Northern Departures

Well, a lot has happened in just a short while. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last week, and that event has prompted what has been on the back of my mind for some time. I need to move back east to spend time with and help to support my parents.

So there you have it. My great northern adventures are coming to a close, for now. I've been here nearly three years (it will be more than three by the time I leave) and have enjoyed most of it. I've paid off a huge chunk of my student loans (2/3) so I am much better financial shape, not to mention a more well-rounded and skilled social worker. I've been busy sorting through JUNK and throwing out crap. I have so many piles, I'm soon gonna need a shovel. I have a pile for the Salvation Army, a pile for St. Pat's flea market (gotta spread it around, you know), a pile for mailing back east, a pile for a friend, a pile for taking with me in the car, and a room full of shit to sell. And endless trips to the dumpster. Oh, and lets not forget a pile for the laundry room. Our apartment building laundry room has shelves in it for a bit of a "free store" so I put things there that can't really be donated or sold, such as a half of a package of paper, loose envelopes, and used mats/rugs.

I'll be leaving here in mid-December. My last day of work is December 12th. Then I head south for Grande Prairie, ship Stormy out east with my parents while I continue southwest to Vancouver to meet up with my girl, A. We had planned to travel farther south for Christmas, and don't want to cancel that trip, so we will drive down the west coast to Tijuana as planned. I had thought about cancelling, however A. has her heart set on it, and I really want to spend some time with her before heading east, as I don't know when I'll get that chance to spend time with her again anytime soon. Our beach bum tour will take a couple of weeks, and then I bring her back to Vancouver to fly north again, and I head due east...all 7800kms of it. This is after about 6800kms with my girl, and over 3000kms from Yellowknife to Vancouver. Phew. That is a LOT of kilometres on my little car in a very short time. In one month I will have travelled nearly 18,000 kms. Too bad I don't get frequent driver miles. I'm so happy gas prices have started to fall, and hope they continue to fall. I also hope the Canadian dollar recovers from it's low this week. We'll need it in the states.

There you have it. My adventures in the north have been amazing. I've met some brilliant people, been in the presence of some stunning scenery, had some truly interesting experiences, and my memories of the north shall not fade for years to come. The cold was quite bearable, as were the long dark winters. I coped much better than I ever expected to, and found a way to have fun while I'm at it. I don't regret coming to the north at all, and will miss its charm and the "northern ways".

I won't miss the crackheads in the alleys and the drunks in the streets. I won't miss getting into a frozen car with frozen brakes. I won't miss the empty shelves in the grocery stores, and I certainly won't miss the random grossly inflated prices. I won't miss the "bulldog flies" (gigantic horseflies" but I will miss the buffalo they infest.

I am truly looking forward to living on the east coast again. I missed it dearly! The vast expanse of ocean, the smell of the salt air, the familiar dialect, and the close proximity of so many family members. I think I missed that the most, and visiting the east coast this summer just rejuvenated that homesickness in me. It can get rather lonesome here in the cold, dark north. While I've made some terrific friends, it's family that I miss the most, particularly my parents.

The photo was taken by a professional photographer for a recruitment website...whose name I cannot remember and I can't find his card...oops...sorry.