Short week

The kids were off school Remembrance Day and tomorrow so they have a very short week. It could become a habit because last Friday’s storm closed the schools. It is parent and teacher conferences for all the schools but the teachers are only available for a few hours tonight and tomorrow morning. Both boys enjoy school are doing great so it is just a formality to meet the teachers. It’s warm outside which means things are melting. Melting means the skating rink, I mean road, will be very slippery and slick until the grader goes down the road.

The rental van went back last night as a loner car was finally available. The small car, a Ford Focus, is soooo different from our SUV and the bus. I feel like my butt is inches above the ground but actually it is only 18 inches or so. Wow is it low to the ground with no gripping power especially on the curves, a much longer stopping distance – if at all, no interior space, just basically a small, cramped little car. I miss my SUV. Our vehicle will not be back until mid-next week, if we are lucky. The transmission was damaged so it had to be replaced not repaired. I never realized how fortunate I am to have a larger vehicle with leg and head room. Oh well life is an adventure. Take Care. Nov 13

Busy me

I’ve been really busy with Stats and the two large assignments that have to be completed by year end, actually before Christmas would be better. I’m trying to make jams and jellies for the Crafters Hand to sell. Apparently people like my jams and have requested several from last year but I just haven’t had the time to create …yet. Driving the bus has been scary lately. That one road is really torturous to drive. It is a skating rink with an occasional patch of swampy sand amid the deep ruts that lead to the steep ditches. Yes driving is definitely an adventure! Take Care Nov 12

Remembrance Day

DS2 attended the Remembrance Day services in his Air Cadet uniform today. It is important to remember all those who gave their lives for our freedom. Thank you for the right to say, do, write, believe and even think whatever I want. Thank you for our freedom. You gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. Display the poppy proudly as a tribute to all who fought, and still fight, for our freedom. A two minute of silence of remembrance……

Late

I left the house a half hour early thinking that was enough time. It wasn’t. DH had to help me open the hood of the bus. The emergency windows and back door were frozen shut! Everything was frozen. Denyse, a driver who lives down the road, and I were both late leaving and that put us behind from the very beginning. Skating rink roads abounded everywhere with occasional gravel patches. Huge ruts lined parts of the road, evidence of tractors pulling out vehicles on the weekend. Add early morning darkness and you have a rather tense bus ride. Luckily the other drivers helped us and all the kids were only a few minutes late, if at all. I made it through the first winter driving, now there is only how many months left? Take Care Nov10

Snow!

Heavy, wet snow! The school buses not running today with over 30cm (1foot) of the white stuff. Surprising the ground wasn’t frozen even with the snow. The snowplough hadn’t gone by when I tried driving into town.  As I drove our SUV around the sloped curve near out place it started to slide. Stepping on the brake rather than accelerator just causes the car to get stuck on the slope. Found that out the hard way. DH tried to drive in the ditch until we reached the flat part. We were almost there when we began to sink into the mud. Nothing seemed to help, we were stuck. I called a neighbour who luckily was home and able to come and pull us out. Actually it took a huge truck, another neighbour, who pulled us out. He ended up driving in the other, twice, before he was able to pull the car out. He drove us home and called into work because of all the snow. Later in the afternoon we attempted to go into town. It would not go into reverse! No reverse gear which means transmission problems. DH drove into the snow and got the car turned around so he was able to get into town. He rented a van after dropping the SUV off at the dealership. I’m without a vehicle until our car is fixed which could be closer to Friday. Isn’t life grand?  Take Care Oct6

Drizzle

Woke to rain that became ice pellets by lunchtime. The bus was covered in a sheet of ice for the afternoon it trip home. What a trip it was! I was terrified the bus would slip off the ice encased roads. Even the gravel roads were hazardous with icy patches. Several reminded me of skating rinks. Strong winds drove ice pellets so hard it sounded like gravel being thrown at the bus. A “death grip on the wheel” driving experience for me and the kids were happy to get home. I forced myself to drive down the sand, aka bog, road after dropping off the last kids. Slowly and carefully I drove until the better gravelled area. Continuing cautiously driving I arrived home safe. It took much longer than normal but I made it home safely. Take Care Nov5

Helping

This afternoon bus trip the high school kids helped get “Shou”, the Asian exchange student, to his bus. He had missed it so we drove him to the next stop which was in the opposite direction of ours. They were ok with that because “everyone likes Shou”. While at my next stop picking up elementary kids I received a radio request about a little girl who had missed her bus. After much discussion with the school and bus office I left for the final pick up, the middle school kids. While loading the kids the bus office wanted us to wait. The kindgeraten girl was being escorted to us. The schools are close together and share the long bus loop. One of the teens wanted off to “stretch his legs” and went to get her. He held her hand until almost at the bus. This little girl had missed her bus and this tough and gruff teen boy helped her. Everyone complained, of course, when I turned the bus the wrong way, again. After dropping her off into the arms of her worried mom and sisters we left for Southport, the first drop off. The teen will not admit to helping because it will tarnish his image. He surprised me. I knew there was a good guy there and had only seen glimpses before. Now I know he’s a good kid, royal pain sometimes, but a good guy. Enjoy the warm weather. Take Care Nov4

November

What a beautiful autumn weekend. Colourful leaves, green grass, clear blue sky with a soft warm breeze. Perfect fall days that lasted into the week. Monday was almost 20C in the afternoon and today it’s 16C outside. Halloween was unusually warm without snow, sleet or rain so the kids were out much longer. Canadians no longer set their clocks back the last Sunday in October but the first Sunday in November the same as the Americans. I never agreed to this because we are further north and it never made sense. Dark morning driving is rather scary especially with the deer enjoying the warm weather. The only good point I can think of is the roads were clear. The weather is becoming colder and winter is on its way. Enjoy the wonderful warm weather while you can. Take Care Nov3

Evacuations

It’s a beautiful day outside.  The school bus evacuations are done and they went without any mishaps. It was easier than I had thought and it helped the older boys were willing, actually eager, to help by going out the back door. I was called into the office today and asked if I could do the run indefinitely as I am a “spare driver”. Of course I said yes.  It sounds like Bonnie, the regular driver, will not be back before Halloween. The kids on the bus are slowly beginning to accept me.  Life is so busy for me and hopefully it will ease soon. oct3