before. We do have our share of homeless, drunks, panhandlers and wannabe gangsters who hang around the strip malls in groups trying to intimidate anyone and everyone who walks past.
Oddly we had three people killed by the C-train here in the space of ten days recently - two a block north from me and one a block south. And we did have a guy shot to death last year in the next door bar - rumour has it that it was a hit.
We do have our resident drug addicts and dealers and boosters - someone should tell them that conversations in the parking lot carry around here dude.
We have, just in our apartment complex, more than one guy who did/does beat his wife, (RCMP came to see him) one who beats his dog, (humane society came to see him), a teenager who is under investigation for stalking a 15 yr old girl, and two teenagers (as yet unidentified) who thought that they could make sexual and inappropriate comments to 9 and 11 yr old girls.
Yet these are all the things that neither officialdom nor the media seem to notice or care about. It's like, what do we expect when that's where we live? Yet many of us have been here for a long time. This is our home, for whatever reason. Yes a lot of us might move elsewhere if we had the option but for many of us there is little or no choice right now due to the circumstances of life.
Why ever we are here, this is our home, this is our 'Hood and we are raising our children here. They, and we, deserve the best "Hood that we can have/create. Not one where we're intimidated when walking down the street or worried about being mugged if we're out alone. Maybe it's time for us to take back our streets and our "Hood and make it our own again.
I may not know all of them, by a long way, but they're all my neighbours in that we all live in the same "Hood - that's why our kids go to that school. In fact we live in half the 'Hood since that's one of two elementary schools that serve the area.
People have laughed at me for saying I live in the "Hood unfortunately it often feels like it's true. More than that, it often feels like here in Calgary when you say "I live in the "Hood," the next question off the listeners lips is "Which one?"
As "Hoods go ours isn't too bad, in some ways. In others.... Demographics are interesting - we have a higher than average immigrant population, more visible minorities, higher ESL and more poverty than many areas. We also have a high percentage of rental properties and therefore a correspondingly high turnover of residents as people move in and out. Pretty sure I've mentioned that before. We do NOT have a higher than average crime rate even though there is a perception that we do - as has often been said the fear of crime often outweighs the reality.
Yet it often feels as though we are one of the forgotten neighbourhoods, that we're too difficult? too transient? to new and fresh? to be worth bothering with. Pretty sure I've said that before. We do have our share of homeless, drunks, panhandlers and wannabe gangsters who hang around the strip malls in groups trying to intimidate anyone and everyone who walks past.
Oddly we had three people killed by the C-train here in the space of ten days recently - two a block north from me and one a block south. And we did have a guy shot to death last year in the next door bar - rumour has it that it was a hit.
We do have our resident drug addicts and dealers and boosters - someone should tell them that conversations in the parking lot carry around here dude.
We have, just in our apartment complex, more than one guy who did/does beat his wife, (RCMP came to see him) one who beats his dog, (humane society came to see him), a teenager who is under investigation for stalking a 15 yr old girl, and two teenagers (as yet unidentified) who thought that they could make sexual and inappropriate comments to 9 and 11 yr old girls.
Yet these are all the things that neither officialdom nor the media seem to notice or care about. It's like, what do we expect when that's where we live? Yet many of us have been here for a long time. This is our home, for whatever reason. Yes a lot of us might move elsewhere if we had the option but for many of us there is little or no choice right now due to the circumstances of life.
Why ever we are here, this is our home, this is our 'Hood and we are raising our children here. They, and we, deserve the best "Hood that we can have/create. Not one where we're intimidated when walking down the street or worried about being mugged if we're out alone. Maybe it's time for us to take back our streets and our "Hood and make it our own again.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
THAT Book Again
I had quit reading "What's the deal with Wicca?" since there was nothing new or overly interesting in it but since I haven't had to take the library books back yet I was skimming through it again this morning. That's when I ran into the chapter entitled "When a friend is in Wicca" "Warning Signs
How can we recognize if a friend is involved with Wicca and practising witchcraft?"
(Can you see what's coming?!)
