Fall/Winter Update

After a long sabbatical, I've started to pick up my guitar more often again. Recently, I've been enjoying the music of artists like Jon Foreman (lead singer of Switchfoot), and Derrick Webb (from Caedmon's Call), David Gray, and as always Jonny Lang. These musical artists employ that raw feeling that isn't all studio sound, but just them and their instruments. Which I like, and try to emulate, but really can't come close to immitating. I'll always recommend listening to these artists if you get the chance (even if it is just once, and you turn it off halfway through).

With not much else going on (I'm busy trying to prep the garage for painting, and Steph is getting her marks together for report cards), I thought I'd put up these two pictures of Steph and I in Sunnidale Park from this fall. The 'door' in the background of the picture below always reminds me of the book "The Secret Garden" for some reason. Even if I don't remember anything about the book but the 'feel' of it in my head... (That's a literacy plug for those of you who are interested in a good book - Steph and I have become such literacy dweebs lately, it's not funny)(and my grammar stinks.)

Strange, strange world

Looking back at our blogs lately, I can't help but feel that Steph and I have found ourselves in a bit of a routine, and the routine makes for fairly boring blog entries. At least in our own eyes. So, I guess we'll just keep on writing until something interesting finds its way into our lives...
Like this.
Today, I recieved a call dark and early in the morning to supply teach for Barrie Central, but the classroom was.... in the Georgian Mall. So, long story short. I've discovered a secret classroom in the center of the mall. You have to take secret passageways (service hallways between the stores) in order to get to this locked room. Once inside the classroom. Well, it's a classroom. There's a whiteboard, and computers and desks for students to work at. There's even an old tv and vcr/dvd player.
So next time you need to use the washroom in a mall - try going through the forbidding looking double-doors at the end of the hallway. You never know what you'll "learn".
So I 'worked' for three hours (9am-12) (I read a book in the comfortable teachers chair) - (and later discovered that they are paying me a full day's salary for it!)(that's when you love being a teacher...) and then I walked out of the classroom, through the service corridor, out the double doors, past the washrooms, and saw someone I knew I should recognize and yet couldn't put a name to. She said "Hi". I said Hi back, and kept walking because I didn't really know who exactly she was or why I should recognize her. I looked back, and she asked "Are you have a successful shopping day?" And I thought (NO.... I was WORKING... I have a job...)(if you can call it that). So I explained what I was doing in the mall -- teaching a class. (yes - teaching in a corridor that goes to the washrooms -- what kind of class is that? I bet she wondered). It turns out she goes to our church, and sends her kids to Timothy Christian School, and one of her children is in Steph's class, and she's also had the privilege of seeing Maria up close and personal in the region of Halifax...
Small world, ain't it?

Not what we expected

October 31st and I got a call to supply teach for the day. I expected chaos. But actually, grade five is one of the easiest classes to supply for. An assembly in the morning. Recess. Watching skits by masked hooligans (drama). Gym (capture the flag). Recess. And then my very first, grade school halloween dance ever (I became the 'reverse' bouncer - letting kids leave the gym one at a time to go to the washroom...). I bet that supply teaching on Monday might be a 'bit' worse. We'll see.
Anyways, after some debate, Steph and I stocked up on candy for Halloween. We didn't know what to expect but we expected more than what we got. We figured that since our house was on a direct route to the neighbourhood school, and since we see just about 80 kids walk by our house everyday -- we could bet on maybe 100 kids showing up to our door. We meant to ask our neighbours what we could expect, but kept forgetting whenever we saw them. So we bought three boxes of candy.
We only had (maybe?) 50 kids (25 of whom hardly qualify as kids) come to our door.
Now we have a ton of candy that we don't want or need. Anybody wanna come over and eat it for us?

Sometimes you just feel Proud

Well. My girls have yet to win a basketball game. But I'd have to say that I'm proud of them. Why?
Well...
(1) Not once have I heard any of the girls comment on hairstyles, shoes, or prettyness.
(2) While the first game they played against their rival school, they lost badly <50something> but the second game they played against their rival school they only lost by a score of 24 to 14, which was a defensive marvel.
(3) A couple of them have put in enough effort only to have to leave the court to (a) throw up; (b) foul out; and (c) because of a black eye or other injury.

They may not be winning, but they still have some fight in 'em!

My latest, greatest idea

Steph and I have recently joined a bible study group and have met with them once. They hadn't picked a guide to follow yet, but we were able to peruse a number of possibilities. While perusing, I noticed that I wasn't terribly interested in a whole lot of them. I thought -- there needs to be a real man's bible study. One that really dives into the essence of what it is to be a real Christian man. The leader of the house. The big guy beneath the Bigger Guy.

This is what I've come up with (but have yet to put into production)...

We need a bible study to be written in such a way that four men can go out onto the golf course, tee-up, and discuss what it is to be a Christian male in today's society.

There could be 9 questions. Or there could be 18 questions. You discuss each question/topic as you play each hole.

Then afterwards... everyone takes a seat in the club-house, grabs a beverage of their choice, discusses some more...

Do you think it could work?

Winter comes quickly!

It's amazing that the picture on the right (with the yellow leaves and green grass and two strange people holding hands) was taken only ONE WEEK from the picture in Steph's entry (below)

I believe we've made a grave error....

Well, it's been awhile since I've written a post on our blog. To be quite honest getting used to a new school has taken all of my energy and then some. But we're starting to get into a rountine....and this situation absolutely needed to be commented on....

The forcast in Barrie today said: "Rain this morning, not warm (but above freezing). Potentially some wet snow...that will not stay. And sunny breaks this afternoon." Well, we're back into the seasons where the weatherman has no idea what he's talking about!

It has been snowing all day! And here's what we have: Need I remind everyone that it is OCTOBER. We should NOT be accumulating this kind of snow yet! Therefore I believe we've made a grave error in moving this far North! (I keep telling everyone it's not THAT far north....let me put this on the record: it IS that far north!). Does anyone want to shovel our driveway??? :)