Almost Back

Today almost felt like an AJ day:)

Exercise:

I had texted Sarah last night and she was up for a run so we headed out in the pouring rain for a quick run to the mill and back. It’s a good thing I was meeting someone as I don’t think I would have gotten out otherwise!

This evening I did a Hallmark workout. It was a minute of jogggng between: squats, reverse lunges, pushups, mountain climbers, weighted sit ups, bicep curls, upright rows, reverse crunches, plié squats, burpees, deadlifts and overhead tricep extensions.

I am really trying to put at least one different exercise each time, but I figure I need the squats and lunges in there for sure to make me a stronger runner.

Reading:

I finished the book Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. I have had this book forever but was very hesitant to start it based on the title. It ended up being a cute, funny book. I admit the end seemed to drag and was a little dumb, but it was still a good read.

It was really nice to have an actual book. I know my kindle app and Kobo are great for traveling or when I’m out and about, but nothing beats a real book.

House:

I knew I needed to do something, but all I got done was my rug vacuumed and the floors swept. I’m going to try my best to do one job a day this week so my house will be tidy and clean by the time I’m on holidays. I wish one of you lived close enough to check that I do this!🤣🤣

Knitting:

I actually picked up knitting again. When I went to get my bag, I realized I hadn’t recorded or shared the quick and easy kerchief scarf I made on my trip last weekend.

Now I have started my toe up sock. It should get me through my travel next weekend, but I need to pick a project to take with me.

Cooking:

I really should have started the baking challenge today, but the only thing I did in my kitchen was make kale chips from some of the kale in my garden. They were really good.

Well, I think that’s it. A lovely, rainy day:)

Have fun!

AJ

Yay Friday!

Oops I guess I was so tired I didn’t even realize I hadn’t posted!

Teaching:

I have to admit I’ve never been this disorganized in my teaching before, but with only two children, it is difficult to be motivated.

We finished our Covid time capsule and our yearbook. We also created a graph about our favourite meal. There were only three of us which didn’t make for an interesting graph so we walked around the school asking classes and random people we ran into in the hall. This actually turned out great because it gave both of these very quiet children the practice of speaking to others. In case you’re wondering, dinner was the most popular meal. We ended the day playing outside.

House:

I was a good person and stopped on my way home to pay my property taxes. I’m getting close to having everything done!

Reading:

I spent a lot of the evening finishing up the book, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman. I have heard this book recommended all over the place and while it was enjoyable, I won’t be recommending it. It really dragged for me and the writing style was just too overblown with details for me.

Exercise:

As soon as I finished my book I knew I needed to get off the couch and do some exercise. I did a BeFitDavis workout as they tend to be shorter. This one was a minute of jogging between four sets of: 25 squats, 25 hip raises, 25 reverse crunch to leg drop, and 25 Superman. Not much, but something.

I did start another book and it looks like I will be done quickly so I’ll tell you about that soon.

That really is all I did and it was so lovely!

Have fun!

AJ

I Need a Picture

I just realized I haven’t been taking any photos lately. I’m going to have to change that as I always think posts with photos are more interesting.

Teaching:

I got through another day of teaching. We worked some more on our year book and our Covid time capsule. We also made faces out in nature this afternoon which was cool, but not as engaging as the pill bug homes of yesterday.

After school I had to sit through the start of another boring meeting and I had a meeting at lunch too. Needless to say, I was very happy to leave work!

Beauty:

I finally went and got my eyelashes and eyebrows died and boy does it feel great to have them done! I didn’t love wearing a mask to get them done though!

The only picture I have of my day:(

Exercise:

I met up with Dennis today to do a route from the park, around the river and back. It was a good run for him, but those 6.02km felt horrible to me. I think my body was still sore from the workouts the last two nights. I survived the run, but quickly decided against a workout tonight!

Reading:

I’m reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and have to go back to it as I think it is due tonight and I have a ways to go.

Have fun!

AJ

Wildlife

It was a zoo out there!

Teaching:

I turned off my alarm so I got a little extra sleep today and after a quick roar around the grocery store, I sat down to my computer.

Today I checked all the work that had been submitted, responded to emails, listened to children read, entered my PR cards and found the list of approved resources. It was nice to get through everything on the list for a change.

Family:

This afternoon I grabbed my nephew and I did my work in the car while he hung out at the skate park. We then enjoyed an ice cream. Even he admits the newest ice cream place I found is the best!

Exercise:

At lunch I did 6.77km with my friend Sarah. We saw one deer on the first part of the trail, had a run in with a bear cub who was stubborn and just wouldn’t go away and then saw a doe and her two fawns on the way back. It was like a National Geographic episode out there! We did get back in one piece and it was nice to get a bit of mileage in.

