Patience

There is one major item I’m lacking in life, and for those who know me will understand this completely.  I lack patience.  I check my bread at least 5 times while it is in the toaster – I check my cool water to hurry it along when it is placed on a burner. I’ve never been good with long waits or mix-ups, even when they are out of my control.  So waiting patiently for something big and life changing to happen is “grinding my gears”  to quote Peter Griffin.  I find myself itching, waiting and hoping throughout the day to find out anything-something to appease the burning of not knowing.  I know that I could be bringing on bad karma – that I may not want to know what the future holds; but I rather know something than nothing, whether good or bad.  Although, with my lack of patience comes one large balancing stone on the scale – ‘Positivity’.   That can be a huge asset in life, however, when it is pared alongside lack of patience it can be a huge mix-up in emotions at the same time.   I suppose what it comes down to is that from my perspective, it is easier to learn patience but becoming positive when negative is a harder thing to overcome.  I guess I’m just a complicated person.

On another note: The teams are set for the Superbowl (Colts verses Saints).  I was wishing for Farve to win for no other reason except the man is 40 years old and as soon as his helmet comes off the ball-cap comes on, and I find that hilarious for some unknown reason.   

The sun is starting to become stronger, I haven’t caught a peak of the sun up over the hill yet but it should be any day now.  I look forward to seeing the sun, not that it warms up anything – but still seeing the bright sunshine can make you pretend it is nice and warm outside verses cold and …well cold. 

(January 25th @ 12:40pm)

I think we have officially decided on a all-inclusive vacation spot for our next IPA – we haven’t booked it yet and we are just waiting on the good word whether or not the resort is available for the 6 days that we want it (6 days = promotion that the resort is offering).  Once everything is booked and our vacation is approved I’ll give you all a peak.  I’m interested to know what you guys think.

* I posted a question last week regarding Haiti and relief efforts, and I was told it was a bit “mean” by a couple of  people so I removed the post, however, I just wanted to thank Clare for answering my question – your answer made perfectly good sense.

Goddess & God of the Royal Throne

I wish drinking was the reasoning behind me being sick, then I could justify it and then say in self-loathing pity that “I’m never drinking again” only to drink again in a couple of days… however that was not the case and can’t be the case here in Kugaaruk.  On Sunday evening, I decided to try a new product that M&M meats was offering, the Bistro Ricotta/Spinach stuffed Chicken Breast – at the time I was eating it I wasn’t sold on the product and I started to flick the green and white Ricotta on my plate while eating the Chicken.  (Hughie on the other hand was enjoying the chicken with the added bonus of the green and white Ricotta).  A couple of hours later after a hot bath I just started to feel “not right” like something was off-kilter, I was irritated-bloated and felt like I was on a ferry boat in the middle of the St.Lawrence.  Needless to say Hughie was having the same feelings only x3. I haven’t seen Hughie sick like that in about 5 years, and I’m not sure I want to see him that sick again.  Although, with him being sick, it gave me a chance to put my lingering stomach and bowel issues aside (I know TMI) and baby my hubby.  He takes being sick as well as any other man does.  Although I regret putting my “sickness”on the back burner as I still feel rocked today.  My energy level reminds me of a newborn kitten all weak and tired.  I did manage to eat a banana yesterday and then today shared a sandwich with Hughie, who is still feeling like he is fishing in the high-seas.

So that is where I have been over the last couple of days, curled up with my hubby under the blankets feeding each other liquids, mmm Gastrolyte, and watching Spiderman 1&2.  We haven’t been able to force ourselves to watch Spiderman 3 yet….I suppose if we were sicker we could have.  We tried to pass the time making conversations about our next IPA which is coming up in about 55 days (I haven’t officially started the countdown yet, as we don’t have a relief member lined up) however it is hard to make any solid plans when the person you are talking to falls to sleep mid-sentence…. lol, I suppose we should make those plans when we are wide awake and feeling better.

Am I the only one that finds it hard to believe the amount of dirt and clutter that gathers around your house while you are sick.  I haven’t seen so many pj pants and t-shirts floating around my laundry pile in ages.  There was 3 bags of garbage about 12 empty cans of ginger ale and two sink full of cups and glasses with about 6 cans of ginger ale still linger inside those cups and glasses.  I’ve slowly spent my day today cleaning and disinfecting my house – I even opened my back door for a half hour just to get the stench of sick out of my home…although I think that is all in my head..it really doesn’t smell that bad with two vanilla biscotti candles burning and a peppermint plug in..but somehow the air just seems fresher now..  

So there you have it, all those that emailed me to ask why I disappeared off the blogosphere here I am!  Just gathering up enough energy to shovel out the dog run.

I promise that my next blog entry will be free of any germs.

