Departure of the Easter Bunny

My house guests have departed, as of 8:10am this morning, hoping there wasn't too much water on the Mackenzie ice crossing. They would have crossed there at about 11:30am or so, depending on if she floored it or not in that old truck of hers aka the money pit.

T'was uplifting to have company in the home again. I haven't had any guests from away since moving here. I'm hoping K. makes it out again, perhaps for May 24 weekend, since she has refused to go camping that early again...heh heh...I have typically camped every May long weekend for decades, regardless of location, and this one year we went to St. Ann's Bay in Cape Breton and camped by the ocean...it was a little chilly...and since then she has refused to camp that early, particularly here!

The temps have been up and the water has been running fast and furious. I thought it was raining out, but that is snow melt off the roof. I wish it would just slide off at once and be done with it. I shovelled all the snow off both bridges and dragged out the patio furniture, having been encouraged by the sun and mild temperatures today. Weather reports call for even warmer temps on Tuesday, a possible +15C - WOW!

Turkey day at the nurse's residence - YUM! I usually cook a turkey at Easter, so I'm happy not to be missing out since I cooked at my place this year. There shall be continued indulgence...I love long weekends.

See the eggs the girls and I used decoupage to decorate, they are sitting on the windowsill...K.'s is on the far right, V's is centre front, and mine is far left. Aren't we talented? :-)

Busy Social Calendar

T'was a busy enough week...work was busy, and I had to clean up for my guests. It took an eternity to get my driver's license and new plate, but it's DONE. I even found time to make a set of curtains for the kitchen, using some fabric I dyed the night before.

My friend K. and her friend V. arrived about 9:30pm or so on Thursday night. There has been much indulgence...fresh bread, fresh turnovers, beautiful fresh pineapple, and so on, and so on. K. also played Easter Bunny and brought chocolate for all :-) so I am hopped up (s'cuse the Easter pun) on sugar for the past couple of days. Yesterday we decoupaged some eggs, and then had an egg hunt (I WON) and gorged on candies...I'm still vibrating from the sugar...hence the late night post.

Today was more of the same - cooking, baking, eating, cleaning, squeezing in time for a movie or a show, with some knitting, chattering, etc. Tonight we had company for supper, and grilled some steaks and kebobs and gorged again.

Partway through the night after supper guests had returned home to relax for the evening, V. and I tried out some shooters...the clear winner was the Sour Puss...I have to say. The test tube ones from the liquor store were not much more impressive than melted freezies...and the Fireball whiskey shooters were predictably cinnamon spicey.

My friends leave in the morning - I shall miss them! It's been great to have others around...once they leave first thing in the morning, it's back to the felines and I. We'll have two days of more indulgence...and doing NOTHING...heh heh...it's all about self-care people...

Another Day, Another Ordeal

These are ptarmigan that I saw on the way to Hay River....

It should have been an ordinary day, with some errands in Hay River, 155 kms away. It wasn't. I mean, how could it be. I have been ordeal free too long, heh heh. The start was rough, with about 60kms in and I suddenly need to find a restroom...bwah, ha ha...on the entire stretch of road there is but 2 outhouses, and no restrooms...and for the life of me I couldn't remember what km they were at, but I did know I NEEDED to go. After putting it off as long as I could, I was stomping through the snowbank in my skirt and sneakers, and a box of tissues...sigh...we were off to a fine start already...

My main reason for the trek was to transfer my license and plates from Yukon to NWT. It was the first place I went, as we were on limited time before they closed, getting into town at about 3:15pm, and they close at 5pm. I had a friend with me, who was going in for the same reason. She managed to whip right through but when I got up, thinking I had everything I needed, as Iwas filling out the form in front of her, I realized I did not have my letter from Lasik MD saying I had my eye surgery. Dammit. So I asked to use the phone there...they had plenty of them since the Motor Vehicle Registration is also the Northwest Tel Service Counter, AND an Auto Insurance Company. I called to speak to my boss because she is the only one with a key to my trailer, which is where I left the letter. I called and was hoping that my friend's husband could go to my trailer and get it for me, as he is retired, and my boss was in a meeting. Well she called the husband and there was no answer. Rats, now what to do. My boss then offered (somewhat reluctantly but I can't blame her) to go to my trailer and root for my paper and then fax it to the DMV. Of course, the thought of landlord/boss going into my trailer without me being able to prepare a little (you know, clean up the mess) was cause for anxiety, but at least there was nothing incriminating left laying around, lol...while I wait for her I decide to head out and take my recycling back, dropping my friend off at The Woodshed, a nice coffee shop and craft store.

So then I am off to the recycling depot for the first time. It's a big warehouse and you knock on a wooden sliding half-door. I have to ask how things work at this one, because they're all different I reckon. I was informed I had to sort AND count my pieces, so they know how many are there. WTF? I can see the sorting part, even though there wasn't a thing and site and I was still out in the parking lot, standing at this window, but you want ME to count it? What in the hell will YOU be doing then? Apparently all they do is caculate your money and take your stuff on faith...or is it pure laziness...usually they take it from you and count it to be sure. I wouldn't trust anyone to give you the right numbers. But whatever...so I grope my way through that nasty task, with some of the items being sticky and gross looking. There was recycling left here when I moved in, and that was several weeks old then.

Off to the DMV to see if my paper came in from my boss...nope. Off to the drug store to drop off a script, then into Quick Print to pick up an order for our office, chuck that in the back seat, and I'm off to the DMV again to see if my paper is in...nope...so I go back to Quick Print where I know the guy there a little better and ask to use the phone and phone my boss. She couldn't find it, but faxed in another letter, but it just was some auto mailer from Lasik MD, and had nothing about my prescription or surgery on it. I don't even think it was addressed to me, lol. So that was a bust...I then decided to call Lasik MD and see if they could just fax a copy of the letter they gave me for the DMV. That was a lesson in Duh...after explaining three times what I needed it for, and why I needed her to send me something NOW, the MENSA candidate informs me that she guesses she can write something up and get the surgeon to sign it before he leaves today...um...no. I just told you that I need this in less than an hour, because they close and I live nearly 2 hours away, and my plates have expired. She apparently either didn't get it or didn't care. But then after I told her to fax it in anyway for the next time I'm there and hung up I was actually pretty pissed about it. I mean, I'm sure that the majority of people having laser surgery on their eyes are drivers, therefore requiring EVERYONE who is a driver to change their driver's license at some point to reflect that they no longer require corrective lenses. So you would think that my request wouldn't be that difficult, considering that they burn more than a dozen pairs of eyes a day, and nearly all of us have to get a letter from them to inform the Department of Transportation that we have had our vision corrected. Apparently it was, and I returned home later still without a new license.

