You've Got to Be Kidding Me

Apparently 2022 didn't get the memo that things were supposed to improve. Sigh.... Right now our dryer is on the fritz, one of our snowmobiles isn't running, and since

Covid is going around on Mackinac, I have students in quarantine who have to zoom into class. I know by themselves none of those are big things, but lumped on top of everything else that is going on... it's just... a lot. 

I'm trying to be a trooper. I'm trying to see the silver linings. Logically, I know these are first world problems; we have enough clothes to get through a week or two without doing laundry; all my students have chrome books and an internet connection; we have a second snowmobile. I should just shut up and smile because I've got it pretty darn easy. But it just keeps getting harder to be upbeat and positive... 

Goodnight

I had to run down to town tonight. This glorious sunset made having to get all bundled up again well worth the effort.

Today

Just after I left for school at 6:00 this morning my youngest was awakened by police lights shining in their bedroom window; the police were searching our street. Just a few minutes later the above was posted on Facebook. At 7:00 am, the superintendent put us on a delay and since Mr. Emotionally Agitated and Possibly Armed was still at large at 10:10, school was cancelled for the day. Thankfully the police located him later on in the afternoon without incident.

I'm looking at the silver lining of today; despite being armed he's OK and he didn't hurt anyone else. I'm incredibly thankful things worked out and everyone was safe. And since I was already at school when I was asked to remain indoors, I had almost six uninterrupted hours to work in my classroom. 

Please keep him and his family in your thoughts. I'm sure the next few days are going to be tough.

Happy New Year

I must admit, I am happy to say good-bye to 2021. It was not a good year for me. In actuality, it was probably one of the hardest years I've ever had, so watching it fade away last night was a good thing. 

I am trying to look at 2022 with a hope-filled heart. I want 2022 to be better; I need 2022 to be better. I hope your 2022 is filled with only good things - including kind people, good health, enough sleep and peace. Happy New Year.

Merry & Bright

Merry Christmas from Mackinac Island.

This picture is from a few days ago.

No snow today, instead it was

foggy, rainy and 34 degrees (about 1 C.)

Camilla

I don't have an Elf on the Shelf in my classroom, instead I have Camilla the Christmas Chicken. My students love her. They even love her awful "dad" jokes.

I love that they make sure to include her in our classroom activities.

She loves bringing the kids new books, curling up by the fire and reading to the class.  This year she brought Cinders, Once There was a Christmas Tree and Sonya's Chickens.

Now that we're heading home for vacation, she is packing up and heading back to the coop. Little do my students know that they'll be able to check in on her using the "coop cam" my husband is setting up in our backyard chicken coop

A Rare Occurance

"Snow Days" never happen on Mackinac Island. OK, almost never happen. But occasionally we do close due to other issues. Today we get the day off due to high winds.  And it isn't just MIPS that's closed; the Public Library is closed, the Service Company has rescheduled trash pick-up, the boats aren't running and the Mackinac Bridge is closed to "high profile" traffic. ("High profile traffic" is defined by the Mackinac Bridge Authority as semi trucks, pick-up trucks with enclosed beds, cars with bike carriers or luggage on the roof, cars pulling boats or trailers [with sides over two feet] and U-Haul type trucks.)

And no wonder it's windy. It's 58 degrees (about 14C) this morning - which is really weird for December in Northern Michigan.  

The only bad thing about today was, I got the text about school being cancelled about 15 minutes after I'd gotten to school. No complaints though, an unexpected day off is always a good thing...