1. Withdrawal from routine activities.
2. Obsession with death and suicide. (Apparently Wiccan belief in reincarnation leads to an increased chance of suicide)
3. Fixation with Wicca symbols and Runes.
4. Possession of Wiccan, pagan and shamanistic publications.
5. Excessive fears and anxieties.
6. Fascination with or possession of unique knives.
7. Owning a book of shadows.
8. Altars.
"Remember that your ultimate goal is for your friend to be freed from the spiritual darkness of Wicca."
Says it all I guess....
How can we recognize if a friend is involved with Wicca and practising witchcraft?"
(Can you see what's coming?!)
1. Withdrawal from routine activities.
2. Obsession with death and suicide. (Apparently Wiccan belief in reincarnation leads to an increased chance of suicide)
3. Fixation with Wicca symbols and Runes.
4. Possession of Wiccan, pagan and shamanistic publications.
5. Excessive fears and anxieties.
6. Fascination with or possession of unique knives.
7. Owning a book of shadows.
8. Altars.
"Remember that your ultimate goal is for your friend to be freed from the spiritual darkness of Wicca."
Says it all I guess....
That Invisible Shingle
some things change and yet others stay the same - apparently my invisible shingle is still hanging out there for everyone - except me - to see! D2 is still after a card reading, C asked me to cleanse the latest addition to her rock collection for her, D and Sh still want me to cleanse their house as there's still the issue of a certain 'presence' there - whose name is Donald fyi.
C and her rock cleansing? Conversation actually went "Would you cleanse this one for me please?" "Sure if you want me to." Pause. "What exactly does cleanse mean anyway?" Don't ya love 11 yr old kids? lol She asked me cos her grandma, Sh, recently asked me to cleanse a stone for her too - actually a nice piece of amethyst that Sh carries everywhere and so it had definitely picked up a little too much junk. To put it mildly.
So it seems that shingle is still hanging out there somewhere, at least I know I'm not alone in that, Christopher Penczak makes comment on a similar phenomenon in one of his books - City Magick I think :/
Not that it's any secret as anyone who has ever read my blog or followed me on Twitter know, and ever since my sister sent it to me a few months back I've been wearing my silver pentacle (which isn't small) as openly asI used to wear my Triskele. I used to have another pent before but I gave that one to our room-mate, B.
Then of course spirits are still hanging around, although they probably deserves a blog post of their own if I ever get the time! Read something interesting recently about guides, and while I'm not sure I agree with the author's assertion about 'we all have 5', her comments about them always showing up in the same place, relative to ourselves, did strike a chord. At least from my experiences. Blue and Rahk have always shown up in the same positions, not that they can't move elsewhere, they can and do, however when they show up they're always 'in position'. So did Olivia before she left and nowadays Jimson does too. Welcome to my own personal world of crazy ;)
When I first wrote out this blog post yesterday I made comment about having a feeling things were about to get busier again, said comments are now unnecessary as they've been proven right. Ever doodled in the margin and looked down to realize you have just written Chinese characters with no idea what they mean? Apparently that's what I was doodling yesterday - turns out they mean a child, a gifted scholar.... Ties in with the latest 'visitor', goes by the name of Mei Lin..... that's ongoing apparently. Seems my instinct was on track.
Also appears that those who have passed through, in general, want their stories told.... now where am I supposed to find time for that???? Seriously? Although there ARE some interesting stories, I just wonder when I'll ever find time?! NOT that it's optional apparently, My Lady says. Sheesh.
Apparently instinct is also why I had the urge to give a book on pendulum dowsing to Sh yesterday, and just as I was thinking that for the umpteenth time, her daughter D knocked on the door - so I gave her the book for her mum. So that shingle is definitely still there and from her eon in it's only going to get crazier as Halloween approaches. Happens every year as the veil thins, not that it really ever thickened again from last year but that's a whole other story! Time to pin the hat, lace the boots tighter - and fix the GPS on the broom!
