Temp: 0
Windchill: -7
Winds: 33-46 km/hr
SUNNY!!!!! Finally, after two weeks of dreariness

Well, as I said, the sun is finally out and it feels pretty darn good! We have had flurries off and on for the past few weeks but yesterday we had our first snow storm to speak of. The wind was pretty strong, and still is today, but yesterday the wind was so strong that we actually had some pretty significant waves out on the lake. It was kind of hypnotic to sit and watch from my window.

And as I write this, I'm so happy to have my computer back. It crashed about 10 days ago and had to be sent to Winnipeg for repairs. Seems silly I guess but it sure felt isolating not having internet access and communication via email (although I did get a lot of errands done around the house). Between that and weather I thought I was going to go batty! It wasn't a great week but the sunshine today has just made it all better! Well, that and the fact that the repairs were covered under warranty (replacement of the soundboard).

So what have I been up to lately..... Well, school has been good. We went berry picking a couple weeks ago. It was chilly and snowed the morning we went so it was more about hanging out with the kids than picking berries but it was so much fun. The kids are great at rolling with the punches. Snow angels were made, we warmed ourselves by the fire, some VERY ripe berries were picked (and ate), soccer was played, and bannock was eaten. Good times. Here are some pics:





Last night my neighbour Chris had us all over for a feed and was it ever good! He did himself proud for sure. The boys played music and sang and it was lovely (lovely ~ how can you tell I'm watching Coronation Street as I type this?). :-) And today I'm just going to head to the Northern and pick up some stuff to make Sushi for supper and then edit the school newsletter. Just a laid back weekend.

As for what else is going on, I did a barge order this year but it's been delayed. It was supposed to be here Sept 22nd and now isn't slated to arrive until October 9th. I am hoping against hope that we don't get a couple good freezes before then. Nothing like exploded pop to damage all your food! Fingers crossed....

Well, another night I'll attach some more cute photos from berry picking. The internet is wayyy too slow tonight.

Temp: -1
Snowing
Pretty chilly

Ladies and gentleman, we have snow! The first snowflakes were spotted on September 6th. Our first real flurries were on the 9th (woohoo I nailed the date) and last night it was cold enough that the snow has actually stuck around. It is truly beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!



And what with the snow on the ground and the chill in the air, our berry picking trip was postponed until next week although I don't hold out much hope for the weather or the berries. Ahh well. The next event to look forward to... the freezing of the lake. My guess is October 10th so we shall see how that pans out.

And with the chillier weather of course people are dressing warmer. Toques and mittens, parkas, and Crocs??? Here's a picture of Helen the teacher I worked with my first year in Baker in her parka and Crocs. Heh heh, who says it's just the kids more concerned with staying fashionable than with being warm! :-)



Other than that, things are good up here. Time is flying by and it's hard to believe we're already half way through September. Only three more months and we'll be gettin' ready for Christmas. Crazy..

Here's a picture of an art project I got to puddle around with in class while the student was doing the same. Man, elementary school is so much fun. It's great feeling and playing like a kid again! Does a person good for sure.

Temp: 6
Calling for flurries on Sunday!!

So as I write this, kleenex box nestled close by, I'm amazed at the amount of fluid that can flow from one's nose. Sheesh... My comfort at this time is the tea I am drinking from my new tea mug. Ever since I bought the movie 'Under the Tuscan Sun' this summer I have been obsessed with Tuscany and one day getting there. So, when I came across a set of four mugs on the Coldwater Creek website called Tuscan Mugs, of course I had to get hem (yet again, I have WAY too much time on my hands)! So, between my nose running and my neck being put out and, well a pain in the neck, it was a kind of long day. But, it is now a beautiful night in Baker Lake; the sun is out, the air is crisp and the lake is a deep amazing blue. Life is pretty good.



And while the view out the front of my apartment is of the lake in all her glory, the view out the back has something to be said for it too. Down south in AB about this time is when the corn fields have matured and some have been turned into mazes for the amusement of the public. While I have never gone through one, I have always wanted to. Funny how we put things off until 'later'. But, as luck would have it, Baker Lake has it's own version of a maze. Out back of our building there are hundreds of barrels that, I think are empty, and have been brought here for storage. Day after day for several weeks I would see one poor fella hauling barrels, 6 or 8 at a time, in his pickup truck and drop them off. I have to give the guy credit; it was not an easy job. But in laying them out, trails were left between some of the barrels in order to maneuver around and the kids have since shifted them in order to walk through them (though the odd child leaps on top and glides across the tops). So there we have it. The maze in Baker Lake. And the in the morning and early afternoon the barrels come to life after having been heated by the sun and sound off in a chorus of bongs and bangs. Too funny. Between that and the seagulls it's a downright musical place where I live! :-)



As for work, school has been coming along swimmingly. The kids are happy to be back as are the teachers. Sport programs are full steam ahead and our school will be heading out on its annual berry picking trips within the next couple of weeks. Looking forward to that; it should be a lot of fun.

Temp: 4

Well, first week back after the long weekend and man was it ever hard to get up this morning. Doesn't help that I'm suffering from a cold I suppose. Ahh well.

The long weekend was nice and lazy; Friday night just hung out and watched a movie at my place and Saturday night it was off to Todd and Jenesta's for a gathering and to celebrate their birthdays. Really nice. Sunday was a really lazy day for me but a lot of people from the community were out on the land and saw Muscox! I'm so jealous. Dang my honda for being broke down now. Sigh... ahh well. And yesterday Tania and I took the dogs for a walk out behind the town up by the cemetary. It was really nice and peaceful out there. Oliver found every body of water he could and rolled in it and a couple of cranes followed our every move for a good part of the walk. There's nothing like the sound of cranes; it sounds very prehistoric to me. We actually got quite close to them but of course I didn't have my camera with me.

Anyway, that was the weekend in a nutshell. Except that a friend, mentor and fellow interpreter lost her battle to cancer on Sunday and I'm left feeling very sad and very far from my Alberta family and friends once again.

But on a different note, we are taking dibs on when the first snowflakes will fly. In 2006 it was Sept 7th. Last year, the 8th. Hmm... it's pretty chilly in the air now and geese are just a flying down south now so I'm guessing it will be the 9th this year. Gotta allow for that global warming up here I suppose.