Kelvington, Saskatchewan

We had a day and a half off then back on the road.  On friday I checked out a new restaurant.  13th Avenue Coffeehouse.  Funky little place.  I suggest checking it out if you end up in Regina.

My view from the restaurant and my red thai coconut curry. Delicious!

Saturday morning I woke up at 8 and ran 8km with Denise.  I think I need to nickname her Denise the machine.  That woman is superwoman.

After the run I headed to Dance Plus to attend a Zumba class. Needless to say, after all this and another stop at 13th Avenue Coffeehouse for lunch, this gal took a nap.  Spent my Saturday night watching "How I met your mother" and chatting with my good friend Lanna on gmail chat.

This morning I ventured to Yoga Mala.  A beautiful studio in the cornwall mall and enjoyed an ashtanga class.  So great to do yoga again.  Plus BONUS, they have a special. 25 dollars for your first 2 weeks!  I'm gonna yoga up a storm.

Jumped into the van and headed to our next stop. Kelvington, Saskatchewan.  Passed through Wadena where Grampa Fisher was born.

Would love to live in a place where everything is named after the town. 

Had a bit of an adventure once arriving in Kelvington.  Was greated at our guest house by a farmer with a shotgun.  Guess he had no record of us coming to stay there and thought we were trouble.  The guest house, which was booked with his wife who was no where to be found, was a mess so we headed to a motel where they offer COLORED TV.  Looks like a motel out of a horror film.  Each of us got our own room. Luckily the walls are thin enough to hear each other incase we have to yell for help.  

successful day!

Today we drove about 40 minutes to Bethune.  The air was extremely foggy and it looked as though Zombies were going to appear at any given moment.

The kids were a dream at this school.  If they remained like this for the rest of the tour, no problem mam!

Went for a run with Denise.  6.9 km.  New record! Felt great! My knees were fine!  I felt I could've ran maybe 8.  Me thinks my dream of running a 10k may come sooner than later.  We will see how I feel tomorrow...........

Reading a book called "I'm here to win" by Chris McCormack.  A triathlete.  On the back he says:

A goal is a dream with a plan.  The question is, what is my dream?  Kinda lost.

How the tour was won

For those of you (my mom) who are interested as to where we are going, here it is.

Tomorrow we drive to Bethune.
October 13th: Lindale school, Moosejaw
14th: Empire school, Moosejaw
15th: off
16th: Drive to Kelvington
17th: Kelvington High School
18th: Robert Melrose Elementary, Kelvington (stay the night in Saskatoon! Katie let's go to Zumba!!)
19th: Langham Elementary
20th: Greenall School, Balgonie
21st: Punnichy School21st: Punnichy School21st: Punnichy School
22nd: Off
23rd: Drive to Paradise hill
24th: Paradise hill School
25th: Ecole Oman. Swift Current25th: Ecole Oman. Swift Current25th: Ecole Oman. Swift Current
26th: St Dominic Savio, Weyburn26th: St Dominic Savio, Weyburn26th: St Dominic Savio, Weyburn
27th: Assiniboia Park School, Weyburn27th: Assiniboia Park School, Weyburn27th: Assiniboia Park School, Weyburn
28th: Esterhazy School
29th: Off
30th: Drive to Kamsack30th: Drive to Kamsack30th: Drive to Kamsack
31st: Kamsack School31st: Kamsack School31st: Kamsack School
1st: Queen Elizabeth, Weyburn DRIVE HOME AFTER!!1st: Queen Elizabeth, Weyburn DRIVE HOME AFTER!!1st: Queen Elizabeth, Weyburn DRIVE HOME AFTER!!

Today I taught kindergarten, grade 11, grade 1/2 and grade 3.  The kindergarteners and grade 1/2 were really cute.  At the end of 1/2 I said "I want to thank the grade 4 class for being such great dancers" and they were like "We're grade's 1 and 2!" They were so proud that I thought they were older. (note: Didn't think they were older, just having fun.)Today I taught kindergarten, grade 11, grade 1/2 and grade 3.  The kindergarteners and grade 1/2 were really cute.  At the end of 1/2 I said "I want to thank the grade 4 class for being such great dancers" and they were like "We're grade's 1 and 2!" They were so proud that I thought they were older. (note: Didn't think they were older, just having fun.)Today I taught kindergarten, grade 11, grade 1/2 and grade 3.  The kindergarteners and grade 1/2 were really cute.  At the end of 1/2 I said "I want to thank the grade 4 class for being such great dancers" and they were like "We're grade's 1 and 2!" They were so proud that I thought they were older. (note: Didn't think they were older, just having fun.)

