A couple of nights ago I went up the road to the arena where I participated in one of the many games nights that are held during the holidays. When we arrived there was an elimination dice game on. Next game up was a dice game and when you rolled the magic number of 3 you ran into the middle of the circle and had to comb your hair and saw the log. It was great fun and with a number of dice being rolled you were never in the middle for long. The winner was the person to saw off the end of the log and competition was fierce when it was obvious we were close. There were games for kids, special games for elders and an Inuit square dance.

There was lots of laughter and I had a great time. I took a number of photos that didn't turn out. Here's a few that you shouldn't look at in larger format (too blurry), but it was one fo the games that was being played a test of strength. The man challenging lies down on the ground, the 'weight' lies directly on top of him and hooks his arms under the challengers arm pits and holds on. Now the challenger must stand up with this 'weight' hanging off of him. The weight must keep his legs stiff and straight so there is a component of strength for him too. It was fun to watch.


Some of the crowd at the games.


The game of strength.






Inuit square dance. The song went on for about 15 minutes (if not longer) and everyone was tired at the end...but lots of fun to watch.


This is me combing my hair and sawing the log. The photo was very dark and has been doctored...this is as good as it gets I'm afraid.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. I've had a few invites, but as per my usual, I am planning to stay home and ring it in with snores. I actually think I caught a cold over the phone from my mom. I looked back over my list of 10 things to do this year, I actually only ended up with nine things on the list and I managed to accomplish 3. Which isn't an excellent effort, but isn't all that bad.

I have started a list for this year and have chosen to repeat a few from last years list. One of them was to try three new foods. In 2007 my new foods were artichokes-which I now adore in a salad, mushrooms-which I enjoy in many things, but still not raw, and brussel sprouts--good fresh, I'm still not sold on the frozen. I'm not sure what this years new foods will be, but look forward to expanding my flavours. When I have decided on the list I may let you take a look.

No one ever really knows what the future will bring and I look forward to finding out what 2008 will bring into my life. There may be some big changes in my future. ;)

I hope everyone had a happy holiday and didn't eat too much turkey...like I did.

I spent Christmas eve with two friends and their three dogs, we cooked a turkey, ate till we couldn't move then went to bed to wait for Santa. Christmas day we ripped open gifts and in the evening headed over to a house party...I was #18 in the door for Christmas supper...it was wonderful. The big ol family dinner except that none of us were related by blood...only by geographical location.

The talk around the table was of trips out in the next couple of months, how wonderful Christmas up North is (slow, easy pace of life), and how we all agree that service at a particular restaurant here in town is terrible...then again we all agreed most of the stores know nothing about good service either. This hit home for me on the 24th when I was buying lunch meats and the check-out girl looked at it and said...'Gross' before she scanned it.

I received many wonderful presents...way more than I need certainly...but I'm not giving any of them up. It sounded like the presents I picked out for my family and friends in the South were well received. My sister took a couple of videos of my niece and nephew opening gifts from Aunty J which through the magic of the internet I was able to view. Thanks Sis.

Many of the Inuit organizations here in town are closed for the entire week between Christmas and New Years...yeah...so I have a few more days of down time before I need to head back to the office. My plans are to walk off some of the turkey I've eaten, clean my apartment and start driving myself nuts about my upcoming trip (29 days and counting...and yes, I'm counting!).

The other good news is that the sun is coming back. A month from now we will have an additional 2 hours and 5 minutes between sunrise/set. And by the time I return from my trip...5 more hours than we currently have...that's double!

Here's a few pics from my Christmas.

15:00 Drifting Snow -31 temperature 63% humidity winds out of the NW at 41km/h 101.4kpascals 32km visibility -49 windchill

Is it any wonder my truck hates me. Thank goodness the fish live in relative peace and quiet, safe and warm in the apartment.

