Mysterious Flames

I've just returned from the Teacher Conference in the tropics of Arviat - where the temperature was a balmy -60 with the windchill most of the time we were there. As a result, I didn't get to go caribou hunting, but on the up side, there aren't any blood stains on my light blue parka. Its not like its a fancy Canada Goose Parka - is a Sears Parka, which has the distinction of being about the same age as I am - once owned by my Aunt when she resided in Thunder Bay. Still - its quite functional, even if the fur on the hood is looking a touch mangy. But, I don't think that it would have benefitted from the addition of blood stains - and I know that there is no way that I could be within 20 m of a skinning and butchering operation without getting blood on me... and parka aside - I would have come closer because I would want to help and learn how it was done. Instead of learning land skills, I learned some excellent science demonstrations and a bit of inuktitut and a bit about drum dancing. All in all it was a great week of being on the "other side of the desk" and taking on the role of student, rather than teacher.

I also got to spend some time with an old friend from UNB and his wife, both of whom were a very big part of me applying to teach in the north last May. I got to play president, canasta, euchere and 45's. I haven't played anything except poker in a while, and even though I'm an avid card game person, I have never been able to get into Poker. I still have to say that my all time favourite game is Canasta, but Euchere is a close second and Cribbage is a clear third. While I didn't get a chance to play cribbage, I did get a chance to buy a beautiful cribbage board, and so hopefully, there is some cribbage in my future.

Today I've been battling the effects of packing on my room. Slowly, I'm making order of chaos. I have to do something about my knitting supplies, which have slowly been taking over since I've arrived. I either have to do an insane amount of knitting or I have to pack some stuff up and stow it somewhere where it won't spill over. I have an unassembled bookcase, and there is a possibility I could fit it into my room and give myself some additional storage space, but it might leave it way too crowded. The temperatures will continue to be fairly chilly for the next few weeks, but come April we should start to see much more comfortable temperatures for spending time outdoors.

In the meantime, I'd better finish tackling the list of things to get done this weekend. I apologize in advance for very sporadic blogging in the next month, I've got a lot of stuff on my plate and I don't know that I'll have a lot of chances to either write or take new pictures that I can put up here. Come April though... hopefully there will be lots.