Thoughts from the North

6 sleeps to go

2009-07-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

So I seem to have started a trend of injuring myself in some way prior to moving...especially with knives! Here I was trying to do some cleaning (I'd already scrubbed the green copper residue off the tub) and then while washing my dishes, my ulu (traditional Iniut knife) slipped and cut my finger. Just what I needed! Anyway, fortunately I've had a tetanus shot within the past four years, so I should be in good shape. Just have a sore right index finger that I'm afraid to bend in case the cut reopens. Perfect way to start my moving week, wouldn't you say? (NOT!)

Anyway, I just came back from a lovely dinner at a friends place - friends will be shocked to know I had two servings of salad! We also enjoyed amazing homemade cheese burgers, potatoe salad and then homemade raspberry tarts for dessert. Delicious!

Tomorrow I'll be doing a few deliveries around town of stuff I'm donating and/or leaving behind to be sold. Movers arrive either Tuesday or Wednesday. Then I'm into the home-stretch -- maybe that's not quite the right term -- with cleaners and gatherings with friends before flying out on Saturday.

A few tears were shed at the end of the service this morning, but all in all I think we had a nice time, despite the choir outnumbering the congregation for half of the service! I managed to get some photographs of the church this afternoon when Bev and I went to do a bit of tidying around the organ -- now I will have a photo of my "picture window" that I looked out on each Sunday morning, watching the seasons change. Time to do a bit more sorting before bed. Goodnight!

Coming to the end of a chapter

2009-07-23T19:36:00.001-07:00

So, six months later and I'm about to move back to "the south". I've spent a busy two years here in Iqaluit with lots of learning, travelling and other great experiences. I've met so many different people from all walks of life. I've worked on a lot of different projects both at work and after hours. I've survived two winters and the better part of three summers here in the Arctic.

I leave in a little over a week and have tons to do! Organization of belongings, instructions for successors and many goodbyes. One advantage of where I'm headed is that most people from Iqaluit travel through Ottawa to get elsewhere, so hopefully I'll see many of the friends again in the future.

I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. The people here are so welcoming and really do become a family of sorts. I'll upload more photos from my adventures up north when I get the chance. For now I must get back to my last minute to do lists!

As promised...pictures!

2009-01-24T06:14:00.000-08:00

As promised in my last post, I am now attaching pictures of my new abode. The key to remember is that I wanted more STORAGE, and you will see it! Let's start with a tour of the entry area. The door with the calendar opens into the sealift/laundry room. Want to take a peak?

If you do a 180 degree turn from the first photo, you see the kitchen. Nice, huh?

Then we pass into the dining/living room area. The saying on the wall was a lovely Christmas gift from my parents: "A little laugh - A little promise - A little hope"

As you can see I have a nice large window. Behind the music note sheet is my balcony door (currently a little drafty).

Then let's move towards MORE STORAGE, the bathroom and my bedroom.

My old place didn't have drawers in the bathroom cabinet...now I'm a little more organized!

Oh the bedroom. It has some odd angles to it, but works perfectly with the piano in there...and then a walk-in closet! What luxury!! :)

Yes, the bag on my bed is starting to get packed for a business trip I'm taking this week.

Needless to say, I'm quite pleased with the place. Last night I had the Comms team round. We ate homemade pizzas, a yummy salad and just sat around chatting. Happy to have a place where I can invite people over again. Now I'm off to Vancouver for a week. Phew!

New beginnings

2009-01-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

So, after 18 months in Iqaluit, I have moved to a new apartment. The old one didn't have much storage built-in, which is not good when you're a pack-rat like me!! The new place has tons of built in shelving all over the place, plus a walk-in closet in the bedroom and a "sea-lift" room. Woohoo! I've been off work for almost a week trying to get everything moved over and organized. I'm happy to announce that as of 2:30pm I have moved all of my things out of my old place. Yeah!!! Now I just have to finish organizing everything in the new place. :)

I started putting up some pictures this morning which makes it a bit more my own. I've created a side table out of some of my IKEA storage boxes so that I can have my "natural light" lamp near the sofa for my cross-stitching activities. :) The surround sound speakers are up...just waiting for the new tv to arrive.

