In...

...One weeks time, We Will Rock You will be completely over and finished. The past 10 months worth of work is being put to the test. Opening night is Thursday & I am so excited and nervous for it. Sarah & Kristian are coming to see the show, I'm really excited to see them...and get some more lefse to hold me over until my next trip to Norway.

...Two weeks time, I will be so excited for the end of the first term and counting down the days (hours, minutes and seconds) until I get to go home. The first term has gone by so fast. Compared to last year, I'm doing so much better and I'm enjoying my job so much more. Can't believe the first term is almost over!

...Three weeks time, I'll be home for Christmas. Nothing more to explain about that. Can't wait.

Always Counting

No matter what time of the year it is, I always seem to be counting down to something. Half-term, Christmas, half-term (again), summer holiday, going on a trip, going home...there is always something to count down to. It's less than a month now until I go home for Christmas, and in 2 weeks time, the musical that I have worked on for the better part of a year will be over. I'll have to find something new to count down to, another goal to keep in mind.

Today, however, I am not counting down toward something, but marking another year passing. It has been 19 years today since my mother passed away, and it's my least favourite day to mark during the year. I miss her and love her, very much. Even if I don't have many memories of her, I appreciate all the stories that I am told by friends and family about the amazing woman that was my mother. I think about her often and hope that I will be like her someday.

I'll love you forever.

I'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living, my mommy you'll be.

I miss you and I love you. Wherever you are, I hope that you are happy, at peace, and proud of your daughters.

The Inevitable

It finally happened. The day that I never thought would come. The inevitable finally happened.

I had to take a sick day off work.

I grew up and saw my parents go to work every single day. I can remember, only once, ever seeing my father take a sick day from work. I was taught that if you can move, you can go to work or go to school. Perhaps not in so many words, but that's the essential work ethic my father showed me. He is an amazing worker and puts so much effort into his job. No idea how in the hell it rubbed off on me.

Blech. That sums up this past week for me. About a week & 1/2 ago, I noticed that I was feeling a little tired, not quite myself. I figured I could sleep it off, but with 3 rehearsals a week (including an all-day Saturday rehearsal), working, and getting the final details in place for the show, time for sleep was limited. Last Sunday morning, wonderful Nikki made the decision for me and took me to the hospital.

Nice & medicated, I headed to work Monday morning, and lasted a full 50 minutes of teaching before I knew it wasn't going to be a good thing if I stayed. I headed home, slept and did nothing for the rest of the day. I worked Tuesday and regretted it. I stayed home Wednesday and accomplished very little, aside from going to see the doctor (again). It was a hard decision to stay home. When I finally called Nikki to say I wouldn't be coming into work, as I went to put down my phone, I heard her say to her husband, "well she's finally admitted that she's sick!"...Apparently everyone knew it but me.

More medicine, some painkillers, and that all makes concentrating at work very difficult. I repeatedly called trees 'carrots' in class the other day. I think the green tops confused me.

Not much else is happening except for prep for the show. In 3 weeks time, it will all be over. I can't believe the last 8 months of work has finally come down to the final few weeks. I'm excited, but it will be sad to see it done and over with. I'm telling you right now, I plan on celebrating by sleeping. It's gonna be so sexy.

And, as is my apparent routine, an updated countdown: 35 days until I go home for Christmas!

Recent 'Wins'

This story begins before the half-term break (which already seems like it was months, rather than a couple of weeks, ago). We had HMI representatives come in to inspect the school to make sure that the school was making an adequate amount of progress since changing from a public school to an academy. Every teacher had the possibility of being inspected, and because of this, tensions were a bit high around the school during the 2-day visit. Full, detailed, lesson plans and resources were required for every lesson (these plans took me at least 60-90 minutes each to complete), which could be 6 lessons/day if you were oh so lucky.

Anyway, I was inspected on the last day of the HMI visit and went with my colleagues to line up nervously for my feedback. I always get a little antsy when I am getting feedback from lesson observations, but this was much worse as I had to share my results with the admin team who would pass them onto the senior team (AKA the big bosses). It was finally my turn and, while I was pretending to choke myself with my lanyard, the inspector came out to greet me. I was starting the meeting off well. He gave me my feedback which turned out to be an "Outstanding," the best grade possible. Slightly stunned, I thanked him and went to tell the good news. The next day, the headmaster came to congratulate me and Nikki for our 'Outstanding' results. Can't complain about that.

