Wednesday 3 March 2021

Lately...

Sorry, no Mundane Monday this week. I have found out who has been hired to take over my class. She is young and fun and my retirement has now provided her a full-time contract position, so I am very happy that a young teacher now has some stability. 

March came in like a lion with blizzard warnings and white-out driving conditions, so I'm looking forward to lamb-like weather by the end of March. Since putting a heat bulb in the chicken coop and with the increased daylight, the hens have stepped up to the plate and are laying more. Not everyone is producing, but I am now occasionally getting five eggs from eight hens. I tell them they are "good girls". We had a slightly more mild day this past weekend, so I pushed and shoved at the gate to the chicken run and shoveled snow away enough to be able to open their little chicken door and they came outside onto a muddy little patch for a couple of hours. 

I decided to actually act upon one of the MANY recipes I have pinned in Pinterest, and made something called French onion baked chicken. It involved a lot of caramelized onions and mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It was so good. It tasted just like french onion soup. When did ordering french onion soup in a restaurant become out of fashion? I remember ordering it often back in the 80's. That, and caesar salad, were very common to have as your main meal. 

As of this morning, I have thirteen teaching days left. I have been purging my things, leaving items and resources in the staffroom for anyone who wants them. Of course, I am leaving some in my room, as well for the new teacher. It is the little things, that I've kept over the years in drawers and cubbies that have meaning. Years and years of class pictures, a little sculpted clay pumpkin with googly eyes made by a student, a small painting of a toucan from another student, SO many pins with slogans on them from years of contract negotiations and strike actions, an ancient troll doll given to me from a student from my very early days of teaching... What has brought particular joy, has been files that I have labelled "Happy File" from a couple of schools. My very first principal, who I admired greatly, told me I should keep such a file and put positive notes from parents, and little hand-written cards from students in there, because there would be days when I would need to look at them. She was absolutely right. I went through such a file yesterday, wishing the students had written their last names on the cards and little notes that told me I was "the best teacher in the world" (haha, until their next year's teacher came along!) because I've taught so many I couldn't recall anymore who it was. I was close to tears when I finally removed (but not discarded) a special items from my top drawer yesterday reminding me of a sweet girl who I taught for two years, who died along with her sister and father, in a house fire. 

We are now considered to be in a "Green Zone" due to our Covid numbers being so low. Our province in only just getting organized to vaccinate people over 80 years of age. It is beyond me why it can't be done like flu shots by pharmacists, all very organized, quick, easy, using everybody's health cards as data in an already existing database. Sigh. 

I just read in our little local freebie newspaper, a notice saying that my family doctor is retiring as of May 1st. There was nothing sent out to the patients. There is no information regarding any other physician taking over his patients. So, our family will now be one of so many orphaned patients without a family doctor who will have to go to the emergency department for any of our medical needs. I am not begrudging my doctor his retirement, but I am very displeased with the lack of communication to his patients. It takes A LOT for me to start to trust any physician, so this gives me an anxiety that I have to work hard to control. I know I'm not alone in this situation, however, as a close friend of mine had her doctor retire, too, and she also goes to emerg. for all of her medical needs.

Eee gads, I've written a lot for something that was just supposed to be a quick catch-up and it's time I had breakfast and get going to work. Over and out. 

43 comments:

  1. I agree, it would be so easy just to do it like our flu shots. I am usually a very positive person but the province's handling of the vaccines is making me very pi$$ed off.
    You will love retirement!

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    1. Welcome, Jackie. I don't think I've seen a comment from you before. Yes, I'm rather disgusted with our vaccine rollout, too.

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  2. I have kept some keepsakes from my teaching years. Precious memories of many good things. I have forgotten the stress and exhaustion bits already.

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    1. Welcome to you, as well. I think you are a new commenter. Yes, I'm keeping some things, my name plate, my nic nacs, photos of the kids over the years...