Only had one real catastrophy during the move...one of my last things to bring over was a box of mugs. Unfortunately, as I was opening the door to my new apartment, the box fell apart and most of my mugs were shattered. Also included were my clay goblets from Africa. One of them only suffered chips on the base, so it can go on display in my china cabinet. The others all lost their stems. :( Oh well...that's life. Anyway, must get back to organizing!!! I will post pics of my new digs once a few more things have been put away. :)

Winter time in Iqaluit

2008-12-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of months I've been embellishing my trusty Snow Goose parka. It has gone from plain old navy blue to a bordered version that I can more easily pick out from everyone else's!!! Now the question is...should I put the trim on the cuffs too? Let me know what you think. :)

We also decorated our office area after my return from Yellowknife at the end of November. The Mr. Men banner has been a hit, as well as the snowflakes, snow balls and snowmen. :)

The atmosphere has definitely changed around the office. Everyone is ready for their holidays to begin, whether they're staying in town or heading south. I'm looking forward to my 1.5 weeks away.

Joyeux Noel et Bonne Année !!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Into the dark...

2008-11-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

As we get closer to December 21, the days get shorter and nights get longer.

Trade show season has also resumed. In fact, I head to Yellowknife next week for one.

Rehearsals for the biennial musical are underway too. I'll be playing flute for Fiddler on the Roof.

Earlier this week I went to Qikiqtarjuaq (formerly known as Broughton Island ) for the day. The population of this community is just under 500 people. It was nice. Everything was covered in snow, even more than Iqaluit. Apparently there were 4 polar bears in the area, but they were on the other side of the bay and blended into the white landscape! What's scary is that I bought cereal in this small community for only $3.06 when I normally pay around $8.80 for the same size and type of cereal in Iqaluit. Bizarre, right?

So right now I should either be at Aquafit class or standing in line to get into the annual craft show. However, considering I didn't get back to my place till 4am this morning (it's now 9:35), I just can't seem to make myself go out into the cold. I did try around 8:30, but realized that I'd need to put on long-johns if I was going to walk or stand outside for any length of time and headed back inside. Awww...the joys of life, huh? With band rehearsal this afternoon, I feel like I should probably get a bit more sleep. See, life in a small town can be like life in a big town sometimes!!! Laziness works. :)

Enough of my ramblings for now. Until next time...

Summer Holiday - Days 17 to 22 (Bordeaux - Paris - Montreal - Ottawa - Iqaluit)

2008-08-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

With an early start I took a plane from Bordeaux to Paris and then on to Montreal. After that I traveled to Ottawa. I spent a few days in Ottawa doing some shopping and hanging out with a few friends and family. Then my travels brought me back to Iqaluit three weeks and a day after I left.

Summer Holiday - Day 15 & 16 (Sainte - Bordeaux)

2008-08-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

The day after the wedding, I helped Anne-Lise's family do a bit of clearing up at the reception hall. Anne-Lise and Greg turned up with big smiles still on their faces. I managed to get a snapshot of her rings.

The following morning I began my journey home by taking a train to Bordeaux. Rather than take a taxi to my hotel, I took the scenic public transit route via two trams and a bus. I reached the hotel and collapsed for awhile before having dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Summer Holiday - Day 14 (Sainte) - wedding evening

2008-08-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

After a short drive, we arrived and the reception hall ready to eat, drink and dance the night away!

This was the bouquet behind the head table.
Quite a group of people, huh?
Anne-Lise and Greg arrive as husband and wife.
Awww...

Little girls on daddys' shoulders.

Chris and Cendrine are dancing the night away.

Which dance was this?

Anne-Lise and Greg dancing together.

Time for more champagne.

Look at the sparklers and the wedding cake!

Father and daughter dancing together.

Mother and son.

Mother-of-the-bride and father-of-the-groom join the waltz.

Anne-Lise's work friends from Ottawa.

Jen and Rob find a moment to dance while Jonathan is asleep in the corner.

A little more dancing before collapsing after a very busy day!

Summer Holiday - Day 14 (Sainte) - wedding day

2008-08-22T16:03:00.001-07:00

The wedding day arrived with some cloud in the morning, but that didn't stop Anne-Lise from getting her hair done at 7:30am and make-up done around 9:30am.

José untangles Kyra's hair (Anne-Lise's niece), while Nicolas (Anne-Lise's brother) and her Nan hang-out.

José puts on the selected necklace (there was a choice of two) before Anne-Lise and Greg head out for pictures.
Anne-Lise and Greg are dressed up and with nowhere to go...just kidding, they were on the way to the gardens for official photos.
Don't you love Anne-Lise's dress and hair?
Before heading downtown for the ceremony, several family pictures were taken.

