Friday 28 May 2021

Friday, May 28, 2021

 It is almost the weekend, and I realize I haven't posted in a while. I spent a good portion of this last week getting my vegetable garden ready. I do not have raised beds or separate beds, but just one big open space with a compost "container" in one corner and a big rhubarb plant in another. I had previously dug out the many weeds and grasses that had come with the warmth of spring, and then it was rototilled, first in one direction, then the other. Raking smooth and picking up big-enough-to-bother-with rocks came next. 

I decided this year, don't know why, to lay things out differently. I've always been a row person, but I played around with "blocks" instead. My method of making straight rows involves using cut-offs of rebar from an old construction project with garden string tied to them, and a small hand sledge hammer to pound them in. I am TERRIBLE at straight, so I need guidance otherwise my rows would weave to and fro. 

I used a very precise way of measuring, which is pacing heel to toe in my Birkenstocks and counting my steps to figure out how I could divide up the garden into blocks with paths that would be big enough. Perhaps tomorrow I will take a picture so you can see the criss-cross pattern I made. I've already planted some things: onions, beets, lettuce, beans, potatoes, and peas. I am waiting to put in my tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. Alas, I do not have room for my pumpkins. I'm not sure what to do, or what alternative I have because I started a couple off little pumpkin plants and it would feel like murder to not use them. 

Husband opened up the pool. Of course, something needed dealing with: the T-cell which has something to do with chlorinating, I don't really know, wasn't working. Instead of throwing several hundred dollars toward a new one (or more!), he managed to MacGyver a solution to the problem and it seems to be working - fingers crossed. It will be quite some time before the pool is ready to take a dip in, as the weather is C-C-C-C-Cold!!!! Yesterday after supper, daughter and I went for a usual walk, and we both wore gloves. We almost grabbed winter hats, too, but just couldn't bear the thought in late May. 

Something exciting, and humbling, happened. I did my second Supply Teaching job yesterday. My first one was at my old school and the teacher made things very easy for me (keep in mind this is all online, done from computer involving Zoom-like interactions, although our Board does not use Zoom). However, yesterday I went to a different school and did a job for a teacher who had a grade 1,2 split class. I thought I would take the job because how hard could a 1,2 split be online?? It can't be too "techy" if it is only a 1,2. Ha ha, old girl!! Think again! The teacher kindly emailed me his plans (VERY detailed and thought out) and informed me how he does things. Thank heavens for a 25 year old daughter in the house who gave me a crash course in screen sharing, accessing videos from Teams and sharing those, and accessing and using a virtual white board and sharing that. I still managed to mess up and of course a couple of the little darlings in the class informed me (kindly) that that's not how Mr. A. does it, they usually do this, and then this, and then that. It was a humbling experience for someone who has spent 31 years in the profession, only to be corrected by a seven year old. HOLY COW, was that ever a stressful day. But I proved that old dogs can learn new tricks, but would do well to practise those new tricks in order to really perfect them.

I've agreed to do two more days of supply work (and yes, all online unless the Ontario government finally lets kids come back into class region by region instead of painting the whole humungous province with the same Corona-coloured brush), but both of those jobs are at my old school for classes and teachers that I know, so I feel a bit more comfortable. 

If you recall, we got a kitten. Yup. She is very cute and cuddly...when she is almost ready to fall asleep. However, if you look at her in the eyes too long at other times, I'm pretty sure you can see the demon that lies inside!! She is a holy terror when trying to burn off her kitten energy - scaling furniture, grabbing ankles, arching her back and dancing sideways, playing with ANYTHING (I can no longer hang tea towels on my fridge handle, as they get pulled down immediately). I know this "adorable" stage will only last for the first few months and hopefully get replaced by a more subdued purring soft kitty, warm kitty. Our other cat, Scooter, is a good boy and only gives her a good low growl or hiss, and what I imagine to be an exasperated cat eye roll, and then retreats back outside. He's pretty much an outdoor cat anyway and we are NOT letting Molly out unsupervised, nor are we showing her the cat door. She's too little at this point, but later, like every other cat we've ever owned, she will be allowed to be an indoor / outdoor pet. This Monday she goes for her first set of shots. 