C and her rock cleansing? Conversation actually went "Would you cleanse this one for me please?" "Sure if you want me to." Pause. "What exactly does cleanse mean anyway?" Don't ya love 11 yr old kids? lol She asked me cos her grandma, Sh, recently asked me to cleanse a stone for her too - actually a nice piece of amethyst that Sh carries everywhere and so it had definitely picked up a little too much junk. To put it mildly.
So it seems that shingle is still hanging out there somewhere, at least I know I'm not alone in that, Christopher Penczak makes comment on a similar phenomenon in one of his books - City Magick I think :/
Not that it's any secret as anyone who has ever read my blog or followed me on Twitter know, and ever since my sister sent it to me a few months back I've been wearing my silver pentacle (which isn't small) as openly asI used to wear my Triskele. I used to have another pent before but I gave that one to our room-mate, B.
Then of course spirits are still hanging around, although they probably deserves a blog post of their own if I ever get the time! Read something interesting recently about guides, and while I'm not sure I agree with the author's assertion about 'we all have 5', her comments about them always showing up in the same place, relative to ourselves, did strike a chord. At least from my experiences. Blue and Rahk have always shown up in the same positions, not that they can't move elsewhere, they can and do, however when they show up they're always 'in position'. So did Olivia before she left and nowadays Jimson does too. Welcome to my own personal world of crazy ;)
When I first wrote out this blog post yesterday I made comment about having a feeling things were about to get busier again, said comments are now unnecessary as they've been proven right. Ever doodled in the margin and looked down to realize you have just written Chinese characters with no idea what they mean? Apparently that's what I was doodling yesterday - turns out they mean a child, a gifted scholar.... Ties in with the latest 'visitor', goes by the name of Mei Lin..... that's ongoing apparently. Seems my instinct was on track.
Also appears that those who have passed through, in general, want their stories told.... now where am I supposed to find time for that???? Seriously? Although there ARE some interesting stories, I just wonder when I'll ever find time?! NOT that it's optional apparently, My Lady says. Sheesh.
Apparently instinct is also why I had the urge to give a book on pendulum dowsing to Sh yesterday, and just as I was thinking that for the umpteenth time, her daughter D knocked on the door - so I gave her the book for her mum. So that shingle is definitely still there and from her eon in it's only going to get crazier as Halloween approaches. Happens every year as the veil thins, not that it really ever thickened again from last year but that's a whole other story! Time to pin the hat, lace the boots tighter - and fix the GPS on the broom!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Kindergarten catch up
Yes I'm trying to play catch up!!
Kindergarten Pt1
So what else is new? Spent a week camping in our new (new to us anyway) trailer on the in-laws' acreage in BC - with awesome weather. Had a great, relaxing time - just wish I wasn't so damn tired since we got back! Yet again it's 8.45 and I could easily go to bed and sleep. Sadly that isn't happening, the guys are out partying and won't be home til late, or sober.
Neighbours are moving out in droves, and certain neighbours have as much drama as ever in their lives - I've said before - it's not that I don't like the woman but dayum she can be hard work.
School starts day after tomorrow - first day at kindergarten for someone around here!! And anyone who thinks that means more time to myself is wrong - by the time I drop him off and walk home it'll be an hour or so until it's time to leave to walk down and pick him up again lol And in between will still be dogs, dishes, laundry, supper, lunch, etc! Need more hours in the day.
Kindergarten Pt2
School's in and Spawn has had his first few half days, full day kindergarten is about to begin. Can you say tired child? lol He thinks Mrs S walks on water, like most 5 yr old boy she has a crush on his kindergarten teacher ;) And yep there is the usual rush of notes, newsletters and forms, alongside requests for money and extra stuff. $65 for fees and supplies and $295 for lunch time supervision - not a meal just supervision - if they're staying for lunch all year. In other words $29.50 per month.
Next on my list is a second pair of shoes for him to keep at school and wear there, indoor shoes. Did kindergarten orientation part 2 - basically a repeat of the one in June with a few added/altered details. Pretty sure less people turned up for part 2 than did for part 1 mind you. And of course the usual requests for volunteers and for people to attend parent council meetings. There will be fundraising, there will be selling of SU ticket packs, all the usual good stuff.
