You know I don't want gum. Gum/tobacco/alcohol all bad. I need chocolate though. Noticed at supermarket that same cake pan that's used for Easter Egg cakes is now doing service as Football cake.

Send pictures of puppy in snow. And chocolate.

venting: While I am a teacher for the preschoolers three hours a day, I have an assistant. The assistant changes weekly as three people rotate in and out. No one likes it because the hours are later but two are wonderful. The other is passive-aggressive and a pain. Past week I was with p-a one who spent her time in the classroom sitting in the kids' beanbag chair and barking at the them from there. Barking is useful. She was keeping them in line a bit.

However, woman who trained me used to be a director of a facility but told me she didn't like it because the stress of working with adults is more than the stress of working with kids. IE: does not like to talk to adults. She had something to say about a new student, his paperwork and his fees or something and she walks into the room, passes me where I'm working a puzzle with three little girls, goes to body in beanbag chair and fills her in. I feel so furious!! This woman will never let me know what was said and soon I got a call from the director saying the fee is $1.20 a day. I said I thought it was $12 because I thought she was talking about something else. So I have given up on p-a woman but would like to sock Mrs. It's Too Stressful To Speak to Adults in the Stressed Out Nose.

There are jobs in the school district but I'm not applying because I've never left a job without giving 2 weeks notice and I'm certain they'd hire a sub or someone who could step right in.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh Peachie---can't You Apply For Said Jobs And If You Get One You Like ,ask Them If You Can Have Two Weeks Til You Start????

Not that I'm that big a fan of gum, and especially the slack-jawed gum-chewing type, but what is wrong with it in principal? There are no stimulants or depressants in it or any other "drug". It is not addicting except in the same way biting your fingernails is addicting. Just wondering.
And kids like to play with animals!

I do hope you'll apply to positions that interest you -- job transitions are always awkward, but if it's a worthwhile change, I say ... Burn that bridge when you come to it . Or something.

Although from the sound of it, if there are any shakeups where you work now, you will be in charge before you know it...

Went to SuperBowl Party yesterday. It was just 5 of us, but it was fun. I made chili, and a veggie tray. There was homemade bread, and pizza sticks which were easy and very yummy. And the game was sort of interesting, I guess.

Today it is so cold here, even the dog didn't want to play outside for more than a couple of minutes. Supposed to be a high temperature of 3°F.

Kiwi

it is freezing here as well!!! and the wind chill is stupefying!!!! and freezing as well!!!---we were in nova scotia on the weekend and all the dd's were there to hang with us---we went to a dinner theatre production that dd20's bf was starring in---he was great and a sweetheart to boot---first time i met him!!!he has a great voice and played guitar in their band as well.Went to a trade show for the shop but was not wowed by anything---I NEED SOMETHING INTERESTING TO SELL!!!! WHAT THE **** CAN I SELL!!!!THE AMERICANS ARE COMING !!! THE AMERICANS ARE COMING!!! Last year we had thirtythree cruise ships in port over five months---THIS YEAR THERE ARE FIFTY FIVE!!! WHAT CAN I SELL TO THE YANKEES!!!!!

Yankees like tee shirts for their kids, little puffins, lighthouses and LOCALLY MADE STUFF ... don't you have a bunch of crafty friends?? They like postcards and you should have postage. They like people in native dress (not Frenchy's). You should sell dolls from countries the typical NBer comes from. They like snacks they can carry home. Sell chicken bones!!!

Peachie, A chick sent me this... and I tried to send it to you but I got it back... I thought of you ....
What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.
He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers:
"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Rosemary. Be honest. What do you make?"

Rosemary, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied,
"You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then
began...)
"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental..
You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, because we live in the United States of America.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Rosemary paused one last time and then continued.)
"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...
You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?"

I'm thinking you can't make kids apologize and mean it.

My kids are tiny. Many have one or two parents in jail or prison. Many in this school are related: cousins, half-siblings, aunt/niece. Wouldn't you find it uncomfortable to pick up your child who happily jumped up and down and said, "Mommy there's Susie!!" because you and Susie's mom were being visited by the same man four years ago?

I have good hands. I love my hands. They work and they have no pain. But I have thin skin, am aging, and my veins show. Over and over, darker skinned little ones touch touch touch my hands. I used to move my hands out of their sight as it's annoying but they've started saying, "Who did that to you?" and such and I say "There's nothing wrong with my hands. Your hands look like that and mine look like this and they're both good."

I teach them to spell their names as no one at home has thought to do this. They don't even know the alphabet unless they've learned it at school. I try to teach them to take turns, to follow instructions and to take care of classroom materials.

I am feeling depressed. My house is a mess. I hate to say I need a man but it would help. am alone too much.

ARRRGH! I lost my post to the Baglady!

