Where’s Hugh?

Forget the old adage “Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts”. Building a fake, hollow horse to house the entire Greek Army seems a piece compared to choosing a gift for old-world Greek Parents. All they want is your company, more grandchildren, or great grandchildren, and to go for a stroll in the local mall. But I found a solution: Kostas Meats. A Scarborough icon of Greek Meat - Kostas is also a deli with both fresh and dry goods to satisfy even the most crusty Greek in your list. My basket of goodies include Agro Olive Oil from Crete, honey from the Peloponese, and Trahana from Larissa. Total cost $150 including basket, Xmas card written in Greek, and wrapping. I nailed it! Hronia Pola everyone! A

doug-ford-education-cuts-teachers-class-size

I came across a great article that explains how Ford’s Policies are out of touch with Ont parents views on education. The data is eye opening! https://www.thepromoter.ca/news/2019/12/9/public-backs-teachers?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ttbu_central_strike_bulletin_december_17_info_picket_strike_update_new_polling_data_the_public_remains_on_our_side&utm_term=2019-12-17

Teaching from the trenches  De streaming of grade nine courses puts an increased burden and workload on teachers. All pilot schools had class sizes under 20. We now have 26 each at a minimum which flexes to 29-31 in each class. And these classes do not look like anything I have taught before. Why? Let me explain... Our classes now include everyone, regardless of individual needs such as: students with violence triggers, kids with LDs, on the autism spectrum, MID, gifted, opposition to authority syndrome, anxious depressives, not to mention the run of the mill everyday kid. Differentiated first each child is therefore compounded by putting them all together in large classes. Many teachers I work with used to be in the business world before they started teaching later in life. They have all said separately that teaching is the only work environment they know of where management ask employees to do a lot of things and provide no real training or resources to do so.  ...

An old acquaintance is publishing her first book of poetry October 7. Run out and get it bc if it is half as good as her prose you will not be disappointed!

i told you so...

Who’s going to win? Serena or Bianca? Bianca - why? She’s hungry and has nothing to lose and she doesn’t need to be liked- she needs to win. Her biggest challenge- though, will be the crowd - they are nasty when it’s a foreigner against an American. They are brutal - loud & they boo and they are shameless. So, our girl needs to ignore the taunts and he jeers and play her best tennis. If she can do that she is a show-in. Let’s see... good luck Bianca!!!!!

What a fantastic event! They really know how to put in a world class event. The US Open is a thrill to attend. My friend Chris and I did it right: Friday day session tickets to Arthur Ashe. We bought the best tickets we could afford which gave us grounds access in Round One if men’s, women’s and mixed doubles! What a day! We saw Federer, Serena, Kyrios, Zverev, Coco Gaugh, Cate McNally, Sakkaria (zito Hellas!) and we had a blast shopping, cocktailing and in general acting like kids in a candy store! We even saw Rebel Wilson in the stands! Tips: Bring empty water bottle to fill at water stations Bring hat - or even better do t and buy a souvenir hat (amazing selection avail) Sunglasses No sunscreen cuz Mount Sinai provides for free but only take a small pump of it!!!!! - see photo below! Bring AMEX card if you have one- Amex provides card holders access to portable chargers- ear pieces to hear commentary during matches and access to card holder lounge and family area. What I wi...

NYC blog The city of cities - oh how I love  New York. Packing for three nights and four days is a breeze - and no checked luggage please! Carry-on and one personal item only:  Personal item can be a small duffle, or a large tote. PACKING LIST: Black ballet flats Dressy shoe Running shoes Silky ankle pant Narrow belt Jeans T-shirt Tank top Pjs Cardigan Kimono Skirt Hat Pack away jacket 2x socks Did I use it all? Not the kimono or the skirt - but that is bc I did not change for dinner the night of US Open. The Jimmy Choo flats not great for long distance walking - so not good for a full day in NYC- in retrospect I wouldn’t have bothered.  What I wish I had with me? SecretBody Cleansing Wipes For when I want to shower but can’t (like a day at the US Open! ). https://www.secretdeodorant.ca/en-ca/cleansing-wipes-cool-waterlily-scent And am considering a carton that is not hard sided bc Porter broke the wheel off of ...

