Stuffed in Barrie, Ontario

Stuffed. That’s how I feel. Not even that relaxed and satisfied full but stuffed. We finished off our day by visiting a buffet and I was reminded why I don’t typically do buffets anymore. Too much food. Why is it that at a buffet you feel like you have to eat more than you normally would? Is it to make up for the cost per person or something? Anyway, my current condition is stuffed in Barrie, Ontario.

Besides that, the last couple of days have been fairly uneventful. Lots of fairs, lots of students and parents to meet, lots of seminars to give, lots of miles to cover, lots of lugging suitcases. The adventures continue.

We made a stop at Niagra falls a couple of days ago. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I’m here, I never tire of the falls! It was fun this year, too, because there were a few with us that have never seen the falls! I love experiencing first times with people. There’s such a sense of freshness about it.

The reason we were in Niagra was because of an event at Niagra Christian Collegiate for our first stop on the eastern fairs. My first presentation back was to the grade 11 and 12’s in their chapel. As I stood at the front, I realized it was mostly international students and I heard a cacophony of languages I couldn’t understand. I wonder if they could really understand me!? About halfway through the presentation, of which I was, at that point, feeling pretty good about, I noticed that several of the international students had fallen asleep. One in particular was enjoying something close to a deep REM sleep, I’m sure, and let me just say, he was a snorer! Sawing logs, as my papa would say! So bad, in fact, that the guidance counselor came up to me after to apologize, “Don’t worry, dear, it wasn’t you. The international students always fall asleep in the chapel. I think it’s something about the room.” And here I thought it was me.

Each day has been eventful in it’s own way. Numbers at the fairs themselves have been up compared to the western fairs which has everyone feeling better. I think everyone has had positive conversations with students and are feeling like so far this is a worthwhile endeavor. In some cases, work really has been what’s been making our days eventful! In other cases, though, it’s the traveling companions. Not Stephen Redekop “I dropped my pants’ eventful but there are some funny people on our bus! I’m learning to love each one of them dearly!

I’ve been having a blast with Julie, the director and my roommate, again. It’s been such a blessing to share this season of life with her! We have the same sense of humor and enjoy so many of the same things! One of the guys pointed out yesterday that he’s amazed that we don’t get sick of each other. I can’t imagine that! In fact, I don’t know what I’m going to do when the fairs are over and I don’t spend basically 24/7 with Julie. I’m seriously going to go into withdrawal! I think I’m going to feel that way about several of the people I’ve been doing life with over the last couple of weeks.

To finish off today’s post, let me leave you with a joke that Julie shared with me this morning…

So there were these two brooms and they decided to get married. A bride broom and a groom broom. They were happy together. On their wedding night, the bride broom looked at the groom broom and said, “I think we’re going to have a baby wisk broom soon.” Aghast, the groom broom said to the bride broom, “how’s that possible? We haven’t even swept together!?”

Groan!

I know. It’s time for bed! Night.