Move News

So I haven't written much lately - been busy and uninspired again...and I just want to get the move overwith. The movers arrive tomorrow to pack, and come back on Friday to load. I have to stay home to monitor or they will pack shit I don't want them to pack. It doesn't help to label things either...they're kind of like Canada Post that way when you mark FRAGILE on a parcel, they do their best to stomp on it.

My last full day of work is today...I'll probably go back in on Friday too, after the movers load and leave. There is some sort of going away party being planned by the office complex folks (I share a building with several other agencies) along with a lunch tomorrow with my fellow employees (who work with the same agency I do) and they promised to serve something other than fish this time...

Friday night will be spent finishing up the cleaning and then I'm outta here Saturday morning.

Slowing things down is this rotten cold I have developed...it started on Sunday and is getting progressively worse. My sore throat has now developed into a cough...and I am choking in bed at night on what is in my throat...ick

Kitties are "helping" me...Stormy looks his usually worried self - where the hell is she going now and are we going too? Henry just likes to chew on anything I put down, crawls into boxes and bags and takes things out that I just put there.

So that's the latest...today will be busy at work as I wrap up some last minute casework, and clear out my office.

Lifting Guilt

Well, heard yesterday that they hired someone for the second social worker position here...just in time for me to leave. She won't arrive for a few weeks so I will be gone when she gets here. We had a long chat on the phone and she sounds very promising. Now my guilt about leaving the community without a social worker is lifting...phew.

She's coming out of a very northern community, so this will be nothing new and likely quite a bit warmer. The community members have been very good at telling me they will miss me, and that they think I was the best social worker they've had...awww...so I hope they give her as warm a welcome when she gets here.

Now I can continue with my own plans and shake off the rest of the guilt...

Countdown Is ON

Well, I leave Res in less than 2 weeks. Yes, 2 weeks. Holy shit. I have so much to do, so little time! Found a reminder of why the move will be good when I was in Hay River on Thursday. Was considering some bacon for the weekend until I saw the price...that's JM Schneider's bacon at $9.19...he must be surely rolling in his grave. Ift it's this much just north of Alberta, how much is it in places like Colville Lake, or Holman? Sheesh...

I have to call and book the movers today, and start wrapping up my local work...lots to do there. I have a newsletter to put out by next week, my boss is back next week so have to get things organized to go over with her since there is no new social worker hired yet for here. I have to finish sorting out what to take in the car with me, and what to leave for the movers to pack. I have to find out if the movers will come here and pack...I dread the thought of having to pack all this shit myself.

Then there is the whole matter of finding an apartment....have applied at several places, and hope to get into one by December 1st, if not before. I have to prepare the outdoor stuff for moving - empty the planters, shove it all in the shed, and decide what is staying behind. More sorting to do, still want to take a run to the dump with some stuff. Meant to take the recycling to Hay River last week and completely forgot! I have bags and bags of the stuff...might end up donating it to someone yet...I wish someone would take it here.

Once I arrive in Yellowknife (aka YK) I will be there just a few days before heading to Whitehorse for a conference and a visit with my girl! Just get back from that and I have to head to Edmonton to see a specialist, hopefully just for a day as I do have to actually start my new job too (Nov 5th). Busy, busy, busy!

On The Move Again

I FINALLY heard from the job yesterday and they offered me the position, as a permanent employee, and I start in about 3 weeks. Yes. 3 weeks. Holy shit, I have to move quickly. I'm quite excited about the job and happen to be having lunch with our manager today, my soon to be supervisor so we will be gabbing about the job I'm sure. There is still an appeal period as there is for all jobs in the north, but I am hopeful that no one will win an appeal against me getting the job. (priority 1 and 2 candidates can appeal if they are not offered the job - P1 is aboriginal/inuit, and P2 is born in NWT)

I am very glad to be putting child protection investigations and casework behind me to do some more positive stuff. I am sad about leaving behind all my community development work though...so hoping to find folks to take some of the projects over. I've already found someone to take over the video project - the local college has taken it on as a term project. Now if I can unload the newsletter, the craft club, and organize the groups to be run by others, I'll be all set...