Now, onto half-term! I got the first flight available to Norway and I was so happy to be there. I spent the first few days really keeping myself busy. Walks around the lake, naps, hanging out with Michelle & helping celebrate her son's first birthday...you know, the usual. One thing I did learn though, is always check to see where the path you are walking on leads to. Otherwise, you just might walk through a cemetery as they are freshly digging a grave. Slightly awkward. The rest of the week was spent hanging out with Sarah & Kristian, going out for dinner and drinks, movies and getting knocked around by Kristian's parents St Bernard 'puppy.' Giant horse in training is a more apt description of her.

The final weekend of my visit consisted of eating. Seriously. That's all it felt like. This consisted of a huge family dinner on Saturday night and going out to eat with his family before heading back to England on Sunday. Oh, and I carved an amazing Halloween pumpkin that looked like Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love him. I was sad to leave him in Norway.

And now here we are. Back at school and back in the thick of it. We Will Rock You goes up in 25 days and I am working my ass off for it. We have so much left to do, and there doesn't seem enough time to do it. I will make this a great show or die trying. I swear.

The countdown still remains for my return to Canada for Christmas: 41 & counting!

It's Official!

The ticket is booked! I'm heading home for Christmas in 50 days! See you soon Canada :)

This is "The Thing"

Trans-Atlantic communication...well, it sucks.

I hate being anywhere between 4-8 hours ahead of my friends and family, I can't talk to them whenever I want and this stupid Daylight Savings Time thing is mixing me up! Why can't England just turn their clocks back when Canada does? That way, my Dad can just tell me when to turn my clocks back. It would save the mid-shower panic that I had this morning when I convinced myself that it was 5:20 AM and I was up for work an hour early. Oops.

Well, "the" inspection call has come for the school. No, not Ofsted. We're not so lucky as to get it out of the way this early in the year. Instead, 2 inspectors from HMI will be coming in to observe lessons, talk with senior management and generally cause a heightened state of anxiety and tension in the school later this week. What does HMI stand for, you ask?

Well. Her Majesty's Inspectors, naturally. I only wish I were kidding. Again, I'll say it. Lizzie...you are becoming quite the pain.

On a positive note, the set for WWRY was built over the weekend and the kids got to get on the stage and try it out for the first time. It's starting to get to crunch time, only 6 weeks left to go! Thankfully, once this horrendously stressful week is over, it's holiday! I'm off to Norway on the first available flight on Friday evening and I can't wait to get there. I get to help celebrate my favourite brother-in-laws birthday and generally relax.

Other upcoming events this week...I get to chaperone a field trip for the first time. Hang on to your hats kiddies. Your minds will be blown when I tell you where I get to go. Ready? Really ready? I get to chaperone 45 little Year 7s as they adventure to...

The Shoe Museum! (again...I only wish I were kidding)

Northampton had a huge shoe-making industry and one of the trips that the Year 7s get to take is to visit the shoe museum...and yours truly gets to take part in this adventure in wonderland. Be jealous.

I should be asleep. Or planning. Or planning until I fall asleep. Whatever comes first. Instead, I was abruptly dismissed from a conversation I was having with a friend (again, this time-change thing is really ticking me off tonight for whatever reason) and I'm finding myself annoyed by it. I miss having face to face contact with friends, when communication actually meant something and goodbye meant something more than a click of a button--without waiting for a reply...rude.

Alright, that last comment was cranky, bordering on whiny. I suppose it is time for bed. If I survive this week, I'll reward myself in Norway. Lefse & decent coffee..roll on!

A Canadian Abroad: A (Definitely Not Complete) Linguistic Guide to Living in England

Over the last year and a bit, I've somewhat started to figure out exactly what these British people are saying. This is a (definitely not exhaustive) list of some of the slang terms I have picked up/heard while living across the pond. Enjoy!

