jcraddock.bsky.social
Former teacher (all grades, library, SpecEd, Korea, England, multiple school boards in Ontario). Living the extreme parenting lifestyle with 2 2e teens, trying to keep my head above the water. Gardener, reader, keeper of memories, neurodivergent.
279 posts
151 followers
255 following
Active Commenter
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Perhaps you should reword your post so that US knows what you are talking about!! “Hydro”!! 🇨🇦
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Wait! I thought the US had a trade deficit with us! Or was the US subsidizing us? Or did our Drug/ Border Czar (uggg - disgusting title) not do enough? Are we too close to Greenland? National holiday too close but not the same date? So confused! We have offended again?!! Make him stop talking
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Thames Valley has been mismanaged (not just financially) for years. Complete culture shock when moving from WRDSB to TVDSB. Brutal.
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The end of the US Civil War was one of the “push” factors of Canadian Confederation. As Confederation was in 1867, the Civil War must have ended earlier than that. Surely there are some US dates that can’t be forgotten … by a president?!
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We are dreading the Hunger-Games of course selection (create your own timetable) that we have been warned about for U of Guelph. Won’t know residence until end of July. (Housing Hunger Games). Thanks for govt underfunding of education. Ugg!
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Accident on Kichi Zibi Mikan (June 24). Traffic at standstill. Fire truck crawled north on packed Woodroffe, along exit ramp to access parkway, cars creeping out of way because nowhere for them to go. Fortunately temporary turn-around created for upcoming construction - used to exit all traffic.
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Thank you! Will share this with my 2 teens! Great ear-worm revenge for similar songs when they were young!
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We see the impact of the 417 conditions in our neighbourhood as people seek alternate routes… which then block the buses. Any time it rains, there are accidents on the 417 … which ripples out to the KZM and Woodroffe area as well.
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We have requested this to be part of an IEP … although it is just good teaching. Making something concrete/ visual is so important to a variety of learners. Show real work rather than driving kids to AI to find an example.
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Please tell your squirrel friends to stay out of my car engine! I’ve pulled baby squirrels out, nests, a full walnut, and now have very expensive engine repairs. Squirrels are not welcome here!! Please don’t take offence … but the red squirrels are the worst!!!
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And no traffic on the road!
Bravo for new trees! How did you hear about this? Who sponsored the tree planting?
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Avoid the Kichi Zibi and Woodroffe as well … and all summer. Woodroffe will be closed. No signs today that Kichi Zibi was closed. MASSIVE snarls of traffic all day in our “landlocked” neighbourhoods. Accidents, fights, so much wasted time.
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Not damaged … but the surprising cones that met the 1000’s of cars that drove past unnoticeable road closed sign. Same cones forced some drivers to try to sneak past & drive on the wrong side of the parkway! Now they block the nonexistent traffic (pkwy fully closed). Barricade closes the path.
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Multiple reports to 311, police, 311, police, city councillor, LRT. Our neighbourhood is on it! We are “landlocked” … and know that Woodroffe (major commuting artery) will be closed for at least three months starting this summer. I might have cone-victim photos for you in the future!
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No photos of cones - only traffic photos. Am strongly considering kidnapping some cones and moving them under cover of darkness … to a more effective location. … perhaps it will be a neighbourhood party! If so, I’ll snap photos and blur the perpetrators faces!!😝
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Traffic cones were run-on and crushed today in the absolute mess that was Woodroffe and the CLOSED (but not signed) Kichi Zibi.
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The sensory inputs from all the noise and movement is tiring. Ottawa is trying to densify housing along the (not finished) LRT lines. However, new parks, pools, grocery stores are not being added in those neighbourhoods. More and more people with no respite.
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Having my father’s age (just passed at 96) made it a quick leap for me to assume “actively resisting”. I really appreciate having a gentle back-and-forth … rather than heaps of negativity! It’s so good to be reminded of biases and assumptions to be able to examine life!
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That wasn’t famous to me (I whisper quietly … and post public ally to you @westvillagecrank.bsky.social ). Thank you for making me learn something new through social media!!
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My point is that many people assume, especially when glancing across short posts, that “survived” is an active verb … implying “did actions to survive”. My brain went to the easiest image first. A pause and critical thinking helped to make more sense of the post.
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Critical thinking is important .. but so is the pause-and-reflect time. Honestly, the wording in your original post is a little awkward in creating an image of your father being actively defiant against the N’s in WWII.
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I had same reaction about your dad’s age & the math … because my father, who just died a few months ago, was 96 … was too young to serve in WWII (his brothers did). Then, I took a pause, to think of the kids’ photos posted by @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social . Those photos are a daily reminder.