I even managed to get in a shot of myself with the soon-to-be-married couple.

José assembled photos to create a lovely family tree for Anne-Lise and Greg.

I think the camera was so surprised by Chris's attire that it couldn't focus! ;)

Cendrine and Chris...awwww.

Jen, Rob and Jonathan arrive.

Anne-Lise and Greg are swarmed by the "papparazi" as they arrive to get married.

They've escaped temporarily.

Jonathan obviously doesn't see the big deal...he's fast asleep.

Time to get married!

There was a mirror positioned at just the right angle so that we could see the bride and groom and apparently Anne-Lise could see us all behind her too.

They must be married! ;)

Signing away her maiden name.

Greg's signing onto the deal too.

Walking towards their happily ever after.

Champagne for all!!!

Anne-Lise, Greg and their official witnesses.

The Shad group together again.

Summer Holiday - Day 13 (Sainte) - evening

2008-08-21T18:38:00.001-07:00

The night before the "Big Day", friends and family gathered at the Piquard home. Here's the happy couple.
Greg with his usual facial expressions. Who knows what he's thinking!
Jen and Jonathan arrived. Anne-Lise and Greg are saying their hellos.
Jean-Pierre, Anne-Lise's dad, chats with Rob and Malcolm while a sneaky video camera looks on.

Summer Holiday - Day 13 (Sainte) - daytime

2008-08-21T17:16:00.001-07:00

First thing in the morning, I headed to the Cathédral de St-Pierre for a guided tour. Here are some pictures from the top of the bell tower.

You can see the spire of Eglise St-Eutrope in this shot.

Behind the trees on the left is Le Mairie where Anne-Lise and Greg will get married.

There's a sort of chess board in the courtyard below.

Next stop was L'Abbaye aux Dames, a former convent.

The domes in the ceiling have been filled in with wood which makes the accoustics great for early instrumental ensembles, such as those studying in a school on site.

The balcony seen here connects directly to the convent dormitories through a passageway. This is where nuns would take part in worship services.

This garden has numerous herbs and the pathways are made of crushed blue glass.

Here's a view of the church and dorms from behind.

Summer Holiday - Day 12 (Sainte, France)

2008-08-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

The morning started off with a bit of disorientation. The hotel where I was staying is located on a round-about which gives signs towards destinations rather than street names. Unfortunately I had no map, so I started walking down a street towards some restaurants. I saw some pedestrian signs for to tourist attractions, so I followed their directions. One sign directed me to a roman ampitheater by following the path below.

As I was leaving the site bursts of rain kept on occurring so I would seek cover under the trees along the path.
I then followed directions toward Eglise Sainte-Eutrope. Here's a view of the crypt where the first services were held. Sainte-Eutrope brought Christianity to Sainte in 1st century AD.
I took a brief tour of the church above-ground too.

After having a filling Caesar salad, which included egg and chicken, I went back to my hotel room for most of the afternoon. Here's a view out my window.

In the evening I ventured out for dinner, having pizza for dinner. I wandered down towards the Charente river and stopped for a dessert crepe and cider. As I crossed a pedestria bridge, I noticed several people looking at something in the water...it turned out to be a family of animals that I still have not managed to identify.

During my meanderings, I wandered by the Arc de Triomphe which used to be at the beginning of the roman bridge across the Charente River leading into Sainte. It was moved when the bridge needed to be moved and the water was rising and eroding the shoreline.

Nearby was the Musée ancienne.

Heading back towards the hotel, I passed by the Office de tourisme...they definitely didn't skimp on their accommodations!

They had such lovely gardens too.

After that, I headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest.

Summer Holiday - Day 11 (Leeds - Manchester - La Rochelle - Sainte)

2008-08-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Day 11 started really early with a taxi arriving at 5:30 a.m. to take me to the train station. I traveled to Manchester Airport where I took a plane to La Rochelle, France. The scary thing? La Rochelle airport may actually be smaller than Iqaluit's!!! I and a fellow traveller navigated the public busses to get ourselves to the train station. Since we had a few hours before our respective trains, we visited a nearby bistro for beer/pop and a snack of ham and cheese on a baguette. Views from the train showed the greeness of that area of France.

Anne-Lise, Greg and José met me at the station and whisked me off to my hotel to check-in. Then we went back to the Piquard residence for swimming and dinner. Talk about hospitality!