Lost but not found

It should be no surprise to folks that I’m having a hard time concentrating and feeling slightly “short” with friends and family.  I chalk it all up to the fact that we “should” be going on vacation, if not already in civilization.  This year the 2010 Olympics have caused a embargo of all vacations, transfers and anything else that may cause Members to be away from their posts (Mid-January to Mid-March).  I definitely understand why those down south have to be more diligent with their vacations & transfers when a good chunk of their Members are already in Vancouver, or getting ready to be on their way to Vancouver to help prepare for the security they will need in order to keep the Olympians safe.  However I can’t for the life of me get my head around why Nunavut is in a stand-still as well ….… Oh well, I’m just complaining and the light at the end of the tunnel is a long ways off – however we should have our Relief Member approved before the end of the month according to the new guy in that department; so maybe once that happens my frown will turn upside down and I’ll be my normal chipper self, until then I will continue to mutter under my breath and give beer commercials the evil eye.  If I’m this bad at the 4 month mark without a vacation how will I be in 2.5 months from now..maybe I will hide my computer so you guys won’t be forced to face the wrath of Tammy.

As I alluded too in my last post we have lost our camera case, not the Camera itself (Thank god) but our charger, extra battery, USB connection cord & a USB PORT!! (with pictures of our wedding, niece etc etc etc…).  We were told that a member of the Canadian Rangers picked it up and was too take it to the Herc to see if any of the VANOC members dropped a case; needless to say we’ve been in touch with everyone beyond this specific guy..lol isn’t that always the way.  We are speaking with this guy tomorrow, pending he is in his office.  Although if he doesn’t have it we are shit out of luck to knowing where it is – we placed a couple announcements on the Radio and at the school with the added bonus of a reward (Chocolate & Cash) and nothing has turned up. I will say that while we got no where close in finding our Camera case I will have to say that the members of the Flight Crew have been EXTREMELY helpful!  I’m very appreciative of all that they have done for us considering the HERC broke down twice during their Vanoc Spirit Box deliveries (Once in Rankin and then in Whale Cove – where the Herc # 2 is relaxing and waiting to be fixed)…They only got back to Winnipeg/Yellowknife last night considering they should have been done with their trek on Friday…

(ADDENDUM:  THE CAMERA CASE HAS BEEN FOUND!! )

With all my complaining I forgot to mention the most important part.  The Spirit boxes arrived in Kugaaruk on Thursday, January 7th to a crowd of approximately 50 kids/adults at the school’s gymnasium – unfortunately rumour was circulating that some of the teachers were not aware of this celebration, however it was nice just the same having the amount of people there that we did.  The Spirit boxes had hockey sticks, jerseys, soccer balls, lacrosse sticks, basketballs, baseballs, mitts, etc etc etc… what a great presents for the Hamlet of Kugaaruk to receive.  Nothing like having two big cozy looking Mascots to help pass on the goods – it was like a second Christmas to our town!  As you can see from the photo’s everyone was having a good time even when the themometer was bottoming out at about –50 (with windchill)

(Above: Miga & Quatchi (Vancouver Olympic Mascots)

(Above:  Miga & Quatchi hitching a ride)

(Above:  Watching the VANOC committee pass out the sports equipment from the Spirit Boxes…Hey there is me..yep I like Brown…)

(Above:  She was an Olympian for Diving??..and the VANOC Committee guys)

Welcome back.

I should promise myself and my readers that I won’t go on a huge tangent every time a big event finalizes.  However, being that this is our transfer year all the big things need to be documented for posterity.  So without further ado:

Sunrise: 10:15   

Sunset:   12:00

The sun has officially returned to Kugaaruk.  Unfortunately, due to the slight cloudy, windy and blustery-snowy day I won’t be able to take photo’s of the sun…

Oh yeah, I can’t take photo’s anyways because we lost our camera case (okay I lost our camera case) that has a fresh battery, charger and USB cable.  I won’t get into the logistics of how it got lost or how the fact that we have knowledge that a person (we even have his name) flying with the VANOC committee delivering the ‘Spirit Boxes’ picked it up thinking it may have been one of their flight-mates camera case and now needless to say it is still MIA and we haven’t heard back recently from the above mentioned person or anyone else for that matter in the last 48/72 hours.  Anyways I said I wasn’t going to get into the logistics of our lost camera case in this post.

Welcome back Mr. Sun…Welcome Back!

Eh O’ Canada Go!

