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Because of Two Writing Teachers, I started this blog eleven years ago. While it has been a long time since I've posted with the Slice of Life community, I'm grateful for the encouragement I was given.

1. They encourage teachers to write. When we are writing, we can better help and understand our students.

2. They encourage community. They read each other's words and share comments that touch the heart.

3. They encourage people to tell their everyday stories. To have the words written down is a wonderful gift to ourselves and to our families for years to come.

@missamykr | Instagram | Project 1,2,3

akr inspired | 244

Because of Two Writing Teachers, I started writing on a blog seven years ago. While it has been a long time since I've posted with the Slice of Life community, I'm still grateful for the encouragement I was given.

Why participate in the Slice of Life?

- It encourages teachers to write.

We can better help and understand our students when we are writing.

- It encourages community.

We read each other's words and share comments that touch the writer's heart.

- It encourages people to tell their everyday stories.

And saving the stories is a wonderful gift to ourselves and to our families for years to come.

@missamykr | Instagram | Project 1,2,3

Slice of Life | Living Room

As I look at family sitting around Grampie and Grammie's living room, I have to laugh as I notice Aunt Carole's expression and the way she is holding the pillow. I am sure she is saying to someone, "Put that camera away!" Oh, how I would love to hear her voice again or walk into that room as a young girl and see Grampie and Grammie.

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Men's Clothing Store

Dad went on to talk about Mr. Starr.

"Danny Starr owned a men's store on the corner of Almo Street and I can't remember. It was near the movie theatre in Yarmouth. It was a fine store with high ceilings. He sold quality clothing for men. He may have sold shoes too."

"Dad often shopped there. He bought a suit for me one time."

"Dad liked a deal and would say, 'What's the good of a shirt and jacket without a tie?' They were good friends and would barter."

"Mr. Starr arrived from Europe and built a business. I remember hearing how Jewish families arrived on ships in the 1920's with only the clothing on their backs. Some started peddling. With no car, they would walk from place to place. Mom told me they even walked to Sandford. It was a five mile walk."

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | More about Snares

Dad continued to say,

"The rabbits were sold for meat. I could make $1 and a half for the big ones."

"Edgar was smart and made extra money trapping. Gerald trapped too. They would get up in the middle of the night to set traps by the brook. They caught musk rats, minks and foxes. There were guys down the road who would steal from their traps."

"Edgar skinned furs so there was no meat on them and he had boards to stretch them on. He made some into scarves for mom’s coat."

"A Jewish man by the name of Danny Starr would come to see the furs. Edgar would spread them all out in the kitchen down home and Mr. Starr would say a price for each one. He would buy them and then take them to Montreal to sell."

"Mr. Starr owned a store in Yarmouth, and Dad often shopped there."

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Snares

While in the hospital, Dad spoke of how his older brother, Edgar, taught him to tie his shoes and set up rabbit snares.

When going to set the snares, this was the way Dad said he traveled -

"Had to go across the road.

Up over the hill.

Follow a fence half way to the river.

Come to a cart road.

Follow it in a quarter of a mile.

Then make a right turn.

My last snare was near two gravestones behind George Thurston's farm. 

There was not much time after school. School ended at 3:30 and it took a half hour for me to get home. By the time I got to the last snare, I was in a hurry because it was getting dark!"

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Under His Coat

When Dad was a little boy, children were not allowed to go into the Yarmouth hospital.

When he was around 5-years-old, his mother was very sick.

(He doesn't know what she had.)

To get to her room, they had to pass a tall counter. His father lifted his coat and wrapped it around him to help get him past the nurses.

When he got to her room, he said, "Mom gave me a big hug."

Even at 83, you remember your mother's hug and what your father did to get you to her.

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Wave

Grampie and Grammie Landers lived in a sweet yellow house looking over the ocean. After Grampie retired his fishing boat, he would go down to the wharf to help clean fish for his son, Edgar. One day, he decided to walk. Grammie was worried about him. As he made his way there, Grampie slipped and fell. Without looking back, he stood up, gave a little wave with his hat and kept on going. He knew the love of his life would be watching from the window.

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | I don't know how

As I sat by Dad in the ER tonight, I let him know that Mom made it home.

He said, "Good."

And then, he said, "I don't know how I got her. She's been some good woman."

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Desk

Annie started French Immersion in grade one, and one day in September, I overheard this conversation with Eliza, her four-year-old sister.

