October 2
A lot more driving, a stop at Miette Hotsprings IN THE SNOW with the Harrisons, and WE ARE HOME! It's the end of the road; the end of our adventure, and other than adding some more pictures, the end of my blog. And as I've heard about blogging- "Never have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few." Thanks for reading.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Home Stretch
September 30- October 1
We woke up at our 'campsite,' the parking lot of Fireweed RV Repair. Our trailer brakes were kaput, thanks to the Dempster. They were fixed in short order but we had a later start than we planned.
We took a different route home this time down the Cassiar Highway. It's like a civilized version of the Dempster. It's about the same distance, it's remote in it's own way and it also has beautiful scenery. However, it has more services and it's ALL PAVED! The road was like a dream by comparison. We saw three black bears within an hour and two moose ran along side of us. And to see the fall colours against the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains was breath-taking.
But the drive was not without it's own surprises. On the Cassiar Highway, the van got tempermental. The engine cut out once, then twice, and it continued in frequency until the van quit altogether. It was at this point the Cassiar seemed a little too remote for my liking. Kurt popped the hood, and the distinct smell of burnt plastic filled our noses. Kurt discovered a shorted power cable from the alternator. He tied it together to keep it running to Kinaskan Lake, our stay for the night.
Kurt woke up early and jerry-rigged the alternator with a spare power lead from an inverter in his toolbox and some Tuck Tape. He charged the battery with the generator and then flagged a construction vehicle down on the highway to give us a boost. The whole experience was a faith-builder for all of us. And it has been encouraging to hear the kids, Mackenzie and Josiah in particular, whispering to me, "Mom, God answered my prayer," several times on our homeward trip.
We've been listening to a Christian radio series for kids called 'Jungle Jam,' on CD for 3 days-all the way down the Dempster, all the way down the Cassiar Highway, and everywhere in between. The kids are enjoying the unexpected care package immensely. (Thanks, Auntie Erin!) Even Kurt has been laughing and the stories have made the long hours of road travel much shorter. Naomi and Diana love the theme song. They have it memorized and sing it out with enthusiasm every time.
I marvel at how well the kids are traveling. Ezra and Evageline, who often behave like Mexican jumping beans, sit for hours entertaining themselves without much complaint. Estelle is the one who needs constant attention. She's a lot different than on the way up. Six-month olds sleep a lot, nine-month olds....not so much.
We camped outside Prince George, and we can see home at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to walk into our empty house and watch the kids soak it all in.
We woke up at our 'campsite,' the parking lot of Fireweed RV Repair. Our trailer brakes were kaput, thanks to the Dempster. They were fixed in short order but we had a later start than we planned.
We took a different route home this time down the Cassiar Highway. It's like a civilized version of the Dempster. It's about the same distance, it's remote in it's own way and it also has beautiful scenery. However, it has more services and it's ALL PAVED! The road was like a dream by comparison. We saw three black bears within an hour and two moose ran along side of us. And to see the fall colours against the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains was breath-taking.
But the drive was not without it's own surprises. On the Cassiar Highway, the van got tempermental. The engine cut out once, then twice, and it continued in frequency until the van quit altogether. It was at this point the Cassiar seemed a little too remote for my liking. Kurt popped the hood, and the distinct smell of burnt plastic filled our noses. Kurt discovered a shorted power cable from the alternator. He tied it together to keep it running to Kinaskan Lake, our stay for the night.
Kurt woke up early and jerry-rigged the alternator with a spare power lead from an inverter in his toolbox and some Tuck Tape. He charged the battery with the generator and then flagged a construction vehicle down on the highway to give us a boost. The whole experience was a faith-builder for all of us. And it has been encouraging to hear the kids, Mackenzie and Josiah in particular, whispering to me, "Mom, God answered my prayer," several times on our homeward trip.
We've been listening to a Christian radio series for kids called 'Jungle Jam,' on CD for 3 days-all the way down the Dempster, all the way down the Cassiar Highway, and everywhere in between. The kids are enjoying the unexpected care package immensely. (Thanks, Auntie Erin!) Even Kurt has been laughing and the stories have made the long hours of road travel much shorter. Naomi and Diana love the theme song. They have it memorized and sing it out with enthusiasm every time.
I marvel at how well the kids are traveling. Ezra and Evageline, who often behave like Mexican jumping beans, sit for hours entertaining themselves without much complaint. Estelle is the one who needs constant attention. She's a lot different than on the way up. Six-month olds sleep a lot, nine-month olds....not so much.
We camped outside Prince George, and we can see home at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to walk into our empty house and watch the kids soak it all in.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pussycat
September 28-29
Monday morning, we woke up at 7 am. The sun wasn’t up yet. Funny. When we arrived in the Arctic, we fell asleep in the sunlight; on our departure, we awoke in the dark. We wanted to get an early start, but by the time Kurt dumped the trailer tanks, loaded some last minute items and I ran over to say goodbye to our RCMP neighbors, it was closer to noon. And of course, we had to say goodbye to the Hanthorns (Dan and Heather had already left for work). The hugs were going all around, and Ezra called out, “Lynn, don’t forget about me!” The snow was falling, as we climbed into the van, and the Hanthorn kids followed us out, shouting, “Goodbye, goodbye!”
We crossed the ferry with no trouble, and even though there was a fair bit of snow, the weather was amazingly calm through the mountain pass and gorge. The roads were frozen and the driving conditions had dramatically improved since my trip to Dawson.
We had to use chains twice on the hills, the first time only because a transpotr truck had stopped in front of us. When we stopped at the Arctic Circle for a photo op, Kurt heard a hissing sound. One of our trailer tires had a leak. We made it to Eagle Plains, 40 km away and Kurt had the tire repaired at the tire shop, while I fed the kids some hot stew from the hotel cafe. We didn’t even have to wait. By the time we ate, our trailer was ready to roll again. The Eagle Plains Hotel motto is “an oasis in the wilderness,” and it is very aptly named, simple as it is.
We also hit some heavy snowfall a couple of times, but there was no wind and it quickly let up. Several times in succession, Evangeline asked, not as a question, but more like a conversation “is the road nice, Daddy? The road. It’s nice?” By God’s grace and Paul’s chains, we reached the end of the Dempster (which Ezra calls the “Dumpster”). Paul said in any season, the Dempster can be a pussycat, but it can also be a tiger. We are thankful that the Dempster only gave us a few cat scratches.
Seeing the winter scenery along the Dempster Highway was an experience not to be missed. It was beautiful. It was also a wonderful perk to drive on the snow because there was NO DUST! Any McPherson resident I spoke to about the Dempster, said they prefer driving the Dempster in the wintertime, including the Aussies! The roads are smoother, there’s no dust and no one has to wait for a ferry (because of the ice road). Even more poignant, with as much fuss as we Southerners make over the dangers of the Dempster, the people who actually live it and experience in their daily lives, barely give it any mention at all. The only time Northerners pay it lip service, it seems, is when they’re ‘counselling’ a Southerner.
But I digress.
We reached Dawson and parked at Mel’s. Mel worked with Kurt at Johnson Point and had invited us to stay in his yard. Tuesday morning, Mel gave us a tour of the house he is building, right among the gold dredge tailings. We hit the road, stopping at Five Finger Rapids, so Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana could hike, and then continued to Whitehorse. We went to my favorite bookstore (again) and then had a celebratory dinner for the completion of Kurt's Arctic work. And we are now going to have a much needed early night. Good night.
Monday morning, we woke up at 7 am. The sun wasn’t up yet. Funny. When we arrived in the Arctic, we fell asleep in the sunlight; on our departure, we awoke in the dark. We wanted to get an early start, but by the time Kurt dumped the trailer tanks, loaded some last minute items and I ran over to say goodbye to our RCMP neighbors, it was closer to noon. And of course, we had to say goodbye to the Hanthorns (Dan and Heather had already left for work). The hugs were going all around, and Ezra called out, “Lynn, don’t forget about me!” The snow was falling, as we climbed into the van, and the Hanthorn kids followed us out, shouting, “Goodbye, goodbye!”
We crossed the ferry with no trouble, and even though there was a fair bit of snow, the weather was amazingly calm through the mountain pass and gorge. The roads were frozen and the driving conditions had dramatically improved since my trip to Dawson.
We had to use chains twice on the hills, the first time only because a transpotr truck had stopped in front of us. When we stopped at the Arctic Circle for a photo op, Kurt heard a hissing sound. One of our trailer tires had a leak. We made it to Eagle Plains, 40 km away and Kurt had the tire repaired at the tire shop, while I fed the kids some hot stew from the hotel cafe. We didn’t even have to wait. By the time we ate, our trailer was ready to roll again. The Eagle Plains Hotel motto is “an oasis in the wilderness,” and it is very aptly named, simple as it is.
We also hit some heavy snowfall a couple of times, but there was no wind and it quickly let up. Several times in succession, Evangeline asked, not as a question, but more like a conversation “is the road nice, Daddy? The road. It’s nice?” By God’s grace and Paul’s chains, we reached the end of the Dempster (which Ezra calls the “Dumpster”). Paul said in any season, the Dempster can be a pussycat, but it can also be a tiger. We are thankful that the Dempster only gave us a few cat scratches.
Seeing the winter scenery along the Dempster Highway was an experience not to be missed. It was beautiful. It was also a wonderful perk to drive on the snow because there was NO DUST! Any McPherson resident I spoke to about the Dempster, said they prefer driving the Dempster in the wintertime, including the Aussies! The roads are smoother, there’s no dust and no one has to wait for a ferry (because of the ice road). Even more poignant, with as much fuss as we Southerners make over the dangers of the Dempster, the people who actually live it and experience in their daily lives, barely give it any mention at all. The only time Northerners pay it lip service, it seems, is when they’re ‘counselling’ a Southerner.
But I digress.
We reached Dawson and parked at Mel’s. Mel worked with Kurt at Johnson Point and had invited us to stay in his yard. Tuesday morning, Mel gave us a tour of the house he is building, right among the gold dredge tailings. We hit the road, stopping at Five Finger Rapids, so Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana could hike, and then continued to Whitehorse. We went to my favorite bookstore (again) and then had a celebratory dinner for the completion of Kurt's Arctic work. And we are now going to have a much needed early night. Good night.
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Last Hurrah
September 28
It's here.
Today was our last day in Fort McPherson. It seems ages ago since we left home and yet it's hard to believe it's time to leave. There's mixed emotions on all accounts. We are going to miss our friends here, but we are anticipating many happy reunions at home as well.
I went over to the RCMP compound in the morning and cleaned as much as I could before church. Keegan came and helped. It's amazing how much time there is beforehand when church doesn't start until 1 PM. We ALMOST finished. The church was full for worship. There were more people today than I have seen, apart from the building project week. Paul preached on Hebrews; Kurt and the kids sang. I said goodbye to those I knew.
After church, Keegan, Bronwyn, and Mackenzie finished the last of the house cleaning. Just in time for supper too. To celebrate our last day here, we had a turkey dinner with the Hanthorns and Dan and Heather. I made cranberry sauce with the fresh cranberries I had received. Yum! It was all very delicious. We reminisced over our photo collection on the TV, and then the kids let off some steam with a snowball fight (even Ezra joined in).
I slipped away briefly because Rose had invited me for a last cup of tea. Then we all sat in the Hanthorns' living room and sang songs. To top it all off, Lynn and Paul and each of their children took turns telling us what they appreciated about each one of us and prayed for us individually. What an encouraging gesture and a humbling experience.
The kids filtered off to bed, and Lynn, Paul, Kurt, and I had our one and only visit together without the distractions of familial duties. It was a nice way to spend our last evening. But even good things come to an end, and we thought sleep might be in order before our departure.
Lord, I pray for the Hanthorns' ministry to continue to bear fruit, for the completion of the church building,for the strengthening of their faith and of those in their community, and for your Hand on them as they work, play, and worship. God Bless the Hanthorns.
It's here.
Today was our last day in Fort McPherson. It seems ages ago since we left home and yet it's hard to believe it's time to leave. There's mixed emotions on all accounts. We are going to miss our friends here, but we are anticipating many happy reunions at home as well.
I went over to the RCMP compound in the morning and cleaned as much as I could before church. Keegan came and helped. It's amazing how much time there is beforehand when church doesn't start until 1 PM. We ALMOST finished. The church was full for worship. There were more people today than I have seen, apart from the building project week. Paul preached on Hebrews; Kurt and the kids sang. I said goodbye to those I knew.
After church, Keegan, Bronwyn, and Mackenzie finished the last of the house cleaning. Just in time for supper too. To celebrate our last day here, we had a turkey dinner with the Hanthorns and Dan and Heather. I made cranberry sauce with the fresh cranberries I had received. Yum! It was all very delicious. We reminisced over our photo collection on the TV, and then the kids let off some steam with a snowball fight (even Ezra joined in).
I slipped away briefly because Rose had invited me for a last cup of tea. Then we all sat in the Hanthorns' living room and sang songs. To top it all off, Lynn and Paul and each of their children took turns telling us what they appreciated about each one of us and prayed for us individually. What an encouraging gesture and a humbling experience.
The kids filtered off to bed, and Lynn, Paul, Kurt, and I had our one and only visit together without the distractions of familial duties. It was a nice way to spend our last evening. But even good things come to an end, and we thought sleep might be in order before our departure.
Lord, I pray for the Hanthorns' ministry to continue to bear fruit, for the completion of the church building,for the strengthening of their faith and of those in their community, and for your Hand on them as they work, play, and worship. God Bless the Hanthorns.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Getting Ready to Roll
September 25-26
It’s getting close to our departure date and the packing has begun.. Chris, the police sergeant, was kind enough to let us stay in the RCMP house as long as we gave it a good clean before we left. For the past two days we have been busy in ‘our’ house, organizing our stuff and trying to clean around it in the process. No easy task. (Isn’t that right, Tanya and Cam?) I feel for Kurt. He just got back from his job on the Arctic Coast and jumped right into the chaos of our big move without so much as a breather. But he did sneak in a little nap.
Lynn invited us for supper on Friday night, which I really appreciated, so we could focus on our cleaning. Youth night followed right after our meal. I took the three ‘E’s home and Kurt stayed to watch a movie with the others. When it was over, he came back with Josiah, Diana, and Naomi, but Bronwyn, Keegan, and Mackenzie almost pulled an all-nighter. The Hanthorns told them it’s almost tradition to do so before their guests leave. But since we’re not leaving for a few days, Lynn thought they should pace themselves. “Why don’t you do half of your all-nighter tonight, and the other half tomorrow?” At least that’s what the kids said. At any rate, when Estelle finally fell asleep at 3 am, and the big guys still weren’t home, I decided to walk over to check on them. Lynn had gone to bed, forewarning my three that they had better be back on their doorstep at 3 am and not a minute later. (She drives a hard bargain, hey?) My guys were just heading out the door and we walked home together.
On Saturday, we woke up to snow on the ground and everything else. Winter has begun in Fort McPherson. Other than the snow, it was a mild, calm day. We continued cleaning, but after an exercise in futility working around our stuff, we made a quick decision to move everything in to the trailer, just before we headed to the Hanthorns for Esther’s 5th birthday party. Lynn had a houseful of people and was just waiting for the main course- from us. Kurt cooked salmon and salmon burgers for everyone and no one was the worse for waiting. We did the birthday thing- presents, cake, and games. And Josiah got some extra attention for being the birthday boy.
I had a nice visit with Mary C.and it was good to see Dan and Heather again, who are living at the Hanthorns again. The other missionaries, the Drosts, Daniel and his visiting sister, our neighbours, and some others from McPherson came too. It was amazing how we all fit inside Lynn and Paul’s house. After her house cleared, Lynn and I talked, Kurt tried to set up wireless internet for the church with Paul, and my 3 eldest continued the second half of their ‘all-nighter.’ When we do hit the road, I think there will be a lot of sleeping going on.
It’s getting close to our departure date and the packing has begun.. Chris, the police sergeant, was kind enough to let us stay in the RCMP house as long as we gave it a good clean before we left. For the past two days we have been busy in ‘our’ house, organizing our stuff and trying to clean around it in the process. No easy task. (Isn’t that right, Tanya and Cam?) I feel for Kurt. He just got back from his job on the Arctic Coast and jumped right into the chaos of our big move without so much as a breather. But he did sneak in a little nap.
Lynn invited us for supper on Friday night, which I really appreciated, so we could focus on our cleaning. Youth night followed right after our meal. I took the three ‘E’s home and Kurt stayed to watch a movie with the others. When it was over, he came back with Josiah, Diana, and Naomi, but Bronwyn, Keegan, and Mackenzie almost pulled an all-nighter. The Hanthorns told them it’s almost tradition to do so before their guests leave. But since we’re not leaving for a few days, Lynn thought they should pace themselves. “Why don’t you do half of your all-nighter tonight, and the other half tomorrow?” At least that’s what the kids said. At any rate, when Estelle finally fell asleep at 3 am, and the big guys still weren’t home, I decided to walk over to check on them. Lynn had gone to bed, forewarning my three that they had better be back on their doorstep at 3 am and not a minute later. (She drives a hard bargain, hey?) My guys were just heading out the door and we walked home together.
On Saturday, we woke up to snow on the ground and everything else. Winter has begun in Fort McPherson. Other than the snow, it was a mild, calm day. We continued cleaning, but after an exercise in futility working around our stuff, we made a quick decision to move everything in to the trailer, just before we headed to the Hanthorns for Esther’s 5th birthday party. Lynn had a houseful of people and was just waiting for the main course- from us. Kurt cooked salmon and salmon burgers for everyone and no one was the worse for waiting. We did the birthday thing- presents, cake, and games. And Josiah got some extra attention for being the birthday boy.