I'm having a hard time being super elated about the job though as there is some serious stuff going on my family right now with my dad's health, and it is difficult to be so far away and unable to help much. I won't say much here but if any of my friends would like to email me privately, they know how to get in touch.

I'm in Yellowknife for the day to attend a training session with the department's lawyer. I brought my knitting...

No News

Nope, no news on the job front. Starting to doubt that I was successful...which comes with it's own complications. I had said I was fine just staying here and keeping the current job...however I'm not as sure about that. I can DO the job, but I am becoming less and less enamored with this community and its plethora of social issues. More like overwhelmed by how many issues there are and my inability to have much impact on such long-standing problems. Part of me wants to run for the hills, while the other part of me wants to jump right in. It ain't easy being here alone. If there was just another social worker in the second position...oh the change we could affect...

Sigh...the wait continues...

Driving Home

Sunny and 15C today...nice for the drive home. I saw a bunch of buffalo, a bear, and a ptarmigan.

Conference Weekend Highlights (and lows...)

Rather than drone on about too much, here are the highlights from the weekend, and lowlights you might say...

• they gave me the wrong room when I got here on Thursday night, however they did give me a room like the one I booked the following day. Nice room, kitchenette, sofa, table, desk, and working internet, along the usual parts - tv, dresser, bed, etc...
• the multicultural night was interesting...started great with the Moonlight Drum Dancers from Paulatuk, which were very cool to watch, including this little guy who was very familiar with the music. I love the rhythm of the drums...then some really cute little highland dancers, and then there was something trying to pass for a Celtic quartet...picture the Mamas and the Papas and then change their voices to Rita McNeil on acid, and after that I couldn't hear anymore...I was hoping for something from the Dogrib and Dene, but not this time...the Filipino coconut dancers were funny to watch.
• friends and I ate out at Boston Pizza last night...our waitress ignored us most of the night - she took orders and brought food for three tables that came in after us before she even came to take our order...she brought us drinks and then ignored us, and forgot to bring our parts of our orders at times...bitch. She didn't get a tip.
• the engine light came on in my car...ruh-roh...I have to check with a local dealer to find out who does Toyota warranty work
• the conference is interesting so far...the last session of the day was quite powerful. Have met some great people so far...nice networking opportunity, and I learned great deal about women in Dogrib culture, particularly their coming of age rituals.
• the weather has been pretty mild, which is nice with so many people walking back and forth to the conference. I remember being here last November for core training and we had to trudge through snowbanks in freezing windy weather. This is better...
• took two of the youth from Res out today for some shopping at lunchtime...we also went through Mc Donalds...after one of them tells me he had 2 double big macs last night...growing boys! Was totally unimpressed at how the same cashier at crappy tire treated these aboriginal youth after serving me, thinking we were not together. I stood and watched her be quite rude and abrupt with them, when she was all kittens and rainbows with me...another bitch. the kids I was with were good boys, and didn't look like thugs.
• went out for supper tonight with friends at a nice restaurant, and while the waitress was very nice and attentive tonight, the order machine jammed and our orders were ridiculously long coming out. We didn't mind too much for a while as we sat and chatted over drinks...then we got hungry....once it came though, it was delicious!mmmm steak...went back to one of my friend's places for pie and chatter and had my cards read - good cards tonight, always a good sign. Loads of good laughs, and now an inside joke about girl's days (from back in Cape Breton - those who came know what it is).
• saw someone get arrested outside my hotel on Thursday night...and again last night when I went for a drive. ahhhh, city life...
• I bought 2 cds today - the best of Santana and Pink Floyd's The Wall. Sometimes I just like owning the music in its best form...downloads are often crap
• the boys (kitties) are settled happily at K.'s for the weekend. Miss them at bedtime!
• I am enjoying the socializing...getting a good fix before heading back to isolation...I miss my friend I. who is bodysurfing today in New Zealand...I am envious...
• turkey dinner tomorrow at the banquet...yummm...Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Buffalo and The Mackenzie River

There are buffalo all over the highway from Fort Providence to Rae-Edzo. They aren't aggressive, just big animals you have to respect and give them the road...the water you see is the Mackenzie River.

