September Scapes

It looks sunny and warm, but let me assure you it was really cold and my hands were numb by the time I came inside.

Correction

My awfully smart dad pointed out to me that the lights in my house are not in fact HALOGEN, but compact florescent.

"The florescent bulbs you mention in the blog are not halogen. Halogen are instant start and the color is not white. You have compact fluorescents."
"They (halogen) are also notoriously hot. They are hottest so they are not energy saving. The quality of light from Halogen is the best of all. Compact fluorescents are the ones that take time to come on and are very white. People usually hate the light. They are also the least hot and therefore best for energy."

I have to say I hate admitting when I am wrong, but I think it's worse sounding like an idiot. I also put a little blame on Nathan because I asked him what those lights were called, and he said Halogen. When I told him this morning about what my dad had said, Nathan agreed that our lights were indeed compact fluorescents and denied every saying halogen. "Um, you had me looking for Halogen on the Canadian Tire website, what do you mean you never told me they where halogen?" He denies everything. I need to get me one of them fancy tape recorders!

The worst part is that I should know what a halogen is! I used them everyday in first year photography. I know how hot and bright they are! We used them for Black & White Studio photography. They were on constantly, making it hard to take portraits with because they would give you a tan and make your eyes water. But instead of following my instincts I decided it was best to listen to my husband, who I still do believe still is one of the smartest people I know, aside from my dad (awe isn't that sappy). I just have to remember that I should know more about colour temperature and lighting.

I still hate those lights, whatever they are! They are the plague of the north!
Thanks Dad!

Oh yeah, I forgot...

It's darker now. We have to use the lights in the house for mobility in the dark. And like most houses in the North, our house is fitted with those "energy efficient" Halogen death lights. I forgot about those lights, even though they were occasionally used for various reasons during the light season. But now it's dark, and I remember. I remember the suffering and torment they caused me last year. I had almost washed it from my memory. For anyone in the south who might not understand the sheer torture these lights cause, imagine walking into dark room, flicking on the lights, waiting....waiting, flicker, waiting, flicker....and when I have already done what I went in there to do, the lights come on! Not to mention they make me want to have a seizure and I hate the colour they cast. It's a very depressing glow, a much cooler shade then your average tungsten light bulb.

Prime Minister Harper is getting rid of the precious Tungstun, sure they say they are less efficient, but they make me happy. Their warm glow on my face is like a hug, much unlike the cooler slap in the face from a Halogen. I think one of my main frustrations is that they are most definitely NOT energy efficient! They so do not last longer then my cherished Tungsten! All I can say is what a CROCK of #$%^, some halogen corporation is making big money on this! I can't tell you how many time we have had to replace halogen bulb after bulb, and they all seem to go at the same time. I have never had to replace 10 bulbs a once when living in a tungsten house hold down south. Not to mention my tungsten bulbs having been chugging their little lifespans along, a lot longer then their halogen brothers!

I guess I wouldn't be as upset if they didn't take what seems like 10 years to turn on. I feel like I am in one of my nightmares where I keep trying and trying to turn on a light, but it doesn't matter what switch I flick on, nothing happens!

Norm Off The Chain

This is what the cat does while Nathan and I are both at work. Raid the fridge and harass the poor dog. Actually this is what he does every time I open the fridge. This time he apparently found the tuna! Norman has decided that he is in charge of the house and lets poor Tallinn know every so often with a small reminder slap. It can come at any time, but I think poor Norman is horrified when he realizes that now the dog thinks he is playing with him.

In the Name of Science

Do you see all the fun stuff I get to do up here? The adventures?! Well we thought that we would use some of this fun we have been having and put it to good use! Do a little experiment and answer the questions the people have been wanting to know the truth about. Today's question: How many binders (full of paper) can you shoot through? What a question, it's solution will be an interesting one. This is defiantly a topic that everyone secretly desires addressing!

And todays conclusion? You can shoot through 5 binders, yes 5! Binders go boom! MOO HAHAHA

Norm Series

I make my own series, but I give credit to the originators.
Check it out, I guarantee you'll laugh!

