Cub's Bad Day

One of the reasons I find it hard to blog is due to our dialup internet. It's like being back in the dark ages. Blogger takes a long time to load on dialup so I sometimes get impatient and just leave before dazzling you all with my posts.
But this story will tug at your heartstrings because every time I think of it, I feel bad for my little Cub.
Cub is the white puffy puppy dropped on our doorstep in January. She got mange, infected us with it, and then got better. Now she is vibrant, healthy and devastatingly adorable - we keep telling ourselves we have to get rid of her before we become attached. (I think it's a little late for that.)
I was subbing for grade ones on Monday (humiliating story, that. I probably won't share it here.) On Tuesday I subbed for Grade Three, my favourite class. Bryan and I have made a habit of closing all the bedroom doors before we leave for school, to cut down on the mess.
It was about 4:30 on Thursday afternoon when we finally got home from school. We could hear something wrong inside the house. Cub was howling and howling, making Kaylee and Annie bark louder and louder. We opened the door and Anne and Kaylee ran out, but there was no sign of Cub. We could still hear her crying and crying and crying.
So we checked to see if she jumped the board that keeps them from getting into the basement. Nope, she wasn't there. We opened the door to the computer room, she wasn't there. Finally, Bryan opened the bathroom door and there she was.
She had been locked in the tiny bathroom in the dark for the entire day.
In the dark.
She tore the place apart. We quickly got her outside and she cowered by my legs, trembling and crying. She'd take a couple steps, then rush back to my legs.
Just the thought of my precious little puppy confined forever in a dark bathroom, no light, no water, no food, it broke my heart. Remember that dogs have no sense of time. The day probably truly felt like forever to her.
You see, we try to fix our puppies' abandonment issues. This is not the way. She has been super-clingy ever since, making it even harder for us to give her up.
But we're going to!
Any day now!
But don't be surprised if you guys all get to meet her at Eastertime...

Farewell to Paks

Our brown puppy Paks has been relocated. As fun as it is to have up to five dogs in the house at once things have been getting hectic. I'm writing articles for the North Battleford News Optimist, and I am now subbing on a pretty regular basis (last Friday, today and tomorrow). There was never any doubt in our minds that it would have to be Paks. Anne is fused to Bryan with super-super glue, and Kaylee stresses out when I stay in the bathroom longer than sixty seconds (she has some abandonment issues).
So Paks was given to Dad and Mom Andrews, to be a companion for their dog Ianthe. She is settling in nicely and the dynamic in our household has certainly changed! Anne is a lot more playful now because of it.
I'm really glad Paks is staying in the family - I do miss her.
Today and tomorrow I'm "Mrs. Jimmy, the grade three teacher". I have enjoyed myself tremendously and I think my kids are fabulous. In fact, I have been having so much fun I am very tempted to go back to University for an Education degree. Near impossible right now with our budget the way it is, but we'll see. At least I get to sub.

Important Family Survey

For many years we have used Joc's term to describe a gift being given for no special reason. It is a word that has become famous not only in our family, but to our friends and coworkers. I believe it is high time that we decide, once and for all, how to spell it.
So every single member of the family should vote, with the majority winning: which spelling is correct to you? (It may help you to remember that Janna asked for a surprise, and then Joc asked for two prises. She was young and beet-faced back then...)
A. Twoprise
B. Too-prize
C. Two-prize
If you believe there is yet another spelling, let me know and it will be entered into the survey. Winners get nothing except the satisfaction of finally settling this family mystery!

Subbing!

I apologize for not updating the blog sooner; our internet connection at home has been weird again. You'd think we live in Nepal with all the troubles we have with our internet!

Good news: Teal'c has been adopted. One week ago today, Teal'c was off to his new family here on the reserve. We are a bit worried though: we have already seen him at the school two times (but he finds his way to his new home). If they aren't treating him well, I may have to do something about it.

Cub is feeling much better and her hair is growing in beautifully. We'll miss her, but we are going to find a family soon for her. I was thinking we may even put posters up in town; she's adorable!

On Monday of this week I put in an application to become a substitute teacher here at Thunderchild. I did it more as a larf than anything else (larf, a Pinky and the Brain word). But on Tuesday I got a call that I was needed on Wednesday.

So on Wednesday I nervously entered the grade three classroom of Mrs. Jimmy and began to teach plurals, planets, phonics, handwriting, math and art. I have new depth of respect and appreciation for teachers: I did only one day and it floored me. I don't know how they can go on day after day! But I did enjoy it and I would like the opportunity to sub again.

Busy weekend for me: World Day of Prayer service I just went to, Telemiracle function tonight in Mervin, CanSkate championships tomorrow morning along with a Snowmobile Rally and the first game of conference playoffs for Thunderchild. More pics are coming!