Shovelling Snow

Ok, I moved to the north to get away from the snow (it isn't as wild as it sounds - it's usually too cold to snow) but this is late September and I have already shovelled twice today - wet, heavy snow...it is rather pretty...there wasn't any wind with it, so it fell straight down for the most part, as you can see from the photo. I don't know if this is going to stay...hard to say. If so, I might have to consider putting away my patio furniture...

Pride Goes Before A Fall

Drove my good friend I. to Hay River today to catch a flight tonight to YK. She heads to Edmonton in the morning, bound for New Zealand for a month...I'm insanely jealous...I may have mentioned that before...

It was a little snowy on the road in. This is later today. It was actually a LOT FUCKING SNOWY on the way in...not the worst I had driven in, but certainly nasty. So I took my time on the dirt portion, which is about 50-60kms or so, and drove just 60kms. Then we hit the pavement and things were somewhat better, as it had been plowed, but still lotsa slush on the road, swishing under my car and tires. Things improved the closer we got to Hay River, and then about 8 kms before HR...I either was going a little too fast, or hit a clump of slush in the snow rut, either way...we spun around a couple of times and then flew into the ditch on the other side of the road, facing the opposite direction. Thankfully it was a soft landing and no one was hurt. It could have been so very much worse - we could have hit another car coming in the other direction, we could have landed in one of the MANY roadside ponds such as the one pictured here, or flew off into one of the many rivers and brooks we cross, or flipped the car and ended up seriously injured.

The guy who was not far behind me pulled over and offered to help. We first tried to drive it out, but the grass was slick under the snow and there was no traction. Then another driver stopped (unlike the MANY who whizzed by, slowing only to rubberneck) and they hooked my car to the first guy's truck and we were out in a few minutes. Everyone left, and I tried to turn the car around...and had some difficulty in doing so.

There is some kind of mud flap/plastic protector behind the front wheel that somehow parted from the car and got snow behind it, and because it was closed in at the bottom (by design) the snow was trapped inside, puffing it out right up against my front tire, making it very difficult to turn. The plow driver came up behind us while I was out sizing it up, and helped get some snow out, but it turned out my hand was the only one small enough to get at it, so I scooped some out, and we limped the last few kms into town to the car wash where I was able to get the rest out and the plastic slipped mostly back into place.

While I was rooting out the snow, my friend ordered up some food for herself, as she was catching a flight in about an hour; we picked that up, then dropped her off and I set about trying to take off the hubcaps as they were packed tightly with snow, and I didn't want them on at all. Couldn't figure THAT out at all, and nothing in the owner's manual, so headed to Kal-Tire to ask the stupid question - do you know how these hubcaps come off? I wasn't a total idiot, I did try to take the nuts off in case they were like the ones on my work van - fake kind of nuts nthat hold the hubs on and then real bolts underneath...I didn't have fake nuts. Turns out I have aluminum allow wheels that do not have hubcaps and I am stuck with the snow jammed into them...dammit. I headed to the grocery store to pick up what I needed, grabbed a pizza, wolfed that down in the car. Met up with a local from Res who did exactly the same thing I did, only she nearly hit the plow driver that stopped to help me out. I then decided I wanted to get back on the road while it was still daylight and I was off again...

The return journey was nowhere near as terrible. The first 60+ kms were clear and mostly dry, having been plowed and melted off. The next bit was slushier, so had to slow down again, and the dirt was ok, having also been plowed...just messy. It still took me 2.5 hours (usually is only 1.25 hours) but I didn't go off the road, and am home safe and sound. I saw about 14-15 places where others had landed in the ditch as well...not a good day on the road. I should have slowed the hell down...

