Whale bones and Ticky Loopies

Hello all, sorry for the big delay in posting. Life has been busy as per usual. Well, that and we got cable. I know, it’s sad that has such an impact on our ability to communicate with the outside world but it has. Lily got a cold on Friday so I had to take the afternoon off and come home with her.  I stayed home with her Monday as well.  Margot stayed home with her on Tuesday, then started to get ill herself so stayed home with her today. The good news is they seem to be doing better and everyone is going to school tomorrow.

The last two Saturdays I have gone out for big morning walks while Margot stays home with the pants. It has been really good for my spirit to get some time outside by myself. We don’t get much alone time these days and I have been missing it as I was so ill. So last week I walked up to what was going to be a new septic lake for the town but turned into a 20 million dollar road to nowhere. It makes a great walking path though! The dogs loved it and we all enjoyed the exercise. Did a bit of shooting which was alright. I realized I hadn’t shot my shotgun in many years and since I have it for protection I should make sure it works alright. Well, it does and then some. I have Winchester 12 gauge pump action shotgun that was left to me by my grandfather and holy cow does it have some kick. It’s a funny thing about carrying it. I grew up around firearms and recently taken the Canadian Firearms safety course and feel quite comfortable handling guns. I am legally allowed to carry it. However, I still feel like I am breaking a taboo every time I unlock it and take it for a hike or shoot it. I feel very self conscience. But I do see many others doing what I am doing and the only thing people ask is if I am going hunting with honest curiosity. Oh well, I am still new here and I’m sure I will get more comfortable.

I went for another hike this last weekend from the park which is a couple KM’s from town and hiked the shoreline towards town in search of the remainder of the whale carcass  that was killed last year. I did find it and WOW it is HUGE. I knew it would be big, but standing next to vertebrae that are as big as my dog. I found a piece of baleen and strapped it to my bag to bring home. My neighbor asked me how it was that I went hunting and all I got was a piece of baleen with a big smile on her face.

Lily is doing well and as silly as ever. She has really started to explore imaginative play. she is creating all sorts of story lines and using things around the house as props for her games. One of her favorites lately are taking Booster (her toy rabbit) to the airport so they can get on or see an airplane and she can have a ticky loopy.  She packs her stuffy into a lunch bag and gets into her stroller in the boot room or straps booster in and then does it all over again. She is such a cutie.

School is going well for the most part. We got Internet yesterday which is very exciting. I have been participating in one of the teacher’s after school group: guitar club. It’s been nice to play with others again. My drum set is a big hit and everyone has been very respectful of my gear. They always ask to use it and one of the boys who has been really enjoying playing is now trying to buy his own set which is pretty cool.

We are supposed to be getting our sea lift on Friday, but I’ll believe it when I see it. It keeps being pushed back so I am a bit cynical. However, I am really excited about having a house full of food instead of a bag of groceries from the store costing way too much.

We got a package that contained the tools needed to put up our drapes finally! Yeah! We have been using plastic table cloth covers over the windows for the past two months and it will be nice to have some fabric up. With no carpet the house is very boomy and the walls are very white so it’s nice having some colour and sound absorption. So we are starting to work our way through our house and have all but two windows done.

Lily playing with Sassie the visiting puppy

 

 

 

 

Looking down towards the ocean and the park

Looking back towards the playground at the park

Whale bones

Ribs (I think)

This is about 4 1/2 feet tall and quite long

Lily keeping all of us safe, starting with Booster and Deetdeet

On top of the hill looking towards the other side (?) of the island

A long drop to the other side, but so pretty

On top looking towards town

On our way home looking down on Cape Dorset

On our way home from our hike. Boy those dogs slept well.

Thanks for visiting and stay safe! Lots of love to our family and friends.



-Richard

cbc comes to our hamlet

Well, when CBC comes to town you know you're big news. Here is the Video that I have yet to see due to our very slow Internet tonight. Here is an article on what has been happening in the community lately. At school we had a critical incident meeting this afternoon with a team who had been brought in to work with a few organizations in town. I have never been through this type of meeting before and it was very helpful to hear what some of my peers were going through and I hope it helps. It was exhausting though and quite slow as both the school's staff member went through it together. There were at least 40 plus people there which made everything slow going.

What a week! I'm wiped and tired, so I am signing off. Take care everyone and make sure your guns are locked up. Oh, about my post about trigger locks the other day, I was talking to someone today (no names) and she informed me that the police had done gun safety programs in the past that ended with free trigger guards, only to find them in the garbage or used to lock things other than guns on their follow up visits. So, turns out the RCMP have tried free trigger locks in the past also. Sorry for my misinformation.