Hiked on through to another Dimension

A few weeks ago I got the chance to take a little boat ride over to the island across from town called Mallik. We had been over there in the winter time with snow mobiles while the bay was frozen, but it's not so easy to reach in the summer time. Even though during low tide there is a land bridge, you don't want to risk getting stuck for 6 hours because the tide has come in too quickly.
A lot was discovered on the other side, everything from abandoned snow mobiles to the more natural elements like unidentified meat/skin from unidentified animal(see photo below). But most importantly what I discovered while on the hike is that I am horribly out of shape! Good thing that Elliptical trainer is coming on sealift!
The best part of this trip was capturing pictures of our town from a different perspective.

Made it to the top!

Crawled up on all fours, but I made it! Took a little nap at the top and then I was ready to head back down. Funny enough this mountain is called "Nipple Mountain"!

Norm Series (part 3)

Traditions

It was a lazy evening, just shy of 10pm. I was already in my PJ pants and a lounging on the couch settled in for the evening when I heard faint screaming. I ran to the window and then opened the front door to make sure it wasn't something to do with our Malamute terrorizing the local children. I determined it wasn't anything to do with the dog just as I heard gun fire. Ok, so lets recap, screaming and gunfire....hmm, but now the screaming is sounding like happy screaming? Does this fit? I turn to the water and notice 3 boats in the bay racing around and hear more gun fire. "They've caught something" I some how tell myself, because now I am some kind of expert on hunting and also seeing in the dark. I race back inside stop my husband from running out in his long johns, we both go back in and put on our pants, this is a much smarter idea. While putting on my pants I simultaneously call my girlfriend on the phone and tell her to put her shoes on and meet us outside. Once outside, more gunfire! We hop in the the truck and "Dukes of hazards" our way down to the beach. I can almost hear those banjos. Stop. Boats and crowds. What is it? What did they catch? I can hardly see anything in all this darkness and confusion. And finally a nice lady stops and tells us "but they haven't caught anything". WHA? She sees our confusion and enlightens us, "it's a tradition". Apparently a bunch of people from Coral Harbor boated over here today, they are moving here permanently. What does all this have to do with gun fire you ask? When someone comes to our community from another community, they announce their arrival by shooting many...many times into the water. I hear those banjos again. It was pretty nice to see so many people grouped on the beach waiting to happily greet the boaters. The children laughed and yelled out to the people on the boats, people on 4-wheelers were arriving to see the commotion and I also saw some friends. It was in a weird way at 10 o'clock on a dark wet beach, some kind of a social. I ask my friends how they could boat from such a distance, they said "with a lot of gas"! They told me that sometimes if they can't bring enough for a whole trip, someone from the destination community will boat out and meet them half way just to bring them more gas. How neighbourly! I returned home to my tradition of spending evenings in my lounge pants.

Just for Deb

Norm Series

Arctic Kitty Training:

*No kitties were frozen in the making of this picture, he got in while I was filling the Ice Cube trays. Curiosity didn't kill the cat this time.

Polar Bear Swim

I went for a little dip in the Arctic Ocean yesterday, the water temperature was just under 4 degrees Celsius and the air temperature was 12C. It wasn't very warm (or pretty, referring to myself in a bathing suite), but at least the sun was shinning.

The How to Do Rambo Style

"Broke Into The Wrong God Damn Rec Room!"

For those of you that don't know, that's a classic line from a movie called "Tremors". A fantastic epic of my time that tells a story of large, worm creatures that live in the ground. And of course eat people and cause a lot of destruction through out the movie. The main character of the movie, Keven Bacon finds himself and his partner Earl (Fred Ward) stuck in a sleepy American desert town, trying to out smart these creatures. Of course living up to true American culture, two supporting characters are played up as a gun crazy couple. At one point in the movie one of these creatures travels through the ground and cracks right through the wall of their basement rec-room, the same room that displays every gun this couple owns. The scene changes to across town where the Keven Bacon character can hear the ring of many distant shots firing. The couple end up using every gun they own (pre-loaded might I add) to kill the beast. The last shot is fired from a Huge Elephant rifle and then the husband stops and says: "Broke into the wrong God Damn rec room, didn't you, you BASTARD!"

