school – Wandering Wellington County

I like to watch people from a distance. Having watched this crossing guard at my children’s school for the past few years at J.D. Hogarth Public School in Fergus. I have always thought this women must really enjoy her job.

Mary-Ellen is that kind of person who always has a smile on her face. You know those kind of people who are always so cheerful no matter what the weather is doing. I see her standing in the rain or snow in the early morning hours and she is always bright and cheerful despite the weather. I have watched her and she seems to have that natural ability to chat with others and always has something kind to say when you see her.

I had more of a chance to chat with her recently while waiting in line a the local post office. While tapping my toes trying to wait patiently for the elderly women in front of me, I turned to the lady behind me who was staring patiently out the window with a smile.

The lady behind me in the line was certainly recognizable with her bright yellow jacket on and her infectious smile. Like many others to pass time we began to chat about the weather and she mentioned she “had that cold going around”. She said “she didn’t want to get out of bed that morning, but always feels better when she puts her smile on and gets going!”

When asked if she wakes up like that she chuckled and said, “she has been asked that question often before.” Mary-Ellen said, “No I have to remind myself you can go thru life either smiling or frowning. She said, “she chooses to smile!”

She said she “loves her job, and loves working outside”. I told her how much I appreciated her happy disposition and that she just puts a smile on my face every time I see her.

Well time didn’t permit me that morning to take care of my business in the post office that morning, but I was sure glad I had bumped into “My favorite crossing guard” as she just made my day, as I needed a reminder on how I could choose to smile or not thru-out my day!

I had asked her when she would be dressing up again and she said, “Oh, I am sure I will be getting the bunny ears out for Easter, the kids love them!” As you can see in the photo, today was the day she wore the bunny ears.

Thanks for always making my day brighter Mary-Ellen and keeping our kids safe!

Talk soon~

Nancy

Reading the title of this, you may assume these kids in the above photo are junior kindergartens? Luckily these kids have never had to walk in the rain, or snow yet until today. Having recently moved to suburbia land, versus the out skirts of the country, things are a little different for this 12 & 8-year-old.

I mentioned to them as we watched the school buses driving by that they maybe didn’t appreciate all those times they got to ride the bus when it was raining and snowing, huh! They both nodded as they had to maneuver their little steps to avoid the puddles and the splash of the cars zooming by.

This morning I offered to drive them to school, as I opened the door and saw it was raining. “Oh no Mom, lets just walk”, said 12-year-old Megs. I had to agree with her, as this was only the second week back to school, along with just the second week of walking to school. I myself have many fond and not so fond memories of walking back and forth to school many many moons ago. I remember those days when it was storming, and having to walk up and down a hill, thru downpours and I am sure if you weren’t country folk riding the yellow bus, growing up you would remember those days as well.

Well the little guy thought it was just the best when a gust of wind caught his umbrella and turned it inside out. I voiced my concerns to little Noah, “hold on that umbrella or it will break, and that’s not funny!” Well I guess it would be if you were 8 and walking to school for the first time in the rain, testing the waters and waters it was, the rain was creating these big puddles all around us. “Don’t walk in those puddles Noah, your feet will be wet all day!”.

My son refused to wear his socks, as I did today as well, my world is still summer with my sandals firmly on my feet. However you will find my son not wearing socks in the deep of winter, and oh the thoughts of them walking in the mountains of snow which will be ahead of us sooner than later…. Bahhhhh. It is still summer right?

Hopefully the kiddlets will navigate their way home from school safely. I am sure they will, after all we survived didn’t we?

Talk soon,

Nancy

The Lovely SMILING Crossguard Mary-Ellen!

First Day Walking to School in the Rain