I got the book The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman from the library a while ago (again, curbside, like a drug pick up in a paper bag) and haven't really given it a good go yet. So far, it seems enjoyable, fun, nothing too deep or intellectual. Maybe with this unseasonable weather I can settle in for a longer read. Bye for now, all!

37 comments:

  1. Time will pass. Molly will chill. And Jeanie will spill her tea all over her desk moving her mouse as she goes to reply. Ah, well. It's cold here, too -- and gloomy, windy and rainy. So much for a holiday weekend.

    The teaching thing sounds tough. Online is hard enough, I would think, when it's your class, routine and plans. I'm glad the season is almost over. I suspect they'll keep closed to the end of the year now, unless they have a week back -- but at this point, why? I don't think they'll ever open the border. But I can hope.

    The veggie garden will be great -- I can't wait to see how it matures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear, Jeanie. Wipe up that tea. We still go to the end of June here in elementary school, so there's still time for them to get back in class and see their friends and feel normal again. I hope so anyway. Yes, I can't wait until I can see things growing in my vegetable garden!

      Delete
  2. I love to shift the rows and/or blocks in our field garden up as you did this year. Helps with crop rotation and adds so much interest. I think so anyway. Plant a straight row without the benefit of stakes and a string? Can't do it!

    It's been cold here, too. A high of 40° yesterday with light frost the past two nights. Sigh.

    I'm sure you are an EXCELLENT substitute teacher! Loved hearing that the regular 1st/2nd grade teacher is a male. My husband taught 3rd grade most of his career and absolutely loved the little ones.

    The antics of your new kitty made me smile. Sorta like a sweet toddler who is starting to show his/her independence!

    The Thursday Book Club was recommended to me, too, but I've not gotten it yet. Will be eager to hear how you ended up liking it. Or not.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think crop rotation is important too. I know I emailed you privately, but I'll say again here that I loved teaching grade three, and grade four. Those were my favourite grades. Young enough to still want to please you, but old enough to get my jokes.

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the book recommendation - I'm running out of resources! Boy, was it cold today - we had snowflakes for most of the morning. Daughter hopes the schools will be back for at least some of June so, fingers crossed for you and all the teachers having to learn "how to" online.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I truly hope they can get back to school, for everyone's sake - the kids, the teachers, the parents...

      Delete
  4. P.S. Just got my name on the waiting list at my library for the book - 53 copies and 434 people in front of me! It will be a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had to laugh at the 53 copies. You are dealing with a MUCH bigger library system than I am!

      Delete
  5. We just got our garden spot tilled last night and I think we will plant Sunday as long as the weather holds. Thanks for the book recommendation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure where you live, Carol, but some vegetables are totally fine with cooler weather. I'm not sure if I'm recommending the book quite yet. I'm planning on reading more tonight - I'll put my "review" in the Reading List 2021 page on my blog.

      Delete
  6. The kitty sounds like fun only because I don't have to deal with the shenanigans. Is that book a tv show as well?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think it is a tv show as it was only published in 2020. It probably could be, though.

      Delete
  7. Your veggie garden sounds well organized. Blocks instead of rows sounds aesthetically attractive. More random placement vs. straight rows. I like random. Molly and her kitten antics must be fun to watch. Scooter sounds okay and even letting Molly know his preferences...this is good to hear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She is hilarious to watch sometimes. She fell asleep in a paper bag today at supper time.

      Delete
  8. I'm looking forward to your garden cubes. I was never good at straight garden lines, either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out. Maybe I'll decide it's too much of a pain to weed, who knows. I'm just like a little kid, planting my seeds and going out the next day to see if anything has happened yet.

      Delete
  9. Getting your library book "curbside, like a drug pick up in a paper bag" -- hahahahahaha! Enjoy your supply teaching and new kitten!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a hoot - I pull up in the parking lot, a masked person comes out of the door of the vestibule, holding up a paper bag with my last name on it, I nod and put my window down and they hand it in to me. I say thanks and drive away.

      Delete
  10. You've been busy! My daughter has two small raised garden beds and I gave her a book about square foot gardening. It sounds like your block garden is a similar type plan but on a much bigger scale. Good luck and I hope you find room for those pumpkins.