Remember the good things about these kind of temperatures

...doesn't take long to chill your beer/pop outside
...save electricity by keeping your frozen food outside
...bragging to all your friends down South
...finally getting to wear your parka, big boots and mitts
(actually today I wore a jacket I received in Vancouver, my regular boots, nice gloves, a knit hat...no heavy duty gear for me...but I wasn't walking more than 50 feet)
...not needing to worry about matching your boots to your scarf
...the amazing sun rise and sunset
...the pure blue of the sky
...the stars that come out at night
...the Northern lights
...and many more...but it's late and I need to get some sleep

My truck is mad at me.

The past couple of mornings when I go to turn it over...it whines and complains, threatens to die, and then finally decides to spring to life. Luckily I have been plugging it in at night which would explain why it finally does spring to life for me...but I'm nervous.

I don't remember the truck being this grumpy last winter. Maybe I went on more drives, maybe I treated it better, maybe it doesn't love me anymore....or maybe it is just upset with the -30, -45 windchill temperatures.

I don't like letting my truck run...save the environment and all that....but, on days like today it is easier/safer/makes my life easier to let it run while I do short errands. The truck doesn't get a chance to properly warm up on the short runs I normally do around town so letting it run in between stores at least lets the temperature dial move above C now and then...and the truck actually warms up enough to blow a bit of hot air around inside.

Perhaps I should ask Santa to bring me a giant blanket to put over the truck at night when I tuck it in.

One month and 10 days until I leave for India!!!!

passport--check
visa--check
bug stuff with high deet rating--check
anti-malaria pills--check
twinrix shot--check and check
adult polio shot--check
typhoid vaccincation--check
anithromycin--check (very strong antibiotic...just in case)
water purification tablets--check
first aid kit--check
assorted clothes, toiletries, etc--check
ticket booked--check
hotels booked--check
deposit paid--check
driving friends nuts about upcoming trip in one month and 10 days--check

I'm ready. At this point it is just countdown time. I know what clothing I will be taking, most of which has been purchased in the past couple of months as my 'Northern clothes' may be a bit extreme for the heat in India. I know what toiletries I am taking and have even packed the first aid kit I will be taking. India has been designated its own shelf in my crowded closet and I'm ready to build!

With all kinds of people taking off for Christmas and doing the see you next year good-bye it occured to me that when I return to work after Christmas I will have 23 days until my departure. Which brings a big smile to my face...and then a big frown as I realize how much work I need to do before I leave...work work...not planning for the trip work.

And yet...here I am updating my blog instead of working. I prefer to think of this as a mental health break, something I don't do often enough some days...and something I do to much other days. In the end it likely works out and I know I am putting in the hours...in fact I'm sure anyone who has worked with me in the past knows I am putting in the hours. With Christmas just around the corner and the sun barely peeping over the top of the buildings around my office I am finding it hard to concentrate. I need a break..and thankfully we are closed the whole week of Christmas so I will get one. In fact, last year I did more and better work during the week the office was closed than I had the week previous when I was scheduled to be working. Oh well...if the powers that be don't like it...they are welcome to fire me.

My close friends here in town know of my challenges at work...and know of my occasional trip to the job wanted section on very bad days. I don't use my blog to comment on my work...its work. It is private and confidential information that does not need to be made public. If I want to bitch about a specific issue I do it with friends and family over the phone or via private email...not on the WORLD WIDE WEB...for bloggers who think they are only writing for family and friends...wake up! Does your blog start with www? Yes, well then it is viewable by the world. So I'm not going to bitch about my job, every job has its frustrations, every single one! What I am going to tell you is that if one of these days I do feel the desire to go postal here at the office and yell, scream, fight, pinch and generally throw in the towel, I am confident that before my EI claim would be denied I would have another job. Let's face it, it's easier to hire someone who is already here in town than pay to bring up a newbie who might take one breath of air at -35 and decide this has been a mistake. Ask anyone...they will certainly agree with me...if you can work and want to work...you will.

It is almost the holiday season...ok, it's been the holiday season since Halloween candy was replaced by candy canes on the store shelves back in October, but I digress. I'm staying up North for the holidays--just like last year. The town gets much quieter during the holidays as most of the town seems to clear out...not really, but a large number of folks do head south to be with their families and the planes have been packed leaving Iqaluit.