-Richard

Food Mail is freaking rad and other such thoughts

I love food mail day. Fresh glorious food! We have had numerous requests for specific information about living up here and we are trying to do this. I thought Food Mail info would be helpful as we were very confused about the whole process coming up here due to a lack of information. For those who don't know what food mail is, keep reading. For those who do, skip a short paragraph.

This is my understanding of the program, however it could be quite wrong in some ways too, so be sure to look into it yourself if you need more info. Food mail is food shipping program that subsidized specific businesses who sell and ship food to remote communities. It is designed to ensure residents have access to nutritious food and stay healthy which saves the Canadian taxpayer in the long run I would suspect. Here is a list of the changes which they have recently made and the following items are no longer allowed. They are trying to encourage fresh perishable food is being shipped, not things that can be shipped on a sea lift.


 FOOD MAIL PROGRAM – NUTRITION NORTH CANADA

ALL PASTA NOODLES, SOUP NOODLES, LENTILS, RICE, ORZO, DRIED PEAS, KRAFT DINNER.
ALL CANNED GOODS SUCH AS FRUITS, VEGETABLES, SOUPS, FISH, PÂTÉS.
EAGLE BRAND MILK, TEA, COFFEE, WATER, TOMATO JUICE, V-8 JUICE, ALL THE MARINADES.
CAKE MIX, MUFFIN MIX, CAKE FROSTING, PASTRY DOUGH, PUDDING MIX OR PREPARED PUDDING, JELLO POWDER, BAKER’S CHOCOLATE, POP CORN.
CHEESE WHIZ SPREAD, JAMS, JELLY, COFFEE WHITENER.
CROISSANT, GARLIC BREAD, ALL DIPS, CREAM CHEESE, SOUR CREAM, CREAM, YOP, HARD MARGARINE, HYDROGENATED SOFT MARGARINE, SHERBET, ICE MILK, ICE CREAM, FROZEN YOGOURT.
FRENCH FRIES, SIDE BACON, WHOLE PUMPKINS.
DIAPERS, TOILET PAPER,  SANITARY NAPKINS, BODY SOAP, LAUNDRY DETERGENT, DISHWASHING DETERGENT, FABRIC SOFTENER, SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER, PRESCRIPTION DRUG

We use a company named marche central du nord.

So, we just had ours delivered tonight and here is what it looks like:

Food Mail boxes

Food Mail all unpacked

 Now this is a big meat order as we don't really like much of the meat that is available up here in the stores. It's expensive and most of the cuts include bones. This is not an average weekly order for us because we are trying to fill up our deep freeze (a very helpful thing, be sure to bring one up with you) just in case there is a time when we cannot get planes in.

This order includes about $600 in food and the final bill came to approximately $800. There are packing fees, freight and the goods and services tax. So, it does bump the prices but the veggies are very fresh and we can get goods that are not available up here like sausage and soy milk. mmmmmmm.

We received our Canada Goose Order and the coats are very nice but pricey! The sticker is $625 plus taxes each. Sadly Margot's did not fit well so is being sent back. The worst part is there seem to be none available anywhere right now until the company begins shipping there latest production run, which may not be for a while. Good thing she is working on building a traditional Inuit parka at her craft group. I must say though, I do love my new coat! It's a funny thing about the fur though, it's a bit like having our dog Kala wrapped around my head. The consistency and feel of the coyote fur is identical. Makes sense though as they are all part of the canine family. A local was telling me domestic dog fur makes a great fur for clothes as it repels water very well and is quite warm. Hmmm, I'll stick with coyote thanks.

Mr. Winter!

Gosh, electronics drive me crazy sometimes. I bought Margot an 8gb Ipod touch for her birthday after much to do (numerous problems with the credit card address). Well, it can't hold a charge and seems to be overheating during use. So, now we have to send it back. boohoooooo! A real stinker eh? Oh well, we'll get another one!

Oh, and one of the boys who was involved in the shooting with RCMP the other night, was actually registered in my class. I have never met him though as he has never come to school. We had some follow up meetings with the students and such today, but I am too tired to write about it. This is the sort of topic I need to be sure I am firing on all cylinders to talk about, and right now, I am like a v6 running on 3. I can't wait for this damn illness to leave me.

Take care all!
-Richard

WTF?! Another shooting in Dorset today!