After that I headed back to pick up my friend, who surely thought I had forgotten her in Hay River, lol...sorry I.! She was chillin' at the coffee shop, having bought some luscious treats - some kind of chocolate lined crepe cup filled with a creamy mousse...thanks I.! Then we were off like a Jewish foreskin (I think of my friend A. in Cape Breton when I say that...lol...she knows why) to finish up the errands. Funnily enough...we then saw some Bulls Balls hanging off the back of a pickup truck. At first I didn't believe it, but sure enough, we followed him around town for a bit, hoping he would stop, and I could snap a photo, however he kept driving around, going nowhere, and we had errands yet to run...

Back to the drugstore to pick up my meds - and it wasn't as expected so we had a word about that, and got that sorted out. Poked around and picked up a couple of greeting cards. Then we were off to North Mart (the grocery store) and I remembered I had wanted to stop at the liquor store and I never know their hours, moving from place to place like I do, except that in the north they are short for some strange reason (to reduce alcoholism...don't think its working). So I drop my friend at the store with the water bottles for our office (she works in a different one) where she graciously filled them for me (yay I.!) and I sped over to the liquor store. After all, it's a long weekend coming up, I have friends coming to visit. No crisis there, and back to the grocery store for my own stuff, then off to the airport to drop a package off for my boss, and we were then hurling back out of town again. What a whirlwind trip. Nothing is ever easy...and I am still without a polar bear, not to mention bulls balls...

It Just Ain't Fair

My bathtub water was frozen again today. It managed to clear itself early this afternoon, but the drain is still frozen...so can't really have a shower unless I intend on clearing out all the water again when I am done. Dammit. It just ain't fair. Spring should be here and this frozen pipes business should be finished for the season. At least it is going to be repaired this summer when things thaw out under there...that's the word anyhow...

Mother Nature

From Environment Canada this afternoon...Cloudy. 60 percent chance of flurries this evening. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 20. Wind chill minus 28.

Mother Nature is not quite done with spring in these parts it would seem. It has been snowing/flurries all day today, and the temp has been hovering around -15C.

Ick.

But I was out there in my slippers and fleece, BBQing just the same. I laugh in the face of winter. (KIDDING! Nooooooo, I don't want more winter!!!)

It will come in it's own time, like around the end of May.

I Knew It Was Too Good To Be True.

The forecast for Monday is a low of -26C. These past two weeks were just a tease. Winter is not finished with us yet. There is even 20cm of snow in the forecast for nearby Hay River. I shall have to wait for spring's arrival a while longer.

This is one of I think three different Skidoo's running around town. I asked this guy what his skidoo used to be, and he said it still is an Elan, heh heh. There isn't much left, but he sure gets around on it. I think I shall be glad when the snow is gone, as the snowmobiles run til long after I've gone to bed...sometimes 2am before they quit, and when several of them do not have mufflers...you kind of notice them...I am impressed at their ability to keep these things running. This fellow went came out of the school with his rope and wound it around the wheel, gave it a toss and off he went.

And Then I Got Stuck

I was hanging out at home after supper tonight, and noticed that the sun finally came out for the first time today, and it was nearing sunset. Since I haven't captured one in a while with my new camera and not at all with my new lens, off I went. The first place I went to pull over was near the arbor, as there is a bit of a parking lot there, and they've been driving on it and partly plowing it all winter. Except since the sun has warmed our days, the snow has gotten soft and what I once drove on when it was hard as rock had since turned to mush...I got stuck. Dammit.

The first vehicle that came around the bed gawked but didn't stop, perhaps figuring I was just parked. They then circled back and came and asked me if I needed help. I knew them both so it was both embarrassing and funny. Only one tire was really bogged down, having hit a soft spot in the packed snow. I chucked down some kitty litter, and under the bumper they headed to push me out, one a 15 yr old gal and her mother. Neither could drive standard, so I powered the car. Still no movement, so another gal from the school came along, offered her shovel which was just up the road. While she was gone, another guy passed by, an older man who makes jewelry. He turned around later on and came back, and once the tire was shovelled out, I was on my way.

so then I hauled my car into another parking lot just down the road...but it was hard and still frozen...and I STILL managed to capture the sunset and play with my camera. Be sure to click on them to experience the fuller size effect. I had to resize them to upload, as they are huge files otherwise and choke my sluggish internet.

The Great Mackenzie River

Today was a day for a road trip and shopping. In the company of two friends from here (nurse and spouse) we hit the road, bound for Fort Providence. We stopped first in Enterprise and went to Winnie's gift shop, where I had spent a fair bit the last time I was there. I didn't buy anything other than a chocolate bar there today...I was destined for different shops this time. So we pushed on to the Fort Providence winter road. The detour is shown here. It doesn't cross where the ferry does due to warm water currents causing open water. The place where we crossed was massive in width. Portion cleared was about the size of an 8 lane highway (4 each way), to make room for all the trucks that must cross at a crawl (25kms/hr). We stopped partway out, and took some photos I've posted here. Then we headed across to Big River Truck Stop, and had some lunch. The food was fairly good, the usual truck stop greasy fare. Two of us had the hot turkey sandwich and the missus told us she roasted the turkey herself. Off we were headed to Fort Providence, where I finally bought something in their gift shop. I bought a ready to frame piece of artwork - moose hair tufting. It is a lovely piece as you can see from the photo, but it cannot be truly appreciated until you can see it in person and admire the bristled texture of the artwork. I bought my last moose hair tufting at Winnie's in Enterprise. I saw this boat trapped in the snowbank at the side of the road...it is not the ferry.

Springing Into Life!

It was -35C on Monday morning. Today it was +9C. Spring has definitely sprung, if only temporarily. I am hoping the frosty temps are gone until fall, and that spring is now upon us, melting the snow and the rain tonight is washing away winter's tired look. Yes, I said the RAIN! Yahoo! We haven't had rain since late September or early October...several months ago. I don't much like the inbetween time though, when the snow is all dirty and rotting. I'm looking forward to the first blooms, whenever that might be. My guess is sometime in late May or early June. It was about that time last year in the Yukon before the leaves came on the trees. Once they did, the came fast and furious. I can't wait!

Of course. It could be -35C again next Friday, for all that. So I shall bask in the spring sun, and take advantage of what I can whilst I can. Tomorrow is a road trip to Fort Providence with a couple of friends. We are planning on driving on the Mackenzie River ice road, and cross to the other side as well. I'm hoping for a nice sunny day, so I can take some photographs, as the dull snowy days are difficult to capture on film.

T'was potluck at the nursing station here tonight. One of the nurses hosted the teachers, RCMP, my boss, and I for supper tonight. The RCMP didn't make it this time, but everyone else did. I brought BBQ chicken breasts and rice. It has finally warmed enough to BBQ. I'm no sissy and can stand out there in the cold to BBQ, but since it is unsheltered, the BBQ loses most of its heat, so it is fruitless most of the time to BBQ. I think I did once over the winter, but I've done it about 4 times this week so far, heh heh.

