tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88803506250392352522024-03-19T04:18:35.802-07:00My Nunavut Adventure(That has also become 'Our Northwest Territories Adventure') Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-47119828662909781952016-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:002016-04-01T18:42:38.991-07:00Can't Get Enough of the North So I just entered a contest where the first place prize is an arctic cruise with #MyAdventureCanada. My entry is a sweet picture of my now 3 and a half year old, Brody, all frozen from tobogganing. Please do us a favour and take a few seconds of your time to vote for our picture! Click on this link to vote for my adorable entry, <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://wshe.es/arfyV0Nz . Thank you kindly! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-83510826961141899742014-08-03T22:21:00.000-07:002014-08-03T22:21:30.061-07:00SealfieAs a mother who is raising Inuit children in the Arctic I have to give my vote of support for the 'seal'fies.<br />
I moved North in search of an adventure and instead I found a life, a beautiful, inspiring and thrilling life amongst the Inuit culture.<br />
Being a mom (who primarily feeds her baby organic produce when we are in the South) I am faced with challenges in the attempt to prepare healthy and nutritious meals in the North. We live in a place where produce has a three day shelf life and by the time it has been shipped half way across the world, been frozen, thawed and displayed for sale, it has lost most of it nutrients anyway. We live in a place where healthy choices are difficult to make, and unhealthy choices are almost as bad, with a can of zoodles costing nearly nine dollars. I have gained an immense appreciation for the animals who will feed my son, nourish my son and clothe my son, as they are fresh, they are birthed and free to live in some of the cleanest land I have ever seen. There is no such thing as free-range in the Arctic, because all of our animals are free. When our wildlife is harvested, it is harvested humanely. Seals along with Caribou, muskox and even polar bear feed communities who live with the reality of food insecurity. And then those animals go on to clothe those communities.<br />
The seal is abundant across the North. It is hunted ethically, sustainably and respectfully. It is appreciated and it is a gift. Can you say the same for the last meal you consumed with meat in it?<br />
I can honestly and whole heartedly tell you that it gives me a peace of mind to send these children out into the winter with seal skin on that no store bought product could give me.<br />
I have spent time outdoors, away from the warmth of town, in the winter and spring where it has been so cold that I learned to respect the Arctic for not only what is has to offer but for what it can take from you. I credit the furs of animals as the reason I still have my fingers and toes.<br />
The Arctic is arguably the Worlds most extreme and dangerous climate. The furs that line the hoods of parkas serve a purpose, though beautiful - my fur is not a simple fashion statement - it has been the reason for arriving at my destination without frostbite across my face.<br />
I dress my son in fur because it keeps him safe from the pain that the wind can cause. It keeps him sheltered from the unimaginable cold and it is a representation of Canada's true North, strong and free, and the strength that is the Inuit people. Ellen Degeneres would do the same thing if she had children to protect from these elements, she just doesn't realize it.<br />
It is the seal that has sustained the Inuit culture thus far, and it is the seal that will continue to do so.<br />
Fur is not fashion, fur is livelihood.<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-25811203849260799332014-02-06T11:06:00.001-08:002014-02-06T11:10:22.278-08:00Traditional Sewing of Kiiyuk Kamiks - Western Arctic StyleI've been trying to keep busy and entertained while getting much needed breaks from my little love bugs.<br />
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I have been working as a substitute teacher which is always a fun and exhausting day when the opportunity to be there arises. Today I got up and showed up only to find a power outage. Last week I had a call to be there and we had a blizzard. The Universe seems to be working against my attempts to stay busy outside of the house.<br />
I spent last week in Librarian training with some folks from Hay River. My hopes that the role of Librarian will ever come to me are slim to none - though if I had a dream job in Ulukhaktok, that would be it - small town politics and a line up of entitlement to the job lay ahead of me.<br />
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We did just finish taking a class on Kiiyak making. Kiiyak's are traditional seal skin soled kamiks, or mukluks. This type of seal skin sole is chewed into its form.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me beginning the chewing of my kiiyuks</td></tr>
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Our first class we spent on the ground using old 12 gauge shot gun shells on the end of scissors to scrape all of the fur off of our Ugyuk skin. The Bearded Seal is used for this because of its tough, thick skin. The skin under the fur is dark in colour, almost black, and the reverse side is a sort of yellow shade, that sometimes doesn't smell very nice due to residual oils.</div>
Our second class was when we started chewing. You can chew either side, happily we were chewing the dark side where the fur had been removed. The elders who were teaching our class had taken the skins home to soak them for us. We then cut them to the right size and made folds where our crimping via teeth needed to start and stop.<br />
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We scraped and chewed and gagged and chewed and eventually sewed them into finished products.<br />
My first pair ended up being the wrong size sole as my pattern had been made too small. So I put them aside and made a pair to fit.<br />
The pair that fits me I sewed without a design on them and in natural seal skin so that they are simple and match all of my attire. I am undecided about what kind of design to add to the duffle socks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First finished boot without laces and with<br />
an unfinished duffle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My finished kiiyuks - just need to add<br />
some colour to the duffle</td></tr>
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The second pair I am working on - the first small kiiyuks that I chewed - are my practice pair, which I got a little bolder with and sewed in a design. The ooh's and aww's I recieved in class and from the elders made me blush and made me overly proud of my first attempt at sewing with seal skin. They are far too big for Mekia, though her tiny feet get extremely cold so I may sew her some caribou slippers to wear inside these kamiks to keep her warm. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My experimental pair. Sewing in designs is a lot of hard work</td></tr>
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Katie's kiiyuks didn't fit her either so she made a second pair as well. Her first pair she finished in seal skin and her second pair she finished the traditional way - with canvas.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's first pair of small kiiyuks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's collection of Western style kamiks from left to right, <br />
seal skin, caribou fur and the canvas kiiyuks she made herself</td></tr>
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We didn't make it into the class that is running now, which certainly got me down. They are making seal skin parkas and couldn't take more than five ladies due to costs. My hope is to borrow a pattern from one of the ladies who are also making parkas for their small children and sew at home with my own materials so my boy can have one too. I am really enjoying sewing with animal skins, it is all done by hand with sinew thread which is thick and waxy, making it strong and water proof. My last experience successfully using a sewing machine must have been my days of making doll pillows with my moms machine. My comfort zone lies within the limits of hand sewn projects. Sewing traditional items has me thoroughly captivated, it's nice and relaxing to focus on the project at hand and it also opens my eyes up to the way they did things in the past - when they couldn't stop by the Northern store to buy new boots.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last Kiiyuk making class. Our instructors Mabel Nigiyok on the left, Mary Kudlak<br />
in the centre and Mary's lovely daughter Emily Kudlak leading a drum song</td></tr>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-19265664799106574402013-12-16T16:50:00.001-08:002013-12-16T16:50:39.836-08:00The Arctic FoxThe Arctic Fox is super cute. His sweet little face makes me feel beyond guilty that his cousin was at one point tanned, dyed black and retailed for the value of his life - roughly $500.00... only to be sewn onto my parka to keep me from freezing over.<br />
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Then I look around at every other parka around me that dawns a fox, wolf or wolverine and I feel even worse until I remember what life is like without an animal fur saving my skin from hardening to the rock form that is frost bite.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago our local friend Patrick came by to tell us to take a look out back of our house. Katie and I wandered out to find a successfully trapped fox. He was beautiful and reminded me a little bit of my cats.<br />
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He's dead now, he was dead that day. He was likely skinned right away to eventually become fur trim on a hood, or to adorn a hat or mitts.<br />
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And while we're on the topic of Arctic animals. I just asked Katie if she was using a really old dishcloth... you know that smell? ... turns out shes boiling caribou tongue. Yum.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-28921057916363206212013-11-24T16:04:00.000-08:002013-11-24T16:04:07.593-08:00Brain Freeze and Snow Drifts Fresh air for kids is something I deem to be important. I have always felt that they need to be outside, stretching and playing and breathing the air.<br />
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Environment Canada has the temperature with windchill for Ulukhaktok to be negative 34 degrees Celsius. This isn't near the coldest I've felt but my goodness this town has nothing to block that wind.<br />
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We fought for half an hour to get the babes ready. Brody does NOT under any circumstances, even on the best of days, enjoy getting geared up for the outdoors. We managed to walk to the Northern... which is about 3 minutes away before we had to get indoors and warm up. The little hairs on my face were instantly fusing to my neck warmer and I actually had a cold headache, the kind you get when you drink a slushy too fast. My brain was freezing in the cold wind.<br />
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We got out just in time to catch the light. It barely sticks around at all. Around 11 am, I enjoy watching the pink sky to the left of the house as the sun tries to push through, and at the same time, watching the moon to the right of the house, still lighting the town. It feels almost like watching a wrestling match and knowing that the sun is getting weak and will soon give up the fight.<br />
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While out in the light, I got to see the six foot (+) snow drift that had formed on the road next to our house after yesterdays winds. No wonder I felt lost as I tried to walk through it in the pitch black of yesterday evening, with only the tiny illuminated window from our garage to assure me that I was still heading in the right direction.<br />
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It's the tiniest things that remind me that I am further North than I ever have been.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brody's typical outer wear - though on days like today, he is also inside my amauti which acts as a second parka for him.</td></tr>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-3615824051370720412013-11-14T18:01:00.000-08:002013-11-14T18:01:07.840-08:00Sunrise and Sunset in UlukhaktokI've never seen a sunrise, a sunset or a moon like I have in Ulukhaktok.<br />
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For a few weeks now I have been working as a substitute teacher at Helen Kalvak School here in Ulu. The classroom that I have been in for the majority of the time has windows that span the entire side of the room and has one of the most gorgeous views that I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.<br />
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I've seen a lot of sunsets and a lot of full moons. But I have never seen a sky like the one here. When it isn't covered in a think blanket of cloud, it is majestic. It is a source of inspiration and radiates life. I feel full when the sunset shines pink and gold through my soul. I feel full of awe when the moon and the stars glow the way they only could atop of an unpolluted night sky, in a quiet, dark town in the middle of nowhere. I feel close to God when I look out through the windows in this town.<br />