This is relevant to my life. Some how my husband and I are turning into the gun crazy couple. We just bought a rifle and it's on it's way up. And now there is talk of others. My husbands eyes widen as we talk of the possibilities, shot guns, air rifles, muzzle loaders (whatever that is), cross bows and of course now that I brought up the fact that we are turning into the "Tremors" couple, he has peeked at a few elephant guns. " Are we going to display them on the wall too, honey," I ask him? Oh and they aren't for hunting, he isn't really into that. I think he is just living out every boys dream to shoot inanimate objects. I think for now we are just going to start with the rifle, even though he thinks that I need to have a gun for me as well, I disagree. One is enough. I do not want to be a stereo type from a movie, and especially not one played by Reba McEntire!

Hair, Hair, Long Beautiful Hair

Norman Goes North

Let me introduce you to my little friend; Norm. He came back with us the beginning of June after vacation. There was some worry as to how well he would adjust to his new surroundings (and the dog), but things are looking good. He has settled right into being our resident "Jabba the Hut", slothing himself all over his new favourite pillow. Is there really any other way to be a cat? Clearly northern life suites him, all curled up in his warm little bed. Meanwhile poor Tallinn, who still insists on being outside is constantly getting soaked with the large amounts of rain we have been having. Clearly the cat knows better then the dog!

Ain't No Tims

It's no secret how I feel about not having a Starbucks, or even a Tims up here. The next best thing it to make it yourself, but it's always lacking. Why is that? Do the coffee shops in the south line their cardboard cups with some kind of drug that makes it taste better? For now this northern imitation will have to do, it's all there is to keep you awake during long nights at work, that and the extra hours of sunlight.

Macro Blooms

A Nunavummiut's Guide To Online Shopping

Lets start by informing all non-Nunavut residents about what Nunavummiut
(I can't actually pronounce this word) is exactly and why we do a lot more online shopping then anyone else in the country. First of all Nunavummiut means "Residents of Nunavut or Nunvik". The community that I live in is lacking certain everyday items that in the south we take for granted. In the south you can just hop in your car and cruise on over to the local Walmart and pick up anything you need. Up here your choices are limited to only what can be purchased online and shipped to you on a plane. Not to mention certain stores like Walmart have failed miserably in joining us in 2007 and only offer a "shopping list" feature on their website. Their American counterparts who do offer online shopping don't allow shipping internationally. So I had to search for a few good Canadian stores and some American that do ship to Canada. Here is a list that I have compiled (with useful information) of a few online shops to cover any of your needs while living up north.

GENERAL

LONDON DRUGS
http://www.londondrugs.com/
This site has been a lifesaver for me, shipping all bath & beauty products and much adored Cadbury Mini eggs when I couldn't possibly find them anywhere else. The shipping here works by weight; 0-4.5kgs is a flat $30. So if you get one item its not worth the shipping fee, they get you that way, because you want to use up all your weight allowance and keep adding things to the cart until you come in right under 4.5kgs. Shipping usually takes more then 2 weeks, so it's not fast. However you can't get the products they sell on here on any other Canadian online store.

CANADIAN TIRE
http://www.canadiantire.ca/
Shipping is better here then londondrugs, however it really isn't that great. I got some Christmas decorations and furnace filters on this site, I ended up having to call and the woman said "where is Nunavut?", after I told her it was a giant territory she clued in.

COST-CO
http://www.costco.ca/
I haven't bought anything from here yet, but it looks promising. I read a lot of northern bloggers have had good shipping with them, getting huge items for very inexpensive shipping costs, I guess they haven't figured out about Nunavut yet.