I have to say that chant has me cringing in my seat.  Just hearing the commercial, seeing the signs and flags circulating the rinks just makes me want  to cover my ears and scream “NO!!”.  As much as I love being Canadian; I try my hardest not to say “EH” especially when I spend time circumventing the United States.  So here we are placing emphasizes on the word I despise the most in our Canadian dictionary.  I had and continue to have no problems cheering “GO CANADA GO!” It got our point across without making us sound like hick-backwoods- igloo living- dogsled driving Canadians.   After watching the World Juniors for the last 10 days I heard more “Go Canada Go” verses the “Eh O’ Canada Go”  I’m hoping people in their drunken stupor (you know it will happen) will break down during the Olympic Hockey games and go with the old proud & true chant “Go Canada go!”.  I also wonder if Pepsi will get the million signatures they want on their website because of the new chant or because those million people will have there name [size 2 font] placed in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario Canada…

Now….The  gold-cup game last night; it was a good game, I love the old rivalry Canada verses United States.  However, if I had a bookie and IF I had the money to waste on that sort of thing (I don’t) I would have placed all my money on the United States to win.  After watching they way they played during the NYE game and their quarter/semi finals to win their way into the Gold medal game ..Wow..they had the speed and the determination behind them, not just a legacy of 5 gold metals pushing them.   Don’t misunderstand me, I was cheering for Canada and when we scored two goals in under 2 minutes at the end of the 3rd period I was floored!  I just knew that it was just delaying the inevitable.  I am Hockey Fan (GO VANCOUVER GO!!…Love my Lu!) so therefore I must believe in the Hockey gods…Outside all their speed and determination the American’s had. I had the sinking suspicion that the Hockey gods handed them this win to help promote the 2010/2011 World Juniors being held in Buffalo…

However, at the end of the day 2nd place for Canada isn’t a bad place to be, they still have a silver medal around their necks and the support of their Canadian Fans….who knows maybe we will win it back next year, or maybe the Russians will grab hold.  Canada is a true hockey country; we will get it back again at some point…..   I was always taught to share, maybe it is time for Canada to share too.

Klutz

klutz Pronunciation: \ˈkləts\Function: noun                  Etymology: Yiddish klots, literally, wooden beam, from Middle High German kloz lumpy mass — more at clout Date: 1960 Definition: a clumsy person

I’ve always been known to bruise easily, with my pale skin that is pretty much a gimmy.  I know that when I fall or slightly bump myself into a random object I’m going to see the outcome of that slight bump for at least a week afterwards.  I think my klutziness all started when I was ~4/5 years old and fell over my big feet, or big shoes, either way you want to look at it, and jammed the bottom part of a Pepsi bottle into the bottom of my left hand.  Needless to say I I haven’t seen blood like that until last night.  I was all excited to be making my first ever Caramel Latte with my handheld blender, so I was going to change the blade until I realized the smaller blade would be to my benefit (quicker foam action).  I started putting all the components away and I picked up the new freshly opened big blade to place into the cupboard and somehow, I pinched the blade slicing open my thumb just below the first knuckle (approximately a inch in diameter and about a blade deep – I looked at my hand and flicked it into the sink…blood everywhere; dang I hit a capillary – I honestly thought, and I should have went to go to the health centre for a stitch or two but no…I did not.  I grabbed my first aid kit with the help of my concerned and helpful husband and doctored my own cut; after years of watching physiotherapist take care of severed fingers and severely cut tendons I have a slight understanding of bandaging.  So after a couple of butterflies and 3 band aids I covered my cut and managed to make a pretty passable Caramel Latte. 

The thumb still has good range of motion, and typing doesn’t seem to hurt at all so I know the tendon is still intact so I’m hoping that the healing will start now that it has been cleaned and bandaged again.  Although I’m afraid that I’m going to be telling this story for years to come when people notice the inch sized scar on my inner thumb. [I would take a photo, but it is rather  gross and still a bit on the nasty side]. 

I was hoping to get through the next 12 months without any noticeable scars, however, I should realize I am who I am, and no matter where I live I can never change that.

Unknown Possibilities

I have been dwelling over whether or not to do a big New Years Day post and I think I’ve decided against it especially since I’ve been blogging for the past year.  Last year when I did my big “2009” post I only had a half dozen [or a little more] posts to my name and I wanted to remember, for my own sake, the prior year especially the process we went through to move North.

Last night after a hearty NYE supper of Chicken Nachos & Buffalo Chicken wings with Hughie & Ian I came to the conclusion that while I complain about living in the North I’ve really enjoyed my time living in a settling that I necessarily will never see myself in again.  However with that said I’m looking forward to 2010 and our transfer back to civilization.  Things are still up in the air on that storyline, and considering the way things progress I’m sure I’ll have at least another 60/180 days, if not more, of sleepless nights ahead of me until we get our first of many pages of paperwork.  I tend to worry about the unknown; those who know me may find that surprising as I tend to be relaxed and cool about all aspects of my life.  The only time my stress comes out is when I settle down for the night and my brain starts to run with the “What If” questions.

So my resolution this year is to try not to sweat the “What ifs” and to let the unknown remain the unknown.  With that said I’ve deemed 2010 the year of “Unknown Possibilities”.  

So today, I start 2010 off with a hot cup of coffee and the Winter Classic [Go Boston!] with my best friend and my pups {Who are both sleeping on the couch in their little husky circles with their tails situated over their noses}.  Who could ask for a better start to 2010.

May you all have a happy and safe 2010.