...Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween Party au centre francophone = TONS of FUN!!!

Last night I joined some friends in Iqaluit and I headed over to the Francophone Centre and my oh my... they know how to have a party! So much fun.... the dancing was good.... My favourtie costume of the night was a girl being "Pamela Anderson" she was wearing a red bathing suit (white tank under it), balloons to enhance a certain area, blonde wig, towel wrapped around her waist... RED lipstick and well of course her 'stuffed' seal and she often 'posed with it and kissed it!'... some good friends helped me pull together the costume...here's a photo from last night!

gotta luv red make-up..or just looking like you have a MAJOR sunburn!! lol....

This morning I got to the airport at 8am..... and the plan of the day would be to board the plane and leave by 9am... be in Pang at 10am, have bags and get a ride home by 10:20am...and back in bed by 10:30am.... well needless to say that didn't happen..... but I did arrive in Pang and at home just before 1pm! (I'll blog more about that tomorrow...)

Now onto my first Halloween night in the Arctic! it was pretty darn cold.... the weather right now is like -12C with a windchill..but it's colder than that... I think! LOL...

Now to put everyone in a Halloween mood...here's a shot of the moon.... (perfect "Halloween" type moon eh!?)

So it was prety fun.... handing out candy... I ended up taking my candy to a friend's house.. and shelling out there with their family!  it was pretty steady... and lots of fun to see the costumes... and well that kids were "REALLY bundled up well!" the peak time was about 6:30ish.... my favourite sight (I didn't get a photo of it!)..was this little boy (probably about 2-3ish)in an elephant costume..... but he looked like a lion..because the costume was over his parka.. and the fur from the hood was 'peaking' out.... he did look toasty warm!!

I even got a bit dressed up... used my flowered leis and was a 'beachy' gal.... complete with flip flops in bare feet... yup my toes were FROZEN by the end of the night.... LOL

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday!! :) enjoy your candy... I'm so glad mine is out of my house... and YES I managed not to eat ANY of it before tonight...

Some Explanations...

I love getting comments...it shows me people actually READ this..and that they enjoy it!! I just thought I'd post a comment I received this morning...and thought you might like to see my response!!

On the Walk-on-Ice Blog Post Anonymous wrote: at October 30, 2009 6:23 AM

I really like ur blog but please stop writing in yellow.....no one can read it and it hurts my eyes...thank you :)

Dear Anonymous,

Thanks for giving me your feedback on my blog..and for reading!!!  I must admit this blog has gone though some 'changes' with format since I started it.  You see originally it was a BLACK background so the 'multi-coloured' font especially YELLOW stood out awesome.. and looked really cool!  Then in June sometime... I switched up my blog a bit... and went with a different background (changed blog headers photos) and then again in July I switched the blog header photo... I must admit I'm ready for a change again--but just haven't had the time to play around to FIND something that matches what my vision is!!   Anyways back to the different colour fonts... when I orginially changed from the black backgrounds- I did change about 10 posts to 'black' colour font.... but this took like 3hours of my time!  (I had to manually go back and 'edit' the posts change the font colour and 'repost' it....) it was crazy....and to top it off with my 'slower than slow' internet connection... I gave up... and decided to leave it just as the colours it was and 'someday' maybe go back to fix it all.... but I'm afraid to say "someday" hasn't happened yet!!  So that's the story.... and you'll notice if you read my more recent posts--there is NO yellow! (I learned my lesson!)...

One other point... when I first started this blog my family had trouble commenting so I enabled 'anonymous' comments for them to post under--but always with the understanding that they'd sign their name with the post!! So next time you comment please leave your name!! :)

Hope you have an awesome day... and understand why the font is 'multi-coloured'...

Cheers!
Newbie-in-the-North

Strange Houses....

oday at lunch, while I was walking around Pond... I found this HOUSE.. it's got to be the most unique one I've seen in a long time!  Someone told me that it's not 'officially' move in ready...water and sewage tanks need to be hooked up... it was pretty awesome!! I'm imagining an Arctic Hobbit might live here!? who knows!

Of course I'm never one to pass up a pose in my 'super duper marshmellow puffy' Snow Goose Jacket!! (so glad I was wearing it today..with the windchill it was probably about -22C or so...

Just another look at the 'main' door.... can you also see a 'person!?'... this had a lot of thought in it... I'd love to see what it looks like inside!! I'm imagining a lot of 'custom' built-in furniture!

So yesterday I didn't take a photo of the AWESOME mountains on the other side of this water.... so here's my awesome mountain photo... (can you see them?) squint.. and you 'might' see them through the snow clouds!! (ps this photo wasn't lightened but was taken just after 1pm!)

