a few ramblings

I keep returning to this blank screen, trying to keep it up to date, writing half finished blogs and saving them, for who knows what. I don't post them, because they are just ramblings on books I've recently read, or thoughts I write, and think twice about before sending them into the public realm.
So I will try again.
My schedule in teacher's college so far is not too demanding, allowing me a very long weekend, but an intense mid week to make up for the slack.
Tomorrow will see me up at 7:00 am, and home by 7:00 pm, but that is as busy as I get.
Until next week. On Monday I start practicing my career choice as a high school "facilitator" as the college wishes me to describe it, which means I will be teaching civics to a grade ten class for about a month.
Hot Topics to cover in Unit three are global issues, Canadian heroes, the UN, etc... but we'll save that for next week.

And so like I said, I have days like Monday and Tuesday to do as I please while James puts in his steady 8- 5 workday in the lab, five days a week, quite faithfully I might add.
I don't quite operate the same way, keeping a tentative schedule in my head of what needs to be done up to two days max, which can be rearranged at my leisure at any given time. This gets interesting around crunch time, but something to worry about when "crunch" actually hits.

But I like being home.
This place is always up for my constant pampering- putting up with yet another new throw rug, a few more holes in its brittle walls for the sake of new candle holders, IKEA computer desks for a much desired work space, and of course the odd burnt appliances, or plastic singed to the oven rack after my attempt to preheat the oven with a loaf of bread inside for cozy storage. It even helped me dispose of a stubborn disagreeble plant, which I carefully placed on the window ledge after a brief watering, only to discover it gone a few moments later. Luckily noone was walking on the path three stories below.
But anyways, our home is a work in progress that has a small portion of my mind constantly occupied.
"How bout painting a chalk board right to the wall? Where could we string our orange hammock? Maybe we could have a swing, instead of bar stools for the kitchen counter.."
..you know, those types of ponderings.

So what I am saying is, James and I love having our own home. And with that, our own rules. I'm fine with hoisting my laundry basket on my head, hopping out the bathroom window, and winding down three flights of stairs, multiple times, to do the laundry. So long as James heads out the other door and takes care of the garbage. But chores aside- flexibility is key.
James wants pizza in bed? Why not?
We feel like dancing on our new rug? Sure!
Wine while cooking? Excellent :)
Squirrels got into the kitchen garbage? Ok...

Speaking of squirrels, I have a hunch that several million are living on our roof. It doesn't help that the neighbor, who not only sweeps her trees, also spreads birdseed across her entire driveway morning and night, providing a feast for lazy squirrels. But on top of squirrel seed, they live on our deck, stealing my 150 sun dried chestnuts right off our chair. And if THAT's not enough (I presume it's going to be a hard winter) they managed to get into our garbage, in the kitchen, and made off with half its contents, spilling the other half all over the unlucky tile.

I'm not sure how I digressed from life at home to the squirrel population, but there's a tidbit of info for you on life with the Harskamps. And life is good.
It's 3:15, which means I should start getting ready for my English class.
I hope to keep this up more regularly. I'm sure my teaching experiences will supply me with more than enough material.