It was nice to get out with others tonight though, I have to say. The teachers are all fairly young folks, and we talked about travel, work, shopping, play, you name it. We feasted on a variety of dishes, including a super hot and spicy enchiladas - zowie, my lips were burning. My chicken all went, despite the slightly burnt texture...there was a flareup...but who can pass on freshly grilled outside chicken in early spring? Dessert was fruit pizza, of a different variety than I am used to...rice krispie treat crust, chocolate frosting, and fruit on top. Normally I've seen it made with a more shortbread like crust, cream cheese filling spread over that, with fruit on top, then glazed with apricot jam. Ok, now I'm hungry again...

Now it is time to rest my healing eyes and listen to music....perhaps some reading. (not as harsh as electronic screens of the computer and television).

What In The Hell

I feel like someone beat the hell out of me. It just came on about an hour or so ago. I haven't been doing anything athletic, nor have I been moving furniture. But then I remembered falling down yesterday, on the icy parking lot (that no one cares to EVER sand). Weird that it took nealry 24 hours before I felt it...

Freezing My Pipes Off

It's -35C this morning as I look out over the frosty snowbanks. Most of my water pipes are frozen up, along with my tub drain. I have running water in the bathroom sink, but nowhere else. It has come and gone from each spot over the weekend, seemingly at will. Yesterday I had all of the water sources working except for the toilet. Since the tub drain wasn't working, I simply scooped up the water sitting there to flush the toilet. Now it's gone, the tub water pipes are frozen again, and I have to flush from the bathroom sink. You can't fit a bucket under the tap of a bathroom sink. So I must fill a smaller container in order to fill the bucket to flush the toilet...what a damn rigamarole...

It promises to be +5C on Thursday. My ass...if it does, maybe all my pipes will come clear...it's gonna be a dirty week...

Carnival Friday

Winter Carnival in Fort Resolution - these are photos from some of the kids events - leap frog, three-legged race, and egg toss. The last photo is of a little fella who sat next to me during the talent show, and slept most of the time. He is dressed in a traditional outfit, waiting for his turn to compete in the Traditional Dress contest. I left before that came on, so I'm not sure yet who won. I had arrived at the talent show at 6:15pm, and it started sometime after that. It went on for hours and hours though and at 10pm, there were still 3 or 4 events left...yawn...I was too tired, my head hurt from all the noise, and my eyes were dried out of my skull...so I missed the Traditional Dress...

Annual Dogsled Race

Going by the usual time clock here ( at least a half an hour behind/late) I headed over to the dogsled races at 12:15pm, hoping to get some shots of the mushers as they pulled out. Turned out I was too late! It was about the only event that started right on time. I can imagine why...there were about a dozen teams of ten dogs, so 120+ dogs are a lot to contain if you can't get the show on the road on time...

Getting to the starting point was interesting, I must say. The plow had been out on the ice and cleared a road, parking lots, and lanes for the mushers to begin in. After I wound my way through the dull snowbanks (can't see the contours easily in dull sunshine), I managed to find my way to the start line, only to discover the teams would be out for over an hour. I was wondering on the way down why so many vehicles passed me going in the opposite direction. So off I went to the local restaurant for a cheeseburger and fries and drove back to the lot on the ice to watch the action. There were many snowmobiles on the lake, zipping back and forth.

The snowbanks were so high though that I missed the first mushers returning, and only managed to capture the last half of them. The dogs who ran were not quite what I was expecting, much skinnier and less woolly looking dogs, more like racing hounds, and you can see how much they frosted up during the activity. I also spotted some bleeding paws, where they have cut them on the ice and snow. I was expecting more rugged looking dogs, such as thick coated huskies. Perhaps they only use these dogs for short races like today and the huskier ones for long distance mushing. Who knows...

Forgetful Journey to Hay River

Well, I started out for Hay River the first time...and then started thinking about what I forgot. First it was my sunglasses...which was of supreme importance to my light sensitive eyes. I had my purple ones on, but I really needed the black ones (over the purple). That was at about 9kms out...then about 24 kms out I realized I hadn't taken my new camera...dammit...but still wasn't convinced enough to turn around. Then I remembered I forgot my paperwork for the eye doc I was to see in Hay River at about 36kms...SHIT! So I had to turn around. What a waste of time...that's what happens when I rush out the door. After driving back home and retrieving all items, I started thinking about what I forgot again...my shopping list...whatever...I am not returning again!

Ran a few errands, did the shopping, stopped by the social services office there to hand off some information, then it was off to my eye appt. Turns out my right eye has achieved 20/20 vision - yahoo! My left eye is still lagging though, at 20/40. The tech there was surprised I was not on a steriod drop for that eye, so will check with Lasik MD about that today. She feels I might still be able to achieve 20/20 in my left eye, or very close to it. That was good news. She also told me I still had some "haze" which was not unusual at this point in the recovery. Okey dokey...

Then it was time to pick up the kitties! And instead of showing up at the Buffalo Air Express counter where I had dropped them off, I see them riding by on the top of a luggage trailer...WTF? So I went over to the luggage belt where the rubber flaps are and the young man there was about to sort through the luggage to put off and informed him the cats needed to be handed in first...after all, it was -23C plus windchill at the airport and they are not outdoor cats. he looked rather surprised, but complied with my request...sheesh...poor buggers. I know they have a fur coat, but they are not used to this cold outside...

They appear to have enjoyed themselves on vacation in YK with K. Stormy smelled like her house - incense, candles, maybe her perfume. He's just a young tomcat...then there was Via. I didn't get to smell her right off as she was still perturbed from the flight...she smelled like cigarettes...

Once in the car, Stormy went right to the food bowl, then took a spin in the litter box, and before long, settled down on my coat to groom for the next hour, finishing shortly before we arrived home. Via on the other hand gave me a dirty look, and settled right down on my coat, ignoring the both of us. Her look said it all - where in the hell have you been - get me home.

So now they are home and cozy. I was glad I took my camera after all, as I captured this sunset on the drive home, and for the first time, it really captured the colors accurately, thanks to the awesome camera. If you click on the photo (or any of them on the blog) you will get the full-size version.

Where The Hell Is Spring?

Tonight daylight savings time "springs forward" an hour. I'd like to know where the hell spring is. It's -25C tonight and we got more snow again last night. I think our groundhog is stranded below the permafrost...stupid rodent.

Shit Happens

What a treat to come home to...plumbing is frozen up and who knows when the plumber can fix it all, if at all. My sewage pipes were frozen so I couldn't use the toilet or bathtub...or anything else, but those were the two biggies in my books. I had to drive to the office to use the bathroom, since I don't feel like going to my neighbors, whom I do not know, and ask them if I can take a crap in their home...oh the shame of it all...