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  3. Your post reads like a stream of consciousness . . . one of my favorite kinds from bloggers. Perhaps even gives your readers a peek into more of your personal life which I find I really like when reading a person's posts over a long period of time. Your retirement ushers in a new phase of your life. I predict you're going to love it. My retired teacher husband says the only thing he misses is the kids. The mark of a good teacher?

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    1. You two keep so very busy, I'll bet he never had time to miss anything! :)

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  4. I am wondering if one of the non-layers went into the soup? Sorry.
    I like that you had so much more to tell than what you'd planned, when you sat down to begin.

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    1. Haha, this is like the old age home for chickens. Once they are nonproductive, they just get to hang out and eat chicken food and scratch in the ground.

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  5. It's great you're retiring but bad news that your doctor is!

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    1. We have a doctor shortage here. We always have. There are recruitment programmes for rural doctors. Who knows how it will all pan out.

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  6. Such a relief to know that you are passing the baton to a good pair of hands.
    I love your "Happy File"
    We might have snow back next week..but for now it feels like spring here.
    Hope you get a GP doctor soon.

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    1. I'm happy to hear it feels like spring for you! I'm eager for that, too.

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  7. Write as much as you want! Many enjoy reading your thoughts! How kind of you to share your resources with others as you move into your new life away from teaching. How hard it must have been to clean it all out, as you worked so steadily and didn't hopscotch around as I did. So sad about your student who with family perished in a fire. That's a tough one. Sometimes I just hold my hands out when thinking of the past, useless, but trying to reach it, not let it all go into oblivion. Even your French Onion Soup remembrance of restaurant fare, yes! Gives me a pang. It was common, it was a little tradition, along with French Dip sandwiches, along with Shrimp Cocktail as a common appetizer for "special occasions" !

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    1. Yes, the fire was horrendously difficult. It was the second year I was teaching her, still during the school year. Many other students witnessed the fire. It was traumatizing for our 'little' school. Not an easy time.
      I went back to your blog and read your profile. So interesting!

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  8. Amazing that you can be left without a doctor if one retires.

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    1. It's actually a very common problem around rural areas. The health units try to recruit new grads to come and be doctors, but rarely do city-raised young adults wish to settle in to a whole different way of life.

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  9. That does seem like bad form not to alert the patients. Ugh. Hope you stay healthy till you are resettled. Maybe he has suggestions?

    I make French onion soup all the time and always order Caesar salad. Two of the best foods ever. This dish sounds like it could go on that list too.

    I was really touched by your story of cleaning out the desk and your room. I'm sure that has more than a few bittersweet moments. The happy file is a great idea -- everyone should do one. I'm glad they have given a young teacher a position and I'm sure she'll appreciate anything you leave for her!

    They are doing Covid shots now at pharmacies here. Especially now that they have the JOhnson version which doesn't require such intense refrigeration. I suspect by next year it will be more like in doc's offices or the pharmacy. But what a mess.... I hope they straighten out soon. I'm just glad your community is now in the green zone.

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    1. My friend is a pharmacist, quite used to administering all the flu shots. She says pharmacists are ready and willing to do this, but the province is, in my opinion, caught up in a bureaucratic mess of Canadian/ provincial ridiculousness. They're likely still considering forming a committee to look into forming a committee.

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  10. I now have four out of nine laying although you could say four out eight really because one of my girls is elderly and unlikely to lay any more. It is lovely that you have so many good memories to look back on but I imagine a bit of a wrench too.

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    1. I don't know how I feel yet. It doesn't quite seem real.

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  11. Missing the Mundane Monday! Enjoy your retirement, your time belongs to you now, to do as you wish.

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    1. Oh, that's nice to hear. I'll definitely put one out next week (Monday).

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  12. It sounds like you are well prepared for your retirement. I imagine leaving the classrooms and kids could be bittersweet. But that is life... and a new adventure awaits. As for doctors retiring, we've had 2 or ours retire in the last few years with no notice whatsoever. We found out when we went for our annual appointments. I thought it strange that we had had no notification and have been going to these doctors for 20 + years. Luckily we were simply transferred to another doctor in the same group.

