On the bottom of my site you will note the Edmonton weather and today it got up to 30oC. Now for some that may be way too hot but for one who has spent the summer in the high arctic at 5-10oC, I wallowed in it....doing both some yard work and deck staining.

Life at times is the pits! I am back in Edmonton for about a week but still not settled. In the past few days I have had to make some decisions and take some actions that may be viewed by others as uncaring or not understood and may result in some distancing of relationships in the family. Wont go into details, but has involved a personal assault on me and factors of addictions and mental illness.

When I am in the north I like abit of green so try and cultivate at least one house plant. Here is the "praying " plant whose leaves open and close according to the light which of course, can be very confusing if it is totally light or totally dark....but first started in February and kept in my office I was able to re-pot this last trip. Yougurt and coffee plastic containers work well! Southern plants not very successful in outdoor arctic climates as seen outside of Aletha's house in Arctic bay....the sunflowers were about 4" tall when I left, but I do know many such as Larry in Kugluktuk have been very successful with green houses growing peppers, potatoes and tomatoes above the arctic circle.

Dysis continues to chase small furry things and currently the two squirrels in a friends back yard are gettting the surveillance.

Egads it gets dark at 8;30 PM but still can sit outside and eat. The variety of fresh veggies being well enjoyed with the Ryan family where I am currently staying.

This travel home has been a very full day of trqavel between Arctic bay and Edmonton beginning with  being up about 6 AM today. Last night I was scheduled to stay at the hotel as I had packed up my house, but when I went to check in after coming back from the office at 9 pm discovered my spot had been bumped by 3 newly arrived teachers. So borrowed a sleeping bag from Aletha and slept of at the house, using up the last of my food cereal and fruit for breakfast, a walk with the dog when the taxi didn’t arrive. Finally just before 8 and the flight is to arrive at 8:35 am the taxi driver came claiming she could find out where I was staying. My office keys got dropped off at the health centre..rang the buzzer and left. Stuck behind a gravel truck on the dusty nanasivik road made just in time. Quick dog walk and into the kennel and on to the plane for Dysis. Seats very full. In the Iqaluit, had 2-3 hrs to kill. so headed over to Capital Suites where I normally stay, could use the Internet and leave some of my carry on backpacks. Went on a walk along the beach there appeared to be a number of small different colored wooden sheds or garages…obviously where hands or boats are kept and worked on. What however struck me was the garbage strewn across the beach. In airport met a number of different people including Peter Mansbridge who graciously let me take a photo with him. CBC is following PM Harper and his travels across the north…on flight from Arctic Bay sat next to a lady whose family ran an arctic tourist lodge and exchanged stories on our experiences. In the airport, a 14 yr old boy Jason came up to me and remembered me from Cambridge Bay. This was from 4 years ago! He was one of 75 students who had gone on a 2 week cruise from Churchill through Davis strait….75 students from all over the world. 40 plus chaperones and a Russian ship.  12 them were Inuit!

include the fuel tanker, a calm morning walk with many boats on the shore,
work continuing on the church hauled across the ice this spring now to be an annex,

and a freshly caught seal.
   

Great weekend but am scrambling cleaning, packing and busy at work as this is my final week here. Quite tired as I went in last night to finish up some recordings because steady stream in the day of clients and others dropping in. Still no internet at the office and so occassioally need to go to the health center. Had a crew visiting Monday night including 3 teens as they had been walking my dog and came back for juice and looking at photos on the lap top. As well one of the returning teachers, Derek, who does the waywayup weblog.

Well the weather this weekend was a complete change from the rain and overcast of the past week. For a number of reasons, my mood has not been the best, getting abit nostalgic about leaving soon and not sure what the home scene in Edmonton will be… but the outdoors walks and the picnic were a great  "pick me up" !

So here are a number of my shots…..these are not what most of you try and eradicate from your lawns, but they sure do look like dandelions.
Self-portrait snuggled in a spot at the Ullushuk Point on Saturday. Overcast the light would break through to catch the ice.

To the picnic at the First Bridge, got a ride in the front of a truck with an engineer who was working at the new airport, walked part way back of the 8 kms and then in the back of a pick up. Sampled arctic char, caribou and seal.

Found and picked blueberries….oh joy my favorite fruit!
Here are a bunch of people & dog shots. Dog got walked excessively especially by Billy Jo. In my arms is a black lab puppy. Sponsored by the hamlet, this is mayor Darlene and her children. Adam and Laurie who were on the way to the airport with floppy eared 18- week old Rufus. Adam is an RCMP member and been here two years, now moving to Cambridge Bay.

….NOT.

There has been quite abit going on in this region with the plans for the arrival of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to both Resolute Bay and Nanasivik, the latter to announce the location of the deep water port. Well the rumor mill was well on the go for at least a week. Now as a social worker, I only brush the periphery but aware that friends in the RCMP had to be available. Originally there was to have been a Friday morning arrival but this was delayed to noon due to weather. Buses had been originally planned to go out to Nanasivik followed by a hamlet picnic. The buses got cancelled because just a 15-minute photo op and any one going out had to do so in one’s own vehicle. Well considering that I was working, no social services vehicle I planned for the later picnic that to have been at the First Bridge at 8 PM. Just before 5 PM I was told by the hamlet office it was still on.

Managed to get a ride to the site, arrived at 7:45 PM but no one else did!

Now do I regret this NO. I had a wonderful hour and a half exploring and taking photographs of the Water Lake, different flowers at various stages, many of whom such as the purple willow herb ( sometimes called fireweed )had finished blooming and going to seed, walked a long the edge of the creek,   watched Dysis explore and just some well needed solitary time at the end of the week.

BTW back at my unit and the next-door neighbor said it was cancelled until Sunday at 1 PM and the buses will be running!

 ....the government will
install two new military facilities in the Arctic to boost Canada's
sovereign claim over the Northwest Passage and signal its long-term
commitment to the North.

Resolute Bay is located near the eastern entrance for the Northwest Passage.
(CBC)

He said the Canadian Forces will build a new army training centre in
Resolute Bay and refurbish an existing deepwater port at a former
mining site in Nanisivik.

For the complete story follow this link http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/08/10/port-north.html

checked the weather two days ago and nothing but now..

Today

Sunrise: 2:55

Sunset:  0:37

We have had a week of fairly overcast and occassional rainy weather as you can see from these photos taken in morning walks to work, with the ice in and out of the bay. Therefore with these light conditions one doesn't notice as much where the sun is. However at night the lig in the hamlet that are sensitive to the darkness such as on the arena have been occassionally coming on with their orange glow.