must have fallen asleep during the training video...

(Yes I am going to totally pretend like it hasn't been ages since I posted last.)

Originally when we were making plans for our kitchen renos, H and I decided we would wait to replace our fridge.  Since there was nothing actually wrong with ours, waiting 6ish months to change it out would be no big deal.  We did need to replace our dishwasher and microwave however, and unfortunately this means shopping for the fridge first since it's the largest appliance and in the end we wanted them all to match.  We would randomly go look at appliances, and change our minds about which one we liked best and what features were most important every time we went to a store.

Fast forward to the kitchen install - interest rates were essentially zero and our old fridge looked absolutely ridiculous in the very large hole we had left for our would be fridge.  We decided to replace everything but the stove.  Now that we were seriously looking for a fridge, we quickly realised what our priorities were and that our options were very limited so we started shopping around to make sure we knew what all the counter-depth options out there were.

We hit up all the local stores first, and then made our way to Sears.  It was scratch and save days at Sears and they were having some kind of appliance sale on top of that, so we were looking to see if anything we had seen elsewhere was on sale.  While standing in front of one of our options, a rather pricey Jenn-Air, we were approach by a salesman.  We quickly told him what we were looking for - counter-depth, French doors, stainless - and asked what else in store fit that description.  

Oh, he said, we don't really have much that fits that description, but I do have this Samsung over here on sale for $1700.  

Yeah, we're really looking for something that's counter-depth we replied.

Yeah, but this Samsung is a great deal for $1700,

Yes, but we are also looking for French doors.

But it's $1700!

I think we'll keep looking around...

It was at this point that we bolted towards the exit, shaking our heads at how embarrassingly incompetent this man was.  I mean, it's great that he wanted to save us some money, but he clearly hasn't figured out how his commission works.  

tales of engagement

I had absolutely no idea how wonderful getting engaged would be.  I mean, I knew it would be a pretty fabulous event in the lives of H and I, but I neglected to imagine just how excited everyone else would be for us.  There was a whole lot of congratulations, hugging, screaming, and even some happy crying going on.  If you combine all that with the whole actually being engaged (!) thing, yeah, pretty awesome.

One group of people who I didn't expect to be excited or even really care was my students.  I knew some of the girls would be excited, but as a whole I just assumed my engagement would go largely unnoticed.  Boy was I wrong.

It was adorable.  My grade 10s had already heard from another teacher, and they entered class Wednesday practically dying of curiosity.  Student after student entered offering congratulations and wanting to know all about it.  Even the boys were totally interested in all the details.  They wanted to know all about H, all about our wedding/life plans (I was continually reminding them that we had just gotten engaged, and no, have not planned out the next 5 years of our life), all about colours, dresses, family, you name it.

At some point in the conversation they asked me if I was going to change my name.  I answered that yes, I was planning on changing my name (groans all around at the prospect of having to call me something different).  So of course they wanted to know what my new name would be.  I told them.  Another questions was asked, and then one boy put up his hand and very sheepishly asked

"Mme, what kind is he?"

I just about fell off my chair laughing, as did the rest of the class.  Several students admitted they were trying to think of a polite way to ask the exact same question.  After I stopped laughing we had a mini history lesson on H's family history, which concluded with another kid exclaiming in an exasperated tone,

"You guys, he's brown!"

I suggested they maybe needed to request some supplementary vocabulary from their history teacher as it's clear it's lacking...  Then I remembered who their history teacher was, and could imagine myself having this exact same conversation with him so, I suppose that explains a lot!

on business

I know I've been busier than usual lately, I just didn't quite realise how much busier til right this very second.

3:15, Friday afternoon. School has just finished, most of my students have left and a few are stopping by to see me since I was away at PD for the morning. All of a sudden I realise I have to pee so very badly I can barely move. As I'm hurrying down the hall to the washroom it occurs to me that clearly I have been ignoring this need for what is very likely quite some time. Then it hit me. Folks, I am so busy I have started ignoring regular body needs.

Something needs to give here, and I am very sure it's not going to be my need to use the bathroom.

really now?

Overheard by the phone by the front entryway, right after the beginning of first period:

"No, I guess I like totally don't have school today."

Is this all the imagination we're requiring of our youth?

SURPRISE!

I think all 8 of you who read this are aware I have a new roommate, she is often not around, but when she is she is full of awesomeness. For the purposes of this blog she shall henceforth be known as Invisible Roommate.

I finally crossed paths with my Invisible Roomate Thursday. She was basically home for a little bit to relax and pick stuff up to be gone again for another couple weeks. We caught up, and then she went to her boyfriend's before starting the marathon tour of SK an AL for work.

While living on my own, I developed habits of not closing doors, and not being particularly concerned about my state of dress. For Invisible Rommates sanity and general peace of mind, I keep my clothes on or close my door when they need to be removed. It's pretty easy to fall back into not doing these things when I know she's not home. Yes, I am aware I just admitted to being too lazy to close a door, even partially.

