Spring?

Could it be?

I'm not certain and I certainly do not want to jinx anything so I will knock on wood immediately.   But...... I think that Spring might be here. 

Some of the traditional tell tale signs are here - the snow is melting, puddles are taking over our tiny town, people are out and about with lighter jackets on and big smiles on their face and of course - NHL play off talk is a main topic of conversation.

Some of the traditional Northern signs are here too -  4 wheelers are out numbering ski doos.  I suppose the exposed dirt roads likely have something to do with that....but that doesn't stop skidoos...maybe just slows them down a little.  The snow birds are back in town, in the past couple of days puddles have formed on the bay.....that does not stop skidoos either.  The geese are back, people are enjoying one of their favourite meals and filling up their freezers and the community freezer to store enough for next winter, also spending endless hours plucking geese.  I see feathers every once in awhile floating by the living room window. 

The sun is up all day and all night.  I actually just checked to see the official sunrise and sunset time because I never see it get dark anymore.   I guess it doesn't get dark at all anymore because the sunrise and sunset portion of the weather forecast is gone.  So it's light - all the time, and yes it affects me.  Not only do we have black out curtains in the bedroom but I also sleep with one of those beautiful sleep masks on......and it takes me about 2 hrs every night to get to sleep.  I think it's just because my body doesn't get all the normal tell tale signs of night.  R and I have been watching tv and looked at the clock and realised it 11:30 and had no idea it was late.  From looking out the window it could be 3 in the afternoon.   So for a person who normally goes to bed right  around 10 pm every night and gets up at 8'ish in the morning I now get to sleep around 1 am (gasp) and get up around 8'ish.  You would think I"d be exhausted.  Nope - I do curse a little every night as I take my eye mask off to see the time and realise that is LATE and I'm still wide awake - but I'm fine.  The sun is a good thing, and with the snow starting to melt - it's not even so blinding to go outside.  Spring is good - just ask N.

There actually was a road - but snow biking must be more fun

One of the teachers has an annual tradition that starts the long weekend of May.  It's simple and sometimes the simple things are the best things.  May long weekend in many places means the beginning of camping season.  I've been camping many times during May 2 -4 weekend.  And yes, 24's were normally involved.   This past May long weekend was the first coffee & tea on the deck day.  It was so fun we did it twice. 

She had told me about the tradition of coffee on the stoop months ago and honestly I forgot about it.  Saturday morning I had a dentist appointment that I was really stressing about.  So many things seemed wrong about it.  First of all the obvious - does anyone like going to the dentist.  I think that's a resounding "no".  Second of all - there is not a dentist in Paulatuk - so this was a mobile dentist and his assistant who come and set up shop in the health centre for a week and see everybody they can.  Third - I knew I was at least going to have to get a filling and of course my mind on over drive, by the time I got the the actual appointment I convinced myself I was for sure getting a root canal....at the mobile dentist.  And last, going to the dentist on Saturday....really.

I could say I was losing sleep over it but I think I already blamed my sleep loss on the sun - so I'll just say - I did not like the thought of going to the mobile dentist one little bit.  It seemed kind of shady.  So Saturday morning off to the "dentist" I go.  Well N and R came to.  N went first - after the dentist showed him his cool chair that went up and down and said he'd brush his teeth N was all game.  He loves to brush his teeth so he was in and out in a flash.  Then it was my turn.

I had been scoping the place out.  Obviously I came to the conclusion early on that it was indeed legit or else N would not have even had his teeth brushed.  But I was still sceptical so I had a little interview process.  Well - really just a one question interview.  "What color filling will I get....white?"  I've been paying closer attention to peoples teeth these past few weeks and I've noticed a whole lot of silver........just saying.  So the dentist - a nice young guy originally from Montreal but based out of Inuvik,  laughed at me and said "we specialise in full grills" funny guy.   I laughed a little  - just on the inside and clarified "so white?"   Yes - white.  So turns out I didn't need a root canal - I had chipped an existing filling so I did need a needle and all that jazz but I was in and out in 45 minutes and headed home....all in one piece.  Actually with an extra piece.

On the way home I saw a few people out on the step and immediately realised that the annual coffee on the step tradition was in full swing.   So N and walked over.  Well N rode his bike and I walked.  It was fun.  Sitting out in the sun with a nice warm tea chatting with friends and watching N play in puddles.  N was having a blast going from puddle to puddle.  I noticed he was lingering in one puddle for awhile but he seemed content so I left him be.  I guess we weren't the only ones watching him because the lady that lives in the house in front of the puddle came out to "rescue" him from the puddle.  I looked at the coffee gang and commented that I was now going to be the talk of the town, leaving my 2 yr old abandon in a puddle and having to be rescued.  So I sheepishly walked over to help him get closer to where we were and to let her know that he wasn't really abandon...he was being watched (closely by 4 grown adults).  She looked around and said "who's baby is this?"  I know we don't match physically but he's mine even though I *may* have thought about replying more like "I don't know,  Who in the world would leave this precious child alone and abandoned in this puddle?"  I simply said "mine" and she laughed as she continued to help him out the puddle all while she was in her slippers.   I thanked her for coming to the "rescue" and made sure she saw where we were going....30' down the road where the other adults were now laughing at us.

Every once in awhile a thought goes through my head about how people perceive R & I with N.  Don't think for a minute that I dwell on this or that I have ever felt anything but kindness and acceptance from people.  I think it's only natural to have those fleeting thoughts - it can't be helped.  If ever I think or wonder those things, I hope I remember this Mother's Day - when I felt nothing but love not only from my family, but the other Mothers of this tiny community we call home.

I know I've mentioned a few times in previous posts how lovely the people here in town are. On Mother's day N and I went for a walk around town. Sludging through the slush of town - bundled up...it was cold that day.   Every single person I met along the way said  "Happy Mother's Day".   It thought it was the nicest gesture. One lady actually popped out of her home to shout down the street - "Happy Mother's Day".  I can't imagine that happens in too many places and I am grateful to live in a town where it did. 

Geese - lots and lots of geese

Remember way back in October when I watched the Ocean freeze - literally overnight.  Well it melts almost as quick.

I took the first picture early one morning - the very first puddle on the ocean.

This was that evening.

So the past week has been fun.  We also went on our second and last snowmobile trip of the year.  It was much warmer this time.  We didn't get too far.  More on that  with lots of pictures later. 

N and I are going to get our rubber boots on and see how many puddles we can find.