I have moved my family to the hood. Last night or early this morning (I am very unclear about the details at this point) there was another shooting involving two grade 9 students. Thankfully they are not in my class as one was wounded superficially by the RCMP. I am getting conflicting stories, but the one that seems to pan out is that the boys were shooting at the cops who returned fire and wounded one of the kids. Classes were canceled and there is a community meeting at two in the high school gym to discuss coping strategies and such hosted by the public mental health nurse.

What a messed up situation. Yet again it was down in the valley (far below our house, near the other fatal shooting) and I can see the RCMP vehicles out my back window. I know stuff like this happens in other communities and because we are small (1200 - 3000 people depending on the source) everyone is affected and information spreads fast. But, when we lived in Calgary and Halifax I never felt scared because of the anonymity that one feels in the city, but here we are all so exposed. Everyone knows who we are, where we work and where we live. It is quite disconcerting. If this keeps up, I can see really re-evaluating how long we stay.

So, my travel tip for the day. If you are thinking about a scenic trip to Cape Dorset, stay home.

Regards,

Richard

Update:
My day started with learning that Cape Dorset has such a bad reputation that it has been called 'Cape Fear'.  Just one more thing we didn't know before moving here.
The 'community' meeting turned out to be just the staff from the two schools.  It was disappointing to not have the community rallying together.  I was also disappointed that none of the local teachers came down from the elementary school.  There is so much stuff going on it would be nice to hear more from the local people about how to handle things.  I had hoped that the meeting would provide me some insight into what to say to my children tomorrow instead it was a chance for us to talk.  I wasn't prepared for it.  Three 'incidents' in three weeks is three too many.  Everyone admits to a sense of worry about what might be coming next.  We are all hoping this is the end of it!
-Margot

CBC links and my latest rant

Hello all.  Just a quick post tonight.

Here are a couple of links to the CBC north website and their write-ups about the two recent murders here in Cape Dorset. I was talking with a health nurse today about how messed up it seems to be here as of late and she was in agreement, saying that armed standoffs are not new here but the killings are. I had heard around the rumour mill that the firearms used in both crimes were not owned by the killers and had been taken from others. This raised the question of locking up guns here. So, I looked at trigger guards at the store here and found they were over $30 each after tax. Now, I know it is Canadian law that a gun must be kept locked and it is the gun owners responsibility to do this, but this is obviously not happening all the time. I think we as a country should take a cue from (gasp) the Americans. I know, it's a rare thing for me to say. But, in Spokane, Washington (and maybe elsewhere, I don't know) you can walk into any police station and ask for a trigger guard and they will give you one at no charge. No ID required, no questions asked. I think this is a brilliant idea. If they were readily available, then maybe more people would use them and it would force people to slow down when they are in a rage or to resort to a less simple and efficient way to harm others. I don't like putting yet another cost on the plate for all Canadian tax payers, but, I see a huge need for this and a strategy that could save lives. Anyhow, this is just my two cents. What do you think?

By the way, I bought a trigger guard in Spokane for about $8.00 then got a second from the cops for free.

Hmmm, I guess I did have something to say. Big surprise eh?

Here are those links:

Most recent murder

Murder in September

Regards,

Richard

It's ALIVE!!!!!

 Lily and my garden seems to be doing well so far. We have all sorts of sprouts popping up and the transplanted green onions seems to be surviving, lots of new growth.

Lettuce sprouts

Lettuce sprouts

My new garden centre.

The bins each have about 10" of soil in them and I put drainage holes about 1.5" up from the bottom of each. I transplanted the lettuce and they seems to be doing OK. We'll keep you posted.

Sadly I am still very sick and getting very frustrated at the lack of a doctor here. The nurses I have seen are trying but have yet to figure out what the problem is or, if they have, how to effectively treat it. But, there is a doctor coming to town here in the next week or so and I am going to try to get an appointment to see if he/she can figure out what this is.

To our Cape Dorset readers, beware of this truck! This is the vehicle that killed the puppy and didn't slow down or try to rectify the wrong they had done. So, if you see it coming, give it a wide berth because whoever drives it is a bad, bad man.

