Fizz, Pop, Squeal!

That's what my television sounded like yesterday before A. pulled the plug on it. Damn. That tv is friggin heavy to get repaired. Thankfully it is STILL UNDER WARRANTY! I bought it in 2001 and made the decision at the time to purchase the extended warranty...GREAT! I have already had it in for repairs once that cost about $270 so I have already made the warranty well worth it. And my warranty doesn't run out until NEXT December. All I need to do now though it find a repair shop, and get an estimate to fax to Future Shop. They will decide then whether or not it's feasible to repair or they will either refund me my money, or send me a new television. GREAT! So for now, we shall have to settle for the 14 inch from my bedroom...I have to unhook all that shit first though and move it all around...arrrrggghhhh...

Last night I decided I wasn't interested enough in sattelite to bother, so just watched Will and Grace on my laptop instead, and laughed my head off.

So the guy on the phone for Future Shop customer service was telling me about a fella from Inuvik who purchased an in-home extended warranty which means they will come and pick up your electronics so you don't have to lug them around for repair...handy when you buy one of those big ass screen televisions that take 4 people to move...however once Future Shop discovered where this fella was, they gave him his money back instead considering the nearest Future Shop is in Edmonton, a few THOUSAND kilometres away...apparently they shouldn't have sold him the in-home warranty...duh.

Flowers and Fireweed

One of my garden plants finally flowered and it's a beauty. As well, the fireweed appears to turn colors when touched by frost similar to the maple leaf - red, orange, yellow. I can't wait to see a huge patch of it on the mountains...I think a drive in the country is in order this weekend...this photo is from my back yard.

First Annual Cardboard Boat Race

I saw the notice in the paper for this event, although did not happen to notice anything stating it was an event sponsored by the Latter Day Saints...I found that out when one of the "elders" who was all of 25 and dressed in a shirt and tie (at a boat race!!) came over to my car and I could see his nametag and who he represented...whatever...it was cute and the kids seemed to enjoy it. There was a prayer before it all began, though but thankfully I couldn't hear it. I was surprised that all of the boats actually floated quite well. Only one tipped over, and the rest made it, some more easily than others. The long canoe/boat shaped ones did much better than the squared ones, and some of the youth knew what they were doing and how to paddle, so had better results.

Nap Time Awaits...

The new sofa has made it safely home, thanks to a friend at work (Thanks J.!). We made a few small adjustments to the furniture arrangement and now I shall see how napworthy it is...

Sofas and Grizzly Bears

Well, I bought a new sofa today.

It's made of microfibre, just like my small sofa I bought last summer (ok, it's a loveseat) and in similar neutral tones, it should fit right in. The cushions don't come off either...interesting, but yet the seat is foam, with springs under it. I can't wait to curl up on it tomorrow night after I have it delivered!

And then we watched Grizzly Man...or part of it. After The Ghost and the Darkness, it was the second most disturbing film I've seen...disturbing in that I don't wanna go outside in this neck of the woods again!!! Scared the bejesus outta me. I shall have nightmares tonight, as will A. Who knows what might scream in the night...

Rainbow City

Because we seem to get our fair share of rain showers, we see many rainbows...this one was taken earlier this week on my commute to work.

Flower Power

My sunflower has finally opened up after 3 months in the dirt...it has grown quite tall as well, must be about 5 feet high. The flower boxes are doing well for the most part, however frost is imminent so I think my garden is on it last days before the frost nips it all and things begin to turn black. It is only 2C this morning, so I had to turn the heater on. Not ready for the wood stove just yet, but I do have to figure out if I am going to buy any wood...might spring for a half cord to get me through to November, and then I should know where my future lies.

Yukon Life

A random snapshot of life in the Yukon...

