Thrifty Tuesday

Very thrifty day today.

Money coming in and no money going out. The best of all possible worlds right now after the excesses of last month.

Today I subbed the afternoon at one of the schools in our Catholic School Division.

This is our dual track school, meaning both English and French Immersion. I was on the English side, and had an enjoyable time. I got to stay in one class for the entire afternoon which was a pleasant change from running class to class.

I even celebrated a birthday for one of the children. Got a free doughnut..... Not that I really needed it considering the fluffiness I need to get rid of somehow.

My healthy snack for the afternoon was some cheese that had been cut for our Christmas celebration. One more leftover gone from the fridge.

My menu already changed this week. I had thought Harvey would eat the salmon patties for his lunch (he usually loves these heated, mashed and in a sandwich). Not this time, so we had them with the leftover mashed potatoes for supper last night. Guess the turkey pot pies will be made tomorrow and those leftovers consumed a couple of days later.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Tid Bits

This morning I started my new position.
I spent some time making lists and picturing how I want my space to look for the next few months.

This is how it looks right now.

My office which is in the last room in the space. I don't have a working phone as of yet, but I am hoping to get one soon. I do have a nice big desk though.

These shelves are in the space leading to my office. Heck a person could even call the area another work space. I am planning to use the shelves to hold items that we will be using as well as refreshments for the participants.

I cleaned these shelves off as people seemed to use it as a storage spot for things they had no idea of where they belonged. I moved everything to the back room and eventually that door will be closed.

This is the room where the participants will be meeting weekly.

There is seating for at least 8 people and there are chairs in another room that I can pull out and use as needed.

Right now I am trying to make the space as welcoming as is possible. Tomorrow I will be bringing in some touches from home to help with the process. Once that is finished I will post some more pictures of what I hope will be an improved space, that is warm and welcoming.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Starting My New Position

Today I had my first meeting with Father Brian. I went over the two programs he wants started, gathered together the main items to start them and got handed these.

My keys to the Community Center, the church building itself and some of the keys to other areas in the church.

Oh, my!!!! So many keys and so much to learn.

Tomorrow morning I am going in to my area (yes I have a whole area just for the programs that I am in charge of) and make a list of what I need to make it more welcoming to those who will be coming to see me.

I also plan on speaking to the two RCIA candidates and getting that program underway as soon as possible.

Wish me luck.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Midweek and Still Subbing

It is the middle of the week and I am still subbing at one of our Catholic schools here in the city. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy subbing most of the time..... This week however we have had a start to our long, cold winter. Not at all as happy getting out of bed early and heading out into the dark and the cold!!! Today, however, is the last day this week (keeping fingers crossed) and I am with the "Big Kids" not the pre school. I have one day booked next week and then that is it for the month (I think at this point).

Yesterday when I got home I did manage to pull out some of the Christmas decor and get started on our upstairs.....

Here are a few photos of what I managed to accomplish after finding the boxes. Hubby of course had changed the location of where I kept them previous years.

My center table. I think the crowning glory is the poinsettias that Hubby won at his Christmas party.
Two of my creches are on this table as well as a couple of candle holders and a tin basket of scented pine cones.

Hmmm, I have a bit to remove from here yet. Another creche and more candle holders..... Need to get rid of the autumn decor......

More to share the next time I blog. Right now I am off to get ready for work.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Rough Day

Today was perhaps the roughest of days I have ever had subbing.

The morning started off well and then all of a sudden bam!! The student I was working with pulled a Jeckle and Hyde on me.

He started playing badminton with his eraser and pencil and when I left him to stick my head in the door three feet away and get the teacher, took off and hid in the bathroom. The secretary and I finally pulled him out of where he was hiding under the sinks and started to take him to the office. Well he started hitting, trying to bite me and then hauled off and did this.....

Yep, that's right kicked me right in the ankle. I am now hobbling around and getting an ice pack ready to take the swelling down.

To think I have to work with him again tomorrow! Hope it goes better than today.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Happenings

I have spent the last two days subbing as an EA at one of the Catholic schools in my city. It has been a long time since I worked with the children in the age group I am with, but I seem to be doing okay.

My Aunt had surgery today and I am still awaiting news on how everything went. Her Pancreatic cancer was in stage 2 so she could under go this surgery with some hope. Since I lost an uncle to this disease (exactly the same type of cancer) all of us are hoping the surgery and what follows is a great success.

Hope to have good news by tomorrow and perhaps a more upbeat post.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Making Extra to Save

Over the years I have learned that saving money only goes so far, and that eventually a person needs to make some money as well.

Now that I have retired, I am finding this a bit more difficult to do. However, I am continuing to do some of the extra money raising things I started to do a few years ago in readiness for this time of life.

I belong to a few survey companies. The way I am reimbursed for my time and effort varies, but I can usually either redeem points for cash or some kind of gift card.

Then every once in awhile I pick up a custom sewing job. This past week I had one that took me roughly an hour to do and I made $20.00.

Sure its not a lot, but every little bit helps over the course of a year.