-Richard

Another sad day in Dorset

We had a slow day around the house today.  After I put Lily down for her nap I was outside when my neighbour walked past and told me that I should not be outside.  There was someone shooting on the other side of town and we should all stay inside.  I went in and told Richard this who was quite concerned.  However, we were all invited to Cheryl’s house for dinner.  Cheryl works at the airport and is the wonderful woman who went out of her way to get us our house keys when we arrived.  She routinely has large dinner parties and today we were invited to Thanksgiving dinner.  Richard decided to stay home as he wasn’t up to visiting.  When Lily woke up she and I got dressed and figured we would be okay to walk to two minutes to Cheryl’s house.  As I passed the neighbour’s house (the same one I’d spoken to earlier) the window opened and his wife called out to me that I really shouldn’t be outside as there was someone with a gun.  And that they had announced on local radio that he said he would shoot anyone that he saw.  I decided to head back inside.  I called Cheryl’s and talked to Meaghan (Mercedes’ mom).  I told her what was going on and although she said I probably didn’t have to be worried she had her husband come down and pick us up.  They weren’t worried because the shooter was over in RC (the other side of town) with all the roads blocked off.  We had dinner and a very nice time.  Lily had a great time.  She loves people so much and really likes playing with Sadie (as she calls Mercedes).  Throughout the evening they kept getting phone calls updating them on the situation.  By 6:00 they had the man in custody.  Turns out they flew a swat team of 15 in from Iqaluit and within 20 minutes they had the suspect.  Details are still sketchy but there is one confirmed death.  The man killed his brother and may also have shot his sister.  It was a pretty scary situation and there is still no word on what caused the whole thing.  I think two fatal shootings in three weeks is more than enough and I hope that things will settle down for a while.  A fairly big distraction from Thanksgiving but we really did have a great meal and Cheryl and Meaghan put together a big plate for me to bring home to Richard.  It was nice to be out and be social.  After all the illness in our house preventing us from getting out and about it is nice to feel like we are starting to become a part of the community.
-Margot

Crafting it up

Saturday, October 9th

This morning Lily and I had another play date with Mercedes.  The weather has been cooperating so we started with some outside time and then went indoors.  The girls had a great time and we all had a nice visit.

 Lily and Sadie sittin' in the toy box

Went to “crafts” again today to continue work on my parka.  Went down with Lisa, our new teacher, and met up with Kathy there.  I didn’t have very long as Richard still isn’t feeling well and wasn’t up to being alone with Lily for too long.  So I put her down for her nap and headed out.  Last day I had cut out the inner lining and the middle wind-proof layer.  Today I finished cutting out the outer layer.  This in itself was exciting but then I did get to start sewing.  I have been told that I should bring down my own sewing machine as there are not enough machines there to go around and many of them don’t work very well.  I think I will take my machine down but didn’t today as I was walking.  So I used a machine there.  The first didn’t work so well but the second one I tried worked just fine.  I sewed 4 seams which got the front and back of the inner layer attached.  Then I had to try it on and everyone in the room critiqued the fit.  They (the women who know what they are doing) decided that the neck was too high.  So I took it off and the organizer took a pair of scissors to the neckline.  Two more fittings and they agreed the neck was okay.  This layer then served as a template to cut down the neck on the other two layers.  A very relaxed process working on local time so by the time the neck was sorted out I had to leave.  But it is underway now and I am excited about seeing things come together.  I’m going to try to take my sewing machine on Tuesday and see how far I can get using my own machine.  It is fun to be making things again.  For those who don’t know, I injured both my thumbs a year and a half ago and it was too painful to sew or knit or do anything.  Now after double thumb surgery in July they are healing nicely and I am finally able to use my hands again.  This is part of why I am so very excited to be creating again!
-Margot

Dead dog, not ours but still very upsetting

I am so angry right now. Humanity is a constant disappointment. Here is the set up for this story. It has snowed a lot here overnight. We have about 20” of snow in the road in front of our house right now and the vehicles that can drive in it are staying in one set of tracks. We also have a family who lives at the end of the road with a very cute husky type puppy. He is about 3 months old and is already bigger than Smoot. Sadly, his owners do not tie him up or the dog frequently escapes. I had just finished having a romp with our dogs outside (off leash) and had brought them up the stairs because a truck was coming and they have no understanding of vehicles. I put them inside and was watching as the dog’s owner drove past with the puppy running along behind. Then another truck (a white Ford truck that is driven by a supervisor of the construction site across the road) comes barreling up the road. The puppy is unable to get out of the deep ruts in the snow and is driven over. I am watching this happen in shock and horror as I see this beautiful dog come tumbling out from under the rear wheel. The truck does not even slow down nor do I ever see the driver come over to see what he has done. ***HOLE! I run over to find the dog laying crumpled up on its side as blood is leaking out his nose and mouth. I run over to a neighbor who is a dog owner (responsible) and has lived here for a bit might know what to do with an injured dog, but I realize it’s too late. Meanwhile the two passengers from the truck, both Inuit, are visibly concerned and sad about the dog. One says he is willing to get the truck to load the dog into so we can take it to the owners, after my direct probing. So, 5 minutes later I realize no one is coming back so I carry the dog back to it’s house. People make me sick.

