BACK (hopefully)

So I'm back on line. 

A friend loaned us a computer to use until we can get ours fixed.  We are going to bring it to Calgary with us while we are there to get it running again.  We figure it'll take about the same amount of time to send it out, get it fixed and send it back up.  So that's our plan.  I'm a tad technically challenged but when I heard a jingle coming from inside the computer and realized the there was no prong to plug the battery into anymore....I knew we had a problem.

Anyhow - I am thankful for friends who are willing to loan out a computers. 

R didn't think it was going to such a big deal because we could just use his Ipod.  I know you would get a BIG chuckle out of the story, but R would be much too embarrassed for me to tell it.  Why we now have a new Ipod on order and why the the broken one ended up in the oven.  Let me just say that even if you bake a wet Ipod - it will NOT work.

So it has been much too long.  I have a few great Northern stories and some wonderful pictures but unfortunately I can't add them.  I'll do it once I have our computer back.

So first funny story.

Playschool has quickly become part of our schedule and I'm not sure who is enjoying it more.  N or me.  He is loving seeing the other kids, even if it is just to say "hi" as he scoots past on route to whatever has caught his attention.  He loves dumping the tubs of various building supplies.  He likes to build torches out of some plastic building supplies and carry them as high as he can.  Some of the older kids were doing it one day but had used up all the supplies, but you can be sure it was the first thing he spotted the next time we went.  He built it and marched around just like a little Olympian.  He likes to color, on the paper and especially on the table.  But I am fairly certain his favorite time is "snack" time.   Snack time is actually a full lunch.  We are talking, goose soup, cheese, homemade bread, chicken nuggets, caribou stew.... He like the whole process, washing hands, eating, drinking from a big boy cup (which I'm glad to report has only produced one soaked shirt that was promptly put in the dryer and he was dressed like a carpenter for the rest of the day), and brushing his teeth.  I'm sure the teachers think I don't give him lunch at home.  I do, but on Tuesday and Thursday he gets two lunches.  On every occasion except for one, he has eaten two lunches.  He recently passed on Char chowder, but I happily ate it for him while he chowed down on homemade rolls.

Playschool has turned into a social event for both of us.  At first I was the true version of a helicopter mom.  I totally hovered.  After the first day of him being poked in the eye, he wasn't getting too far out of my sight.  I've relaxed a bit.  I'm more comfortable there and so is he.  Some days I try to sit back and just let him interact with the kids and teachers on his own while I sit at the kids table and color.  I forgot how fun coloring could be.  I'm also a bit embarrassed to say that my first pictures needed some improvement.  It takes a bit of practice to get back into the swing of things.

One day N was doing great so I ventured into the kitchen and started doing the dishes.  The phone started ringing and since I was the closest I answered it.  I felt all professional again.  So in my professional voice I answered "Good Afternoon, Paulatuk Preschool", I was a little startled when the man on the other end said, "Ya, does the preschool have any rabbit fur?"

Good question - being new own the job I handed that call off to one of the real professionals and continued washing my dishes.

Halloween was a big deal here.

The night before the gym was set up as a big haunted house.  We didn't make it but I heard it was pretty impressive.  Halloween day the school held a community event where all the kids and adults could dress up and come to the gym for a big assembly.  All the kids and teachers were dressed up as well as all the younger kids who had not yet started school.  The costumes were impressive.  There were butterfly's, bumblebees, lions, mummies, a soldier, drum dancers, ragedy Ann, shrek, gypsies and our little one eyed monster.

To be honest N was not a fan of his costume.  That is until we got to the school and he saw all the other kids dressed up.  Then he thought it was great fun.  It was a perfect day for trick or treating - it was cold but not impossibly cold - once bundled up it was good.  We went trick or treating where we quickly learnt that knocking is not part of the tradition.  You just walk right in.  I continued knocking partly because I think that was N's favorite part and partly because unlike the rest of the trick or treaters, I didn't know who was behind the door and I'm not sure if they would know me.  We went to about 30 houses and got mostly the regular goods.  Some of the different things we got were a chocolate cupcake, a rice crispy square, popcorn and a tangerine.  I know normally I would have automatically thrown these out.  But since I knew exactly where each item came from.....I chowed down.

On our way to school for the big party! 

We actually just carved our pumpkin this morning.  A bit late, but we did it.  R was out of town for a few days before Halloween and somebody gave him a pumpkin, for FREE.  There were no pumpkins in town and since one of N's favorite books is Duck & Goose Find A Pumpkin - R couldn't pass it up.  Not even when Aklak Air charged him $30.00 to fly the pumpkin back with him.  So much for the free pumpkin.  N was pretty excited to see a real pumpkin and immediately ran to get him book to compare the picture to the real thing. 

