Goodbye Silver, Hello Indigo

I turned in my leased Echo and inked the deal on my brand new 2006 Corolla...Indigo is her name. Ain't she purty? I am loving my sunroof and power windows in this hot weather. And I really like the keyless entry...now to move in...

Santa?

Twice now I have heard hooves in my driveway, clippity clopping...but when I look out the window, I see nothing. I am guessing the noise is from some big game animal, such as an elk, deer or moose, but I can't even find any tracks, and I don't hear anything crashing through the bushes, so it sounds like they just wander in the driveway and then leave. I wanna know!

No sign of the bear again...phew! Let's see what the weekend brings...

Sorry, We're Full...

Well, this was the scene at about 8:30pm tonight in the evening sun...sorry for the lack of clarity, but it was necessary to maintain some distance between me and the BEAR on my back step, rooting through my garbage...thanks to my lazy ass roomie...she was to bring the garbage to the dump today because we had a full bag and we're not to keep it outside because it attracts bears. It would appear that she did not follow that simple direction...anyhow...she'll hear it from me later when I tell her that the bear will probably have to be destroyed because of it...

I was sitting on the sofa, farting around on the net somehow, and had just seen the cats go after the squirrel on the window again, and then the squirrel took off. Moments later I heard something on the back step, figuring it was the squirrel rooting in the recycling...so I turned my head just to the right and lo and behold...that was a big fucking squirrel.

After I stopped shaking (come on, wouldn't you? I only shook for a few minutes) and calling my sister, and rapping on the door, shouting at the bear, I pounded again and banged on the window, and he got off the step, so I opened the door and grabbed the garbage can lid and pounded it on the railing, sending him running through the woods. Then I called wildlife management and reported the bear. There are a lot of kids around here, I would be so upset if one of them were hurt and I didn't report the bear. The land I'm on is fenced in across the back and both sides, but open facing the road, so he must have come in from that way somehow I reckon, or he climbed the fence. Not all of it is barbed wire. Anyhow, he's gone, but I hope they don't have to put him down...I'll probably never know. These are his teethmarks in my garbage can...

Sunday Drivers

We were out for a Sunday drive on Grey Mountain Road, and captured a few moments. Mount Sima is the ski hill in the distance, quite popular here, and something A. & I might be checking out this winter if she sticks around...

Hanging With Cool Cats

so the squirrel has become quite brazen, and has climbed into the birdfeeder that is suction cupped to my dining room window. Look at that, G...what a little bastard. However, if nothing else, he sure keeps the cats entertained...and when they are not squirrel watching, the boys are fighting...they are pretty evenly matched...and both have won their share of battles, lol.

You think you have a lot of time on your hands...

check out this guy. Here is a photo from his site. He has taken photos of this rabbit with different things set on top of his head. Clearly his rabbit is embarrassed to be placed in such a position. My friend C. from university sent me the link after sending me a sample. Hmmmm...heee hee!

Emerald Lake

I thought I had posted photos of this magnificent lake we stopped by a few weeks ago, but upon review I notice that I haven't. It's called Emerald Lake and one can find it on the way to Carcross, Yukon Territory.

wildflowers abound in the Yukon

Another lovely bouquet gathered by my daughter from the great northern outdoors. I'm not quite sure what these pod things are...we are keeping a close eye on those...perhaps someone/something will emerge...

Tahkini River Road

We started out with intentions for a walk on the Trans Canada Trail that goes near here, but A. was sidetracked by the wildlowers and discovered just how bad the mosquitoes were out there, so we decided to search the sideroads for some interesting wildflowers. She is out trimming them now, making me another wonderful bouquet. The weather is very warm at 26C this evening and and little wind. At one point when Amber was out for some flowers, she heard something crashing through the bush and flew back to the car, trying to pedal like Fred Flintstone...we didn't see anything, but it is pretty wild where we were, and bears are known to be in the area.

Test Drive

I took a VW Minibus out for a test drive today. My supervisor at work is selling theirs, so I went to take a look at it. It's a 1973 edition. I was serious about buying it but then I had a look at it and it is not in as good a condition as I had hoped. If I buy one, I want to be able to actually go somewhere and not have the door fall off. There might be a fix for it, but it would have to be creative. The bottom track has rusted away.

So I started it up anyway and took A. and my supervisor's daughter for a test drive. The steering is standard, which was stiff, but remeniscient of my youth...my father owned a plymouth colt that was standard steering, and I certainly strained my arms on it time and time again. The steering wheel is big though, like a bus. There is no air conditioning, which is what expected, but with the engine in the back, there shouldn't be as much heat. I found the one in the pic on eBay, in Montreal. From the look of THAT one, it is worth the flight out to drive it back. Much better shape. Our test drive was interesting...the bus just moved to the neighborhood as it's owners just bought a house there. So we introduced it to the neighbors...put-put-putting and backfiring all the way.

