Temp: -7
Wind chill: -14
Gawwd I'm getting tired of snow!!

Well, the weather has warmed up outside and with that comes snow! We have scads and scads and scads of snow. Good times. Oliver loves it but me, not so much. I'm in the middle of making plans to go home for the summer and I'm really looking forward to warm weather and greenery. I love it up here but I can't wait to not have to wear boots, mitts, parka... But it's kind of a bummer to plan going out for the summer because that's the nicest time up here weather-wise. June is the nicest month in NU and it's such a shame to miss it!

This weekend was a quiet weekend. I'm happy because I bought a small deep freeze for my apt from friends moving down south and they dropped it off today. Woohoo! Geeze, I feel like I should bake something just so I can freeze it!

I went for a short walk with Oli today and it was hilarious because in a matter of minutes I had my own little posse of 7 kids following me, I should say Oli, around. One little guy decided that his name shouldn't be 'Oliver' but should be 'Snowlover' because he rolls in the snow so much. I thought that was cute. He said he was going to try and find out what that was in Inuktitut and give him his own Inuktitut name. What sweet kids.

And with this weekend over, that means that my friend Karen will be here in 5 days!!! Snow Gods, please don't dump on us again until after her plane gets in safely!! We can't have blizzard-bound company now can we?!

These are the only new pics I have as of late. Sad news: my camera just bit the bullet! Grrrr!!! Anyway, here's some pics of Oli in the snow. Now I know it seems like all my pictures focus mainly on him but there's a reason for that (no I'm not completely and weirdly obsessed!) I use the pics on my blog as a teaching tool with the student I work with, describing how things are laid out, what's happening etc., in ASL. Very motivational since he's obsessed with dogs! :-)

Oli digging, digging, digging...



Nope. Nothing there.



Maybe over here?



Digging is hard work.



Oli and Sable tethered outside keepin' watch over the 12 plex. Oh I feel safer now... :-)

Temp: -8
Wind chill: -18
Weather Warning

Well, it's Saturday morning and we woke up to probably 6 to 8 inches of fresh new powdery snow on the ground, and big ole fluffy snowflakes just a comin' down! It felt very peacful and quiet. It's funny to say that I suppose, up here in the land of ice and snow, that more snow would be welcome but it was. I don't care where I am or what time of year it is, snow like that is so calming and hypnotic. Love it!!

So, it was soccer practise with the kids for three hours this morning and this afternoon will be spent just catching up on things around the house. Last night I watched 'The Prestige'. An interesting movie but a bit long. I actually liked 'The Illusionist' better. And last week I watched 'Come Early Morning' with Ashely Judd which I really liked. This is one thing I do a lot of up here, watch movies.

Anyway, at school this week we started writing letters to pen pals in Toronto. We took the class around to different sites in town and took pictures to send down to our new 'friends'. It was fun and everyone was really excited about it. Good times...

Anyway, here are a few more pics.


Part of the town's snowfence


A husky tied outside a house (check out those eyes - absolutely beautiful!)

This next picture is too funny. I was at the Co-op one day and someone directed me to the bulletin board covered with various flyers and notices....... and this partial denture that apparently someone lost.


Sweet......

Temp: -14
Wind chill: -27
Blizzard

We have a LOT of snow coming down way up here in the North and let me tell ya, trudging through it ain't no walk in the park! It's been just a blowin' all day and there are drifts everywhere. And under that drifting snow is glare ice. Fun, fun, fun!!

Other than that, things are good up here. The year is winding down so quickly, it's hard to believe it's almost over. But, my good friend Karen is coming to visit for Hamlet Days at the beginning of May and I am super excited! Three weeks and counting.... :-) It's so nice to have company up here because it's a chance to share this tiny hidden-away community and it's culture with people who've not yet experienced the Arctic.

Here's a picture out of my window this evening.



And here's what happens when you leave your window open in the middle of a blizzard...



Here's a pic from Easter weekend when we were out fishing. I was feeling a bit 'under the weather' and needed a nap.

Temp: -11
Absolutely beautiful day!!

Woohoo!!! I am throwing caution to the wind and am coming right out to say that Spring is here!!!! It got to -3 today and it was sunny and absolutley amazing! Boy, the days are getting longer (it's 9:15 and bright as anything outside), the snow is just a melting, and it's so sunny it hurts not to wear sunglasses. Such a welcome change from even a week ago!

Here are some cool pics from our walk yesterday.


My ever talented pooch looks like he can walk on water but, alas, it's just funky ice


Very cool ice bubbles (?) (click on the pic to enlarge it - it's pretty cool)


Tania heading off into the sunset


Oliver, looking like a tripped out speed skater, trying to catch his footing

Temp: -19
Beautiful weekend!!

Ahhh... it finally feels like spring could be here! The weather this long weekend has been absolutely wonderful! The sun is out, we're in the -teens for temperature and it's just been a real nice weekend.

And with such great temps, it was time to get out and take the dogs for a run and do some ice fishing. Good times. Some of us caught a few fish but I never do so I decided to stay home today while everyone else goes out, do some work, and keep my bad luck away from them (because they never catch anything when I'm around either)! And, to be honest, I'm happy to just hole up for my last day off before getting back to school.


Oli and Sable catchin a ride from Chad


Jenesta's parents coming out for some fishing (Thanks again Jean for the home made bread... AWESOME!!)


Tania and Chad chippin' away (the ice was still about 6 feet deep I think they said)


Todd's auger gettin' the job done too

Other than that, things have been going well up here. The days are getting noticeably longer. Today I'm going to try and rig up some cardboard covered with tinfoil for my bedroom window to keep the light out. Although, I should have done that this weekend so that sleep-ins could have been a bit more productive but I guess hindsight and all that jazz.... :-)

Temp: -31
Wind chill: -48
Mother Nature's cruel idea of an April Fool's day prank

Well, today it sure is cold but we snuck in a couple of nice days before this hit. Yesterday we took a ride out on the machines and kammatiq (sp??) to let the dogs have a good run. It was great to finally have some fresh air.

On Friday our class took a short field trip out to an igloo that the school hired some elders to build for us. It was chilly out but so much fun. I even tried my hand at caribou skin skipping. I haven't skipped a rope in many many years so it only took one try for me to decide that I'm better at turning the rope than I am at jumping it!









Pam, the school's dental hygenist, and I at the igloo