Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thanksgiving week-end brings back so many memories for me.  Some recent and some from childhood.

I can remember spending Thanksgiving at our cottage on Lake Paul.  Sometimes it was just our family of four but other times Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins took the drive and spent the week-end  with us.  Adults and kids would play hide n seek, pictionary outside at night under the street light  that was attached to a tree and spend the evening gathered in front of the fire pit eating some form of the  combination of cracker, peperoni and jalapeno pepper.  I remember an uncle with sensitive taste buds eating the pepper, running to the end of the wharf and submerging his entire face into the lake to cool off his tongue.  I was a kid then so maybe I wasn't privy to all the details of the story, but JAF, that made me laugh.  Of course we always had the big supper too, and to the adults I'm sure it was not just an after though, but as a kid running around having fun, supper wasn't how I remembered the week-end.

As a teenager I remember spending Thanksgiving week end much the same way, just in a different location.  Grandparents, uncles and cousins would come down from "the city" to spend the day at our house in the country.  We'd head down the road to Oaklawn Zoo for the last visit of the year - we'll everyone except Dad because they had a snake there so for him that meant "Do Not Enter".  It didn't mater that it was in a barn, in a cage and I don't think there was ever a single escape story, well a true one.  We use to tell Dad once and awhile "did you hear" and then go on with some elaborate story of how the snake had escaped and was spotted making his way up the mountain towards our house.  I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise when he wouldn't go.  We almost went to Bush Gardens in Florida.  That is until Dad spotted a pamphlet that showed snakes on it.  Opps.  I'm not sure if we all knew there were snakes there and didn't tell him or if we were just as surprised as him to find out about the snakes.  But even having tickets in hand didn't mean entrance to Bush Gardens.  If there were snakes, all deals were off.  Period. We went to Wet N Wild instead.  We did have a blast there, it was a good distraction from the Bush Garden debacle.

 Whoa, way off topic there.   Back to Thanksgiving.

 There was always a few games of soccer, we'd jump the neighbors fence and run around the cow pasture.  My sister and I would try to gross out the city kids by throwing the cow patties at them and we'd try to find the cows in the pasture and scope out where the bull was.  I don't know we always did this.  It scared the bejebers out of me, the thought of that bull charging me and knowing I likely couldn't out run him, but we did anyways.  I guess that was just part of living in the country. 

More recently there have significant events that happened around the Thanksgiving week-end.

Four years ago we were living in Yellowknife and were among the many shocked and horrified people to learn of the murder of an RCMP member in Hay River, NWT.    It hit close to home.  R was immediately sent to work in Hay River (5 hours away) and I spent the day with close friends and their family.

For a few years we were lucky enough to have friends and family travel to Yellowknife to spend the week-end with us.  We had a blast.  The weather is still fairly nice in Yellowknife at Thanksgiving.  Nothing a toque and a pair of mitts can't fix.  We walked around Frame Lake, went to a few local hot spots like Pilot's Monument, hike up Cameron Falls and maybe even hit a few local beverage establishments........ 

One time we went to The Gold Range.  Anyone who knows this place is either smiling or cringing right now.  I'm pretty sure The Gold Range should be considered a National Historic Site.  It is a bar, a really divey bar.  The first time I was there they had faded pink terry cloth towels on the tables as table clothes.  Smoking was still allowed in the bar so they had cigarette burn holes scattered on them.  So picture it:  Smokey, terry cloth table cloths, carpet on the floor BUT don't forget the band.  The band is what makes all that worth it.  The band is awesome.  It is a dive, but I've never had a bad time there.  Classy, I know.

Another time we took our guests to The Black Night Pub.  This pub is more like the traditional English pub.  Alot more tasteful than The Gold Range.  The night that we went over Thanksgiving we ended up meeting up with a Canadian Coast Guard crew that were getting ready to sail again the next morning.  We spent hours talking about all their Northern experiences.  Those guys have some great stories to tell. 

And then there was last year.

As I sit here thinking about how I am going to phrase this I am getting goosebumps. 

What are the right words to describe the moment and days that changed your life forever?  How do find words to describe how your heart literally doubled in size in a moment of minutes?

I don't think there are words to describe the feelings, the emotions and the thoughts.

One year ago we met our son.

LOVE

Really

You know when your talking to someone and they ask if you've ever tried something, or done something and you say "no". Often the reaction you get is "really?"  I'm sure it's a universal response.  I know I'm just as guilty as everyone for saying this.

Most times my  reaction is a pure and genuine reaction of surprise.  Things that I do all the time, or have done before that seem like everybody is doing it or that I'm the last one to have done it so obviously everybody and their dog has already done it, tried it, seen it.....you get the point.

Other times you hear this and  it's a "really" with a whole other tone to it.  The tone that is meant to make you feel at least a little inadequate.  It's a bit like a sucker punch.  It takes you right back to high school when someone asks you where you got your shirt.  If you say the wrong store then your blacklisted. 

