Happiness is a Warm Blanket Charlie Brown

7 degrees and partly cloudy in Tsiigehtchic today.
Sunrise at 7:14 and Sunset at 22:31.

Starting to notice the return of darkness in the evenings but it is not fully dark.

BINGO TALLY - 23 Losses and 2 Wins!

School is back in session.  Summer was relaxing.  Did some camping, picking berries, had some dry fish and fish strips.  Did a little bit of canoeing and spent some time in Inuvik.  They have a really nice rec complex with a pool and ice rink.  It is nice to have the car.

Came across the idea of a medicine blanket and thought it was a really nice and healthy comfy practice we all do without even knowing it.  I haven't been able to get much information about a blanket ceremony but came across info on wedding ceremonies, an article about the US Marine Corps being Honoured with Native American Blanket Ceremony and a mdiwife'a really touching and meaningful blog post about how she uses blankets in her life and work.

Drin Gwiinzii 

Serendipity

23 degrees and partly cloudy in Tsiigehtchic today.
24 Hours of Sunshine - Is still here!
There is a sunrise and a sunset posted on The Weather Network but it is still not dark in the evenings.

BINGO TALLY -17 Losses and 2 Wins!

I have been reflecting lately on the history of the things we have that can tell such stories.  I am here with the 2001 Toyota Echo and the pups, Charlie and Shakespeare.  Who knew one day they would go beyond the arctic circle?

Who knew I would be playing Mario Party WII in Tsiigehtchic with the neighbourhood kids twice a week?  Who knew the care package from a friend would contain some food that was used to host a meal for the neighbours?  Who knew that the towel from the care package would greatly assist in removing the inch of dirt off the car from the Dempster (yes the highway is a dirt road)!

The potentially useless give away of a wallet for signing up with Suzy Shier's frequent buyer program has found a use as a convenient light weight travel item.  Who knew the beading loom I bought over 15 years ago would end up in the arctic circle and that I would be beading lots of fun pieces and making decorative pouches out of them from moose hide?

Who knew that my rubber boots would get a pound of Mackenzie River mud on them from treking along the beach in Tsiigehtchic?

That I would almost loose my sandals in a foot of mud unless I put on those rubber boots?

Quicksand (mud) is real and alive on the Mackenzie River beach!  You can go more than knee deep!

That the diary I started almost ten years ago would chronicle my time North of 60?

That items I had been storing to donate to charities in gift baskets would be used for Scrabble tournament prizes?  I won a nice travel pouch for personal items in the Scrabble Tournament.  It's really nice and has come in very handy.  The logo says Canadian North.  Seriously Northern.  Seeeeeriouly!  I hear people say seriously and honestly in a long drawn out fashion in discussions.  It's very easy to catch on to before you even realize that you have.

It strikes me sometimes when I go to use something and there in an interesting history of where I aquired it and where it has come.  You never know what is possible and where you will find yourself in life.  

Drin Gwiinzii   

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

9 degrees and overcast in Tsiigehtchic today.
24 Hours of Sunshine - Is still here!

BINGO TALLY -16 Losses and 2 Wins!
Scrabble Tournament Score 1987 over 7 Games - 1st Place! - Average of 284 per game - not bad!  I play on Facebook if you want to challenge!

The Spring break up adventure has come to a close.  It was actually a really nice time.  I had the opportunity to get to know the people in the community better.

I have lots of pics uploaded of the spring break up and latest activities.

I flew home for my brother's wedding and drove back in a 2001 Toyota Echo.  All went well.  No break downs or flat tires.  Just tired and had to rest swoollen ankles!  It was a long journey but a fantastic ride.  Lots of wildlife including Dall Sheep and Bison.  There was a moose, deer and bear.  Foxes, rabbits and porcupine were also finding their way to the other side of the road.

We travelled to Edmonton non-stop then stopped in Grande Prairie, Liard River, Whitehorse and Dawson. We stopped for a dip in the Liard Hot Springs and saw the Dust to Dawson crowd in Dawson City.  They were a group of motorcyclists who travel there from all over the world for a yearly festival that incudes lots of fun and games. 

The trip from Dawson to Tsiigehtchic is 646 km but took 12 hours on the gravel roads.  The speed you can travel depends on the condition of the road and changes rapidly hour by hour.

The best scenery was at the Tombstone Mountains.  Wow!

Drin Gwiinzii 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

7 degrees with a few clouds in Tsiigehtchic today.
24 Hours of Sunshine - Here it Comes!  

3 Hours and 10 more minutes than my last blog.  The river is clear...its clear...its clear!

BINGO TALLY -16 Losses and 2 Wins!
Scrabble Tournament Score 873 over three games - I play on Facebook if you want to challenge!

Week two of the ice break up is over.  It was not as difficult as I expected.  The ice break up was late this year and the water is now clear of ice.  The ferry will likely go in the water this week.  It will be three weeks of no road access when it is typically a 4-6 week wait.  People are now crossing the river by boat and using the cars they left on the other side of the river to get to Inuvik.