Winter Has ARRIVED

Make no mistake about it - winter has arrived in the territory...and it is still snowing heavily. Wouldn't you know it, I am due to drive to Hay River this afternoon, a 155km drive (one way) in which about 50kms of it is dirt road...not gravel, slimy clay and dirt. Good thing I'm an excellent driver (rainman). Nothing to be afraid of for this down east gal...been through MORE than my share of blizzard conditions for driving, and made it safe and sound. The key is simple:

SLOW THE FUCK DOWN. Which of course, I always do...(in snow)

Northern Shopping

I was invited to a university friend's wedding this fall and had originally hoped to make it, however things happen, and I won't be there this Saturday. I still had all the paperwork involved in a wedding invite these days though (wedding announcement, shower invitation {and inserts}, and wedding invitation {and inserts} so checked out where they were registered to see if I could possibly buy them something online, since I don't really have anywhere but online to shop, and I managed to fart around long enough that I don't have time to get them anything before the wedding now anyhow...

Sure enough, they were registered at three places - Direct Buy, Linens-N-Things and Canadian Tire. Of course, because I had farted around so long, most of the gifts had been bought, so I was only able to buy them a moist heating pad...it was either that or garden tools such as a shovel or rake...

However, I was able to buy it, request it be gift wrapped, and specify what I wanted on the gift card, and then pay just $6.99 to have it shipped to them...I couldn't get it to them from here for even twice that. Cool. So now the gift is on the way, and I have only the belated shower stuff to send back (my favorite recipe and favorite memory of the bride) in the enclosed stamped envelope. How easy is that? Works for my lazy ass, that's for sure.

I do regret that I couldn't make it to her wedding, not just for the wedding, but to see her for the first time in nearly 5 years, along with all the other folks I miss in Waterloo...sigh...one of these years, I shall make my cross country trek...

Job Update

Well, completed the written portion of the interview on Monday night, and now I have an oral interview scheduled for Friday afternoon at 1:00pm with the panel of 3. In case you haven't been paying attention, or been to my blog recently...I applied for a Foster Care & Adoptions Social Worker position in Yellowknife. Let's hear it for fingers crossed and positive vibes for me!

The Latest Northern Notes

I've been neglecting my blog for most of the summer, posting only when I have some photos, and I've run out of things to photograph at the moment.

The job in Yellowknife is starting to look like it might happen. I can't say much about how I know but an interview is coming up soon enough, and if I am the successful candidate, they are looking for that person to start in mid-October. Yes, mid-October, as in 3 weeks from now. So that scares the hell out of me...I had been thinking that if I got the job, I wouldn't go until January, given that my contract here is not up until mid-November. My reason for that was that I am planning to go to Whitehorse for Christmas with my daughter, and I want to drive. The ferry across the Mackenzie usually gets pulled in mid December and the ice road is put down about the same time, depending on cold weather conditions, and if I was in Yellowknife, I might not be able to get out. Local folks tell me it is always iffy as to whether or not people will be able to drive out at Christmas, and if they do, whether or not they can get back, or will have to wait until the ice road is ready.

So...if I get the job, I might be looking at flying to Whitehorse, because I AM GOING, one way or the other. Which is fine, now that I have given it more thought. It is a hell of a long drive from Yellowknife to Whitehorse, more than 2 days driving each way, and I might be doing it alone, so would spend a lot of time in the car, and less with my daughter. If I fly, it's just 4 hours in the air each way. The drawback is the price of airfare. One would think it would be cheap to fly between the two territorial cities...it isn't. If I fly through Edmonton, it is outrageous - over $2,000...if I fly direct via Fort Simpson, it is still $800, which is more than I paid to go back east this summer...crazy, eh?

What really has me in a panic is MOVING. I know, you would think that a nomad like me would be used to it by now. Sure I have it down to a science, but it doesn't make it any more pleasant, or less exhausting. The agency will pay for the move, and will send out guys to pack...though they resemble thugs more than movers...however they unloaded me just fine when I arrived here. I just hate having to cram everything into my car that I'll need until I find my own place, cleaning the trailer after they go, and then the enormous chore of unpacking once I find a place to live. In the spirit of being proactive, I have been sorting and sifting through my junk all weekend and have managed to clear out a TON of it. Mostly paper and little bitty things that find their way into drawers, boxes, baskets, bags, and totes...you know the stuff...like old key chains, assignments from university, old greeting cards, notebooks with 20 good pages left...GAWD, what an effing mess of JUNK. So I was rather merciless when turfing this weekend because I REFUSE to move this junk yet AGAIN. I don't even know how it got this far in the first place...What I do know is that it isn't going anywhere else but the dump.