I had a nice visit with Mary C.and it was good to see Dan and Heather again, who are living at the Hanthorns again. The other missionaries, the Drosts, Daniel and his visiting sister, our neighbours, and some others from McPherson came too. It was amazing how we all fit inside Lynn and Paul’s house. After her house cleared, Lynn and I talked, Kurt tried to set up wireless internet for the church with Paul, and my 3 eldest continued the second half of their ‘all-nighter.’ When we do hit the road, I think there will be a lot of sleeping going on.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Double Digits
September 24
It was Josiah's tenth birthday. His birthday started off well, with his daddy being home and all. Kurt was calling Josiah's birthday "Deca-dude-da-day." Jo ate his requested breakfast-Froot Loops. I'm seriously thinking of reconsidering my "Eat whatever you want on your birthday" policy!
After breakfast, Josiah went on a scavenger hunt for his presents. Bronwyn did not disappoint. She made the hunt very hard, with some clues hidden inside hand cream containers and one was even inside a balloon. He loved it. I got him a pocket knife when I was in Dawson, which was a good thing, because he guessed what his gift was ahead of time.
Josiah got a custom made embroidered and monogrammed cap from the Tent and Canvas Shop. Naomi decided to get a bag too, since her birthday is going to be on the road. It looked like so much fun, Bronwyn decided to buy a bag for herself as well. And Kurt joined in and bought us a teepee!
Josiah kept thanking me for his birthday, and he said it was the best birthday he has ever had. He got his letter and gift inside from Grandpa on his birthday. (Good timing, Colin and Gerty!) Bronwyn also took Josiah to the Northern store and let him pick out a toy, and Keegan gave Jo his iPod. Aren't big brothers and sisters great?It doesn't get much better than that! Kenzie, Naomi, Diana, Ezra, and Evangeline blessed him in their special way as well, with encouraging notes and pictures.
The Hanthorns came over for supper and we had a steak and potato dinner. I saved the strip loin all summer so we could have it at the end. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The kids played inside and out. The festivities got a little out of hand, momentarily. Someone tripped, bonked their head, and there is now a dent in the wall in the boys' room. I guess a family of 11 people don't make the best house sitters. We played a game together, that involved racing to someone's empty seat, and it was a hoot!
Happy Double Digit Birthday, Josiah. I am so blessed to call you my son. You are a treasure from the Lord. I love you.
It was Josiah's tenth birthday. His birthday started off well, with his daddy being home and all. Kurt was calling Josiah's birthday "Deca-dude-da-day." Jo ate his requested breakfast-Froot Loops. I'm seriously thinking of reconsidering my "Eat whatever you want on your birthday" policy!
After breakfast, Josiah went on a scavenger hunt for his presents. Bronwyn did not disappoint. She made the hunt very hard, with some clues hidden inside hand cream containers and one was even inside a balloon. He loved it. I got him a pocket knife when I was in Dawson, which was a good thing, because he guessed what his gift was ahead of time.
Josiah got a custom made embroidered and monogrammed cap from the Tent and Canvas Shop. Naomi decided to get a bag too, since her birthday is going to be on the road. It looked like so much fun, Bronwyn decided to buy a bag for herself as well. And Kurt joined in and bought us a teepee!
Josiah kept thanking me for his birthday, and he said it was the best birthday he has ever had. He got his letter and gift inside from Grandpa on his birthday. (Good timing, Colin and Gerty!) Bronwyn also took Josiah to the Northern store and let him pick out a toy, and Keegan gave Jo his iPod. Aren't big brothers and sisters great?It doesn't get much better than that! Kenzie, Naomi, Diana, Ezra, and Evangeline blessed him in their special way as well, with encouraging notes and pictures.
The Hanthorns came over for supper and we had a steak and potato dinner. I saved the strip loin all summer so we could have it at the end. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The kids played inside and out. The festivities got a little out of hand, momentarily. Someone tripped, bonked their head, and there is now a dent in the wall in the boys' room. I guess a family of 11 people don't make the best house sitters. We played a game together, that involved racing to someone's empty seat, and it was a hoot!
Happy Double Digit Birthday, Josiah. I am so blessed to call you my son. You are a treasure from the Lord. I love you.
So Happy Together
September 23
Kurt called in the morning to say he was flying into Inuvik at 1:30 pm after spending the night in Yellowknife. There was a native conference in town, so all the hotels were full. Or should I say the decent ones. He got booked in a hotel room with cigarette burns in the floor, a broken down bed with springs he could feel in his back, and a noisy party next door. Kurt slept on top of the bedding because he didn’t want to risk crawling under the questionable covers. The hair on the pillow and under the sheets might have had something to do with it.
Lynn offered to come with me to Inuvik after our eventful drive from Dawson. I was grateful, especially with a baby in tow. Josiah wanted to come too. I’m sure he wanted to see his daddy, but he also offered to help out with Estelle. Awwww. The roads were rough from the start, but improved as I drove. I was still thankful for Lynn’s company, though. We had time to visit and she took the driver’s seat when Estelle got fussy. Kurt was waiting at the airport when we got there. It was so good to see him, but as soon as we were together again, it was like he had never left. We did some running around in Inuvik and it was a luxury when it was Kurt, and not I, who carried Estelle. We bought some pizza for the ride home, another luxury after living in McPherson.
When Kurt walked into the house, there was the usual tradition of card giving, hugs, and exclamations of “DADDEEEEEEEEE!” The kids gave him a tour of the house and got Kurt up to date on all their activities. But he was hard pressed to hear it all when the little ones were all talking to him simultaneously. Estelle decided to make Kurt feel really at home by keeping the two of us up until 3 am. (We found out in the morning the reason why- her second tooth broke through.)
It still hasn’t really sunk in that Kurt is done his work up here. No more 3 week stints without a husband and daddy. No more flights to and fro. No more time apart. So happy together. Now all we have to do is pack up all our belongings after 4 months of Northern living. How long do you think that will take?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Caribou!
September 21-22
Paul invited Keegan and Bronwyn to go caribou hunting on the 22nd. They were more than eager to go along. Since we did not bring all the necessary paraphenalia for keeping warm, Paul outfitted them in good, warm, winter gear. Joel was overjoyed to have his first opportunity of the season to use his Ski-doo. Annah, Judah and some friends in McPherson were also part of the hunting party.
The roads were still rough, wet, and slippery, and Paul's van and trailer got stuck on the ferry landing. Deja-vu. The trailer had to be unhitched, and after over an hour of towing and maneuvering, they crossed the river and headed south. They drove to the mountains. The wind was blowing and there was at least a foot of snow, probably more. Paul hitched a sled to the snowmobile and the hunt began. They spotted three caribou and headed in their direction. As the hunting party approached, 70 caribou came out of the bush. Joel managed to get a caribou before they all ran in different directions. Because of the delay at the ferry, they didn't have as much time to hunt as they would have liked but it was a good, successful excursion. Keegan and Bronwyn were so fatigues when they got home,, they fell into bed and I had to wait until morning to hear of their adventure.
I have to say it is interesting to witness a culture that is still very tied to the land. The people in McPherson follow the migration of the Porcupine Caribou herd, and from what I can tell, most depend on the caribou for their meat supply. When the caribou are running, the hunters are out in droves. Joel, Annah, and Ruth might even have an opportunity to go on a community hunt that is going to give all the meat to elders, single mothers, and those too ill to acquire the meat for themselves.
Many people also go and live "on the land," as it's called. During the summer months, many Gwich'in people go out into the bush and sustain themselves on whatever they can catch or pick,, sometimes for a month or two at a time.
We are learning so much! Thank God for the caribou!
Paul invited Keegan and Bronwyn to go caribou hunting on the 22nd. They were more than eager to go along. Since we did not bring all the necessary paraphenalia for keeping warm, Paul outfitted them in good, warm, winter gear. Joel was overjoyed to have his first opportunity of the season to use his Ski-doo. Annah, Judah and some friends in McPherson were also part of the hunting party.
The roads were still rough, wet, and slippery, and Paul's van and trailer got stuck on the ferry landing. Deja-vu. The trailer had to be unhitched, and after over an hour of towing and maneuvering, they crossed the river and headed south. They drove to the mountains. The wind was blowing and there was at least a foot of snow, probably more. Paul hitched a sled to the snowmobile and the hunt began. They spotted three caribou and headed in their direction. As the hunting party approached, 70 caribou came out of the bush. Joel managed to get a caribou before they all ran in different directions. Because of the delay at the ferry, they didn't have as much time to hunt as they would have liked but it was a good, successful excursion. Keegan and Bronwyn were so fatigues when they got home,, they fell into bed and I had to wait until morning to hear of their adventure.
I have to say it is interesting to witness a culture that is still very tied to the land. The people in McPherson follow the migration of the Porcupine Caribou herd, and from what I can tell, most depend on the caribou for their meat supply. When the caribou are running, the hunters are out in droves. Joel, Annah, and Ruth might even have an opportunity to go on a community hunt that is going to give all the meat to elders, single mothers, and those too ill to acquire the meat for themselves.
Many people also go and live "on the land," as it's called. During the summer months, many Gwich'in people go out into the bush and sustain themselves on whatever they can catch or pick,, sometimes for a month or two at a time.
We are learning so much! Thank God for the caribou!
Home Alone
September 16-20 (Kids’ version)
The kids had a remarkably smooth weekend without parental supervision. It was hard to leave, though. Just as I was climbing into Lynn’s van, Mackenzie came out with Evangeline, who was sobbing, “Mommeeeee! Mommeeeeee!” I gave her one last kiss and said goodbye. It was comforting to know that Paul and Heather were not far away if a need arose.
Friday must have been uneventful for my gang, because none of them seem able to recall what they did. On Saturday, Kylin, from next door came over and played for 5 hours.
On Saturday evening, the kids went over to the church to clean and set up for Sunday morning. The kids played games while Bronwyn, Ruth, and Paul practiced songs for church. Mackenzie and Keegan watched Dan mud the drywall for a while. They had a good time but their highlight was eating ice cream. Diana bought ice cream with her birthday money from Grandpa to share with her friends. She had $50 to spend. Three 2L tubs and a container of gummy worms later, her money was all spent. Paul smeared ice cream on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, and warned the kids not to get ice cream on their faces. Then, Paul licked out his bowl and said to Evangeline, “Now, Evangeline, don’t lick your bowl like I am.” Bronwyn, Mackenzie, and Diana stayed a little longer to clean up after their ‘party’ and Keegan, bless his heart, took the little guys home and gave them baths.
My troop walked to church on Sunday morning through the snow. Ruth and Mackenzie made pancakes for the Sunday School. Evangeline walked up to Paul and said, “My mommy is gone. My daddy is gone.” It’s like a cry for help, don’t you think? Bronwyn said Ezra and Evangeline have never been so well-behaved during church. With no Mommy around, there was no lap to fight over and they cuddled with Keegan and Mackenzie. Instead of a sermon, Paul and Dan shared how God has been working in their lives. Dan explained how God orchestrated his move to McPherson with Heather and Ruth. Paul shared a story as well.
“Two years ago,” Paul said (or something to the effect), “Someone invited me to their church down south to share our plans for building a church. I didn’t know what to say, but I told them what I could. When I finished, all in attendance seemed very interested and asked what they could do to help. They were instrumental in the building of this church. If it hadn’t been for them…” While Bronwyn was listening, she was thinking, “Wow, that sounds like a great church. ” Then Paul said, “It was the Kures’ church, Kurt was the one who invited me, and Michele and Les were at the meeting.” (Were you there too, Elbert?) Bronwyn was, needless to say, very surprised. Lynn and I were talking this week, as well, and she said that if it hadn’t been for Sarah’s bout with cancer, Paul wouldn’t even have been there. God can certainly work ALL things for the good to those who love Him!
After church, Mackenzie, Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra went to the neighbours’ house for Rayden’s birthday. They had a great time with all the food, goodie bags, and games. Inge told me later that Ezra spent most of his time chatting with her at the kitchen table. That’s my boy….
When I got home after midnight, everyone was still up except for Ezra and Diana. There were hugs all around and we stayed up even later to talk and catch up. There’s no place like home….even when you’re not at ‘home.’
The kids had a remarkably smooth weekend without parental supervision. It was hard to leave, though. Just as I was climbing into Lynn’s van, Mackenzie came out with Evangeline, who was sobbing, “Mommeeeee! Mommeeeeee!” I gave her one last kiss and said goodbye. It was comforting to know that Paul and Heather were not far away if a need arose.
Friday must have been uneventful for my gang, because none of them seem able to recall what they did. On Saturday, Kylin, from next door came over and played for 5 hours.
On Saturday evening, the kids went over to the church to clean and set up for Sunday morning. The kids played games while Bronwyn, Ruth, and Paul practiced songs for church. Mackenzie and Keegan watched Dan mud the drywall for a while. They had a good time but their highlight was eating ice cream. Diana bought ice cream with her birthday money from Grandpa to share with her friends. She had $50 to spend. Three 2L tubs and a container of gummy worms later, her money was all spent. Paul smeared ice cream on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, and warned the kids not to get ice cream on their faces. Then, Paul licked out his bowl and said to Evangeline, “Now, Evangeline, don’t lick your bowl like I am.” Bronwyn, Mackenzie, and Diana stayed a little longer to clean up after their ‘party’ and Keegan, bless his heart, took the little guys home and gave them baths.
My troop walked to church on Sunday morning through the snow. Ruth and Mackenzie made pancakes for the Sunday School. Evangeline walked up to Paul and said, “My mommy is gone. My daddy is gone.” It’s like a cry for help, don’t you think? Bronwyn said Ezra and Evangeline have never been so well-behaved during church. With no Mommy around, there was no lap to fight over and they cuddled with Keegan and Mackenzie. Instead of a sermon, Paul and Dan shared how God has been working in their lives. Dan explained how God orchestrated his move to McPherson with Heather and Ruth. Paul shared a story as well.
“Two years ago,” Paul said (or something to the effect), “Someone invited me to their church down south to share our plans for building a church. I didn’t know what to say, but I told them what I could. When I finished, all in attendance seemed very interested and asked what they could do to help. They were instrumental in the building of this church. If it hadn’t been for them…” While Bronwyn was listening, she was thinking, “Wow, that sounds like a great church. ” Then Paul said, “It was the Kures’ church, Kurt was the one who invited me, and Michele and Les were at the meeting.” (Were you there too, Elbert?) Bronwyn was, needless to say, very surprised. Lynn and I were talking this week, as well, and she said that if it hadn’t been for Sarah’s bout with cancer, Paul wouldn’t even have been there. God can certainly work ALL things for the good to those who love Him!
After church, Mackenzie, Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra went to the neighbours’ house for Rayden’s birthday. They had a great time with all the food, goodie bags, and games. Inge told me later that Ezra spent most of his time chatting with her at the kitchen table. That’s my boy….
When I got home after midnight, everyone was still up except for Ezra and Diana. There were hugs all around and we stayed up even later to talk and catch up. There’s no place like home….even when you’re not at ‘home.’
Monday, September 21, 2009
Have No Fear
September 16-20
Yes, we’re still alive and kicking. After a week of focusing on school, I went to a Ladies’ Retreat in Dawson City for 3 days. I left a schedule and chore list for the kids, and with some trepidation, Estelle and I climbed into Lynn’s van with 11 other ladies on Friday morning. It had rained all night, and the roads were a mix of mud and slush. We hit a snowstorm and we crawled along. After a lot of fish-tailing and one hair-raising slide sideways, we made the 2 hour drive to Eagle Plains in 4 hours. The road eventually improved, and we reached our destination, 10 hours after our departure. PTL!
I had a great time, and enjoyed being with the other ladies. The topics for the weekend were issues that all women face, personally or by extension- low self-esteem, depression, and fear and anxiety. Lynn, Sarah, Annah, their friend, Charmaine, and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. I also enjoyed getting to know the Gwich’in ladies from McPherson. Caroline and Mary F. were elders, very quiet and very sweet, and neither one even made a peep when the van went out of control. (Lynn said in past years, some of the older ladies had never been past Eagle Plains.) Rosemary sat beside me on the drive to and fro, and the ladies all made fun of me when I was the only one who turned down Rosemary’s offer of a hardtack biscuit with butter. I found out you should not refuse a gesture of generosity! Annie and Mary M., bought Estelle a few things from a Dawson thrift shop, and Mary M. often had a joke for me. I got a homemade Gwich’in bonnet from Olive. Mary C. helped with the driving and I really enjoyed her company. There were other ladies attending from Whitehorse and Dawson, including the pastor’s wife, Maria, who met my oldest four at camp.
In our spare time, we went to the farmer’s market, and bought some fresh produce. Garden veggies are a treat wherever you are, but in the North, they are a treasure! We did some shopping around town, too, and it’s not a trip to Dawson until some placer gold jewellery has been purchased. We did not stay for the church service on Sunday morning, because on the phone, Paul told Lynn it had been snowing since we left and we might be hard pressed to make the ferry otherwise. So we hit the road.
