♫ Sunday morning, praise the dawning, It’s just a restless feeling by my side ♫

7^°C 45^°F

Mainly Sunny

Sunrise: 4:35 AM
Sunset: 1:08 AM 

Before I even start.... Please note the time of sunrise vs sunset.... And keep in mind the sun never really goes away, it dips down, but we are under 24 hour illumination. 12:00am feels like 3pm, and 3am feels like 5:00pm. It is so strange to walk home at 3am and it be light out. FREAKY!!!! Soon there will be NO sunset/sunrise......

So wow, again time has gotten the best of me. But to be honest, it's a good thing. I am keeping so busy that I don't even realize how quickly the time is passing.

Updates: My contract is going up for renewal, sucky, but oh well, thus is life. I am hoping for the best, but if it doesn't work out, I'll still come back and do supply work. I already bought a return plane ticket so that decision is pretty much already made.

Yup, you heard me. I decided to come back. Being at home, and being unemployed just down right sucks so I can't even fathom coming back until I know that I will be able to pay my bills. With that in mind, I really have no other choice but to come back again...

I am now Co-Chairman of a new community initiative called Lights On. It is a community based program designed to provide teens with a drug/alcohol free environment to hang out at in Inuvik on Saturday nights. Kind of like a community center if you will. We offer board/card games, sports, video games, etc. Healthy snacks and just an overall safe environment. It's a big responsibility but it's good. Also, let's be honest here, it doesn't look that bad on a resume either that I help run/created this initiative. It is based on a program in Hay River by the same name, and I am running it with another teacher. She started as sole chairman but than asked if I would come on and Co with her so I accepted. Last Saturday night we had 24, this past Saturday we had 37! So that's great!

Here is a snipit of my schedule:
Monday (possibly volunteering with cadets)
Tuesday (Alternating from Gym Boss- a circuit training thing that I have started, with Trivia Night at the Legion)
Wednesday (Swimming)
Thursday (Gym Boss)
Friday (Swimming)
Saturday (Lights On)
Sunday (chill day)

Whew, did you get all that? After work I have something that I have to do everyday, so hopefully you can see why the blog has been on slight hiatus. And don't forget in there to put Hanging out with Friends, Doing prep work for school, cooking, sleeping, etc, lol)

I recently did a count.... only 51 days till I come home. I have to be honest, I am going to be sad to leave. Things up here in this bubble of a world that I live in happen so quickly. Someone that you meet one day, can seem like a best friend in a week. There is a saying that I remember from working at a camp last year: A Day is a Week, a Week is a Month, a Month is a Year. Basically when you live, eat, work, breathe with the same people day in and day out you bond with them so quickly. Well, I may not be at a camp anymore, but you sure do get that same small community feeling in a place like this. Also, with it being a transient place where people are constantly coming and going, you try to really make the best of every min you have with someone. So you hang out as much as you can, and do as much as you can together and it's just great. That being said, when I go home for 2 months, I know I am going to be missing out on other people leaving Inuvik for good, and a whole new crop of people coming in! It is going to be strange to come back with the prospect of having completely different people in my social group. People that my friends have started hanging out with, whom I have never met! Strange world I tell ya.

At the same time, I am obliviously looking forward to coming home. I can't wait to see my friends and family after being away for 6 months! I have missed everyone so much and really just can't wait to see everyone again. I have a whole lot on the go so it is going to feel like a whirl wind of insanity, but hopefully I will get some time to just chill, relax, and recharge before coming back up here.

Ok, that's it for now! I'll *try* to write more later. Adios amigos!

♫ Sorry seems to be the hardest word....♫

-22^°C -8^°F

Feels like: -31 C

Feels like: -24  F

Sunny

Sunrise: 7:25 AM
Sunset: 10:27 PM 

Yup.... 15 hours of sunlight.... soon to be 24!!!

Ok Ok Ok, I know, It's been like wayyyy to long, so long in fact, it is quite possible that no one is ever reading this anymore and I am now rambling on like the crazy cat lady who talks to her cats.... except I don't even have a cat... so I guess that just makes me the crazy lady.

Where has the time gone! In the last (gulp) 20 days, a lot has gone on! I have had my spring break, which was very well used ;P and have been back at school for a week now. So lets go back to the past and I'll start there. (Picture the Wayne's World back in time ending)

March 26th -
The first official day of spring break. So what did I do? Well....... ok, it's been too long, I don't really remember....

March 27th -
Oooo this I remember, I had a few of the girls over for a girls wine/cheese/painting night. This is where I re-discovered my love of goat cheese with dill on it. I used the fresh dill that I grow in my indoor gardens, and it was delish. There were about 6 of us, and we had a great time. I do have to say we never got to the painting, but we just talked and laughed and enjoyed the evening.