However, on a lighter note: SNOW DAY! The last two days we had up to 90 km gusting winds and forecasts for up to 20 cms of snow. The house was shaking last night as the storm moved through. We got up this morning with a phone call from my Principal letting us know that the morning session of school had been cancelled. They would re-assess at lunch about school. So we had a fun morning, aside from the dead dog, playing in the house and out in the snow. The drifts here were incredible. We have almost 3 feet of snow in front of our house. So much fun.


I went and got the snowmobile today! Again, the taxi didn’t come to pick me up so I hoofed it down to the storage shed. It was great to get it out and going. I got extra goodies with it including a new cover, oil, gas can, spark plugs, bungees and a few bits and bobs. With all the wind there are a few sparse sections of snow on the road so I had to pick and choose where I rode but I made it to the co-op which also sells gas. I parked in front of the pump which is across the street from the store then went in to pay. There is always a crowd in front of the store and today was no exception. I must say I felt a bit uncomfortable as I walked in with my helmet and all my gear on. However, all I got were smiles and grins. I got a fuel slip from the cashier and was on my way outside to get the gas when a customer stopped me and told me I had to wait for the “gas man.” I smiled and said “so, are you trying to be tricky or is there really a gas man? Do you all have a good laugh at the new white guy in town every time he falls for the old gas man gag?” He and his buddies had a big laugh but indicated that there was indeed a gas man. In the end there was a gas man who filled my sled and the gas can. I had to do two trips into town because I had to go back to get more Thanksgiving groceries. It was really fun to ride again. My dad and I rode every weekend when I was a kid and then a teenager. The snowmobiles and our courage grew every year as we became more adventurous. I was thinking today how so many skills we learn are re-used in ways or places we never would have suspected. I think it’s so important to experience as many different things as possible and learn from each one. You never know when you will have to ride a snowmobile in front of what feels like half your new town.


I came home and took the girls out for a ride. I had assumed Margot had been on a snowmobile, but I learned that was not the case. She’ll get the hang of it once I undo what her dad taught her about being a passenger on his motorcycle. Every time I went into a corner I was expecting her to lean but she didn’t. When we got off I asked why and found out he had asked her not to on the bike because it might cause problems. Lily loved it and started crying when Margot took her helmet off in the store because she wanted to stay outside and play on the snowmobile. So, her and I sat outside and talked with the kids while Margot shopped for the things I forgot on my last trip. In the end it was a success and we are looking forward to lots more snow.

I (along with my little "helper") got my indoor garden set up today. We are growing green onions, garlic chives, cherry tomatoes, full size tomatoes, lettuce and basil. I have it all set up with full spectrum lights, and it looks a bit like, well, a grow op. We’ll keep you posted on how it works out. Oh, I realize I never posted about the worms. Turns out that I was unable to procure any worms so sadly, no composting. Maybe we can convince a friend to bring some back with them from their holidays.

We skyped with my parents tonight which was great. It was a bit choppy but we all saw each other for a few minutes. Technology is really very cool when it works. I am very curious how much bandwidth we used up as the package we have now is good for 2 gb a month.

I am still sick and whatever I have Margot seems to have a milder version so we are now taking meds to hopefully help us heal. I have now been sick for 6 weeks. I am getting sick and tired of being sick and tired! I overdid it today and now I can’t talk or swallow very well. I am glad it is Friday tomorrow and we get Monday off and Tuesday is a sessional day with no students. I need a rest. 





The storm coming in. 90 km hr winds and huge snowflakes.





The snow we woke up to. Upwards of 2 - 3 feet deep!





Having a play.





The girls getting ready to go. Lily had taken her goggles off.



Our garden.

Take care all!

-Richard

Other sad dog news today... Just as we were getting home from our snowmobile test run the dog next door got attacked.  The dog's name is Bruno and Richard ran out to help him.  He is tied up (with about 3 feet of rope) and two dogs were attacking him and had him cornered under the metal platform they use to fill the water tanks.  Richard scared them away and checked Bruno out.  He was upset but unhurt.  And just now as Richard posted this originally we heard noises outside and the dogs were back trying to get Bruno again.  We know the two dogs actually do belong to someone because they do have collars on.  I wish people would take care of their animals.  Those dogs should be tied up and Bruno should be inside.  Lets hope tomorrow brings no more bad animal news!