The grade 3 class were a bunch of mexican jumping beans.  Maybe it would've helped if I told them to run around the gym 20 times before starting class.  Hmm.The grade 3 class were a bunch of mexican jumping beans.  Maybe it would've helped if I told them to run around the gym 20 times before starting class.  Hmm.The grade 3 class were a bunch of mexican jumping beans.  Maybe it would've helped if I told them to run around the gym 20 times before starting class.  Hmm.

Saw the eiffel tower today.  Yup! Check it out!

Monmartre eiffel tower

la ronge

Oct 5th

Does it help my day if it starts out with a 7 year old boy telling me I'm pretty?  Maybe.

Ile a la crosse school.  The kids were all pretty much a dream.  Loved it.  If this is what it is like for the rest of the tour, It'll be smooth sailing.  I also had a grade 6 boy say that was the first time he's ever danced and he liked it.  And they all had such natural rhythm.

Funky Modern High School

                                          Went for dinner at Costas and had fresh lake pickerel.

Yummy!

Delicious.  Hour long skype with Adrienne, phone chat with Dougie, then bed.

Oct 6th

Cool School with Canoe Roof

Churchhill school La Ronge

Thinking that teenagers can smell fear. Very uncomfortable when the bell rings and I'm swarmed by kids. Taught Grade's 12, 9, 8 and 7 today.  Grade 7's seemed to have the most rhythm.

Went to the golf course for dinner.  Had Cajun Trout.  Again very delicious.

Golf Course Top of the Hill

After dinner Kelly, Leon and I went for coffee and I introduced them to the game of Dutch Blitz.  Such a wonderfully addicting game.  Hope we play more of it on the tour.

Leon having a kiddie cone at the coffee shop

Casper's Ghost Boat

Ile a la Crosse?? Am I spelling it correctly?

Day 2 of tour, day 1 of schools.

Wow.  So I'm really going to do this for a whole month?  Ok.........

Woke up at 7. Had continental breakfast which was a choice of cereal or toast. Opted for the second.

Got to the schools quite early so sat and read an Instyle and then Chatelaine.  Me thinks I should bring a book next week.

Class one: Grade 3/4's.  Not too shabby, a bit chatty but overall respond well to square dancing and robot moves.

Class two: Grade 9's.  I start the follow along warm up and one person half asses it.  Everyone else stands with there arms crossed with an "Are you kidding me?" look on their faces.  I quickly can that idea and move onto something new.  I barely survive the class but thankfully lunch is coming up.

Lunch: Provided and consists of chicken tomato soup, bannock, lunch meat and veggies.  I have homemade bannock (2 pcs) lots of veggies and some honey dew melon.

Class three: Evil, smelly, whiney, noisy, uncontrollable children who can't stop grabbing on to me with their germ infested, grubby little hands.  Anytime I look at the teacher for help she just looks back at me with a "deal with it yourself" kinda look.  End the class 5 minutes early.  (technically we only have to do 50 mins but I've been doing the full hour and so I stopped at 55 min)  I thank the teacher and she responses with a "yeah"

Class four: Grade 8's.  Surprisingly a pretty well responsive group.  They keep asking to learn more and do the dance again.  Afterwards 4 girls ask for my autograph.  Well I'll be. The day wasn't a total loss.

Jump in the van and drive 10 minutes to the beach.  Beautiful.

Jump back into the van and drive 40 minutes to Ile a la crosse.  Staying at the Northern Sunset Motel.  Room smells like cigarettes.  Little afraid of bedbugs but even more afraid to check for them.

Dinner consisting of deep fried fish, boring iceberg lettuce salad and fries.  Don't eat much.

Internet.  Back to the drawing board a bit on classes to make them cooler for older students, maybe a little T.V. then bed.

Exhausted. 29 days til the end and 19 days of schools to go!

Day one of Artist Teaching Tour

We've arrived at our destination today.  Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan.  Pretty little place.  It seemed the further north we went the more vibrant the fall colours were.  We also saw 3 black bears all at different times.

Now it's time to introduce the "characters" into the story.  Each one is probably 'google-able.'

Leon Willey- (pronounced willy) tour manager and actor.

Adam Willey- Leon's brother, same Father different momma, don't really look alike. Nice.  Musician

Ann Versall- Film. Older. Interesting. Would for reasons I can't explain, fit well in the Yukon. 

Kelly Anne Riess. - writer. my roommate tonight so will most likely get to know more. Seems nice. 

Going to be an interesting month.

Time to work a bit more on my classes, dinner god knows where but apparently great fish (will report back) more work on classes and then bedtime!

This is the view from our motel room window. Churchhill lake.