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I’m trying to prep my dog for the upcoming week! Temp forecast = 35, feels like 47… in Ottawa, Canada! No long walks!
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Woodroffe North … Kichi Zibi = construction, Richmond = construction x2 (LRT and City of Ottawa services … but consecutively), Woodroffe will be closed, 417 construction/ lane reductions to E and W of Woodroffe, Kichi Zibi closed to cars/ buses for half of weekend. … and bike/ walk path dug up.
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This cultural issue is one reason why we avoid travelling to the States. It is extremely disturbing/ unsettling to be around so many guns … especially with so many issues and such low education. Third world country masquerading as first world?
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Serious question … what do introverts do to get outside but not have flocks of people? Is there a recommended resource
to read/ view to help understand how to cope in an urban environment? My teen son also has been asking. Being around so many people (like in photos) is exhausting!
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Ahh... cigarette butts everywhere - so romantic/ sexy! One of the memories of spending a year at university in France. Grimy windows covered in residue from cigarettes also! Don't get me started on the urine on all washroom floors and many public walls/ streets!
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Is it the city who establishes the location of the Communauto locations? With so many new high rises going in along Carling and Richmond (near Woodroffe), parking is already being discussed as a neighbourhood issue. Reduced parking in buildings = more neighbourhood parking on narrow streets.
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Border crossings = zero ... does that include legitimate tourists as well? There's no way that I would cross that border! It was scary enough traveling to US previously (guns, food, attitudes, religion) and now .... Hard No!
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I don’t think so. If our media had not been bought by MAGA men, and some of our politicians, … Trudeau might have had that role.
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In progress photo: 2 of a dozen native trees that I have “guerrilla gardened” into the “park” space next to my house. Used to be more trees but storms have taken many down and not been replaced. A few more will be added this year. Also placing large stakes beside “volunteer” trees so not mowed.
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Thank you for the reminder!
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Thank you for following up. It is an interesting reminder to me (especially with US rewriting history) that there are many viewpoints in the complications of history.
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Your comment has sent me looking up info! Suez Canal is an important moment in CDN history … just did brief learning about it with my teen for gr10 CDN history. The beginning of peacekeeping missions. Didn’t even register that US was involved! Sorry!!
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Thank you for writing out some of his words so we do not have to listen to his voice. Next time you post a video could you also please blur out his face so we don't have to see or hear him? Thank you!
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Uggg… gross. I’m sorry that you have gone through those experiences … and that they still are triggered.
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Finding myself laughing less and less … and more and more horrified.
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As my son would say about some of the comments on various social sites: “I feel like I lose brain cells just by reading them”. Ditto for DT’s voice. I just can’t listen!!!
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“No Demagogue Dictators”. Catchy!! Three-word slogan!
Very “Canadian” … depending on which side of parliament you would sit (although … fortunately fewer/ no new 3-word slogans since the federal election!!).
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Not “motorcycle person” and now moved 100’s of km away from that area of the province but still remember!
Sorry - stock photo but many others available online. www.norfolktoday.ca/2024/09/16/e... Estimated 75,000 people flocked down to Port Dover for Friday the 13th | NorfolkToday.ca
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Your photo of motorcycles is very timely! Every Friday the 13th is a traditional motorcycle rally in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. We used to live within an hour of the town, on a rural road … and always had a great show for the kids as flocks of Harleys rumbled by on their way to/ from the event.
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Mid-50’s. “Retired” (resigned) from teaching because my own children were being hurt by school system. Literally self-harming at school.
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… stop to dedicate a song to him … Do You Hear the People Sing…
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I understand that a diplomatic passport “trumps” our laws…. But I really do wish that the convicted felon was not allowed in.
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“Policy ammunition”? “Ammunition”? Wow! How American to use a gun reference in relation to govt policy. This is how many of us outside your borders think of the US - guns. seeing it in print as an appeal for donations is still shocking though.
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Getting morning appt =a long wait. Getting teen to fast for a morning appt = tricky. Getting an anxious teen to appt = tricky. Getting anxious teen to dr appt pre-/ post-testing = tricky. Arriving on time after refusing to leave house (anxiety) = tricky. Only 5 chairs in hot waiting room. Uggg!
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Oooh… we librarians are rather radical! Read a lot, research, compare, contrast, multiple points of view, compare sources, find books/ media that reflects everyone … intelligent and flexible! You go!!! I’m cheering for you from across the border!
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Lived in a hockey town just outside of London. Young boys on hockey team learn that they are the centre of universe very early. Parents hang out, kids together, so much social power. Big-fish-in-small-pond mentality with parents and boys on travel hockey team. We had to get out of there.