Mary C. drove 5 hours to Eagle Plains and the roads were not too bad, but it was cold, windy, and snow covered everything. Lynn’s stretch of road was more precarious. Ruts, potholes, slush, wind and snow were the order of the day. I was riding in the back of Lynn’s 15 passenger van (a new perspective for me) and my body was rattled like a paint can in a mixer. Near the border, we saw a black wolf, standing in sharp contrast with the snow. A little further on, we saw men from McPherson with the spoils from their hunting trip. They had three caribou lined up in the snow and they were pulling them behind their snowmobile! I got out to take a picture. Or should I say 10 pictures, because I really wanted to get a good shot. Unfortunately, I did not notice the dial on my camera had been switched, and not a single photograph turned out. I was so disappointed. But it was neat to see. We made it to the ferry, and we were all so relieved to be in the homestretch.
But our trip wasn’t over yet. There had been so much rain and snow, the river was higher than usual. The ferry hands had considered closing the ferry temporarily but they wanted to keep it open for the many hunters who were out. They had just made new landings shortly before our arrival. Some of the ladies were alarmed by the water we could see on either side of the landing. Lynn approached the ferry, and we were soon stuck in the soft gravel. The caribou hunters were behind us and tried to tow us out, but we didn’t budge. So Morris, the ferry hand, pulled us out with the loader, resurfaced the landing, and he got in the driver’s seat to give it another go. He gunned it, and….we got stuck again. By this time, some of the ladies were burying their heads in their arms and grasping their seats. The loader pulled us out again, resurfaced again, and then Morris let the caribou hunters try to board the ferry. They revved up their 4X4 truck and were successful. They called out to Morris, “That van must be loaded!” Morris replied, “Ya, I think there are about 500 women in there!” Morris got in the van a second time, took the landing at high speed, and we were ABOARD! We all cheered and clapped to express our thanks.
We seemed to be in the clear, until we saw the landing on the other side. There was as much water as gravel. Morris stepped on the gas. Rosemary shut her eyes and turned her head. We sped down the ramp and-URCH!- we got stuck on the other side! But because of Morris’ forethought, the caribou hunters towed us off the landing in short order. We were soon back in McPherson, thankful to God for his provision and our safe arrival. And the ground under my feet has never felt so good.
Lynn dropped me off at 12:30 am, and most of the kids were up to greet me. At least their weekend went smoothly, but maybe I’ll save that for another day. God is good….ALL THE TIME.
Yes, we’re still alive and kicking. After a week of focusing on school, I went to a Ladies’ Retreat in Dawson City for 3 days. I left a schedule and chore list for the kids, and with some trepidation, Estelle and I climbed into Lynn’s van with 11 other ladies on Friday morning. It had rained all night, and the roads were a mix of mud and slush. We hit a snowstorm and we crawled along. After a lot of fish-tailing and one hair-raising slide sideways, we made the 2 hour drive to Eagle Plains in 4 hours. The road eventually improved, and we reached our destination, 10 hours after our departure. PTL!
I had a great time, and enjoyed being with the other ladies. The topics for the weekend were issues that all women face, personally or by extension- low self-esteem, depression, and fear and anxiety. Lynn, Sarah, Annah, their friend, Charmaine, and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. I also enjoyed getting to know the Gwich’in ladies from McPherson. Caroline and Mary F. were elders, very quiet and very sweet, and neither one even made a peep when the van went out of control. (Lynn said in past years, some of the older ladies had never been past Eagle Plains.) Rosemary sat beside me on the drive to and fro, and the ladies all made fun of me when I was the only one who turned down Rosemary’s offer of a hardtack biscuit with butter. I found out you should not refuse a gesture of generosity! Annie and Mary M., bought Estelle a few things from a Dawson thrift shop, and Mary M. often had a joke for me. I got a homemade Gwich’in bonnet from Olive. Mary C. helped with the driving and I really enjoyed her company. There were other ladies attending from Whitehorse and Dawson, including the pastor’s wife, Maria, who met my oldest four at camp.
In our spare time, we went to the farmer’s market, and bought some fresh produce. Garden veggies are a treat wherever you are, but in the North, they are a treasure! We did some shopping around town, too, and it’s not a trip to Dawson until some placer gold jewellery has been purchased. We did not stay for the church service on Sunday morning, because on the phone, Paul told Lynn it had been snowing since we left and we might be hard pressed to make the ferry otherwise. So we hit the road.
Mary C. drove 5 hours to Eagle Plains and the roads were not too bad, but it was cold, windy, and snow covered everything. Lynn’s stretch of road was more precarious. Ruts, potholes, slush, wind and snow were the order of the day. I was riding in the back of Lynn’s 15 passenger van (a new perspective for me) and my body was rattled like a paint can in a mixer. Near the border, we saw a black wolf, standing in sharp contrast with the snow. A little further on, we saw men from McPherson with the spoils from their hunting trip. They had three caribou lined up in the snow and they were pulling them behind their snowmobile! I got out to take a picture. Or should I say 10 pictures, because I really wanted to get a good shot. Unfortunately, I did not notice the dial on my camera had been switched, and not a single photograph turned out. I was so disappointed. But it was neat to see. We made it to the ferry, and we were all so relieved to be in the homestretch.
But our trip wasn’t over yet. There had been so much rain and snow, the river was higher than usual. The ferry hands had considered closing the ferry temporarily but they wanted to keep it open for the many hunters who were out. They had just made new landings shortly before our arrival. Some of the ladies were alarmed by the water we could see on either side of the landing. Lynn approached the ferry, and we were soon stuck in the soft gravel. The caribou hunters were behind us and tried to tow us out, but we didn’t budge. So Morris, the ferry hand, pulled us out with the loader, resurfaced the landing, and he got in the driver’s seat to give it another go. He gunned it, and….we got stuck again. By this time, some of the ladies were burying their heads in their arms and grasping their seats. The loader pulled us out again, resurfaced again, and then Morris let the caribou hunters try to board the ferry. They revved up their 4X4 truck and were successful. They called out to Morris, “That van must be loaded!” Morris replied, “Ya, I think there are about 500 women in there!” Morris got in the van a second time, took the landing at high speed, and we were ABOARD! We all cheered and clapped to express our thanks.
We seemed to be in the clear, until we saw the landing on the other side. There was as much water as gravel. Morris stepped on the gas. Rosemary shut her eyes and turned her head. We sped down the ramp and-URCH!- we got stuck on the other side! But because of Morris’ forethought, the caribou hunters towed us off the landing in short order. We were soon back in McPherson, thankful to God for his provision and our safe arrival. And the ground under my feet has never felt so good.
Lynn dropped me off at 12:30 am, and most of the kids were up to greet me. At least their weekend went smoothly, but maybe I’ll save that for another day. God is good….ALL THE TIME.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Double Vision
September 14-15
Bronwyn has been playing my double. She was mistaken for me twice today. One of them invited her to a feast following a funeral. (From what I've seen, meals after funerals are usually public affairs, and anyone is welcome.) Then another lady thanked Bronwyn for helping her with a health issue. Bronwyn replied, "Uh, you must be talking about my mom. I'm her daughter." To top it off, someone saw her walking out of the RCMP compound and asked her if she was the wife of a new police officer in town. She finds it all rather funny, but a little disconcerting.
School is now in full swing and takes up much of each day. Naomi is on fire for reading and has surpassed all my expectations. She read 10 books in one sitting, two days running. The only thing that might hold her back is her mother, who's not sure she can keep it up every day, with 8 other people needing attention and...the occasional meal. Especially when Josiah wants to read to me one to two hours every night. What a wonderful problem for a homeschooling mother to have!
Estelle is coming into her own. She is crawling everywhere. She managed to find the garbage can in the bathroom, emptied its contents, fished out the remains of a cookie, and sucked on the fruits of her labor. It was like she had radar or something! Evangeline was hard pressed to eat a gummy bear I rewarded her, because Estelle kept trying to push her fingers into Evangeline's mouth to retrieve it for her own enjoyment. For fear of talking too much about the mundane activities of our lives, I will say no more. But it's all in a day's work.
Bronwyn has been playing my double. She was mistaken for me twice today. One of them invited her to a feast following a funeral. (From what I've seen, meals after funerals are usually public affairs, and anyone is welcome.) Then another lady thanked Bronwyn for helping her with a health issue. Bronwyn replied, "Uh, you must be talking about my mom. I'm her daughter." To top it off, someone saw her walking out of the RCMP compound and asked her if she was the wife of a new police officer in town. She finds it all rather funny, but a little disconcerting.
School is now in full swing and takes up much of each day. Naomi is on fire for reading and has surpassed all my expectations. She read 10 books in one sitting, two days running. The only thing that might hold her back is her mother, who's not sure she can keep it up every day, with 8 other people needing attention and...the occasional meal. Especially when Josiah wants to read to me one to two hours every night. What a wonderful problem for a homeschooling mother to have!
Estelle is coming into her own. She is crawling everywhere. She managed to find the garbage can in the bathroom, emptied its contents, fished out the remains of a cookie, and sucked on the fruits of her labor. It was like she had radar or something! Evangeline was hard pressed to eat a gummy bear I rewarded her, because Estelle kept trying to push her fingers into Evangeline's mouth to retrieve it for her own enjoyment. For fear of talking too much about the mundane activities of our lives, I will say no more. But it's all in a day's work.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Fox on the Run
Sept 12
Saturday morning, Keegan and Bronwyn helped the Hanthorns cut ski trails. We had a knock on our door at 11 am. The kids next door, Rayden and Kylin, invited my little guys to play. Inge, their mother, said she had to hold them off, otherwise they would have been knocking on our door MUCH earlier. Other than the trailcutters, my whole kit and kaboodle ended up playing in their house and Inge and I had a visit.
Before the Hanthorns showed up for Diana’s birthday celebration, I was determined to walk down to the river to take some pictures. It was such a beautiful day and I thought it might be my last chance. It was a rushed walk but I got my photos, though the beautiful autumn leaves had mostly fallen to the ground.
The Hanthorns arrived and I experienced a hostess’ nightmare. Because I am not completely familiar with my surroundings, I set the stove to 350, thinking that was all that was required, but I neglected to push the very necessary START button. Needless to say, they showed up and our food was not cooked. OOPS! So everyone played games and read our books while we waited for our enchiladas to bake. No harm done and nobody wasted away. It was nice to be able to invite them to ‘our’ house.
Church was good, though I was preoccupied with children for most of it. Immediately after,it was the Terry Fox Run to 8 Mile. It was so cold and breezy, Lynn and I decided to each stay home with our little gaffers. Keegan and Bronwyn ran with Sarah, Annah, Joel, and Ruth. They both said it was easier than last time they did it. Woohoo! Mackenzie and Josiah biked with Judah. They were rewarded at the end with free burgers. We finished off the day with games at the Hanthorns. I tried to call Kurt and missed him again. Better luck tomorrow.
Saturday morning, Keegan and Bronwyn helped the Hanthorns cut ski trails. We had a knock on our door at 11 am. The kids next door, Rayden and Kylin, invited my little guys to play. Inge, their mother, said she had to hold them off, otherwise they would have been knocking on our door MUCH earlier. Other than the trailcutters, my whole kit and kaboodle ended up playing in their house and Inge and I had a visit.
Before the Hanthorns showed up for Diana’s birthday celebration, I was determined to walk down to the river to take some pictures. It was such a beautiful day and I thought it might be my last chance. It was a rushed walk but I got my photos, though the beautiful autumn leaves had mostly fallen to the ground.
The Hanthorns arrived and I experienced a hostess’ nightmare. Because I am not completely familiar with my surroundings, I set the stove to 350, thinking that was all that was required, but I neglected to push the very necessary START button. Needless to say, they showed up and our food was not cooked. OOPS! So everyone played games and read our books while we waited for our enchiladas to bake. No harm done and nobody wasted away. It was nice to be able to invite them to ‘our’ house.
Church was good, though I was preoccupied with children for most of it. Immediately after,it was the Terry Fox Run to 8 Mile. It was so cold and breezy, Lynn and I decided to each stay home with our little gaffers. Keegan and Bronwyn ran with Sarah, Annah, Joel, and Ruth. They both said it was easier than last time they did it. Woohoo! Mackenzie and Josiah biked with Judah. They were rewarded at the end with free burgers. We finished off the day with games at the Hanthorns. I tried to call Kurt and missed him again. Better luck tomorrow.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A D-lighful Day
September 11
Today was Diana's eighth birthday. After she went to bed last night, Kenzie hung streamers, Bronwyn made clues for a treasure hunt, and we all wrote cards and drew pictures and compiled them into 'Diana's Birthday Book.' Diana was the last one to get up so we had lots of time to get our surprises together. Even Evangeline drew a picture for Diana.
We had her favorite 'boxed cereal'( a real novelty for our family) for breakfast-Corn Pops. I didn't even know she had ever tried them before. She didn't ask for them, but I thought I would surprise her, because she wouldn't expect to get junk food like that from me. I always let the kids choose their meals for their birthday so they usually take advantage of the opportunity to eat foods that make me shudder.
She read her birthday book, and followed Bronwyn's clues to find presents from her two big sisters. Then I took her alone to the Tent and Canvas Shop. She had no idea where we were going. She picked out her own tote bag, chose an embroidery pattern and the font for her monogram, and then watched Calvin personalize her bag. She really enjoyed it, and I must say she made good choices. It looks amazing!
Judah ran over to say Kurt was on the phone. Diana and I ran to the Hanthorns but we missed the call. At least Paul got to talk to Kurt for 15 minutes of so. We called Kurt back, and Diana did get a chance to receive birthday wishes from her daddy.
To add to her day, Diana received two birthday presents in the mail. Grandpa sent his traditional card and money, which the kids always enjoy receiving. Diana made a nice pose for you.
She also received some cake decorating supplies in the mail. (Thanks, Tim and Lori!) It was such a timely gift. I had made an extra cake, so we decided to let the kids personalize their own piece of cake. Judah, Jesse, and Esther joined in the fun, as did the neighbors, Rayden and Kylynn. Then they played in the yard, ate some more and we finished off her special day with a movie.
I love my little 'D.' Happy Birthday, Diana. I love you.
Today was Diana's eighth birthday. After she went to bed last night, Kenzie hung streamers, Bronwyn made clues for a treasure hunt, and we all wrote cards and drew pictures and compiled them into 'Diana's Birthday Book.' Diana was the last one to get up so we had lots of time to get our surprises together. Even Evangeline drew a picture for Diana.
We had her favorite 'boxed cereal'( a real novelty for our family) for breakfast-Corn Pops. I didn't even know she had ever tried them before. She didn't ask for them, but I thought I would surprise her, because she wouldn't expect to get junk food like that from me. I always let the kids choose their meals for their birthday so they usually take advantage of the opportunity to eat foods that make me shudder.
She read her birthday book, and followed Bronwyn's clues to find presents from her two big sisters. Then I took her alone to the Tent and Canvas Shop. She had no idea where we were going. She picked out her own tote bag, chose an embroidery pattern and the font for her monogram, and then watched Calvin personalize her bag. She really enjoyed it, and I must say she made good choices. It looks amazing!
Judah ran over to say Kurt was on the phone. Diana and I ran to the Hanthorns but we missed the call. At least Paul got to talk to Kurt for 15 minutes of so. We called Kurt back, and Diana did get a chance to receive birthday wishes from her daddy.
To add to her day, Diana received two birthday presents in the mail. Grandpa sent his traditional card and money, which the kids always enjoy receiving. Diana made a nice pose for you.
She also received some cake decorating supplies in the mail. (Thanks, Tim and Lori!) It was such a timely gift. I had made an extra cake, so we decided to let the kids personalize their own piece of cake. Judah, Jesse, and Esther joined in the fun, as did the neighbors, Rayden and Kylynn. Then they played in the yard, ate some more and we finished off her special day with a movie.
I love my little 'D.' Happy Birthday, Diana. I love you.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
News from Here AND Home
September 8-10
Looks like it was my turn to get some news.I have a new nephew- Jedidiah James Branson!! Congratulations Keith and Merryl, Jessie, Jacob, Rebekah, Gabrielle, and Maria! Can't wait to see your little baby boy! Are you trying to get us to come home or something?
Anyways..
Lynn and I started meeting in the mornings before the kids wake up to read the bible and pray together. It’s a nice quiet time, and a good way to start the day. I see the sun rise as I walk over to her house.
With the cooler fall weather, the bugs have dissipated, so we take our walks down in the river valley. It’s beautiful. One of these times, I’m going to remember my camera! There are lots of trails cut in the trees and along the water. It reminds me a lot of the River Farm at home. The kids run ahead, looking for the next great discovery. Unless, of course, they fall behind because they have found, yet again, the perfect walking stick. With Josiah, Judah, and Jesse along, you can be sure there is lots of ‘bush-whacking’ going on. Two sticks (one of them Josiah’s) made contact with Esther’s head on one outing, and that put an end to the stick-toting.
Lynn invited the kids over to do an autumn activity. We gathered leaves outside until everyone’s paper bag was full. We ironed the leaves flat, the kids glued them down and –VOILA- they each had their own placemat. They were all very proud of their creations. Keegan and Bronwyn also enjoyed the weather by running with Annah and Ruth.
Mackenzie stayed at the house because she was determined to finish reading The Lord of the Rings. And she did. She read the third book, The Return of the King in one day! I love The Lord of the Rings. Good is good, evil is evil, and good wins in the end. And LOTR has made readers out of Keegan, and now Mackenzie, and as a homeschooling mother, that is worth its weight in gold. Before summer, Mackenzie didn’t like to read a book unless she could finish it in one sitting. I think it’s safe to say she’s converted!
After their run, Keegan and Bronwyn wanted to bike, so they went to ask Lynn if her girls could go. Lynn asked, “Well, how hard are you going to go?” Bronwyn, from past experience, knew that when the Hanthorns train, Lynn likes them to push themselves. So to increase her chances of a positive response, Bronwyn replied, “Really hard.”