The ice if forming... I actually could 'hear' it cracking and popping.. and hissing...(it was the weirdest sound)...can't really describe it.. at first it sounded like children playing... then I thought it sounded like an animal crying...but no just ice... cracking.... (you can also see some smaller icebergs that have washed in on shore..... that are soon to be 'ice-locked!'...)

That's the news from Pond... the sun rose this morning at 9:53am and set today at 3:58pm  (the sun will soon set in Pond not to rise again til the new year.... I think someone told me today that they are loosing about 15mins on the rise and 15mins on the setting time too!)... let's just say it's been a bit more difficult for me to get out of bed with no sunlight.......... I'm glad I was here to see some of the light.. because Pond is a Gorgeous place!!

Happy Birthday Dana!!!

Hope you have a day filled with lots of laughter, love and happiness!!

Nice job 'rockin' the party hat!!!

Thanks for being an awesome sister... (none of that in-law stuff for us!!)

I'm so glad that my big bro found someone as cool as you to marry...
and I got the big sister I've always wanted!! :)

Wish I was there to have cake with you,

luv ya... Sarah

From the Air.......

(taken somewhere between Iqaluit and Pond Inlet...but most definitely closer to Pond!)

...I slept a bunch on the flight..but woke up and saw these out the window!! I LUV flying!!

Airline Food 101

I'm typing this from Pond Inlet... I'm travelling again this week.. .and had two great flights!  The flight from Pang to Iqaluit was a normal flight... (except for being a bit delayed!)... I got my Box lunch... with the typical pudding, brownie, cheese, crackers, 'soggy/frozen' sandwich....it was good times... The only difference was the sandwich looked like it had 'actual' chicken (still probably processed) but not the 'cold cut' variety.... it was still pretty good.. and I lucked out.. because neither my bread was mushy or hard as a rock!  I was pretty happy!!! (next time I receive one of these yummy boxes i'll take a photo!)

My next flight from Iqaluit to Pond Inlet...well it wasn't so nice.... when it came to the 'boxed' lunch... my heart sank a bit when I saw the flight attendent passing out the 'boxed' sandwich lunches..because I was going to tempt fate to get handed 2 boxes that had decent sandwiches to eat in ONE day.... but when I looked at it.... I did a double take.... then grabbed my camera.......I'll let the picture speak for itself right now....

hmmm interesting right!? let's start RIGHT to left... we have a small 'corn' like the ones you find in a can? then a SWEET pickle....and that's Genoa Salami wrapping COLD sausage.... all on a bed of bow tie pasta that is smothered by italian dressing.... (there was also cheddar cheese, melba toast(but it was broken in a million pieces) and crackers (also broken)... and the BEST part of this meal.... the Lindor Chocolate...

I seriously hope that this is not the NORM for meals to come on this AIRLINE..because seriously... this meal does NOT need to be repeated EVER!!!  the pickle was good... as was the cheese... and well where was my PUDDING?! but at least I got 2 Lindor chocolates out of it....it reminded me of the 'festive dinner' from Swiss Chalet...but well wasn't so festive... OK enough because frankly looking at this photo... is making my tummy turn......

Korean Food....

On Saturday night... I was invited over to Tara's House... for some yummy food!! She's had a friend here visiting from Korea...and well He cooked some AWESOME Korean dishes... I must admit... I'm not sure of ANY of the names of ANY of the food I had...but it was DARN good!!! It was my first time eating it.. and well everyone else around the table... kept looking at me... wondering how I was 'deal'n with it all.. and well I think i disapointed them... see I luv hot and spicey foods.. and well some of the dishes were just that!!! Here's some awesome shots of my plate.... Thanks for some awesome food.. and great conversation!! :)

...the CAKE!!!

...procrastination? hmmmmm I think not!! It was done on time... and so delicious!!!

(and made from scratch...and my skills from high school when I wrote on cakes in the Bakery & Deli Department in Haliburton IGA hadn't faded that much!!)

Procrastinating....

I'm the QUEEN of Procrastinating.... I usually enjoy the rush of finishing things at last minute....In university and then later Grad School---I stressed out people around me with my chill relaxed approach to writing papers--and studying! (well perhaps the outside was chill and relaxed--but the inside of me was FREAKING out over how to write the perfect paper--that's something I have to still work out!)... In Grad school I did some self-searching and finally came to grips with it... I like doing stuff last minute... I personally LUV the rush it gives me... and it's almost me racing against the clock....and the RUSH when you finally get something done on time...well that's the perfect high...because it's almost like you've beat the system... So you might ask? why am I talking about Grad school? that was like so 2007-08.... but tonight this whole procrastination thing... was coupled by a 'lack of memory' thing.....

