UGH

I am having a hard time  blogging just at the moment.

I have much to say about the current debacle in Education in BC but feel that is being done more eloquently by others with more time and less emotion (and swear words) than I could do it.

I am also tired.  Tired of reading about it,  defending my family, correcting misinformation (There is NO $3000/5 yr massages on the bargaining table!), engaging the online trolls, being ignored by my MLA, listening to people in the Starbucks line up bash teachers.....

So I'd rather blog about other things in my life.



Yup.  Well ...... truth is this battle feels like it IS my life right now.

Sure I have work.....it's been super busy and a bit tough at times but no one in my shoes is going to complain about work.

And life goes on.... soccer is started......but......that is all that is started.

We had groupon concert tickets but even going to that with dear, uncomplicated and understanding friends felt like swimming through molasses.......

I think what is happening is that we have lost our rhythm.

Nothing is really making sense right now.

We should be back in the school year swing of things.

Except we aren't.

And I lurch day to day hoping for good news, scanning the news for signs this dispute is moving.

And every time there is a glimmer of hope it is snuffed out within hours.

Allan and I are struggling not to feel bleak.

Last Friday we were pretty low.  We hung out - drove kids to soccer and work and just tried to not be down.

I went to bed on Friday in that trap of hopelessness and inaction.

But Saturday morning I was determined to lift my family up and into action.

Over a most delicious frittata I proposed we start Solidarity Sunday Suppers for all our teacher and support worker friends affected by this mess.

They were in.  They know from a certain tone in my voice that it would be futile to argue.... "Moms on a Mission".  I love them for going along with my harebrained plans.

And last night a group of us gathered at fairly short notice to just be together and lift one another up, tell some stories, laugh, eat .....kids played..... Spanner behaved..... the sun was still shining ....and it was lovely.

We Byres spent a few hours cleaning the house together and prepping the backyard..... I love it when we work together like that....with tea and cookie breaks.....everyone doing their part.  And who doesn't love a clean house!

My family is so great.

We are going to do this Solidarity Sunday Supper thing until the strike ends, the freezer is empty..... maybe we'll keep on doing it even then...... because solidarity and community will win.... no matter what the powers that be finally mete out to our kids and teachers.....we will take these connections and relationships from Solidarity Suppers as a victory in spite of them.

Join us...... message me or FB me..... we need to stick together.

And so just when my energy and hope felt all out I was renewed enough to get back on the activism trail and send some more emails, have a couple more conversations (No teachers are not collecting EI or getting strike pay), rile up a couple trolls.....

We need to get these kids back to school and the teachers back to work.  We won't give up our constitutional rights or theirs to do it but we continue to hope and pray someone sees the light and does the right thing.

Soon.