I have theWORLD's BEST Mum!!!

Here's a shot from when my mum came to visit me this past summer! 

This morning I went to check my mail... after travelling there was a bit... and I had YET another package from my mum!! (she's a superstar...seriously!!) It came on the best day.. as I was trying to get through the mounds of paperwork... on my desk... I got to open it at lunch and almost started to cry.... YES it was that good!! :)

My mum is a cool lady... she actually LISTENS to what I have to say(even though at times I dont' think she really IS listening...but after all we do talk at least 2-3times a week! LOL)..... I was talking awhile ago about how all my pj bottoms are ripped... and I was down to one pair...(and she knows HOW I luv to lounge around in those guys...) so today she sent not ONE pair but TWO!! In a different conversation I had mentioned in the summer how I had friends over.. and we wanted to play a dice game.. and how I didn't have ANY dice...so she sent some really cool dice... and she always manages to make me laugh.... like this package I got a 'random' can of salmon and cream of mushroom soup...(I remember in one of our convos... talking about how she was making creamed salmon for dinner on toast... and I was upset bc I didn't have any mushroom soup...!)

I seriously could NOT have asked for a more generous awesome Mother!! I am blessed to be able to call myself her daughter....

I luv you so much Mum.... only 20 more sleeps til I see you!!

Mail CALL.....

Lucky me... today at the post office I had TWO more packages waiting for me to pick them up!!!

The small on on the top was from my friend Keren... She responded to a 'facebook' request that I put out there awhile ago... to send me some TEA...I had run out of my favourite Chai.... and sent me up some for myself and some to share with a friend... she also sent some awesome tea balls... so no more 'bits' in my tea and some tastey apriocots!!! :) Thanks Keren you ROCK!!! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving with your family!!

The second package came from my Mum.... she's a superstar!!  She did the tricks with the duct tape... but this time it was no match to the knife that it came in contact with somewhere along on it's trip north via Canada Post... At least they 'taped' it back up again!

And it didn't seem to bother any of the contents..... mmmmmmm Lindor chocolate!!!

Settling back into Routines... and MAIL CALL!!

Since coming back to Pang... it's been pretty hectic....and I'm not really talking about work (though that has been a bit of 'catch-up' and writing has been involved there..but nothing I can't handle)... the hectic of the 'day-to-day' stuff... like laundry, grocery shopping, and COOKING! These are the things that it's been hard to get back into the routine but because of necessity I've taken care of them... but man I miss just 'showing' up at a dinner table.. and having really good FOOD ready for me to eat!!!  (when's my next trip!? lol....)

The other awesome surprise I got when I returned on Sunday... was I had TWO packages from down south!! (it was like Christmas Thanksgiving came early!?) It was awesome.....

Let's first concentrate on the package with the Canada flag all over it... (first how cool is that packing tape?!)  It came from Brampton by way of my Haliburton roots!  Nancy Douglas and I have known each other a long time...(I'm not sure of the exact dates...)... See she was a year ahead of my throught kindergarten to the end of high school.... we were involved in Girl Guides (although I think her career there was a lot shorter than mine)... I remember figure skating with her too... but the best memories were those from the Haliburton IGA.... I was a 'deli' girl and she was a 'cashier' and we worked many 6pm to 9pm Thursday and Friday shifts in the winters... and endless numbers of Saturdays together!  After talking about

some of the movies I had seen while in Iqaluit, Nancy sent me a Facebook message... "don't buy the Time Travellor's Wife book...it's on it's way in a package".... and WOW.. it wasn't just the book in the package... it was a total FUN box full of goodies!! (one of the things you can't see is the container of Tim's Hot Chocolate..mmmm).... Thanks so much Nancy!!!  YOU ROCK!!!... I'm glad it made it 'un-touched' and intact when i got to open it up!! :)

Thanks again.... luv from the Arctic! Sarah

So you might be asking? Who was the other package from.... the one with like a ZILLION stamps on it?---That would be my AMAZING Mum... (I think she's making up for the years of me going to a summer camp and NOT sending packages... or the years I helped put together 'care' packages for my brothers at university or school....but then when I was in Uni didn't get any... and as I digress.. while I was in Australia she did send me a few awesome packages..and this is like the 4th or 5th package she's shipped to me up here on the top of the world....)

Ok back to the story... I think the Haliburton Post Office tryin to get rid of 'old' stamps instead of just printing a generic amount sticker for the postage? I"m not sure.. (go back and look at that photo... there are like a TON of stamps on there).... Crazy eh?!

Mum has been concerned about people 'getting' into my packages... so she decided to use Duct tape to put together this one.... which was a great idea... the package did arrive without being 'opened'...but it took me at least 23mins.. to get that sucker open... (and that was WITH using a pocket knife!)...  After that drama.... I opened the box lid to FINALLY see THIS:

..Yes, my MUM did 'extra' security... that's duct tape inside as well as bubble wrap.... (thanks mum because everything DID arrive safe!)