-Margot

Crafts

Tuesday, October 5th
School was slightly better today but still not great.  What was nice at school is that our new teacher, Lisa,  arrived.  In August one of the teachers who was here last year and was supposed to be returning just didn't show up.  They spent a week trying to reach him but he did not answer his phone or return a single e-mail.  I am shocked by the rudeness and thoughtlessness of people.  His selfishness has meant that we have been one teacher short all year.  This teacher was supposed to set up the computer lab and run computer classes so we haven't been able to do computer work with our kids yet.  So now they have hired another teacher and she arrived last night.  She seems very nice and is housing just doors down from us instead of way up on the other side of the school.  So first off I am excited about computer classes starting soon but also Kathy and I were chatting with Lisa and she was very enthusiastic about doing things which got us thinking it was time to go to crafts rather than just talk about it.  "Crafts" is what happens Tuesday, Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons.  The women get together and sew or bead or work on whatever project they are working on.  It used to be that everyone worked on the same type of project at the same time but things have changed (not for the better according to some).  However the three of us went down to the community center and were more than welcomed.  There is a woman who runs/coordinates things who was very helpful.  (She is also the elder who is coming in to work with my students.)  There is another woman who is the 'helper' and then we were helped a lot by another young woman who put down her own beading project to help us.  They all cut clothing from the same patten which is cloth.  They adapt it as needed.  For example I am tall and so they cut an extra 3 or 4 inches at the bottom.  Things are very fluid and you just change, add or sew whatever you need.  There is a lot of chatting so things move at a languid pace.  There are three layers to a parka and once you cut out the lining you use that as a pattern for the next two layers.  I got two layers cut out as I started first.  Lisa got one layer cut and Kathy didn't get started.  But now that we know how things work I think it will be easier next time.  They say it doesn't take very long to make a parka so I am excited about wearing it soon as winter is coming! I am using my parka for practice before making an Amauti but I also saw a pattern for a tiny little parka.  Maybe Lily will get my second attempt.  I need to get some clarification about materials we use but my understanding is that the group provides materials for anything we make there.  It has to stay there until complete (no bringing it home to work on) but when finished we get to take things home.  We could also take in our own projects and work there and at home.  It was also mentioned to me that I may want to bring down my own sewing machine as there are not enough for everyone to use.  I may do that as there seems to be a safe place to leave it.  I have to say too that it is nice to be doing things with my hands again now that my thumbs are healing.  I like getting to know other people in the community.  School has been busy and it is nice to have something else to think about...
-Margot

My Birthday

Monday, October 4th
Today was my birthday.  I want to thank everyone for the very nice birthday wishes.  My class was so nice in the morning giving me great big "Happy Birthdays" and then apparently they had used up all their niceness by 10:00am and the rest of the day was Not so great!  But then I got home and Richard arrived with Lily.  They opened the door and she yelled "we gots boons" which translates to mean they had brought home balloons for me.  Lily still doesn't understand the subtlety of surprises.  So Richard and Lily decorated the house with balloons and the sign Richard had made for me.  Richard made me burgers for dinner which I love and it may well be the last BBQ of the year.  We had a very nice night and I got some very nice presents so thank you again to all!!
-Margot

Our Big Day!

Forgive the duplication but I had finished writing this when I realized that Richard already wrote about this morning.  I have left my version as it was, so please enjoy it again!...

We had a VERY big day here in Cape Dorset.

Lily and I started this morning with her having a screaming dance party over the fact that there was snow and maybe she could eat some.  I told her that Daddy was sleeping so we couldn’t scream but we could dance, which we did.  She wanted to go out right away but I convinced her that 7:30 in the morning wearing pajamas was not the time to be playing in the snow.  It started out as only a light dusting but it made the world prettier.  The snow got heavier through the day.

Later, as we were looking at the snow, the neighbour’s daughter came out and started making snow angles in the road in front of the house.  Lily thought this was great and spent a very long time practicing snow angles on the livingroom floor just to be ready.  She also shared her fort with Smoot with and thought it was hilarious.

After breakfast she and I got dressed and ready to go to our first playdate.  There is a ‘Southern’ couple here with their 19 month old daughter.  After making snow angles and slip-sliding our way to their house we had a great visit.  It ended with both girls getting tired and frustrated with each other but then when we were actually on our way out they were both sad and we have been invited back tomorrow.  Lily is very excited.