Summer Holiday - Day 10 (Leeds and Harewood Hall)

2008-08-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Although rain tried to bring us down, Anne and I explored the Harewood Hall grounds on Day 10. We passed by Harewood Arms where we celebrated my parents' 25th wedding anniversary a few years ago. As we headed towards the main house, we stopped by the local church. Before entering the Hall, we had a cup of tea and enjoyed the view.

After touring the Upstairs, we had lunch in the Courtyard. It's interesting to see how rain over time has eroded the stone columns.

After visiting Below-stairs, we headed back to catch the bus. and back out through the arch.

Summer Holiday - Day 9 (Harrogate - Leeds)

2008-08-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

Next I took the train to Leeds to visit Anne. We had yummy Wensleydale cheese on toast for lunch. Then we headed to the Royal Armouries to learn about the code of chivalry. We enjoyed a cup of tea and cake by the locks before returning to Anne's home.

For dinner we ate a delicious lamb dish with rice. :)

Summer Holiday - Day 8 (Harrogate - Saltburn-on-the-Sea)

2008-08-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

Grandma, Heather and I took a daytrip to Saltburn-on-the-Sea. Heather had heard of the town but never visited so we headed towards England's coast with the North Sea. On the way we took a short break near Thirsk. Great views, don't you think?

Here's our first view of Saltburn-on-the-Sea.

The funicular tramway was quite the experience. Only 65 pence per ride and 71 degrees!

Heather's on the pier with the tramway and cliff in the background.

Grandma and Heather before we headed back to Harrogate.

Summer Holiday - Day 7 (Harrogate)

2008-08-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

Harrogate holds a lot more family history than I knew before this trip. On Day 7, I went by various important spots in town. On our way to Marks and Spencers, Heather and I left the car near where my mother was born and where Heather lived for a few years.

After shopping we drove by where my mother spent much of her early childhood. After picking up Grandma for lunch we drove by the hotel where she and Grandpa stayed on their honeymoon! Talk about family ties!!! We had lunch at the newly renovated Squinting Cat.

Having had so much for lunch we just had egg sandwiches and cake for tea that evening while watching a marathon of Grand Design.

Summer Holiday - Days 5 & 6 (Chesterfield - Hadden Hall - Harrogate)

2008-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

On Day 5, Joss and I visited Hadden Hall. Unfortunately, my camera decided to be uncooperative that day, so I have no photos. :( We ate at the other local pub for dinner that evening - The Wellington Hotel. I enjoyed a delicious apple crumble with custard for dessert!!!

The next day it was pouring rain. We ran a few errands in town and retreated indoors for some coffee/hot cocoa at Caffe Nero. Due to the downpour, my comfy red sandals were destroyed - they bled red all over my feet and the upper soles wore away and once dried, they did not smell good. :(

Before my departure, George and I visited "Revolution House" where conspirators plotted to bring William of Orange over to England. After this educative stop, I took the train to Harrogate to visit Heather and Grandma.

It was also raining in Harrogate when I arrived in Harrogate, but we got my luggage into the house without too much trouble.

Day 6 in Harrogate was fairly relaxed. Heather, Grandma and I went to ASDA for their weekly grocery shop. We ended up watching television and chatting much of the afternoon and had Chinese take-away for dinner.

Summer Holiday - Day 4 (Chesterfield)

2008-08-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Carol came up from London for the afternoon on Day 4. We ate lunch at the Thai Pavillion restaurant.

We wandered around the Medieval fair taking place in downtown Chesterfield.

We tried to have an 99 Flake (ice cream cone with flake chocolate), but all the vendors had closed. :( I would have to wait until another day to fulfill that experience! Then we said our farewells to Carol at the train station.

Summer Holiday - Day 3 (Chesterfield - Bakewell - Stoney Middleton)

2008-08-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Manchester and tranferred to trains to get to Chesterfield. After lunch, we headed to Bakewell for the afternoon. I sampled a Bakewell pudding for the first time (or at least the first time in my memory!). We also visited an embroidery shop...dangerous to the wallet! ;)

On our way back to Chesterfield we stopped by some well-dressings in Stoney Middleton. These are made from wooden boards covered in clay and then flower petals are imbedded in the clay to create pictures.

That night we visited a local pub called the Cock and Magpie for dinner.

