This post is inspired by those beautiful photos on Lynette’s blog where she often showcases the lakes to the north and south of Penticton, B.C. (Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake). Please visit her blog by clicking on the link at the end of this post.
On one of Lynette’s posts I told her that the kids in my class threw me into Okanagan Lake and I promised I’d post the photo if I could find it.
Well, it’s not flattering. I look like a drowned rat, but you can see from the look on the kids’ faces that they loved every minute of it.
It was an end-of-the-school-year picnic on Okanagan Lake and I had the help of a few of the parents to supervise and make sure no one got into trouble at the lake. I should have hired someone to save me from getting into trouble myself.
I had such a lovely class and we had a great picnic and games by the beach. But then I heard someone whisper a call for rebellion.
“Let’s throw the teacher into the lake!”
I looked for the parent helpers who suddenly were nowhere to be seen. Next thing I knew, four of my little angels had hold of my limbs, an arm or a leg each, and swung me back and forth. I heard them shouting through my squeals, “One! Two! Three! HEAVE!”
And “Splash!” That’s all she wrote.
I still remember shy little Maureen, grinning like crazy. I think it was her mother who took my picture to immortalize the drowned rat who was her child’s teacher.
That was decades ago, but I remember that splash like it was yesterday.
It’s lucky for those little eight- and nine-year-olds that I loved them all so much.
Lynette’s posts:

August 24, 2025 at 8:43 pm
Aw! This is such a sweet photo and memory for you, Anneli! Wonderful. 😊❤️
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August 24, 2025 at 9:00 pm
I know the kids thought it was a hoot!
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August 25, 2025 at 8:01 am
👍🏻😂
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August 24, 2025 at 9:40 pm
Thank you for the shout out and also for posting that photo! 😊 Much appreciated. Those kids look like the cat that swallowed the canary! I bet they still remember the time they threw the teacher in the lake, too. How wonderful that most of us have those great memories of summers past. Cheers.
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August 24, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Yes, I bet they do remember it. They were a lot of fun.
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August 24, 2025 at 11:35 pm
The picture of you is outstanding, it made me laugh and the kids had fun and you needed a towel to get dry.
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August 25, 2025 at 1:54 am
I was trying really hard to be a good sport, but oh, I was wet.
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August 25, 2025 at 2:45 am
What a fun memory for both you and the kids. And how fortuitous someone took a photo.
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August 25, 2025 at 6:45 am
I think little Maureen on the left was one of the instigators and her mother was happy to take my picture when I wasn’t looking my best (all in good fun though).
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August 25, 2025 at 3:16 am
Dear Anneli
What a hard life being a teacher.
Thanks for telling this story and showing your picture
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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August 25, 2025 at 6:48 am
Well, I can tell you that every day was not a picnic, but the fact that the kids felt they could get away with this, tells that we had a good relationship. But those little so-and-so’s! How could they do this to me?!
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August 25, 2025 at 8:13 am
We suppose it’s a sign of friendship.
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August 25, 2025 at 3:59 pm
I suppose….
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August 25, 2025 at 5:02 am
The look of delight on that youngster’s face is priceless!
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August 25, 2025 at 6:48 am
Oh yes, it was probably the most exciting thing that had happened in her life in a long time. She was a sweet girl.
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August 25, 2025 at 6:04 am
That had to be so much fun for the children. A priceless memory and photo of your teaching days.
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August 25, 2025 at 6:50 am
I can’t imagine ever doing something like this to one of our teachers back in my school days. I’m sure these guys loved it.
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August 25, 2025 at 12:31 pm
I can’t imagine it either. We would have never even thought of such a thing.
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August 25, 2025 at 8:58 am
You are a saint
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August 25, 2025 at 3:43 pm
A wet one….
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August 25, 2025 at 12:33 pm
Lol. What a great story. Those kids were lucky that you were a good sport. 🙂 And a fun pic to memorialize the experience.
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August 25, 2025 at 3:47 pm
I don’t like getting my picture taken at the best of times, but in this case, I’m happy to have the memory.
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August 25, 2025 at 5:24 pm
OMG what a great sport you were. What a lovely experience to love and be loved by those students.
BTW, nice that Lynette still talks to you. She dumped me as a friend over politics.
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August 25, 2025 at 8:17 pm
Thanks, Lori. I try not to get into politics on my blog posts because so many people have different ideas and there’s no point in arguing with them all. We each have our thoughts. You know mine.
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August 25, 2025 at 7:10 pm
A great retelling and photo 😊
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August 25, 2025 at 8:19 pm
Thanks for reading it, Belinda. That photo is pretty old (unlike me, ha ha), but it’s the story that makes for a great memory.
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August 25, 2025 at 7:12 pm
What a great story, photo, and memory! Love it!
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August 25, 2025 at 8:20 pm
Tnx, Lauren. Glad you enjoyed it.
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August 25, 2025 at 7:15 pm
That was a sweet slice of memoir. Thanks for sharing with us. 😘
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August 25, 2025 at 8:21 pm
Thanks, Debby. And I didn’t even get any danger pay!
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August 26, 2025 at 8:30 am
Lolol 😍
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August 25, 2025 at 10:35 pm
I love it! What a great memory. The students feel funny when they see the other side of their teacher. I’m glad the parent took your photos, Anneli!
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August 26, 2025 at 2:04 am
I agree, Miriam. Without the photos, I might have forgotten all about it. What a fun time the kids had.
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August 26, 2025 at 10:59 am
Yes, Anneli. It’s fun looking at the old photos.
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August 26, 2025 at 5:27 pm
This is just wonderful! It’s these moments that connect kids and teachers, and they’ll never forget.
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August 26, 2025 at 5:35 pm
They probably won’t forget it. I know I haven’t.
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August 27, 2025 at 4:26 am
😍
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August 26, 2025 at 7:40 pm
So funny! I love it. I remember when I was young and small enough that kids could pick me up and do something like that. Fortunately for me, none of my students did that trick, but we had fun times together. Love the memory.
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August 26, 2025 at 8:07 pm
That was my only involuntary dip. Those kids were very sneaky the way they managed it. But it was all in fun (for them).
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August 28, 2025 at 9:41 am
LOL I’m sure you are well-loved by your kids. You didn’t look super happy in the picture, though! LOL
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August 28, 2025 at 10:02 am
Yes, I loved the kids and they loved me, but you’re right, I was still in a bit of shock when the drowned rat picture was taken.
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August 29, 2025 at 9:40 am
LOL One of those memorable moments! Love your for sharing it! 🙂 xxx
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August 29, 2025 at 9:42 am
And be glad it wasn’t you being thrown into the lake.😂
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August 29, 2025 at 12:16 pm
hahah, and be glad you can swim.
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August 29, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Right! They didn’t throw me into very deep water, but it was deep enough that I got completely soaked.
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August 29, 2025 at 8:12 pm
Like you said, “Very memorable!”
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August 26, 2025 at 8:02 pm
Thanks for the pingback, Marsha.
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