The first guy who came said he didn't know what the problem was for sure, but assumed my pipes had frozen and burst, but he was too big to fit under the trailer to fix it, and his "boys" are laid off for the winter, and drawing Employment Insurance, and have no wish to work at this kind of stuff in the cold winter. Yeah...chew on that one for a while...

Enter the plumber from Hay River with his professional steamer, and after much effort, was able to clear my plumbing lines only to inform me that I have bigger problems...the toilet seal is leaking and has soaked my bathroom floor, leaving it soggy and rotting...the drain from the washer is leaking, the bathroom sink is leaking, the pipes in between the toilet and tub are installed improperly, a bit of a hack job...and there is no "clean out", whatever that is...

I can use my plumbing, but sparingly until the bigger problems are resolved. Arrrrggghhhh...just what I wanted when I was supposed to be resting comfortably at home and healing my eyes.

The first guy came back with the second guy, they talked shop for a while, and agreed that nothing more could be done right now as they don't have the manpower sorted out, or the right parts...but they will see about things tomorrow...seems to be the theme of the north thus far. Time, people, and resources are not always readily available to solve problems...and that included plumbing.

They're gone now, and I've since scoured the bathroom, and had a shower to clean the grit off...a bushwoman I am not, when it is this cold. I don't mind not having running water as long as I can dip into a pond, river, lake, or ocean if need be to clean up. All that stuff is currently frozen...probably for a few more months yet.

Now it's time to cook supper...I can wash things off again.

Marathon North

I left Calmar this morning at 7am and arrived home at 9pm...and ready to BE home. It was a long, boring drive and the first three hours were torture on my eyes...finally the drops and drugs kicked in and I could settle in for the rest of the drive. 1260kms was a lot of ground to cover today, but I was adamant to be home tonight in my own bed. The roads were clear and dry for the most part...a bit messy just outside Peace River, and my freshly washed car was plastered with mud once again...sniff...good thing I had two coats of wax on it, though. I just took it to the carwash in High Level and cleaned it off again, in less time. The rest of the drive was dry and cold, so not much more than a bit of dust on it now, from the last 40kms or so of dirt road.

It is strange to be here among my things without the cats. I can't remember the last time that happened. I'll have to sort out getting them home tomorrow, and will get them home by early next week at the latest.

I have unpacked most of the car, with only the cat litter and cat food (large bags) to bring in, and a few odds and ends. I haven't unpacked much of what I brought in yet though...that can wait. It just needed to be in from the car so it wouldn't freeze. Unlike my sewage line that appears to have frozen. Great. The plumber must be called tomorrow and sort that whole mess out...sigh...

I don't know when I'll return to work, likely by Thursday, depending on my eyes. I have some sick time and need to give my eyes a good rest after the marathon drive home.

Northern Bound

I'm northward bound tomorrow. Got those nasty "contact bandaids" out this aftenoon, and my vision has improved a great deal. My eyelids are still swollen and sore from having them in, but now they are out, they can actually heal up...a couple of teabags on them for a while will help a great deal. I'm told my vision will continue to improve over the coming weeks, which is all good.

I'm all stocked up for another several months in the north, and am looking forward to returning home to my cozy trailer, and getting the felines back home with me. I don't know when the latter will happen, but will work on that after I finally make it home. I don't know for sure how much driving I'll be able to do tomorrow, pending light sensitivity, and eye fatigue. Knowing how stubborn I am though, I'll probably push through to home tomorrow night, rather than spend another night away from home.

I can't say I will miss the city at all, too much bustle, and traffic, however I will miss my nieces, both big and little...and the husband/father of course, who was my gracious driver to all my appointments in the city. It's been a very pleasant visit, despite my irritated healing eyes, and I have really enjoyed spending time with the littlest ones, R. and M. R. was out skating today and fell and hit her elbow, so is recouperating on the sofa, with a nasty swollen bruise on ice. What a little skater she is though and did very well. M. is on the verge of crawling, having taken a few tentative moves forward yesterday while visit with another niece, C. and her b/f J. I have to say, it's been wonderful to visit with them all, after not being near any family for a while!

Now I have to think about how I can best pack up the car...I have a LOT of stuff...

On The Mend

Yesterday was a tough day on the old eyes...extreme light sensitivity, I ran out of pain meds, and it seemed nothing I could do eased the irritation and pain in my eyes, particularly the left one. The one numbing drop that I was using is only supposed to be used 4 times day...so that didn't help the other 20 times a day when they hurt...

Went for another post-operative appointment yesterday and the contacts were not ready to come out. They also told me that those numbing drops can actually slow down healing...GREAT - would have been helpful if they told me that in the first place. No mention of it in the information they provide you...

Hoping that tomorrow I can get them out, and hit the road on Tuesday morning. I have a lot of packing to do, so might tackle that tomorrow. We were spoiled with +8C yesterday...it is back to -14C here now, and even colder in Fort Res.

Blogging For The Blogger Challenged...

Well, my friend K was supposed to be blogging but had this comment recently..."Okay, I have a witty comment for you... I was supposed to be blogging, but unfortunatley, I am password / sign-in illiterate.... Sorry and I hope the surgery went well.. PS I am picking up tickets for Saturday night so you have to be here in "the knife" for 9pm Saturday (vision or no vision)... oh, yeah and the cats are fine... Mack "

Today brought this tale - the felines appear to have settled well...

"Okay, so I remember hearing something once about cats stealing your dreams or something... Last night I woke up at 4 am, got up and had a smoke and some apple juice then went back to bed.. I had the most bizarre dreams about your cats... Stormy had lost all of his fur, and I can't remember what else was going on with him, and Via was reading a Chinese calendar and in the dream I was on the phone with you trying to explain that Via was reading this calender, she as well had lost all of her fur.

Bizarre.

When I got up in the morning, everyone was fine, no fur loss. Stormy doesn't seem to be a foot away from me whereever I am, and one second he's in front of me and when I turn around there he is again, in front of me. (You may want to check in every few days, as I am afraid he will trip me in the kitchen and I will not be found for days) ... "a bit under-foot in the kitchen" you say- and he doesn't even want anything, I could understand if he was begging for food or something, but he's not- he's like a Newfoundland dog that pushes up against you.

Via is sleeping lots, but comes up when she requires attention, and let me know that she prefers fresh water out of the bathroom tap, rather than that bowl on the floor- so I leave it dripping for her. I think Stormy has some form of OCD, I bought him some more mice and he piles them in different places in the house. I came home yesterday and "teddy" was waiting for me just inside the door of the apartment. Both cats have taken over the bed. They told me to sleep on the couch. "

stay tuned for the continuing adventures of Felines In YK...