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I cannot photograph the sky to do it any justice. I cannot come close to capturing the way that this town takes my breath away.<br />
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The sun doesn't last long anymore. We are about to lose it completely until somewhere near mid January when it will return for the same kind of peek-a-boo appearances.<br />
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During the one hour class I've been teaching from 1:30 to 2:30, the sun has been both rising and coming close to setting. By the time I leave at 3:45pm it is dark again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwhz0-r7Sk5Y-tKXiQ_4oqf-dM0QVPnh5Ah1VgnhAV9XJz0RkfX6p1k_T-dkkPRBtlCNyfsMmGWI0DztKzxN40rC37gYKUkXpaiRiELHU9VVwZR62wHpqojxIQ2Ckhs_7eOJwuU0OImE1/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwhz0-r7Sk5Y-tKXiQ_4oqf-dM0QVPnh5Ah1VgnhAV9XJz0RkfX6p1k_T-dkkPRBtlCNyfsMmGWI0DztKzxN40rC37gYKUkXpaiRiELHU9VVwZR62wHpqojxIQ2Ckhs_7eOJwuU0OImE1/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the sunrise from the front of the school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the school parking, now mostly snowmobiles, the playground, the Ulukhaktok community center and the town</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC_3XLLSrExru1eVUyZ0xw7EMfOHVVc-x2aPfdhrhUyT5ZMSlssM8H7Ex4-loBNoWz6Xxc4Ugr-Lc7I_3mQpTp-d7GkMDlyx3h1iYecb5wOcqqamWYqmGU4YuLZby3uwMATnFLmyuqMdh/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC_3XLLSrExru1eVUyZ0xw7EMfOHVVc-x2aPfdhrhUyT5ZMSlssM8H7Ex4-loBNoWz6Xxc4Ugr-Lc7I_3mQpTp-d7GkMDlyx3h1iYecb5wOcqqamWYqmGU4YuLZby3uwMATnFLmyuqMdh/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset with a view of the other playground, the town and the RCMP station on the right</td></tr>
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When I left work the moon was just coming up over the hills, it was an image of perfection. The moon, full and round and bright white. I wanted to share it, to lasso it. I wish with all of my being that the people I love could be here to see what I get the chance to see.<br /><br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-17221179515539247282013-10-30T15:45:00.000-07:002013-10-30T15:45:22.240-07:00Hey Southerner, does my blog make you feel cold?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm not going to lie, if I were down South enjoying the beauty and sweater weather of fall, I probably wouldn't want to read this blog often... it would make me feel cold and really, who likes feeling cold?</div>
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I never owned a own home before moving North. I wouldn't know the first thing about my furnace needing fuel refills, or how to replace a furnace filter and if you leave me a thermostat with no manual... it becomes obsolete, useless to me. So until now, I got by just screwing around with the buttons. It would get cold so I would push a few things and somehow the house would (usually) warm up. For the past week our furnace has been shutting off in the middle of the night and we have been waking up freezing. After many days of Katie flipping the breaker off and on again... which seemed to have been working, I realized no silly thermostat games were going to save us.</div>
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Dramatic? Maybe... but I doubt you know what it feels like to wake up to a blizzard pelting your house so hard that the glasses in the kitchen cupboards are shaking. The wind is so cold and so strong as it hits the windows that if you close your eyes, you could easily imagine that you are in the storm rather than sheltered in the house. Embarrassingly enough, I am not kidding when I say that the wind at night in Ulukhaktok freaking scares me. </div>
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Long story short, I was on hold with tech support so long that I actually managed to fix my thermostat woes before the man on the other line managed to figure out which model we have on the wall. Proud. </div>
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With the wind and the snow come days off for the municipal truck drivers... I think... but honestly I'm not sure what they do. All I know for sure is that when the wind is too high, the water truck cannot deliver water. </div>
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This means a few things: </div>
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a) my showers are getting shorter, and believe me when I say, if the furnace isn't working, you don't want to get out of the hot shower... ever</div>
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b) laundry is pilinggggg up </div>
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c) the dishes are also piling up</div>
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d) this one is perhaps the most horrific. The daycare and preschool are closed </div>
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e) due to point d, I cannot work as I am home with the tots</div>
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As you can see, my income is directly effected by mother nature, my sanity is also directly effected, as is the cleanly state of this house...</div>
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Just kidding, this house is never to be classified as 'cleanly' or any other similar descriptive adjective. If it has been, its a lie. We have toddlers. If you come over and it is remotely clean... we faked it.</div>
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The following picture is the lovely view from by bedroom window. The top half is a picture taken in September while sea lift was here. The bottom half is what it looks like now. Looks fun right? If you look the wind in the face, you cannot breathe and you get frost bite. </div>
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I am past the point of ready to book a tropical vacation. I'm pretty sure the fireplace is tired of having a front row view of my ass.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVWcqLDhouyD5DkoASFOnEPQMxLRTypnNlDCAE19mTBoESmk6BCYN-k3TIJ5_v20UU1I4TgCDjW2JH1eJAywWTUaa5Sc9dgTzJUOfFyFg0sFBebs_oxaovvyK3BfEDjSiNYaFVN6zOQrp/s1600/1390563_10151938522819076_192130048_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVWcqLDhouyD5DkoASFOnEPQMxLRTypnNlDCAE19mTBoESmk6BCYN-k3TIJ5_v20UU1I4TgCDjW2JH1eJAywWTUaa5Sc9dgTzJUOfFyFg0sFBebs_oxaovvyK3BfEDjSiNYaFVN6zOQrp/s320/1390563_10151938522819076_192130048_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-19009960162401480352013-10-27T10:51:00.002-07:002013-10-27T10:51:47.969-07:00Skidoos and Fresh SnowWell, we're frozen now. The water lake is frozen, (where we get our drinking water) the rivers are frozen and all three Bays are well on their way to being solid. Yesterday I took my second slip and fall, my entire left butt cheek and thigh are red and scraped up. And though snow brings falls and wet boots and a soggy front porch, it also brings the beginning of a beautiful time in the Arctic. That time just before the sun disappears and just after summer has passed. It's a time where the sun shines brilliantly, with a closeness that seems to light the settlement on fire with golds and pinks. Yet at the same time, the moon, bright as it is at night, sits peacefully, untouchable just above the town. We have had three breathtakingly picturesque days in a row. Yesterday the snow fell in soft clumps. When you look into the sky, you feel as though you are living within the confines of a perfect painting, where the only sight you need to see for the rest of your living days is the tunnel of light shining down on you through a break in the pink clouds, illuminating the miles of slowly falling flakes above. My world is filled with pale blues, soft pinks, all shades of gold and the fresh, innocent white that has fallen all around us. It is hard to feel anything but peace during this time.<br />
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Though, it is the calm before the storm.<br />
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Perhaps the most exciting bonus that comes from the fresh snow is that we can now begin to enjoy our new snowmobile. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKk3XDiArpRu0xyQ5Qtq5bDGdrouM1XJVfXl3Vq5Rzjzrk4PrKsm7RZry18jK_o7OUxlNcFGr7VAF8ufjy2UHv3FZ6UVQNSQC7JOU6V9JL8_IVjemSHjwfooaYjpKNdALZmaoOsi2jAgot/s1600/1379771_10151915802239076_85819828_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKk3XDiArpRu0xyQ5Qtq5bDGdrouM1XJVfXl3Vq5Rzjzrk4PrKsm7RZry18jK_o7OUxlNcFGr7VAF8ufjy2UHv3FZ6UVQNSQC7JOU6V9JL8_IVjemSHjwfooaYjpKNdALZmaoOsi2jAgot/s320/1379771_10151915802239076_85819828_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new machine</td></tr>
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I hope this makes my dad want to visit... hahaMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-54252672698107391212013-10-10T16:55:00.001-07:002013-10-10T16:55:51.904-07:00Early Christmas Prep So Christmas is coming... perhaps that isn't on the minds of all you Southerners quite yet, but I have been planning since the middle of September. I already have a few things wrapped. There are reasons why I start so early...<br />
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a) This town is covered in snow. I sing 'it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,' on a daily basis. It looked more like Christmas here after our first August snow than it does December 25th in Southern Ontario.<br />
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b) If you live in a community that is 'fly-in only,' you know 1) you will most likely have to be ordering in Christmas gifts and 2) there is no guarantee that they will arrive in a timely manner. You cannot afford to procrastinate for Christmas in the Arctic.<br />
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Even though I have started this process on time, I am feeling so annoyed. No one has free shipping anymore. My only options are amazon.ca and costco.ca but costco generally sells oversized items (play kitchens, doll houses and so on) and I am in the mind set of, 'no more big things that we can't afford to take South when we finally move back'.<br />
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I bought all of my kiddies Christmas books from amazon. This year we are doing a book advent calendar, where I will wrap 24 books and put a date on them, to be opened one per night until Santa crosses the river and drops off gifts.<br />
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My thought right now is, how do Santa's reindeer survive travels through the North without being shot for tuktu stew?<br />
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Back to the annoyances... there are no boots for me to buy for Brody in this town. His feet are way too fat to fit into anything under a size 6 (He's 15 months old) and his seal skin kamiks are too small now. There is nothing made and nothing in the stores.<br />
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Today's frustration is that there is no corn meal in town and I just really want to make corn bread muffins.<br />
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I guess both will have to wait until December when my mom arrives for Christmas! It will be her second Christmas with me in the North, her first Christmas in the NWT and her first Christmas spent with her favorite (and only) grandson. I used all of my aeroplan miles and two handfuls of hundies to make it happen but that's what daughters are for. Right?<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-18184577503454101822013-09-22T20:48:00.001-07:002013-09-22T20:49:23.243-07:00Suicide is NOT the Answer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Life has
been so seemingly peaceful here since I came to terms with the onslaught of
winter. There has been a wave of serenity hovering over me. Perhaps it was sent
by some divine power to keep me sane but regardless, through all the stresses
of life lately I have been able to enjoy the days here. Katie and I have been
settling in and enjoying the people, we even got an invite for dinner with the
Captain and his crew from the sea lift barge. (which was another throw back to
Southern life) Stephen went back to Arviat to hunt and be with family and the
kids are settled in at day care. I was so looking forward to this Sunday, Katie
is off today and she spent most of the day playing the guitar while the kids
danced and I spent some time in the garage working on a pallet wood toy chest
project I have created for Brody’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">No matter
how peaceful we had hoped today would be, we went through the motions of the
day with heavy hearts and the hope of distractions. Turns out we both turned to
creative outlets to divert our thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">For as long
as I have been in the North I have been witness to the suffering that suicide
brings. I am never truly surprised when I ask the cause of someone’s passing
and the answer is suicide. Over the last couple of years it has been inspiring
to see many Northerners band together against the tragedy of lives lost so pointlessly.