Imagine my surprise Friday morning as I am bent over a drawer wearing only my underwear to hear a very cheery "Good Morning!" from the hallway. It's not ideal to be scared shitless before you're fully awake in the first place, it's even less ideal if you have no clothes on and are further than an arm's length away from the door. I'm am also sure it's even more less ideal to have the first thing you see in the morning be your naked roommate. I need to work on the whole door thing.

road trip!

(All photos courtesy of Jeff since I was too lazy to take my own camera. Thanks Jeff!)

Wednesday night as I was getting ready to leave, Rach sent me a text to bring my passport "just in case." That just in case turned out to be a little plan Rach had been hatching for who knows how long - spinning it, twisting it, and then presenting it just right to Jeff and I. She certainly knows how to work us both. The plan? Boston! I certainly didn't see that coming (I was thinking she would say NY or Toronto). Tired from all the work we had all been doing, Friday was a much deserved sleep in day and we didn't really firm up what our tentative plans would be until late afternoon. Jeff was in it for the Blue Man group, I was in if we could do it VERY cheap, and Rach? well she just likes to hang out with both of us. Since it was already late, we decided to run errands Friday and leave early Saturday morning so as to save on a hotel room.

Saturday morning we made it out of the house running only 10 minutes behind out proposed schedule. Jeff had preprogrammed his new GPS the previous evening and we followed it the entire way. It certainly used a more "creative" route than we probably would have taken ourselves, but then end result was our planned hotel in Boston. Which looked much much nicer on the internet...





So it wasn't the prettiest hotel in Boston, but it certainly got the job done AND served up a good continental breakfast. Waffles! Who would have guessed?

After checking in, we headed off to the Museum of Science. Considering the number of big name universities in Boston, I was sort of expecting something fabulous. I mean, a city can't very well be the home to MIT and then have a crappy science centre... It was pretty average though. I remember the one in Ottawa or Toronto being much better, but that could have been because I was young and impressionable the last time I was there...


Obviously Rach has more practice at this, check out that perfect hand placement!



After running around the museum taking funny pictures, we went to a show at the Planetarium called "Far far away." Jeff really wanted to go since it was all about the Star Wars galaxy. I wasn't super keen, but I do love a good planetarium regardless of whether what I'm looking at is real or not. The show was a total bust. It was a movie, projected on both sides of the planetarium, that talked about the earth's various stages and how those stages could be compared to Star Wars planets. LAME! Every once in awhile they would randomly show stars on the planetarium, as if this justified putting the show in there as opposed to on a white screen in a corner somewhere. I took this opportunity to have a little nap in the comfy chairs they provide for you so you don't have to strain your neck looking up.

Well rested after the show, we took a DUCK tour of the city. This was money well spent since I knew NOTHING about Boston, and our guide seemed pretty well informed. He was rather entertaining, and Canadian. At first we sorta though the Canadian bit was just a gimmick, but then he was saying "aboot" all over the place and was very excited about us being from Saskatchewan. He actually said aboot! I thought just Newfoundlanders did that! The DUCKs themselves are these nifty army vehicles that drive on land and then turn into a boat on the water.



After the tour we made our way for dinner (not supper, apparently they don't call it that in Boston) somewhere called the Rock Bottom Grill. We had quite a bit of time to spend there before our show started, so when Rach finally caved and made us order desert, our waitress seemed very pleased and assured us it was the greatest thing ever. Really? I take my desert very seriously as you all know. She, however, was not lying. Check this thing out! So much icing, so much caramel, so much everything in fact!



Lastly we headed off to the Blue Man Group show. It was even better than I was expecting. We laughed pretty much solid for their entire show. I was also pretty entertained at what a possible "audition" might look/sound like. Are you constantly annoying people because you insist on playing percussion with any available "instrument" on any available surface? Can you catch a ridiculous amount of marshmallows in your mouth with physics defying precision? Can you then regurgitate those marshmallows into "art"? Can you spit paint creatively? Do you really like the colour blue? Lastly, do you enjoy making messes? Yes? Hired! I would definitely go see these guys again in a second.

All in all it was an excellent start to our whirlwind Boston tour.

worst scam ever

DEAREST ONE,
IN BRIEF I AM MISS RACHEL ADAMS FROM IVORY COAST. I AM THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF DR. BOUGADUGU ADAMS FORMER DIRECTOR OF IVORY COAST COCOA EXPORTING BOARD, HE WAS ASSASSINATED BY THE REBELS FOLLOWING THE POLITICAL UPRISING.BEFORE HIS DEATH HE MADE A DEPOSIT OF TEN MILLION DOLLARS ( 10,000,000.00 DOLLARS ) HERE IN IVORY COAST WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST SECURITY COMPANY. THIS FUND HE INTENDED TO BUY A COCOA PROCESSING MACHINE.I ONLY WANT YOU TO HELP ME AND RETRIEVE THIS FUND OUT OF THE SECURITY COMPANY AND TRANSFER IT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY SAFER PLACE FOR SECURITY REASONS JUST AS A FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTYNER TO MY LATE FATHERS DUE TO MY AGE.AND THIS IS FOR PROPER INVESTMENT AS YOU WILL BE THE BENEFICIARY AND RECIPIENT OF THE FUND .I PROMISED TO SEND TO YOU ALL THE DOCUMENTS ISSUED TO MY LATE FATHER DURING THE DEPOSITION OF THE FUND IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.I REALLY NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN MY LIFE FOR NO ONE KNOWS WHEN THIS POLITICAL PROBLEM WILL END UP IN THIS COUNTRY ( IVORY COAST ) AND FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ME IN THESE TRANSACTION I WILL OFFER 25% OF THE TOTALL SUM.THANKS FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU URGENTLY.THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY.
FROM MISS RACHEL ADAMS