42 kids in his kindergarten - split into 2 classes. Apparently the CBE allocates enough money that each kid can go on at least one field trip per year, parent council tries to raise enough money to make it more than one, and to provide special lunches, events, etc. Apparently I'm being drawn into going to the parent council meeting next week - we'll see how that works out! I'd like to. We all know that budgets everywhere, not just in the CBE, are being cut back at the same time as the cost of everything is rising. Seems like once upon a time fundraising was more for the extras and the frills, these days it's an essential part of school. And everywhere else.
Kindergarten Pt3
So, we just finished the first two full days of kindergarten, and yep, it kicked his ass AND he has a cold. Surprise! Beginning of school has always been a prime time to share every cold and bug out there lol There are still a few tears - his, not mine - sometimes but on the whole he's says it's "Great!" and he does "Everything!". Even if he was less impressed at having the story of 'Who ate all the cookie dough?' AGAIN the other day lol (Answer btw is baby kangaroo did)
Kindergarten also means spending a lot of time hanging around outside the school doors waiting, and talking to other mums, and in some cases getting to know people who have been neighbours for a long time a lot better. Amazing what you can learn in a week about your 'Hood, but, that's a whole other blog post.
Kindergarten Pt1
So what else is new? Spent a week camping in our new (new to us anyway) trailer on the in-laws' acreage in BC - with awesome weather. Had a great, relaxing time - just wish I wasn't so damn tired since we got back! Yet again it's 8.45 and I could easily go to bed and sleep. Sadly that isn't happening, the guys are out partying and won't be home til late, or sober.
Neighbours are moving out in droves, and certain neighbours have as much drama as ever in their lives - I've said before - it's not that I don't like the woman but dayum she can be hard work.
School starts day after tomorrow - first day at kindergarten for someone around here!! And anyone who thinks that means more time to myself is wrong - by the time I drop him off and walk home it'll be an hour or so until it's time to leave to walk down and pick him up again lol And in between will still be dogs, dishes, laundry, supper, lunch, etc! Need more hours in the day.
Kindergarten Pt2
School's in and Spawn has had his first few half days, full day kindergarten is about to begin. Can you say tired child? lol He thinks Mrs S walks on water, like most 5 yr old boy she has a crush on his kindergarten teacher ;) And yep there is the usual rush of notes, newsletters and forms, alongside requests for money and extra stuff. $65 for fees and supplies and $295 for lunch time supervision - not a meal just supervision - if they're staying for lunch all year. In other words $29.50 per month.
Next on my list is a second pair of shoes for him to keep at school and wear there, indoor shoes. Did kindergarten orientation part 2 - basically a repeat of the one in June with a few added/altered details. Pretty sure less people turned up for part 2 than did for part 1 mind you. And of course the usual requests for volunteers and for people to attend parent council meetings. There will be fundraising, there will be selling of SU ticket packs, all the usual good stuff.
42 kids in his kindergarten - split into 2 classes. Apparently the CBE allocates enough money that each kid can go on at least one field trip per year, parent council tries to raise enough money to make it more than one, and to provide special lunches, events, etc. Apparently I'm being drawn into going to the parent council meeting next week - we'll see how that works out! I'd like to. We all know that budgets everywhere, not just in the CBE, are being cut back at the same time as the cost of everything is rising. Seems like once upon a time fundraising was more for the extras and the frills, these days it's an essential part of school. And everywhere else.
Kindergarten Pt3
So, we just finished the first two full days of kindergarten, and yep, it kicked his ass AND he has a cold. Surprise! Beginning of school has always been a prime time to share every cold and bug out there lol There are still a few tears - his, not mine - sometimes but on the whole he's says it's "Great!" and he does "Everything!". Even if he was less impressed at having the story of 'Who ate all the cookie dough?' AGAIN the other day lol (Answer btw is baby kangaroo did)
Kindergarten also means spending a lot of time hanging around outside the school doors waiting, and talking to other mums, and in some cases getting to know people who have been neighbours for a long time a lot better. Amazing what you can learn in a week about your 'Hood, but, that's a whole other blog post.
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