Look at all 'these' goodies... some of them were things she had 'ate' while here at the begining of August and felt the need to 'replace'... others like the 'bread knife, tongs, steel wool and things to put under hot pots' were 'essentials' that after her visit she felt I needed... (which life with these items will be so much nicer!)... Also included were a hand-made towel for my kitchen and dish cloth by my cousin Alison Rae and my Aunt Anna included a box of jay cloths.... (long story...)... My 'old' mail from my address in Toronto... (of the things I have still yet to get my address changed--also came... really need to get on that because it has been almost 7months! LOL).... and well some good old junk food!!! Thanks Mum.... your package made my day.......... and I think you alluded to the fact that there is a second package on the way for me....... I wonder what goodies you'll have up your sleeve for me this time.... Luv you, Sarah

Dear Canada Postal Workers:

I really, really like how you can deliver me packages and letters and well even bills up to my remote community just south of the arctic circle. But I have a few concerns regarding my privacy..or lack there of. Well I've been fairly easy going about the packages that have been "ripped" or "damaged" when I received them. And even the package I received that had been been opened by a knife along the packing tape---I didn't really complain much...I didn't even complain when a good friend of mine sent me a package of CHOCOLATE, CHIPS and KRAFT DINNER---and it has yet to arrive at it's final destination--well in my hands that is! (and that was 8 weeks ago!)....

But I feel I need to tell you that today...it's crossed the line... I'm a non-smoker...and a fairly sensitive individual and wonder why you feel it is necessary to SMOKE while sorting my mail.

Seriously?! this can't happen again.....

Or I will be forced to pursue further action.

Sincerely,

Smoke Sensitive Citizen of Pangnirtung

Life is sweeter with friends....

I am SO blessed with amazing friends. It's the truth... and I need not to forget it!!! After going to the Post Office...i was reminded YET again... of how much I am loved!!! I received this HAPPY looking package!!! (I think Em gets points for the 'most' creative funky wrapping job)!

I waited all afternoon til I got home to open it up..... and I wasn't disappointed when I finally opened it up... i've been to a couple of pot lucks that have 'made' it... and apparently i've been told it's quite easy....(i've even rolled some under supervision of someone that knew how to do it) I'm excited!!! I've been MISSING sushi SOOOOOO much... I can't wait to get my SUSHI on..... :) Here's a snap of Emily and I from Easter---she was living in Qikitarjuaq last year teaching..(and flew in to spend Easter weekend with me!)..she's the one that found my job posting and told me to apply... she's a really amazing friend...and I want to say

Thanks Emily...you ROCK I have been so blessed by our friendship!!

I luv you!! Sarah:)

in other news....

While getting in the mail today--I got ANOTHER package.... this one was filled with YUMMY goodies!!! :) It's always exciting to get packages... (from people other than your mum!)...It was filled with Ginger Crisps and brownie bites... mmm mmmm good!! :) Thanks so much Manuel for sending this in the mail!! When I'm back in the south we'll have to have coffee again soon! (I was amazed... this was sent on July 31/09 AND i received it today August 7th/09---that's FAST service--Canada Post is soooo unpredictable!)

Mail Call....

This afternoon I went to the post office..

I found a WONDERFUL surprise!!!! :)
YES... this bar came all the way from HERSHEY, Pennsylvania... my friend Sarah and her hubby, Nathan brought it back and decided to share with me...... (lucky me....) and NO I haven't eaten it all... actually opened it and manage to just eat ONE little square.. then put the rest on ice...(seriously... buried in my freezer...and hopefully I'll forget that it's there!!)......
Here is Sarah (my best friend from High School), Me holding AJ(their youngest) and Nathan....this was taken last October at my Graduation Party... (man I miss my RED and blonde hair!!)

Here is me with (from Left to Right) Liam, James and AJ..... the BEST part of this package was that Liam made me THIS awesome photo.... (seen below)....

He did an AWESOME job on signing his name AND mine.... and the pictures are great (it's currently hanging in my office on the filing cabinet...)

James, did this awesome picture featured BELOW!!!! (it too is hanging on my filing cabinet at work!)

I LOVE getting mail.. and getting special pictures is EVEN better!!! :)

Thanks Sarah, Nathan, Liam, James and AJ for putting this wonderful package in the mail to me!! Luv you, Sarah :)

I LOVE getting mail!!!!

My mom surprised me... when I was in the south in May.. I left a few things behind because it was going to be too expensive to fly back with an extra bag(had a flight from Toronto to Ottawa on Porter.. and it was going to be like $5/extra kg....and I ended up paying like an extra $135 to get my 2 bags there!)....so today I went to the post office and got not ONE but TWO boxes filled with some of the stuff i had bought and left behind... mixed in with a few things from my mom... like NEW magazines!!

So... one of the boxes was a bit 'beat' up.. thanks Canada Post...BUT nothing in IT was broken.. surprisingly the other box had a bit of a mishap!yup.. my ice tea was opened... and i lost about 1/2 a cup of it...the package says "Inner safety seal. Do not use if damaged." Well people I'm walking on the WILD side... I'm using it...and the inner safety seal wasn't damaged... just the BOTTOM... hehehe..... thanks Mum, You ROCK!! Can't wait to see you in 3 1/2 weeks!!!

ps. if anyone else wants to send letters, pictures(espeically from kids I love--I put them up in my office!) etc... I like those too... :)