Not one of my better posts.

The past few days have just gone by so quickly. There has been so much going on here are a few Bella Bella bits:

Friday was National Aboriginal Day so there was a huge sports day and canoe race in celebration. School was cancelled so I got to sleep in!!

One of my students won several of the foot races and because the children are awarded small amounts of cash for each race won, he had about $50 by the end of the day. He intends to use this money to pay for mine craft.

Another student was found by the water trying to catch little puddle jumpers by hand, he caught one on his first try and then totally failed at every followed attempt. His little toddler friend would look forlornly into the tidepool and say "feesh?" "feesh?" Sadly there were no more feesh to be had.

Today, Saturday, was the children's fishing derby. Mom and I went down to the dock to watch all the little fishers at work. Most of the fish caught were in the 60-80 gram category but there were one or two interesting catches. My favorite fish caught was a ratfish, it looked like a small shark. I watched one of my students get her line caught on a massive starfish. Ooops.

Mom and I had a blow-up. I suppose it was really only a matter of time. The result is that we will probably live separately next year which might be better for us.

I finally got to sample the soft ice cream sold across the street, not bad. They also do Chinese food, ice cream cakes, and the occasional pizza. Handy.

My predecessor has come back to the village. The former grade four teacher started noticing abdominal pains in March and got himself on a plane off the Island. He arrived just in time in Vancouver where they took him directly to the operating room at VGH. I am not clear on all of the details but it was bad enough that he has lost 76 pounds and has had to learn how to walk again. He dropped by my place for tea and chatted for awhile. He is a really funny, plain spoken guy, and I am glad to have met him. It has been so interesting speaking to him about our students and their quirks.

I am really struggling with my report cards. It isn't that it is difficult to write them, it is simply that the BCESIS platform is so un-user friendly, seriously if there is a shittier computer program I've yet to come across it. I found a website with instructions on how to use the program where I came across this quote "A warning bell will come up – this is a glitch- hit OK five times and it
will go away." -> This from a program our Government spent millions on...oy vey.

One of my job requirements is that I order supplies for next year, which is actually quite a lot of fun. I get to spend other peoples money and look through catalogs.

I am a little bit worried about our trip home. Two bunnies, one cat, Mother and I on a 10 hour ferry ride, then six hour drive home. We will all be so stinky and the animals will be very stressed.
I really wish there was a flight from here to Nanaimo. I wanted to bring some fish home for friends but the trip is so long, I am just not sure that it is such a good idea. Maybe in the winter.

I understand that August and September are really fish heavy months here and that there will be lots of smoked salmon available, if this is true I will be sending lots of care packages home :)

The bunnies are doing very well. When one bunny is out the other one must remain in it's cage but we have moved one of the cages down onto the floor so they will often snuggle up to each other and nap together. They were very sweet in the beginning, giving each other little nuzzles and kisses. I am not sure if it is her adolescence kicking in or what but Marshmallow has taken to taking a nip out of Thumper every now and then, he kind of jumps and twitches but still goes back for more. Silly rabbits.

I am still sick and exhausted. I should be better by the end of the week, which is when we leave. HOLY CRAP WE LEAVE SO SOON!

I have so much to doooooooooo.

Here, look it's a seal.

I see this seal often on my walks at dusk.