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    1. O.K., so you've been "orphaned" as well, but nice that you got transfered to another doctor. No word yet, for my family.

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  13. Congratulations on your retirement!
    I felt conflicted when I retired years ago. But once I walked out the door, I was fine! I love French Onion Soup! Have a cozy evening.

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  14. What a wonderful file of items to look back over and though you may not remember all of the students, you know the notes were sincerely written. That speaks volumes!
    I have a family doctor, but I don't like him and haven't practically since I started seeing him 15 years ago or so after my long time physician retired. (She was wonderful!). His practice was one of only a couple taking new patients at the time and now it wouldn't be any easier to find a new one. So I only go when I absolutely have to. I hope you're more fortunate in finding a new family doc.
    Take care, stay well!

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    1. That's what I'm very worried about. I had an experience years ago that has made me extremely hesitant to deal with other doctors.

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  15. A bittersweet time for you, Jenn, but you will have plenty of pleasant memories to sustain you. Bad news about your doctor but maybe there's another doctor just waiting for a permanent practice like your replacement teacher!

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    1. Unfortunately, no. Around here, a new doctor garners front page headlines in the little local paper. I have no idea how long we will be without a primary care physician.

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  16. When you have had a chance to enjoy the freedom of retirement and might feel you miss the kids, volunteering for reading help is always nice for everyone.

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    1. I have considered doing supply teaching every once in a while, but just a my own school, only because there is quite a demand and shortage of supply teachers. I don't want to take a job away from a new, young teacher, but they have actually been bringing in emergency, unqualified people on occasion.

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  17. Best wishes on your new chapter, as it were! How lovely that the teacher who will be taking over is a good'un. :)

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  18. I do hope you are able to find a new doctor; so important. How nice leaving the "nice file" for your successor. It will inspire her too, I know.

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    1. I hope I can find one, too! You know from your own experiences that it's not that easy dealing with doctors with whom you don't agree.

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  19. I'm sure this is a very bittersweet time for you but I'm sure you'll get over it quick when you realize that you won't have to get out of a warm bed on those frigid cold winter mornings ;-) Our doctor just retired in the last month too. It came out of nowhere with no warning whatsoever. Wishing her a wonderful retirement of course. We have a new doctor taking her place but we've yet to meet her.

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    1. Good that you had a replacement doctor right away.

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  20. Happy retirement! my husband is a retired teacher and my daughter teaches. Retirement was bitter sweet for my husband he loved the kids and the job, but he hated what had happened to the business of teaching. I just changed Drs because mine is retiring. It was time to move on from her anyway but it is hard to get to know the new one. I am in the U.S. and We are in a medical group, you see the same Dr unless it is an emergency you have to see the Dr on call.But it beats the emergency room at the hospital.
    cathy

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  21. I take a while getting used to a new doctor too. I'm having to find a new one now as I don't really like the one I have. My doctor retired, and this doctor picked me up as a patient, but we don't get along very well. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

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  22. Thank you for the 'catch up'. How bitter-sweet an ending is. Love your 'Happy file' idea. I think we all should have one. Finding a doctor is no easy feat. Rather inconsiderate that there was no communication to his patients. Glad to hear the 'chooks' are stepping up!

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  23. Congratulations! March 19th will be here before you know it! I bet you really were most of your students favorite teacher. This past Tuesday, I had my first visit to my new doctor. The old one didn't retire but he needs to. I hate so bad that I missed your last three Mundane Monday posts. Oh, I would have loved to have added my comments. I just need to keep up!

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  24. I also went many years without a primary doctor. I finally found one that I love. I just hope she stays in our small city. She is originally from the Toronto area and moving out to small city Saskatchewan must have been a big shock.

    For many years I worked as an aide and a noon hour supervisor in the school system here. I really missed the children for the longest time, but now realize that it was time I retired when I did.

    God bless.

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