Oh The Irony of It All

I was replying to an email from my dad tonight and thought I'd note the current temperature. So off to the dining room I was and looked for the thermometer, but it wasn't there. It must have fallen down below the window. I was dressed in cotton pyjama pants, t-shirt, and a sweatjacket. I had socks and slippers on too. I was only out a couple of minutes, clipping the thermometer back into its bracket. And then WHAM! A cold chill gripped me to the spine. I tore off into the house again and headed for the stove. I shook and shivered and shook and shivered. Holy shit I was cold! I have never been that cold before in all my life. I can only imagine how quickly you could get hypothermia if not warmly dressed. It was only -25C, which is certainly cold enough, but we are up from -38C last week. Here it is, nearly 30 minutes later and I am still chilled. So in going out to fix the thermometer so I can see how cold it is out, I nearly froze to death. Nice.

Where Were You When The Lights Went Out

I was at a friend's house in town and when the power went off, she thought it was because she was a few days late on her power bill. When I left her house to go downtown to return my axe, I discovered all of the city was out. And seeing as how only about half the drivers in any town know that traffic lights that go out convert to a four way stop, I thought it best to get the hell out of town and away from the idiot drivers. I arrived home and the power was out here too! Damn, I wished I had my shower before I went to town...

So I set to work loading up on firewood and tracking down my candles and candle holders, the radio, batteries, flashlight, the usual. I got a call from my other friend who was in town today too who informed me that a major dam broke down this afternoon so we are without power for possibly a day or two, who knows.

Then I heard on the radio that we might get the power back soon, but only on rotating basis for now, and only for 2 hours each at a time. Just as he announced it, on it came. I jumped into the shower and plugged in my laptop for charging! Can't be left without the outside world...lol.

So, here we are with the power back temporarily...then it shall get dark again. I think I'll go to bed early...but somehow keep the fire going.

Anger Management

So I'm off to town soon to buy an axe. No, not planning on murder just yet, but will be attacking the woodpile. There is some big wood that won't fit in the stove, so I have to split it. I haven't done anything of the sort for many years, and even then, not much of it. Of course, it's all about the axe too. I found a sexy axe at Canadian Tire so will likely get that. It's a splitter axe so just what I need.

So once I get the axe, I can pound out my frustrations there! Perfect for anger management. Let's just hope I don't cut off a finger. My aunt did that to her sister as a youth. She is missing part of a finger from holding some wood while her my aunt brought down the axe. Ouch.

I shall keep you posted and report whether or not keyboarding will be a challenge...heh heh.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Part 2

It is -36C. I am now cold. The woodstove is lit and burning well but I couldn't seem to get warm so checked the temperature and there you have it, traditional Yukon BRRRRRRRRR.

So, I have turned the electric blanket on HIGH and as soon as Will and Grace is over, I am heading upstairs where the heat is to snuggle deep into my comfy bed.

The worriesome part is I took my car in for repairs today, warranty stuff, thankfully, and they gave me the Matrix to take home again, however I couldn't find a plug for the block heater, so wonder if the darn thing will start in the morning. I know I plugged in the one they had me test drive, but I'm not sure if this is the same one. The one I have home now has the souped up skirting and fog lights, which I don't quite remember. That would really suck, to be stuck at home with a frosted car that is not my own...and I have court tomorrow!!! (for work)

So, hands up, who thought I would never find it cold, even up here? It happened. The internal furnace has let me down. You watch though, about 2am I'll be bathed in sweat under the electric blanket because I fell asleep with it on...heh heh.

Themed Street Names

Well, I have been all over the city by now, having needed to attend homes in most neighborhoods for work, or visiting co-workers or friends in others. They have a really great city guide that has maps to all the neighborhoods, which are also named, so for the most part, I haven't gotten lost too much. What I find fascinating is the themes they've chosen for the street names...here are some examples...

Porter Creek - clearly named after trees
- the usual Holly, Fir, Aspen, and Pine, but also some fun and unusual ones like Bamboo, Locust, Ebony and Teak

Riverdale - named after Yukon rivers and creeks
- Ketza, Aishihik, Liard, Takhini, Koidern, Tagish, Tummel...all very strange!

Takhini - named after famous battles
- Normandy, Seine, Antwerp, Cassino, Nijmegan, Dieppe, etc...these streets used to be part of the old army base here, no surprise.