We came home and put Lily down for an early nap.  When she woke up all three of us went up to my school.  Today was the big Penny Sale.  This is an event that happens often in town and is used as a fundraiser.  Today was to raise money for the school.  The way it works is that items are laid out on tables with a bag in front of each group of things.  You then buy tickets, write your name on them, and put them in which ever bags you want to.  At the end of the time they draw a name from each bag and if they draw your name you win the items.  Today most things were 25¢ but there were some items were $2.00.  I bought a few $2 tickets to try and get a very large rock for Richard to try carving.  We didn’t win the rock but a young carver did.  He spent about $20 and was so excited to win.  The piece of stone was worth about $400.  He was so happy and told us about how he has an order for a large statue from Iqaluit and now he could make it.  So I did not win the rock but I did win something else.  I won a collection of items that included shoes that are too small for me, boots that are too small for me, a hat that is too small for me and too big for Lily among some other strange things although I do like the rainbow scarf.  The other thing that happened today was a ‘Cake Walk’ during the Penny Sale you could line up for a spot in the Cake Walk.  You had to buy a ticket (price varied depending on the size of the cake, 1 or 2 dollars), then you find a spot on a number on the floor.  When the music played people would walk around the circle when the music stopped so did the people.  A number was then drawn from a bag.  If you were standing on that number you won the cake.  I helped show one cake that was about to be played for, I brought a cake for the sale, I played once and did not win a cake but two of my students did.  They were so proud!

Out side Sam Pudlat and the Penny Sale

Penny Sale tables

My winnings



After we had put Lily to bed there came a knock at the door.  A carver we have met before and had chatted with this afternoon was at the door.  He asked Richard if he would charge his Ipod for him.  Richard thought it was a strange request but it is true that most people here don’t have computers so he may not have a way to charge it.  He then asked if Richard would like to buy it for 50 dollars.  Richard said he was not interested but he would charge it (only this once) if he wanted to leave it and comeback in half an hour or so.  Once Richard plugged it into his computer the Ipod identified itself as belonging to the Mom I had a play date with today.  We didn’t know what to do.  I decided to try and call her.  I explained what was going on and she said that the Ipod had gone missing last year but she and her husband would come down to talk to the carver when he returned.  So they came over and we had a nice visit while waiting for the guy to return.  He came back and the men headed outside to talk to him.  Locals here really do not talk much so I gather there wasn’t much conversation but he did say that he had just found it.  In the end he was given the Ipod as they had already replaced it and didn’t want to make a big fuss about it.  We both think this was pretty impressive.   

So that was our day and we are both very pleased that tomorrow is not a school day.  As I sit writing this two more carvers have come to the door.  They sometimes come very late, 10:30-11:00pm, way past my bedtime!  However Richard answered the door but then called for me to come.  It is the carver I really like and yes I did buy another carving but it is a very round, very cute, dancing bear.  As my student’s say, what else could I do?  “Come on!”

Snow!

This is what we woke up to this morning.

 

The snow is still coming down in big flakes. We are all very excited but feel trepidatious about the incoming cold. When I came downstairs this morning, Lily was working on creating snow angels on the carpet in preparation for going outside today. It is going to to be a fun morning for her as she has a play date with another toddler. I was thinking I might try going fishing today, but the snow makes that process somewhat daunting. We'll see. 

Take care all!

-Richard

We have a new piece of Cape Dorset Art!

I know, I know, we have alot of sculptures. But, now we have a one of a kind.....

By Lilibeth Haworth

A new Caterpillar! This was “created” by Lily at her school.

What a week! It seemed to go on forever with all the mayhem at school. Tuesday was supposed to be a half day so people could attend the funeral of the young man who was shot, but the funeral was pushed back a day to accommodate a relative who could not fly in due to a cancelled flight. So, the kids were crazy. Wednesday they decided not to cancel the afternoon but allowed students who came to school in the morning to not have their attendance penalized. So, the kids were crazy. Thursday was the Terry Fox Run in the afternoon. Since I am still injured I helped lock the school up after the kids left and greeted those who completed the run. However, I had a little helper. Lily was doing part of the walk with her school (so cute, sorry no photos) and was waiting in front of the school, but I didn’t know this until my students came inside and told me. So I went outside and we all waited for like 20 minutes for the thing to get going. Meanwhile kids are disappearing and the toddlers were getting antsy. Lily decided she wants to come into my school and not do the walk. So, she came inside with me and we said goodbye to everyone. Mike, my VP, found Lily a yogurt tube and she was as happy as a clam. She got an extra one that we kept as a snack for when we got home. This was after she invaded my stash of “Daddy’s Nola Bars” in my desk. I try to keep a couple of granola bars there just in case. Today’s craziness was House League day. Every Friday, the school gives up the last two periods of classes so the kids can participate in soccer. There are 4 teams that the kids sign up to play with and they all rotate through playing one another. My team are the Huskies. GO HUSKIES!!!! We won! The kids can also play table tennis (they’re crazy for it up here), watch a movie or just hit the concession and hang out. It’s a pretty neat activity and all the kids have to get approval from their home room teachers to play. But, the day is always a bit crazy as the kids are pretty jacked up.