See tonight I'm kicking myself.... I have to bake a cake for work tomorrow(long story)...I as much as I don't like to cook--I LUV to bake, usually but tonight that it was Thursday and I had to bake this cake for Friday..! 

So here I sit at 11:19pm---with 7 more minutes left on the timer..... and I'm exhausted.... I've been sleepy all week...but I can't go to bed.... I'm watching that timer...count down... can't let the cake burn... because then i'll have to start all over again.... (thank goodness I can ice it tomorrow on my lunch!)

Fingers crossed....that when this cake is out of the oven... I won't have that crazy rush.... and not be able to sleep for hours!! ....there goes the timer! Off I go!!

...winter wonderland...

I took these photos after leaving work yesterday at 5pm! The sun is setting about 4:45pm ish...these days... but it was fun to go for a 'short' walk in a winter wonderland!! This is the view from my front porch--looking at Mt. Duval and the BIG building is the GN (Government of Nunavut) Building--where I work... (things are named sooo creatively here!)

This photo is looking out in front of my house.... you can see the last of the sun setting out at the Cumberland Sound.... and see the snow/cloud still happening everywhere....

...I'm hoping that the wind better pick up and blow a bit of it away ie) the path I walk to work...because i don't have a shovel...AND it's already at the tops of my Sorel Boots!!

...and it hasnt' stopped yet!!

I woke up to a WINTER wonderland..... there's nothing like seeing the fresh blanket of snow covering everything!!

here's a view out my window....can't even see if the ships have left..or if they are still out there!!

...and looks like it won't stop any time soon!!!

SERIOUSLY I'm LOVING it!!!

....the Many Faces of Bloggers!

It all started on the walk home from the Northern.....

We took a few 'solo' shots of us overlooking the beach...

Someone suggested, "Let's get a shot together...." 

Apparently I didn't get the memo about sticking my tongue out!

No... we need a more 'normal' looking one!? (little did Tara know I'd do this face)

Tara says, "your face was like this? we'll do that next time?" "Sure..." I replied... hehehehe

Finally a great shot of both of us!!

It's HERE!!!!

There are 3 ships in this photo....(left to right)

the SeaLift Barge, a Fuel Ship and Fishing Boat (it's hard to see!) 

...click on it if you would like to see it bigger!! :)

Showing off my 'new' hat!!

Most of the day today---when I looked out the window I couldn't see the Mount Duval or any of the fiord!  I was over at my friend's place...and when it cleared we walked to the Northern to get some groceries... so much fun to be out in the snow!!

One of the fork lifts..bring some of the crates to shore from the barge---it was fun to watch in the summer..but it's a COLD job today!!

...my door... the wind likes to blow lots of snow.. so it sticks around my door.. and when I open it.. it falls into my porch area!!

It's Saturday Night.....it's time to Loonie-Toonie!!!

So what's exactly is a loonie-toonie?  Well it's a raffle used to fundraise for various community events!  Last night's was for the Hip-Hop Crew's visit to Qik in November.  You arrive and get your tickets--- $1 and $2 and 50-50 draw..... there are tables laid out with different items---this one had lots of furniture, dishes and bedding.. others in the past I've gone to had things from cases of pop, flour, chocolate, toliet paper and clothing!  Just sort of depends what's had been donated! 

You have to keep ONE ticket and the other ticket goes in the bags for each item---this was something at my first loonie-toonie I had issues with... now I separate them; and put one set in my pocket---so that i don't end up putting BOTH tickets into the bags....

Here's a shot of the table action.... there are usually chairs sitting along the walls.. and once people get rid of their tickets they sit down and chat... so it's quite the social experience.... Last night it was the first one I've been to since the spring---It was really fun to see all the new babies that have arrived in the community!!

I'm waiting with my tickets waiting for them to DRAW one of them..but sadly I did not win the extra glasses or plates or book shelf I had thought it might be fun to win!  Here's my 'un-lucky' tickets.... the green was for the $1 table and the blue was for the $2 table! 

All in all it was a pretty fun night..... and when I came out there was SNOW!!!!

Oh yes... it has arrived in PANG!! :)

Friday Nights....... the best part of my week!

This week was kind of crazy... I find that short weeks are often the hardest when you work---but this week I was out sick for a day...and really busy with lots of other stuff..

Tonight I had a 'girl's' movie night...it was lots of fun... 6 friends came over.. and we ate lots of good food... MMMMMM brownies, chips, popcorn, trail mix soooo good! We ended up watching Dirty Dancing...and kind of interupted it and 'ruined' a few moments...but still it was great times!! The PERFECT ending to a crazy week---even if it meant i had to come home and 'clean' my house after work.... but it was so worth it.