Expressions

• Hello, how are you--alright? (Asked as a question...still not sure if people actually want a response.)
• Don't you think/do you agree--innit (used in the same way that Canadians say 'eh')
• Bad--mingin' (I think...I still can't quite catch this one)
• Going well--tickety-boo (seriously? No sweet clue)
• Get drunk--get pissed
• Party/fancy occasion--do (Example: "went to a fancy do last night")
• Thank you--cheers/ta
• "Insert general term of frustration"--bloody hell, blimey
• Go to the bathroom (for men, usually)--take a slash
• If something has gone wrong--pear-shaped (example: "it's all gone pear-shaped!), tits up
• The equivalent of "that's what she said," or something to mark a double entendre--Said the actress to the bishop
• The next one takes a bit of explanation. When I hear the word 'cottaging,' I figure that it means that a person is going to their cottage. In England, the term cottaging means for two men to engage in sexual acts in a parked car while others may or may not watch.

Insults

• To make fun of someone--take the mick/take the mickey, take the piss
• Get out of here--piss off, jog on, sod off
• Idiot--prat, git, sod, twat, eejit (I think this is an Irish one..?)
• Someone rather flamboyant, of the possible homosexual variety--pouf
• A skank--slag
• To call someone a penis (the equivalent of dickhead, I think)--bender, knob

Body Parts

• Boobs--top-bollocks
• A man's genitals--bollocks, knob, willy (Note: bollocks can also be used as an expression of doubt. Example: "you're full of bollocks!")
• A woman's "lady bits"--front-bottom, fanny (my students thought it was hilarious that fanny meant butt in Canada)

Objects

• Greyhound Bus--coach
• Truck--lorry
• Trailer (mini home)--caravan
• Rubber gloves--marigolds
• Cigarettes--fag, baccy
• Rubber boots--wellies
• Hot drink (usually tea or coffee)--cuppa
• Clothes rack--clothes horse
• Hickey--love bite
• Food--nosh
• Underwear--pants
• Pants (jeans, dress pants, etc)--trousers
• Money--dosh
• Eraser--rubber (this one caused a lot of confusion)
• White-out--tipex
• Glue sticks--pritsticks
• Document wallet--polly pockets
• Dessert, of most any variety--pudding
• Garbage can--bin

Miscellaneous—objects/words

• Americans--Yanks
• Supper--tea (e.g.--I made pasta for tea last night)
• Procrastinate--faff, faff about
• Avoid work--skive
• Back yard--garden
• Car hood--bonnet
• Car trunk--boot
• Fight--batter him/bang him out
• Cool--Safe, sick
• Uncool--dread
• Move over--budge up
• Skip school--wag it
• Nothing--nuffink
• Friend--bruv/blood
• The equivalent of a wanna-be tough guy/thug--chav
• Soccer--football (I'd be shot at dawn if I didn't include this one)
• Amazed about something--gobsmacked
• Disappointed by something--gutted
• Nap/sleep-kip
• Tired--knackered
• Very--jolly (example: "jolly good!")
• To wear civilian clothes (for example, my students want a day at school where they don't have to wear their uniform)--mufti
• Steal--nick
• To pleasure yourself--have a wank
• Whine--whinge (to whine is to whinge....to be a whiner is to be a whinger)
• Attractive--fit, bang tidy
• Something--sumthink/summit
• Call someone--ring them
• Fight--row
• To annoy or antagonize someone--wind them up
• Homeless person--tramp, dosser
• Bathroom--toilet, loo (very direct, eh)
• Pound (as in unit of weight)--measured in 'stones.' One stone equals 14 pounds. Therefore, your weight could be 8 stone 2 pound which translates to 114 pound. Somewhat confusing.

I'm sure that I've left out a lot. Please do forgive the oversight. Also, I didn't even think of touching the unfathomable Cockney rhyming slang. When the "taters in mould" (apparently a term for it being cold outside...) come out, I've got no idea what the hell these people are saying. I'm also realizing that these terms are not applicable to all of England, and all of the different counties/regions have their own slang...becoming fluent in "British" is going to take some serious time investment. Hope you enjoyed!