The Water Festival

I took Wednesday off work and joined up with Cameron's and a few other classes for a trip to the Peterborough Zoo. The Children's Water Festival was on and so we spent the day there. Now, I'll admit that I thought Water Festival meant sprinklers, buckets and playing in the wet stuff. For that reason, I couldn't figure out why they weren't supposed to bring their towels and swimsuits. Well. Turns out, the Water Festival is an annual event, teaching kids (and their mums) about conservation, pollution, natural habitats and all things water. It was great and, quite honestly, I learned a lot! And, I got to hang out with Cameron and five really nice buddies all day.

We wandered around, visiting several booths throughout the morning. We learned how to identify some native frogs, turtles and snakes, then visited a demonstation that involved toilets - regular and low flush. Wow! What a difference. Same with the showers set up in the parking lot with regular and low flow shower heads. There were a couple of guys there who work for the City. They had a cut-away fire hydrant hooked up and showed how they work. There are 2100 hydrants in Peterborough alone! Then the kids went across the pathway, readied themselves, the water was turned on and in no-time-flat, they were soaked. Fully clothed, no less (although I did suggest they remove their shoes and socks first). Perfect day for a cool soak, too, as it's been so unseasonably hot.

After lunch we headed out for more. We arrived at 'the hill' and the guys wanted to take their turn rolling down it.  Well, our timing was perfect and the next thing you know, the guys joined the host of CHEX TV's 5 o'clock show rolling down hill...on camera!

If you skip to the 6:40 mark, you'll see them in the background. Cammy's the one in the bright green soccer shirt rolling sideways down the hill until he klunes the show's host in the head as she rolls by. And there's Aaron and Brent, Duncan and Ben and Jon, down at the bottom pumping his arms triumphantly in the air. And check out the performance by some grade 2 students from St. Alphonsus at the 3:15 mark. How fun is this water festival! 

The boys will be holding an autograph session at school on Monday.

Save This School

In honour of tonight's Rick Mercer Report, I thought I'd share this rant put out a few weeks ago by the student council president of one of our local highschools, Peterborough Collegiate. PCVS is one of the oldest highschools in the country and is, sadly (and I would say, wrongly), slated for closure at the end of this school year. The students have marched, picketed, demonstrated and been very vocal in their fight to keep this beautiful old school open. And, during all this, they raised over $50,000 for the Spread the Net campaign, winning the title of top fundraiser in Canada. If you're in these parts, be sure to watch the Mercer Report tonight.

And, yes - we have our Save PCVS sign perched defiantly on our front lawn.

Wordless Wednesday

Crash

After hugs and kisses this morning (for those that aren't too cool for that kinda thing), the kids boarded the school bus and I waved to them as they started away. Then I headed into work.

Sometime just before 10, the Principal of our school called. Uh-oh. She assured me it was nothing serious, but the kids had arrived at school about half an hour late because of a minor mishap on the bus. Turns out our bus and another passed each other on one of our narrow country roads and their mirrors knicked each other. Well, that led to our bus driver's window cracking but not breaking. Nonetheless, it wasn't safe to drive so another bus had to be called out. 

That wasn't the reason for the call, though. Nolan was upset and had a bit of a sore neck...in the front. Not being in the medical profession or up on all the technicalities of the body, I wasn't about to diagnose but I thought whip lash was in the back of the neck. I spoke with him and we decided I'd pick him up.

When I arrived at the school, I found him on the couch in the front hall with, none other than his big brother Cameron. I got the story from Cammy (although I'm still not clear on it) and we decided we'd all go home and start fresh tomorrow. The Principal assured me she'd let Ri know that Cammy was going home too and off we went.

Once home, we had some lunch and then it was decided we'd go for a walk to town. We hooked Rosie up to her leash and set out. Once in town, I gave the boys some money while Rosalita and I waited outside the General Store. They paid for their purchase, rejoined us and we headed back to the trail. I've long figured that candy's good for the soul and turns out Laffy Taffy cures whip lash...in the front. 

When we arrived home, there was a message on the phone. The bus company wanted to make sure that the boys were okay and to let me know that Riley and another girl had been very helpful keeping the kids quiet and helping them off the bus. They let the school know, too, how helpful she was. Her ma's pretty proud. 

We're looking at about 4 degrees tonight and a good chance of frost, so after supper we went out, collected any somewhat ripe tomatoes and then covered the plants. Fingers crossed, we get a bit more time before we see a killing frost. 

Wow! Just, Wow!!

The Pedal for Hope campaign is wrapping up at school and, as of this writing, the kids have raised just shy of a whopping $19,000! Cameron handed in $540 in pledges today and, thanks to that stylish hair cut he received, was responsible for bringing in another $70 in on-line donations (made by a couple of my blogging buddies, I might add). You guys are all awesome.

So, time for a shout-out to all of you who were kind enough to give to pediatric cancer research...

Dorito, Enos, Oma & Opa, Grandma & Grandpa, Shane, Darlene, Marlene, Mrs. B, Aunt Marian, Aunt Margaret, Rob & Amy, Cammy & Nolan, Kathy, Jeff, Lizzy, Bob, Shelley, Tracey, Rick, Larry and to my blogging buddies, Cheryl and Sharon. You've all made Cameron one proud little man. And you've touched my heart more than you can know. Thank you.

Thank you!  Merci!  (It is a french immersion school, after all)

Please, check out the school website for the latest. Wow.