After everyone left I had to check the 'Book, because it had been mere hours since I had checked it out.. and had to 'reconnect' myself...(am starting to think this might be an 'unhealthy' relationship the 'Book and I have--but then I keep reminding myself I LIVE in the Arctic it's ok..when I come south the 'Book and I will have to re-evaluate our relationship..)...I was glad I did.. My sister-in-law had posted "NEW PHOTOS" of my nephews from Thanksgiving... so cute, adorable.. and frankly made me forget about all the stressful things I dealt with this past week! (seriously...they are the cutiest kids in the world! and no I'm not that biased at all!)

So while I was on the 'Book catching up and my friend Nancy came online and we got to talking... and she shared me TWO wonderful 'gems' of internet goodness.......

Number ONE:  http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/: this little site has become a daily read for her...and I must admit it's probably going to be one for me too.... (some of the photos are just so wrong..but so darn funny!)...the comments are what makes the photos... like the following photo....posted on  October 13th, 2009

Cabbage Patch Man

Cabbage Patch Man comes complete with a birth certificate, application for adoption and they are each sold separately. from California

Number TWO: http://textsfromlastnight.com/ these are also very funny; but some I wouldn't repeat.... but some made me giggle til I almost peed my pants! they all have a number in brackets in front of them.. and that's the area code they come from.... here are few 'gems' I found tonight...

(267): i was so drunk that i ate a carrot out of her guiena pig's cage and thought it was normal

(778): tonight, alcohol would be proud of us

(603): The best revenge is premature balding


Now that I've shared... I feel like I should head to bed... Hope you have a great day wherever you might be!

Oh its' coming.... but when?!

I'm sitting here looking out my window... and see the above view... gorgeous...but lacking that wonderful white blanket of snow!....It's not that snow hasn't made it's face known in and around Nunavut yet this year.... in Iqaluit they've had 2-3 'heavy' snow falls...while I was travelling those communties had snow.... and I heard last week that people up in Qik have been snowmobiling... (that's like a 40min plane ride north!)....Heck my family even woke up in the south in Haliburton on Sunday morning to a light dusting of snow.. and inquired how much I had... when I said... none really in town!


So I sit patiently waiting the snow... I love snow... (always have)...next to fall....with the leave changing colour.... I've always LOVED snow.... and I'm just waiting for it to come and stay...I'm tired of having to deal with the DUST on the roads... from the trucks.. or from the road building in front of my house.... I just want to see WHITE... not brown....(is that too much to ask!?)

I know even typing this... people might react... "Do you really know what you are wishing for?" and the answer would be not really... am I ready for the winter? who knows....but time will tell...I arrived and there was TONS of snow.. and I remember looking out the window trying to imagine what the land looked like without that 'white' blanket lying on it... but well you know I do know what it looks like.... and I wanna see that blanket back... Now some people might think I'm totally INSANE...but here I sit and write about wanting to see the snow.....perhaps I am....and I know it's coming... I can feel it in the air.. and when I wake up there's more snow that's been added to the tops of the mountains... but I keep wondering.. when will it come to town? and when will it stay....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I've been thinking lately about Thanksgiving and all the blessings I've had happen in the last year... I thought I'd just take a moment to share a few of these blessings with you!  Last year I spent Thanksgiving with my family at my Mum's new place in Haliburton...she had just moved in... and it was a fun weekend...(So 3 members of my family are missing in this photo---Kat, and my youngest nephew..and ME!! I looked through my photos.. and I guess I didn't organize a group shot of us!! so this one will have to do!)

 I remember lying in the bottom bunk of a bunk bed (oh yes! my room at my mum's has my OWN set of bunk beds!)... listening to my mum and Kat talk about 'stuffing' the turkey... see Kat wanted to cook it and my mum was the teacher! (Part of me in that moment was thankful that I didn't want to learn how to do that..because it was a crazy 'god' awful time in the morning...hehehee)...She did an excellent job of the turkey by the way!!!

Overall the weekend was a lot of fun.... but that whole weekend I remember worrying about work...or should I say the lack of work!  I had finished my MA program in August and had yet to get a job... I had work I was doing--but really wasn't 'career' type stuff! 

That brings my list of Things to be Thankful for....(not just at thanksgiving but every day of the year!)... **they are in no way listed in priority of order.... just randomly put up here!**

*  I'm thankful for a job, that not only is a job but something I really do enjoy!

*  I'm thankful for family.. that loves me as much as I love them!

