Grade 8 Graduation in Ontario

Today is the last day of school before the summer holidays.

End of 8th grade is different in Ontario. By the way, it’s called Grade 8, and not 8th grade here.

In Florida, completing 8th grade was the same as completing any other grade with the exception of 12th grade. In Ontario they make a very big deal. Grade 8 graduation here is a formal event.

Last night middle boy graduated from Grade 8 with distinction (good grades). The graduation ceremony took place at the local high school. Youngest boy played the trumpet in the school band. Afterwards the “grads” went back to their elementary school for their 8th grade “prom”. Wow! Very fancy. The “dance”, otherwise known as (hanging out with my friends and eating the food) ended at 10:30 pm.

As these Ontario kids have attended an elementary school from Jr Kindergarten to Grade 8 (instead of middle school), grade 8 graduation is quite a right of passage. They are leaving behind their care-free days of elementary school, leaving behind recess twice a day, and entering the more serious arena of more homework, university entrance exams, and semester finals.

Middle boy had fun!

We have grass

We moved in in October, then winter came. Then a wet spring came and the grass was delayed for 6 weeks. Yesterday, we got grass. Yay!

I don’t miss the extreme tropical heat

June, 2010 thermometer reading from our car. Photo isn’t the greatest, but it was taken around the middle of June last year Florida, showing 106 degrees F (42C).

Before we moved to Canada hubby and I were sure each year was hotter than the one before. I would call it the 16 weeks of summer. Summer, and hurricane season, officially starts on June 1st, and it would be beginning of October before the weather became bearable again. As summer progressed, the temperature would get even hotter.

The last few years we lived in Florida it seemed the extremely hot weather would start earlier and earlier. And remember, in Florida it doesn’t cool down too much at night either.

Well, today the St. Petersburg Times has confirmed what we suspected. My friends told me that much of May set a record for consistently being in the 90s. St. Petersburg Times reported today that last night’s overnight temperature dropped only to humid 83 degrees (29F), making it the hottest overnight record in 121 years of record keeping. Read more about it here.

Today in Guelph it is nice and sunny and 75 degrees (24C).

Canadian real estate commercial

I love this commercial. It's part of the "How Realtors Help" series running here in Ontario.

Another critter

Photo Courtesy: The Toronto Star


This cute raccoon is relaxing in Owen Sound, Ontario.

City critters

Photo Courtesy: The Toronto Star

Penelope, the chipmunk, who lives in a backyard in Mississauga, Ontario, is so tame that she doesn't mind the camera while she eats.

Dog pops balloons

Loved this story and wanted to share with you. This is Bunk, who is enjoying his 2nd birthday.

Read about Bunk and watch video here.

I'm back!

Feeling better, after a bout of strep throat, followed by bronchitis that lasted nearly two weeks.