With posts all over Facebook on Suicide Prevention Day dedicated to the souls
that have passed, I realized just how many of my Northern friends (and family)
have been burdened by the heart break of loss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Last night
a beautiful nineteen year old girl named Tina swallowed prescription drugs that weren't hers.
When she showed up at our door it took me a few seconds to realize that she was
outwardly in decent shape but that physically she was in trouble. I let her
into the house and sat her down on our steps, held the bag for her to vomit in and
wiped her face when she finished. With the intention of getting her to the
health center, as she had requested, I opened our front door and found the officers
that had come to help her. She reluctantly got into the truck and that was the
last time I will ever see Tina. Today, just before they could medivac her to
help, she passed away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">She caused
her own death but I know that even after doing such a reckless and irresponsible
thing, Tina didn't want to die, she wasn't ready to die. Some of her last words
to me were, ‘take me to the health center.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Today,
there were a handful of things that ran on repeat through my mind. I stood in
front of the stove and cooked through my tears, with every part of my brain
wondering why they couldn't save her. Thinking about how her family and friends
would never hear her voice again. Questioning why she did it. If she had of
thought a little bit harder about the value of her life, perhaps I would see my
neighbor leave her house tomorrow morning, perhaps she wouldn't have had to
regret her actions when it was already too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">While Katie
and I dined with the Captain, Tina was here playing with our babies. When we
came home, my sweet son was sleeping soundly against her chest, dreaming along
to the beat of her heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Just a
short while ago she was alive with promise, with opportunity for the future and
like the drop of a hat her entire life has been cut short, ended, stopped. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The ease of
losing a life is horrifying. The stabbing ache of realizing, again, how fragile
life is, feels unbearable. It fills me with fear for the future, for the North,
for the children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Suicide is
never the answer, ever. Life is a beautiful gift, even when it hurts, there is
the promise of a happier day, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but
there will always be light at the end of the tunnel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">If you
happen to be reading this because you Google searched suicide and have been
thinking that it might be your way out of a hard situation, please talk to
someone you love. Please call someone; there are crisis lines that are waiting
to listen, judgment free. Please message me; I will be there for you if you
have no one to talk to because I believe that your life is precious. Suicide
will never be the answer to your feelings of hopelessness but I think that
hearing someone else’s voice and telling someone else what you are going
through could help you clear your mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">NWT Help Line<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Serving Northwest Territories<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Crisis 7pm-11pm (Mountain Standard Time)
7days/week: <b>1-800-661-0844</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Yellowknife, NT X1A 2PG<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Business: (867) 873-9903<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">email: nwthehelpline@mail.tamarack.nt.ca<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">website: www.nwthelpline.ca<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Nunuvut<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Awareness Centre<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Nunavuat Kamatsiaqtut Help Line<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Serving Nunavut and Nunavik (Arctic Quebec)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Crisis 7pm-11pm (Eastern Standard Time)
7days/week: <b>1-800-265-3333</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Crisis 7pm-11pm (Eastern Standard Time) 7
days/week: <b>(867) 979-3333<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">P.O. Box 419, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Business: (867) 979-2742<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">email: slevy@qikiqtani.edu.nu.ca<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">website: www.kamatsiaqtut.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">OR<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Call Kids
Help Phone: <b>1-800-668-6868</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You are not
alone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-31852787431608804582013-08-28T12:26:00.000-07:002013-08-28T12:26:23.944-07:00This is a pep talk <i>This is a pep talk, this is me (as I do sometimes) writing out a pros and cons list to remind myself of what overshadows my fears and discomforts. This is how I prep myself for what is to come. Thank God for this beautiful day. </i><br />
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It takes merely a few seconds to miss the allure and charm of the North when one leaves it behind. Then upon return, it takes merely weeks to not only remember the isolation but feel the pang of it in your chest.<br />
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Katie and I spent some time over the weekend acquainting ourselves with a couple construction workers who had been working here for a couple of weeks and then got weathered in until Saturday. The feeling of satisfaction in finding company who bring with them the comfort and memories of the South, of home, is rare up here.<br />
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When I asked them if they were bored, they told us about the movies they had been watching and said, "aren't you?" Usually I would tell them of the many things to do here, but these weren't men who hadn't been keeping busy. My response was, "I'm used to it, I guess."<br />
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The truth is that my response was not entirely the truth. I had already been feeling that loneliness ebbing into my soul. It started snowing the morning we went over to spend some time with our snowed in guests. It snowed most of the day Saturday, and Sunday. Today it is Wednesday and the snow seems to have stopped. The small white patches on the ground are melting away slowly. The sun is out but then again the moon is too.<br />
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I dropped Brody off at Daycare to play with his friends for the afternoon, (It's free here!) and then I took a short walk. I cannot resist basking in the warm sun on a fresh-air kind of day. I walked to the top of a small hill, just on the edge of town. I looked down in the direction of the airport and saw white sheets off in the distance. I briefly doubted that they would ever melt away.<br />
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As I stood on that hill with civilization behind me, I noticed the quiet. I closed my eyes for what must have been five minutes. I heard the birds, noticing that even though so many had already migrated, there were the remaining birds that must be exceptionally brave. They tweeted and chirped and in that moment I was transported to exactly the spot I stood. I took the trip but the perfection of the very spot where my feet were grounded was so untouchable that there was nothing better my mind could conjure. I could feel the warmth of the sun coming and then leaving with the shallow gusts of cool wind. The winter is coming, the moon in the sky at noon proves this daunting fact. I am afraid. They call it the land of the midnight sun, but you don't hear many refer to it as the land of the noon time moon - which it truly is for the majority of the year.<br />
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I cannot tell you what it feels like to live in Northern Canada, under the blanket of darkness. The place you are taken is a dark one and sometimes when you lay alone in bed you can hear your lonely heart thrum as though alone inside a rusted and forgotten oil drum. Sealed away from the world until the ice thaws and freedom claws its way slowly inward and releases you. There is a longing that crawls beneath the surface of the skin, the nerves that crave human touch but know it will be so long until anything other than a parka hugs the body. Knowing these things are coming, and coming fast, has me a little bit nervous these days.<br />
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Seeing those construction men off on Saturday was like sealing the envelope and reality sank in. The plane was taking this short summer and the fun company it provided for one weekend with it.<br />
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I had the feeling that I wasn't entirely alone in my peace on that hill. The walls here, and in every small town, have eyes. I suspected there was a middle aged woman standing half hidden behind her curtains, wondering about the crazy new girl in town. As I turned and took barely fifteen steps in the direction of home, I heard a loud knocking from the living room window of the house I was passing. She was maybe three, more likely two, with dirty blond hair. She knocked and I waved as I walked, her returning wave accompanied by a brilliant smile. I got a little further and she knocked again, waving. It happened four more times, the last of which when I was nearly out of sight. She had to wave until the chance was gone, she had a hard time letting go of a fresh smile that had just walked through her day. I realized how much that little girl reminded me of my twenty-four year old self, our mentalities at least, are similar.<br />
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Just as a child, it pains me to say good-bye, to watch something brilliant or fun or new come to an end. In the arctic, this is magnified. Yet all it takes to restore my faith and to remind me of why and how I stay here to push through another winter, is one day. One day, where the sun shines like gold on the water and illuminates the smiles of every passer-by. One day where the weight of my parka hangs on a hanger and not on my shivering shoulders.<br />
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I cannot quite put into words the way that the Arctic is in itself an outrageous contradiction.<br />
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Soon, the Northern earth will welcome the embrace of the long, cold winter that it is so accustomed to. In these windows sit children who long for adventure and outside of my window will stand a woman who is braving this Northern earth to continue the adventure she has found.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-2948464066587249742013-08-17T19:21:00.000-07:002013-08-17T19:21:20.984-07:00The Worlds Most Northern Golf CourseI have never been golfing before, surprising as my fathers side of the family are avid golfers, every single one of them, aunts, uncles and cousins. When I spend time with them, an hour barely passes without some mention of the sport.<br />
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I may need to try it out at least once as this tiny town is home to the World's most northern golf course... or as the sign says, "The Worlds Most Northernly 9 Hole Golf Course in the World." I couldn't suppress a smile at the sight of said sign.<br />
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Note that this tiny town is also home to what feels like the Worlds strongest winds... I don't doubt that the winter here brings painful walking experiences. I'm not sure my ball would make it anywhere near my target point should I attempt it. I suppose you need to be the kind of avid golfer my father is to be able to account for the excessive strength of this northern wind and still golf a successful game.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPrqYDry_wT_KyhaExOqPYD_-tC3dCEK2R6NUJSmciA8kijpIgaIAoNs6oVfs8_sBDqKYbiB-OdnnyKgHA-d4viR52PhGc6h9k8V2sQ6wQt03e9J1Q68gcZ-5tkZjAVhuRrWbpFDS-D5n/s1600/IMG_8879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPrqYDry_wT_KyhaExOqPYD_-tC3dCEK2R6NUJSmciA8kijpIgaIAoNs6oVfs8_sBDqKYbiB-OdnnyKgHA-d4viR52PhGc6h9k8V2sQ6wQt03e9J1Q68gcZ-5tkZjAVhuRrWbpFDS-D5n/s320/IMG_8879.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening view from the 5th hole</td></tr>