Lynn said, “Are you sure? Really hard?”
“Yes,” Bronwyn confirmed.
What Bronwyn didn’t realize was Lynn asked the question because Ruth did NOT want to go if they were going to go hard. The girls were on a juice cleanse and were not feeling too energetic. Plus, they’d already done their training with their run. Biking was just extra.
“Oh, well if you’re going hard, I don’t think Ruth wants to go then.”
Of course, Bronwyn was more than willing to have a more leisurely ride, “Well, Lynn, if it’s okay with you, we could go at a slower pace.”
So they went. And to top it off, Keegan went biking again with Joel when they got back.
In other news, Estelle is on the move. She gets on her hands and knees now, and can move herself along the floor. Having all the space, and some carpet, at the RCMP house, has made it easier for her, I think. She can sit herself up from lying down, and for the first time, she pulled herself up to stand at the windowsill on my bed.
Today, Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana went to an assembly at the school. The 2008 Canadian female Olympic gold medalist for wrestling did a presentation. She used Joel as her guinea pig to demonstrate her wrestling moves. They really enjoyed it. It’s amazing to be so far away from home, in such a little hamlet, and we’ve had so many opportunities to experience so many things. I am so thankful.
Looks like it was my turn to get some news.I have a new nephew- Jedidiah James Branson!! Congratulations Keith and Merryl, Jessie, Jacob, Rebekah, Gabrielle, and Maria! Can't wait to see your little baby boy! Are you trying to get us to come home or something?
Anyways..
Lynn and I started meeting in the mornings before the kids wake up to read the bible and pray together. It’s a nice quiet time, and a good way to start the day. I see the sun rise as I walk over to her house.
With the cooler fall weather, the bugs have dissipated, so we take our walks down in the river valley. It’s beautiful. One of these times, I’m going to remember my camera! There are lots of trails cut in the trees and along the water. It reminds me a lot of the River Farm at home. The kids run ahead, looking for the next great discovery. Unless, of course, they fall behind because they have found, yet again, the perfect walking stick. With Josiah, Judah, and Jesse along, you can be sure there is lots of ‘bush-whacking’ going on. Two sticks (one of them Josiah’s) made contact with Esther’s head on one outing, and that put an end to the stick-toting.
Lynn invited the kids over to do an autumn activity. We gathered leaves outside until everyone’s paper bag was full. We ironed the leaves flat, the kids glued them down and –VOILA- they each had their own placemat. They were all very proud of their creations. Keegan and Bronwyn also enjoyed the weather by running with Annah and Ruth.
Mackenzie stayed at the house because she was determined to finish reading The Lord of the Rings. And she did. She read the third book, The Return of the King in one day! I love The Lord of the Rings. Good is good, evil is evil, and good wins in the end. And LOTR has made readers out of Keegan, and now Mackenzie, and as a homeschooling mother, that is worth its weight in gold. Before summer, Mackenzie didn’t like to read a book unless she could finish it in one sitting. I think it’s safe to say she’s converted!
After their run, Keegan and Bronwyn wanted to bike, so they went to ask Lynn if her girls could go. Lynn asked, “Well, how hard are you going to go?” Bronwyn, from past experience, knew that when the Hanthorns train, Lynn likes them to push themselves. So to increase her chances of a positive response, Bronwyn replied, “Really hard.”
Lynn said, “Are you sure? Really hard?”
“Yes,” Bronwyn confirmed.
What Bronwyn didn’t realize was Lynn asked the question because Ruth did NOT want to go if they were going to go hard. The girls were on a juice cleanse and were not feeling too energetic. Plus, they’d already done their training with their run. Biking was just extra.
“Oh, well if you’re going hard, I don’t think Ruth wants to go then.”
Of course, Bronwyn was more than willing to have a more leisurely ride, “Well, Lynn, if it’s okay with you, we could go at a slower pace.”
So they went. And to top it off, Keegan went biking again with Joel when they got back.
In other news, Estelle is on the move. She gets on her hands and knees now, and can move herself along the floor. Having all the space, and some carpet, at the RCMP house, has made it easier for her, I think. She can sit herself up from lying down, and for the first time, she pulled herself up to stand at the windowsill on my bed.
Today, Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana went to an assembly at the school. The 2008 Canadian female Olympic gold medalist for wrestling did a presentation. She used Joel as her guinea pig to demonstrate her wrestling moves. They really enjoyed it. It’s amazing to be so far away from home, in such a little hamlet, and we’ve had so many opportunities to experience so many things. I am so thankful.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Road Trip
September 6-7
Bronwyn and Keegan have had some new opportunities to work on their fitness. On Saturday, they went for a run with the HB4 (Hanthorn Big 4), led by Leonard, who is married to Carol, one of the nurses here in town. Leonard is a serious runner. He lives in New York, and has done Olympic time trials. He was raring to take the kids out and he had a route all planned out in his head, involving interval training. They ran for one hour and fifteen minutes. Keegan said it was the most tired he has ever been, and Bronwyn’s quads were so sore, she was walking like a duck to relieve her discomfort. But I’m so proud of them. It has been such a blessing for them to take part in the Hanthorns’ training schedule (They are preparing for the Arctic Winter Games in March).
They had their ‘day of rest’ on Sunday and it was a good thing because on Monday, they went on another excursion. That morning,we woke up to a cool day. It was just above freezing. Bronwyn and Keegan went for a bike ride with Sarah, Joel, Annah, and Ruth. They put on layers, hats on their heads, and gloves on their hands(or in Bronwyn's case, socks). They biked all the way to Tsiigehtchic, a 60 km trip.
Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra did not want to come along to pick up the cyclists. Our new ‘home’ is a novelty and they wanted to stay and play. Mackenzie jumped at the opportunity to babysit. With two older siblings, she doesn’t get as many chances as she’d like to be in charge. I warned her. “ I’ll be gone about 3 hours. I have no phone. What would you do if you had a problem?” She replied, “Mom we’re living with the police. I’ll be fine.”
I took Estelle and Evangeline in the van and they both slept the whole way. We stopped once so Lynn could pick up Judah and Jesse. They had gone on a shorter bike ride. Then,Lynn and I checked on the other cyclists, en route, and then drove ahead to meet them at Tsiigehtchic. When we arrived,the Mackenzie ferry was docked on our side, ready to load vehicles. The sight made me want to laugh. I’ve reached the river crossing countless times, and the ferry has NEVER been docked on my side ready to take me aboard. Not even once. The wait can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Today, the only day I wasn’t crossing the river, I could have driven on board with no wait at all. It would have been-dare I say-exhilarating. Well, at least, very satisfying.
When we got to Tsiigehtchic,, Evangeline woke up, looked around with sleepy eyes and asked, ”Mom, are we at the ferry? Are we going on the ferry?” We’ve now been here long enough for even our two-year old to be familiar with the surroundings.
The cyclists did great and reached their destination in three hours. They were still all smiles as they rode up to the ferry dock. After biking to Midway earlier this summer on the hills in the rain, they found the distance much easier, even though it was longer. We had a snack, and headed back, with Bronwyn in the driver's seat. When we returned, Mackenzie asked why we were back so soon. So a good day was had by all.
Bronwyn and Keegan have had some new opportunities to work on their fitness. On Saturday, they went for a run with the HB4 (Hanthorn Big 4), led by Leonard, who is married to Carol, one of the nurses here in town. Leonard is a serious runner. He lives in New York, and has done Olympic time trials. He was raring to take the kids out and he had a route all planned out in his head, involving interval training. They ran for one hour and fifteen minutes. Keegan said it was the most tired he has ever been, and Bronwyn’s quads were so sore, she was walking like a duck to relieve her discomfort. But I’m so proud of them. It has been such a blessing for them to take part in the Hanthorns’ training schedule (They are preparing for the Arctic Winter Games in March).
They had their ‘day of rest’ on Sunday and it was a good thing because on Monday, they went on another excursion. That morning,we woke up to a cool day. It was just above freezing. Bronwyn and Keegan went for a bike ride with Sarah, Joel, Annah, and Ruth. They put on layers, hats on their heads, and gloves on their hands(or in Bronwyn's case, socks). They biked all the way to Tsiigehtchic, a 60 km trip.
Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra did not want to come along to pick up the cyclists. Our new ‘home’ is a novelty and they wanted to stay and play. Mackenzie jumped at the opportunity to babysit. With two older siblings, she doesn’t get as many chances as she’d like to be in charge. I warned her. “ I’ll be gone about 3 hours. I have no phone. What would you do if you had a problem?” She replied, “Mom we’re living with the police. I’ll be fine.”
I took Estelle and Evangeline in the van and they both slept the whole way. We stopped once so Lynn could pick up Judah and Jesse. They had gone on a shorter bike ride. Then,Lynn and I checked on the other cyclists, en route, and then drove ahead to meet them at Tsiigehtchic. When we arrived,the Mackenzie ferry was docked on our side, ready to load vehicles. The sight made me want to laugh. I’ve reached the river crossing countless times, and the ferry has NEVER been docked on my side ready to take me aboard. Not even once. The wait can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Today, the only day I wasn’t crossing the river, I could have driven on board with no wait at all. It would have been-dare I say-exhilarating. Well, at least, very satisfying.
When we got to Tsiigehtchic,, Evangeline woke up, looked around with sleepy eyes and asked, ”Mom, are we at the ferry? Are we going on the ferry?” We’ve now been here long enough for even our two-year old to be familiar with the surroundings.
The cyclists did great and reached their destination in three hours. They were still all smiles as they rode up to the ferry dock. After biking to Midway earlier this summer on the hills in the rain, they found the distance much easier, even though it was longer. We had a snack, and headed back, with Bronwyn in the driver's seat. When we returned, Mackenzie asked why we were back so soon. So a good day was had by all.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
New Neighbours
September 4-5
First, the church update. The plumbers left after installing remaining fixtures and stalls in the bathrooms. They are fully functional now. They did tremendous work on the heating system, but they think they punctured a pipe with a nail somewhere. Trying to find the hole will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, so please pray for their situation. Dan has been mudding in the apartment and painting can probably begin there on Monday. Paul painted the sanctuary just in time to officiate Saturday afternoon at the first wedding to be held in the church. It was a public wedding, we found out later. We missed it. Lynn, Heather, and I had gone for a walk with our kids.
Judah did a good turn for us the other day. I was in the trailer when I heard him say, “Hey, where are you going with that wheel?”
I went out the door and there were three young boys on bikes, one with our buggy wheel tucked under his arm.
The boy with the wheel said, “It’s mine.”
Judah: “Then where is the wheel that was under the Kure’s trailer a minute ago.”
Wheel-holder: “ I don’t know.”
Judah: “Well, it’s not yours. Give it back.”
Wheel-holder: “ But it’ll fit my sister’s bike”.
I interjected: “That doesn’t mean you should take something that does not belong to you. Can I please have my wheel back.”
Now, I have assumed that when a guilty party is caught red-handed, their next course of action is usually escape. You know, drop the incriminating item and make a run for it. (Like that bunch of guys caught at the ferry). However, that was not the case in this instance. The boy looked me in the eye and said, “Well, then , how much will you sell it to me for?”
Needless to say, it was not for sale, and the boys went home wheel-less. And I thanked Judah for interceding for us.
In seemingly unrelated news, we moved out of the Hanthorns yard. We all loved being so close to the Hanthorns, but I do believe we were a strain on their water supply . And with us, the Sachs mission men, and the plumbers, the Hanthorns had 17(?) extra people coming in and out of their house for a whole week. They were so gracious. Our trailer is still parked beside their house, locked up with the buggy wheel INSIDE. We moved all our belongings to-can you guess?-a house in the RCMP compound.
Last month, while we were still at the daycare, Chris, police sergeant and friend of the Hanthorns, told us one of their houses would be available on September 5. He offered it to us then, before we even mentioned our coming need. I happily accepted. I am so thankful and amazed by God’s provision. We trust God to meet our needs, and He answers us exceedingly and abundantly greater than we can even imagine. The house has three bedrooms, WITH furniture. The kids thought it was as big as our house. And like the other administrative buildings in McPhoo, the RCMP houses are connected to the utilidor, which means we have an unlimited water supply. Oh, happy day!
I can be content in plenty or in want, but it sure was nice to have a shower. I hadn’t had one in 6 days. Should I be admitting that? Anyways, our first night in, everyone had a bath, and I did three loads of laundry. Water MUST be one of God’s most glorious creations.
There is even another unexpected benefit of living in an RCMP compound. With a chain-link fence around the compound, and police vehicles and uniformed officers about, methinks there will be no more ‘borrowing’ of wheels or any other Kure belongings anymore. Just a guess….
First, the church update. The plumbers left after installing remaining fixtures and stalls in the bathrooms. They are fully functional now. They did tremendous work on the heating system, but they think they punctured a pipe with a nail somewhere. Trying to find the hole will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, so please pray for their situation. Dan has been mudding in the apartment and painting can probably begin there on Monday. Paul painted the sanctuary just in time to officiate Saturday afternoon at the first wedding to be held in the church. It was a public wedding, we found out later. We missed it. Lynn, Heather, and I had gone for a walk with our kids.
Judah did a good turn for us the other day. I was in the trailer when I heard him say, “Hey, where are you going with that wheel?”
I went out the door and there were three young boys on bikes, one with our buggy wheel tucked under his arm.
The boy with the wheel said, “It’s mine.”
Judah: “Then where is the wheel that was under the Kure’s trailer a minute ago.”
Wheel-holder: “ I don’t know.”
Judah: “Well, it’s not yours. Give it back.”
Wheel-holder: “ But it’ll fit my sister’s bike”.
I interjected: “That doesn’t mean you should take something that does not belong to you. Can I please have my wheel back.”
Now, I have assumed that when a guilty party is caught red-handed, their next course of action is usually escape. You know, drop the incriminating item and make a run for it. (Like that bunch of guys caught at the ferry). However, that was not the case in this instance. The boy looked me in the eye and said, “Well, then , how much will you sell it to me for?”
Needless to say, it was not for sale, and the boys went home wheel-less. And I thanked Judah for interceding for us.
In seemingly unrelated news, we moved out of the Hanthorns yard. We all loved being so close to the Hanthorns, but I do believe we were a strain on their water supply . And with us, the Sachs mission men, and the plumbers, the Hanthorns had 17(?) extra people coming in and out of their house for a whole week. They were so gracious. Our trailer is still parked beside their house, locked up with the buggy wheel INSIDE. We moved all our belongings to-can you guess?-a house in the RCMP compound.
Last month, while we were still at the daycare, Chris, police sergeant and friend of the Hanthorns, told us one of their houses would be available on September 5. He offered it to us then, before we even mentioned our coming need. I happily accepted. I am so thankful and amazed by God’s provision. We trust God to meet our needs, and He answers us exceedingly and abundantly greater than we can even imagine. The house has three bedrooms, WITH furniture. The kids thought it was as big as our house. And like the other administrative buildings in McPhoo, the RCMP houses are connected to the utilidor, which means we have an unlimited water supply. Oh, happy day!
I can be content in plenty or in want, but it sure was nice to have a shower. I hadn’t had one in 6 days. Should I be admitting that? Anyways, our first night in, everyone had a bath, and I did three loads of laundry. Water MUST be one of God’s most glorious creations.
There is even another unexpected benefit of living in an RCMP compound. With a chain-link fence around the compound, and police vehicles and uniformed officers about, methinks there will be no more ‘borrowing’ of wheels or any other Kure belongings anymore. Just a guess….
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Pining
September 3-4
The kids had their last day of swimming for the season. Lynn said the pool is often closed by mid-August. We are so thankful we enjoyed it for so long. The wonderful weather is supposed to hold out for a week , at most. Lynn and I have been longing to get outside, but cooking meals for ourselves and the plumbers, cleaning, and organizing children, and attempting school, have taken the lion's share of our time. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose! But we did get out for a short walk and it was so refreshing to be in the sunshine and the breeze.
The kids are still having a wonderful time, but there have been hints of a desire to see home again. Naomi and Diana really want to see their cat and Naomi is missing her blanket of all things. Diana said,"Mom, I'm getting homesick. I'm having fun here, but I want to be home too." Ezra was swinging on the swing Lynn has in her house, and he said, "Mom, I want to swing in the hammock at home with you." And Evangeline keeps saying, "My daddy's gone. I miss my daddy." How hard for a toddler. She has object permanence but no concept of time.
The older kids are faring far better; their days are so full of activity. It's all quite a change from our last Arctic summer when Keegan was the one pining for home. This time we are going to be dragging Keegan home by his heels. However, when he saw Joel wrestling with his friend, James, Keegan thought, "I wish I could be doing that with Dillon." Bronwyn said, "You know what I miss about home, Mom? Going in the kitchen and just making whatever we want with no limitations and lots of space." She added that home is nice because you know everyone you see. Kenzie misses having a routine. Josiah is anxious to play with the toys he left behind. And it goes without saying, there's so many people they can't wait to see again.
Lest you think only the kids are thinking of home, I can hardly help myself, either. When I hear what you all are doing, I wish I could be there too. Don't you know when I'm having an adventure, you're all supposed to sit and wait until I come home to have fun? I am looking forward to a good sleep on a bed that I don't have to crawl into,(I'm sure glad you're enjoying mine, Mom!) and I think after living in a trailer, my house will be bigger than I remember. And that is always a good thing!