Marwell - streets are named after minerals, metals, etc
- Copper, Gold, Platinum, Tungsten, Granite, Jade, Gypsum, Calcite, Galena, very unsusual

Hidden Valley MacPherson - named after berries, but not particularly your average berries...
- Soapberry, Cranberry, Mossberry, Cloudberry, etc

McIntyre - clearly named after Scottish and Irish names
- McClimon, McLennon, McMillan, McCandless, O'Brien, McIntyre, McRimmon, McMillan, and Murphy...the very odd thing about that is these streets are in the First Nations community of Kwanlin Dunn

Arkell- named after birds
- Falcon, Finch, Loon, Sandpiper, Wren, Warbler, Heron, Nuthatch, etc

Logan - named after gems
- Olivine, Garnet, Moonstone, Topaz, Emerald, Zircon, Carnelian, Aquamarine, etc

Cowley Creek - named after fish, imagine!
- Kokanee, Salmon, Coho, Chum, Grayling, Pike, Chinook, Sockeye, Dolly Varden (believe it or not, that is a trout)

Mary Lake - named after flowers, nothing too unusual about naming streets after flowers
- Iris, Fireweed, Sage, Lupin, Crocus, Buttercup, etc

Wolf Creek - named after Yukon mountains
- Harbottle, Boss, Phelps, Dawson, Cronkhite, etc

Copper Ridge - not quite sure of the theme here, but I'm sure there is one
- Pueblo, Black Bear, Valerie, Carlisle, Iron Horse, Winze, Keewenaw, Grafter, Audit, Stope
any ideas?

Now, in the downtown core of the city, going in one direction, the streets are numbered and spelled out - First, Second, Third, etc. The others appear to be last names, possibly of famous Yukoners, who knows....Hoge, Ogilvie, Black, Cook, Wheeler, Wood, Baxter, Strickland, Jarvis, etc.

So there you have it, the streets of Whitehorse, themed!

Yukon Driving Conditions

I can't recall if I have written much about this so far, but the driving conditions are something to speak of. To begin, the roads are quite straight and wide, nice surface, only the occasional crumple in the road, very unlike the roads in Cape Breton that I left behind. The wind regally through the mountains, and are for the most part, fairly pleasant to drive on. The one thing I don't particularly understand is the lack of guardrails. I don't quite get it...the roads are built up quite high because of the frost we get, and of course, the potential for gullies and ravines is pretty high, but yet here are these very nice roads winding through the mountains without a guardrail in sight. You look down to the right as you drive and thank your lucky stars you are able to stay on the road. But what about when you can't stay on the road, or if there is an accident...it's a hell of a drop! The only guardrail I've seen is a concrete edging on the bend in the road before the Takhini river. Of course, I haven't been all over yet, so will reserve judgment just yet, I suppose, however I have heard from some others that there are generally not guardrails anywhere. WTF?

One more road condition to note is that they don't use salt on the roads when they're slippery, and instead use sand, only they don't sift it too closely and most every day I drive home, another rock comes flying through the air, and my car ducks to avoid it, heh heh. Of course, the sand works fairly well in the frigid temperatures, however when it warms up, it makes a hell of a mess and my car is covered in mud and dirt. As well, the roads are covered in dirt and you can't see any dividing lines, passing lanes, turn lanes, etc. It's pretty much up to guess.

So there you have it...while the smooth straight roads permit high speed, I have not been able to drive my usual pedal to the metal because I'm terrified of the lack of guardrails, and there always seems to be a pick-up truck in front of me bumbling along at about 20-30km/hr below the speed limit. I guess I'm safe from speeding ticket for the most part...heh heh...

That's It, I Quit, Work Sucks

Well, I haven't quit, but man I am run ragged. The other intake workers seem to be strolling through the day and I hardly ever see them out in the field, on the phone, or meeting with parents, kids, etc. Actually, I don't even know if anyone on my team has kids in care on their caseload. Meanwhile, my caseload is blowing up all over, I have court every week, foster homes to deal with, a bunch of kids, crazy acting parents, two families preparing to leave the province, assessments all over to be arranged, and I hardly get a chance to take a breath or have my lunch break. If this doesn't settle down soon, I am going to have an aneuyrism. So here I am on Friday night, the weekend stretches out ahead of me and I feel like I need a coma to recouperate.

pppsssssssshhhhhhtttttt...that is the sound of me cracking my third beer...it's 7:30pm. Oh yeah, I'll be an alcoholic soon enough...

By George, I've Got It

I have discovered the secret to my woodstove woes...cardboard. Since the dumbass movers, Matco failed to pick up the boxes, I have been burning the packing paper, which burns well, and now have begun attacking the boxes. They work marvellously! I have a stunning fire within 15 minutes, easy. Previously it had been a 3-4 hour struggle, which was just damned annoying.

So for now, the boxes shall disappear and when they are all gone, I'll be off to the local grocers to pick some up. To hell with the movers.