Summer Holiday - Days 1 & 2 (Iqaluit - Ottawa - above Atlantic Ocean)

2008-08-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

The journey began with a flight down to Ottawa. That evening the Shad gang gathered at East Side Mario's for dinner and to catch up before people head out in various directions.

The next morning I joined the choir for a quartet and had hamburgers at my brother's place. I did some last minute shopping and then headed to the airport for my overnight trip to England.

Trip further north

2008-07-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

On July 14, I got to go up, up and to the top of Baffin Island. I accompanied colleagues on a visit to the closed Nanisivik Mine site. Here are just a few of the interesting pictures I managed to take. They're a little out of order thanks to the upload function on my blog. ;)

One year...

2008-07-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

So, as of today I've been living in Iqaluit, Nunavut for one year. People have mentionned that I should do a post on how I feel after a year. At times it's hard to believe that it's been a year, but at others it seems like much longer.

For instance, one of the landmarks that first struck me when I arrived was the igloo-like building of the Kamotik Inn. It was a restaurant from the 1970s that was rumoured to be closing on and off again for a long time. Rumours proved true this weekend...the K-Inn was there on Friday, but torn down and completely removed when I wandered by its former location this lunchtime.

The St. Jude's Cathedral is also progressing onwards. I first visited Iqaluit for the official groundbreaking of the Cathedral. Last summer it seemed to remain mostly the same, but this spring they've started building upwards. The hope is that the Cathedral will be ready for services on Christmas Eve of 2009.

On a more personal front, I've managed to do some interesting traveling in the past year. As of May 2007, I had never visited any of Canada's three territories. I can now say I've visited Nunavut (and live here!!) and the Northwest Territories. In September 2007 I stopped in Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet, Rankin Inlet and Repulse Bay. In November I went to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. In January I travelled to Vancouver for a tradeshow. At the end of February I was in Toronto for another show. In April I went to meetings in Baker Lake - the geographic centre of Canada! That's pretty good when you factor in my trips to Kansas and Virginia for holidays as well!!

I've sung in several Iqaluit Community Choir concerts, including wearing an amauti for the singing of O Canada in three languages (Inuktitut, French and English) on Canada Day! At church I'm starting to sing solos during communion services and am helping the organist pick out new pieces to learn with the group.

I've even started playing softball in the past few weeks...the aches and pains won't let me forget it!

I still go to the movies quite frequently. I've wound up seeing quite a few films that I otherwise would not have due to lack of options, but I've realized that I'm not as scared by all the action films as I used to be. Pushing the envelope and all that. ;)

I've made some headway with work projects too. Completing publications like the Nunavut Overview is definitely rewarding. Meeting Nunavummiut and industry leaders through outreach activities is also great.

I've also met a great group of people. Nunavummiut are friendly and welcoming. People come and go so much that we're always meeting new people and learning new things.

What more can I say? Until next time...

Pictures from Baker Lake

2008-06-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

For those who don't have access to Facebook, below is a link to pictures that I took during a trip to Baker Lake, Nunavut, in April 2008. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114440&l=7ac5f&id=741685633

Revealing the landscape...

2008-06-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

In the past month, Iqaluit's landscape has changed significantly. The snow in town is mostly gone, and the snow and ice in the mountains is melting away. Below are pictures from a recent treck to the Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park at the end of May. A friend from Toronto was in town and we strolled and picnicked in the park.

A quick storm

2008-04-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Storms seem to whip through here. This morning the weather was calm and mild at about -7C. By lunchtime, the winds were up to 50km/hr. Then we had snow blowing and the power went out! Aww joy. An hour or so later the wind was calm again and the temperature was up to -2C!!

Meanwhile the days are getting longer quickly. I created a makeshift blackout curtain for my bedroom this evening and also shifted my bed again so that I'm less likely to be awakened by the light in the morning. I didn't seem to have this trouble last summer when I moved here, but I guess the "gradual" progression into longer days is affecting me differently having had such short days not very long ago.

Hopefully I'll get some restorative sleep this weekend before the busy week ahead. Next week Iqaluit hosts the 2008 Nunavut Mining Symposium. The following week I'm heading to Baker Lake for some public meetings (provided bad weather doesn't prevent us from getting there). The week after that I'm attending a conference in Ottawa! Busy, busy, busy!!!

