An Old Fashioned Ice-Box

Our food arrived in this coffin sized box and two smaller ones. If you could see the other side of the wall facing us, you'd see what looks almost like sagging cloth made of snow. Sometimes it makes me think of a bus shelter or a guard house... mostly I wish I could think of something useful to do with all that would because I'd hate for it to go to waste.

Its actually been nearly warm for January. Only -13 C, and almost no wind besides... My new work around for the fact that I'm sick of never being able to see when I'm outside is, weather and wind permitting, to pull back my hood and unfog my glasses 100 m from wherever I'm headed, so at least for a brief stretch of time I can actually enjoy the winter scenery. I have an opportunity to take part in a guided overnight trip on the land near Arviat. I'm torn between taking advantage of a chance to do something new and really experience the north and a fear that I'll be spending 2 days miserably numb, blind and being jounced around in the back of a kamotik. I think I'd be cool with the jouncing and cold if I could have any hope of seeing - but its hard when you can't see too... I guess when we were visiting Repulse Bay (granted it was April) we spent quite a few days out on the ice and on the land (well, part days anyways) and I don't recall it being unpleasant and I don't recall getting frost bite and we actually nearly got caught out in a blizzard although I don't think we thought of it in that terms... the wind picked up enough snow that town was getting hard to see from the spot we were exploring so we figured on it being time to head back.... and I checked the weather records for that month - it was plenty cold. I've actually done plenty of hiking in -35 (prewindchill) weather in Thunder Bay and Fundy Park. I remember 2 years in a row our winter snowshoe trip fell on the bitterest weekend of the year and I enjoyed the trip without a parka or any fancy gear save a decent pair of wind pants and fleece expedition weight long johns. Okay.. I think I've talked myself back into it now... I'm sure it'll be awesome - but its hard not to be nervous... especially after reading the climate data.... anywho.. sleepyness has won - so I'll have to decide later.