LINENS AND THINGS
http://canada.lnt.com/home/index.jsp
I am not sure what shipping is like for this site, but it takes a lot of restraint to not buy everything on the site! I have a friend who has bought from this site, so I know it's good and their product gets where it's going, but I haven't bought anything here....yet! One annoyance is the Canadian & American websites look similar, make sure your shopping on the Canadian site! And if you find yourself shopping on the American site and switch over to the Canadain, you might see they haven't compensated for the new and better exchange rate for the Canadian dollar! Things are still exceedingly cheaper on the U.S site. So save yourself the grief and don't compare prices!

BATH AND BEAUTY

LUSH
http://ca.lush.com
All I can say is FREAKIN amazing! These products smell good and work amazingly! They don't send to a P.O box so you have to just make up a street name and they also don't send certain products in summer as they may melt.

CLOTHING

MARKS WORK WEARHOUSE
http://marksworkwearhouse.com/
This one is good for clothing and shipping isn't too much either. The clothing changes for each season, so you can get fleece lined jeans, but closer to winter.

LA SENZA
http://www.lasenza.com
These guys are great for girlie underwear, awesome sleepwear and lounge wear. They also have a mens line of undergarments and lounge wear. The prices are good and shipping is pretty good.

PETS

1-800-PETMEDS.COM
http://www.1800petmeds.com/
This one is good for some medications, and a few toys and other pet things. They are located in the states, so prices are American and you do have that chance of paying duty. I have shopped with them, and the experience was good. You can even call them up and talk to a person, which is just a plus. I try not to shop with a place that doesn't have a 1-800 number.

PETSMART
http://www.petsmart.com/ps/main.jsp
This place is my new favourite! Sure it's in the States, so you run the risk of paying duty, but it's so worth it. Where else can you buy 30lbs of cat litter with free shipping? Here is the scoop on this one though, you have to spend more then $50 to get free shipping. You also CAN'T buy food of any kind on here, and if they cancel litter or any other item, you just need to call their 1-800 number and talk to a person on the phone and they will put your order through. Sometimes on really heavy orders they charge a flat couple of dollars fee and there is also shipping to remote area fee for $20 or so, but really if you think of what you can get it's not so bad.

FOOD

BULK FOODS
http://www.bulkfoods.com/
I also haven't shopped here, but I hear it's another great place and they definitely ship up here. The only problem is that they don't calculate shipping rates until after you place your order.

You can also stick London Drugs perfectly into this category!

OTHER NOTABLES

I could also add in the notable Amazon.ca, however we all know this one, but think of this, if they haven't accounted for the change in exchange rate, you might actually get a cheaper book deal buying from Amazon.com. You would have to look into it factoring in shipping to Canada costs.

There is also Futureshop.ca and Bestbuy.ca, however if you are buying cd/dvds/games, check out Amazon.ca. I find Futureshop.ca charges ridiculous shipping costs on cds...$4 for shipping for one cd? How much do they think it weighs? Amazon.ca ships free after $39.00! Not to mention I find Futurshops website irritating and harder to navigate then most. I am still waiting for a lot of larger businesses to join up with the rest of the world in 2007. For example you from Ontario might know Shoppers Drug Mart, but I am not holding my breath for Walmart!

Please Add anymore Online Shopping sites that are of interest, I am always looking for new stores! And the shopaholic lives on even if she is now a Nunavummiut!

Kiss Me

Dorset Spirit

Is that a fruit or a Vegetable?

Yes, the cashier asked if this was a fruit or a vegetable while we were checking out. I guess I just take lemons for granted, especially when I am used to paying $0.33 for them in the south.