Bzzzzz

I put in about half an hour at work this morning before I grabbed my jacket and headed back out the door. I had a meeting to attend. With a bit of a kick in my step, I walked across the parking lot. "Hmmm," I thought, "the truck has an odd lean to it." As I stepped around the back end I glanced toward the front tire. Flatter than a pancake. Crap. Well, I had no time for such annoyances, so I went back into the office and asked a coworker if she'd mind driving me to the school. She threw me her keys, warned me about the state of her van (it was immaculate compared to the truck) and waved me on my way.

After parking down the road, I walked up to the entrance and met brother Enos. As it was cold and drizzly, we waited inside for a bit. The bell rang, kids gathered in their classes, O Canada played out over the PA, announcements were made and then the mass exodus to the front steps. Kids, teachers, staff, Principal and members of the community (including Paul who had just shown up) gathered outside to greet the special guests that were minutes away. Someone started the wave and everyone joined in. Then, the sirens...

...and the Cops for Cancer team, with members from the Peterborough Lakefield Police, OPP and RCMP, arrived. A loud cheer went up and the 2011 Pedal for Hope was underway. 

After lots of high fives, the team parked their bikes, we all gathered in the gym and the party began. A beach ball appeared and bounced around the room while loud music rocked the place.  Soon, things settled down and introductions were made. A video was shown explaining why the team pedals 1000km every spring and thanking all the kids, from 50 schools, who helped them reach the million dollar mark in 2010. Messages of congratulations from Dion Phaneuf, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jordan Staal who'd played junior hockey with the Petes were included. 

Then it was time for head shaves and ponytail donations.

Cammy and his buddy Nate getting buzzed right down to the wood

A couple of the cops kicked things off with a shave and about twenty kids donated their hair. 

What have I agreed to?

Finishing touches then off to get a Pedal for Hope ball cap.

More buzz cuts on the stage while Cammy shows off his cueball

A few more games and then the ice cream eating contest. Five to a team, girls against the guys. In the video shown earlier, three players from the Canadian women's hockey team noted that girls rule. The ladies-ice-cream-eating-team didn't disappoint...including Riley who had somehow made the cut.

Things rapped up with one final song. The kids jumped to their feet and, along with the members of the Pedal for Hope team, everyone danced to Cha Cha Slide. Well, everyone but Enos, Paul and me because we'd never heard of it before. We're so not cool.

Oh, and as of this morning, Cameron has raised $510 for pediatric cancer. Yea Cammy!! And thanks to all of you who have donated to support him. Woooo!

As for the truck, the tire's been replaced (it was beyond fixing) and it runs like a charm. Paul was fairly soaked to the skin, lying on the pavement in the downpour, changing the tire. I, being the devoted partner that I am, was only slightly less soaked, as I stood in the rain offering moral support. Might have cracked a joke here and there too. It's what I know.


 
AC DC it's not, but it is kinda catchy, y'all.

***

You can read more about the Pedal for Hope, here.

******

UPDATED APRIL 22ND:

I've been asked how people can help out. If you'd like to make an online donation (no pressure), please follow the link below. It's the Westmount PS Pedal for Hope fundraiser page through the Canadian Cancer Society:

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/CopsforCancer/COPS_ON_?team_id=248919&pg=team&fr_id=9734

Then click on 'make a donation' by the flashing red "100%+".


You can also follow the in-school progress here:

http://www.westmountpublicschool.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=browse&id=114425&pageid=180
  
And THANK YOU!

Doth The Moon Shine That Night We Play Our Play?

As I look to the heavens, I see no sign of a moon but the stars sure did shine tonight.

Finally, after months of practice, initially during recesses and more recently on Saturday's and after school, the curtain rose for Riley and her fellow thespians. Tonight the school gymnasium was transformed into a 16th century forest as the Drama Club presented Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Riley, my stage-loving goofball, portrayed Tom Snout, the tinker who plays Wall in the play-within-a-play. Home with the flu, she had missed the final dress rehearsal on Tuesday but thankfully has fully recovered and, knock on wood, none of the rest of us have come down with anything. I had worried a little today, as my stomach turned from time to time, that the bug had found its next victim. I couldn't miss the play. However, once we were seated and the lights had dimmed, my tummy miraculously recovered. Ri may not get butterflies, but I sure as heck do.

The kids put on a fabulous show. And let me tell you, if I come away understanding what happened in a Shakespearean tale, they must have done a fine job. (If it wasn't for Coles Notes in highschool, my marks in English would have been considerably lower.) 

Tonight Peterborough, tomorrow...Stratford...

"In the same interlude it doth befall, that I, one Snout by name, present a Wall"

(Look how she towers over the older boys. Awww.)

School's Out For...Christmas

The kids were rife with melancholy this evening. Poor dears. You see, school finished up today and now my grief-stricken children must go without for two whole weeks. No long bus rides. No lurnin'. No homework. It pains me to see them so downtrodden. Unaware of my presence, I snapped this heartbreaking photo...

School's out

Oh, hey! What do you think of the tree? I came up with the idea of the dark stripe through the middle all by myself. That's right; I meant for it to be like that. Ya. I think it gives it a rather festive air of, um, je ne sais quoi, don't you?

Oh ya, the kids. I think, in time, their grief will pass. The poor souls went outside for a few runs down the snow-covered hill tonight. They assured me they'd be okay.

School's out!

I do hope so.