Here's another funny story - I'm not sure why I'm actually to write this here.  I suppose so I can look back on it in a few years and laugh a little more.

N is now into robbing drawers and cupboards.  Yesterday he was in the drawer that has a mis mash of things.  Potatoe masher, pizza cutter, turkey baster, measuring spoons.  I'm sure you all have that drawer, and thats the one he was in.  He was playing with the turkey baster for a little bit, he was having fun with it.  When he was smaller and had baths in the sink we use to squirt water on him with it.  Good fun.  So yesterday as he was playing with it, he made another grab and came out with the pizza cutter.  Uh No.  So I told him to put it back, which he did surprisingly quickly but then stomped over to me and hit me on the leg with the turkey baster.  Yup - I got hit with the turkey baster.  It still makes me laugh.  I had a tough time making it through his 2 minute time out with out busting into laughter.  I did make it, but he didn't help matters by mimiking my postion by siting there with his arms crossed just like I had mine.  My word that kid is cute.

Winter is definitely upon us.  The bay is frozen.  There are skidoo's, quads and dogs out there at any given time.  It is beautiful.  Obviously I enjoy the open ocean more because that means it's warmer out, but really, the frozen snow covered ocean isn't a bad sight either.  It hasn't been extremely cold.  One day it was -29 with the wind.  I was wishing I wore snow pants that day for our walk, but I haven't made that mistake again.  Other than that one day it has been very bearable.  There is no question it's winter, but from I'm hearing this is nothing compared to what January and February are going to dish out.

Anyhow - that's all for now.  I'll try to figure out how to add some pictures and hopefully get them up.  Wish me luck...

Our computer is on the fritz.  I won't have it again for 3 weeks.

Everything is good up here.  The bay is frozen.  People are snowmobiling on it.

We leave on vacation mid-month, so I'll try to update when I can.

I've never watched ice freeze before.  Who knew it was actually kind of fun?

Friday afternoon N and I were out for our daily walk and we happened to meet up with a teacher friend who was on her way home from school.

We decided to head out for a walk up to the point.  I've never headed up that direction before so I was more than happy to head out.  I've been so nervous about a bear encounter that I've just never trekked up that way before.  So I stuffed my bear bangers in my pocket and off we went.

It was a fun little walk.  On the way up we walked along the shore.   There wasn't any ice yet, but the snow was packed between the rocks pretty good so it  was getting a bit slick.  Thankfully we didn't see any bears - I found out a few days later they were hanging out around the corner up by the airport.  Not too far away, but far enough.  We did see a beluga whale......head.  What was left of it anyway.  You could definitely tell what it was but it was in rough shape.  They have a mouthful of teeth, nothing to scary looking though, I'm sure a beluga and a great white have vastly different teeth.  I had my camera, almost took a picture but then I didn't.  It just didn't seem right.  I don't know what is so different about about a caribou skull and a beluga, but something inside me stopped me from snapping.  Maybe if it was just the skeleton it would be different, but there was still some white skin on it, and it just didn't look anything like the majestic animal they are.

Walking back along the shore we looked out and noticed the water looked like it had diesel fuel on it.  How could that be?  It couldn't be, so we realized that we were actually watching the bay start to freeze up.

I snapped this picture around 5:30 pm.  You can see what kind of looks like diesel fuel spilt on the surface.

I took this picture an hour later.  There is clearly ice there.  1 hour.  CRAZY!

This was the next morning.  It looked like the bay was actually opening up again.  It was short lived.  Every morning there is an opening, it gets larger during the day and the next morning, the opening is smaller. 

I took this picture this morning.  Not too many openings left.  BUT, see that black spot in the picture, it's a seal.  I had to zoom in on my KA proof camera to catch him.  He slipped back into the water not too long after this. 

There have been a few news reports lately about the Arctic Ring Seals.  There is some sort of illness infecting many of them this year.  Reportedly there have been 6 dead ones wash up along our shores and many more in Alaska.  I heard from a local lady in town the a Dept. of Ocean and Fisheries officer was up her last week trying to figure out what was going on.  They found two, one healthy and one sick one.  Whatever they have is causing lesions on there back flippers, in their mouth and they are losing their hair in large patches.  It doesn't sound nice.

