Luggage

What do I have to do? First of all be very careful about what I pack for a trip. No extras, none! This is the second trip in a row that my suitcase has not arrived. Can you believe it? The first trip was to Paris, Texas and thank goodness, we had planned to stay one night in Dallas before going on to Paris. The luggage arrived the next morning and we were just about to head out of the airport after checking when my husband received a call on his cell phone saying that the luggage had arrived and been located. We did not trust the airline and had gone to check about the luggage. This time it was just my suitcase that did not arrive in Toronto.
Now, please explain why when we checked in all the suitcases at once that one does not arrive in Toronto with the rest. The other time, the airline switched planes and all small luggage did not arrive.
I will be a happy person when my luggage arrives.

Eddie Fisher dies

Eddie Fisher died this week. My goodness, I remember well the scandal when Eddie Fisher left Debbie Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor. At the time, that was a scandal which was compounded when 5 years later Elizabeth Taylor left him for Richard Burton. Now that would not receive the attention that it did then. Witness, Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, that was a scandal but morals have changed so Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are considered to be a respectable couple despite the fact that they are not married.
At the time, Eddie Fisher's career never recovered and he went into a tailspin emotionally.
A sad end to what had started out to be a wonderful career.

Low-income heat subsidy for the Queen!

What possessed employees of the queen of England to apply for low-income heat subsidy. Granted the Queen pays $1.5 million a year for heat but low-income? What possessed an employee to do this?
Her Majesty's application in 2004 was politely turned down by the government and quietly forgotten until the Independent newspaper published the correspondence Friday after obtaining it via a freedom-of-information request.
The documents quote an unidentified functionary as gently reminding the royal household the program was meant for people in need.
Guess that means that different ideas of need are held by some.
Apparently palace officials were trying to reduce the cost of heating borne by taxpayers. Now, that is interesting by in reality the cost would have been paid by the taxpayers no matter what just from a different account.
Taxpayers fund the royal household to the tune of $60 million a year. My goodness and the queen needed a subsidy for heat?

Car cleaning

Yesterday, I took one of the cars in for detailing-the lowest level of detailing. I had made the appointment and admit that I had to change the appointment because something came up that needed my attention. However, I had booked the appointment. Once I arrived with the car was told that no the car could not definitely be ready at 2 p.m. which I had requested. The earliest they could promise was 5:30. This meant a serious change of plans, I was going to high school where I am helping and this would require a change. Not impossible but not as convenient. What I found annoying was that I had made the appointment, asked the questions and then was told that no I could not be accommodated. 5:30 was the firm time which meant that the dealership would have the car for over 9 nine hours. A bit excessive for a simple cleaning.
What I found disturbing was the attitude displayed. There was no acknowledgement that I had asked the questions and was not in the wrong. In fact, I was made to feel that I was in the wrong and why was I bothering them with these details about time lines.
Anyone else have problems?

Friends!

Now that I am well and truly retired, it is time to visit with friends. I am trying to see friends as regularly as possible. Today, I am off to Ajax to visit with a friend. We will take a walk and then have a lunch, not necessarily a large lunch but a pleasant one. I have known this friend since I was about 8 years old, over a century which is an incredible number at this time.
Tomorrow, I will visit with a friend who I have known since I started teaching and that is over 34 years, a long time again. Not all my friends are of such long standing but they are all precious. I am pleased that I am able to visit with so many of them. At this time in our lives, I have a sense that time is precious. We must visit and keep in touch.
Visit with your friends.

Tennis!

Off to play tennis this morning. This is the time of year that I question my sanity, playing out doors. The other morning, my opponent and I were dressed very warmly and just managed to take off our jackets after half an hour of play but our pants never came off. We both agreed that we were on the weather edge when our hands would not appreciate the cold. Thank goodness we are heading indoors in a few weeks.
Next week, I will miss tennis on the Sunday and I will miss it for a luncheon and wedding in October. What a month. Will need to start some other exercise as well.
What a challenge trying to make sure that I get in shape.
Time to get changed and ready.

Finnish Schools at the top

Kids don't start school until they're 7. The school day is shorter than in most developed nations.
The country does little standardized testing and only on a sample of schools. Educators don't talk "literacy" and "numeracy" -instead, the buzzword is "citizen skills".
So how is Finland at the top of world rankings when it comes to international testing?
"We emphasize the teaching profession," said Timo Lankinen, director general of the Finnish National Board of Education, who spoke Tuesday at Ontario's first ever education summit Toronto.
Lankinen said teaching is a prestigious profession in Finland-although the pay is average-with just 13 per cent of applicants snagging a teacher-training spot. ( Ontario's applicants should not be discouraged with these numbers.)
All teachers earn master's degrees as they progress in their careers and they are well supported, he said. Class sizes are small, usually less than 20 students in schools with generally no more than 300 kids.
"It helps teachers give individual attention," he said in an interview after his speech, and they also focus on giving students experiential learning to keep them interested in school.
The country is not sitting on its laurels and is now planning reforms "to go from good to great"-more arts and physical education in the curriculum and a longer school day in order to fit them in.
Another presenter also mentioned a focus on arts and physical education. Wonder what effect these facts will have on Ontario education where the arts are not well supported and physical education is almost non-existent for students after grade 9.
Interesting food for thought.