In town, the kids are making their way from the playgrounds back to the classroom (almost as reluctantly as some of the whales heading from the warm fresh water of the Churchill River to the icy cold salt water ocean). And I know exactly how those kids feel. I was one of those kids who had the pleasure of growing up here. There were a few signs that told us our time on the monkey bars was growing short. The days became shorter, the wind blew cooler, and our teachers started returning from their summer vacations.
I ask the kids around town the same thing I was asked years earlier: ”Are you excited about school?”
The answer was always the same: ”No, but at least we get to see more bears.”
One of the first items of business at the Duke of Marlborough School is to go over polar bear safety. A Manitoba Conservation officer comes to our class, and impresses the seriousness of how dangerous polar bear encounters can be. But that’s not to say it’s a boring presentation. He keeps the students reined in with this zinger: “Polar bears come in 3 sizes: Big, really big, and holy cow!”
Today, the sun is shining, it’s 18 degrees celsius (65 farenheit for my American friends), and wouldn’t you believe it, there is a thunderstorm warning in effect! I’m going to get out and enjoy this “summer” weather while I still can. Cheers!
-Joe Churchill