Five Thoughts For Friday

1. my eyesight is slowly improving, but I won't see the full effect until the bandaid contacts come out. The pain is still fairly consistent but as long as I have my happy pills and numbing drops...it's all good.
2. the weather isn't much warmer "down south" (here) but promises to be warmer tomorrow. Monday's forecast for Hay River is -40C...brrrrrrr...
3. the kitties have taken over at my friend K's...see next post for details...
4. I am sure glad I finished my shopping because my eyesight during recouperation is unpredictable, and I get carsick real easy...ugh...
5. knitting is a challenge while I am recouperating...had myself quite a snarl of dropped stitches, and several other mistakes...thankfully I could sort it out this morning, and have finished that mitten. I think my eyes are just too fatigued at night to bother with it. I can knit with my eyes closed for the most part, but when it comes to decreasing stitches, I need to concentrate more and be able to see and count stitches.

Burn The Eyes Right Outta Your Head

I can't really se what I am doing, but wanted to post a short note...I had my laser surgery today (PRK) and am on the road to recovery. I can't see the screen, it's too blurry and I just happen to know where most of te keys are, but can't see i I have made an errors. If I peer close up, I can find out, but my eyes are quite sore, and Im tired, doped up...just heading t bed. I's been a long day, and I am pleasaed so far with the results...when I get this temporary contqacts out, I'll know better then what my correction will be, as in how close to perfect vision. I am told to expect daily noiceable improvement as the eyes heal. SEE you later!

NOW I am done

I had a little more shopping to do today, picking up some more craft items for my craft group I'm running. Michael's had some things, but not all of it. I'll end up making out an on-line order for the rest.

And now I am done with shopping. I have only been to a few stores, but it sure is tiring to shop, shop, and shop, not to mention overwhelming. Now that I live in a town with one store (and a gas station), Hay River can be overwhelming, hee hee...so to be in a city with thousands and thousands of stores, is truly mind boggling. Now, of course I have lived in cities before with plenty of shopping opportunity, but I have spent the last year and a half in the north, where shopping is quite limited. Whitehorse and Yellowknife have some shopping, but very little selection, and often no choices.

I am also now broke...

My laser surgery is tomorrow, and then I have several days of recouperating, and hanging out with my niece and grand nieces. I was showing the oldest how to knit and crochet. She's four. You might think that is too young but she is SMART! After all, she is my niece...even if by marriage...we are related wayyyy back anyhow.

Shopping might be done, but visiting is far from over. I'll be heading over to another niece's apt tonight to visit. Haven't seen her since 2002, so looking forward to that. I missed yet another niece this morning and her two kids, but I expect she'll be over again soon enough. It sure is nice visiting with family, after being away from any family for so long. I've seen my daughter, but no one else since 2005. There are a number of nephews to visit with as well, which will come in time. I'm here until some time next week, so reckon I'll get to squeeze it all in. The weather has been fairly nice, although chilly, but what else is new...

Shop 'Til You Drop

And drop I nearly did...

Of course, the plan for Sunday was to get that beast of a television into Future Shop and see what could be done about it. I kidnapped my niece A. to spend the day with me, and help out with directions. Little did I know that we were to enter the biggest Big Box Haven I have ever entered, and I thought Bayer’s Lake in Halifax was sprawling with them…that area looks like a corner store compared to where A. directed me.

The lineup at customer service wasn’t long, but the wait was, with only one person handling the issues. It seemed there were several more wandering around, as is usually the case, but only one serving our needs. And serve they did. After explaining that I had no desire to see this television repaired, since I had already purchased a new one, and informing them that I lived WAY out of town and had no desire to drive back down to pick it up if they were able to repair it, they offered me store credit to the tune of $294!!! I originally paid $400 for the boob tube in 2000, and it was still under warranty. They told me they would give me $100 for the warranty, and meet me halfway on the purchase price. Sweet! Once we wrestled that beast onto a cart and into the store, I was handed a gift card. With this in hand, I proceeded to the car audio department in search of Sirius satellite radio, and after picking one out and choosing to have it hardwired into my car (eliminating all those messy wires) the clerk informs me that they do not have the hard wiring package in stock, OR the system I picked out. Great. Why did you waste our time then? I left that department disappointed, and headed over to the photo department to have a peek at the Canon Rebel Xti. It was love at first sight. I HAD to have that camera. It was recommended by my good friend R. in Cape Breton, who’s opinion I trust, so it was just a matter of deciding when to buy. As they sensed my hesitation, they offered a store credit card with 3 months no interest – GREAT! I had planned on buying one with my tax refund anyhow, so 3 months is plenty of time to file and receive my refund and pay off the balance. Sign me UP! With taxes (GST only – love that!), camera case, 2 gig memory card, 4 year extended warranty (that’s what got me the store credit earlier) I was out approximately $1500. Deduct the store credit, and I was only out just over $1200. This camera is an SLR format, which I don’t understand yet, being new to the whole business of a more professional grade camera. I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon enough, like anything else I chomp into. It was easy as pie to set up once I returned home, and within minutes I was snapping away.

From Future Shop (where we had spent nearly 2 hours, when it was all said and done) we went straight to lunch at Swiss Chalet. I had been craving a good roasted chicken dinner and after being disappointed time and time again during my two trips to Yellowknife, I dove into my meal with earnest.

Cotton Ginny was next and anyone who knows me, understands this is my favourite store to shop in. I love wearing cotton, and they know how to size their clothing to fit a more voluptuous figure. I was able to secure a few good deals, and walked out with a pair of pants, a pair of pyjama pants, 2 tops, a jacket, a skirt, a summer handbag, and 3 cotton “belts” (that I’ll use as head wraps/scarves), for about $275. I’m good for the next several months now, with that fix.

Next stop was IKEA. It’s been years since I had been in one, since there are no locations on the east coast, and I’d been up north for the past 15 months. It was quite overwhelming, with too much to choose from. We spent the better part of an hour there, and I picked up several household things, spending less than a hundred bucks. I even managed to secure some new bolts for my IKEA shelving at home, since those dumbass movers managed to lose a bag of them.

A short stop at Pier One where nothing appealed to me, and we were off to Tim Horton’s for an ice cappuchino to suck on for the return drive to Calmar, completely spent. After being away from serious shopping sprees for several years, the day was quite overwhelming, and I was glad to escape the throngs of Sunday shoppers.

Today’s plan for the day is a solo journey into the city to visit the Passport Office to drop off my application, and then it’s time to hit Wal-Mart and Extra Foods in Devon. There are several of both in the greater Edmonton area, so closer to base camp is easier to navigate my way to and from.

Tomorrow is evaluation for my surgery, and then I’ll know how really broke I am…

Driving South

After dropping the felines off at the airport (honestly, it was like I was sending children away for the summer, I got a little choked up – silly, I know) I hit the road and headed south for Edmonton area. After gassing up and dropping a chunk of change at the craft store in Enterprise (tons of moose/caribou tufting artwork!), I was barrelling down the highway once again. The road was clear and dry, and the sun was out, rising above the treeline to my left.

