Two steps forward, three steps back

So the blog is getting around I guess. My neighbor came out to talk to Lily and I the other night as we were getting home off the snowmobile. A friend had told her about the blog and after looking through it pointed out that the crawlspace is NOT as good place to put food as we thought. This contradicts what we had be told before, however, once I heard her reasoning, I have opted to follow her recommendations. Turns out that the vents for the plumbing on our unit freeze over and the smell can spread throughout the crawlspace. This in turn can taint anything down there. Canned goods are okay, but that’s about it. So, since we are not interested in trying poo flavored crackers or bread, we have a whole lot of work ahead of us. We need to move everything up here and put it somewhere. Our extra room is now likely going to be our new pantry.

Margot is still having severe migraines, which is new for her. She was able to see a doctor while one was in town a few days ago and they are ordering in some medicine that may help. But she was told that if she were down south they would have sent her for a CT scan immediately and have her on special medication. But, we live in Cape Dorset so that’s not an option. They want to see how she will respond to the drugs first. Our not having Nunavut health care numbers yet also poses a problem as BC will not pay to fly her down to have medical treatment in Ottawa like Nunavut health care does.

Lilibeth is doing well and loving the snow. She is starting to stutter a bit, which is causing her some frustration because she can’t get her ideas or thoughts out fast enough. I am sure it is just a developmental stage as she is developing the language acquisition skills that are accompanying her growing vocabulary. We just remind her to slow down when she is really having trouble. She has now started telling herself to slow down also, it is quite funny.

I got the parts for the 2nd snowmobile (Margot’s) and on the second attempt at installing the springs, finally got them on. The spacers that hold the idler wheels in place had rusted on, but having never disassembled it before, I wasn’t sure how to take them off. I didn’t realize they were rusted on. I figured there must be a pin or a recessed Allen screw or something. So it’s nice to have that done. After I finished it yesterday I went out for a ride around town just to make sure everything was OK. While in an up and out of the way place, it started acting up. I was quite concerned; I thought I might be walking out. The engine started to bog down and was unable to rev up enough to fully engage the clutch. I opened up the hood and everything looked OK. I turned it off for a couple of minutes and then re-started, let it idle for a bit and away it went. It has always seemed a bit slow to get going, but this is very concerning. I came home and put in new plugs, added some methyl hydrate to the gas tank (in case of water mixed in) and am hoping that fixes it. We went out for a ride today and while it was still a bit doggy to get going, it did not stop working which is good. The only other quick fix is a new belt, although the one on there now seems to be decent. I was talking with a few guys last night and they seem to think it may be the main bearing going. With the combined power loss and a broken speedometer they figure that’s the culprit. It is a pricey fix and one I am reluctant to do until I know more. I am going stop into the Co-op’s shop tomorrow and hopefully they can help. Oh, and the brakes need to be adjusted. I think I may have bought a bit of a lemon. Oh well, too late now.

On friday, we went to the restaurant for the first time. We were feeling that we needed a treat. It was a quite fun. Lily and I picked up Margot and we took both sleds down and had numerous dishes of tasty, fatty food. MMMMMMMM. It was nice to not have to cook or clean up. Lily played with the kids at the next table. It started with talking to them and ended with her sitting at their table eating. After dinner they all pretended to be puppies.

We have had a fair bit of snow over the past couple of days so this morning Lily and I took the dogs out for a walk. Lily wanted to bring her sled. I put on Kala’s harness and Lily was very excited about being pulled around the neighborhood by Kala. Poor Kala though, she is used to being with Smoot and pulling an adult along with Lily. That’s what we did in Rossland BC Last year. She loves it because she can really get flying. Well, I wasn’t going to risk hurting her here as it’s hilly, icy and she is getting older. So, I had to leash her to keep her at a walking pace. Both the girls thought it was pretty good time.

Our snowmobile ride today was fun, but cold. It’s about minus 10 Celsius with a strong wind and blowing snow. We headed up the mountain then over to the park for a play. Margot is still very nervous about riding but is doing a great job. We did some trail riding for the first time, which is a bit tighter and is not as flat. Lily loved it! She switched between riding with Margot and me at least 10 times thinking it was the best thing. We had a good play at the park on the swings and then headed home for lunch. Margot made fresh bread! MMMMMMMMMM.

On a side note, I must say that I am having trouble with the darkness. The sun didn't crest the horizon until about 10:30 this morning and was setting by around 2 pm. It is dark when we leave in the morning and dark when we get home. Poor Lily is having trouble keeping naps and bedtime strait also. Oh well, I am sure we'll get there.



Take care,

Richard