This evening I did another hallmark workout. I did a minute of jogging between: squats, burpees, deadlifts, bicep curls, front raises, crunches, reverse crunches, bent over rows, pushups, plié squats, lateral raises, pullovers, tricep kickbacks and hip raises.

We will see if this contributes to my feeling healthier.

Right now all I want is to close my eyes so I think I will take myself off to bed.

Have fun!

AJ

Tuesday Trials

I really can’t wait for this school year to be over!

Teaching:

I had four students in class today. My autistic child pitched a fit and got to stay home- no wonder we are having trouble with him in class! He has gotten used to getting everything he wants:(

We did some running, read some books, started our Covid 19 Time Capsule booklet, worked on our year book and then learned about rolly polly bugs and built homes for them outside. Actually a pretty good day until you get to the meeting after school.

We had a CDMC meeting and I had to take the minutes. I sent them out, but figure I’ll hear about it that I didn’t send them to my principal first. I’m thinking I’d better be really careful the next two weeks so that I don’t get written up :(. I hate that I now worry about every little thing I do😥

Exercise:

I met Dennis for a run. He is still having trouble with his breathing and is supposed to go see a cardiologist so I am making him take it easy by running my speed. We did 6.19km today and I only had to call him back once. It was nice to get some distance in. I’ve had two weeks in a row where I haven’t made thirty kilometers and I want to break that pattern quick!

I also did a workout. I decided to go back to a Hallmark workout as my legs felt really weak on my run today. I feel like, as dumb as they may be, the Hallmark workouts really are a good workout. I did a minute of jogging between the following;

Burpees, deadlifts, bent over rows, squats, reverse lunges, front raises, pushups, bicep curls, curtsy lunges, crunches, reverse crunches, and plié squats.

I think that that is all I have to report today. I had better finish a book or start some knitting so I’m not boring!

Have fun!

AJ

Trivia Monday (That’s Not Alliteration)

It was a pretty good day.

Teaching:

We wrote a summer bucket list, started a year book, and tried to watch a DK movie about Rainforests. Who knew that DK movies were inappropriate for grade one.

I got my reports back today and the only line I had to correct was one I hadn’t written. It was part of the student services report😖

Exercise:

I was incredibly tired from the weekend, but still managed to go out for a run to the mill with Sarah.

Trivia:

We had to move trivia to Monday this week as one of our members couldn’t come on Tuesday.

We got:

What is the name of the actor who played Data on Star Trek?

Brent Spiner

Which Star Wars movie is when Luke found out Darth Vader was his father?

Empire Strikes Back

How long did the Vietnam War last?

20

In which movie does Adam Sandler play a golfer?

Happy Gilmore

What is the real name of a birdie in Badminton?

Shuttlecock

What is the name for a dog’s thumb?

Dewclaw

Which team plays in the TD Gardens?

Boston Bruins

What do we know Paul Ruebens as?

Peewee Herman

Where do women dress up?

Bar/club

Who is the founder of Wendy’s?

Dave Thomas

Put these three actors in order oldest to youngest.

George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt

How far apart are studs in a load bearing wall?

18″

Where is Graceland located?

Memphis, Tennessee

What is the nickname for Johnny Cash?

Man in Black

Which novel starts, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”?

Tale of Two Cities

Well I need as much sleep as possible.

Have fun!

AJ

My Weekend

Well I finally had some excitement to share:)

This weekend I went away with a few girlfriends. We work together so it wasn’t a broadening of my very small circle, but instead a change of scenery.

We went to Osoyoos which is somewhere I had never been before. My friend owns a house up there and since she hadn’t been up since February she thought it was time to check on it.

We got there very late on Friday night as we left after work. We had a dinner of appies when we got there and stayed up talking. It was 1:30 when I finally got to bed and of course I was up at the regular five am:(

Saturday was a lot of sitting around chatting. We did get to a couple of wineries for tastings – though it was interesting to do one during a pandemic. They all have to abide by the new rules so we were often waiting outside for a few minutes while they disinfected. We tried two that were just too long of waits. Then we got into There You Go winery. I am not a huge wine fan as I like my drinks sweet, but I bought one bottle of wine here. We then hit Silver Sage which is now my favourite winery! I could have bought a bottle of all but one of their wines! We had a third one called Oliver Twist, but most of their wines were too dry for me. The final winery was called Kismet. We had an Indian lunch here that was amazing, but I didn’t try or buy any wine.

Do you think we bought enough wine?

We were up very late again Saturday night playing games. I was worried about how one friend would do when we started playing Cards Against Humanity, but she actually won! We also played taboo, what do you meme and one other that I don’t know the name of.

Finally this morning we cleaned the house, walked to town for coffee and then headed home.