*  I'm thankful that I have a cozy home.... that to date is the biggest place I've ever lived.... I have windows (three years living in a basement makes you pretty amazed about windows!)....

*  I'm thankful that my job lets me travel... and experience new things... bring on the adventure!

*  I'm thankful for friends.... new ones from the north...that make my life so sweet up here in Pang....

*  I'm thankful for friends in the south... that are only a phone call or email or MSN or Facebook message away... friends that have history and get me.. with me having to explain myself...

*  I'm thankful for the opportunity to live in the Arctic...and learn about so many new things....

I'm thankful for so many more things... but well dont' want to share all of them in a 'public' forum.... so that's my list and I'm sticking to it!!

Here are a few more photos of family from Thanksgiving '08...I just got off the phone with my mum and John and Kat... I'm kind of glad I wasn't there yesterday, it sounded like 'a lot' of work was done... like raking leaves, burning old papers and files, crawling under the cottage to do something with the water pipes... and well cooking.. and dishes... hehehe (all things I 'really' enjoy!!) that being said... I did miss you yesterday... but I had lots of fun with friends up here in Pang...

I'm thankful for two adorable nephews!!

I can't wait to see the 'new' photos that Dana took of the boys this year!!

Fall and Thanksgiving have always been 2 of my favourite things!  I love watching the trees change colour...and this time of year... living in a land of no trees--well that makes me kind of sad... 

I'll leave you with 2 of my fav shots I took last Thanskgiving at my Mum's! 

My question to you the reader is....

What do you have to be thankful for??

(feel free to leave a message in the comment section)

..the Price of a Turkey!?

This week the photo below showed up in my inbox of one of my email accounts.  This photo was  taken in Arctic Bay...(this hasn't been verified..and perhaps it was just a 'mistake'...but still a funny one?!)hehee

Here's the Stats on this bird....(in case you can't see it in the photo):

11.115kg net weight at $18.00/kg which makes the TOTAL price = $200.07

I  hope that bird is a GRADE A Turkey!! (and it better stuff and cook itself too-and prehaps clean up the kitchen after dinner!!)

So this got me thinking... how much does a turkey go for in Pang?! hmmmmm I went down to the store las night to do some shopping for food... and took this photo below.....

The Stats of Pang's Bird is:

8.420 kg net weight at $6.89/kg forthe TOTAL price of $58.01!!!

I talked to my Mum last night... and asked how much her turkey cost... and she laughed at my inquiry but I just told her I was doing 'research'.... The stats of the 'Bird' that my brothers, sister-in-laws, nephews and mum will enjoy later tonight are:    8.03kg net weight at $2.18/kg for the TOTAL price of $17.51

....puts it all into perspective... hope you enjoy your turkey this weekend wherever you find yourself...

Have a HAPPY and SAFE THANKSGIVING!!!

Road Construction...

When I arrived home on Sunday...I looked out my living room window... and saw that the hamlet workers  had been busy working on the road that is being built in front of my house.  In 2 weeks that I had been travelling... there has been lots of progress on the new road that is being built... The workers never seem to stop... they work well into the night..(even in the dark) dumping and bulldozing it flat!.. Every day the road seems to get a bit closer to the bridge.  When the bridge washed out a year ago in June... the current bridge and road were made.  When you drive towards town from this side of the bridge--it's REALLY hard to see other cars/trucks etc coming on the one-way-bridge until you are 'almost' ON the bridge.... the road has an 'unsafe' turn after getting off the bridge... So Pang is getting a new road.... that goes in front of my house... not behind it!  (hmmm confused yet?!)

Here's a photo of the 'new' road.... they are dumping lots of fill to make the road level...and to fill in all the holes in the tundra I guess....

A shot of my house with the 'new' road in forground(that's what all the rubble is!) (i live in the unit on the left side--only have one floor!)

And I know my nephews Samuel and Benjamin LOVE dump trucks so decided to put photos of the 2 that keep on dumpin' just for THEM!! 

This is the view from my house---out towards the Pang Fiord... it's the BIG dump truck!! :)

This also means for the time being I have dust coming from BOTH sides of my house--it's a good thing that I'm not currently keeping my windows open... it's a bit too chilly for that!! :)

Sunsets make the day better!!

Walking home from work today at 5pm...I saw this looking out towards the sound!  I ran inside and got my camera and walked outside in front of my house.  It just confirmed with me what I already know...I live in a gorgeous place!! The sun is also setting every day a bit earlier...the darkness is coming!!

...This is the view in the other direction... another 'panaroma' that i've figured out how to make... click on the photo to see it larger! (they are FUN to make!!)....