8 months on the job

2008-03-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

So I've been a little neglectful of this blog...sorry. As of today, I've been working in Iqaluit for 8 months. I've just come back from a business trip to Toronto with a side trip to Kansas. Busy, busy, busy. I returned home to "mild" weather: -18 with a windchill of -27. I'm tired but have community choir rehearsal in 45minutes.

The shelves that I ordered in early February have arrived. I may try to assemble one of them before choir and the rest afterwards...we'll have to see how that goes! I hope that they fit where I planned to put them!!!

Ah well. Hopefully I'll update this a little more frequently in the future. :)

Into the night...

2007-11-30T22:05:00.000-08:00

21 days till the shortest day of the year. The sun officially rises after I get to work (after 8:30am) and then sets at 2pm. Awww...the joys of living "North of 60".

I've now visited 2 out of 3 of Canada's territories, having just spent a week in Yellowknife. For some reason YK felt a lot like Cornwall, Ontario to me. While visiting the "big city" I got a haircut (only $35 including tip!!!) and did some shopping...it's dangerous to be that close to a Wal-mart and Shoppers Drugmart when you haven't visited them in 3 months!

I also had my cast replaced today for a smaller and tighter version. Below are pictures of the old cast...to give you a sense of the fun people have with markers and drinks at the end of a bonspiel! I like the "Curling Queen 07" one myself. ;)

Time...has it really gone by so much?

2007-11-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

I hadn't realized it had been quite so long since I last wrote. A lot has happened since the end of September. I started to learn to curl, won a bonspiel, then hit my head...and then I broke my wrist!

It's also decidedly winter outside. Temperatures are rising and falling, but we've already had a few days with the windchill down to -32C.

I'm lucky that I had the day off work today to continue to get a handle on doing things with just my left hand. I also dosed a bit. Hopefully I'll be okay at work tomorrow. Wish me luck!

It arrived!

2007-09-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

My Parka arrived yesterday!!! Here I am modeling the new coat that will keep me warm in the coming months! :)

Mining Week travels

2007-09-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

This week I had the opportunity to visit four more communities in Nunavut. Flying across to the mainland, we stopped in Coral Harbour to refuel.

We then proceeded on to Chesterfield Inlet.

The second photo is of a hospital built in the 1930s.

The third photo showed how long the painted greeting had been there...since Chesterfield Inlet became part of Nunavut (and stopped being a part of the N.W.T.) in April 1999!!!

The final photo was as we boarded the plane to head to Rankin Inlet for a night's rest.

We crashed for the night in Rankin Inlet and then had a bit of chaos finding out how and when we would be going to Repulse Bay.

Eventually it was sorted out. We got on board and headed out...

We arrived in Repulse around 11am without any more trouble. Then we tried to get lunch, but no one at the local hotel knew we were coming! So, we bought lunch at the local co-op then went in search of the Hamlet Office and school.

We had some time to wander around Repulse Bay before the evening presentation. I got a nice picture of the sun starting to set over the bay.

I also took a few other pictures around town... I even made it to their version of NorthMart: Northern.

Finally, before we flew back to Iqaluit, our co-pilot "de-iced" the plan manually for us. :)

Times they are a movin' on

2007-09-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a little while since I last wrote. We've been going through waves of coldness and mixes of snow/rain. Most mornings we now wake up to frozen puddles and a light layer of frost/snow on the ground.

For the past few weeks I've been preparing for Nunavut Mining Week and it finally begins tomorrow! Of course, they have to turn the power off in most of town tomorrow just to add to the excitement, but we will survive. After all, we have to use generators for power in the park anyway! So, tonight I must set alarms on none-plugged in devices in order to ensure I make it to the park on time. Activities include panning for gold, the rock doctor, surveying, and of course...hotdogs! Hopefully we'll get a good turn out. My pencils and activity books are ready to be distributed...hope that they actually attract our target audience! Anyway, I need sleep....and to figure out what to wear in order to stay warm, but also be able to move about easily tomorrow. Hope to have pictures to share again in the near future. :)

Ta ta.

Welcome to September in Iqaluit

2007-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

September in Iqaluit is full of surprises?!? On September 6 we had snow. September 7 brought winds of 57 km/h (35miles per hour) with gusts of 74 km/h (46miles per hour)...I'm starting to think my face does not need exfoliation since I get sand blown in my face at high speeds anway! ;)

First week back at work since my trip down to Ottawa and Virginia has been busy. Preparations for Nunavut Mining Week continue at a quick pace. On Thursday I saw "The Invasion" at the movies...the three of us who went together were laughing most of the way through...hopefully we didn't bother the other movie-goers too much! Tonight I'm going to a bar/restaurant for dinner. Tomorrow is "sign-up day" at which you sign-up for recreation activities for the coming year. After that, I think I'll collapse for the remainder of the weekend.