Even though I don't have the job yet, I have begun to look for housing in YK, and my friend K. sent me the website for one management company that I think I'll apply with sooner rather than later. Going back to apartment living will be interesting...haven't been in one of those since 1999 when I moved off campus...however I hope to find a nice 2 bedroom for about $1000/month (heat and hot water included, hydro extra). My friend C. has graciously offered for me to come and stay with her once I arrive until I am able to find a place and my stuff shows up. So that's comforting...I was not looking forward to more hotel living...it was nasty when I did it in Whitehorse, and downright awful when I did it here - no phone, one room, no control over the heat (stinking hot) and tiny. With two cats.

I think it will all come together in the end, as it usually does...I just wasn't expecting to have to consider moving this early, so now the push is on to sort it all out. IF I GET THE JOB, that is. Don't want to jinx it. There is more to the whole issue than I can write about (nothing bad, just more to consider) so if you want to know, just email me (friends who have my email).

Ok, time to relax...have been busy most of the weekend, sorting and clearing out, and even cleaned my car out this afternoon - what a dustbowl...

Vancouver, 2725kms

I think if I saw this sign on my way to Vancouver, I would simply turn around and go home...I saw this on my way from Fort Simpson earlier this month...

Snow

It snowed on Saturday. And again on Monday. Ick. The last day of summer has not yet arrived (September 23 is the first day of autumn) and we've already had snow more than once. Of course the ground is not yet frozen, so you only see it fall, and it melts instantly on the still warm ground. Locals have tried to scare me by saying it's going to be a hard winter...we'll see about that. Last winter wasn't any big deal...no storms, not much snow, no long cold snaps...what more can you ask for?

Let's hope since I have a fair bit of driving to do in December and January...I'm heading to the Yukon to see my gal for Christmas, and intend on swinging into northern BC to visit my sis and her family. Not that I haven't already driven in most any kind of winter weather...and survived.

We had a rash of deaths this past few weeks. Four funerals since last Monday...and the 2006 census numbers us at 485...and now we are short another four. The superstitious ones thought after so many deaths last year, it was due to the town council taking down the fence around the graveyard (to replace)...we have a brand new one, finished last month...and still had a rash of deaths. The reality is, people get sick, people die. All died of health reasons, no accidents (this recent group). Otherwise I might get suspicious myself...

There hasn't been much to photograph that I haven't captured already...perhaps on my journey to YK in early October. I'm going up for a conference, and have also been enlisted to cook the turkey at K.'s or C.'s place. This time if I hit a ptarmigan, it might come with me to go into the pot...JOKING. I don't like ptarmigan...

I'm signing on for another year here, and if I am successful in the YK job, will simply resign this position and take the transfer. They are willing to pay for my move again, phew. And if I do not get the YK job, I'll hang around here for another year, and see what 2008 brings.

Roadside Pond

apologies all around for lack of posting...been busy/lazy/uninspired...but here I am again with some photos from my drive to Hay River yesterday. One of them is different from the others - see if you can tell which one and why...

Sambaa Deh Falls

Inukshuk

In case you are unaware, these are inukshuk. I came across them at Trout River, next to the Sambaa Deh Falls.

Water Water Everywhere

One of the tourist routes in the NWT is known as the Waterfalls Route, for good reason. Several stunning waterfalls are along the way, easily accessible on foot. I've been to most of them now, but the one elusive one is Virginia falls, and I must take a small plane or helicopter to get there. Here are several photos from Sambaa Deh Falls, and Coral Falls on the Trout River. The river has eaten away at the riverbank over the years, and now it's quite overhung, so they put signs up to keep the dumb asses from falling into the river...it is bound to happen regardless of the signage.