Margot made a new furry friend this week. She was on supervision on Tuesday and a little huskyish puppy fell in love with her and would not leave her side. So, after saying goodbye she retreated into the school and headed for her classroom. Well, guess who found her? Yup, little puppy snuck into the school and found her. She took puppy outside and that was the last she saw of it. So fast forward a few days to Thursday and we are all at home. I am out on the deck BBQing and little puppy decides that my steaks are pretty good smelling. As I am trying to get the hot food into the house and keep our dogs in and the puppy out, it sneaks in. Now we have a Lily and 3 dogs romping in the house. Puppy gets excited and pees in the kitchen and we heave it back outside. It then cries and cries at the door. After dinner it sneaks back in when we are putting our dogs out. So we let it stay a bit while we decide what to do. The puppy is so cute but so skinny. So I give it a big doggy dinner and it goes wild for the kibble and water. So sad. We call some friends who think they know the owner and are willing to pick her up and take her home. But, it turns out the that this is a boy and not the same dog Margot had met at school which was owned. This dog is a mystery and sadly we have to let it go. The dog hung out for a bit, brought some dead bird up to eat on the deck and then headed off. We haven’t seen it since.

The other night the elementary school had a special community literacy event in which some of the teachers volunteered to read stories all the children and the school provided healthy snacks and warm drinks. It was a hit and the turnout was great. Lily had a great time and as usual was the center of attention. The kids love her and she thinks it’s a great time to play with everyone.

We ordered our coats and they are on there way up right now!!! We bought two Canada Goose Expedition Parkas from Altitude sports in Montreal. They were great and so helpful. I would highly recommend them. We are both really excited about nice, comfy warm coats.

Our curtain rods finally arrived! I love getting packages. It is like Christmas overtime, even when I know what it is. We also got a surprise package from my grandparents today. It was a long week and we were all pretty tired so it was such a treat to open a box filled with all sorts of tasty favorites. Lily was so excited about big bag of “colours” (smarties). She got a little cup of them and her face lit up like a bulb. She doesn’t get to eat that sort of thing much, so it is quite a treat. We send a great big Thank You to them!

So me and one of my students, PootoogooPootoogoo had beluga whale, Caribou and fish. It was partially thawed but raw. Sometimes her family cooks it but today, raw. They also had a dish in which they take a raw onion that is cut up, mixed with Crisco oil and salt. They asked about my lunch which consisted of sausage and fruit and we both were happier at what we had gotten to eat. I then asked how they prepare the meat. Do they use a local butcher or something? She said that after the animal was killed, they cut off the head, legs and freeze each section after skinning and thaw and eat it as they go. I explained that when I was growing up we hunted deer. When we killed one, it was usually sent of to a butcher and we would tell them the types of cuts we wanted (sausage, burger, steaks, etc) and we would pick it up a few weeks later in little paper wrapped packages. She thought I was kidding and when she heard we killed deer, she paused and gave me an incredulous look and said “like...Deer? Little deer?” Cultures are an interesting thing. We always think ours is normal...

So for those who don't know, my parents have been semi-professional musicians for longer than I have been alive. They have now undertaken the exciting challenge of building a website to showcase their original music. Please stop in and check it out. They love feedback too, so let them know what you think! I am sure you will enjoy your visit.  Haworth Music

Thanks for visiting!

-Richard

Lily helping with the baking

 

Lily and Margot enjoying Literacy Night at Sam Pudlat

The smoke from our burning garbage dump and the sunset. The view from our kitchen.

Lily enjoying her yogurt tube snack.

The little visitor

Our little visitor checking out Kala's toy tire.

My students hard at work.

The kids playing soccer during House League.

The Fans during soccer at House League.

One of my students, Pii (pronounced Pee) showing a carving he is wanting to sell.

Another of my students, Willy, showing an Inuksuk that he made.