Until next time...

More pictures from around Iqaluit

2007-08-20T14:53:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I drove all over town taking photos. Here are just a few examples...

We started our trip by visiting Sylvia Grinell park. It seems like everytime I go there, there's a wedding taking place!

We then headed down that side of the bay a bit and took some pics from that side...

After that, I'm not sure which order we visited everything so these are in no particular order...

Here are a few from down near the Hudson Bay Company buildings. I took some at this location when I was up in June and there was tons of snow and ice around still...now it's clear.

We drove near the water basin and snapped a few pictures of the dam.

We also drove all the way to the very end of the Road to Nowhere!

We got some very picturesque views near a lake.

We took a few photos near the cemetary too.

Needless to say, it was a nice day with lots to see.

Flowers for enthusiasts

2007-08-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Many of my family members and some of my friends love flowers...so here is a tribute to you. While taking pictures all over Iqaluit on Saturday, I took note of some flowers.

Tread lightly...no stilettos allowed

2007-08-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Throughout Iqaluit there are several stairs to climb outdoors. Due to permafrost, building are built on pilons, which means you must climb in order to reach the entrance of the majority of buildings. Now, steps are not just stones, or concrete. I suppose in the middle of winter, neither would be very safe. Instead, there are various forms metalic grates as steps and stoops around town. I finally took my camera out and took photos of some examples...not that it's too exciting, but you can see how someone must be very skilled to walk in high/pointy heels around here. There's also the dust, sand, gravel aspect that would also make it difficult to walk in that type of footware...

Rain, rain, rain, sun, rain, rain, rain

2007-08-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

So, we had about two days of pleasant sunshiney weather (I walked around one day with no coat or long-sleeves!)...and now its back to the rainy gloom. Oh well...

Good news for those concerned about the education of future generations...my niece has already visited Home Depot..and she's not even a month old yet!!! ;) She'll definitely join the family tradition of DIY.

It's hard to believe that I've been here a month. The bay is open, the bugs are out (well at least when it's not super windy). Artic Cotton and other plants are in bloom. We've got mini ponds forming everywhere with inter-connecting streams from all of the rain. Sitting in the dining room of The Navigator Inn on Friday night, I actually recognized people and three other tables, so I must be getting familiar with my surroundings. :) I also chatted with a few people at NorthMart this afternoon while doing groceries.

Anyway, tomorrow is a holiday, so hopefully I'll be productive by working on my cross-stitch projects! Wish me luck!!

Moving in - Part 2

2007-07-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

So, my air shipment finally get unloaded and unpacked today. I am EXHAUSTED! A few items were damaged...no more teapot, a few dings on my entertainment centre, and a piece of plastic was broken off of my breadmaker. All in all, not too bad. I've even managed to put away all my clothes (except for the coats that are still in a wardrobe box because there's nowhere else to put them right now!). This is especially good since the contents of my chest of drawers had been dumped on my bed during the unpacking process.

And...my Harry Potter book FINALLY arrived today! So, I'll try to read a bit of that before I pass out this evening. ;)

Weather is dreary..it's been raining almost non-stop since Monday and it's quite chilly too. Anyway...that's all for now folks!

My abode...

2007-07-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

I've been delaying putting pics up of my home because my "air-shipment" has yet to arrive. However, after badgering from "R", I will submit to posting some images of my current abode. Please note that I'm in the middle of doing laundry, so all the stuff on the bed is just waiting to be put away! ;)

My living room is fairly spacious and has a large window.

As with my previous home, my living and dining rooms are open-concept, however there is a difference in flooring between them here.

My kitchen has plenty of storage and room to move in it.

The entrance is just to the left of the kitchen and the right of the laundry area.

Just round the corner from that is the linen closet and then the bathroom.

Turning to the left once more (and just to the right of the living room) is my bedroom. It's quite large as you can see.

So, there you have it. Once my stuff arrives from "down south" (isn't it weird how quickly you start using the local lingo?), the living room and bedroom may get re-arranged to fit the added stuff.

