the land over the bridge!

...after my 2nd trip over the bridge!....gotta luv how your breath turns into frost...on the fur of you hood!!! (better than your face I suppose!)....

..The NEW Bridge....(my townhouse is seen in the background....I live in the last unit on the other side...)

...is spring coming anytime??....I'm not sure...these boats will have to wait a few more months!!!

...So sometimes youcan't see the hills...bc the snow is blowing or is it clouds.. or both!? who knows.... But image the hills beyond this point!! (they are there.. hiding trust me!)

Bundled warm and toasty... am LOVING the fur that helps keep the frost off my face!!!

A confession....

I have a little confession to make... I've been a bit of a scardey-cat! yep it's true... the last week and half.. i've been doing awesome (don't get me wrong)..going to work and back to my house... (very easy commute)! Every time I've ventured into town, (bout a 15-20min walk one way)...I actually didn't walk... I rode shot gun with my coworker... we'd go wherever I'd have to go.. or she'd have to go.. point out things along the way... i'd smile and nod.. and think to myself, "I'm soooo glad she's with me..or I'd get UBER lost!" Well since I have my shipment and a TV now... I am ready to get cable...(and yes that would be the FIRST time EVER since leaving my mom's house that i've actually paid for cable)... I mentioned it casually to my co-worker yesterday... and her response is... "Oh, that's at the Co-op...and they are open late." I smile and say, "thanks, I know where that is"... but inside I'm feeling more like "oh crap...i'm going to have to go there BY MYSELF---and that means I'll have to venture to THE other side of the BRIDGE.....hmmmm I won't do it tonight..but sometime soon..."

So today after work I put on my long underwear UNDER my jeans...put on my boots(yep the blundstones are too slippy for a LONG trek) and put on my jacket... have sunglasses and off i go..... now the bridge only has room for one lane of traffic to go, but has a handy dandy walking path on the side......
RANDOM FACT: last june there was drama with the bridge in Pang...the water/ice flooded and washed out the OLD bridge, and the footings of the NEW old bridge...so it cut off the GN building, dump, water treatment plant and houses on this side... from the rest of the community on the other side ie) airstrip, store etc.... So it was a bit crazy for a bit.... until they could sort it out.... i'm sure you could google it... and find out more info...but that's all i'm offering you...
..OK..back to the story.... :)

I make it across the bridge... am walking on the side of the road...and feeling good.. I mean I haven't been struck down or anything... I'm still alive and I'm on the OTHER side.... ok... so I walk a bit further... and just past the 'fish packing plant' (yes we have one.. and YES the Arctic Char is AWESOME!)...I look up over the frozen sound and see this rainbow... and I laugh!!!! (bc I'm reminded of God's promise and the rainbow and noah and the ark and all that good stuff..) So I relax a bit.. I mean God's with me.. so what could happen eh?!

Let me explain a bit about the walking situation... yes there is a road.... and cars/trucks use it... (surprising acutally how many are up here!)...so usually the thing in the south is to walk FACING traffic right?... I've been taught it since I was very young... So I stick to that... but in teh NORTH you have to worry about other things..... what you might ask? well there would be the snowmachines... which don't REALLY have a side... they like to stick to when travelling.... They are usually on one side... off to the side of the road...(partly b/c the roads are pretty icey---but the side isn't so bad....) but sometimes this isn't true! and there's also ATVs...yep even in the crazy winter/snow... i saw them out today.... not so bad right?! well there's also the way the roads kind of merge/join.... the signage is there...but its almost like RUN if you have to cross if nothing is coming...LOL....

I guess the last thing I'd like you to picture.... is the OTHER people that might be walking.... and they aren't so predictable...some of them like me walk with the FACE into the traffic... others... DON'T.... so uh huh... it's a bit interesting.. when you have 3 people staggered on the sides of the road walking.... 2 cars going opposite directions and a snowmachine racing towards you.... its a bit crazy... BUT as I said I made it.... to the Co-op... paid for my cable... not sure WHEN they'll come to install it... but my MISSION was ACCOMPLISHED.... and made me feel a bit silly about being a scardey-cat....it felt good to get some EXERCISE...my coat is too hot... i'm not sure what i'm goign to do about that... I sweat up a storm... i might have to get one of the ladies in town to make me a parka....And really it is kind of like taking a stroll in Toronto.. you never know what you are going to see.... when you are out and about!

I also have some more photos... but they take so LONG to upload... I'll try again another time.... it's 'peak' user time right now..... man this was a bit long winded...but you know what? I do like to talk.... that's something EVERYONE knows about me!

Shipment from the south....

AND yes you did read that correctly.... SOUTH that's where you live...(bc I'm living in the NORTH and everything is well basicly SOUTH of me..)LOL apparently I have caught on QUITE quickly.... my boss was impressed on my 2nd day I was refering to home as the 'SOUTH'!

Ok so moving onto my short but good news....the things that I shipped north (ie) tv, REST of my kitchen, more clothes and lamps and other 'homey things' arrived today---before lunch!!!!

Why was I uber excited? well I'll tell you why.... I was quoted when the packing/shipping company came on March 9th in Toronto...that it would take 4-6-9..possibly 12 weeks to get my stuff North....(well you can tell from that estimate...I wasn't sure if i'd see my things for 3MONTHS!)...so I was tickled pink when they came today!!!! that's only TWO WEEKS and TWO DAYS...and I got them north!!!!! (I think it's all the prayer I've gotten about moving.....)

So tonight after work there was a 'mad' rush to unpack all 23 boxes...and organize everything....maybe some more work will be had in the 'organizing'... the kitchen and living room are pretty much DONE... but haven't even started to put away the 2 tubs of clothes! Once things are organized I'll bring you photos....of my comfy cozy little house!! :)

Looking out my windows....

Jack Frost has come and made a visit! I remember being fascinated by the patterns of frost in my Grandparents home when I was young-- my Grandma explaining that they come from Jack Frost. Always wanting to know WHY she told me "..it's Jack Frost's way of letting us know he was here!" Even as an adult I still I stand in awe of the amazing patterns that Jack Frost leaves behind after a visit!

Furry little friends....

My neighbour has a cute little puppy, he likes to greet me when I come home... and sometimes he even comes inside for a visit---well that's not such a good thing!! But he is cute...but will be HUGE once he is full grown!!

a little Okpik....

This afternoon I went to a 'baby' welcoming party! It was a lot of fun! (I got to hold NOT one..but TWO new borns...they were born the first week of February and the last week of Jan...very much newborns!!) During this get together we played some games for 'prizes'...I was the first of all the ladies, and children to roll 3 sets of doubles... I was able to choose a prize and have my very own little Okpik!!!(which means baby owl)! it's so cute......made from seal skin...

It was definitely a fun afternoon!!! I met quite a few of the women that live around Pang.... The hostess also makes sushi... and here I thought I'd be a year without it...but had it in my very FIRST week living in the Arctic!!! Imagine that!!!

My house....

...the wind from Thrusday....

I drove to the end of the road, and took a series of photos... here's one for you to enjoy!

...my house, I'm end end unit of a 4 unit townhouse...the units in the middle are 3 bedrooms(2 floors)...and the ones on either end are 2 bedrooms(with one floor!)... It's really quite comfy and cozy.... and soooo bright... it's weird living 'above' ground after being in a basement apartment for 3 years!!!

This is a side shot of the GN building (where I work)... as you can see I have such a 'terrible' commute!--my house is the one in the background!!!