I read a number of Northern blogs. I love learning about life in the other communities and appreciate that we are all experiencing similar feelings towards events in the territory and the experiences we have when visiting our southern friends and relatives. What a few bloggers seem to keep missing though is spending Christmas in the North. I'm not saying it is different from down south...but it is an experience.

My plans for Christmas are probably very similar to yours. Christmas eve will involve nibbly food, wine and a few board games, add a few friends, lots of laughter and I think a pretty good night will evolve. Christmas day the same friends and I will be heading out to another friends home to partake in turkey. Likely the same type of events as you will partake in.

What you will likely not get to see though are the Northern lights dancing above your head on the 25th as peace and quiet fill the world. Such an amazing breath taking sight when one is in the right frame of mind to simply sit and enjoy.

I am guaranteed a white Christmas--are you?

The communities all seem to have a filled Christmas schedule of games, events and things to do. Perhaps this season I will even be able to fit a few of them into my schedule...unlike last year where I was too busy to fully enjoy.

For those of you who have never experienced Christmas in the North...I suggest you try it. We are closer to the North pole and Santa...so the presents arrive faster...and really, if you want to walk in a winter wonderland...this is definitely the place.

For those of you who have never experienced Christmas away from your parents and other family members...I suggest you try it. Don't hole up in your apartment and grinch your way through the holidays...plan a trip, an event, a special day with your friends...after all, aren't they your family too?

My mind is wandering this am and I can't seem to write straight forward coherent sentences...perhaps it is the lack of sunshine....perhaps it is the lack of sleep...perhaps it is the visions of sugar plums dancing in my head.

I ate raw caribou.

Yes, I've lived here for almost two years and yes, I eat caribou on a regular basis but it is always cooked...generally medium rare, but still--cooked. And, not only was it rare, it was frozen, with a piece of fat on top. (the fat my friend affectionately called Nunavut butter) It was tasty and I would likely eat it again if the opportunity presented itself.

The weather has been crisp the past few days, hovering around -20, -30ish with the wind chill and on Monday it was -43 with the wind chill at one point. I put on my parka and life was grand. In fact, there were many comments made around town how nice out it was and what a great day to be in the North. It was interesting to note that the South was getting covered in snow and storms and for those of us living in the North (where folks assume is storms ALOT) it was a nice sunny day.

We decorated the office for Christmas yesterday so aside from Christmas carols (which we have banned from the office) we are all in a festive mood. Tonight is the office Christmas party, the three of us will each bring a friend which means there will be 6 for supper. It may not seem like a lot to form a party, but it is better than some offices that are having no party cause no one in the office likes each other. So six it is. Total cost of the dinner...I suspect it will come in at around $400 and that will not include drinks...which isn't bad really even for a southern dinner out.

I just took a stroll down memory lane. I read over my adventures from December last year. Nothing too exciting, just talk of the weather, daylight hours, Christmas and the gala.

This past year has been full of all kinds of interesting adventures and I'm looking forward to the new ones next year. Work is getting increasingly busy and is over whelming at times, but I'm always up for a challenge.

Here's the update on India. I have my visa, and approached a travel agent to get me a price on a ticket. I have been searching on line and have found what I'm looking for, but thought a professional might find a better route or price. And this is one ticket I don't want to screw up. I have found my tour prior to the build, it is 4 nights and includes a visit to the Taj Mahal and a ride on an elephant. I can't wait. To add to the trip I am also tacking on 3 or 4 days back home with my family in PEI when I return from India. My sister thinks this is a safe move as my body will re-adjust from +30 to -10 in PEI to -30 in Iqaluit. The itinerary for the actual build has been mailed out, I have bio's and pics of all my fellow teammates and basically the countdown is on, 1 month and 23 days till my departure.

I've been rather slack in the picture department lately, but now that I am back in the North and have no plans to travel until January my exploration of Iqaluit can continue. This weekend is packed full of gala's and recovering from gala's but maybe next weekend I'll head out on the road, err land, to take some photos.

I bought myself a pair of skates when I was in St. John's and I plan to learn how to use them properly. If only I could find some ice.