Why am I looking for one? I have wanted one my whole life, and to travel for months in it. So it is something I am keeping in mind and will look at them more often now, with the goal of working in the north long enough to get rid of my debt, then I plan to hit the road and see some of the world, possibly down into Mexico and beyond, depending on how the van runs.

Cubans In The Yukon

Last night after we left the local pub across from work (our version of Cheers) we headed down to Rotary Park to see a Cuban band the city brought in for our enjoyment. They were pretty good, but after a while, all the music began to sound the same. The energy was high though, and maybe I just wasn't drunk enough, heh heh...not like my friend L. When we left the pub to walk to Rotary Park she threw up three times...but that is just our little secret...

They had some vendors, both food and textiles, however nothing I felt I just HAD to have. The beer garden was busy, at $5/bottle of beer, coolers, etc. I had to meet A. at 10pm, so didn't bother. There was quite a few people there, with more coming all the time.

The totem pole was on the way, and that is miss L. gabbing on the phone to a friend, shortly after she threw up.

I've Been Stung

by a damn wasp. They seem to be all over us today...both A. and I took one off our body, along with the many other carcasses around the cabin. And she took the one off her and put it in a tissue, squeezed it and then flushed it, gagging the whole way to the toilet about the awful crunch. I had just been tossing them into the toilet as I figured they would sting me if I squeezed them...that is, until today.

Today was my day to shine. and get stung. I squeezed and he stung. can I just say OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH!

fucking wasp.

Yukon River Quest

T'was a cold and wet day, but nevertheless, the Quest must go on...Yukon River Quest that is. It is known as the longest annual canoe and kayak race in the world. And I was at the start line today when they began by running from the start line in downtown Whitehorse, just a block away from their canoes at the riverbank of the Yukon River. From there they left to paddle all the way to Dawson City where the race ends. There were even people designated to guard the kayaks, as shown here. I watched the last one head up/down river...it's weird because they are heading north, but with the river's current.

The Absent One

Here is Irelyn, A.'s cat she left behind with her friend S. A. hopes to get her shipped out sometime later this year when she finds out where she is going to settle down.

As The Stomach Turns

I mean, as the cat pukes...like Via did in the centre of my bed yesterday, shortly before company arrived... Anyhow, the point is there is still harmony amongst the cats, with Via spending a great deal of time with McGee, however not as much time as Stormy spends with McGee...A. is questioning their sexual orientation. They get rough sometimes, but usually when one squeals, the other will let go. Stormy rarely gets after Via now too, which is a relief. The boys won't keep on their nail caps though, the little bastards, however they do not damage anything with them, and they don't scratch one another with them...and rarely me. They love looking out the windows and my house is filled with them. I have 8 that they get in regularly to see what's going on outside. They aren't permitted outside, especially after A. paraded McGee out a few weeks ago and moments later a fox showed up...they love the birds and squirrels that are constantly out there in the feeders. Often the birds stay in the feeder while the cat is in that particular feeder, and it is attached to the house beside the window. I'll have to try to get a photo for that.

Nighttime can still be rowdy, but I sleep with my earplugs in most of the time now, as it is so very random when they choose to fuck around for 3 hours at 1 am on a work night. As long as they don't run over my face while I'm sleeping, I can usually sleep through it now. The blinders are working wonderfully as well, very natural except the velcro on the back strap hooks my hair, and often leaves knots in my hair by morning. Not a good scene with my curly frizz...it's like the other half of the velcro.

They all share litterboxes and food bowls and of course, the real social gathering spot, the water fountain. What pigs they are though, as they drop food into the water fountain so it clogs the filter that runs the water down the slide...along with cat fur, fake mice, water container rings, whatever!

more photos from our nature walk

they took longer than they should to upload...blogger has some glitches I reckon. However, here is a closer look at the wildflower bouquet, and the fence at one of the property lines.

Sunday Hiking To The Wire

A. and I went for a nature hike today on the property and could only go as far as the barbed wire fence, but it was about a kilometre I guess, return, over rough country. We saw tons of wildflowers, as shown here in the bouquet A. picked for me. There are many different vibrant colored flowers growing up all over there, and the trees are all in full leaf, bringing the dull forest to life! We also saw gopher holes all over as well...but no gophers. They may have left the area...