The drive continued this way, with little to grab your attention. Trees, flatlands, and no wildlife. Kilometre after kilometre flew by, and the closest I came was 2 dead deer on the side of the road being scavenged by crows. Ewww. Lunch came at High Level’s Boston Pizza, where it did not sit well at all. I guess being away from greasy food for a few months does that to a person. But it was GOOD, once I finally got my correct order. I asked for extra cheese on my pizza and for some reason the server ordered it with CHEDDAR cheese. I can see where you could easily confuse the two…sigh…it looked positively disgusting so I had to send it back.

With the exception of Peace River, the landscape changed very little. Warnings of photo radar were broadcast while I passed through, making just one stop at Tim Horton’s (haven’t been there since last November!!!) before sailing on through, thankfully not encountering any photo radar vans (at least I didn’t see any…).

I found my niece’s home with no difficulty, thanks to great directions, and great hospitality. It was good to finally get out of the car at that point. My hips and back thanked me greatly, and were much improved with a fine dosing of ibuprofen. With such a straight road most of the way, I find those drives harder on my back than a venture through the curving hillsides of Cape Breton, or the roller coaster ride through the mountains on the Alaska Highway due to lack of motion. As I heard one person call it – your steering could be gone and you wouldn’t know it for miles…

The Journey Has Begun

I left Fort Res today, and gladly so! I've been a little shack whacky lately, with the long, cold, dark winter, so ready to get out. Of course, it was one of the busiest days I've had, but thankfully, it was something I was comfortable doing - child protection. What timing though. I hardly get a referral biweekly, and on the last day before I take off for 2 weeks I get a whopper. However, being well versed in what I need to do, and who I need to talk to, I whipped through 6 adult interviews, 2 child interviews, a parent visit, a consult with RCMP, and second visit with them to talk to a child. The child protection matter got sorted out with a reasonable outcome, and I still had time for an hour meeting with the visiting therapist from YK. GAWD I'm good...heh heh...

I managed to get pretty near all the mail I've been long awaiting, including my passport stuff from my guarantor, at the very latest mail run today! I didn't want to have to put my ID in the mail, wanting instead to take it in person to the passport office in Edmonton, so was happy enough to see it finally show up today. It was coming from back east in Cape Breton, so it was anyone's guess when it would finally arrive. I also received some books I ordered...just in time to take on "vacation". Great!

The drive from Fort Res to Hay River of course couldn't be uneventful. Where would the fun be in that? It snowed the whole way, drifting in places, and Via puked all over the place. Poor little thing, she looked absolutely pathetic after that little episode, as I barreled down the highway through the snowstorm, however she has perked up considerably since arriving at the hotel and will be glad to know there is little car travel in her future for the next two weeks...I haven't told her about the plane ride tomorrow though...

I checked into a cheapie motel on the side of the highway in town, and THANKFULLY it has an alcohol and drug free policy, with immediate eviction for anyone caught indulging on the premises. This is not to say you can't arrive piss drunk, but at least it means there won't be any partying going one. I had been concerned about that, but I reckon they have been fed up over the years with the drunken fools trashing the rooms as they party the night away. Honestly, these First Nation folks can drink any east coaster who THINKS he can drink a lot not only under the table, but binge longer than anyone may have thought possible. A rite of passage seems to be downing a 60 oz bottle of booze in record time (as in mere minutes).

I had me some supper at the hotel restaurant/lounge next door. It was completely empty, and offered mostly Asian fare, however I negotiated a steak and baked potato out of the cook, and it was delicious Alberta beef, freshly arrived today from down south. What a treat it is to eat out and to order a beer, something you can't do in Fort Res.

The car is packed, though not nearly as loaded down as it was when I first arrived in the NWT, thankfully. I asked my boss to help me out loading that television and the brute strength in that little person grabbed the tv and off to the car she was with it, alone! Slung it in there and Bob's your uncle. Wonderful. Now I don't have to ever handle it again. I'll be taking it into Future Shop on Sunday I reckon, and see what they can cough up.

After I unload the felines at the airport tomorrow, I'll be heading south on the highway through new territory for me, once I pass Enterprise that is. I'll make a stop there to check out some souvenirs as I've been told the rest stop there has some good locally made art (as in northern made). Before long, I'll be in Alberta, where I haven't been for many years.

Stay tuned...the journey as just begun!

Agent of Change

Social workers are familiar with this term...we heard it in university - we are agents of change, and that can come in many forms. Today was a good day, and in a field of work where they don't always come easy, we learn to cherish each good day and use it to pull us through the crappy ones. Certainly since beginning my job, the crappy ones have been few and far between, considering I have few child protection files. Actually, I have one child protection file and the rest are support services (voluntary).

This morning I was presenting my Thursday morning Healthy Relationships program at the school, however we played Relationship Bingo today and my first two classes thoroughly enjoyed it, and I felt like I finally made a connection with some of them. They've been a very quiet bunch, which is quite unlike any other youths I've worked with in the past. Other youth have been mouthy, outspoken, hyper, and often downright rude. These youth are much more respectful, and although we still have a few "clowns" who like to tease and joke, they apologize immediately for anything they feel might be taken the wrong way. I've noticed that most of the residents use a common phrasing - when they say something that they are only kidding about, they will simply say it, then very quickly laugh and say "no, I'm just kidding". Absolutely no variation on this phrase whatsoever, and I hear it every single day from someone, somewhere, particularly from the receptionist. Interesting....anyhow, I digress. During my first two groups, the kids actually took the material and applied it to their own lives, and the surprise came when a female youth recognized her own behaviour in her last relationship as being unhealthy, and now understood it might be part of the reason her boyfriend broke up with her - a true lightbulb moment. Nice.

This afternoon I had a meeting regarding a youth who was in trouble for attendance issues for a vocational program he was enrolled in, along with most of the other students. An opportunity came for me to speak up, and I had quite a motivational moment. It was a risk, being an outsider, white, government worker, and unrelated to anyone there. And it went over really well. I asked my youth about it later and he said it was "pretty cool". Nice. Very nice. Anyone who works with youth at risk will know that these words do not come easy.

I was reviewing the day with my boss after returning from the meeting, and she said to me "have I told you how glad I am that you're here?". Glow...

The final hour of my workday was spent with this youth, discussing some serious stuff, and then a whole lotta bonding time, chatting about pretty near everything. Again, with most youth, they are often in a hurry to get the hell out of there, but here was this youth, who came in to see me, we had long since covered the serious stuff, and he hung out until the other office folks began to pack up and move out. And I loved every minute of it.

It's days like this that tell me two things - I made the right change to leave Intake CP; and I am good at what I do. What a nice feeling.

