Check me for Ticks

So the grade 7s ventured out to highway 5 heading east to Madge Lake for highway cleanup. Our students are raising money for their Winnipeg trip. We left the school at around 3:30 and walked to the starting point. There was about 15 students and 4 parents plus myself and Mrs. Holodniuk involved. The students broke up into 2 groups and each picked a kilometer at a time on both sides of the highway and then they would leap frog to the next kilometer.

I was the unofficial garbage man and bringer of juice boxes. Driving back and forth in my husbands "Darth Vader" dodge ram (Yeah his license plate says DRTHVDR)

 I could see the kids working hard picking up all of the garbage from last year's passerby's with their bright orange safety vests. When checking on the groups I would pick up garbage off of the side of the road that the kids would drag up from the ditch, I put the road signs up and handed out new garbage bags. I never once walked down into the ditches and yet I found myself covered in ticks. Gross! I grew up four hours north west of here and we didn't have ticks, I think they are starting to migrate up that way now. Anyways, I had a couple of freak outs, not really being good with bugs in the first place, but there is just something really creepy about these little black discs with legs that you can't kill. There was a few times I felt something on the back on my neck and sure enough it was a tick. I learnt very quickly to check myself for ticks every time I got back into the truck. Too bad I couldn't use the force to get rid of this little pests. During this whole experience all I could think of was Brad Paisley's song "Ticks".


The ticks unfortunately were the least of my worries. I was quite shocked that there are so many drivers on that highway that do not obey road signs. Even though there were signs saying "Workers present" and "60 speed limit, fines tripled". People wouldn't slow down. I guess 60kms is just too slow when you are in a hurry. I was so frustrated when I was driving back out after getting rid of a load of garbage bags and I was passed twice in the 60km stretch of highway, that I rolled down my window and honked at the drivers and waved my arm at them. I guess people don't know how to read. I don't care if it is students, emergency vehicles, highway workers, tow trucks ect. if there is a sign then SLOW DOWN. The RCMP were finally able to make it out and they did patrol the 3km section for us and they had to stop quite a few cars for speeding. Maybe these people will now be more observant of road signs. (sorry for the rant but this concerns me)
So after 6kms of picking on both sides of the highway the grade 7s went home. It took the group about four hours. We will have to do one more day afterschool to finish the job so we can get paid.
When I got home at around 8:30 I found that I had a stowaway on my leg. Yep, my creepy little friend Tick wanted to come home with me. This is the first time I have ever had a tick bite and I will admit I had another small freak out, which my 4 year old son thought was quite hilarious.
After our first day out for highway cleanup I think the kids and parents did a great job in getting half of our section of highway done. Thank you again to the parents who helped out, we appreciate it. We will have another day in the near future to finish up the cleanup.