"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Meat Loaf

I've been craving my mom's meat loaf.  I've been waiting now for almost 2 months for my amazingly prompt mother to email me her recipe.  I threatened to write an embarrassing blog if she didn't email it to me soon, thus, the reason for tonight's blog.  I implore anyone and everyone who reads this and who know my lovely mother to harass her until she sends me her recipe.  Also, if you have a recipe which you think could rival my mother's I ask you to pass it along to me.  Winter = comfort food = meat loaf!  

Friday, November 26, 2010

Lost Cat!


For those of you who have been to my house or seen the pictures you know that it is very small. There are very few places for my darling kitty cat, Chloe, to hide. Today, after waking from a short nap, I couldn't find her. The door to my bedroom was shut but still I looked under the bed, in the closet, and behind all dressers. No cat. The spare room door was shut, yet, I looked under the bed, in the closet, behind the desk and dresser. No cat! The bathroom door was shut; however, I felt the need to check. NO CAT! I looked all over the main room and in all crooks and crannies and I truly began to worry. I started to second guess myself, wondering if she had gotten outside without me knowing. Worried that she was out in the wild where she would be no match for the wild dogs and massive ravens I started to get my outside gear on prepared to go searching. That is when I saw it ... a quick movement where there should be no movement at all. Where did I find her?


Saturday, November 20, 2010

29 Days

Well, the countdown is officially on - 29 days from now I will be flying home for the holiday season. I'm already making plans and trying to figure out how I am going to fit everything and everyone in while trying to experience some relaxation. On the agenda so far: skiing with my cousin, dress shopping for Maggie's wedding (how many days?), trip to London to see Pegster, New Years party at the RGI with the best family and friends ever, and recovering from New Years party. Of course enjoying the benefits of city life, such as, restaurants, shopping, and movies will also be part of the agenda. Despite the worry of fitting it all in I still cannot wait to get home to see everyone and experience the feeling of 'home'. Bring on the holidays!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Remembrance

Today was Remembrance Day ... a day set aside each year to ... remember ...

I'm teaching Elie Wiesel's novel 'Night' in my grade 12 class. For those of you who haven't read it, I highly recommend you run out right now, find yourself a copy, and sit down and spend the few hours it takes to read it.

The Holocaust. Fifteen year old Jewish boy. Hitler. Auschwitz. Devastation. Horrendous crimes. Your heart will break and you will shed a few tears.

It's amazing how many of my students have no idea what The Holocaust is ... or was. We talk about remembering but many of the students at Dene high don't know what they are remembering. They haven't been taught about World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Darfur, Rwanda, etc. It's not that they aren't interested because they are ... we (the teachers) just haven't taken the time to teach them. I'm at a crossroads. I'm beginning to believe that it's more important, or at least just as important, to teach novels like 'Night' that have some real historical significance. Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Browning, the Bronte sisters ... they all still have their place, just not necessarily here. Teachers complain that the students just aren't interested, but perhaps we're just not giving them material to be interested in.