When we receive a letter from home, it always brighten our day. A special package of clothes for the little ones this week was such a treat. (Thanks, Tanya!) When I told Lynn about the parcel, she said, "Now you know what it's like to be a missionary getting care packages in the mail!" And when I'm blogging, somehow you don't seem quite so far away. It's like I'm talking to you over tea ( or should I say a cappuccino!--Oh I know Kurt is missing that!), except I am definitely monopolizing the conversation.
I'll tell you another tale tomorrow.
The kids had their last day of swimming for the season. Lynn said the pool is often closed by mid-August. We are so thankful we enjoyed it for so long. The wonderful weather is supposed to hold out for a week , at most. Lynn and I have been longing to get outside, but cooking meals for ourselves and the plumbers, cleaning, and organizing children, and attempting school, have taken the lion's share of our time. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose! But we did get out for a short walk and it was so refreshing to be in the sunshine and the breeze.
The kids are still having a wonderful time, but there have been hints of a desire to see home again. Naomi and Diana really want to see their cat and Naomi is missing her blanket of all things. Diana said,"Mom, I'm getting homesick. I'm having fun here, but I want to be home too." Ezra was swinging on the swing Lynn has in her house, and he said, "Mom, I want to swing in the hammock at home with you." And Evangeline keeps saying, "My daddy's gone. I miss my daddy." How hard for a toddler. She has object permanence but no concept of time.
The older kids are faring far better; their days are so full of activity. It's all quite a change from our last Arctic summer when Keegan was the one pining for home. This time we are going to be dragging Keegan home by his heels. However, when he saw Joel wrestling with his friend, James, Keegan thought, "I wish I could be doing that with Dillon." Bronwyn said, "You know what I miss about home, Mom? Going in the kitchen and just making whatever we want with no limitations and lots of space." She added that home is nice because you know everyone you see. Kenzie misses having a routine. Josiah is anxious to play with the toys he left behind. And it goes without saying, there's so many people they can't wait to see again.
Lest you think only the kids are thinking of home, I can hardly help myself, either. When I hear what you all are doing, I wish I could be there too. Don't you know when I'm having an adventure, you're all supposed to sit and wait until I come home to have fun? I am looking forward to a good sleep on a bed that I don't have to crawl into,(I'm sure glad you're enjoying mine, Mom!) and I think after living in a trailer, my house will be bigger than I remember. And that is always a good thing!
When we receive a letter from home, it always brighten our day. A special package of clothes for the little ones this week was such a treat. (Thanks, Tanya!) When I told Lynn about the parcel, she said, "Now you know what it's like to be a missionary getting care packages in the mail!" And when I'm blogging, somehow you don't seem quite so far away. It's like I'm talking to you over tea ( or should I say a cappuccino!--Oh I know Kurt is missing that!), except I am definitely monopolizing the conversation.
I'll tell you another tale tomorrow.
On the Job
September 1-2
The plumbers arrived on Monday and have been working hard at the church. The four workers are staying for the week at the Hanthorns. Wayne said he was in the same boat as everyone else now- he’s going to have to leave before the church is finished. But they sure are doing all they can.
Kurt made it to PIN-B, also known as Clifton Point. It’s a site he’s never been to before, unlike the others he has visited year after year. He’s starting from scratch and can only hope to get a good start on the job before the cold weather sets in. He said the weather is beautiful, 11 degrees and no wind. He couldn’t ask for better weather in September. It got plenty warm here too-17 degrees- an Arctic heat wave! However, there is visible snow in the mountains, so we better enjoy the warmth while we can.
Naomi is in a drawing frenzy. We have paper stashed , crammed, and stored in every nook and cranny in the trailer as she cannot part with any of her creations. Bronwyn took matters into her own hands and gave Naomi a drawing lesson from the book I used when she was Naomi’s age. Naomi was thrilled and can’t wait for some more instruction.
Josiah, on the other hand, has baking fever. He has been making chocolate chip cookies and wacky cake like nobody’s business. At least his creations are consumable, and he is really enjoying the fruits of his labor.
Bronwyn has a running ‘gig’ now. There is an older fellow with Down’s Syndrome, Martin, who stops by the Hanthorns ‘ frequently. He sits down on the couch, points to the violin sitting in the corner, and says, “I know how” as he makes bowing gestures. That’s Bronwyn’s cue to play him a few songs. Martin loves it, and Bronwyn said “It’s kind of like having a job.”
And she should know. Bronwyn got her first real paycheck on Monday from her job at the Tent and Canvas Shop. She was ecstatic. I don’t think she had even considered that she would be paid for her time there. She was just happy to fill in for Sarah, so she could go to Whitehorse with the rest of her family. Bronwyn is continuing to work there this week so Sarah can do her month-end accounting.
Bronwyn and Mackenzie, along with Ruth and Annah, got their swim team jackets. They look very sharp and their names are going to be embroidered on them. The Tent and Canvas Shop will personalize the jackets. They will make nice souvenirs from McPhoo, and from the very shop where Bronwyn worked. Isn’t that perfect?
The plumbers arrived on Monday and have been working hard at the church. The four workers are staying for the week at the Hanthorns. Wayne said he was in the same boat as everyone else now- he’s going to have to leave before the church is finished. But they sure are doing all they can.
Kurt made it to PIN-B, also known as Clifton Point. It’s a site he’s never been to before, unlike the others he has visited year after year. He’s starting from scratch and can only hope to get a good start on the job before the cold weather sets in. He said the weather is beautiful, 11 degrees and no wind. He couldn’t ask for better weather in September. It got plenty warm here too-17 degrees- an Arctic heat wave! However, there is visible snow in the mountains, so we better enjoy the warmth while we can.
Naomi is in a drawing frenzy. We have paper stashed , crammed, and stored in every nook and cranny in the trailer as she cannot part with any of her creations. Bronwyn took matters into her own hands and gave Naomi a drawing lesson from the book I used when she was Naomi’s age. Naomi was thrilled and can’t wait for some more instruction.
Josiah, on the other hand, has baking fever. He has been making chocolate chip cookies and wacky cake like nobody’s business. At least his creations are consumable, and he is really enjoying the fruits of his labor.
Bronwyn has a running ‘gig’ now. There is an older fellow with Down’s Syndrome, Martin, who stops by the Hanthorns ‘ frequently. He sits down on the couch, points to the violin sitting in the corner, and says, “I know how” as he makes bowing gestures. That’s Bronwyn’s cue to play him a few songs. Martin loves it, and Bronwyn said “It’s kind of like having a job.”
And she should know. Bronwyn got her first real paycheck on Monday from her job at the Tent and Canvas Shop. She was ecstatic. I don’t think she had even considered that she would be paid for her time there. She was just happy to fill in for Sarah, so she could go to Whitehorse with the rest of her family. Bronwyn is continuing to work there this week so Sarah can do her month-end accounting.
Bronwyn and Mackenzie, along with Ruth and Annah, got their swim team jackets. They look very sharp and their names are going to be embroidered on them. The Tent and Canvas Shop will personalize the jackets. They will make nice souvenirs from McPhoo, and from the very shop where Bronwyn worked. Isn’t that perfect?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Take Off and Pull Over
August 30-31
The ferry was on the move late Sunday morning. Kurt led music at church again and Heather helped me make a very late lunch for our families, Wayne, and the missionary crew of Ed, Ben, and Al. Estelle kept Kurt and I awake until 4 am that night. She's teething and that terrible cough she had is back, though not as severe.
As a result, we slept late Monday morning, even though I was brought to my senses twice, once by the sewage truck and once by the water truck. The water truck comes every morning at 8:30 AM to refill the Hanthorns' tank and it parks right beside our trailer to do so. A pretty reliable alarm system, except for the odd time when it doesn't show up until 11 am. It has made us very conscious of our water consumption. Paul and Lynn have run out of their daily water supply a few times since we've been here, and one time it was our fault, from flushing the toilet too often. The sewage truck is not that regular. But I digress.....
Kurt checked his email and he found out his plane for his next job was at 2:30 PM. With a 2 and a half hour drive, that didn't give us a whole lot of time for packing, refueling, and the like. But we got the kids settled with some instructions, and then Kurt, Estelle, and I headed for Inuvik. We saw a hint of snow on the way up. Kurt made his flight for Yellowknife with enough time to spare for us to grab lunch at the airport. He'll be gone for 2-3 weeks but it's his last stint.
I took advantage of being in a 'booming metropolis.' I loaded up on groceries, fueled up, went to the bank, picked up our propane tanks (YAY!), and went on an unsuccessful hunt for Diana's birthday present. Then I headed back for McPhoo. I was barely out of town when I was pulled over by the police. While I was waiting for the officer to approach my window, I wracked my brain, trying to figure out what law I had broken. Speeding. No. Unfastened seatbelt. No. Baby unbuckled. No. License too muddy. Maybe.
The mountie came to my window. “What’s your name?”
I answered him, even though, I was surprised by the less-than-standard question. Whatever happened to, “License and registration please.” Or at least, “Do you know why you were stopped, ma’am?”
Then he said, “Can you verify that with some ID?” I showed him my driver’s license.
“Thank you ,” he said. “You are not who we are looking for,. But your vehicle matches the description of a suspect heading for McPherson. Which way are you headed?”
“McPherson.”
“Well, you’re free to go. Have a nice day.”
The drive back was beautiful. The fall colors were out and I tried to capture them on my camera but somehow a picture never seems to do them justice. I got back an hour before the Hanthorns returned from Whitehorse. They came home to an uninhabited house and if we hadn’t told them, they never would have known their house had been a temporary ‘bed and breakfast’ for the week. Sarah and Annah gave Mackenzie $50 for watching their dogs, and Joel offered money to Keegan, but he declined. And we were all happy to see our friends again. But isn't it ironic, Kurt arrived the day the Hanthorns left, and he left when they returned. They didn't even cross paths. Kurt joked,"Tell Paul and Lynn I'm not trying to avoid them. Honest!"
The ferry was on the move late Sunday morning. Kurt led music at church again and Heather helped me make a very late lunch for our families, Wayne, and the missionary crew of Ed, Ben, and Al. Estelle kept Kurt and I awake until 4 am that night. She's teething and that terrible cough she had is back, though not as severe.
As a result, we slept late Monday morning, even though I was brought to my senses twice, once by the sewage truck and once by the water truck. The water truck comes every morning at 8:30 AM to refill the Hanthorns' tank and it parks right beside our trailer to do so. A pretty reliable alarm system, except for the odd time when it doesn't show up until 11 am. It has made us very conscious of our water consumption. Paul and Lynn have run out of their daily water supply a few times since we've been here, and one time it was our fault, from flushing the toilet too often. The sewage truck is not that regular. But I digress.....
Kurt checked his email and he found out his plane for his next job was at 2:30 PM. With a 2 and a half hour drive, that didn't give us a whole lot of time for packing, refueling, and the like. But we got the kids settled with some instructions, and then Kurt, Estelle, and I headed for Inuvik. We saw a hint of snow on the way up. Kurt made his flight for Yellowknife with enough time to spare for us to grab lunch at the airport. He'll be gone for 2-3 weeks but it's his last stint.
I took advantage of being in a 'booming metropolis.' I loaded up on groceries, fueled up, went to the bank, picked up our propane tanks (YAY!), and went on an unsuccessful hunt for Diana's birthday present. Then I headed back for McPhoo. I was barely out of town when I was pulled over by the police. While I was waiting for the officer to approach my window, I wracked my brain, trying to figure out what law I had broken. Speeding. No. Unfastened seatbelt. No. Baby unbuckled. No. License too muddy. Maybe.
The mountie came to my window. “What’s your name?”
I answered him, even though, I was surprised by the less-than-standard question. Whatever happened to, “License and registration please.” Or at least, “Do you know why you were stopped, ma’am?”
Then he said, “Can you verify that with some ID?” I showed him my driver’s license.
“Thank you ,” he said. “You are not who we are looking for,. But your vehicle matches the description of a suspect heading for McPherson. Which way are you headed?”
“McPherson.”
“Well, you’re free to go. Have a nice day.”
The drive back was beautiful. The fall colors were out and I tried to capture them on my camera but somehow a picture never seems to do them justice. I got back an hour before the Hanthorns returned from Whitehorse. They came home to an uninhabited house and if we hadn’t told them, they never would have known their house had been a temporary ‘bed and breakfast’ for the week. Sarah and Annah gave Mackenzie $50 for watching their dogs, and Joel offered money to Keegan, but he declined. And we were all happy to see our friends again. But isn't it ironic, Kurt arrived the day the Hanthorns left, and he left when they returned. They didn't even cross paths. Kurt joked,"Tell Paul and Lynn I'm not trying to avoid them. Honest!"
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Double Crossing
August 29
I have to tell you two things that happened at the ferry. First, I must rewind. Kurt biked to the Peel River ferry crossing with the kids shortly after his return from the DEW line. Bronwyn, Keegan, and Josiah all thought it was great fun to stand on the ferry cable so they could feel it vibrate. The ferry was halfway across when over the loudspeaker, Kurt and the kids were reprimanded. "PLEASE GET OFF THE CABLE, YOU COULD HURT YOURSELF!" An outing with Daddy is never uneventful.
I remembered the incident because there is a new situation at the ferry crossing. The ferry is now closed. The Peel River has risen very high, with debris catching on the cables. They need to change the landing but they can't because the water's too high. They tried, though, and it just turned to mud. Isn't it always amazing that even with all we are capable of doing, in the end, we are still at the mercy of nature and the One who sustains it all. We don't have as much control over our lives as we think we do. You should see the line-up of not-so-happy campers waiting to get across, with absolutely nothing they can do about it.
But at least they had some entertainment. An SUV pulled up to the front of the line, and two guys jumped out. One went to the ferry crossing guard and the other to the wildlife officer, and both offered a $500 bribe to be taken across. Because of their suspicious behavior, the incident was reported to the police. The RCMP soon showed up and nabbed the driver, and they had a LONG line of witnesses to point them in the direction of the two bribers, who were making a run for it. They were apprehended and the RCMP took their vehicle apart piece by piece. They found a stash of cash from a drug sale. And the three men are now biding their time, not at the ferry crossing, but in the Ft. McPherson jail.
And how do we know all this? Well, that's the kind of day it's been. Try to follow me: Remember, now, Dan and Heather, the two teachers, are staying at the Hanthorns. After brunch, Dave and his wife, Michelle, stopped by, on their way to Whitehorse, so Kurt could give him back the $50 he borrowed. But since the ferry was closed, they hung around with us, waiting for the go-ahead. Then they decided to drive back to Inuvik, then changed their minds and decided to camp by the ferry. (They might have to cancel their flight if the ferry doesn't open.) Then Dan and Heather invited a couple, David and Charlotte, for dinner who were also stranded in McPhoo, who they had run into at least five times since Dawson. David was the one who told us about the drug bust, and now they are sleeping overnight at the Hanthorns, too. When we were doing all the introductions, they assumed Kurt and I were the residents of the house, because I was the one cooking supper for everyone. So there we were, Wayne, Kurt and I and the kids, Dan and Heather and their daughter, Ruth, and lastly David and Charlotte, sitting around the kitchen table, eating our meal, and none of us actually live there. The only ones who really belong there are the three dogs. To top it all off, the missionary team returning from Sachs Harbour came back, and have parked their RV next to ours. And if Paul and Lynn ask nicely, maybe, just maybe, we will let them have their house back when they return on Monday.
Just another run-of-the-mill day in Fort McPherson.
I have to tell you two things that happened at the ferry. First, I must rewind. Kurt biked to the Peel River ferry crossing with the kids shortly after his return from the DEW line. Bronwyn, Keegan, and Josiah all thought it was great fun to stand on the ferry cable so they could feel it vibrate. The ferry was halfway across when over the loudspeaker, Kurt and the kids were reprimanded. "PLEASE GET OFF THE CABLE, YOU COULD HURT YOURSELF!" An outing with Daddy is never uneventful.
I remembered the incident because there is a new situation at the ferry crossing. The ferry is now closed. The Peel River has risen very high, with debris catching on the cables. They need to change the landing but they can't because the water's too high. They tried, though, and it just turned to mud. Isn't it always amazing that even with all we are capable of doing, in the end, we are still at the mercy of nature and the One who sustains it all. We don't have as much control over our lives as we think we do. You should see the line-up of not-so-happy campers waiting to get across, with absolutely nothing they can do about it.
But at least they had some entertainment. An SUV pulled up to the front of the line, and two guys jumped out. One went to the ferry crossing guard and the other to the wildlife officer, and both offered a $500 bribe to be taken across. Because of their suspicious behavior, the incident was reported to the police. The RCMP soon showed up and nabbed the driver, and they had a LONG line of witnesses to point them in the direction of the two bribers, who were making a run for it. They were apprehended and the RCMP took their vehicle apart piece by piece. They found a stash of cash from a drug sale. And the three men are now biding their time, not at the ferry crossing, but in the Ft. McPherson jail.