• It is August and I had to scrape my windshield already...beads of ice on my windshield and back window this morning
• I saw several intoxicated people in the last 24 hours...one was riding a bike in the bike lane, going in the opposite direction...she stumbled and nearly fell into traffic; then there was the couple that I saw in the grocery store...the supervisor was politely telling them that she thought they were too drunk to serve, and asked that they come back another time...saw a bunch of the usuals down by the river as well...interesting location for the liquor store, directly across from the riverfront...as they fish body number four out of the Yukon River this week...haven't heard whyfor this time...
• from frost to summer...it was 19C this afternoon when I got home from work
• along with the corn plants A. brought home to me, were some tag-a-long centipedes...infested...hence the recent nip McGee received when curiously sniffing one this week...so they have been turfed outside...thankfully she didn't spend much on them, as they were discounted
• the camper situation has not yet thinned out...they are everywhere, like ants
• 'tis a long weekend this week, YAHOO! Discovery Day in the Yukon...and I am stuck here...A. has to work after all, so I will hang about the house...perhaps get a project or two accomplished...
• the nights are dark at last...here it is 11:30pm and the stars are out...summer is over...sigh

OOH Baby It Hurts So Good

I contacted all of my student loan companies today (plural because I moved during my degrees and they changed the student loan program if you remember) and increased my payments...doubling or tripling them, which was both scary as hell, and uplifting to know I could actually afford to do it now, after all these years! It will still be a couple of years, but that is much better than the 10 years I had in front of me if I had stayed on the east coast.

So I realize now I cannot take a job in northern BC just yet, as I am too determined to get rid of this student loan debt sooner rather than later. It always seemed so impossible, but now I am finally in a position to really nail down the debt. I had only been doing that with one of my loans, but now I have increased all of them - yikes! breathe, breathe...

Debtfree is a possibility...

The Job Hunt Continues

So I had this job interview...it went well enough I reckon even if the interview questions were a little strange. They didn't ask me anything about myself...they were all social work questions related specifically to the job. Hmmmmmm...whatever...the money isn't as much as here so they will be my last choice I think, and I don't want the position they interviewed me for anyhow...the jurisdiction covers my sister's town, which would not be something I want to do, as she knows everybody there.

Last night I applied for a few more jobs...see what I am able to hook from them. So far no other calls, but often with government positions, they just take their sweet old time even reviewing resumes.

Stay tuned...

Hump Day And All That It Holds

Well, today is Wednesday, aka hump day. I have a job interview this afternoon for a job I don't really want because the pay is so much lower than here. The location is good, as it would put me closer to my sister in northern BC, but I don't know if I'm ready to give up the big bucks I can make in the north...I still have a lot of student loan debt, so...

nearly got run over again today...damned Yukon drivers...some guy pulled out in front of me, so I had to naturally slow down to pull in behind him...arsehole behind me didn't agree, so passed us both on the shoulder, with rocks and dust flying everywhere. What an idiot. He's lucky he didn't smash my windshield, because I did get his license plate number...

sigh...I am so tired of complaining and listening to myself complain...apparently my roomie is too...so I went outside when I came home and sat in the woods with my 'puter instead...I'm more tired of things being crappy, leading to the need to complain...ick...sigh...whatever...

Monday Hoofing

A. got up this morning to find a deer in the yard...she must have been vibrating as all the photos are somewhat blurry, lol. This was the clearest in the bunch, sorry for the quality. She had a wonderful one with the deer in the fireweed, but it is too blurry. I'll post them anyhow...just for the hell of it.

Hanging Out At Home

Via finally got her chance to watch the birds when the boys were sleeping. She was quite interested, as you can see. This is a shot of my cabin in the woods...heh heh...actually is a trinket I picked up in Dawson City...

Smithers Anyone?

Got a call for my first job interview yesterday for a job in northern BC, just a short distance from where my sis lives. The money is significantly less, although still more than what I made back on the east coast. I checked out housing rentals online and they're cheap enough. Now I need to see what I am really left with after taxes here in the Yukon and compare to what I would have in the BC job...it might not be much as I'm certain I am in a higher tax bracket up here, so would pay more taxes. The interview is scheduled for next week...will keep y'all posted...

and so it begins...

More photos

Blogger is being difficult and wouldn't post these last three photos in the last post...stupid program...

