October

Hurray!! It is October already. WOW this year is flying so far. I have been very busy trying to figure out a way I can teach and have the students be quiet. They sure love to talk but not to listen. While I have challenges this year, they are nothing compared to last year. I do not come home as tired and beat down as I did last year. I have a much sunnier outlook on life than last year too. The first year of any adventure is truly the hardest.

I don't know what it is about October and my injuring myself, but I did it again. Last year you may remember, I got my finger smashed in my garage door. It was on my birthday too. This year, I got hurt just before we took class pictures and yes you guessed it, I hurt my face. It happened this way.

The boys were all in the classroom ready to go get their pictures taken and the girls had to go to the bathroom one more time to primp. Yes this stuff starts in fifth grade. Everyone was looking wonderful too. Well the girls were making a lot of noise so I left the boys unattended to flush the girls out of the bathroom (no pun intended). Meanwhile back at the ranch (I mean classroom), the boys decided it would be funny to lock the classroom door. So the girls reported the door was locked by saying loudly "Miss Fry the door is locked!!" (insert high pitched, whiny voice here) So I tried the door it was locked, then I bent down and put my key (which I carry around my neck) into the lock. The lock is under the door knob and the door knob is not a knob. It is a lever handled that you pull down to open. As I did this the boys sensing danger, unlocked the door and opened to for me onto my face. The door knob thingy hit me in the nose, and upper lip and it cut my upper lip making me bleed.

Luckily, Lassie came to the rescue in the form of another teacher named Mr. Fry, no we are not related. I asked him to watch my class and I went and put a cold compress on the mouth. My teeth are fine and so is the inside of my lip but the outside is much the worst for wear. I had a very cooperative and apologetic class going into the gym to get their picture taken. The photographer said you couldn't see my owie in the photo which I hope is the truth. The girls suggested I cover it with make-up, however I do not think make-up would do the trick unless it was airbrushed Hollywood style. You be the judge, I have attached a picture. I hear it has swollen quite nicely. Yes for the 100th time it hurts.

Sorry but This has to be Short and Sweet

Man, this school year is kicking my butt. I have not had much time to do anything but teach, plan to teach, and grade papers. The fifth grade is great but I have a group of talkers. These kids can't walk down the hall without talking. We stop, everyone gets quiet, then as soon as we start walking it's like their leg muscles are connected to their jaw muscles because they cannot take a step without starting to talk.
Oh and the spit wads don't even get me started on them. I have done everything I can think of to get rid of the spit wads. Uggh the life of a teacher.

A friend sent me a cute little journal that is made for drawing and journaling. I needed to de-stress, so I did a couple of zentangles in my new pens and some gel pens. Thought I would share them. So here they are. I will write more when I have time.

First three day weekend of the school year

It is the first three day weekend of the school year. Saturday I went to Bismarck (The "big city") and did some shopping. I almost felt like I was back in Oregon because I found an Office Depot and a Big Lots and Dollar Tree store right next to each other. Also went to the Sam's Club which is like a CostCo for all us Oregonians. It is a three hour drive from my house. I passed the time by listening to my Oldest son lecture me about transmissions. Most of which was way above my head but by the way it sounds this time next year I will have one hell of a mechanic in the family. My youngest son is going for the auto body repair soon, so I just save myself a ton of money and I didn't have to switch to Geico.

Sunday I went to church with my new roommates. We go to the Watford City Assembly of God which is kind of a sister church to Four Square and as close as I can get to East Hill in North Dakota. Today after the worship part of the service a grandmother, aunt, mother, daughter and cousin got up and circled around the piano and sang a couple of hymns. While my family did not gather around the piano very often and when we did we usually sang other songs not hymns, this really made my miss my grandmother and mother and one of my aunts that are now sitting around God's piano singing with the angels. Then I come home and put in a sappy sad movie and now I am home sick, want my mommy and crying over a dumb movie. I think I need to go back to bed and start again.

My roommates will be moving out in a week or so. They don't want to wait till October for the three bedroom. I really don't want to move out of my cute house that my sister's unpacked and decorated from me. I am really happy with the plan. I think they are too. I was glad to be able to be a spring board for them to launch themselves from in North Dakota. Now they will fly off and soar with the eagles and not need my help any more. I am learning. I say yes to God no matter what He asks of me and I get blessed and the growth process does not take as long to accomplish.

I am enjoying teaching fifth grade. Totally different set of students in my class. Easier issues except they are a lot of talkers and I am trying to figure out how to stop thc constant talking so I can teach and they can learn. To those who know me well, Do not think the irony is lossed on me.

So that is my life in a nut shell.

Well, here are my two roommates and me on our first day of the 2010-2011 school year. I have been soo busy but soo happy this year. I am being blessed by God. I have a great class and its fifth grade. I got the most beautiful, colorful classroom in the school. I come home to two teachers that are fun to be around and are making me younger by the day. We eat together and chat about the day. I am having a great year so far.

For those of you who haven't heard, two friends of mine from College are first year teachers and living with me. One is from Oregon and the other from Montana. I am populating North Dakota one Warner student at a time.