Thank You George Foreman

I bought this grill today and I love it! My supper was cooked so fast, the side dish wasn't ready. The only real problem is that the beef here seems to be CRAP!!! What in the hell is the problem I have to wonder...it tastes like shit...not that I have tasted shit but it is how I would imagine it would. This is my second attempt and I always buy a good cut...last time prime rib, this time t-bone and same thing. Tastes like shit. I also tried pork chops and even they don't taste right. I have to find out just where they ship their beef in from and if all the stores buy from the same place. So far I have only bought meat at Superstore, so maybe that's the key. All I know is as excited as I was about the grill, I was sorely disappointed with the meat. Tomorrow I shall try chicken...go George!

My Brain is Frozen

So I don't have a lot to say. It's about -26C right now...brrrrrr...and I have my car plugged in tonight. I kind of forgot to plug it in last night and it protested loudly this morning...my clutch was even sluggish, and how about my stick...never mind my stereo. The cds just refuse to play when the car is too cold. So...that will teach me. Plug in the damn car.

ok, surely there must be a topic...how about the parking nazis police. Much of everyones day seems to be caught up in moving their car and swearing at the parking police. I work in the a bank building, but they provide no free parking. You can rent a spot for $70 a month, but hey, wait...they're all taken. So you can park close to the building for two hours at a time...then move your car. You don't have to move it far, just move it into the next parking slot if you like, or if you're brave enough to try it like my co-workers, wipe off the chaulk the parking bastard guy put there. If you park right, you can even see the chaulk from the windows of our floor (fourth). Or you can do what I do and park it two blocks away where parking is free and not time limited. And FREEZE your ass off walking to the office. Mind you, I have enough ass to last me the winter. My Tim Horton's cappuchino needs to be reheated by the time I get to work. Sometimes I park close but only if I have plans to be out throughout the day enough to move the car a couple of times.

Did I mention the drive to and from work? It would be a lovely one once the sun is out. For now it is just me and the black of night, blinded occasionally by the high beams the other drivers seem to continously forget to turn off, even as they pass me. But when the sun comes up, it shall be breathtaking...jagged snowcapped mountains, swirling rivers (well, when they thaw), scooped out gorges, and log cabins everywhere...heh heh.

ok, time to go stoke the fire and get some HEAT going. The Golden Globes are on tonight and I want to be toasty...Matthew McConaughey is on next...to hell with the fire...I'm warm already.

Welcome to the Yukon

I hear this nearly every day. They sure are a friendly bunch. Today it was the sales manager at the Toyota dealership here. Of course, slippery could pass for friendly too. In any event, I have heard it often, but not typically as a hello and welcome the Yukon type of greeting...more of an excuse for some. We could be discussing services here, prices here, or illegal drug use, the answer is the same - oh, well, welcome to the Yukon. Weird.

Nonetheless, I do feel welcome here. People here are friendly enough, and those at my workplace have been superb, which makes settling in much easier. I even have someone to cat sit when I go "south" in March. That's another thing. EVERYONE refers to anything south of here as "down south", including northern BC. So why? When I lived in Nova Scotia, down south meant at least Florida, and typically somewhere in the Carribean.

Speaking of going south, I hope to have my new car next month if things go as planned. I have some details to work out first and if all fits together and happens on time, I'll be driving a new Toyota Matrix something like pictured above (there are some upgrades in the pix I'm not going for). I do want a red car though, something to stand out for a change. I had a grey Camry and then a silver Echo, I need COLOR! If they can't get the red one on time, they will order me in an Indigo Ink colored one which won't be too bad either. I just don't want silver, grey, black, beige, white, champagne, etc... I need color.

Speaking of color...my hair is still dark brown. And is it ever getting long...now if I can just step up the manual dexterity in my darn hands, I might be able to braid it now and again.

Speaking of my hand...I jammed a large splinter into the palm of it a couple of days ago. Got it out but DAMN it hurt. The risks I reckon when one burns wood...damn splinters.

speaking of things that hurt, and I might add, looks gross...the cats as you know are not especially fond of each other and Stormy scratched Via the other day and it is now gotten somewhat infected and she won't stop scratching the now hairless spot under her chin. So I pinned her down today and jammed on some nail caps so she can't scratch the scabs off as it tries to heal. She protested a fair amont, but not nearly as bad as Stormy does when I try to put them on him these days. I received a few fresh ones and definitely deathly stare today when I finished. And then I had to snatch her up again to put some peroxide on the actual site. No yelps, just high pitched whining and screeching...I'm lucky to survive that round.

Ok, enough segues. Good night all.

First Casualty of the Great Northern Adventure

Well, we have had our first casualty. One of my goldfish died. It appears as though it was suicide by filter. Let me back up...