March 28th -
DOG FRICKIN SLEDDING! I will post photos.....
This was like insanely fun! I totally wiped out though towards the end of the trip, flipped the sled going over a bank and hit the ground hard. Thank goodness someone was behind me to appreciate the ridiculousness of it all. Come on, think about it, it's no fun falling if no one is there to witness it and laugh at you. You are just alone, sitting on the ground hurt, but if someone is there to see it, well then now you have a story and can really laugh about it. Back to the sledding - So it was 3 hours in total, it was a good trip, we each had our own sled so we were the 'mushers' and had a team of 4 dogs. We went up hills, down hills, through the woods, across lakes, it was just amazing. I really do recommend people take the time to do it if they are up here! The dogs are so kind and gentle and loving and all they want to do is run and then play and then love you!

March 29th -
TUK! Well actually Tuktoyuktuk. It's about a 2.5-3 hour drive north of Inuvik, only accessible via Ice Road in the winter and ferry in the summer. So there is actually some time when the only way is by plane because the ice hasn't quite melted enough for the ferries to travel. Part of the fun is just driving the ice roads (which actually extend into ocean water) and the great photo ops that arise along the way. Once we got to Tuk, we drove around a bit and then took a tour to into the Community Freezer. This is an underground freezer that locals use to store food. It is 30 feet down in the ground in the perma-frost. I do have to admit, it doesn't smell the greatest, lol. It smells like, well, like rotting fish and meat, because basically that is what it stores, lol.

The problem with the community freezer is that you need to descend into the freezer by going down an old wooden ladder, straight down. No big deal right? Wrong, take that old ladder, (about 12 inches wide) and oh, I don't know, add a layer of ICE all over it! Yeah, scary!! You never at any time feel like you have a good grip on the ladder! I was terrified. You have to crawl into this whole by swinging your legs over the opening, you have to get a foot hold, then hold on with your hands as you begin to descend. You can't use your bare hands because it is freezing, and you always feel like your mittens just aren't quite secure. It's pretty nerve racking. Then you are down there, blah blah blah, then you realize that you need to climb back up! Anyway, it was a good experience, even though I was so scared I thought I might pee my pants.

March 30th -
Sleep

March 31st -
Went to school, did some work. I was invited to a party, but decided to stay in.

April 1st -
The beginning of the 54th Annual Muskrat Jamboree! This is an annual  festival that takes place in the communities in the area. The one in Inuvik is the first one. It is celebrated by many community games, celebrations, dances, feasts, etc. It was a really fun time! I participated in a few games, but did not win :( I will post some photos of the opening ceremonies here as well.

Then on the weekend there were a few parties, which I will not get into. Lest to say they were a lot of fun. :P

Whew, are you still reading? Good for you!!! Just a bit more to go....

This past week was normal, just a regular school week, nothing special.

See... I told you there wasn't much more to read.....

Ok, I'll stop here, information overload!
I miss you all!

14 weeks down, 12 to go!!!!

Au Natural

I really like the thought of going green this way...

http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-the-naturally-clean-kitchen-4361/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Read+on...&utm_content=etsy_finds_031711&utm_campaign=etsy_finds_031711

♫ Let the sunshine Let the sunshine in The sunshine in ♫

Sunrise: 8:56 AM
Sunset: 9:08 PM

-7^°C 19^°F

Feels like: -11

Feels like: 12

Sunny 

So as you can see, things up here have changed. We are at about 12 hours of sunlight and it's coming on really fast. I haven't seen the northern lights in a while, and wonder if I'll see them again this season. 

People are actually talking a lot about the weather temperature right now as they say that when it warms up this much in the winter (because it is still winter here) then there is a good chance of a blizzard again. So I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. 

On Friday night I decided to have a low key evening so just stayed in and watched a movie. I watched All Good Things. It was a good movie all in all, good acting, etc. but it was long and frustrating, especially since it was based on a true story. P and T came over and we just chilled for the night. 

Saturday was the usual, chai latte in the cafe with my friends but then I got an invite from a friend to go to their cabin on airport lake for a bit. We basically just went to start a fire and clear a walking path but it was good to just get outside the town for a bit. It was only 30 min outside of Inuvik, but it was pretty nice to be 'away' for a bit. It was the first time I have left the center of Inuvik since I arrived. Scary eh? I have never stayed in such a small square millage before for this long in my whole life!

Saturday evening saw a great event at the legion. It was an East Coast Party and so many people went. It was a great mix of people, older, younger, Northerners, Southerners, etc. It was a great party. 10$ to get in the door, and that included a free meal of Irish Stew and a roll. There was great music, started by CD music of bands like Great Big Sea, and Irish bands, and then it switched to a live band that played jig style music for the rest of the night. It really was a great night. I was at a table with about 20-25 people I knew and we all just had a great time. A few people came back to my place after we left the legion (around 2am) and then they all finally parted from my place at around 3am. So needless to say, I am a bit tuckered out today. Couch and KFC, you are my dear dear friend.