Jack White of The White Stripes Meets...My Mom

Well we have all been talking about it for months; The White Stripes are to have a show in Iqaluit! I can tell you my respect for them jumped insanely just because they would travel hundreds of miles into the arctic to play a show. We all knew the band would loose money playing up here, rather then make it. Even though I didn't go to the show, I have been talking about it for months, to all my friends in the south and random people on the street; "arn't The White Stripes so amazing, promoting Nunavut, what incredible rock stars..." and so on! I even knew what day they were playing, yet even though I wasn't going to the show. This was the same day I was flying home from my vacation south, and was having the slightest hope that maybe I would catch a glimpse of them, even though I was only spending a few hours in the airport. Of course no chance, obviously one doesn't just see rock starts milling around airports. Meanwhile my parents were coming up from the south a few days travel behind me, for their first trip north. Their flying schedule worked out so that they would have to spend a night in Iqaluit and fly out the next morning. That afternoon after checking into the Frobisher, my mother noticed a white guitar laying against the wall in the lobby. Thoughts starting rolling through my mothers mind, the previous night before she was having dinner with my brother and he was telling her all about how this band was coming to play in the north just to see what it was like, then she remembered reading an article on the plane and seeing a picture of a white guitar in the magazine, things started to click together. She then made her way over to what looked like this bands roadie and asked him if he thought that she could get an autograph, he said it would be no problem. My mother then made her way over to two gentlemen sitting down in the lobby and asked "Now, which one of you is The White Stripe?" (I informed her after that she needed to make that plural; White Stipes, she is still calling them The White Stripe)
Jack White, a mega rock star, with amazing manners was then told by my mother that he was "just a fine young man," and wonderful for coming all this way up here to play a concert. She then had him autograph something for my brother and was off. I have recently been playing some of their music for her and she proclaims "I like them!"

A Blog Work Out

I figured it was about time I got back to another blog writing exercise. I have a lot running through my head, but have been currently unable to do anything except sit under the sun beside my sisters pool. Yes I am still south, and will be until the end of June.
The only small way that I can remotely connect this episode to the north is that I actually miss home. I know a lot of you Northern Bloggers feel that home is in the south, but for me, my first house with my very own family (Nathan & Tallinn) has been north of 60. So yes I consider the north my real home(for right now anyways). Maybe the extreme 38C weather down here has gotten to my head, but I am really ready to pack up this southern trip and head back to the more Jamaican (laid back) lifestyle I lead in the North. On this trip South, I have already bought 4 different pairs of shoes...what for you might ask? Two weddings, a pair of "city" shoes and one dog chewed sneaker replacement. Up North you would have no use for these shoes, lets just everyone admit that everyone walks around in insulated rubber boots. Now that's where the style and comfort is at.
Anyways lets get back to my wonderful family that I have with me living up North, who will be leaving me two weeks earlier to fly back home, and leave me stuck in the south where I might possibly buy yet another pair of shoes. It was just yesterday my one year marriage anniversary with Nathan. Here is a cute picture...awwwwwwwwwww.......

And here is our Baby boy Tallinn
Little does he know that yesterday we got a cat...uhoh...hope he doesn't get too jelous! It all happened all of a sudden, Nathan's Aunt talked to her cat breeder, who was looking for a home for his 2 year old male. I guess the little guy is being retired from his baby making career. We plan to give him a good home and lots of loving in his retirement years. Anyone have any advise on living with a cat? This will be my first! And the saga continues....

Mothers Day

Well lots has happened since I last posted...but don't all bloggers say that. I wanted really bad to post some pictures I took of an RCMP hockey Game, but I was waiting from them to appear in the paper first...however the Nunavut Papers are apparently not interested in wicked awesome images of the Premier of Nunavut, the MLA of Cape Dorset and The Head Nunavut RCMP member all playing hockey for a wonderful cause. Anyways that's my next story.

On a lighter subject, it's Mothers Day and we are back south on vacation. And what better way to spend mothers day then to drive up to see Tallinn's Mommy, Nuka. We had a quick visit to our dog breeders today and took Tallinn (he got to re-unite with his true Mommy and Daddy)!

Here is Nuka, who Tallinn gets his warm cuddly side from. Me Thanking Nuka for giving me Tallinn :)Here is Tricia, Nuka's 'Mommy' and the Malamute Family (Kodiak (dad), Tallinn and Nuka)
Father and Son playing