    Molly sounds like a lot of fun and just a tad annoying. Once she's spayed I suspect she'll settle down some, most cats do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm envisioning putting the pumpkins in a great big container, but then I have to put it somewhere where the vines can snake out all over the place. This may or may not work out. Yes, Molly is only about 10 weeks old, so some time yet until she is spayed.

      Delete
  11. We grew pumpkins and corn together a few years that we had run out of space. It seemed to work. One year we grew them in adjoining beds and the pumpkins just ran into the corn anyway. My parents grew all our pumpkins on the compost heap. My great grandfather, after moving to a small urban garden grew his on a fence/trellis and just built a shelf under each pumpkin as it formed. I have seen them growing over a dome made of bike wheels and the fruit just hung down on the inside. Options

    ReplyDelete
  12. The part: "curbside, like a drug pick up in a paper bag"...BAHAHAHA! Oh that made me laugh out loud. I can just imagine the whole thing going down. Enjoy the time with the kitten. I love that stage even if it's exasperating at times!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do enjoy her, just more when she's less possessed!

      Delete
  13. I did virtual schooling with my 1st grader GS for most of this school year (they are back in now-hybrid sessions-last day of school June 9). All I can say is bless the teachers!! The task of trying to look at 20+ screens to see how each child is doing is monumental, especially when tech issues crop up (daily). Midway through the year, a new resource teacher came on board, replacing a much beloved librarian w/o notice. The woman just started droning on about how to use the internet (in my head I'm thinking--gee, lady, they've been using it for months--why aren't you reading them a good book). Finally, about 15 minutes into the class, one of the youngsters stopped her saying, "Excuse me? Would you please tell us your name?" She'd never bothered to introduce herself. Must admit both my GS and I had a good laugh as we'd both been trying to figure out who she was. As I said, bless the teachers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not perfect, this online schooling, as I experienced when I taught online last year from April to June and again from January to February. Let's hope this is the last of it.

      Delete
  14. LOL Jenn kitties and puppies are like having a two year old loose in your house. Everything in sight or reach is there for their entertainment lol!
    Have a good weekend. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  15. ("I can no longer hang tea towels on my fridge handle, as they get pulled down immediately") Ha! Get used to that... and further rearranging of your house. Some kittens grow out of that stage, but not all. We've had cats all our married lives and there's 'always one' with a little devil in them for life. It's so strange to have 0 inside cats now... and odd that I can now have flowers in the house that won't be eaten and not worry about leaving things around that can be playfully pushed off and broken, etc. But I do miss having them about... luckily the outside feral kittens keep us entertained.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That must be very odd for you to not have any cats in the house. I'm sure you still have some strays that you look after. I remember our cat Samson, when he was younger, sitting on a kitchen stool, and just pushing my black watch off the counter, like it needed to be done. (Yes, he broke it)

    ReplyDelete
  17. It is odd... and at first it bothered us to not have any cats inside, but the outside strays and ferals do keep us busy taking care of their needs and enjoying their antics. And I can see Samson and that watch. With us it was Julie who had that mischievous streak. She would look straight at you and keep swatting at something even as you said, "No... don't do it".

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am fascinated to know how long the pool season goes in your neck of the woods.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honestly, it's only three months at the very most. And that has to be a really good, hot summer.

      Delete
  19. What a great post, Jenn! You are a great writer, and really have a knack to reach our funny bone! Had to laugh out loud several times! Loved the 7 year old correction... kitten removing towels, and Scooters tolerance...brilliant! Good gardening plans !

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jenn glad to hear you are enjoying & learning at supply teaching. 7 year olds have a marvelous way of keeping us on our toes in anything! I'm not sure I would be brave enough to go with kittens again, our fur girls are coming up for 7 yrs & I'm only now seeing a calming down of one of them (lol). I agree about the paintbrush of all of Ontario with a Toronto/Brampton standard. I'll say no more. ... Mary-Lou =^[..]^=

    ReplyDelete
  21. Good for you on Zoom supply teaching, wow.

    ReplyDelete