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I hear that there is an annual celebrity golf tournament held here. I wonder who pays for the flights of those celebrities and if they come just to boast about playing the worlds most northern course?<br />
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As I walk these streets I can't help but think that this town and all of its inhabitants really know how to live the good life. They live a quiet life and though it may not be entirely free of dramatics, it isn't like Iqaluit with fist fights in the streets and a sell and swap Facebook page where people are posting daily, looking for things that have been stolen right out of their houses. The people here are genuinely kind, they smile and in ten out of twelve instances they stop to shake your hand and tell you who they are. The other two instances are just shy folks who will still offer a smile. I've met people and have been told afterwards, "You go to him when you need something fixed," or "He knows his way around anything that needs welding." Even, "He's the guy you need when there's a skidoo or ATV that needs some work."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie on the course with Katie</td></tr>
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These people know who is out on the water by the look of their boat in the distance, who just drove out of town on a machine and who is working at which store at what point of the day. It feels a little bit like neighborhood watch without the window stickers and a lot like the small town you've always been looking for. I've met people who came, fell in love with the community and stayed, and heard of people who are here to hide out. Either way, there is no shortage of people who have found their happiness here.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-37152718508182737492013-08-11T17:22:00.001-07:002013-08-11T17:22:24.859-07:00How about the North West Territories? Here's a funny little story for your Sunday afternoon...<br />
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We moved again. If you're surprised, let me assure you, we were too. We were under the impression that Katie would be in Kugluktuk for work for a decently substantial amount of time. A week after we landed she got a phone call and she was offered the managers position in Ulukhaktok. Of course, she took the job. She's been waiting for this for as long as I've known her. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ulukhaktok Airport - one of the smallest I've been in</td></tr>
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I booked my one way ticket to this lovely town, set to fly out exactly a week after her call. When I fly out of here it will need to be on some sort of seat sale.... the flight from Kugluktuk to here, one way, cost me almost $900. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My selfie with the Welcome to Ulukhaktok sign</td></tr>
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I can feel Katie's excitement. After even more years of travelling than I've done, she feels like she can finally settle. It's strange to think of settling so far North, so detached from the world. Up here there is no cell phone service, we can only use black berry messenger by enabling WiFi on our phones. Really though, who still uses bbm? I have a solid one hand full of friends who I can keep in touch with that way. I'm starting to think it may not be worth my $72 a month cell phone bill. </div>
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I spent the whole day yesterday trying to get my blog page to load so I could share that we have re-located yet again. It didn't work and I feel lucky to have written this one. On top of no cell phones, limited internet (no computers or i pads half the time {we may need to get a second modem}) we also have no home phone. Katie is waiting for her managers house to be ready for move in, which could take up to a month, before setting up her land line. </div>
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I enjoy roughing it, technologically speaking, but it's strange not to communicate with my family who may not all be aware that I have disappeared again. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old, unused Catholic church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ2AR9HwyJtRmZ8EpMKxjcNEEBbabHf_gO_0GaZrKvYTDYH4KcNMvik_cCkcDLdj_CtIPF8XeBDM1aLVZRxaLpSh5oC3tXimppo6-_vM9DL-55tQKCfo7zueuvVPJs9qTk5xHKxpnmA31/s1600/IMG_8786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ2AR9HwyJtRmZ8EpMKxjcNEEBbabHf_gO_0GaZrKvYTDYH4KcNMvik_cCkcDLdj_CtIPF8XeBDM1aLVZRxaLpSh5oC3tXimppo6-_vM9DL-55tQKCfo7zueuvVPJs9qTk5xHKxpnmA31/s320/IMG_8786.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original store</td></tr>
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When we landed here on the 25th (the first time) we spent about forty minutes on lay-over. The weather was over-cast and gloomy, we couldn't see much from the airport. I thought this town was too sandy looking for me. Now that we are here, and have been going on three days, I see the bright side of this place. Wow'ed instantly by the views from inside of the town, I am sold. We are surrounded by three Bays, Queens Bay, Jacks Bay and Kings Bay. It is a short drive (or a long walk) to a fresh water lake and a river that serves as the local swimming hole. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fresh water river between the town and the airport, where people swim</td></tr>
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The town is greener than I thought but is still mainly made up of rock that has a rust color to it. The mountains around us are much different than the ones I loved so much in Qikiqtarjuaq. They remind me of the Grand Canyon in the way that they are colored and the slope of the rock faces, though they are not nearly as vivid. </div>
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The people here are wonderful, kind and welcoming people. Everyone I walk past on the streets stops to talk and ask me my name. Every stranger we meet when Katie and I are together also asks, "are one of you the new manager?" It seems that news travels exceptionally quickly here in this town of less than 500. </div>
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So, as readers of this arctic travelers blog, 'Welcome to Ulukhaktok,' or, as many of the locals have said, 'Welcome to Ulu.'</div>
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With love, for the first time from the North West Territories own, Ulukhaktok. (Does this mean I need to change the name of my blog?) </div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-53697645609614968972013-07-29T15:04:00.001-07:002013-08-03T14:16:59.472-07:00With Love From KugluktukAfter spending the remainder of my first year with Brody enjoying our family and friends in Ontario, we have landed in our new home, Kugluktuk Nunavut.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing at a park near the house</td></tr>
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As you may have noticed, my laptop has been out of commission and it turns out that iPad's aren't the greatest blogging tools. But I'm back and with enough down time to sit down and share our stories.<br />
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This journey started with a stomach full of butterflies. Earlier in the year I was in talks with The Northwest company about coming back to work after my leave with Brody. They wanted me back in Iqaluit but I wanted to a) spend a full year with my baby and b) be in the same community as my best buddy Katie and her family. Being away from my family with a baby is hard, it makes me miss the ones I love doubly and makes me realize how much support I need to feel comfortable. There is very limited child care available in Iqaluit and in following Katie, I have both support and child care built in as Katie's hubby is home with their daughter and loves Brody like his own. So, together we came to the conclusion that the best place for us for the time being is Kugluktuk, formerly known as Coppermine. We are going to settle in and stay a while. We aren't sure how long Katie will be here as the company could find a community that needs her at any time. We are getting used to living as nomads, with this lifestyle we have to go with the flow, where ever the wind takes us. It can be frustrating, but we are happy and this way we are forced out of my comfort zone and get to experience beautiful community after beautiful community.<br />
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We left Oakville on Wednesday, flying from Toronto to Edmonton. My first time in Alberta. (And Brody's) This was my first taste of flying with a one year old! Holy smokes. I could feel the annoyance in the air. Lucky for us, we weren't the only baby toting family on the plane.<br />
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We had to overnight in Edmonton, but we didn't see much. The time change meant that Brody was ready for bed by the time we were settled in at the hotel. Stephen and I took Mekia for a walk, it seemed to be that our hotel was in the heart of a business hot spot because we didn't see anything other than their strange stop lights and some dirt and buildings. I'm sure we will make a point to see more of Alberta soon enough.<br />
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We got up at 4:30 the next morning to head to the airport and catch our flight to Yellowknife. (Our first time in the North West Territories) I would have cried if I had to endure another day where all of us were separated on the flight, luckily, on both flights right to our destination, we all sat in neighboring rows. I would love to spend more time in Yellowknife. The first thing I thought of was the few episodes of 'Arctic Air' I've watched on Netflix. The show makes the town seem so much smaller and more remote. I thought it would feel like a homey small town like the ones that we are accustomed to now. It's big, and it looks beautiful. I hope that on our next trip through we can arrange to spend a couple of nights and enjoy the City.<br />
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We couldn't land in Kugluktuk due to heavy fog. So the announcement came telling us that we would fly 50 minutes further to Uluhoktok (Holman) and then 50 minutes back and attempt to land again. I dreaded the extra two hours with kiddies who had long been done with flying for the day. I dreaded even more what would happen if the 'attempt' to land failed and we had to fly all the way back to Yellowknife.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During our brief layover in Uluhoktok - back to chilly weather</td></tr>
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When we landed in Kugluktuk I was shocked by the greenery. After having spent some time looking around at the view from the airport in Uluhoktok, I was expecting Kugluktuk to look similar, covered in sand and dirt, very little color.<br />
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To the contrary, Kugluktuk is gorgeous, rather flat, quite different from our Mountain surroundings in Qikiqtarjuaq. I am amazed by Nunavut and its variety of scenery.<br />
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This is the beginning of our Kugluktuk chapter. Our first glimpse of life in the Western Arctic.<br />
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Keep following us to find out more about this beautiful town and the people and things we find here.<br />
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With love from Kugluktuk.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-81780549531344687762013-02-06T20:47:00.002-08:002013-02-06T20:49:12.048-08:00Two Feet on the Davis StraightI think that to re title this blog as "My mommy adventure" would be so terribly fitting at this stage in my life. I find it hard to explore my current place of residence with tots in tow, but I also find it hard to find time to write. When 8 o clock pm hits, the kids are in bed and my eyes are too weary for the computer screen, I don't want the background noise from the tv, and I'm usually too spent to want to expend the energy that showering takes. My choice past time before bed is losing myself in a book.<br />