Time is slipping by me. We have been in school for 8 days already. I did not realize I had not blogged for over a week. This has been my first weekend off in a couple of week because I have put together my room and helped put together on of my roommates rooms because she arrived the day before school started. I have been so busy I have not been able to watch TV or have down time. I have already paid for it because I got a cold a day before school started and I am finally over it.

I only got to one powwow and I forgot my camera. We went to the "big city" of Minot. It has an air force base near by. We went shopping at the mall which is a great treat out here. Minot is a two hour drive from my house. One of my roommates has a car so I am not doing a lot of driving. I will be moving into a double wide manufactured home which has three bedrooms, propane heat and stove, a garden tub and two bathrooms and ac. Only thing it does not have is a garage and it is directly across the street from the school. I will need to get a block heater which, attaches to my car and I plug into an electrical plug and it heats my car block to prevent my car from freezing in sub-zero weather.

Well, it is Sunday evening and I am finally able to rest and I am going to stare at the TV and not think for about an hour. I will post more later.

Okay so I have a few new things to share.

These are pictures of my new room. Note the beautiful crown painting. I have the fifth grade, which is the grade I wanted. Thank you God. I wanted this room because it is the only room that is has this beautiful paint job. The rest of the classes are white. I have it almost set up. I am just waiting for the old teacher to come get her stuff out and the room is mine. I am well organized and I am now working on planning and procedures. I am so much farther ahead and prepared than last year. I am also excited (not anxious) and looking forward to this year. God has changed my heart in that I am not so homesick and I am willing to live here at least another year. I am positive and happy which is tremendous considering a month ago I was devastated when I knew I was returning to North Dakota. God also showed me part of why He has me here. I find when you know the why, or even a little part of it, its sooooooo much easier to be obedient and surrendered. I truly feel God is rewarding me for my long hard year last year. He has answered my prayers just not where I wanted them to be. I wanted 5th grade and my roommate back. Well, as you know, I have fifth grade and I have a roommate only not my best friend.

A girl that went to Warner Pacific and graduated this year called me asking if there was a job here for her. I told her yes and how to get in touch with the Superintendent. She did and was hired for the sixth grade. She asked me if she could live with me because she wasn't sure about living on her own. Then she discovered how much it cost me to move out here and realized she could not afford to move all her stuff out here yet. I told her she could take the train with all she could pack and I had the rest. So she came out with her clothes and personal items. We went to Walmart and got an air mattress and food and she is settled in. I wasn't sure about having a roommate I did not know well at first but we get along well and I really like having someone around. I am not so lonely. Then came another change.

We needed a fourth grade teacher and no one had applied. My new roommate called Warner Pacific and told them about the opening and messaged a few other newly graduated teachers from Oregon. With all the budget cuts and lack of jobs in Oregon paired with the fact that Oregon colleges spit out a ton of teachers to fill those non-existent jobs. North Dakota has a deep pool to fish in for teachers. But still no takers. Then, I text a girl that lives in Montana who also went to Warner and graduated with me. I knew she did not have a teaching job and had subbed last year and was looking at subbing again this year. She said she was interested but did not know how she could possibly move here before school started (which is this Thursday 8/19). I told her just pack what can fit in her truck and drive out I had the rest. I was thinking wonderful my new roommate and Miss Montana could move in together and live just down the street from me and I would enjoy having them close but I would go back to being a hermit. Which I prefer. You know when you live alone you have a place of your own to be selfish. When you have a roommate or mates you have to work on sharing the space and everything else. It is much easier to be selfish. Then my sweet, young, smart, roommate had a wonderful idea. We could move to a three bedroom and split everything three ways. I asked her why she wanted me to move too. One reason is because I have a house full of stuff, the other is because she did not want me to be alone. Another change.

Of course, I am old so at first I said "I am not moving, but you two can live together" next day after thinking on it I said "The manufactured home has central air, a dishwasher, two bathrooms and a garden tub not to mention propane to heat and cook with so if we our electricity went out we would still have heat and be able to cook. However, I would have to pack my whole house just to move down the street, I would live directly across the street from the school, and most importantly no garage to protect my "Baby" (my car) in the winter." I am still sitting on those thoughts.

I think the reason God has me here is because I am paving the way for these girls. They are young, in their early twenties. I have a fully equipped house, and I am their security. So I should move with them. But God gave me this house and it is the nicest, newly remodeled house on the campus. I like where I am. I like my house. My sisters unpacked and decorated my house. I have not moved a thing except to move things out of my art studio/guest room for my roommate since they did the unpacking. (insert whinny voice where you see fit) I am not making any rash decisions. I will pray about it and let God change my mind and heart and then I will let you know when I am moving. Oh boy I don't like change. I am a rubber band and God has two hands to stretch. Here goes more stretching.

Fort Mandan and more meanderings

Flowers in North Dakota. Rare sight.