  Annie: elephant (in a French accent)

  Eliza: Sounds like 'elephant' (in English )

  Annie: Like 'orange' (in English) and 'orange' (in French accent)

  Eliza: But 'pupitre' doesn't sound like 'desk'

I guess she had been listening to Annie do her homework!

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Music Teacher

Jim's dad, Donald Druart, was a music teacher at
East Kentwood and Allendale High Schools for 38 years.

Slice of Life | Kindergarten Boys

As I was thinking about sweet little B in my class, I thought back to Ethan and wondered what he was like in his kindergarten class.

Recently, I found this note from his student teacher in our family journal.

"Ethan is always one of the first to look and listen."

Just like B.

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Fishing Treks

Recently Dad was in the hospital to have an unexpected procedure done on his leg, and he didn't sleep much through the night. When we arrived in the morning, he said, "Covered a lot of miles last night. Thought back through fishing trips with Harold."

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Hunting

We are learning about snow and have started reading about what animals do in the winter. We added toy animals to the wonder table for play and exploration.

Today, J came to me and said, "Can I make a gun and hunt them?"

It wasn't quite what I had pictured! Wink!

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | 10 Minutes about Today

Saw - UdeM win their match against Memorial

Heard - Annie be named Player of the Game

Felt - grateful the girls are playing and studying at UdeM

Appreciated - Aunt Karrilee, Uncle Dale and Dad coming to the match

Thought about - how Friday evenings are my favorite time of the week

Decided to - stay up late and watch a movie

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Friends for Life

Tucked inside our wedding book, we have the detailed script of our ceremony. The copy was given to us by Uncle Harry who officiated. It is a blessing to have it in our keepsakes. When we were engaged, we read this beautiful prayer of commitment in a book and we asked a friend to share it. Back then, we had no idea what our tomorrows would hold. We have encountered difficult twists and turns on the path of life with cancer and job losses, but we remain friends for life. Reading this prayer, 25 years later, is very moving.

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Wedding Video

We have been married for twenty-five years! Jim and I watched our wedding video with the kids. We had hired a videographer back in the early days of taping weddings. We laughed (and sometimes I cried) as we saw loved ones, heard people talking and walked back through all that went on that day. At one point, one of the kids jokingly said, "This is like watching reality TV!"

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Fuzion Celebration

When our girls started playing volleyball, Jim got involved as a coach and then as a member of the parent committee. Fast forward to now, he has been the Club Director for a number of years. This is our first year without a daughter playing for Fuzion, but Jim continues to lead. He supports players, coaches and parents in multiple ways. He seems to always be in a meeting, at a gym or answering emails and phone calls. In the fall, he was named Volunteer of the Year by Volleyball New Brunswick for the second time.

Before Christmas, Fuzion hosted their third annual celebration evening. It was Jim who dreamed of an event that would celebrate athletes, their growth and accomplishments. A time that would express gratitude to the parents and coaches as well. The athletes dress up. A professional photographer takes photos. The food is catered. A jazz band plays in the background. The evening ends with coaches introducing their teams and making comments about their season, including how their team served the community together. With exceptional teamwork, Jim's dream came to be and continues!

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Bicycle Tires

Dad was the youngest in his family and his sister, Aunt Muriel, was 11 years older. Dad retold one of my favorite little brother stories the other day.

When Aunt Muriel was dating Uncle Donald, he decided to go swimming and other girls were going to be there. She was not happy. Uncle Donald left his bike at their house and then headed to the pond. While he was gone, Aunt Muriel had Dad take the air out of his tires. When Uncle Donald came back for his bike, he found them flat. Dad was nearby and with an impish grin called out, "You aren't getting our pump!"

Slice of Life

Slice of Life | Christmas Movie

On Christmas Day, we watched a movie after turkey, visits and naps. Dad had been wanting us to watch "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" with him and it was the perfect time.

During the winters, Michael J. O'Connor, the second richest man in the world, vacates his 5th Avenue mansion to live somewhere warmer. Without him knowing, Aloysius T. McKeever, a homeless man, and his dog move into his mansion. This particular winter, others join McKeever, including O'Connor's runaway heiress, Trudy and eventually Michael J. O'Connor himself. No one is aware that the millionaire is among them. It is a sweet story, and McKeever is a delightful character.

As the end of the movie, these meaningful words are spoken as O'Connor the millionaire watches McKeever the homeless man walk away:

Michael O'Connor: You know, Mary. 

Mary O'Connor: Yes, Mike? 

Michael O'Connor: There are richer men than I.

Slice of Life