lifemaking

Knowing Along the Way

My heart learned much this year. Mid January last year Alan returned once again to Saskatchewan. Some time during that January, that time of -25 plus the wind chill, exploring back alleys, walking the shoreline of Old Wives Lake, we knew. Cold be damned. Home was together. Sometime during the slow hours of this past December break, on holiday at… (read more)

Grateful for Our Circle

Our school year began on a Tuesday. We had four days together that first week, students and me. Four days. I am a Grad Coach this year. I have my own program and many new faces alongside me everyday. The structure and design of our classes and days is different than my previous years in my school and in an… (read more)

Keeping Talking

~ My school division recently launched a locally developed course, Mental Health Studies 20L. This course is designed specifically to meet the needs of learners’ in our division. The course addresses positive mental health, common mental health challenges, understanding stigma in relation to mental illness, and mental health and addictions. Teachers are nudged to take up the task of offering… (read more)

i believe

believe in…. Trust and time. And listening. And relationships. And belonging. And sharing stories with students. Their stories. My stories. And listening to their stories no matter what. The cat stories, the lunch stories, the stories of suicide. Staying late. Arriving early. Showing up. Saying ‘I love you’ and ‘I am proud of you’ and meaning it. Reading aloud to… (read more)

One Final Wind-Song

17 years ago this spring my daughter, Jessy Lee, and I moved into our home in the Avenues. Tomorrow she comes home from university for what may likely be her final summer at home. And, two weeks from now, my partner, Alan, and his dog Felix, move in. My home/world changing forever. I could not be more happy. Tonight though,… (read more)

Red Shoes Series: fine fit

~ for Alan Del said When I figured things Out, I could buy red Shoes. I have a pair of nearly pink Flats. I bought them Years ago. They pinch My feet. I found red runners that I wore When I sat my ethics Review. The runners are candy Apple red, New, and they have no Grip on my soul.… (read more)

Three and a half years ago I made much needed changes to my blog, finding more identity in this space. Soon afterwards, I entered graduate research and found myself bound by ethical guidelines of a research journey that needed me to write privately, or at least, not here about my research.… (read more)

Language of Hope

A few days ago while scrolling through a social media site, I noticed that a student I teach had posted a photo with, what I consider to be, an offensive word. It is not uncommon for me to connect with students on some social networking sites. I am as selective about who I connect with as I hope and try… (read more)

Home Stories

Here. I took a step over the property line and stood on the driveway a while. I heard the radio tuned to CBC, the static from the old machine offering no real audio only comfort. Somewhere too, came screws jiggling inside old coffee tins and a saw moving along unused 2x4s, and I heard Dad sniff. I heard Dad sniff.… (read more)

Bird Feeders: The Red Shoes Series

The students I live alongside set a challenge, to write about the past/future. They set the challenge so I would finish a piece, put pen to paper, stop sitting in conversation so long with each of them, and step up to the mic. After all, we headline in a month. The future. The past. The future. Tricky business these places.… (read more)