one cannot tell in the arctic except for the craziness at work and in other areas of my life?

Examples...the access to the internet for some reason in my office has quit as of Friday and both my coworkers are out and no technicans in town, so I have been instructed to send some photos of the equipment in the building. All the connections are in the small boiler room with the breaker box, mops and water tank. On top of a chair I stand taking photos and emailing them to the tech in Iqaluit!

As well with no internet and need to compose and e-mail a document to the RCMP for a family mediation meeting this afternoon i was back and forthto the house...a 20 minute walk four times today.

Tonight searching for the margarine found the dog had got the conyainer and eaten it...no wonder she wanted out at 3 am!
 

Great weekend hiking on Sunday in the Nanasivik area. Drove down with Aletha and dog, of course, and we hiked up a cliff with an older weathered cross. Uncertain what the history was here. The whole landscape in this area is multi-colored rocks
from black shale to red iron ore.

A calm, beautiful day to see many miles in the distance and even the polar ice cap.    

Names, Origin, Meaning, Pronunciation

this last one of July and one in which I was wearing toque and mitts to walk to work.

On Friday morning the office internet stopped working and despite calls to the Help desk, in which they insist that everything is working and the problem is either my computer or something just in the building. Of course both the other workers are away on holidays so cannot check to see if their internet is working, So it is just me and the dog in the office, and traipsing off to the health center if I want my GN mail. Signed up for the local personal internet, qiniq and have a portable modem that I can take with me to what ever community in Nunavut I am working. Today spent several hours trying to put together and send a newsletter to friends and family and then when tired and frustrated got out walking. A new friend, Aletha, one of the RCMP members has been a good companion but her idea of a walk is straight up and down the cliffs because it “ gets the blood pumping”!

The new housing construction outside my window
continues to progress quite rapidly.

Tragically on July 22 there was a fire, in which two housing units were destroyed and thankfully no life loss but young families without any of their belongings. Please see Clare’s blog and he played a fairly significant role in waking up one sleeping couple.

Attended a Justice Committee meeting in which several young teen boys who threw rocks and broke some windows in the school were given community service hours of helping to clean in and outside the school grounds.

Still to deal with the broken windows in our own offices.

The Anglican Bishop Andrew was visiting and I attended a 2.5 hrs Thursday night service of prayer and praise. All in Inuktitut, but with band music and good singing and flags waving,  the Spirit was evident and for me uplifting as had been a much tougher week, both at work and in personal realms. Some concerns about family and house in Edmonton.

Some lovely photos sent by Lorne of summer in Pond Inlet….hiking to Mt. Herodias, dog Scruffy and friend Debbie.

that might explain why for the first time since up here I wore my mitts and wool toque to work! Weather on the weekend was unbelievable to the point where sitting out on my front porch with coffee on Saturday for breakfast. Rain, drizzle, fog and wind since.

This afternoon I think I had a once in a life time experience...a drive was planned up a 32 KM road from Arctic Bay. Here are some of the sites on the way.....Terry Fox sign post commenorating the " Midnight Sun " marathons run every July until a few years ago and crossing two bridges and approaching the the town and mine site of the now defunct Nanasivik  lead -zinc mine, originally opened in 1974 and closed in 2001 and in reclamation. A sign post with distances of different travellers homes.



We got down to the water dock where the ore would have been loaded on large barges and in the process

a pod of several hundred narwhals came by.
Told that they were close to shore as being chased by orcas. ...WOW!
              

 the end of the work day and of the week and to be frank I am tired and not certain if I have much to share.

I did join Face Book and again I don't know if that is a useful move or just another reason to be in front of the computer when one could be out experiencing the real world.

Last night I climbed the hill behind my  unit and had a unique view...the reflection on the bay of the mountain King George was   just a calm perflect reflection, the black and white snow buntings were peeping around, distracting no doubt from a hidden nest and one could hear the actual flapping of the ravens wings....it was quite peaceful.

  The dog is sleeping blissfully on the office floor and muddy paws up to her knees. In the afternoon there have been some Inuit children stopping by who have wanted to walk her " everywhere ".

I think I need to go home and nap!

This week I had a chance to be involved with a “ dog rescue “One of these dogs I had already met as he had followed me on my Sunday hike to Victor Bay….now a chance to see the rest of the family. Comparatively this 6 month old male, which got named “Golden Eyes “ was much healthier than the others because had been able to get loose. The other three had apparently been tied or in a kennel without water and fed very infrequently. The local RCMP officer ( there is no bylaw officer in town ) got possession of the family and had them in the kennel on the side of her house. I don’t know the whole story but I was able to help with by doing some brushing and feeding. I have a curved saw tooth brush for Dysis that gets her under fur and it definitely came in handy. Just let me say we were rather smelly afterwards but hopefully happier dogs.
Golden Eyes Mama dog finding food Somewhat apprehensive  about a brushing.. Mother dog underfed and scruffy Smallest female pup shyer than others Aletha brushing mother dog More brushing
Dysis got her nose too ino finding food
Golden eyes happy on step Helping with brushing A big suck! So pretty, the male pup Relaxed and watching Full of kisses Belly brush                         

perfectly calm as walking to work this morning.
Like the gull I caught in this photo!  

But when I arrived at my office ( center blue building ) discovered a number of teens climbing not only in the play set next to the school but on the outside tank and roof.