White Pass Route

A few photos we took as we emerged from the clouds and could see mountain tops again! And crossed the US/Canada border. Customs was fun, a little intrusive like getting an enema...all for $9 in GST...it was all quite ridiculous...some newbie power tripping youngster pawing through our purchases like we were criminals...sorry to disappoint, we only bought postcards and t-shirts...and a ring from some foreign idiot in Skagway who told us (and we stupidly listened) that we would not have to pay duty on it because we were permitted to take back $800 worth of goods...clearly I did not have my brain on right when I listened to such drivel...but then I can't imagine that he completes the same apparently painstaking task of having people root around in their car for all of their purchases and receipts, drag them into the customs building where dumbass itemized a list in triplicate of every single thing we bought, and then hauled out one of those old fashioned carbon credit card gadgets so I could pay the 9 bucks. While we were in there, dozens of cars were waved through and I can't imagine none of them spent a nickel in Skagway...they probably just lied, which is certainly what I feel like doing the next time to avoid the violation of my privacy...it just really irked me to see this pubescent power tripper pawing through my belongings as if I was some criminal...and I have to say, I did not know that you couldn't bring ANYTHING back from the US duty free unless you have stayed 24 hours(and even then it is only $50...stupid me...I thought we had free trade with the US...apparently not....

So after an hour at customs, we were on our way...and glad to get back home...after a fun and interesting day in Skagway, it was just irritating to have it end on such a sour note...Customs sucks. And just why do they need to know where A. works, who bought the car, who owns the car, who is the car registered to, where I work, and he asked for my ID four times...what a dumbass...I was quite irritated by the time we left, as you can imagine.

Downtown Skagway

A. is posing in front of the snow plow, while I am hanging off of some guy who came to Skagway on his way to the gold rush...and then you have the Red Onion Saloon I mentioned earlier.

The Magic Of Mushrooms

These are known as
amenita muscaria aka fly agaric and is quite hallucinogenic, as well as poisonous in larger quantities...these were growing in the woods where we hiked today and A. thinks she saw a guy picking them along the way...

South To Alaska

Who knew we would be living where one would travel south to reach Alaska...today we drove to Skagway, Alaska. We missed out on some of the best scenery because of very low lying clouds (we drove through them), however we were still left in awe of what we were able to see along the way.

We did some shopping, and had lunch at The Red Onion, a former brothel...but missed the tour, so didn't get to see the floor where the ladies worked...oh well...the servers were all in costume, and there was a piano player, singing out tunes...the food was pretty good, and generous portions. After lunch we did a bit more shopping and took some photos around town, before heading out for a short hike to the ocean shore - Smugglers Cove...where we found the interesting mushrooms in the next post.

And Just When I Thought I Was Finished Unpacking...

I was informed yesterday that they are not renewing my term...not a huge surprise, but still throws ya a little. When they hired me they did tell me it was a pilot position for Intake, and if they could justify needing it, they might get funding continued for it for another year...that didn't happen and they cut the budget by two staff, so there may be an axe falling on someone else as well, but I don't know who.

In any event, I am now on the hunt for another job. It would be great to get another in the Yukon, and there is a possibility in youth probation (AGAIN) and this time I have confirmation that there are two positions...so I might be able to stay...I do not relish the thought of moving yet AGAIN. I have only just put up the last of my things...

However, should I have to move, YTG is beholden to pay for it, wherever it may be in Canada, as long as it's no farther than from where I left (NS). So now I need to pick a spot on the map and apply for jobs there...I have already applied for 3, and will get on it more again today. I don't want to take a cut in pay just yet, so I might be limited to northern Alberta and NWT. I don't have any desire at this time to work in Nunavut...for me, northern Alberta is calling. I haven't lived on the prairies yet, having been in most other elements, so that would be different, and handy to both my sis in BC and A. if she does move to Edmonton or Calgary. I could do city social work, and look for a rental outside Edmonton or Calgary, but I'm not just sure yet...will keep looking among the posts and see what comes up. I would love to live in southern BC, but the reality is, I can't make enough money to live there with the way their housing market is. Whatever...all I know is that by Christmas I shall be employed elsewhere...location TBA.

I am hoping to stay here....A. is hoping I will move to Edmonton or Calgary (cause she can move with me) and K. is hoping I will move closer to her in BC...it will depend on if there are ANY job offers...the alternative is EI which would be top dollar, but still loads less than I make now...decisions, decisions...