And how do we know all this? Well, that's the kind of day it's been. Try to follow me: Remember, now, Dan and Heather, the two teachers, are staying at the Hanthorns. After brunch, Dave and his wife, Michelle, stopped by, on their way to Whitehorse, so Kurt could give him back the $50 he borrowed. But since the ferry was closed, they hung around with us, waiting for the go-ahead. Then they decided to drive back to Inuvik, then changed their minds and decided to camp by the ferry. (They might have to cancel their flight if the ferry doesn't open.) Then Dan and Heather invited a couple, David and Charlotte, for dinner who were also stranded in McPhoo, who they had run into at least five times since Dawson. David was the one who told us about the drug bust, and now they are sleeping overnight at the Hanthorns, too. When we were doing all the introductions, they assumed Kurt and I were the residents of the house, because I was the one cooking supper for everyone. So there we were, Wayne, Kurt and I and the kids, Dan and Heather and their daughter, Ruth, and lastly David and Charlotte, sitting around the kitchen table, eating our meal, and none of us actually live there. The only ones who really belong there are the three dogs. To top it all off, the missionary team returning from Sachs Harbour came back, and have parked their RV next to ours. And if Paul and Lynn ask nicely, maybe, just maybe, we will let them have their house back when they return on Monday.
Just another run-of-the-mill day in Fort McPherson.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Sponge
August 26-28
It's a good thing Kurt packed a lunch for his job on the Horton River. He left for Inuvik without his credit cards! He stayed at the crewhouse for a night, so at least he had free accommodation. He did his job, and flew back into Inuvik. But he had no more food and no gas money to fuel up for the drive back to McPhoo. He had to sponge $50 dollars from Dave (the guy he did the job with) so he could buy diesel. Kurt also took our propane bottles with him to be filled but had to leave them behind. We're still working on getting them back here, so I've been cooking in the Hanthorn house and the trailer has been on the chilly side.
Before he could drive back from Inuvik, Kurt also had to find Rose, his return passenger. I only just 'happened' to be in the Hanthorn's house when Rose called me, because I only just happened to be in the house when Kurt called me a few minutes earlier to say he had to find Rose. Rose said,"Tell your husband I'm waiting at Northmart." So I did. What amazes me here is how people catch a ride here and there and are never concerned how it's all going to work out. They are not dependent on cell phones (there's no cell phone service here, not even in the hamlet), there are no rigid schedules to keep, and some are happy to catch a ride whenever, with whomever's available. And of course I see God's hand in it all. Kurt returned at 11 pm, and he was very hungry, so we filled him up with grilled cheese sandwiches and cookies.
Two new teachers arrived, Dan and Heather,old friends of Paul and Lynn's. School started here on Wednesday. Their housing is not ready so they are staying in the Hanthorn house and we watched their little girl, Ruth, after school. She fit right in; from a glance she could pass for Diana and Naomi's little sister, or should I say other little sister. I also heard that Dan has done some drywalling...and they might move into the church apartment when it's finished. Sounds like it could be a win-win situation. Oh, on that note,Kurt and Keegan did some more skirting on the church. The Aussie missioinary family is painting, and Wayne has started tiling.
Yesterday evening, I was putting Ezra and Evangeline to bed, and the older ones were bringing our supper dishes to the trailer. Seven neighbourhood children showed up and one pressed her face against our screen door to peer inside.
"Whatcha doing in there?"
"Cleaning up and putting kids to bed."
They all started asking questions. "Do you have any more chicken nuggets?"
My guys had already consumed the leftovers. "No, sorry."
"How about fries? You have any more fries?"
"Sorry, all gone."
A boy asked, "Do you have any juice to drink?"
"I can give you some water."
"Don't you drink anything besides water?"
"Not really. Water is the best thing for you." Bronwyn gave them all a glass of water.
"Do you have any more oranges?" We had given some of them oranges last time.
"No," Bronwyn replied, "But you can have an apple if you want one."
They all did, and followed her into our trailer. Now let me tell you, our trailer is pretty cramped with the 11 of us already, so 7 more added to the mix, sure made for a tight squeeze. I suggested moving the snack outside where they could all sit on our bench. They finished their apples and asked for more. Bronwyn gave them the rest of what we had. They wanted to come in to play but as it was bedtime, I recommended that it was a good time to go home. And I will have to buy some more fruit.
It's a good thing Kurt packed a lunch for his job on the Horton River. He left for Inuvik without his credit cards! He stayed at the crewhouse for a night, so at least he had free accommodation. He did his job, and flew back into Inuvik. But he had no more food and no gas money to fuel up for the drive back to McPhoo. He had to sponge $50 dollars from Dave (the guy he did the job with) so he could buy diesel. Kurt also took our propane bottles with him to be filled but had to leave them behind. We're still working on getting them back here, so I've been cooking in the Hanthorn house and the trailer has been on the chilly side.
Before he could drive back from Inuvik, Kurt also had to find Rose, his return passenger. I only just 'happened' to be in the Hanthorn's house when Rose called me, because I only just happened to be in the house when Kurt called me a few minutes earlier to say he had to find Rose. Rose said,"Tell your husband I'm waiting at Northmart." So I did. What amazes me here is how people catch a ride here and there and are never concerned how it's all going to work out. They are not dependent on cell phones (there's no cell phone service here, not even in the hamlet), there are no rigid schedules to keep, and some are happy to catch a ride whenever, with whomever's available. And of course I see God's hand in it all. Kurt returned at 11 pm, and he was very hungry, so we filled him up with grilled cheese sandwiches and cookies.
Two new teachers arrived, Dan and Heather,old friends of Paul and Lynn's. School started here on Wednesday. Their housing is not ready so they are staying in the Hanthorn house and we watched their little girl, Ruth, after school. She fit right in; from a glance she could pass for Diana and Naomi's little sister, or should I say other little sister. I also heard that Dan has done some drywalling...and they might move into the church apartment when it's finished. Sounds like it could be a win-win situation. Oh, on that note,Kurt and Keegan did some more skirting on the church. The Aussie missioinary family is painting, and Wayne has started tiling.
Yesterday evening, I was putting Ezra and Evangeline to bed, and the older ones were bringing our supper dishes to the trailer. Seven neighbourhood children showed up and one pressed her face against our screen door to peer inside.
"Whatcha doing in there?"
"Cleaning up and putting kids to bed."
They all started asking questions. "Do you have any more chicken nuggets?"
My guys had already consumed the leftovers. "No, sorry."
"How about fries? You have any more fries?"
"Sorry, all gone."
A boy asked, "Do you have any juice to drink?"
"I can give you some water."
"Don't you drink anything besides water?"
"Not really. Water is the best thing for you." Bronwyn gave them all a glass of water.
"Do you have any more oranges?" We had given some of them oranges last time.
"No," Bronwyn replied, "But you can have an apple if you want one."
They all did, and followed her into our trailer. Now let me tell you, our trailer is pretty cramped with the 11 of us already, so 7 more added to the mix, sure made for a tight squeeze. I suggested moving the snack outside where they could all sit on our bench. They finished their apples and asked for more. Bronwyn gave them the rest of what we had. They wanted to come in to play but as it was bedtime, I recommended that it was a good time to go home. And I will have to buy some more fruit.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuktoyaktuk and Tsiigehtchic
August 19-25
Wow, a week already. It could be difficult to give you the condensed version, but I’ll try. Kurt called on Thursday (19th) during Lynn’s yard sale for the church to say he was coming back early. After supper in the teepee and some food prep for Friday, EstelIe and I were off to Inuvik. We arrived at 1:30 am and slept at the crewhouse.
I left the kids alone overnight because Kurt had arranged for me to meet him in Tuktoyaktuk! Tuk is a small community situated on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, 180 km north of Inuvik. The baby and I took the DC-3 charter plane in the morning. It was a half hour flight and Estelle amused herself on her first plane ride by playing with one of the window screws. Kurt was waiting for us upon arrival. He finished up his sampling while I picked cloudberries. We ate lunch at the Gruben camp, toured the hamlet with Kurt’s coworkers, Ryan and Tina, and I dipped my hand in the Arctic Ocean for the first time. It gave me pause to think about where I was on the planet.
We drove out to look at the pingoes, unique landforms only found where there is permafrost. The one we saw, Ibyuk Pingo, is the tallest in Canada. Then, it was back to the airport for our flight back on a Twin Otter. However, it did not turn out to be a simple affair. The pilot loaded the quad trailer, before the quad, contrary to recommendations, and so there was only room for 4 passengers. There were 5 of us. He was in less than a conciliatory mood after loading the equipment, and said, “I’m leaving now. I’ll take four of you. Figure it out.” We had a moment of crisis. Kurt offered to stay behind, but our credit cards were packed in a bag already loaded so he couldn’t pay for another flight. That wasn’t going to work too well. Jeremy, from the work team, offered, but Tina said Franz Co. was responsible and couldn’t leave him. And the pilot said again. “Four people. Let’s go.” Just then, the logistics coordinator, Roger, in Tuk said, “Hey, there’s a charter plane going back empty. One of you can go on there.’ So Jeremy went, and Kurt came with me. And no one had to pay for another seat. Thank the Lord. In spite of the hair-raising experience, it was a glorious flight home. The skies were clear and the view of the Mackenzie Delta was awe-inspiring. I feel blessed to have seen it and even more blessed that I have a husband who made it possible for me.
While I was touring Tuk with Kurt on Friday, the Hanthorns left for a week-long camp in Whitehorse, and we are living pseudo-lives for the week. Mackenzie is taking care of Sarah and Annah’s dogs, Keegan has Joel’s dog under his charge, Bronwyn is filling in at the Tent and Canvas shop for Sarah, Josiah and Keegan are going to swim team while Annah and Ruth are gone, and Kurt led the music at church on Sunday.
I’m so glad Kurt was here to move the trailer and clean the daycare. It took us two days to do a thorough clean. Ten people can do a lot of damage after living in one place for a month. We moved our trailer into the Hanthorns yard. (We had to leave the daycare because school starts on the 26th). Since we moved, we gave some oranges to some girls who were hungry, a fellow came by for a drink of juice and a visit, and I gave a lovely lady, Rose, (whom I met at church) a ride to her cabin. We are happy to be the alternate stop in the Hanthorns' absence. I am sure I am only beginning to realize just how much they have given of themselves to their community.
On Sunday(23rd), we went to Tsiigehtchic (SIG-a-chic) to watch the Canoe Races. We caught the last one, the kids played in the sand and we had a picnic. There were also free caribou ribs, arctic whitefish, and potatoes roasted on an open fired for everyone. We walked to the point to look at the view. We saw the ferry coming over to our side and we hightailed it down and we caught it just in time to head back to McPhoo. It was a nice day.
For those of you interested in the church building project, a finishing carpenter, Kevin, was here for a few days, and installed the bathroom sinks and door frames. He was a really nice guy. Paul did some painting and Wayne (Lynn’s dad), who never stops working over there, is getting ready for the plumber to come this week. Kurt and Keegan helped Wayne and another teen, Brandon, with the skirting today. It’s slow going but progress is being made, step by step.
Kurt got a call for a one day job on the Horton River, so he headed back to Inuvik tonight, with Rose as his passenger, and he'll be back tomorrow night. It's good the kids got to see Kurt. Ezra was just saying before Kurt got back, "I miss my Daddy." And Evangeline chimed in, "Ya, I don't have a daddy no more." Heart-wrenching, isn't it?
O ya, Kurt got me wireless internet at the Hanthorns. There are about 40 new pictures in the album!
Wow, a week already. It could be difficult to give you the condensed version, but I’ll try. Kurt called on Thursday (19th) during Lynn’s yard sale for the church to say he was coming back early. After supper in the teepee and some food prep for Friday, EstelIe and I were off to Inuvik. We arrived at 1:30 am and slept at the crewhouse.
I left the kids alone overnight because Kurt had arranged for me to meet him in Tuktoyaktuk! Tuk is a small community situated on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, 180 km north of Inuvik. The baby and I took the DC-3 charter plane in the morning. It was a half hour flight and Estelle amused herself on her first plane ride by playing with one of the window screws. Kurt was waiting for us upon arrival. He finished up his sampling while I picked cloudberries. We ate lunch at the Gruben camp, toured the hamlet with Kurt’s coworkers, Ryan and Tina, and I dipped my hand in the Arctic Ocean for the first time. It gave me pause to think about where I was on the planet.
We drove out to look at the pingoes, unique landforms only found where there is permafrost. The one we saw, Ibyuk Pingo, is the tallest in Canada. Then, it was back to the airport for our flight back on a Twin Otter. However, it did not turn out to be a simple affair. The pilot loaded the quad trailer, before the quad, contrary to recommendations, and so there was only room for 4 passengers. There were 5 of us. He was in less than a conciliatory mood after loading the equipment, and said, “I’m leaving now. I’ll take four of you. Figure it out.” We had a moment of crisis. Kurt offered to stay behind, but our credit cards were packed in a bag already loaded so he couldn’t pay for another flight. That wasn’t going to work too well. Jeremy, from the work team, offered, but Tina said Franz Co. was responsible and couldn’t leave him. And the pilot said again. “Four people. Let’s go.” Just then, the logistics coordinator, Roger, in Tuk said, “Hey, there’s a charter plane going back empty. One of you can go on there.’ So Jeremy went, and Kurt came with me. And no one had to pay for another seat. Thank the Lord. In spite of the hair-raising experience, it was a glorious flight home. The skies were clear and the view of the Mackenzie Delta was awe-inspiring. I feel blessed to have seen it and even more blessed that I have a husband who made it possible for me.
While I was touring Tuk with Kurt on Friday, the Hanthorns left for a week-long camp in Whitehorse, and we are living pseudo-lives for the week. Mackenzie is taking care of Sarah and Annah’s dogs, Keegan has Joel’s dog under his charge, Bronwyn is filling in at the Tent and Canvas shop for Sarah, Josiah and Keegan are going to swim team while Annah and Ruth are gone, and Kurt led the music at church on Sunday.
I’m so glad Kurt was here to move the trailer and clean the daycare. It took us two days to do a thorough clean. Ten people can do a lot of damage after living in one place for a month. We moved our trailer into the Hanthorns yard. (We had to leave the daycare because school starts on the 26th). Since we moved, we gave some oranges to some girls who were hungry, a fellow came by for a drink of juice and a visit, and I gave a lovely lady, Rose, (whom I met at church) a ride to her cabin. We are happy to be the alternate stop in the Hanthorns' absence. I am sure I am only beginning to realize just how much they have given of themselves to their community.
On Sunday(23rd), we went to Tsiigehtchic (SIG-a-chic) to watch the Canoe Races. We caught the last one, the kids played in the sand and we had a picnic. There were also free caribou ribs, arctic whitefish, and potatoes roasted on an open fired for everyone. We walked to the point to look at the view. We saw the ferry coming over to our side and we hightailed it down and we caught it just in time to head back to McPhoo. It was a nice day.
For those of you interested in the church building project, a finishing carpenter, Kevin, was here for a few days, and installed the bathroom sinks and door frames. He was a really nice guy. Paul did some painting and Wayne (Lynn’s dad), who never stops working over there, is getting ready for the plumber to come this week. Kurt and Keegan helped Wayne and another teen, Brandon, with the skirting today. It’s slow going but progress is being made, step by step.
Kurt got a call for a one day job on the Horton River, so he headed back to Inuvik tonight, with Rose as his passenger, and he'll be back tomorrow night. It's good the kids got to see Kurt. Ezra was just saying before Kurt got back, "I miss my Daddy." And Evangeline chimed in, "Ya, I don't have a daddy no more." Heart-wrenching, isn't it?
O ya, Kurt got me wireless internet at the Hanthorns. There are about 40 new pictures in the album!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Comedy of Errors
August 13-18
Bronwyn filled in as associate lifeguard at the pool on Saturday. She wasn’t there long. The support beam for the pool lining was weakening, and the lifeguard was concerned that if it 'went', 90,000 gallons of water would get sucked into the hole and take any swimmers with it. Needless to say, he closed the pool for safety reasons. It worked out well, because we went hiking an hour south of McPhoo in the mountains with Lynn and her kids, her dad, and her brother. It was too steep for Evangeline’s legs or liking, and Sarah carted her most of the way up. God Bless her! Ezra was reluctant, but once he put his mind to it, he kept up with Jo, who was leading the pack of young ones. Lynn used gummies as incentive for any cheerful hikers.
We were just about to the top when a storm rolled in. Diana told me later when the rain hit her face ‘it felt like bullets.’ The morale of the younger hikers (mostly mine) started to falter. Estelle was in the front pack under a blanket and slept through the whole thing. We decided to head down as the water made the rocks slippery. I used Keegan as a support. I fell three times, and Estelle STILL didn’t wake up. A little rain always makes a hike more memorable and I had a good time. Lynn and I took the wet little ones home in our van. Bronwyn and Keegan stayed with the others and they went for another hike on the other side of the highway because the sky cleared as we neared the bottom. They saw about 80 caribou, some at close range. Bronwyn said it was the most beautiful area she had ever seen, with room to run for ‘miles’. So they did.
On the drive home, I passed someone who had pulled to the side to let me by. Or so I thought...they were just pulling over at the ferry, so it looked like I was just passing them to be first on the ferry. Lynn joked, “I should’ve sunk into my seat, so no one could see me riding with an impatient Southerner.” In the evening, a neighbor brought the Hanthorns some fresh caribou meat, and Josiah, Mackenzie, and Keegan stayed to watch the carving.
On Sunday, Lynn had a group of ladies over at 8 pm. Only I got the time wrong and showed up at the Hanthorns’ at six. They were still clearing supper dishes, so I thought I’d better help. I started washing the floors, but they couldn’t figure out why I was so intent on the job. When we realized the miscommunication, we all had a good laugh.
I’ve talked to Kurt a few times by SAT phone. He was at Clinton Point for a few days, and is now at Nicholson point. (If you want to look on google earth) Our phone calls are brief but his work seems to be going fine. A new company got the contract for the DEW line monitoring. Since Kurt has done this many times before, he warned the new site leader that some of the items they wanted to bring (one being a quad) wouldn’t fit on the plane. They said they were going to try anyway. Sure enough, the quad wouldn’t fit, and they almost left without a cook tent, until they found a smaller one. Kurt also said this is his first job with no cook on site and the crew will be responsible for making their own meals. Hopefully, they will find time to work apart from their food preparation.