It was an awesome weekend filled with laughs- the best kind, but now I really need sleep!!! And to lose the hundred pounds it feels like I gained as all we did was eat!

Have fun!

AJ

Working at Home Wednesday

Today was my day to work from home.

I got up earlier than my body wanted to and headed off to the grocery store. I just wandered around wondering why I was there:(

Teaching:

I checked all work and posted my report cards. I read the reports of a friend. At 5:15pm I got the comments from my student services. I had already submitted my reports and instead of trying to get them back and change them, I just told her that. I checked with other schools and they got their comments last week or the week before!! Ugh! I wish they would do their jobs!!!😖😖😖😖😖😖😖😖

The good thing about today was that I got little things done around my house during my breaks. I got laundry done and my dishwasher loaded. It felt great to get a few of these little things done.

Exercise:

After work and another trip to the grocery store, I did a run with Sarah around a local park. We ran into two people we knew so it took some time. I did get the fun of running down the hill at the end.

I also did another BeFitDavis workout of: squats, step ups, deadlifts, split lunges, v-ups, crunches, and rear leg raises.

It wasn’t quite an hour of exercise, but it was close:)

I ended the night by painting my toe nails and rewatching a Hallmark movie. I’m not allowed a new movie because I didn’t go into the school today.

Have fun!

AJ

Trivia Tuesday

Sorry I got home too late last night to write!

Teaching:

I had five kids in the morning and four in the afternoon. We got through writer’s workshop where we practiced describing on our writing by writing a description of our castles. Two of the kids did so amazing!!!! It is neat that I’m there to give more help as one little guy who usually doesn’t get much done, got an entire page written as I was there to help with sounding out.

We did some work on tally graphs which was also fun with the small group as they all got to come up and ask a question of the group and make their own tally graph.

Finally we had silent reading and watched a magic school bus video. I also showed them a Dr. Binoc video off of YouTube which I thought they would love, but they didn’t. Sometimes they really surprise me.

Exercise:

After copying and pasting my report cards into MyEd I rushed home to change for my run and then headed out the door. I got to decide the time so Dennis got to decide the route. We ran out Guildford which is a main road that has lights on it. Keep this in mind as I tell you I made a 5km PR!! I cut another minute and seventeen seconds off of my 5km time, though my watch automatically stops when I do at the lights, so I got breaks. I’ll still take it as I didn’t think that would ever happen!!

Trivia:

After a quick shower it was out to trivia. It was the first time since February and I was a little nervous as I didn’t know what it would be like. It was actually quite nice as it was quiet and easier to hear the questions. They had about half of the tables they usually do, and we had a ringer from another team with us, so it was a good night. They now have a $25 minimum which I get as they can only have half the people and it’s really popular. I enjoyed my salmon salad:). We came in second overall for the night!!!🎉🎊

Here’s what I knew (that I can remember):

What is the name of the middle girl on the Brady Bunch?

Jan

Who was born first? Newton, Houdini or Mozart?

Isaac Newton

What cup do you win at the World Series?

Commissioner’s Cup

Who sang Cowboy Take Me Away?

Dixie Chicks

I also got Copperhead Road by Steve Earle or songs containing “head”.

Oh there were others I k ew but I can’t remember:(

Finally I had to run up the hill and pick up work from a colleague and I didn’t escape her for forty five minutes. She’s a talker and a night owl, neither of which describes me, so I was exhausted by the time I hit my bed!

Well I have a full list for today so I’d better get moving!

Have fun!

AJ

Moaning Monday

There was definitely lots of moaning this morning when I realized I had to get up for work:(

Teaching:

The day went fine and was pretty productive. This week my students are creating castles that they are in when they are at their desks. It was cool to see how excited they were!

We got through a journal, an activity on adding ‘ed’, an introduction to graphing, and some prodigy and RAZ Kids.

Not a bad day all in all, though the twenty minute staff meeting about nothing at the end was not a great ending:(

Exercise:

I got home just in time to go for a run with Sarah around the local river. I’ve really started enjoying these slower runs now that I’ve seen that they seem to help my running on the other days. I just wish they were at least 5km long so it would keep my mileage up!

I came home and did a BeFitDavis workout too. I had to change a couple of moves, but really liked that I got to use my Bosu ball. I did four sets of: upright rows on the bosu, lay pulldowns with a band, leg raises, squats on the bosu, pushups on the bosu, Russian twists and full weighted sit-ups.

I am trying to pay more attention to see if I’m gaining definition anywhere. I haven’t seen any yet, but I keep hoping!

Movie:

Since I went to work today, I got to watch a hallmark movie. Tonight’s movie was Matching Hearts. It was really cute, but that might be because I’m a sucker for animals.

Well I’m off to bed.

Have fun!

AJ