The first time I remember hearing the other "really?" was in grade 7.   I was trying, quite unsuccessfully I might add, to fit in with all the new kids.  Luckily I knew the "right" answer when someone asked me my favorite band.  Somehow I knew the right answer should be  Bon Jovi.  I knew that but as I answered that question I knew the next question was going to be "what is your favorite song?"  I had no idea.  I'm not even sure how I knew who Bon Jovi was.  I knew I wasn't going to be able to list a specific song song so I stuck with the ol' faithful answer "I like them all".  I knew I had been busted before it was even said, but the telltale "reeeeeeeally" sealed the deal.  Being the "new kid" was tough, and when you hear "really" with the extra emphasis in the EEEEEEE  you know the answer was somehow inadequate. 

For the record I know who Bon Jovi is now, and I've even been to one of their concerts.....really.

How's this for a random picture?

It was too cute not to share and I couldn't find the perfect spot to post it

so here looks good.  He has on his Dad's boots and is quite proud of himself!

Being up here I've heard "really" more often lately.  Not in a mean spirited way, but in the genuine surprised kind of way.

"Ever tried goose?"

Me: "No"

"really?"

It's actually kind of a funny story surrounding this encounter

N and I had gone to play school.  Snack time at play school is actually a full lunch.  On this particular day it was goose soup, homemade bread, banana's and juice.

N was sitting at the table with the other kids waiting for lunch to arrive.  Which was sooo cute by the way.  He looks like such a little boy sitting there with the other kids.  Lunch is served and I am perched in my spot right beside him because he is still mastering the art of eating brothy soup with his own spoon.  He eats about 2 spoonfuls of soup all by himself, when one of the instructors walks over with a little urgency.  She looks at me and says:

"That is goose soup, is he allowed to have goose soup?"

I say "yes" and we all continue on.  N did great with his soup.  He ended up with just a few noodles stuck to his shirt and a little extra broth scattered about.  He is becoming so independent.  If soup is getting me all nostalgic I can only imagine what play school graduation is going to do to me.  I'll be a mess.

A few minutes later another instructor come in with a plate full of goose.  As she is eating it and I can tell she is loving every single bite, savouring it.  She looks over at me and says:

"Ever have goose?"

Me:  "No"

And then the famous

"Really?"

I thought she might offer some up, but nope.  She devoured it.  I'm sure if I had of asked she would have loved for me to try it.  If she knew I would have tried it she'd likely feel bad she didn't offer.  But I didn't have the heart to take even a single bite from her.  I'll get another chance to try it, and I'll take it.  Just to say I did.  Really.

Here's another "really?" story for you from this past week.

One night we were sitting on the couch watching tv.  I glanced out the window.   It was dark out, really dark and the street lights across the bay were reflecting off the water.  It was really pretty so I thought I'd take a picture. 

Unless it's first thing in the morning when I'm donning my trusty slippers I'm normally barefoot.  This evening was no different in that aspect.  Instead of finding some shoes, boots, sandals, crocks, slippers, anything to put on my feet I went out barefoot.  I figured I'd only be a second since it is only about 5 steps outside, so I went out on the deck to get the picture.  My Mom and Dad likely already know at this point where this story is going because they have had the pleasure of living with our precious little Bichon ShihTzu;  Scotia.  You likely know where this story is heading now too.

I snapped the picture and was midway back to the door when I felt it. 

IT

If it is wet out, too cold out, too windy out or she's just feeling lazy -  darling, precious little Scotia uses the deck as her bathroom. 

How could I not have thought about this before I trampsed out there in my bare feet.



I told R what had just happened and guess what he said.

"Really"

I'm not entirely convinced this was the surprised kind of "really".  Enough said. 

Except that on top of getting cr*p on my foot, the picture sucked.  My ka proof camera might have to get upgraded at some point. 

Here's one in the daytime just because that picture is so horrible.

As you can see the snow is slowly inching closer to town.

THIS might REALLY shock some of you. 

I have become quite the little baker. 

I bake bread every week, seriously, we've never bought bread in Paulatuk.  This is quite the accomplishment for a girl who's home ec teacher told her parents she had a disability.  I'm not even joking.  One of my close girlfriends and I had a blast in that class, but it had nothing to do with class.  It had everything to do with spit balls and whatever else we could do but home ec.   Lets just say after that parent/teacher meeting I was in some serious trouble. 

This morning we went to a breakfast get together.  It was really centered around a rugby game that happened to be on at breakfast so we melded it all into one.   We all brought something and had a nice little pot luck breakfast over Rugby.  There were about 10 or 12 of us there.  2 real fans.  The rest of us where there just to go somewhere with other people and socialize a bit.

  The real fans picked one team, the rest of us picked the other, the Magpies????  The Magpies were winning for awhile, but it went down hill in the last quarter.  I think they the final was 118 - 80.  Oh well.  The nurse in town is from Australia, hence the early morning rugby game.  We even had Vegimite. 