Baggers... Yes Yes...Peachie is on the right track!!! We want Canadian things we cant get at the local mall!!!
What were your hot sellers last year? Get more
What are the other successful smelly soap shops selling? Copy them...
Here is a link to a pretty cool unique store .
http://www.calgarycraftedgifts.com/index.htm
Refridgerator magnets of Canada and Canadien things like mooses, or landmarks. Canadian Pins that people collect and put on thier hats and vests!locally made craft crap... maybe native stuff like dreamcatcher thingies....pottery bowls, tiles,trivets. Hiking Sticks, Seeds for Canadian flowers (is there such a thing?) Canadian celtic music Cds.

These are unique and cute
http://www.tamarak.com/dewbells.html

And us Mericans love our Pets... Pet Jewllery!!!
maybe not candian...but they are not easy to find down these parts....
These are A DOOR A BULL!!!
http://www.bigpawdesigns.com/

When you become a Millionaire Smelly Soap Mavem don't forget us little people eh?

Kiwincer... how that elbow coming along?
Wabby ..update update!!! You are getting your GC? You Go girl!!!!! how is doggie? Are you tuning in far off radio stations with his satelite head?
Must go...need

good ideas. They sell hiking sticks around here and in Bar Harbor I've noticed. Do all the cruise ships stop in Bar Harbor before they go to NB?
Lupine seeds!
And not only celtic music, but really sappy music made by Canadians. Americans would be all excited to find out that Celine Dion, Anne Murray, etc. are Canadian (seriously).

Peachie is a goooooooood teacher.

My elbow is still hurty. I had my Physical Torture this morning. Frankly I don't think it's really helping, it hasn't really changed since shortly after I started the OT in December. Probably if I never touched the computer again it would go away. But then I wouldn't have any friends... Life's a beach, eh?

Kiwi

I just thought of something else -- how about croakies, the straps for sunglasses? I'll bet there are some that are made in the Maritimes. Also Hat Clips -- those are harder to find, but I'll tell you, they are very useful on a boat, so why not on a cruise ship!

Don't sell Burt's Bees products. I'm boycotting them

Kiwi

what are hat clips and why are you boycotting bert's bees???? THANK you cows for all your suggestions!!!! i am going to try shatzi's links----regarding pins and all those magnets and the like---i am in a market with many other stores which all carry those tourist items that are made in china but have canada on them---you can find the VERY same items in Bar Harbour---lobsters,lighthouses etc with the maritimes and new england printed on them!!!---since i am a handcraft store [ AND I DON'T MEAN GRANNY CRAFTS LIKE PAINTED ROCKS AND QUILLED PRINTS AND CROCHETED POTHOLDERS!!!!}------I need really cool jewellery and you are right--my hand crafted pottery plaques with cats on them and the pins with cats sell really well!!!!!

Hat clips are dandy little items, basically a short cord, maybe 6-10" with small clips on each end and you clip to the back of a hat and your shirt collar. Sometimes they have floatable material on them so if you drop everything in the water, you might recover it. A boating necessity IMO. I suppose they don't really fit with your merch., but they don't take up much space and people buy stuff like that on a whim.

I thought of something else -- people are always asking me for local blueberry jam. NB is loaded with blueberries, right? Do you sell any food items?

I think you should sell cans of fog.

Oh, and I boycott Burt's Bees because the woman who founded the company and got rich off it is an absolute witch. She is using her money to buy up property in Maine to have it saved for this heinous National Park scheme that some people who are not from the area want to turn our backyard into. The property she owns is doing nothing at all, and she has turned out businesses that were located there -- innocuous things like guiding businesses and hunting camps, and won't allow what we refer to as "traditional" uses on her land -- hunting, fishing, snowmobiling. Beeyotch. You should hear some of her quotes about this area of Maine. Apparently we are all a bunch of yokels who live in trees and make wreaths for a living.

Kiwi

I will continue to look for cool jewlery.
I have those magnets!!! Red lobster from Maine - check.
Bass Harbor Head lighthouse - check.
A real tacky rubber outline of the state with MAINE vacationland stamped on it - check.

An a course a wooden lighthouse with a bell and sprig of evergreen Xmas decoration. And one of Katadin mt. check check.

My MAINE COLLECTION ASTOUNDS ME!!!!
Go on, I know yer all jealous

I agree with Kiwinessa, hat clips: goooooood.

Gardening stuff is good too..
http://www.gidesigns.net/ppettables.html

These are whimscial ..I love the angel with a wand or whatever towards the bottom. Is that what you mean by cool jewelry.. Define Cool. I'm a dorkynerd.
http://www.sherrylynnjewelry.com/Mer...egory_Code=AP1

You should sell Canadian yarn and sheep thingies.

Well, ok, since you asked --- Doggie got stitches out of his tail on monday, no longer has to wear his lampshade. His tail still looks hideous, but the hair will grow. Now I just have to wait another week until I can take him for a bath, and he'll be almost as good as new. I haven't taken the test for my contractor's license yet, it's not a general contractor - we're specialty contractors, but I still have to take the GC test.... and I actually have a license, just have to be the RMI - responsible managing individual now.

Cruise ship ppl like gift shop things that are light weight because they have to haul it all back home.... and that's all I know about that.