Bullet Biting

so I did it...I made a final decision on the car situation and started the process of buying a 2006 Toyota Corolla, shown here. They have a Special Edition that has some nice extras too, such as a "Dust and Pollen Deodorizing Air Filter", Power Windows with Driver Side Auto Down, Power Moonroof, Keyless Entry, and Power Door Locks. I am most excited about the moonroof and the power door locks and windows. I had the base model Echo, with only air comditioning for an upgrade. This one already has air. I should be driving this beauty by mid -late July. My lease is up next month, and I don't have to turn it in until the end of July...but I just KNOW that if my car is in (it is enroute) I WILL want to be driving it! My car payment goes up by about a hundred bucks, but for me it's worth it, as I will now begin OWNING my car. I think the major factor in helping me decide whether or not I want to buy my current lease out, or a new one was that my leased Echo was driven for 3 years in salty winters. They don't use salt on the roads up here AT ALL so cars do not tend to rust easy. My Echo already has some rust on the bottom due to the salt use on the east coast. So I thought if I am putting all this money down to own a car, I don't want to own a rusty one. I also REALLY wanted the upgrades I couldn't afford when I first graduated, and can afford now.

So when I get it, I shall post a photo here, for sure, with me in it, hopefully!

Not In My Backyard

wasps...huge ones. And then A. found this nest today. It's only tiny so I know there is more...this is the nest of a wasp/hornet...something with a big ass. They are in the house all the time, but haven't stung us thus far...fattening us up first I reckon.

Of course, the cats chase them all day. And the carcasses, oh the carcasses. A. rolled around in bed all night with one without realizing it...gross. I don't know what kills them so quick, unless it is being separated from the nest? Who knows...

another lovely sunset tonight...moments ago.

Short Nights and Long Days

I haven't written recently about the whole sunlight thing we experience here in the Yukon. Yesterday was the longest day of the year, with sunset happening at 11:36pm, and sunrise at 4:27am. With such short hours between dusk and dawn, it is light all night long, just not sunny, although the sun is often up when I go to bed. I've been surviving quite well with just a sleep mask and some earplugs. The sleep mask I bought on eBay, and blocks out all light very well. I need earplugs because the resident felines, all three of them, do not always recognize bedtime anymore since it is so very light out and fuck around half the night. The earplugs appear to be working well as the crap they knock over in the night as they prance along the loft rails and fly up and down the stairs, as well as up and over any piece of furniture, including my bed, certainly makes tons of noise. At first I tried to sleep without earplugs since McGee got here in early May, but that proved to be simply aggravating, and getting up to curse at the cats at 2am was not popular with my roomie...speaking of which...

my home has become a college dorm. There is clothes from one end of it to the other, piled in the bathroom, stairs, dining room table, you name it...everywhere. The house is messy and chores often go undone...not mine, mind you, but my roomie aka my adult daughter has been slacking in pulling her end of the bargain. I won't disgust you with the rest of the grimey details but suffice it to say, management is unhappy about it.

So summer has been and gone. Remember that warm spell we had over a week ago, lasted nearly 2 weeks with temps up to 25-30C each day? Well, apparently THAT was summer. It hasn't cracked above 20C since, often dipping down to 3-5C at night...it would be even colder if the sun went completely down, I reckon. Roomie even felt the need to turn the oil monitor heater on yesterday morning when she showered. Then again, she is always cold...I weather it quite well as most of my friends and co-workers know by now.

There is a longest days street fair at this time of year too, so we hope to go check that out this weekend. It goes on for a month until July 21st.

The mosquitoes are as bad as people say they are, but no worse than anywhere I've lived. They seem to LOVE Amber and have her bitten to pieces in minutes. I have gotten bit just once or twice maybe. Our real problem in the house though is WASPS! We have two or three live ones in at any given time, and will find dead ones daily, often 6-10. The cats go nuts after them and I have given up trying to trap them and set them outside. No one has been stung yet, thankfully, but I am sure it is just a matter of time...we are not sure where they are coming from, and have checked around for a nest, but no sign yet. Oh, and they are HUGE. Upon scouring the net for photos...they may even be hornets as they look more like a bumble bee, but not quite as fat. Ick.

And if you thought Cape Breton saw tons of campers...come to the Yukon where 70% of what I see on the road now is campers. Hell, you can't swing a cat without hitting one (not that I would...of course). Anytime I get into my car, it is mere seconds before seeing one, 5, 20 campers...I am referring to of course, RV's, motorhomes, truck towed campers, etc. Wal-Mart parking lot has become a maze of them, ick.