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We go out walking with the kids, I amaq Brody in my amauti and Katie pulls Mekia in the sled she got for Christmas. Both kids usually fall asleep and we stay out until our cheeks cant take the cold any longer. I think that I had seen the whole town within the first few days of being here. It has just recently hit me how small my surroundings are here. I was drawn by the magnetism of the sky high mountains, the vastness of the Davis Straight and the extraordinary ice burg views and didn't really see how small Qikiqtarjuaq itself was. I would love to spend a Spring and Summer here to experience the wildlife, the boating and run the water over my feet.<br />
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It is rumored within my family that we are the descendants of John Davis, the explorer who the Davis Straight was named for, he sailed this area in search of the Northwest passage. John discovered the Falkland Islands and was later killed by a Japanese Pirate whose vessel he and his crew had seized. We don't know much of his story, but his portrait lays in the bottom of my Grandmother's closet, an occasional reminder of a history I should really research further.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVQWlU18erVkV2xh9b2M_SLJann_byYFK8G8iVNo_XXvScAg3-M1hHn_EB1PsVzhlzo4izmM3oWeIhHBXkseQeLFzZtr78MaZV5YJhCb_qPpfN6OWy_KAXpWlChP80LRKg1bMct7Ap727/s1600/DSCN7763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVQWlU18erVkV2xh9b2M_SLJann_byYFK8G8iVNo_XXvScAg3-M1hHn_EB1PsVzhlzo4izmM3oWeIhHBXkseQeLFzZtr78MaZV5YJhCb_qPpfN6OWy_KAXpWlChP80LRKg1bMct7Ap727/s320/DSCN7763.JPG" width="320" /></a>Needless to say I had always dreamed of seeing the Davis Straight, though I wish I could see its waters, I have had the opportunity to not only walk all over the Bay surrounding Qikiqtarjuaq but drive on it as well.<br />
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Katie has a coworker named William Iqaalik who has been the greatest link in allowing us to see this town and to learn some of its facts. He has been so kind to bring us country food and keep Katie happy, with reminders of home.<br />
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William took us out in his old RCMP truck, driving along the ice. I've been on Nunavut's ice by dog team, on foot and by skidoo, but this was my first chance to take a drive. William seems to have mastered the ice, driving like its just another road, though for him, it is. He took us on a tour, pointing out the land where the 'old store' was, and showed us the mountains that we cant see from the comfort of our living room. He pointed out seal holes in the ice, where the seals surface to breathe, and he took us to a cabin that is used locally for clam diving. William showed me the hole in the ice, and though I was fascinated, just the thought of dropping through that hole into the frigid water below caused me to shiver.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My baby and his new seal skin mitts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seal hole</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William showing me a cabin, where divers go</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clam diving hole</td></tr>
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As there are in all places I visit, I have goals here. One is to summit the small mountain that seems to be the closest to town, and has a beautiful view from the top. The second one is to visit bubbling lake, which is a lake that William pointed us in the direction of, that sits up over a hill and never freezes. Katie has been told by others that they fetch fresh water from the Lake. It is not a hot spring, William has told me this much, so I am intrigued to find out more about it. My third goal was to reach the sign that says that 'you are above the arctic circle.' Katie has been told that the sign is not there right now and that for $5 the hamlet will issue us 'certificates' that state the same fact. The lazy mans opt out, where I am concerned, but without the sign to show for the journey, I think the certificate may suffice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice burgs in the distance on the Davis Straight</td></tr>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-88444749447295934382013-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:002013-02-06T13:43:15.729-08:00Wishing Lanterns Its been a nice quiet holiday for us, probably for the best considering both of the babies and myself are fairly sick right now. The town actually asked people to stay home on New Years eve and the pastor conducted his service over the radio, to stop the spread of illness'. <br />
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Something else mentioned on local radio was our lanterns. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's smiley lantern, filling up with hot air</td></tr>
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I ordered wishing lanterns from China, not knowing if the extreme cold would allow them to heat up enough to fly. Lucky for us, once lit indoors, our beautiful lanterns floated somewhat gracefully into the wind, high above the town. <br />
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The night was a little bit of a shock for me here, as I have never celebrated in a town so small. There were no fire works at all, but when midnight hit, I heard them. I walked out the door behind Katie and jokingly said, "it sounds like we're being shot at." She laughed. We may not have been getting shot at, but the hundreds of fire-work-like bangs, were in fact gun shots. Interesting, and mildly dangerous way to ring in the new year, but thrilling nonetheless.<br />
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When Katie mentioned our lanterns at work yesterday, her co-worker Pasha responded with, "Oh, that was you guys? People were talking about those on the local radio." When Katie passed along the comment, I was delighted. I'm glad there were other people who got to share in the beauty of our new years wishes. We sent out three that night, one early, with two crying babies, and one for each of us at midnight. <br />
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Though we both missed the traditions of our home towns, I think we may have created a new one. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-75988237962498923922012-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:002012-12-29T10:01:18.092-08:00Christmas in QikiqtarjuaqMy laptop met it's last days a month ago. I waited for Katie to open the laptop that Santa brought her for Christmas so that I could write my first blog post from gorgeous Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Christmas tree and our perfect view, Dec 2012</td></tr>
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Katie's two year old daughter Shemekia was flown into Iqaluit last Friday, the same day that my dad and sister flew out. She was the most wonderful little house guest for two nights, until our flight to Qik on Sunday. The stress of flying with two babies was there, but was over shadowed by the most incredible view I've seen from an airplane window. <br />
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We left the house at 6:15am, my dear friend Nick spent the night, helped store a lot of my large, and not easily travelled items, such as Brody's crib, and then packed us into his truck and saw us off. The flight was full, leaving Iqaluit, landing in Pangnirtung and then Qikiqtarjuaq, when it would then fly off to a small number of additional communities. <br />
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Landing in Pang made me feel as though my desire to truly see the North was becoming tangible. Iqaluit, though North, is still a City, with lots of tourists and lots of migrated Southerners. Pang was like nothing I had experienced in my life. It was a fiord, a landing strip surrounded by mountains, we were on our way. The flight between Pang and Qik made the journey feel real. I was thinking of Corey Trepanier, the artist we met in Iqaluit who had documented his travels through the North. Travels on which he painted Mount Thor. He boated from Qikiqtarjuaq to the rock giant, where he camped out and painted the wall, which I believe he said was the highest vertical drop in Canada. I was thinking with naivety, 'wow, how special.' Then I landed, and thought, 'no wonder.... look at this place.'<br />
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The view from our living room window is something Corey would have painted. The view from every point in this small town is worthy of being brought to life through art and shared with the world. No matter where I stand, I have a mountain view, with a quaint, and truly Northern town in the foreground.<br />
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This is the smallest town I have ever seen, almost eerie in its quietness. It is painfully cold most of the time, almost as if the mountains funnel the cold air right into your face. This, probably being the reason that most of Qikiqtarjuaq's residents seem to try to stay indoors.<br />
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Maybe thirty five or forty feet from the front door is the Bay, which is currently home to a team of sled dogs, and a handful of incredible ice burgs. Yesterday we woke up to a pink sky, this morning we woke up to a moon, more orange, more gargantuan, more remarkable than I have ever seen it. I tried to take pictures, using the mountains to show the scale of the moon. Everything looks small in comparison to the real life view I had as I stood by the bay in my snow gear, with pajamas underneath. It literally looked as though the moon was kissing the Earth, brushing up against it, greeting it in passing, for it was gone within half an hour. <br />
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There is hardly any day light here, the sun shines on the other side of mountains, casting its glow over top of them but it never presents itself to us. The glow begins around nine in the morning and fades shortly after lunch.<br />
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I have so much to see here, with light and babies keeping me from hiking to the base of the mountains and starting a day long climb, the sight seeing will have to wait. When opportunities present themselves, I will walk mindlessly into the freedom that is this small town and it's surroundings. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-70558997399911981232012-12-23T11:43:00.000-08:002012-12-23T11:43:07.659-08:00Thinking, planning and day dreamingI still have a few things to do in Iqaluit, such as take a skidoo trip to Kimmirut, which we didn't get to do in April because the river ice melted too soon. The City has a hold on me, but I think I've known for quite some time, probably around the time I started aching for travel, that I needed to move on from Iqaluit.<br />
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I'll be back, probably fairly often, but I think I've enjoyed the City enough that its time for me to move on and leave an opening for someone new to soak it up.<br />
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Seeing the awe in the faces of newcomers always amuses me. The other day I watched my dad gape at the almost nineteen dollar price tag on orange juice, his reaction as good as every other visitor. It reminded me of the way I viewed the City and everything in it with fresh eyes, once upon a time.<br />
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Now I've seen every celebration, most more than once, been to every show and fair and had more family visit me than I had ever imagined. I have lived through fantastic opportunities and given my loved ones the opportunity to share this with me.<br />
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I met incredible people in Iqaluit, and have made a handful of lifelong friends. My baby boy was born here, and most of his relatives reside here. I have loved Iqaluit, Nunavut, and it has been so fantastic to me.<br />
