Well THAT was fun...

There is one big difference with living in the North as compared to living in the South...you have a whole new appreciation for keeping yourself healthy.

I knew I had gall bladder problems. I saw the doctors and had the tests while in Toronto, and even had surgery scheduled for the datys just prior to Christmas Break. Well, Karma is a bitch and has a way of biting you in the rumpus, shall we say? I have been crabbing about my roommate's terrible eating habits and finally just gave up for a weekend of "sin". Didn't go so well. I got very little eaten before my gall bladder protested. Actually, it launched an all-out nuclear offensive against me. Guess who won the war?

I wound up being carried by Tim (my principal) and Stephen (my roommate) into the Health Unit on Sunday night. It took a double dose of Gravol and pain killers to even take the edge off. The next day, still vomiting and in major pain, I went back. This time, the sneaky gall bladder instituted germ warfare contrary to the Geneva Convention, and I wound up with an infection evidenced by climbing fever. At that point the Air Ambulance was called and I was whisked off to Winnipeg. Had surgery on Wednesday and came home Monday, feeling bloated from the abdominal gas that they use during surgery but EVER so much better otherwise.

So, a VERY good reason to be especially careful of your health when you are in remote parts, let alone in a major city.

Hope you're all well, and I will write again soon!

TTFN!

A few crazy northern tidbits...

I just had to share a few lingering thoughts...

Only in the north is there an official "Road to Nowhere". Don't believe me? Check out this map to Iqaluit. It's there on the left side, partway down from the top of the map. Somehow I knew I'd end up on the road to nowhere one day, LOL! I'll look it up when I am in Iqaluit Nov. 9th to 14th.
http://www.city.iqaluit.nu.ca/i18n/english/pdf/iqaluitmap.pdf

Only in the north does the arrival of the water truck create a flurry of activity. As soon as I hear the back-up lights and see them about to hook up, I run to start a bath and a load of laundry. Negative water usage, as far as my logic dictates! I still pay for water, but rather than risk running out I try to use it as the tank fills, resulting in a clean me and a still-full tank.

Only in the north do you eat food that ordinarily would get tossed out. It costs too much to be picky, so freezer-burned or patch of mold, just scrape it down and eat what is left.

Ony in the north do you get to enjoy all the pleasures of a sleazy motel without actually having to go to one. As the wind gently slams the house around, the mattress vibrates like the "add a quarter" shake-a-bed in a questionable dive. All the fun of an amusement park without the hassle of packing or crowds!

Only in the north do you get so excited about "banana day" at the stores. The anticipated arrival of the new, fresh, non-brown and mushy bananas can lead to a stampede.

Well, that's the north as I see it, for today anyhow.

TTFN!

The beautiful bay that I see every day...

And yes, I know that the heading rhymes, LOL! I am always enchanted by the many faces of the bay, officially (and politically incorrectly) named Eskimo Harbour. It changes colours with th wind, the ewetaher, the cloud patterns and the sky. It ranges from deepest blue to azure to turquoise to seafoam green to gray and silver, and every shade in between.

This view looks to the south-west, along River Road toward the Northern, the schools and the airport. In the far distance you can just about see the airport building at the top of the hill. The water here is brown from teh kelp at the shore, then slate blue-gray to green to seafoam colour.

This is one of the fishing boats pulled up to harbour. Check out the name: Aqsanik, or Northern Lights. And look at how blue the water is behind it. Darker near the shore and almost turquoise farther out. This view is to the west-southwest across the harbour.

Again, check out the different shades in the water. This view is west-northwest, directly across from me where I stood.





This view looks to the northwest and the water is even darker. Check out the different colours of rocks, too! The rocks here are black, gray, cream, pink, salmon, dark rose, and almost blue.

This view is as close to north as I could get without going for a swim...not a good plan with water so cold, LOL! The opening to the harbour is behind the hills to the east (right).

By the way, these pictures were all taken within about two minutes from start to finish so there is no change in weather or light. It's just the beautiful bay and all of its many colours.

And of note, the other day it was so windy that the waves were no longer washing onshore. The wind was pulling the waves off the shore and blowing them directly across the harbour. It looked like the way the sea rolls offshore and out, just before a tsunami washes in...kind of eerie! Wish I had thought to take a video!

Anyhow, off to warm up yummy turkey leftovers! I made some homemade cranberry sauce from the berries I picked a week or so back. It was delish!

TTFN!



My collection is growing...

One of the things that is so neat about the north is the variety of carvings that arrive with hopeful carvers upon our doorstep from time to time. Last year I bought just about anything at the start of the year. I have learned a lot and am a bit more, shall we say, discriminating now?

I took a few pics of some old and a couple of new acquisitions and I hope you enjoy them.

This is about half of my collection. The other half has been sent down south or

given as gifts to family.

My uppik (owl) is new but the oogrook (bearded seal) is last year's model.

The family of oogrookit is new. The weight is quite substantial with the base.

The nanuq (polar bear) is from Cape Dorset, last year. And in a strange coincidence, my bank password picture phrase (picked while I was in Waterloo) says "Nanook of the North in the frozen tundra"! Oh how prophetic that was, hmmm?

Both are last year's models, but I love them anyhow, including the inuksuks.

The eagle and drum dancer are both last year's. I have two inuksuks and a beluga on display in my showcase outside my classroom. The inuksuks were made by one of my students, and the beluga is a bit on the rough side so it hasn't yet earned a place of honour. I'm going to borrow Stephen's Dremel and try to fix it to placate my sense of proportion. If it works, I may try my hand at a carving or two myself! If it works, I'll also post the photo.

I use these as a lesson in Math on earning money through piecework, as well as cost vs hours of work. I also use some images in the text on a set of beluga whales that sold for $4,250. I'm in negotiation at the Co-op to buy a very similar set for...$100. I keep encouraging the kids to look into a business plan to develop a craft cooperative. We'll see. Maybe not while I'm here, but some day the lesson may sink in and encourage somebody to get things rolling.

Anyhow. first posting of the new month! Happy October, all!

TTFN!