So that is my picture story of the ice freezing.  I went out to movie night at the health centre Friday night.  We watched a funny Australian movie "Kenny".  It was about a porta potty "plumber".  I thought it was funny, my Mom likely wouldn't.  Anyway, while I was there everyone was talking about the ice freezing up.  I felt a little relieved I wasn't the only one actually watching the ice freeze.  I don't think I am going too crazy from the isolation up here, but the good news is, if I am going crazy, so is the rest of the town.

On second thought,  I guess that doesn't bring much relief after all. 

Saturday afternoon we headed out to the river.  We were all bundled up, ski pants and all.  Surprisingly enough my feet didn't even freeze.

This is what is left of the campsite by the river.  One of the tent frames is there, but the canvas tent I'm assuming has been packed up for the year.  This is the tent where the goose plucking was going on during the picnic.  The other then was just a tent.  There was no elaborate frame so it is totally gone. 

If you look closely at this picture you can see the bed frame in back, the wood stove and a shelving unit.

N spent quite a bit of time playing with the door.  He thought it was fairly important that the door was closed while he was in the tent.  I guess that way it would be totally secure in there.....the invisible walls would obviously keep Mom and Dad out, as long as the door was closed.

I chuckled when I saw this actually happening, and it still makes me smile.  N had been playing with his Dad so I took off and headed out the tent site.  I looked back and this is what I saw.  N trekking over, full steam ahead.  That kid makes me smile!

It's a TREE

Do you think we should be worried that N saw this "tree" and ran over to it and said "Uh Oh"?    Uh Oh is right.  This giant was definitely out of place.  It made me think of The Lone Cyprus along the California coast.  It's an old tree along the very beautiful and scenic #1 hwy that is now growing on a rock out on it own.  It looks like it was once attached the the the rest of the land but the ocean worked it's wonders and now it's out on its own.  It looks out of place.   It's a marked tourist picture spot.  We have the picture.  Do you think I should mark this one, maybe it will draw the tourists....you know, to see the 3' tree.  

N is quite the nature lover.  He took off on a little nature hike down by the river.  He was actually getting a little far away so I was keeping a close eye on him and was getting ready to start after him.  I turned to talk to R and turned back around and N had taken his mitts off and was pointing to something.

  I walked over to find this:

He found a patch of little flowers.  They looked like a smaller version of the straw flowers I had in my garden in Yellowknife.  He was smelling them.  UM - CUTE!!!

Of course since this was a great find he had to show his Dad.  So back we went with flower in tow. 

Dad had a good sniff and the everything was perfect with the world. 

Our days are definitely getting shorter now.  It seems the days are getting shorter just as quickly as the ice is forming.  Just a few weeks ago I was saying, "it seems like the days are normal length".  Not any more.  The official time for sunrise yesterday was 9:36 and for sunset it was18:27  (6:27).  I say official because as I am currently sitting here typing this at 10:11, I am watching a beautiful sunrise.  It's not light out, but it's not dark either.  It's dusky.  Another 45 minutes or so and I think it might be light. 

This is a picture of the sunset on our ride home. You even got a shot of my finger. I'm quite the photographer hey? 

This was sunrise yesterday.  This was around 9:30.

It looks pretty in this picture - but you know it was way nicer than that. My camera doesn't do it justice. Not a bad view from the kitchen.

N has started to find it really funny to hide.  He started just covering himself in blankets and walking around.  It's pretty funny, and yes he has run into a few walls but he thinks that is pretty funny too.   The dogs don't think this is such a great trick.  It freaks them out.  Morley (English Mastiff) is a bit of a nervous guy to start with so anything that is out of the ordinary is not really welcome in his world.  Athena (Great Dane) just follows him around.  She waits for him to drop the blanket and then tries to lay on it, and Scotia.....well she's just Scotia.  Sometimes she's interested and sometimes she's just too busy for that nonsense.

Monday morning N kicked the hiding up a notch. 

This is where I found him.  I just happened to catch a glimpse of him just like this.  He had stolen puppy from his crib and was happy as a clam tucked inside his nightstand.  He thought it was great fun.  I watched him maneuver himself in there a few times.  It was no easy feat.  When R came home for lunch I told N to show him his new hiding spot.  Sure enough, he tucked himself inside as R watched in disbelief.

It made me laugh, but also caused me a little worry.  That's a pretty good hiding spot.  What would he find next? 

I am happy to report that Tuesday morning he was hiding again.  Behind the curtains in our bedroom.  The curtains covered his head and shoulders, so as I walked in I could see his belly and legs sticking out the bottom.  Oh, and his hand holding the curtain in place.

I like this hiding place much better.

All is perfect with the world again.