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I simply feel that it's time, it is time to find a new adventure, create some new excitement, find new love, new passion, new appreciation.<br />
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I'm not sure where my next steps will take me and I'm not sure when, but I don't think I will call Iqaluit home for much of the coming year. I will be ringing in the new year in Qikiqtarjuaq and am due to hook back up with my company in the New Year, when I will begin looking into other communities and opportunities that may be our next home.<br />
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Written December 15th.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-63811847568704385232012-11-28T18:59:00.000-08:002012-11-28T18:59:05.387-08:00Brain Soup, Coming to a Blog near youMy mind has turned to mush. I know I mentioned it before, but really... my mind has become a data base that NEVER turns off. Grocery lists, to do lists, to call lists, to clean lists, to prepare for lists and add a baby to the scenario and voila, mush.<br />
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I booked my ticket to Qikiqtarjuaq! I fly out on December 23rd, with a brief stop in Pangnirtung, which I am very excited about as it is a gorgeous City. I doubt I will see it with much quality light as late December is the darkest time of year up where we are. Katie sent me a few photos while she was en route to Qik, she took pictures of the mountains and the airport, they were breath taking, even from her cell phone. I fly out of Iqaluit at 7:45am and the flight is just over 2 hours, not including the stop.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's pictures of Qikiqtarjuaq</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of Qikiqtarjuaq</td></tr>
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The other day Katie was in bed and heard a commotion outside of her house, when she looked outside she found a crowd of people, all looking off in the same direction, their gazes trailing a polar bear that had literally walked right next to her house. I begged for a photo of the paw prints but the following day was a snowy one and she had missed the window of opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's house while she is in Qik</td></tr>
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I get that I wont be able to do much solo exploring in Qik, but the thought of seeing a polar bear thrills me. Iqaluit, as wonderful a place as it is, does not offer a very wide array of wildlife within the City. If you want to find the fauna you need to venture out onto the land. Luckily, we do experience excitement in the form of blizzards, which Jenna got to witness two days ago, I wondered if I sounded so foreign when I reacted to my first storm.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brody and I falling through the snow in Iqaluit</td></tr>
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I haven't quite started packing yet, but it's on one of the many lists in my head. I cant wait to get organized and packed up as my apartment feels like a bird cage, small and cramped. With Jenna and her current diaper caking project on the go, her Christmas shopping sprawling across her dresser (which might I add, is in my living room) and baby stuff EVERYWHERE, we are a little tight.<br />
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As you know, I live in a one bedroom apartment. In December, I will have three house guests at one point. My tiny apartment will be temporary home to four adults, one baby and two cats. Yay!<br />
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We have a lot coming up, Jenna, like I said, has been making tiered cakes made of baby diapers to sell while she is here, as baby shower gifts. She has booked a table at a craft show this Sunday and asked me to bake real goodies to accompany her diaper goodies. She has also volunteered Brody and I to model with her in Northmart's annual fashion show. Dad arrives on the 12th and my other guest, who I am supposed to be keeping a surprise leaves on the 13th.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0-O9Bsd1uhyphenhyphenfrCYDddt43xlMWjcDGe78T_XQSYN45qiw6Bol2RhW4-Zw-JP2uOYk5_JtcXdirFbLFuUtEyDHBtz9oJYYjdieer45xbMaYNzMNQ1sPqkVE5vV61DHuNvQheF_kgmbwux0/s1600/Diaper+Cakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0-O9Bsd1uhyphenhyphenfrCYDddt43xlMWjcDGe78T_XQSYN45qiw6Bol2RhW4-Zw-JP2uOYk5_JtcXdirFbLFuUtEyDHBtz9oJYYjdieer45xbMaYNzMNQ1sPqkVE5vV61DHuNvQheF_kgmbwux0/s1600/Diaper+Cakes.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenna's Project</td></tr>
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Lots of excitement. Lots to look forward to. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-10999576558681538512012-11-02T19:47:00.000-07:002012-11-02T19:47:31.777-07:00Music and Costumes Mommy brain, it really exists. I secretly believe that television sends my four month old baby subliminal messages so even when hes napping I only watch Tree House, no commercials, no advertisements and lots of subtle baby lessons learned. Great for him, however it is turning my brain to mush. Half of me longs for time out, a single drink in hand, a few good laughs and adult conversation, the other half of me trusts no one with my baby's bed time routine and refuses to leave him without his mommy for more than half an hour. <br />
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We did go out once since my sister, Brody and I arrived home. When I was away I heard that the National Arts Centre's Orchestra was on their Northern Canada Tour. It was the first time an Orchestra would play in Iqaluit... I had to have tickets. My friend Sherri found them at Ventures, for free! So I sent Katie out to collect a few and on October 27th Jenna, Katie and I had a girls night out at Nakasuk school to watch them play magical music. There was a lighting of the kudlik, throat singing and even a 'blue eyed accordion player from Pangnirtung.' Brody stayed with Stephen, Katie's husband, and he texted us to say Brody was asleep, right on time and went down easily. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcDv4tGhAqjScLf0p4AFlhk8_RmRpX0ccHvuLCVpwxhOEe8MuMV7fvD-pJ5rywcCrGbLHGqWbtNdxyJ2ky0kjq99jQQ7hz7gqtXsqyY2tdYjF0A731K_qDDlCOqrN83SAKBAgjFiaHiZY/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcDv4tGhAqjScLf0p4AFlhk8_RmRpX0ccHvuLCVpwxhOEe8MuMV7fvD-pJ5rywcCrGbLHGqWbtNdxyJ2ky0kjq99jQQ7hz7gqtXsqyY2tdYjF0A731K_qDDlCOqrN83SAKBAgjFiaHiZY/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra in Iqaluit</td></tr>
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Its strange having a baby in the North. We've been practicing bundling up and enduring wind, though Brody still doesn't enjoy the wind part, even if its just a little. He gulps in air, closes his mouth and makes choking sounds while throwing his head wildly back and forth like hes suffocating. It hurts me to watch him so our outings have been limited and usually I amaq him in Katie's winter amauti or push him in the stroller, very bundled and covered with a rain and wind shield. Never the less, I am thoroughly enjoying this left over Hurricane Sandy weather, lots of snow for us and it is igniting the Christmas spirit in me. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full moon </td></tr>
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October ended after proving eventful in Iqaluit, we capped it off with a fantastic Halloween day that included caramel apples, Pillsbury Halloween cookies, a happy jackolantern and two very cute animals. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RDuEbaOLXNgoTtBvObYRWLj1DIN8aZfo_mjZ03aqSDVpDbUcBDaKK5Nnr9i-w78XBj7PJBkmcDa-WSXMLB_cSlKNjUpl4vMdEAE0FT6v4AZ6_4CtW82IalE1kEMrn63HJA1Aj59Xptre/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RDuEbaOLXNgoTtBvObYRWLj1DIN8aZfo_mjZ03aqSDVpDbUcBDaKK5Nnr9i-w78XBj7PJBkmcDa-WSXMLB_cSlKNjUpl4vMdEAE0FT6v4AZ6_4CtW82IalE1kEMrn63HJA1Aj59Xptre/s320/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloweeners, my little owl and sad sad tiger</td></tr>
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Oh, and Jenna met Polar Man, shes officially seen Iqaluit. <br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-7732972961759535132012-10-20T15:49:00.000-07:002012-10-20T15:49:30.023-07:00From Fall to Snow Fall<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsghhGZOouhPy1n4H04kRSYRh0dpQEvdhlXCDdzWdQM7Kmdjya9VrRVEOKPnP6hvDfl3Pr1TFEyafx9-_zk35jLQOYwGxdoJMrqAf1RCDUnKqdZDU9jwnPk9vdUlquiPXEEyo1L5T8UfLL/s1600/Felstead+cottage+trip+2012+and+Brody+visitors+251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsghhGZOouhPy1n4H04kRSYRh0dpQEvdhlXCDdzWdQM7Kmdjya9VrRVEOKPnP6hvDfl3Pr1TFEyafx9-_zk35jLQOYwGxdoJMrqAf1RCDUnKqdZDU9jwnPk9vdUlquiPXEEyo1L5T8UfLL/s1600/Felstead+cottage+trip+2012+and+Brody+visitors+251.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brody and Mommy at the cottage</td></tr>
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Leaving Ontario to catch a flight back to Iqaluit has never been so difficult. This time, the difficulty was in watching my moms heart break as I packed up to take her first grandson out of the Province. I sat through many a "please come home soon" conversations on our trip to Oakville. I have put a 'most likely no more than three years and we'll be home,' in many an ear. My plan is to have Brody go to school in the South. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brody and Grandma taking a yawn break from hiking</td></tr>
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We got to spend a lot of quality time with everyone in the family, allowing everyone to fall head over heals in love with my baby boy. If he knows anything yet, he knows how very loved he is. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby boy with his Great Aunty Lyn in Toronto</td></tr>
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While my sister was in South Africa a couple of weeks ago, I emailed her to tell her I had booked her ticket to Iqaluit. She had been telling me she didnt want to be without Brody. Now she is stuck to us until the end of December and she'll be working for the Company to save money for her four month trip to Thailand.<br />
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Our dad drove us from Oakville to Ottawa on Monday and we flew into Iqaluit on Tuesday, landing in a snow covered City. Brody got to see snow for the first time ever and Jenna got to see snow in October, which actually sounds normal to me now. We left behind trees in fall, reds, yellows and oranges for negative temperatures and a winter wonderland. The sun has been out, providing beautiful days for touring Iqaluit and Jenna has already seen the Northern Lights! <br />
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The coming months will be exciting for us. Not only will Jenna be with us but my dad will be visiting in December, just before Christmas. I am hoping there is enough snow and ice to send the two of them dog sledding for their Christmas gift. My best friend Katie is also pursuing her own store to manage and will be spending some time in Qikiqtarjuaq to refresh before she takes on her own store. Qikiqtarjuaq is a little over 2 hours North of Iqaluit (by plane of course) and has a population of less than 700. It has been a plan of mine to travel Nunavut while we live here and what an opportunity this will be! Not only will I still be on paternity leave, but Katie provides me with a good reason to visit another town. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenna on her first City walk in Iqaluit</td></tr>
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Until then, I will spend my days trying to get the little one accustomed to a snow suit and being in an amauti, (neither of which he loves) and re-experiencing Iqaluit through fresh eyes with Jenna. <br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-31042809709189875282012-08-17T13:54:00.002-07:002012-08-17T14:43:13.467-07:00Little BoyAll of that excitement and anxiety that I had building inside of me has finally come to the conclusion that I had hoped. On Friday, July 6th, 2012 at 11:24pm my beautiful 7 pound, 13.8 ounce baby boy emerged into this world. His little purple toes and squishy face tangible in front of me. The first thing that he did when he arrived was pee on my hands as the Doctor lifted him up to put him on Enoosiq's stomach. <br />