As many of you know, I have an aquarium, not that I've ever mentioned it here, but people who know me and are reading along, know that I have an aquarium. I gave away the survivors of Aquarium Cape Breton to my friend K. before I left and didn't get around to setting up again until last Monday when I took a scoot into town to see what was open and discovered the fish store. The gal there recommended I begin with "feeders" which are just goldfish and so that's what I did. I took two souls home with me, and proceeded to fill the tank, drawing great interest from both felines, particularly Stormy.

They seemed to be doing okay and I had gotten into the habit again of feeding the fish at regular intervals, and set the timer up on the light again (even though the goldfish don't need it, I kind of like how it looks with the light on...otherwise it just looks kinda spooky. ANYHOW...the feeders were doing fine, tank was doing fine, and all looked well, even tonight when I fed them both.

Then I glanced up again from my laptop where I was focussed on my on-call notes from my first shift tonight to see one of the feeders in an awkward position. He appeared to be hovering around the filter, which I had seen my fish do around the heater, particularly the gold garifunas, Then I realized what was awkward was that he was tail first halfway into the filter tube. It is a circular intake piece of plastic with the end coming to a point and grid-like supposedly to keep the fish from getting sucked up the filter...too bad the fish didn't know that. He was stone dead. I reached in to pull him out, hoping he was just tired and needed to rest a second before fluttering agian. Um, no. He floated belly up to the top. Awwww.

Well, at least I know the water's fine...time for more fish before the other goldfish commits suicide from the loneliness.

BRRRRRR

Ok, the temperature has dropped. And believe it or not people, I am chilly tonight. Without a doubt, ALL of my friends who have met me and know me, know that I normally walk around in summer clothes all year long as I seem to have an internal furnace. The middle of January at my old office in Cape Breton could find the window flung wide open while everyone else is chattering their teeth.

We're at -20C and falling. It doesn't appear that we going to stay down here, but for now, I can't seem to get enough heat off the wood stove. What usually happens is that by the time it's really burning, I'm off to bed, panting and sweating my way through to the wee hours of the morning when it finally cools off. What I really need is a handsome woodcutter to stay at home, keeping the home fires burning, literally. And when I run low on wood, go and get it himself. Eligible woodcutters feel free to apply within...

so now I must go stoke the fire myself for now....brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Getting up in the dark is for the birds

ugh. it was back to work for me again today after several days off. Now I have to get up 3 hours before daylight to get to work on time. ugh. I will be glad when the days are long enough that I can rise and SHINE!

I am so tired. And that little bastard kept me awake again last night. Stormy. He sacks out around 10pm with me on the sofa and sleeps while I unwind at night and then just as I head to bed, he springs to action. Last night he decided to go after the fish food, fresh out of the cupboard as I set up the tank yesterday. Apparently it must remain in the cupboard and not on it. So I stomped downstairs and took it from it, returning it to the cupboard. Then he decided to play on his crinkle bag. It is a cat toy, but very noisy! So I stomped downstairs again and threw it in the bathroom, and slammed the door behind it.

Then he discovered that running and sliding on the dining table can make noise too if there are papers on it. So once again I stomped downstairs and packed up the papers, putting them away. It's 1:25am now, and I am just vibrating. I lectured Stormy, as much as you can lecture a cat and then was so would up again, it took me a half an hour to wind down again with a book to get to sleep.

I think the cat needs the sleep medication or a hammer to the head, not me...I shall be retiring when he does, at 10pm tonight. the little bastard.

Stormy Loves the Condo

I took this one of the boy on Christmas Eve. He just loves that kitty condo...and it is right next to the wood stove, which he and Via both love. He is still wild, and so very lovable in spite of it all.

Happy New Year Folks

Well, arrived home about 20 minutes ago from a New Year's party. It was fun, had a few laughs, the food was okay and I met a lot of new people again. We played Encounter: Battle of the Sexes, which went over ok, but there was a little arguing on rules that weren't specified in the official rules...nothing out of the ordinary though...its the way it always seems to go when you get people drinking and trying to learn a new game!

We watched the ball drop in Times Square, recorded earlier of course, since we are 3 hours behind New York. Dick looked good, particularly after suffering a stroke in December of 2004. New Year's just wasn't the same without him last year. Love ya Dick! We had the tv on a hockey game earlier, of course, but when 11:30pm came, we turned the party over to Dick.

I had two drinks...I had to drive home later so that was my limit tonight. The host offered me the spare room if I had really wanted to get trashed, but I opted out. I just don't like the recovery so much anymore...lol.

So there, this is 2006 and how does it feel to you?