I have some pictures and video if the ice break up but I have to wait until the 1st of June to post them as I am pretty close to using my 15 GB download allowance per month.

We have been getting mail once a week by helicopter.  I hope that Canada Post does not go on strike!  The mail is so important here.  I got some pics of a helicopter landing this morning.  It was a passenger transport and not the mail service but it was pretty cool.

I have had a hard time sleeping despite blacking out the window in the bedroom.  You just have to get to bed at a reasonable time and not wait for your body to tell you you are tired. 

There was a bake sale this past Friday as there is no more bread in the store.  The event went well and they would like to do it again this Friday.  Fresh plain donuts are a local tradition and taste amazing.  One person made 64 donuts.  They were sold in 10 minutes time for $1.00 a piece.  Not a bad gig.  A loaf of fresh bread goes for $10.00.  That is pretty reasonable considering the cost of the ingredients.

Looking forward to going home and seeing family on June 15.  My brother's wedding is in North Bay on June 18.  I have not had a chance to go shopping for clothes but I will figure something out.  I am not sure if beaded moose hide is appropriate attire...

Drin Gwiinzii 

Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom

8 degrees with a few clouds in Tsiigehtchic today.
Sunrise at 4:28 and Sunset at 1:18.

1 Hour and 44 more minutes than my last blog!  The ice is breaking...its breaking...its breaking!

BINGO TALLY -14 Losses and 2 Wins!
Scrabble Score 327 - I play on Facebook if you want to challenge!

I took a walk along the river today.  There was some water flow that created a huge pile up of ice on the road exiting the town.  Check out the pics.

Well I had a lot of Happy Birthday well wishers and enjoyed a cook out in a great spot over looking the Arctic Red River.  I got to try shooting a crossbow!

There is a lot of hunting for water fowl right now.  I could hear gun shots not too far off while I was hiking up Tsiigehtchic hill.

Drin Gwiinzii

Raiders of the Lost Ark

4 degrees with a few clouds in Tsiigehtchic today.
Sunrise at 4:28 and Sunset at 1:18.
50 more minutes than my last blog!  The road is closed...its closed...its closed!

BINGO TALLY -13 Losses and 2 Wins!
Scrabble Score 327 - I play on Facebook if you want to challenge!

(Hint Hint - I need some fun things to do with friends!)

Week 1 - Ice Break Up - Road Closed

The coping strategy is to have a lot of fun and activities over the next few weeks.

Scrabble, Yahtzee. Food and Craft events.  Of course if there is an organizer.

Big flashing green arrow in the sky pointing down at me.

It didn't need a traversable road to get there!

The planning begins and the posters go out Wednesday...I think it will be a lot of fun!

Reminds me of the black out in Southern Ontario when no one had anything to do but actually go outside and talk with their neighbours.  I see a lot of people talking in groups outside already.

Drin Gwiinzii

Searching for Bobby Fischer

-12 with light snow in Tsiigehtchic today.
Sunrise at 4:47 and Sunset at 0:47.
1 hour and 50 more minutes than my last blog!  The ice is melting...its melting...its melting!

BINGO TALLY -13 Losses and 2 Wins!
Started Scrabble tournament today.  My score so far is 327
The person with the highest accumulative score at the end of break up is the winner.

The latest press release on the road conditions.  The crossing here is the Mackenzie River.

I have now learned to play Indian BINGO.  Those are not my words so I can use them.  It is quite interesting.  There is also a game here called Snurt that is very similar to Dutch Blitz.  They use 20 cards instead of 10 in their piles and they can start at one or 13 in the middle.  The piles count up or down depening on the start number but it is basically the same game.

Indian BINGO is a variation of the gift exchange we may have all done with our families and friends at one time.  The dice go around the circle of players.  If you roll doubles you get a wrapped gift from the centre.  The roles continue until all the gifts are gone from the centre.  You keep rolling even if you already have a gift and can collect more.  Once all the items from the middle are gone the packages are unwrapped one by one so you can figure out which one you want to steal.  THEN....the clock starts.  15 minutes!

They started with two sets of dice and put in a third at one point.  The game is simple.  Roll a double and take a gift from anyone.  Keep rolling and keep taking gifts when you get doubles.  What you have when the clock runs out is what you take home.   Well, I was up by five and down to 1 and up to three and left with none.  There were a few things that moved like hotcakes to everyone's pile and it was a blast!  The timers were having so much fun watching they let the clock roll an extra 15 minutes.  My knees hurt but it was fun!

After all that hard work...I ended up with a wooden cutting board.  There were a few ladies in the corner hiding their gifts underneath them but I didn't play too hard core.  The Mother's Day BBQ lunch beforehand was cooked on the fire outside and it was fantastic.

I am down to 100 white beads but the projects are still coming on the other colours that remain.  Trying out a red frog on the project still on the loom.  I have some busy ladies at Community Living Cambridge putting together a bead care package.  Social Committee Rocks!  I am dreaming about light and dark pinks, light yellow and mint green again!  Mahsi Cho (Thank You) Ladies!