I get this spam at least once a week, often written in very good french. I don't get it. What does the sender get from this? I can't suddenly realise me penis is too small or that I really do need to lose! weight! now! and spend money. The reply email given is in Japan of all places. What's the deal?

i guess you had to be there...

Often I try to tell stories of the weird and wonderful projects my students make up for me. Normally, I do a piss poor job and everyone looks away awkwardly (except Rach, who wishes school was still about making funny videos...). So, thanks to YouTube, I can now share these darling projects with you. This is my most recent acquisition. Voila, le future simple and le future proche for your enjoyment!

Update
It looks like YouTube isn't cooperating with me right now. I can't even access YouTube since I'm at school so I'll have to fix this later. Stupid school board and their blocking antics.

Update #2
It would appear YouTube and I aren't friends anymore. You would think since google bought both Blogger and YouTube using the same account between all three would be simple. YouTube currently thinks doesn't think my blog is mine. So go here to see the video.

tales of gr 10 repeaters

S: Ms did you get your hair cut?
Me: Nope.
S: Well are you wearing a new sweater or something?
Me: Ummmm, no S, I change my clothes every day. It's kinda my thing.
S: Oh. You just look different today.*

The class approved of me changing my clothes, while S persisted with "no but she really looks different!"

*I was wearing my contacts. And a different sweater.

someone call the darwin awards...

I've always known I was an idiot. This stopped surprising me eons ago. I catch myself surprising other people with just how stupid I can be all the time, but I thought I'd run out of things to surprise myself with. Laugh and shake my head at me, sure. But actually be surprised, not likely.

Until today. Home, since school was cancelled, I was making an attempt at being productive. Bathroom cleaning ranks highly on the list of things to do while being productive. So I'm cleaning away, almost finished, when I go to clean the mirror. Not thinking I spray Windex away to my hearts content. And it registers. My toothbrush sits right next to the mirror. I have solidly sprayed my toothbrush with orange, anti-bacterial, Windex. Awesome. Remember when it blizzarded out yesterday? I'm not going out for a toothbrush. I'm also not not going to brush my teeth. If I die, just tell them what happened and save them all the trouble of figuring out how I was poisoned...

i'm a failure

What's that Chelle? You somehow managed to pull your hamstring by doing absolutely nothing in the last couple days? Those days where you have been sleeping in, sitting at the computer, then napping, followed by tv or video game watching? But those activities don't even require legs! Oh, you know that? Then what's up with the limp?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In other news, I have failed at my only post Christmas project. Or maybe not. Heavens I make things complicated! Yesterday, when I went to apply the second coat to my shelving unit it was very tacky. Check it out, there's my fingerprints in my new coat of paint kind of tacky. I was thinking this was probably because I was a failure as a shelf sander and that I would need to start over. Not to mention seek out therapy for my inability to complete the easiest tasks. I have been racking my brain as to where I could find a palm sander to make this second attempt more successful. Just for fun, after I typed the first sentence of this paragraph, I thought I should leave some more fingerprints in my shelf to remind me of what a failure I really am. Quelle surprise! It's totally dry now.

Now what to do? Do I paint it again, and simply expect a strange 48 hour drying time? Do I "scuff" the surface and then paint? Do I go with the original plan of palm sanding the crap out of it and starting over? Or do I throw the whole thing in the Loras bin and pretend I never wanted a corner shelf in the first place? Help! Who let me buy a house?

beware my single friends

My mother may try to set you up on a blind date. She won't ask what I think or anything, she will just contact you out of the blue with a gentleman in mind. People will talk to people, and before you know it you'll be going on a blind bowling double date with my mother and her boyfriend. Don't get me wrong, my maman and her gentleman friend are swell people. Going on a date with my mom? That seems all kinds of wrong.

Giddy from hearing this hilarious news, I had to contact Rach ASAP. I have yet to contact HAS, the subject of my mom's scheming, to find out full details. As Rach and I giggled and squealed over this delicious bit of gossip (which is only going to get better, I just know it). Rach had some very pertinent questions.
1) HAS agreed to this?
2) your mother knows single young men?
3) a double blind date with your mom and her man?
4) is her tumour back?

I think number 4 sums it all up folks...