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I am a mother now. I'm not sure how it happened. The days stringed together, my hopes and my fears weaving through the hours of each day. I was terrified for more than 6 months, from the moment I decided that the baby my friend had been carrying inside of her would be mine. <br />
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When I moved to Iqaluit I met dozens of girls who told stories of the child they adopted out or the baby their family adopted in. I thought that bringing a child into my life and loving him or her as my own would be something I might like to do someday. Perhaps I would do it before I moved back to Ontario, in the future, my plans were always for the future. <br />
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And then the day came when there was a pregnant girl before me, a beautiful, kind girl who I knew, pregnant with the child of a good man who I also knew. I was 22, I had planned on having children young but with no man in my life and no immediate plans to start a family, adoption now wasn't in the forefront of my mind. <br />
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It took one night for me to decide and then in the very second that I knew what the alternative plan for his life was, he was mine. His little heart was mine, his little hidden body, sheltered by hers was mine. His life would be mine to shape, to cherish and to nurture. From these days onward there was fear, not for becoming a mother, this was what I wanted beyond a shadow of a doubt; this was my calling. I was afraid, I suppose for the reasons that every mother is afraid, I wanted to know that my baby had ten fingers and ten toes, I wanted to know that he was healthy, that he would lead a good life and if he wouldn't be able to, if God forbid he wasn't healthy, I wanted to know that I would have what it took to give him a beautiful life, regardless. <br />
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I was surprised by the rest of my fears, as they weren't something I had ever considered before I knew I had a baby on the way. A lot of the time I don't like to talk about it, but there is an honesty I cant hide when I write, I never feel free until I bare my soul, unleashing it from buried thoughts. I had fears that someone would take my baby, first that she would change her mind, then the brief passing of the fear that he would change his mind. These fears followed by the terror in the idea that I may not be good enough for Social Services. There are nearly no places to look for guidelines or assurance. I felt very alone in the process, with only the supportive, but naive words from friends and family to comfort me. There were some who met me with reality, assuring me that my fears were real but that they would stand by me regardless, one of whom is an old reader of mine who now lives in Iqaluit. No matter who said "it will be okay," or how many times they said it, the very real nerves in my body kept me up at night. I was afraid of losing the child who was already mine. This baby had become a part of my plans for the future, he was what I based my hopes and dreams on already. My goals in life had been altered to make room for the little human who would be my entire life, who would be absolutely all that mattered. He was already all that mattered. <br />
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It wasn't until I met Nicole, the social worker who took on my case that I found waves of relief. She was sent to me by God. A beautiful young woman with a heart of gold. She told me vaguely what Iqaluit holds, the children in need of loving homes and not enough people opening the doors to those homes. Nicole inspired me, supported me and gave me the smile I needed to know that our life would turn out the way we needed it to. The words that came from her heart also made me want to advocate for Iqaluit's children, to search for families who would open their lives to children. Iqaluit needs more foster families, Iqaluit's children need families and love and support. <br />
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Today my little boy, Brody Scott Maqaiti Davis is six weeks old. He is laying in front of me with his eyes closed, sleeping to the soft clicking of my fingers on the keys of my laptop. He grunts when I stop typing. He is my muse now, in everything I do in life. <br />
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They tell you, you will feel a certain way when you have a child. There was this love you would experience and adding one more fear to my list, I worried I wouldn't feel it. My baby boy didn't grow in my tummy, but he grew just as quickly in my heart. My son is mine, through and through. I held her hand around the rail of her bed as she pushed him out and for the following minutes I could barely see through my tears. There is a love here, in my home, in my body, that is impossible. It cannot be described. Brody and I are a family, he was made for me and I for him. I tell him everyday that I will give him the World, that I will try my best to show him all of the wonder there is here. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brody at 3 weeks, visiting his family in Ontario for the first time.</td></tr>
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In a matter of seconds, my life shifted from being mine, to being ours and my heart shifted from being closed off to being impossibly exposed, it belongs to the little boy in front of me and always will. <br />
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Now we will explore the Arctic together and after that, the rest of the World. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-89315895975204315382012-03-02T16:10:00.000-08:002012-03-02T16:10:10.153-08:00Get'n Out - My Not-So-Nunavut AdventureI'm finding that I have less and less free time these days. I have very few new facts or information about Iqaluit or Nunavut. My life is nearly filled by my work. I don't remember the last time that I had the television on. Today, I left early, sick as a dog. I have no voice... but my typing fingers work just fine. I figured I would blog between naps. <br />
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Sometimes I wonder if I've had my fill of Iqaluit; if the adventure is becoming less of an adventure and more of a daily normality. There are select reasons why I stay, the first being my closest friend, and neighbor, Katie, and her family. I cannot imagine my life without them. I'm listening to her baby girl cry through the wall as I type. The second would be the small parts of my job that keep me engaged. We have a fairly new assistant store manager. I believe I have mentioned him in this blog in the past. He is an exuberant man, full of drive and excitement. Its by surrounding myself with people like this that I keep myself going. <br />
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Lately, we've had a little bit of 'seperation of church and state,' syndrome in the workplace. Where the senior managers seem to be pulling back their relationship boundaries with the rest of the management team. <br />
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At the end of the day, I am feeling entirely unengaged, unmotivated and uninterested. I go home, happy to get away and I wake up dreading my destination. <br />
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I need a break, and a break I will have. In five short days (I know this doesn't compare to the 130 day count down of my last vacation) I will be on a plane from Iqaluit to Ottawa. Thursday I will attempt to get into a travel clinic for shots to help me avoid typhoid fever, and I will be doing some last minute shopping for miniature toiletries from walmart. Friday I fly from Ottawa to Chicago to Miami. I've been keeping this a secret because my family, aunts, uncles, cousins... even my Grandma will be in Miami. They are going on a 5 day cruise from Florida to Jamaica to the Cayman Islands. On March 13th, they will be in Georgetown, Grand Cayman. March 13th is special for me, not only because it's my birthday, but because it's my Grandmothers birthday. Being her first grandchild and being able to share the day with her for all these years has been wonderful. <br />
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This year, I told Grandma that I couldn't get vacation time. I could hear the disappointment in her voice. It tore my heart apart to lie to her, but it's all in the name of keeping an important surprise. I bought my tickets for the same cruise that my family is on, booked my flights and am going to show up and spend Grams' 80th birthday with her. (If you know my Grandmother, PLEASE don't tell her)<br />
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I'd also like to spend part of this birthday scuba diving, I hear they have an excellent beginners course there. <br />
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When the boat pulls back into Miami on the 15th, I am heading straight back to the airport, to board a plane to Atlanta and then to Lima, Peru. Where I will start my 21 day Peruvian adventure...<br />
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29 Days, 10 major flights...<br />
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Iqaluit - Ottawa - Chicago - Miami - Jamaica - Cayman Islands - Miami - Atlanta - Lima - Pisco - Nazca - Arequipa - Colca Canyon - Lake Titicaca - Puno - Cuzco - Ollantaytambo - Machu Picchu - The Amazon Jungle - Lima - Atlanta - Toronto - Ottawa - Iqaluit <br />
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I will not be starving for adventure after this trip. My Peru itinerary includes some incredible stops, some of which have been on my bucket list since I was old enough to know what a bucket list was. <br />
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I have the option to fly a small plane over the famous Nazca lines, see incredible cemeteries and monasteries. I'll see Colca Canyon where we will hopefully be able to see Condors. I'll bathe in hot springs and visit the floating islands of Uros. I will experience a homestay with locals after a tour of Lake Titicaca. We will spend four days hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and encounter the chance to go white water rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking. (which I may avoid after my last encounter) I will spend two nights in a lodge in the middle of the Amazon jungle, an incredible opportunity to spot wildlife that we certainly don't encounter in the Arctic. <br />
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When I get back, I will probably be tanned, and definitely be exhausted. Regardless, I am looking forward to the experience, I'm going alone with a group of other G Adventurers, so I'm excited to make some new friends. Life is too short not to take advantage of the chances that will shape us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZgaEauN-r8iuc73xaDMroeaAcp736zi1TqbHlmk3jHPJDIcvKh7e70Hs8c8DjDsgD73PACTrXOTe0s_WavAavhntroS95svYoO4rNEr8h3lbD-nshEF5TudL8DbFjE7JglqvlKG_T6vm/s1600/gadventures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZgaEauN-r8iuc73xaDMroeaAcp736zi1TqbHlmk3jHPJDIcvKh7e70Hs8c8DjDsgD73PACTrXOTe0s_WavAavhntroS95svYoO4rNEr8h3lbD-nshEF5TudL8DbFjE7JglqvlKG_T6vm/s320/gadventures.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from G Adventures - Absolute Peru</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-11219192975125443182012-02-14T14:13:00.001-08:002012-03-02T16:11:00.093-08:00Business Casual in WinnipegKatie and I had the opportunity to leave Iqaluit and most of our responsibilities behind for a four day stay in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This was my first visit to Manitoba and quite an impressive one at that. <br />
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I'm sitting now at the desk in our hotel room in Ottawa, our flight was meant to leave just after nine but was cancelled after the anticipation of bad weather in Iqaluit. We checked back into the hotel and ended up in the same room. <br />