Oh The Busyness Of It All

I leave tomorrow evening for a couple of weeks away...a week in Edmonton, and a week in Yellowknife. I'm nearly packed, but my house is a not as clean as I would like, and I am afraid I'm going to forget something I really need, or forget to do something that should be done. This is nothing new...every time I get ready to go away, I go through the same shit. I even have a recurring dream about it, and have for many years. I dream that I am getting ready to go somewhere, either by boat, plane, bus, train, car, you name it and I just can't seem to get packed in time, or I'm continually rushing, rushing, rushing and never making it on time. I often wake up before I miss the plane/boat/train, etc. I just don't understand why I keep having the same dream for years and years. Is it anxiety? Restlessness? Insanity? Who the hell knows.

I still have to clean out the car and it's too damn cold to think about doing it tonight, however I know I'll feel better once it's all done. The night before I leave is usually the worst. Tonight shouldn't be too bad, since I am simply driving out after work tomorrow, with no real deadline to make tomorrow night. I'll be stopping over at Hay River, as I have to put the kitties on the plane the following morning. I've reserved a room at a cheap ($95 here is cheap) motel and am looking forward to SUPPER OUT! I haven't eaten a nice meal out for ages. A burger and fries at Lena's isn't quite what you would call "supper out".

The biggest obstacle is I have to load a 25" television out to the car. I bought it years ago in Waterloo, and it is still under warranty, if you can believe that. I bought the extended warranty and it runs out this coming December. It was a "carry in" warranty though, and it went on the fritz in Whitehorse, where there wasn't one single television repair place for a thousand miles. So I dragged that damn thing up here with me, in hopes that I would eventually be heading out to civilization before the warranty is up. It will be a one way trip for that bastard I hope. This is the second time the same thing has happened to it, so I am hoping for at least a little store credit, if not a full refund.

Arrrrrrggggghhhhh.....the busyness of it all...

Cabin Fever?

Or just plain bitchiness...hard to distinguish today. In a day where it seemed everything I touched turned to shit, the weekend is looking mighty good. And it's only Tuesday. I spent the better part of the day working out the kinks in a craft project I was to do with the kids today, only to discover upon my arrival at the school that I was the only one in town who did not know school was dismissed early today...sigh...

Most of the kinks were due to computers and printers. Having to call two call centres was not the highlight of my day. Is it just me or are they getting more and more annoying. I was ready to pitch the computer through the window by the time I was done with them. Press 1 for an idiot, press 2 to be ignored, press 3 to hear the dumbest fucking music on the planet, press 4 if you want to stay trapped in this mindless crap, press 5 if you have waited long enough and are now ready to tear a strip off of whomever has the unlucky fortune to answer the phone...and so on...at one point, I was dumped into an automated system that refused to provide full choices...I'd hear half of one sentence, a few words of another, and then some voice would tell me (it was voice activated menu) that "I'm sorry, I did not understand your selection". WTF? Provide me with a complete one and I might be able to answer. In the meantime, I hadn't said a thing. I DESPISE the voice activated ones.

Even supper was giving me grief. After spending the first 2 hours home either on the phone or msn, being flooded with requests for assistance or attention, I managed to throw together a pizza. Only to discover 15 minutes after it was in the oven that I had the wrong element on. No wonder the bottom was doughy and the cheese was browned...dammit. By the time the bottom browned, the top was pretty crusty and nearly burnt.

GET ME OUTTA HERE.

Is it Friday yet?

Fort Res Happenings

Well, it's been a busy week here in Fort Res, for me anyhow. Spent much of the week assisting with a parenting workshop we had some other social workers come in and run, which went well enough. I did manage to get some real good baby cuddling in as we providede child care and I pitched in from time to time, spending the entire afternoon (4 hours) with 6 little tykes, so it's all good, heh heh. It's a great way to enjoy babies without bringing one home. I was able to eat out a few nights for supper with the visiting social workers, and we ate at Lena's. The burgers were pretty good, and her bannock is wonderful. We all bought big chunks, fresh from the oven. The parenting group had lunch together on Tuesday, so I joined them for that as well. Now I have to cook for myself again, lol.

On Thursday night I was asked to judge with two others for the essay writing contest in town. Not many entries but what came in, for the most part, was pretty good, and interesting. The theme of the contest was spirits and legends, so all essays were depicting local stories, which was cool. I don't think I believe the one about the tunnels beneath Fort Res though...they would be flooded for sure, with Great Slave Lake skirting the town.

It has been another cold week. We had one day where it went up to -7C for a few hours and then we haven't seen it since. For the most part, it has been hovering around -20C to -25C, and these last few days, -35C or colder at night. I went to the store today at noon and it was -29C and clear skies, sun shining brightly. Not much power to it though, as the temp didn't rise much from the -34C it was last night.

Took my square tired car for a drive again today. Since driving the Ford to and from work all week, my car only gets driven on the weekends right now, because I don't bother to clean it off during the week, as I don't typically go out anywhere on the weeknights. And with the cold temperatures, cars get what I call "square tire syndrome". Your tires here will get square in the cold as they freeze, and will smooth out once the car has been driven again for about 15 minutes or so. I didn't feel like driving to Hay River, so got groceries locally and drove to the airport and back, and then out to the dump, past the former Buffalo Farm. I'll be glad when spring comes and the roads have all cleared and thawed out. There are many other secondary roads, but they are not plowed, so I must wait.

The water truck came twice today. Not sure why. They come barrelling into my driveway, coming within about 6 inches of my car, due to the tight squeeze. My car is parked so much of the time, so he has gotten used to squeeking by 3-4 times a week, however often he comes. I'm usually not home, but he comes on the weekends too, sometimes both Saturday and Sunday. I have the van in my driveway too, and the oil truck, and septic tank cleaning truck have to barrel in through there, squeeking past the van, lol. It's a triangular driveway, so I am in the middle of the fork. The cats are still freaking out when the trucks come rumbling in, running for cover under the beds. Cowards. The water truck comes so often, you would think they'd be used to it by now. Nope.

I have to clean the house up well this weekend. I'm going away next Saturday and don't want to leave a dirty house. Have to start packing too. I'll be gone for two weeks, so need more than an overnight bag. I'm heading to Edmonton for a week to see about laser surgery for my eyes. I'll know when I get there if they can do them the following day. After visiting with friends and family there and shopping my heart out, I'll be heading to Yellowknife for training there. I'll hand out with my friend K. who has graciously invited my felines to her home while I'm away, rather than leave them in the trailer for 2 weeks and have someone checking on them. So Stormy and Via are going on vacation to Yellowknife. A 1.5 hour car ride, a 30 minute plane ride, and they are there. I'll bring them back with me when I come back from training. While they are away, they will be bonding with my friend K. and I've heard they will be blogging. Stay tuned for the adventures of my black feline friend Stormy and Via, a lovely calico, who is aging gracefully. There will be drama, thrills and adventure as they make their first journey away from me, thanks to guest blogger macnorth. Don't forget your teddy, Stormy...