I know I said I would put some pictures on and blog at about Fort Mandan so here it is. First I want to say that I am really excited for this year of school. After much tears and disappointment I started praying to God to change my heart if He wanted me to stay. He was as good as His word. He change my heart and gave my the fifth grade. He has been very busy around here while I was off playing in Oregon. I am really walking in His favor all around. I have the classroom I wanted its bigger and has this beautiful border of native design all around the top of the walls. It is set up the way I wanted my old room last year to be set up. I am really getting excited to start the school year. Next week is a new thing at our school but other schools have done this for years. It is a new teacher seminar where new teachers are taught the curriculum and the policies of the school. They also teach the software for grades and attendance. I am self taught on all of this so I am going to get a better understanding of how things should work and hear of all the new changes. They are setting up a Positive Behavior System in the school which I am excited about. Most Oregon schools already of these procedures and they are school wide so all the teachers and staff use the same vocabulary and rules and the students know what is expected of them. This helps in behavior and discipline. This is going to be a great year.

One more change that God blessed me with is a roommate. One of the students I went to college with got a job here as well and she is moving in with me. She is a year younger than my youngest son and this is her first year teaching. I think God has me here this year to be a mentor for her and help her adjust to living in North Dakota. I am not one for roommates. The only people I have ever lived with apart from my family are my ex-husband and my best friend. Living with people is a challenge but as a friend of mine said "God had two hands and I am His rubber band, and that is all we will say on that subject." I am feeling awful stretchy. Now about Fort Mandan.

This is a replica of the fort. Louis and Clark made this fort in order to survive the winter in North Dakota. It was erected quickly and not made as a lasting trading post. After the expedition to the West Coast they returned to find the fort had mysteriously burnt down. The actual location of the fort was closer to the river and the river has moved and eroded the bank covering most of the area the fort stood.

Here are the sleeping quarters. The ever necessary blacksmith shop

I leave you with a real treat. A part of a thunderstorm in my neighborhood.

SIght Seeing and Learning the Culture

This last weekend my neighbor took me to two fun places. On Saturday we went to the Knife River Village. They had exhibits going on. There were demonstrations on pottery, black smiths, making things with flint, bow and arrow making, flute music and native dances. Also it is located where the original villages existed of the Hidatsa and Mandan Native American tribes which are the tribes that live on the Forth Berthold Reservation where I live.

This is a replica of an earth lodge. This is what the Mandan and Hidatsa lived in during the summer in their summer camp. The Tribes were slightly nomadic. Meaning that they moved in the winter where there were trees that could shelter them from the freezing wind. These lodges are made from mud (lots of clay in it) and timber. Trees grow nicely around the rivers. In fact you know in North Dakota where the rivers are because that is where the trees are mainly.

Above is the door way. It is a hall that is made of timber with a wooden roof. The door itself is made of buffalo hide that has deer hooves tied on the inside it so you can knock on the hide and it rattles like a door bell. Pictured below.

Inside it roomy and has a high ceiling. This is like a home that Sacajawea would have lived in. She is the woman who lead Louis and Clark to the Pacific and back. A couple of cool facts about her. She was married to a Frenchman, adopted by the Hidatsa, she was pregnant and had a baby boy who went with them on the expedition and her name is actually pronounce Sakawea (sa-cock-a=we-a). The native are as picky about how her name is pronounced as us Oregonians. For those reading this not from Oregon it is Or-i-gun not Or-e-gone thank you very much.

This is a wood pile with a wall behind it this is just inside and to the left of the door in the earth lodge. Living near the river wood was plentiful they used it to build their lodges and for heating and cooking. When out on the prairie hunting they would use the buffalo chipsTo the right of the door the room starts to open up and you can see that it is round with high ceilings. This is a picture of the post where the warriors kept their tack for the horse
This is the main area of the lodge. It has a large fire pit. On the left is a buffalo robe that depicts the family's story. It has tools laid out for use and in the background you can see a bench and one of the beds. Not all natives slept on the ground like in the movies.

Above is a closer look at the buffalo hide. Behind it is a wooden wall and behind that is the door. On the ground under the hide are their musical instruments and pipes used in ceremonies.

The above picture is their beds. They used buffalo rugs as blankets and had pillows. Their beds are made from wood like small cots. The ropes are to keep people out of the exhibit area. On the bottom left side of the picture you can just see a hole. The next picture shows the hole. The hole is where they stored dried food like corn, beans, wheat and sometimes meat. It was layered in a special way to for proper use of the space as well as storage then covered until needed. The women had gardens and grew corn and beans and sunflower seeds. Below is also a picture of their gardens. One problem the natives had with the whites trying to make them live the white way was that farming was women's work. They were not being chauvinists because the women owned the lodge and you inherited your clan from the mother's side. It was out of respect for the women. What would they women do if the men took over farming, was the question the men asked.












Below is a mini sweat lodge that is inside the lodge used for cleansing and bathing. The last picture is the ceiling. They made boats to travel the river called bull boat that were made from untanned bull buffalo hide and willow branches. The old boats were used to cover the ceiling opening when it rained. The boats were round and light and they would row from the front and put the wood or trade goods in the back. Apparently it took great skill to steer and keep from capsizing.



The second place we went to was Fort Mandan. I will tell about that later.