Things we always forget to pack.... Sterile Toothbrush Covers Mini hairbrush Comb Razor: Women’s and Men’s Toothbrush Toothpaste Sunglasses case TSA-approved plastic bag RFID Blocking Wallet Loofah glove Nail clippers Lip balm First-Aid kit E-reader E-reader cover Selfie stick Flash drive Thermos Journal Sewing kit Stain remover wipes Earplugs Sleep mask Travel pillow Travel backpack Toiletry bag

Blog post: Teacher Envy Summer is winding down. There is a coolness on the breeze serving as a sweet relief from the humidity of July. The streets are filling with the traffic of returning cottagers, and the malls are filling with parents who have their kids in-tow bc they sprouted during the summer months and need new clothes for the coming school year.         As I sit on my back porch replaying the highlights of the past few weeks my mind rests on a bbq I hosted recently. One of my guests felt comfortable enough, while sipping the PIMMS cocktail I made her, to say that she can’t tolerate teachers who complain about their jobs. I was sitting next to her when she said this. She knows I am a teacher.         She did the same the last time she was over - I will not invite her again- but more importantly, I was bemused by her lack of understanding that what is at root here: teacher envy. Yup teacher envy- the 8 weeks off at summer -...

hey Niagara Falls, once the honeymoon capital of the world, is still a draw for millions of tourists. I love it that we soooooo outshine the US falls. The US falls serves simply as a look out to the MAJESTIC WATER FEATURE ON THE CANADIAN SIDE - yes, I shout it out - just like I brag that we burned down the Whitehouse once - it's true! Look it up! I just read a good book called The S aturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson. It takes place in Niagara Falls, Canada. Yup - it includes Clifton Hill and everything! It is a bildungsroman  of a boy experiencing his 12th summer in - you guessed it - Niagara Falls! His uncle owns an "Occultorium"  (a store that sells all things paranormal) on Clifton Hill and there is laughter, love, danger and, of course, ghosts. It is short - just over 200 pages - and the reading level isn't too elevated so I think everyone from teens to octogenarians will enjoy this one. I can't seem to shake these characters. A

Auger-Aliassime and Pospisil are putting on a great show! Holy Canadiana Batman! High level tennis! Go Canucks! And what about Andreescu? Refreshing to see her whipping the skinny little blondies around. I hope she kicks some skinny butt. And she did! Beat Kiki back to the Kale farm she came from! Yeah! I celebrated with some parmesan crisps! And she did it again! On to the quarters! Skinny blondes be banished! This one I celebrated with cheesies.

Good Day All People often come to me for help with book recommendations for kids, how to create good reading habits in kids, and other parenting concerns.  Reading, like anything else, needs to be developed as a habit. I often hear from both kids and adults "I don't like reading fiction." Who says you have to? Read anything! Read everything! Read various genres. But read, because not to is to create a huge skill deficit. Reading is not like viewing, listening, or responding to the majority of media types out there (think Instagram, Snapchat). Reading ignites the imagination because you need to work a little harder to interpret the information provided. It is during this space in time, when your brain is interpreting and evaluating, that thought takes shape, opinions are formed, and learning happens through a unique sieve - you! This is why I am an ardent supporter of reading.  Through word of mouth, from mom to mom, I have begun to tutor "reluctant readers...

It amazes me that we have an education system that is directly tied to the Catholic Church in 2019 and that it is publicly funded. I am also amazed that education cuts are as deep as they are in Toronto which has a growing population. I am also flabbergasted that the TCDSB is charging it’s teachers for parking as a cost saving measure. Why not do the simple and sensible thing and amalgamate the Catholic and Public boards? I suspect hundreds of millions would be saved by selling off duplicate board offices and by reducing the number of duplicate superintendents alone. Sell the air rights of downtown schools (a la North Toronto), and create multi level parking lots and give teachers one of the levels free of charge during school year. How about having developers pay for school building improvements for every crane in the air? Democracy can only thrive when pedagogy is secular. Religion has no place in the classroom. If you want religious education go private.

I am a writer who doesn't write - well, who hasn't written. Not for a long, long, time. I used to write. I used to act. I used to entertain.  Used to.  I am Greek-Canadian. I am a teacher, a mother, a sister, a partner, a friend, a tennis fan. I am middle-aged. I feel a little stuck. I'm pretty good at everything I put my mind to, but my mind wonders and I spend lots of time doing silly time-wasting things like, eating parmesan crisps (YUMMMM), sipping wine (ALSO YUMMMM), watching AGT (I CRY EVERY TIME) and surfing sales on the SportingLife Site. I no longer buy anything because I have everything. I have consumed to my fill and I'm still hungry - you know? So here I am, writing. I am curious about this time in my life and in the lives of others. It is a super crazy time: dictatorship is en vogue across the world, being online has replaced hanging out, and being politically correct has trumped (mind the pun) common sense and the other guys are just too e...

I have returned to my blog and am going to post daily for a week. My hope is to make this a habit. Why a blog? I hate Facebook, and though many I know use it loyally, I want a platform for my writing. I am putting one foot in front of the other and seeing where it will take me. Thanks for coming along. Day 1 See my About Page