I hear the aurora are to be pretty great tonight. Astronomy North is forecasting they will be "active" at 5.0 level. I might go for a drive to get just out of town and away from the lights. With a better camera, I could capture them. Just wait. I am getting a new camera, I have decided. I have my eye (and heart) set on a digital SLR Canon Rebel XTi, 10.1MP. It is over a grand if I buy it with the stock lens, however I am considering buying body only and lenses separately. It will probably be a camera I'll use for years, and I am so looking forward to having more control over the camera. My current camera doesn't have much zoom capacity and I am missing some really great shots because of it. As well, it isn't capturing the colors accurately much of the time. Bummer when I have something quite brilliant in front of me, and it fails to come through on a photo.

Grist For The Mill

Could someone please tell me where in the procedures manual it tells school officials to order a lockdown of a school following a bomb threat? WTF? Yeah, that was the case in Yellowknife today. A bomb threat was made and school officials said they were following school policy and ordered a lockdown of the school, students still inside while police search for the bomb. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Pen them up while the bomb goes off, so they can be REAL close. If they didn't look stupid before, they certainly do now...grist for the mill, people, grist for the mill...

The Ever Changing Sunset

Even if I was alone today, I was afforded the opportunity to experience a brilliant sunset again today...and in a poof, it was gone...

Be Mine Valentine, or Be Frozen

Ah, Valentine's Day. The day when only those in a relationship get to enjoy it. The rest of us are single, and often no happy with that fact. I know I would prefer to be in a relationship. Most people do prefer to be in a good relationship than be alone. It's simple human nature...we fulfil each other's desire for companionship. But alas, I am alone. So to celebrate my aloneness this year, particularly alone...probably the most alone I have ever been, given the my current location, I am having a beer and watching The Doors, having just gotten the dvd in the mail today. I've been doing a little shopping online lately...and I made chocolate brownies. And then I frosted them. So there will be a little indulging tonight...at least the temperature finally came up. It's only -10C tonight.

Damn Cold

So I drove to the store in my frozen car, square tires bumping me along to the beat of the Jimmy Swift Band (yup, had it in M!) to buy gas line antifreeze at the suggestion of my landlady. The drain from my tub is stopped up, and I'm not sure why. I tried Liquid Plumber. No go. I tried scalding hot water. No go. Now I have to wait for the plumber to come tomorrow. Arrrrggghhh. At least I have a landlady who will take care of it. I haven't had to deal with frozen pipes in many years...when I last lived in Newfoundland I think. And deal with it I did. Much of the time, my ex-husband was home and could deal with it, but I recall a good many times when he wasn't. It was a pain in the fucking ass no matter who dealt with it. And the longer you leave it, the worse it gets.

I think my worst frozen pipes story was when my daughter was little. She was less than a year old, an infant. Her father was away, working at the mine on two week stints. We were left home with an oil stove for heat, with a wood stove for back up. We kept the water running in the kitchen to keep the waterline from freezing, as it is just a gravity fed line, without a lot of pressure. The woodstove fire burned down, the oil stove ran out of oil (the tank was empty) and so the sink drain froze up, and the water in the tap spilled over onto the kitchen and dining room floor. For a few hours. What a fucking mess. I woke to a cold house and the sound of running water dripping...the running tap usually was pretty silent, as we ran a slow steady stream. I woke up hearing the water spill off the countertop onto the floor, and about 3 inches of ice already on the floor.

Then my daughter woke, wanting a bottle. Hold on sweetie while mommy rows across to the fridge, breaking the ice out of the pitcher of boiled water on the cupboard...I called my brother-in-law next door and asked for him to help me out, and took the electric heater up into the bedroom with my daughter and went back to bed with a book. I recall being very pissed off that my ex-husband didn't keep better watch on the oil tank. He took care of all that stuff...I was only responsible for the inside. It's not like it was an easy task, given where we were living, which is why the mom with the baby wasn't responsible for it. He had to order the oil himself by sending an empty oil drum by freight up on the boad, and then roll the full drum back over to the house, pump it in, and so on. Totally man's work, I completely agree. I'm not ALL feminist...my ex had not done this, and we were out of oil.

There were many other times when either our waterline would freeze, or the sewer line would freeze, the shower, tub, you name it. Many hours were spent taking pipes apart, then cementing them back together, after one had to beg, borrow, or steal some parts from neighbors. When you order plumbing supplies, we usually ordered extras as someone would always need it, and we shared what we had, and others did the same.

I am hoping that mine can be fixed by the plumber tomorrow...or I shall be a dirty girl for the rest of the winter...and my tub will remain a toxic waste dump...Liquid Plumber...gasline antifreeze...the gook that is coming up out of the drain from tenants past and present...

Yeah, It's Cold

But we are gaining sunlight each day, in leaps and bounds. When I look at sunset and sunrise for December 22, the sun didn't rise until about 10:00am, and it was setting again at 3:00pm. Now we are at an 8:45am sunrise, and 4:48pm sunset, and gaining fast. It has only been about 6-7 weeks, and before you know it, we will have late night sunsets. I'd be happy if it stopped at about 10pm, and the sun didn't rise until about 8am...but that is wishful thinking. By the time June rolls around, we will be at about 20+ hours of daylight per day.

Today it was -30C when I left for work. No wind, so that is helpful, but it is still damn cold. Thankfully, I have remote start on the company van, and with it plugged in all night, things start right up and it's warmed up enough by the time I leave for work. Granted, I am barely in the van long enough for the seatbelt warning to go off...

So there you have it. The cold and dark days are behind me. Now it's just cold and the weather forecast doesn't have anything above -20C in the forecast...rats...

Partridge In A Dead Tree

If you look really closely, there are three snowy white partridges in this photo. I wish I had a better camera and then I would have had a great shot. They were on the road until I drove by and spooked them. The stand at the edge like insolent teenagers, hovering until the last moment, and that odd punk bird will even stay long enough to get hit. I nearly did so today. I think I saw about 12 or 13 of them today, along with a hawk, and some of those little birds that I hit so many of last year on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway.

The next photo is of me freezing my ass off, next to one of the road signs on the road to Fort Res. It was -21C and 4:24pm. The sun was still above the horizon...amazing how we have gained an hour and a half of sunlight to the afternoon already. The reflection looks cool...I had my camera resting on the hood for the timer, having left the tripod in the porch. I need to put it back in my car again.

The last is of the Buffalo River and bridge.

Lone Buffalo

I filmed this on the Fort Liard Highway, driving throught the Northwest Territories to Fort Resolution in December 2006.