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This is really the first free time that I've had to stop and think about the last week. Day five away from our stores and our team. We stayed in the oldest hotel in Winnipeg, built in 1911 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, their tag line being, "your castle away from home." Although the room are slightly dated, the lobbies and common areas are exquisite with their historic charm and elegance. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfus9cePDhjspYfyev-hoYo2lCsvO6XIJIRvi-TnootlPdiqK4kaIw4pG_hJlmrCKfpex3NqiGfx8H2HjZjZ7jlCiWRqXf9z-rBPVR8NLGlzkdz9ILgDtUBqrXG-9K4Hj_RiujVOrcJKTu/s1600/FortGarryWinnipeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfus9cePDhjspYfyev-hoYo2lCsvO6XIJIRvi-TnootlPdiqK4kaIw4pG_hJlmrCKfpex3NqiGfx8H2HjZjZ7jlCiWRqXf9z-rBPVR8NLGlzkdz9ILgDtUBqrXG-9K4Hj_RiujVOrcJKTu/s320/FortGarryWinnipeg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our visit was centered around the fact that as a team, Tim Hortons Iqaluit won a presidents award from the Company. We attended a beautiful award ceremony on Thursday night at The Manitoba Club, which is the oldest private club in Western Canada, founded in July of 1874. Throughout history the club was gentleman's only and only within the last decade or so, have women been allowed to enter the building, even now, entrance is only permitted when accompanied and signed in by a member. We were lucky to be among the small amount of women who have had the opportunity to tour the prestigious club. <br />
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The awards were wonderful. Our friend Mike, who works at head office in Operations, introduced us with a speech. We shared the table with the President and CEO of our Company and had the chance to meet some very important people to the success of NWC. We were honored to be in the company of everyone who surrounded us. <br />
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We got to take part in a regional meeting and hear about business aspects that we don't usually touch at the store level. The trip has been a learning experience for us.<br />
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On Saturday night the company held a 25th anniversary dinner that was attended by over a thousand people who have a hand on the running of our Company. The night was MC'd by Peter Mansbridge, who we had our picture taken with and who promised to come and visit us when he lands in Iqaluit later this year. Peter shared the stories of his connection to the North, including his beginnings as an anchor man. He got his start as a young man, working in the airport in Churchill Manitoba as a baggage handler. Peter was asked to make a flight announcement and after hearing his voice, he was recruited by a radio executive who happened to be in the airport. <br />
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We saw drum dancers, not of Inuit heritage but aboriginal, who were mesmerizing. We listened to an aboriginal prayer and watched the lighting of a kudli<span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">k.</span> After an elegant dinner we watched Susan Aglukark perform. The last time I watched her was when she came to Iqaluit to help us open Tim Hortons. We had the opportunity to meet her again, have a photo op and talk about a prospective literacy program in Iqaluit, which one of our managers, Matt, has been trying to push into existence. Susan may be making yet another partnership with us in Iqaluit, she is a wonderful supporter of Inuit youth and education. I have had the chance to hear her speak briefly and she is always very passionate about the projects she engages in. We flew back to Toronto on the same plane with her and her band, who are also fantastic people. <br />
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We never did have a great opportunity for shopping, other than quick trips to pick up pieces of business wear, which we don't own much of in the North. Last night we took a trip to Walmart and today we may do a little bit more shopping, keeping in mind, the lack of luggage space remaining. We packed in a lot of freebies that we picked up along our journey and at a trade show that we attended. Katie's luggage was seven pounds over weight... we had to dump seven pounds of free beef jerky on the lady at the check in counter. <br />
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This month, as well as the next few months will be very exciting for me. I have some travel plans, which I am keeping under the rug until I set off for the next adventure.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-72617341672236596072012-01-06T07:02:00.000-08:002012-01-06T07:02:36.222-08:00Landing on the Moon<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When my moms eyes lit up as she walked off of the airplane, it lit my soul on fire, drowning me in the reminders of my landing in Iqaluit. Everything she sees excites her and every day she experiences half a dozen "firsts," every single one, just as exciting as the last. The feelings I experienced when I first arrived in my arctic home, came rushing back to me. The things she said to me made me smile. She said she felt as though she was 'landing on the moon', describing her landing here as surreal.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Most of the emotions I felt when I arrived here have been buried under the experience of my day to day life. I thought it would be wonderful to dig up those old feelings, my mom, Lisa, has agreed to write the rest of this blog with her very fresh perspective. Enjoy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-<em>Melissa Davis</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It all started in the Ottawa airport with the 40 minute de-icing process, first we were covered in a pink foam, then they coated the plane with green slime. The young man beside me said, "We've been slimed, just like in Ghost Busters." His name was Nick and he has been living up here for several years. I met a lot of very nice people on the trip up on Canadian North. We were loaded into the back end of the plane, separated by a partition, everything else was loaded up front. We had stickers stuck onto our tickets that said, "Landing subject to Weather," warning us that they would not provide any services if this happened. 'So,' i thought, 'what happens now?'....This did nothing to help with the nerves. As we flew, there were a couple of turbulent moments, I was okay though. When I noticed that the landscape had changed, my face was plastered to the little oval window, my camera clicking fast....it was AMAZING!! White,white and more white with little dips and lines in the snow scape, all I could think was ..'wow this is sooooo beautiful!' I truly felt like I was flying over the white moon, there was nothing, no poles, no buildings, no roads...nothing!! I felt like I was heading to another planet, we couldn't really still be in Canada. The flight was approximately 3 hours long, though it went by fast. Then we started the landing process, I could not believe I was actually here and I still couldnt see anything, then I saw the bridge that Melissa has taken pictures `planking' on. I then thought, 'I`m here, actually here!'</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRSQ6vWrKDO2PThcDkL-Dv9aGo3CTiIUuireKX7unxttHfUqIrZHw-Kp4pbK81oYaljlBSsO30AP0ES518gMoQzbi0AoioJQF-IQPQNb0RsZoCNedOUMt6OgtUPDAQ_oD-RGe4FPsawzM/s1600/Lisa+Dec+31+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRSQ6vWrKDO2PThcDkL-Dv9aGo3CTiIUuireKX7unxttHfUqIrZHw-Kp4pbK81oYaljlBSsO30AP0ES518gMoQzbi0AoioJQF-IQPQNb0RsZoCNedOUMt6OgtUPDAQ_oD-RGe4FPsawzM/s320/Lisa+Dec+31+077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I was greeted at the little Yellow airport by gusty cold snowy winds that took my breath away, little did I know I was being watched by Melissa and Katie both watching for my reaction from a window of the airport. I saw them as I climbed the stairs in the tiny airport, greetings, hugging, kissing my daughter and her best friend with huge smiles on their faces, I was really here. It was so very nice to hold Melissa again and tell her how much I loved her. We would be celebrating both Christmas and new years 2012 together! I was really here, sorry, but that feeling lasted awhile...I WAS REALLY HERE!! The airport was full of families getting together for the holidays. Happy people were greeting other happy people all around me, they wore furs and large coats and sealskin boots and had babies attached to hoods on their backs I felt like I was in a different world, not Canada. They quickly hustled me out to the waiting pick-up truck and threw my luggage in the back of the snow filled bed. Katie crawled in the backseat and we were off down gravel and snow filled streets. I noticed buildings on stilts and lots of colourful wooden buildings and houses. I felt out of touch with reality like I had arrived in a foreign country. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbb64CyRfjgptQRfwBRdVtomWx3AxZ4hD8hxIFKjn8w1biF5idvQZJP2zANCGl_SZ6DK_dyI0qCXEXGzs2AexidaWiZHc7_ybP_WTYD7Cve9aQZnmMko63TfJp_vRTIyqABwyOao-gAZfS/s1600/Dogsledding+Melissa+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbb64CyRfjgptQRfwBRdVtomWx3AxZ4hD8hxIFKjn8w1biF5idvQZJP2zANCGl_SZ6DK_dyI0qCXEXGzs2AexidaWiZHc7_ybP_WTYD7Cve9aQZnmMko63TfJp_vRTIyqABwyOao-gAZfS/s320/Dogsledding+Melissa+081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I have adjusted and I feel like I have arrived in Gods Country, the most awe inspiring, beautiful, breathtaking, stand still and don`t move feeling. The sunrises and sunsets are the most beautiful I have ever experienced. I could stand and watch for hours but I`d freeze. Each day while Melissa goes to work I roam Iqaluit, climbing the hills, scouring the waters edge, everyday I see something new and wondrous. I can`t seem to take enough photos, desperately trying to capture this phenomenal land. I really can`t even explain the feeling. </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaeVS9Cv0afSGMCpWYPP2wjF32xvFdMbufvWkAjctM19XakrcqePeqq1OyOZWpJsnPDVxttYM0tFoPrCq9rQ3LrFlZUbnO8NNnmgk_381XOkXMJOEFS_9KwCi6Ois0CULEQH2nMBMbILn/s1600/Dogsledding+Melissa+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaeVS9Cv0afSGMCpWYPP2wjF32xvFdMbufvWkAjctM19XakrcqePeqq1OyOZWpJsnPDVxttYM0tFoPrCq9rQ3LrFlZUbnO8NNnmgk_381XOkXMJOEFS_9KwCi6Ois0CULEQH2nMBMbILn/s320/Dogsledding+Melissa+067.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog Sledding</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> The people of Iqaluit have been very welcoming, some, life long residents, others, people from the south who have fallen in love with the North. I had the honour of meeting Miss Kitty as well as Polar Man on my travels through town. Life is interesting in Iqaluit, a slower pace and close knit friendships.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tcRQTMb7HD1XUlyGxCOXNAF9H_SWUlqWkX78p_7W-hYYaPpcMdOypq9MVjp4l_D7clLYIZadT4lUWAXRUgV5AxeZhyphenhyphenfCCHVTF3qOyrHPeqEpiHlCME3AvCYRbH3wY-K-WZSRKe1DwWor/s1600/Northern+Lights%252C+Dog+Sledding+Lisa+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tcRQTMb7HD1XUlyGxCOXNAF9H_SWUlqWkX78p_7W-hYYaPpcMdOypq9MVjp4l_D7clLYIZadT4lUWAXRUgV5AxeZhyphenhyphenfCCHVTF3qOyrHPeqEpiHlCME3AvCYRbH3wY-K-WZSRKe1DwWor/s320/Northern+Lights%252C+Dog+Sledding+Lisa+074.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa and the Northern Lights</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> While wandering the town the cold creeps in quickly, Katie gave me an amazing gift of a pair of seal skin and fox mittens they are beautiful and I will treasure them, I purchased a fox fur to replace the fake fur on my collar, I now know why they dress this way, what a difference. Now I can wander until my toes grow cold or the sun sets. Tomorrow Melissa and are going on a 4 hour dog sledding adventure, I can't wait. So far this has been an amazing experience, spending time with my daughter and her northern gypsy friends in the great white north.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRfXYVLJFwEFeDklL3-GPs-N2z-FnSJRnb0640kpt_tqMEb4ziA4kjzZrfyedAwKict2GfyQtnVO18gX1ykXu7SDfHn-qYrKV6dU5hLY_OvQm1-0LT3fSG3P8laVYOHVZvT48yDxvmWd7/s1600/Lisa+Newyears+Eve+and+day+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRfXYVLJFwEFeDklL3-GPs-N2z-FnSJRnb0640kpt_tqMEb4ziA4kjzZrfyedAwKict2GfyQtnVO18gX1ykXu7SDfHn-qYrKV6dU5hLY_OvQm1-0LT3fSG3P8laVYOHVZvT48yDxvmWd7/s320/Lisa+Newyears+Eve+and+day+042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very First Igloo</td></tr>
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<em>-Lisa Davis</em>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.com3