Only in the Web! Case #1

There are many things that have happened as I work here and i say to myself with a slight shake of my head "only in the web!" There is some truth to this. There are times when I am surprised by something that I realize could only happen n the seclusion of an isolated community.

 

For example, the first week I was in the Web, I was sitting in my living room and admiring my incredible view out the front window. I was shocked when i cam e from another room into the living room to find the faces of several kids pressed against the glass. I asked them to go, and they giggled and ran off. I sat down and began to watch television only to be surprised again by several little faces pressed to the glass again. I finally gave up asking them to go and simply shut the curtain. Which was a shame because i enjoyed having the sunlight in the house. I continued on with my day and then somewhere about 7PM there were kids at the window, trying to get a glimpse between the part in the curtain, and then the vices of the kids "Carroll are you there?" I don't answer. I have been with the kids all day I need a break so I simply do not reply. hoping they will assume that I am visiting another teacher. However they are not deterred and continue calling for me banging on the windows and the doors. At one point I thought they would kick the door in.

The next day at school I mention this to them and express that when the school day is done, my time is for me and that I did not wan them banging on the windows and doors. However, it had little effect on there after school activities. In fact i discovered this was part of their night to go to every teacher's house to band on doors and windows. 

I mad the allowance that this is a somewhat isolated community and they were not use to this idea of people requiring that much privacy. They live in homes where sometimes 2 or 3 families reside, I assume that privacy is not a high priority,

But this is the 21st Century now and with the digital age and the world getting smaller because of the Internet it seems that this is something they must come to realize, and to respect the need for privacy. And my hope goes on. Yet here it is 4 years later and this afternoon I had someone almost kicking my door down and then 4 youngsters trying to climb the oil tank outside my kitchen window....some times you just can't win the debate.

Oh with the Snow, this is It!

No it is not a typo and no I did not forget the open words to the Bugs Bunny Show. I am goofing with the words on purpose. A little humour as I let people know that on Oct 16th it looks like the snow is here to stay. We did have some snow the second week of September but it was gone before the end of the school day. But overnight as the wind howled it began to snow and now at a wee bit after 10 in the morning here is the result.

Yup snow and a nice amount. Now is it going to stay? Very likely, but we never can tell. The earliest I have seen snow here is Oct 31, but I am sure in other years snow has come earlier in October. All I can say is that if this is the beginning of winter and I know the snow lasts well into April...and sometimes mid May...yes I said mid May, in fact there was a huge snow storm here on the May Long weekend my first year here.

So I just want all of you who are in Thunder Bay to stop whining about the temperature, just be glad you aren't shovelling this off your driveway already. Be happy with the drop in temperature and glad that you are not dealing with the white stuff yet....and remember SNOW is a four letter word...except here. For many they have been waiting for it, hopes that the water will freeze, allowing them access to the other islands by skidoo.
I was just thinking of my friend Karen who is off in Abu Daubi, and I bet there are occasions when she would enjoy the cooling effects of a little snow. "Think frosty thoughts Karen" and I will think warm ones...
Welcome to winter in the Web folks.

Dogs in the Web

Cute isn't he. Oh and the dog in the web are adorable, especially when they are puppies. But the one thing about puppies they grow up and become dogs. Normally that is a good thing, but the idea of pet ownership is a bit different here in the Web.

     Now I am a pet owner and I make sure my dog is safe when out in the yard, on a leash when we walk, and is secure in her little doggy bed when its bedtime. as you see little Rosie enjoying a snooze in the laundry basket. I would be heart sick if she were out wandering the strrets alone at night or any time of day for that matter.
     Pet owners in the Web, own the dog, but there are no leashes, no doggy beds, and i don't think I have seen more than 2 or 3 dog houses, although I am not sure the dogs are ever in them. No the dogs in the Web wander the reserve freely, some have collars and are tied up when there is a threat of the cull coimg, usually done in the summer when teaching staff is away.
      Its hard for me to accept this as the way of life here. the other morning i was walkingto the school and one of the dogs from the south end of the reserve came walking up to me (the shool is in the north section of the reserve) reserve dogs are extremely territorial. A Northern Revere dog barked a warning to the Southern dog, then whined a bit. the Southern dog barked back, the Northern dog apporached and barked again. I beleive this was the warning to the southern dog to leave the area. A warning the dog did not take and foolishly as within a few minutes 7 more Norterhhn dogs appeared and desedned upon the dog. A fight ensued, and I was quite scared, but knew not to get into the middle of it. The dogs seperated and the Southern dog still refused to leave the territory and so the dogs went at it again. It was at this point where you could hear every single dog on the island was howling. Not wanting to be around in case the southern dogs showed up I hurried to the school.
I felt sick I would have intervened in the city but here its the way of the reserve and the dogs are fierce about their territories, and it has occurred when a dog is killed in one of these scraps over territory breakout.It is just something that if you plan to work here,you have to accept as the way things roll here.

They are cute and they do make me feel safe walking in the early morning when the lake freezes over and the threat of wolves becomes very real. So for me I turn away but it does still make me a wee bit sad.

Fall approches in the North

As the leaves change from green to gold, the first month is now behid us and we hopefully have an idea of how our year is going to go. However this year there is a stange energy coursing just beneath the surface. I was talking with one of the Spiritual leaders in the community who expressed concern that there is a negative energy, or spirit surrounding the school. I have to say I beleve him as the students are becoming more and more defiant and almost violent.
The other day several feale students from grades 4-7 had literally ripped pieces of the clap board siding from the school. they used the pieces to barricade themselves in the mudroom of the school. when ia teacher came down to tell them to remove the bords the girls in short told the teacher where to go and what to kiss. It was shocking to see this kind of defiance and disrespect.from these girls. Some of them I would never have expected them to behave in this manner. But then last June I was shocked to see that even the gradde 2's were caught huffing white out with the Grade 4 5 and 6's.
It is no wonder the spiritual leaders sense an evil presence that is stirring things up. Here is hoping that the spirits will soon rest. Some-days the unrest and wildness is almost tangible, as though you could reach out and touch it. But I don't think that it is only affecting the kids, there is a negativity that seems to permeate all levels in the community and hopefully one day i can illuminate what this is about. At this point all i can say is that restless nights are in my future for sometime to come!