Sounds like the dryer is done, so time to put the last load into the dryer before going to bed. At least I don't jump from the sound of a buzzer with this dryer! Anyway, until I write again...take care.

First week…

2007-07-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

So, I’ve now been in town for over a week. Last Sunday was a day of cocooning in my apartment. Monday included picking up my Internet package from the post office and have a muskrat burger and bannock at Nunavut Day. Tuesday was another day of just hanging out, with a trip down to North Mart for groceries. Getting used to actually purchasing food for all meals, rather than eating out several times a week, is going to take some adjustment! ;)

My first three days at work went well. I’ve read all sorts, attended a ministerial announcement, and attended meetings.

This weekend I’ve kept pretty busy too. On Friday evening and joined my manager at a birthday dinner followed by a movie at her friends’ place. Saturday I met with four people for a bible study (I’d met two of these people when I was visiting in June). I then went and bought more groceries. In the late afternoon, another newbie to Iqaluit (a co-worker) and I wandered up to “The Frob” (a.k.a. the Frobisher Inn) to look at crafts (which weren’t there that day), chat, have dinner and then see the new Harry Potter movie.

On our way back down the hill, I stopped to take some pics of flowers (see below).

We also trotted down to the bay to see how the ice is clearing out (more pics below).

We had a nice time and then stopped by another colleague’s apartment for a while before going our separate ways.

On Sunday I attended church – successfully this time – and then wondered around town some more. In the afternoon I read, played Mah Jongg on the computer and watched a movie. I was supposed to go to a church member’s home for dinner on Sunday evening, but decided I needed to slow down a bit before the start of a new workweek.

So these are the joys of life so far in Iqaluit!

Until later….ta ta.

First full day in town…(July 8, 2007)

2007-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a nice time chatting over coffee (water for me!) and desserts. When I returned home, I was able to properly make my bed as well as have dishes and utensils again for meals. When I made Hamburger Helper yesterday, I realized after starting to brown the meat that I had no bowls or forks to eat it with. So, I ended up using a smaller pan as a bowl and a plastic ladle as a spoon…you can’t say I’m not creative! ;)

No church this morning…more on that at a later time. So, I made my way back home and watched movies and dozed for most of the day.

In the early evening, my manager loaned me her high-speed internet modem so that I can have access to the world!

Tomorrow is Nunavut Day and should prove to be interesting. That starts around 11am, so no rush to get up early quite yet.

Traveling north... (July 7, 2007)

2007-07-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

After a lovely “surprise” send-off from friends on Friday evening, I began my trip on Saturday morning with a little anxiety, but mostly excitement. A couple of my friends picked me up from the hotel with my massive bags and took me to the airport. After checking in and handing over my “over-size” bags, we had a brief stop at the Tim Horton’s in the airport before I went through security. I browsed through a couple of shops and then made a brief call to my parents before boarding my flight. Sometime between getting to security and getting on the plan, I lost one of my shoes that I had stuffed in a side-pocket of my backpack, but that’s not too bad, considering airlines and misplaced some of my more valuable items in the past.

I took a few photos in the air, but there was a lot of cloud-cover for most of the trip north. I arrived in Iqaluit to damp conditions, but it wasn’t really raining, so that was a plus. ;) My manager met me at the airport and helped me cart all of my bags to my apartment and then left me to my own devices for a few hours.

One of the first things I tried to do was make my bed…and it turns out I have a Queen-size bed instead of a Full-size mattress…so I’ll have to pick up at least one new fitted-sheet when I’m at the store later today. Everything else seems to be under control. All of my bags are empty and the place doesn’t look too out of order…except for the desk which is piled high with stuff for now…I’ll sort out where to put that stuff sometime soon.

My manager is going to take me to the store shortly so that I can get groceries and other items (like sheets!), and later we’ll be heading to my supervisor’s home for coffee/dessert. I’ll be able to pick up the bags that I brought up in June at that time.

Fun and exciting times. ;)

The beginning...

2007-07-04T18:52:00.001-07:00

My great adventure to the north began with a voicemail message asking for an interview. I'd applied for the job of course but never thought anything would come of it! After the interview I joined a church group traveling north to take a look around the capital of Nunavut -- Iqaluit. Since then, I've been on a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs as to whether or not I'll be moving or not....and now it's coming true! Boxes have been packed and some have been loaded. I fly to the Great White North on Saturday to begin a new chapter in my life...wish me luck!