We did math with the Hanthorns again this morning, followed by biking and then supper together in their teepee. We sang some worship songs until the winds came up, threatening to take the teepee tarp with it. That put an end to our fun and games. We made a quick retreat inside. Apparently, the winds were so strong they closed the ferry. It got up to 20 degrees this afternoon, and now it's back to 7 degrees. It almost reminds me of living in Alberta.
Bronwyn filled in as associate lifeguard at the pool on Saturday. She wasn’t there long. The support beam for the pool lining was weakening, and the lifeguard was concerned that if it 'went', 90,000 gallons of water would get sucked into the hole and take any swimmers with it. Needless to say, he closed the pool for safety reasons. It worked out well, because we went hiking an hour south of McPhoo in the mountains with Lynn and her kids, her dad, and her brother. It was too steep for Evangeline’s legs or liking, and Sarah carted her most of the way up. God Bless her! Ezra was reluctant, but once he put his mind to it, he kept up with Jo, who was leading the pack of young ones. Lynn used gummies as incentive for any cheerful hikers.
We were just about to the top when a storm rolled in. Diana told me later when the rain hit her face ‘it felt like bullets.’ The morale of the younger hikers (mostly mine) started to falter. Estelle was in the front pack under a blanket and slept through the whole thing. We decided to head down as the water made the rocks slippery. I used Keegan as a support. I fell three times, and Estelle STILL didn’t wake up. A little rain always makes a hike more memorable and I had a good time. Lynn and I took the wet little ones home in our van. Bronwyn and Keegan stayed with the others and they went for another hike on the other side of the highway because the sky cleared as we neared the bottom. They saw about 80 caribou, some at close range. Bronwyn said it was the most beautiful area she had ever seen, with room to run for ‘miles’. So they did.
On the drive home, I passed someone who had pulled to the side to let me by. Or so I thought...they were just pulling over at the ferry, so it looked like I was just passing them to be first on the ferry. Lynn joked, “I should’ve sunk into my seat, so no one could see me riding with an impatient Southerner.” In the evening, a neighbor brought the Hanthorns some fresh caribou meat, and Josiah, Mackenzie, and Keegan stayed to watch the carving.
On Sunday, Lynn had a group of ladies over at 8 pm. Only I got the time wrong and showed up at the Hanthorns’ at six. They were still clearing supper dishes, so I thought I’d better help. I started washing the floors, but they couldn’t figure out why I was so intent on the job. When we realized the miscommunication, we all had a good laugh.
I’ve talked to Kurt a few times by SAT phone. He was at Clinton Point for a few days, and is now at Nicholson point. (If you want to look on google earth) Our phone calls are brief but his work seems to be going fine. A new company got the contract for the DEW line monitoring. Since Kurt has done this many times before, he warned the new site leader that some of the items they wanted to bring (one being a quad) wouldn’t fit on the plane. They said they were going to try anyway. Sure enough, the quad wouldn’t fit, and they almost left without a cook tent, until they found a smaller one. Kurt also said this is his first job with no cook on site and the crew will be responsible for making their own meals. Hopefully, they will find time to work apart from their food preparation.
We did math with the Hanthorns again this morning, followed by biking and then supper together in their teepee. We sang some worship songs until the winds came up, threatening to take the teepee tarp with it. That put an end to our fun and games. We made a quick retreat inside. Apparently, the winds were so strong they closed the ferry. It got up to 20 degrees this afternoon, and now it's back to 7 degrees. It almost reminds me of living in Alberta.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Family Reunion
Since it's been chilly, we've all been sleeping on mattresses in the daycare. All of us, except Keegan, that is. He is in his glory, sleeping in the cold, AND in my comfy feather bed. He's been too hot at night ever since we got here. And he's got no ventilation through his window because he covered it up with cardboard to block out the sun.
I should tell you how Ezra has been amusing us. Lynn wants the kids to call her by her first name. However, I have so ingrained in my children's brains that they should address their elders as 'Mr. of Mrs.', they find it difficult to do otherwise. Ezra, being his usual precocious self, has had no qualms making toy and food requests, but he calls her with, "MR. Hanthorn. MR. Hanthoooooooorn!" Naturally, I don't think Lynn always realizes Ezra's talking to her, which just makes him say it louder and more insistently. I've given up trying to correct him.
We had another Math morning on Tuesday. I made viking cereal so the Hanthorns could try our daily breakfast. Then Annah and Ruth taught guitar chords, and Bronwyn showed everyone the ropes- or should I say STRINGS-on the violin. Would you believe, after our 'lessons', Lynn informed us that someone gave their family a violin that very day. Now they have one of their own. God works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
In the afternoon, we cleaned and packed so we could pick Kurt up at the airport. We waited for Kurt's call, and it finally came, but Kurt said his plane was delayed until 2 am. We decided to wait until the morning to make the drive.
Scott, one of the biologists, had a meeting in Inuvik and thought it would be a good idea to drive our vehicles to Inuvik together as a safety measure. It's kind of nice that up here people traveling still have to depend on God and the good will of their fellow man instead of their cellphones. We got off to a good start, but Scott forgot his wallet and had to turn back.. We continued on alone and made the first ferry. It was late coming over so Scott managed to catch up with us on the ferry. He asked me if I had asked the deckhand to hold the ferry for him. "No", I said sheepishly but I sure wish I had thought of that. I'm glad he didn't miss it on my account. So much for looking out for MY fellow man. The roads were the worst I've driven on here. They were wet, slick, with potholes you could get lost in, by Scott's description. We had to dodge them the whole way. It was a long 3 hours, but the conditions sure kept me alert. It was not like a head-nodding drive to Edson.
We picked up Kurt and it was so good to be together as a family again. We immediately drove back to the fruit truck we passed on the way in. I've had to buy some produce in McPhoo, and not only is it even more expensive than in Inuvik, but often of poor quality. so we leaped at the chance for some fresh food and other staples. I was elated and told Bill, the fruit man, he made my day. Kurt joked, "She didn't even say that when she saw me." Bill retorted, "Well, you better trade her in then!" OK, maybe I should have rephrased that. Bill made my day great day of being reunited with my husband EVEN BETTER.
We went to the crew house and gorged ourselves on fruit. It was wonderful. We picked up some Northern souvenirs, played some fun games we learned from the Hanthorns, and went swimming.
We stayed overnight at the crewhouse and went swimming again on Thursday. It was gratifying to see how the kids' swimming skills have improved with some skilled instruction. Bronwyn did her 40 lengths in half the time it took her before. Keegan's front crawl is looking great, and even Josiah and Mackenzie did 40 lengths each. Diana and Naomi were like fish, with their flippers on. Naomi looked so funny swimming underwater with her eyes wide-open. They bugged out like she was in a perpetual state of surprise. Estelle and Evangeline floated on their backs in the hot tub. Ezra floated calmly on his back or crunched up like a ball, like he was born in the water. Come to think of it, he WAS born in the water!
We ran into Paul again at the pool. (He was the one who recommended us as tourists of the week.) We rendezvoused with his later at the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. It is the most northern greenhouse in North America and the only community greenhouse of its kind in the world. Its purpose is to ensure a more successful harvest and allow production of a greater variety of crops in an area where fresh economical produce is often unavailable. Paul gave us beet greens, bok choy, lettuce, and a bunch of herbs from his plot. You can't get fresher than that.
Kurt had a good stint at Johnson's Point. He saw two polar bears and some seals floating by on some ice in the distance. I hope he adds to my blog and fills you in on all the details. (Hint, hint, Kurt) I drove Kurt to the airport this morning, and maybe just maybe, we'll get to see him in 10 days or so.
I should tell you how Ezra has been amusing us. Lynn wants the kids to call her by her first name. However, I have so ingrained in my children's brains that they should address their elders as 'Mr. of Mrs.', they find it difficult to do otherwise. Ezra, being his usual precocious self, has had no qualms making toy and food requests, but he calls her with, "MR. Hanthorn. MR. Hanthoooooooorn!" Naturally, I don't think Lynn always realizes Ezra's talking to her, which just makes him say it louder and more insistently. I've given up trying to correct him.
We had another Math morning on Tuesday. I made viking cereal so the Hanthorns could try our daily breakfast. Then Annah and Ruth taught guitar chords, and Bronwyn showed everyone the ropes- or should I say STRINGS-on the violin. Would you believe, after our 'lessons', Lynn informed us that someone gave their family a violin that very day. Now they have one of their own. God works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
In the afternoon, we cleaned and packed so we could pick Kurt up at the airport. We waited for Kurt's call, and it finally came, but Kurt said his plane was delayed until 2 am. We decided to wait until the morning to make the drive.
Scott, one of the biologists, had a meeting in Inuvik and thought it would be a good idea to drive our vehicles to Inuvik together as a safety measure. It's kind of nice that up here people traveling still have to depend on God and the good will of their fellow man instead of their cellphones. We got off to a good start, but Scott forgot his wallet and had to turn back.. We continued on alone and made the first ferry. It was late coming over so Scott managed to catch up with us on the ferry. He asked me if I had asked the deckhand to hold the ferry for him. "No", I said sheepishly but I sure wish I had thought of that. I'm glad he didn't miss it on my account. So much for looking out for MY fellow man. The roads were the worst I've driven on here. They were wet, slick, with potholes you could get lost in, by Scott's description. We had to dodge them the whole way. It was a long 3 hours, but the conditions sure kept me alert. It was not like a head-nodding drive to Edson.
We picked up Kurt and it was so good to be together as a family again. We immediately drove back to the fruit truck we passed on the way in. I've had to buy some produce in McPhoo, and not only is it even more expensive than in Inuvik, but often of poor quality. so we leaped at the chance for some fresh food and other staples. I was elated and told Bill, the fruit man, he made my day. Kurt joked, "She didn't even say that when she saw me." Bill retorted, "Well, you better trade her in then!" OK, maybe I should have rephrased that. Bill made my day great day of being reunited with my husband EVEN BETTER.
We went to the crew house and gorged ourselves on fruit. It was wonderful. We picked up some Northern souvenirs, played some fun games we learned from the Hanthorns, and went swimming.
We stayed overnight at the crewhouse and went swimming again on Thursday. It was gratifying to see how the kids' swimming skills have improved with some skilled instruction. Bronwyn did her 40 lengths in half the time it took her before. Keegan's front crawl is looking great, and even Josiah and Mackenzie did 40 lengths each. Diana and Naomi were like fish, with their flippers on. Naomi looked so funny swimming underwater with her eyes wide-open. They bugged out like she was in a perpetual state of surprise. Estelle and Evangeline floated on their backs in the hot tub. Ezra floated calmly on his back or crunched up like a ball, like he was born in the water. Come to think of it, he WAS born in the water!
We ran into Paul again at the pool. (He was the one who recommended us as tourists of the week.) We rendezvoused with his later at the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. It is the most northern greenhouse in North America and the only community greenhouse of its kind in the world. Its purpose is to ensure a more successful harvest and allow production of a greater variety of crops in an area where fresh economical produce is often unavailable. Paul gave us beet greens, bok choy, lettuce, and a bunch of herbs from his plot. You can't get fresher than that.
Kurt had a good stint at Johnson's Point. He saw two polar bears and some seals floating by on some ice in the distance. I hope he adds to my blog and fills you in on all the details. (Hint, hint, Kurt) I drove Kurt to the airport this morning, and maybe just maybe, we'll get to see him in 10 days or so.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Mud and Math Mania
August 8-10
On Saturday afternoon, Josiah and Mackenzie biked to ‘8 Mile’ with Jesse and Judah. It is 8 miles to the Peel River ferry, and while they rode their bikes, Sarah, Annah, Joel, and Ruthie, and Keegan jogged. Lynn was impressed with Keegan’s willingness to join in. Lynn and I went for our walk around town with the little gaffers, and tried to avoid some of the dogs-and the playground. As soon as Naomi and Ezra see monkey bars and the like, it’s hard to keep them contained in a buggy. We did stop at some raspberry bushes to sample the berries, though. I think Estelle has the most fun on our walks. I carry her in the front pack and she wildly flails her arms and legs. When we go up and down hills, the motion sways her vigorously from side to side and she is downright gleeful.
After our walk, we met the cyclists and joggers down by the ferry. Lynn and Paul have a simple cabin and it was a nice spot for a picnic. When we got there, both Keegan and Joel were fast asleep inside. After everyone was refreshed with some food and drink, we went down to the riverbank and the kids had a blast sliding down a muddy bank into a water hole. Even Diana and Naomi joined in. But, boy, were they ever dirty, covered in mud from head to toe! They had to dip into the very cold Peel River to wash the mud off before we could take them home. Keegan, Ruthie, and Annah rode the bikes home. In the evening, Lynn invited Bronwyn, Keegan, and I over to try some caribou their neighbours brought over. It was good. Keegan and Bronwyn stayed until 1 am, playing ‘Cops and Robbers’ outside.
BRRRR! It rained all through the night and it was chilly when we woke on Sunday morning. Seven degrees. It’s a good thing Lynn told us to bring rubber boots with us. We tramped through the mud and muck to go to church. Because of the cold, we spent the afternoon in the daycare. After supper we went to sing with the Hanthorns, but we barely arrived when two of the biologists staying with them for the week came in the door. Their truck got stuck in the mud along the Dempster. Needing all the able bodies they could muster, Bronwyn and Keegan piled in the van with all the others to help pull them out. It took three hours before they returned. Paul said it was a very slow, inch-by-inch process, but they were successful.
Monday morning, Annah, ,Ruth, and Judah, came to the daycare just after 9 am to do math with our kids. They got lots done and we ate pancakes afterwards. Jesse came over too. Jesse and Judah played with Josiah and company, Ruth helped Keegan with his guitar chords, and Bronwyn taught Annah and Ruth some tunes on the violin. They have amazing concentration and practiced for at least 2 hours.
We were interrupted by a knock on the door and when I answered it, there were three cyclists standing there. They were Jan, Teresa, and Paul (he said to call him Paul, because I couldn’t say his real name) from the Czech Republic. They had flown into Inuvik to begin a bike journey down the Dempster Highway into Alaska. In Inuvik, one of their bikes was stolen from the same campground where we had stayed. They found it discarded in the bushes and made it to McPhoo last night. But alas, in the morning, they discovered someone had taken one of their bicycle seats. JUST the bicycle seat. They saw our bikes locked up outside our trailer and asked if they could buy a seat from us. Annah thought they had some extras at home, but they didn’t, so I gave them the seat from Kurt’s bike. I told them to consider it a Canadian souvenir. I assured them that their experience was not the norm for travelers in Canada and we wished them well. They took our address and hopefully they will contact us along their journey, or let us know when they reach Anchorage.
The kids went swimming, cold as it was, but most of them didn't last long. Keegan, Bronwyn, and Annah basically got a private swim lesson during the teen swim because they were the only ones there. Bronwyn, Mackenzie, and Annah went to swim team and FROZE! We hung out at the Hanthorns for a while, then back at the daycare, Kenzie, Keegan, and Josiah were so spurred on by the morning math lesson, they all did more. I think Mackenzie did about 5 lessons today, and Keegan has done 6 lessons in the past two days. Wowsers! Who knew the North was good for the brain too.
On Saturday afternoon, Josiah and Mackenzie biked to ‘8 Mile’ with Jesse and Judah. It is 8 miles to the Peel River ferry, and while they rode their bikes, Sarah, Annah, Joel, and Ruthie, and Keegan jogged. Lynn was impressed with Keegan’s willingness to join in. Lynn and I went for our walk around town with the little gaffers, and tried to avoid some of the dogs-and the playground. As soon as Naomi and Ezra see monkey bars and the like, it’s hard to keep them contained in a buggy. We did stop at some raspberry bushes to sample the berries, though. I think Estelle has the most fun on our walks. I carry her in the front pack and she wildly flails her arms and legs. When we go up and down hills, the motion sways her vigorously from side to side and she is downright gleeful.
After our walk, we met the cyclists and joggers down by the ferry. Lynn and Paul have a simple cabin and it was a nice spot for a picnic. When we got there, both Keegan and Joel were fast asleep inside. After everyone was refreshed with some food and drink, we went down to the riverbank and the kids had a blast sliding down a muddy bank into a water hole. Even Diana and Naomi joined in. But, boy, were they ever dirty, covered in mud from head to toe! They had to dip into the very cold Peel River to wash the mud off before we could take them home. Keegan, Ruthie, and Annah rode the bikes home. In the evening, Lynn invited Bronwyn, Keegan, and I over to try some caribou their neighbours brought over. It was good. Keegan and Bronwyn stayed until 1 am, playing ‘Cops and Robbers’ outside.
BRRRR! It rained all through the night and it was chilly when we woke on Sunday morning. Seven degrees. It’s a good thing Lynn told us to bring rubber boots with us. We tramped through the mud and muck to go to church. Because of the cold, we spent the afternoon in the daycare. After supper we went to sing with the Hanthorns, but we barely arrived when two of the biologists staying with them for the week came in the door. Their truck got stuck in the mud along the Dempster. Needing all the able bodies they could muster, Bronwyn and Keegan piled in the van with all the others to help pull them out. It took three hours before they returned. Paul said it was a very slow, inch-by-inch process, but they were successful.