That's it, that's all.

Sunday evening stroll

T and I decided to go for a walk and take photos....
This is what we came up with....

Oh Saturday, How do I love thee...

Let me count the ways...

1. I get to sleep in.

2. I get to sleep in.... wait did I say that already?

3. I get to go to the cafe and spend a hour, or two, or more, with friends. I now meet up with about 7-10 people. There are about 4-5 regulars, and then friends of friends show up and we expand our tables as they arrive. I have actually started meeting people there now.

4. I get time to cook a big meal and have friends over to enjoy it. Tonight I am having about 4 people over to share in some homemade Pumpkin Soup with Apple Dumplings in homemade pastry for desert. I love cooking but during the week I just don't feel like I have time. I get home around 5:30 or so, then I am too tired to prepare a big meal.

5. I get to walk around 'downtown' and run errands. It is great because I bump into a lot of people, chat with them, see the students out. It's a good social time.

6. Wine night.

7. I get to sleep in....

Well that's about it for the reasons. On to the Top Stories of the Hour. (imagine a news voice-over there)

This past week we celebrated International Women's Day here in Inuvik. It was great. On Tuesday night I went to a free dinner for women. There were about 175 women that came and we were able to dine on Arctic Char (?) in a white sauce, Roast Beef and gravy, potatoes, brocolli, cauliflour, carrots, Caesar Salad, rolls, and Chocolate cake with vanilla icing.

I totally went up for seconds. I felt like I wanted to eat a weeks worth of food just to savour how good it was. There were some very moving speeches, and the company was great. Each woman got a rose to symbolize love and respect. It was a very great evening.

Other than that, things in school have been going really well. I am starting to feel a bit tired now though, and am looking forward to spring break. It's in about 2 weeks and I can't wait. A rest is needed at this point, and I look forward to doing some fun touristy things.

That's about it for now.

Oh, and the new apartment is great, I'll add some photos so you can see it. Please keep in mind that I am not completely set up/unpacked so it is not looking it's best so.... DON"T JUDGE!


Miss you all.

Living room view from the entryway (bedroom off to the left)

Kitchen view from the entryway

large pantry

View of bedroom and bathroom(to the left)

bedroom

bathroom

messy room (I haven't completely unpacked..)

large closet (no door...)

view from living room to kitchen/entryway

lots o cupboards!

I'm not in Kansas Anymore..... (well, I never really was....)

Ok.

So, first let me say I am sorry I have not written in FOREVER, but I do have a bit of an excuse. Things with the roomies were, well, not so peachy keen jelly bean. Not being, ahem, satisfied, with my living situation was taking a lot out of me and making it so I was staying pretty low key. This led to a lack of motivation, which lead to a lack of blogging. But I am happy to say that I have rectified the situation and am now the proud renter of a one bedroom apartment. (I will post picks as soon as it is set up) I actually just told my roommates on Friday night that I was leaving, by Saturday I verbally agreed to an apartment, and by Monday I signed a lease. I put together a great crew of movers. 6 guys, 2 gals (including myself) and on Monday night we moved everything from one apartment to the other. WHEW, it was a lot of work, but it was well worth it.

Now, my wallet may not be thanking me so much as it crys on the fist of every month as I had over $1250 to my landlord, but alsa, my mind tells my wallet to shut up because it is much happier now. And a bonus, is that I now live literally next door to some of my closest friends, and the rest of the people I hang out with are LITERALLY 5 min away. We all live in the same basic area so it's great!

Now, another reason for the lack of communication was that we had our selves a good ol fashioned Blizzard up here that was strong enough to knock out all communications with the outside world. We lost the Internet, Cell Phones, Long Distance Calls, Bank Machines, etc. So basically we were restricted to calling just local people in like a 2 mile radius, or paying $20 for a 5 min phone call on a Satellite phone. Well, considering there were no functioning bank/debit/credit machines in town, I didn't really have $20 for that call. So instead I curled up in the Inuvik Bubble for 4 days and just waited it out. I was well aware that my mom (HI MOM) was probably freaking out and thinking that I had been eaten by a polar bear or reindeer but I had to just wait it out, as did she.

Other than the move, and the blizzard, things up here are pretty normal. I am slowly settling into my new place. School is going really well, the kids are awesome, and it's an all around good time. I am still going swimming 1-2 times a week, and have made a promise that I will go to this thing called "GymBoss" with S. (I'll keep you posted on that)

Also next week is women's appreciation, so on Tuesday night I am going to be going to a free dinner in town to celebrate women! Yeah! Free Food! Gotta love that when I am now again on a tight budget. It should be a good time and I'll keep you all posted on that as well.

I think that that is just about it for now, but I will try and write more again soon. Miss you all.

Currently -29C, -20F, 2:21, Beautiful and Sunny! (we are back a a good amount of full sunlight baby!)