 I made carmel peach french toast.  It's was actually a casserole type of thing that you could make the night before and cook the next day.  It would have been super simple to make if I didn't need to make the french bread.  But I did need to make the bread and lucky for me I made two loaves because one was the right size and the other for whatever reason didn't rise much at all.  The one that looked good went into the casserole for others to enjoy at the early morning Rugby game and the other I made into bread pudding.  REALLY.

I'd never had bread pudding before.  It's gooooood. 

Ever have bread pudding?

Really?  ; )

Operation Hibernation

Operation hibernation is officially underway. 

You know when you look outside during the dead of winter and you get a little chill that goes right through you. Just thinking about what it must actually feel like out there.  It feels like the howling wind is going right through your bones and makes your jaw cinch up.  Those are the cold, hard days of winter.  There are nice winter days.  Sometimes it's cozy looking out.  It's almost a feeling of comfort looking out at the snow while your snuggled up in a blanket reading a book or watching HGTV.  Sipping hot chocolate or red wine, both comforting for different reasons.  Both warm you up, both relax you and both taste delicious on any given day.

Well lets just say I'm bundled up, and I wish I was drinking red wine.  Slippers and a zip up fleecy have been part of my wardrobe this week end.  I'm trying to convince myself that I should be thrilled we made it this late into September. This is after all the first time there has been snow here in town, right here by our house.  It's a little too close for comfort, but I guess I can't control that.  We had the day where we, and by we I mean the entire town, spotted our first glimpse of snow on the hills.  We were all thankful that it hadn't crept into town.  No such luck now, it's all downhill from here.

I'm sure some people are happy to see the snow.  It's a new season of opportunity - of possibility - of activity.  I don't necessarily have anything against winter, I just think it might be better in shorter increments.  But it is what it is, and as much as I'd like to stay in denial - I think winter is here.

What should have been another routine walk around town on Friday afternoon turned into a walk in a flash blizzard. Okay, yes I am exaggerating a tad. But there was snow and there was lots of it.  Big flakes,and the old saying held true, big flakes equal little snow, little flakes equals lots of snow. When R arrived home from work he asked "Did you see the snow today?" Um yeah, I saw it. At first glance I was actually a little thrilled to see it. It really is pretty. Then reality set in that fall had just began and kabam, winter is here too.

There were flurries all week end and now I think I have to admit to myself that the snow on the mountains is likely there to stay for the next 9 months.  Yes, 9 months.  That's a stinking looong time.  I'm glad I have lots of pictures of July because come March I may have to tape them to the window just to have different scenery.

With the arrival of fall I decorated the house up.  I replaced the summer wreath hanging on the front door with the boldly coloured fall wreath, I dug out my favorite fall candles - ginger pumpkin, and I searched the house for the Indian corn I knew I had packed.  I had it stashed well, so after a bit of searching, fall had fully arrived in the house.  To make it official I baked some autumn muffins and pumpkin loaf.  Oh yes, fall is here 100%..........as long as you don't look out the window.

Keeping in with the fall mood, I took N to play school twice this week.  On our first visit I had intended on just stopping in to introduce ourselves and to find out if we could come once and awhile so N could play with some other children.  Turns out we were more than welcome.  As long as I stayed with him, which I intended to do anyway, heck I don't even leave Scotia at the groomer by herself.  The age range is suppose to be 3 & 4 but there are 1 1/2 - 4 there on a regular basis.  It was around ten am and N was the only child there.

 There were three employees who where in the kitchen drinking tea and doing some sewing and beading when we first arrived.  They gladly set those aside to play with N.  We had full run of the place and he was loving the attention, all the new toys and books.  Come to find out this is the play schools normal morning.  Although open, the children in town don't normally go in the morning, just the afternoon.   The afternoon program is during nap time so it kind of defeats the purpose for it just to be us in the playschool. 

Coincidentally N woke up early one day.  Normally a dreaded thing, I thought I might be able to get him napping earlier and then to play school.  It worked, we were late but not toooo late.  I was excited to see N interact with all the other kids but as soon as we sat down another little boy poked him right in the eye.

No harm done, other than his Mom being mortified.  We arrived just as they were getting ready to play a game.  BINGO.  Pre school style, but still BINGO.  I giggled as N played with the buttons we were using to cover up the pictures.  You have to understand BINGO is huge in the North.  There are BINGO's held weekly and then some.  It is on the radio a few times a week. It's EVERYWHERE, even play school.


Ever have an Arctic Char dropped off on your doorstep?

I can now say I have.

What a nice gift.  It's nice to be welcomed into such a small community.  I returned the gift with a few loaves of pumpkin bread. 


What else did we do this week end other than watch it snow?

 Well we went to a Birthday party and built the tallest mega block tower EVER!!!

Here's an updated picture of the firepit.  It has certainly lost some of it's zing for life.