Then of course there is my subbing as an Educational Assistant. While I am not making as much as when I worked full time at this I still get about 4 days a month in. Sure would like a couple more as that would be perfect!!!!

I am hoping to add a few other extra money producing lines over the next year. What ever happens I will be looking at ways to add to our bottom line rather that deplete that same bottom line.

Tomorrow I will talk about how I save money on groceries.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Long Week

Funny how a 4 day work week can tire me out and worry me so very much.

This week has had its ups and downs. Yesterday was a down day, today not so much so.

I received an email from our principal last night asking to meet with me....What? So many things going through my mind. Did I do something wrong? Was there a complaint about me? What did I do? Is it about the union? Am I going to be moved to a different class?

When I first read the email I was shocked. Then I thought I better phone the teacher I am working with this year to let her know about it. I probably shouldn't have but I felt she should know about it. Seems that she was very worried as well and had problems sleeping.

I arrived at work, and the first person I saw was the principal. I asked him when he wanted to meet and then came right out and asked if I had done something wrong as sleep was a hard commodity to come by last night. The poor man looked at me and said "Of course not, I am so sorry to have worried you. It was recommended to me that I ask you to sit in this meeting as a mediator if necessary by the Director of Student Services."

What? It seems that one of the other aides was giving him a very rough time with placement procedures, and he was worried about what was going to happen at this meeting.

While I agree with much of what our union has accomplished there are certain things I do take a neutral stance on. I am not rabidly union like a few of our members, and am willing and usually able to see both sides of the story.

Things went well, and everyone seems to be happy (at least aide wise). I do know that some of the teachers might be a bit upset with the appointment of one aide. She will be in grade 8 and can't seem to do even grade 6 math so there is a problem in the works. During the last two weeks, this same aide worked in the younger grades and had problems with English Language Arts, Spelling and Math. Heaven help the students.

One of our boys seem to be coming around. He has been coming in early every day to get work done that he didn't do at home. This morning he came in and started to talk to me about his football game tomorrow. He was a bit disappointed that his mom would not go and talked about riding his bike to the game. The look on his face just about broke my heart. I asked him when he played and then said maybe I would come and watch him play. His face just lit right up. When Harvey got home I talked to him about it. The first thing he said was "Your heart broke, didn't it?" I had to admit it did, and what I had told this child. My dear sweet husband looked at me and smiled and said "You did the right thing." Guess tomorrow morning at 9 am I will be down in the park watching this young fellow play football.

Off to visit all of you.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Long Days

First off a couple of photo's of my new classroom. It is such a different atmosphere this year. The room is neat and tidy, no clutter at all. The teacher is much more organized which helps a great deal with the students I am hired to help with.

The young student I was hired to work with initially will not be coming back for awhile if ever this year. It seems that he has gotten a bit violent over the last week and Mom is afraid that he may do something to one of the teachers or another student. They (parents, teachers and mental health) are trying to get him a placement in a special school in the capital. I really feel for all those involved as M is a real sweetie when not getting new meds or facing something new.

I am finding it difficult to get back into the swing of full time work and full time housekeeping. It seems as if I no sooner get home than it is time to start supper.

Tonight was something quick and easy, Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup and Egg Salad Sandwiches.

I think I may be pulling out the slow cooker very quickly this year.

The green beans are finished in the garden. I did up the last bags for the freezer last night. Now to just get through the yellow wax beans! I am hoping to pull and freeze the remaining carrots tomorrow.

Off to visit you all.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. God bless.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work I Go

Well tomorrow is my first work day of the school year.

I think I have all my supplies ready! Guess I will know for sure what I am missing tomorrow. I can always pick up a few things from the supply cabinet at the school.

As far as I know I will be working with the same student that I did last year. Things do change though, and as the parents are trying to get a placement for him in a special school I will be playing a waiting game.



This is a picture of the sweater pattern I am thinking of making for the men in my life. I just have to search through my yarn stash to see if I have anything suitable to use. If not.......shopping time!!!




Well, I want an early night tonight so I am bright eyed and bushy tailed when we finally meet our new principal tomorrow.

Off to visit all of you. Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Live, Laugh, Love

Today I don't have any pictures to post, and it was a fairly rough day at school. The parents of the boy I spend most of my time with are fiddling with his medications. The poor boy has been completely off kilter the past week. Great big highs and very low lows. My heart bleeds for him, as the other children sometimes pick on him. Today he made great strides he started talking to another boy who has problems as well (the boy he usually hangs around with was in the office for not doing his work). I am hoping that the tentative friendship started today develops more fully.

I am not physically tired but mentally tired. I always have to be upbeat and happy and that can be wearing at times. The boy who ended up in the office today was one I took out to do the test. He kept refusing to do it until finally I had no recourse but to go and get the acting principal. One of the other aides told me later how she was amazed that I could keep my cool after being called names, and been disrespected. I told her that in most cases a person losing their cool just becomes another child who bullies the other. It would have caused more problems than solved them.

I sure hope that tomorrow brings a better day. Off to visit you all, and then to bed to read my book club book The Time Travellers Wife.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. God bless.