Monday morning, Annah, ,Ruth, and Judah, came to the daycare just after 9 am to do math with our kids. They got lots done and we ate pancakes afterwards. Jesse came over too. Jesse and Judah played with Josiah and company, Ruth helped Keegan with his guitar chords, and Bronwyn taught Annah and Ruth some tunes on the violin. They have amazing concentration and practiced for at least 2 hours.
We were interrupted by a knock on the door and when I answered it, there were three cyclists standing there. They were Jan, Teresa, and Paul (he said to call him Paul, because I couldn’t say his real name) from the Czech Republic. They had flown into Inuvik to begin a bike journey down the Dempster Highway into Alaska. In Inuvik, one of their bikes was stolen from the same campground where we had stayed. They found it discarded in the bushes and made it to McPhoo last night. But alas, in the morning, they discovered someone had taken one of their bicycle seats. JUST the bicycle seat. They saw our bikes locked up outside our trailer and asked if they could buy a seat from us. Annah thought they had some extras at home, but they didn’t, so I gave them the seat from Kurt’s bike. I told them to consider it a Canadian souvenir. I assured them that their experience was not the norm for travelers in Canada and we wished them well. They took our address and hopefully they will contact us along their journey, or let us know when they reach Anchorage.
The kids went swimming, cold as it was, but most of them didn't last long. Keegan, Bronwyn, and Annah basically got a private swim lesson during the teen swim because they were the only ones there. Bronwyn, Mackenzie, and Annah went to swim team and FROZE! We hung out at the Hanthorns for a while, then back at the daycare, Kenzie, Keegan, and Josiah were so spurred on by the morning math lesson, they all did more. I think Mackenzie did about 5 lessons today, and Keegan has done 6 lessons in the past two days. Wowsers! Who knew the North was good for the brain too.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Participaction
August 4-8
The weather has been beautiful-sunny and warm, though a little muggy. It is starting to cool down at night and it actually gets a little dark between 2 and 3 AM now. Not that I should know!!! Keegan still sleeps with his blanket over his head at night to block out the sun. He does insist that he needs the fan blowing every night because he gets too hot. The bugs have definitely subsided and by next week, they should be gone, I am told. I talked to Kurt and he said it is snowing on Banks Island.
Lynn and I have been walking daily together, pushing little guys in our buggies. We actually get some exercise, pushing the kids up and down the hills. The hamlet doesn’t look like much but when I walked around the outskirts, the view was beautiful. Ft. McPhoo is surrounded by lakes, and in the distance beyond the hills and valleys, I could see the Richardson Mountains. I spotted one particularly beautiful large lake beyond the fireweed, and I asked Lynn if it had a name. “Oh, that’s Sewage Lake, where the town waste gets dumped.” Well, I guess that explains why it’s so green and lush around there. There are a couple of roads on our route with a dog on every doorstep. Fortunately most of them are tied up but they sure make a ruckus, tugging at their chains, when we walk by, especially when we bring the Hanthorns’ dogs along. I guess we can consider it good dog aversion therapy. Naomi, Diana, and Mackenzie had fun walking the Hanthorns’ three dogs on their leashes.
The kids are feeling comfortable and familiar with their surroundings now. Naomi and Diana walk the two blocks to and from the pool by themselves. I send them all, but Bronwyn and Keegan, together for the public swim. However, the lifeguard spoke with me one day because he was concerned that Ezra swam unsupervised all by his lonesome. I was as surprised as he was- so much for my buddy system. Mackenzie and Josiah both assured me that the other was on the job. With swimming lessons, a youth swim, a teen swim, a Bronze Medallion class, and swim team, the oldest are sometimes at the pool for 5-6 hours a day. Mackenzie even decided to join the swim team with Bronwyn. Robert, at the pool, asked them if they had too many chores at home they were trying to avoid. “You practically live here!” But he’s been good to us and gave us a special “Cheaper by the Dozen’ rate since we’re there so often. Lynn gave him freshly baked cinnamon bread and cookies and Kenzie’s working on some gingersnaps right now. Robert is extremely appreciative for the baked goodies.
The kids go biking and jogging with the Hanthorns, too. Every time they do, they come back wet. They can’t resist jumping into the nearest lake or mudpit on their outings, and there’s no shortage of water and mud around. Bronwyn told me last night they had been up to their waists in mud. They must have cleaned up pretty well because I hadn’t even noticed. Mackenzie and Josiah biked around town with Jesse and Judah, but got side-tracked by the wild raspberries on the side of the road. We caught up with them when we were walking. Keegan went jogging today and surprised himself that he was more than capable of holding his own. If I’m not mistaken, he’s a little taller and leaner now, but I see him every day. You will have to be the judge when you see him again.
Jesse turned 7 on Thursday, and we went to his birthday party. The Hanthorns set up a teepee in their backyard with a firepit. We roasted marshmallows, ate cake, and a group of boys ended up wrestling on the trampoline. Ezra was eating his cake and ice cream by the fire, when he exclaimed, “Ow, my forehead is cold!” That seemed odd. I thought he meant he was too hot by the fire, until I realized he must have ate his ice cream too fast. He was having a ‘brain freeze.’ Lynn put Esther’s frilly baby Gwich’in hat on Estelle. If I can get some pictures loaded, I’ll show you, but the internet is so slow here.
Keegan and Bronwyn went to a youth night at the Hanthorns. They had pizza and had some good clean fun playing games the other teens. They got back to the trailer at 3 AM! Kenzie had locked the daycare door so Bronwyn was locked out and had to sleep in the trailer on the 'table bed.' It made a for a short night for Bronwyn, because she filled in for a girl, working at the swimming pool. Lynn showed up at our door at 1 pm so we could all go swimming together. A good thing she brought Joel with her, because that's probably the only reason Keegan got out of bed without a fuss. He was still in a dead sleep.
Lynn made me a very generous offer. She said she would take all the kids if I wanted to fly with Estelle to see Kurt where he’s working. It was a nice idea but when I checked with Kurt, he said they would never allow a baby on site. A nice idea, all the same. But God willing, and if it stops snowing, Kurt will be back the beginning of next week.
The weather has been beautiful-sunny and warm, though a little muggy. It is starting to cool down at night and it actually gets a little dark between 2 and 3 AM now. Not that I should know!!! Keegan still sleeps with his blanket over his head at night to block out the sun. He does insist that he needs the fan blowing every night because he gets too hot. The bugs have definitely subsided and by next week, they should be gone, I am told. I talked to Kurt and he said it is snowing on Banks Island.
Lynn and I have been walking daily together, pushing little guys in our buggies. We actually get some exercise, pushing the kids up and down the hills. The hamlet doesn’t look like much but when I walked around the outskirts, the view was beautiful. Ft. McPhoo is surrounded by lakes, and in the distance beyond the hills and valleys, I could see the Richardson Mountains. I spotted one particularly beautiful large lake beyond the fireweed, and I asked Lynn if it had a name. “Oh, that’s Sewage Lake, where the town waste gets dumped.” Well, I guess that explains why it’s so green and lush around there. There are a couple of roads on our route with a dog on every doorstep. Fortunately most of them are tied up but they sure make a ruckus, tugging at their chains, when we walk by, especially when we bring the Hanthorns’ dogs along. I guess we can consider it good dog aversion therapy. Naomi, Diana, and Mackenzie had fun walking the Hanthorns’ three dogs on their leashes.
The kids are feeling comfortable and familiar with their surroundings now. Naomi and Diana walk the two blocks to and from the pool by themselves. I send them all, but Bronwyn and Keegan, together for the public swim. However, the lifeguard spoke with me one day because he was concerned that Ezra swam unsupervised all by his lonesome. I was as surprised as he was- so much for my buddy system. Mackenzie and Josiah both assured me that the other was on the job. With swimming lessons, a youth swim, a teen swim, a Bronze Medallion class, and swim team, the oldest are sometimes at the pool for 5-6 hours a day. Mackenzie even decided to join the swim team with Bronwyn. Robert, at the pool, asked them if they had too many chores at home they were trying to avoid. “You practically live here!” But he’s been good to us and gave us a special “Cheaper by the Dozen’ rate since we’re there so often. Lynn gave him freshly baked cinnamon bread and cookies and Kenzie’s working on some gingersnaps right now. Robert is extremely appreciative for the baked goodies.
The kids go biking and jogging with the Hanthorns, too. Every time they do, they come back wet. They can’t resist jumping into the nearest lake or mudpit on their outings, and there’s no shortage of water and mud around. Bronwyn told me last night they had been up to their waists in mud. They must have cleaned up pretty well because I hadn’t even noticed. Mackenzie and Josiah biked around town with Jesse and Judah, but got side-tracked by the wild raspberries on the side of the road. We caught up with them when we were walking. Keegan went jogging today and surprised himself that he was more than capable of holding his own. If I’m not mistaken, he’s a little taller and leaner now, but I see him every day. You will have to be the judge when you see him again.
Jesse turned 7 on Thursday, and we went to his birthday party. The Hanthorns set up a teepee in their backyard with a firepit. We roasted marshmallows, ate cake, and a group of boys ended up wrestling on the trampoline. Ezra was eating his cake and ice cream by the fire, when he exclaimed, “Ow, my forehead is cold!” That seemed odd. I thought he meant he was too hot by the fire, until I realized he must have ate his ice cream too fast. He was having a ‘brain freeze.’ Lynn put Esther’s frilly baby Gwich’in hat on Estelle. If I can get some pictures loaded, I’ll show you, but the internet is so slow here.
Keegan and Bronwyn went to a youth night at the Hanthorns. They had pizza and had some good clean fun playing games the other teens. They got back to the trailer at 3 AM! Kenzie had locked the daycare door so Bronwyn was locked out and had to sleep in the trailer on the 'table bed.' It made a for a short night for Bronwyn, because she filled in for a girl, working at the swimming pool. Lynn showed up at our door at 1 pm so we could all go swimming together. A good thing she brought Joel with her, because that's probably the only reason Keegan got out of bed without a fuss. He was still in a dead sleep.
Lynn made me a very generous offer. She said she would take all the kids if I wanted to fly with Estelle to see Kurt where he’s working. It was a nice idea but when I checked with Kurt, he said they would never allow a baby on site. A nice idea, all the same. But God willing, and if it stops snowing, Kurt will be back the beginning of next week.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Music at Muddy Midway
JULY 28-AUGUST 3
Wow. We’ve found some time to breathe and I’ve found a place to blog. Sarah works at a canvas tent shop and said I could use the internet. The kids are still swimming. Bronwyn went to public swim time so Evangeline and Ezra could have a go. I think there were more kids than water, and Evangeline could not cope with the chaos. She cried the whole time. Ezra handled his fears more admirably. He asked, “Bronwyn, could you please take me to a part of the pool where I won’t get kicked in the face?”
Annah invited Bronwyn to join the swim team, and she jumped at the chance. It’s four nights a week! At least, it’s only a block away. She might even get to compete in Inuvik, and they going to be outfitted with matching swim caps and suits- at no extra cost! The team is called the Bumblebees.
Ike and Michele left on the 29th. In the afternoon, Bronwyn painted a Northern landscape with Michele in her trailer, while Keegan helped in the church. Bronwyn, Keegan, and Boo were an hour late returning from their Bronze Medallion class. Their instructor, wants to do a three hour class instead of two. We ate supper with Ike and Michele and then we said our goodbyes. As soon as they drove away, Josiah said, “Now, I want to go home.” Naomi chimed in, “Ya, me too. I miss Pumpkin.” Leave it to Naomi, to think of the cat first!
It was very hot for about 3 days, between 24-30 degrees. We were uncomfortable, but the bugs must have been, too, because they became sparse. The kids were glad to be able to swim. Keegan and Joel were fortunate to have an individual swim lesson. Their instructor, Robert, is so passionate and serious about not just learning the skills, but mastering them, so he’s been pretty tough on the boys. I think it’s good for them, but I saw how Robert could be intimidating. I went to pay for the lesson, and he said to me, “Lesson? What lesson? When did we have that conversation? Last week?”
I replied, “No, you told us yesterday to come.”
“Oh,” he said, “I got about 2 hours of sleep last night, I can’t remember anything I said yesterday.”
“Do you want us to come back another day?”
“No, no, I’m here all day anyway so let’s do it now.”
All-righty then. After all was said and done, Keegan said it was a very good lesson.
I finished cleaning the school after the last of the workers left, and Lynn and I both got a laundry basket of books from the library for the kids. Hopefully, Diana and Josiah will have lots of opportunity to practice their reading.
The weekend of July 31-Aug 2 was the Midway Music Festival, 40 km south of Fort McPhoo. On Friday, Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, and Josiah went biking in the morning with the Hanthorns and their cousin, Abby. Josiah kept up with the bigger Hanthorns. Having bigger wheels with Kelsey’s old bike really helped! In the evening, I drove three people from town to Midway, because just over the ferry, Lynn realized she did not have enough fuel, and had to turn around, so I took her passengers. Sarah, Annah, and Joel started walking down the Dempster until they caught a ride from someone. Helen, a lady from church, invited us to her tent and I tried her duck soup. The whole duck gets thrown in the pot. We watched some square dancing and jigging and we got home at 2:30 am.
On Saturday, Joel, Annah, Ruth, Judah-Ben, Jesse, Bronwyn, and Keegan all headed down the Dempster on their bikes towards Midway. Lynn followed after them an hour and a half later to check on them. It was a good thing too, because although the morning was beautiful, it started to rain. No-it was a downpour. Jesse, 6, went 11 km to the ferry, before Lynn picked him up. Joel and Annah made it the entire 40 km without incident, but the rest were caught in the rain. Keegan and Ruth got drenched just before the last downhill to Midway. Judah and Bronwyn got the worst of it. She had missed the ferry with everyone else on it, because she had stopped twice, trying to refasten her makeshift snack bag. But it was just as well, because Judah was thankful he didn’t get left behind. The road is extremely hilly, and she kept thinking Midway would just be over the next hill. She thought that about 11 times. Lynn finally caught up with them along the emergency airstrip. Judah could go no further. His wheels were caked with an inch of mud. Mackenzie and Abby were in the van with Lynn and they cheered the cyclists on. They encouraged Bronwyn and she made it the rest of the way. What a trooper. By the time I arrived with my little ones, Lynn’s mom, Muriel, Esther and Jadynn, everyone was wet and cold. I dragged out the extra coats and blankets and soon everyone felt a whole lot better.
The Gwich’in set up their canvas tents, teepees, and cabins and Lynn’s friends, Connie and Susan, let us warm up in theirs. There was a woodstove in the middle and it wasn’t long before we were too hot. We moved to a nearby teepee with a barrel stove and roasted burgers and smokies. When, Susan, saw me with Estelle, she put Estelle on my back, covered her with a shawl, and fastened a leather baby belt under her. She was cozy and I remarked, “It keeps my back warm, too. I should have tried this a long time ago.” Susan said, “Well, don’t have another baby just to keep your back warm!”
Lynn stayed late with her oldest and Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, and Josiah. Keegan and Bronwyn both tried square dancing and had a good time. I drove home and took Lynn’s mom, and Esther and Jadynn with me. When I pulled out on to the Dempster I turned right, but the van went left. All the rain had made the road like ice. We slid towards the opposite ditch. Just at the last possible moment, the van straightened out. Fortunately, the rest of the ride home was uneventful, but we did take it slow.
We went to Midway again on Sunday after church. Being Sunday, Paul was able to come with us, too. Keegan decided to stay home, so I left Ezra and Evangeline with him. Amazingly enough, even with all the rain, the road was still dusty. It sure runs off fast. We hung out in the teepee again and ate lunch and Bronwyn and I tried swan meat. It did NOT taste like chicken; it was more like roast beef. We had hot tea steeped over the fire, and with a little sugar, Naomi and Diana were converted to tea drinkers. It helped that it warmed them up too. Naomi was in her glory as she picked berries the whole weekend- black currants, blueberries, and even a few cloudberries (called ‘knuckles’ by the Gwich’in). Cloudberries look like white raspberries, but taste similar to apples. Berry picking was the one think Naomi was insistent on doing again in the Arctic. Mackenzie and Diana joined in the fun. Josiah found $10 in the mud and that made his day. Bronwyn danced again in her moccasins with the Hanthorns and had a blast. It was another very late night. Due to all the excitement of the weekend, we did a lot of sleeping and I washed a lot of muddy laundry.
Wow. We’ve found some time to breathe and I’ve found a place to blog. Sarah works at a canvas tent shop and said I could use the internet. The kids are still swimming. Bronwyn went to public swim time so Evangeline and Ezra could have a go. I think there were more kids than water, and Evangeline could not cope with the chaos. She cried the whole time. Ezra handled his fears more admirably. He asked, “Bronwyn, could you please take me to a part of the pool where I won’t get kicked in the face?”
Annah invited Bronwyn to join the swim team, and she jumped at the chance. It’s four nights a week! At least, it’s only a block away. She might even get to compete in Inuvik, and they going to be outfitted with matching swim caps and suits- at no extra cost! The team is called the Bumblebees.
Ike and Michele left on the 29th. In the afternoon, Bronwyn painted a Northern landscape with Michele in her trailer, while Keegan helped in the church. Bronwyn, Keegan, and Boo were an hour late returning from their Bronze Medallion class. Their instructor, wants to do a three hour class instead of two. We ate supper with Ike and Michele and then we said our goodbyes. As soon as they drove away, Josiah said, “Now, I want to go home.” Naomi chimed in, “Ya, me too. I miss Pumpkin.” Leave it to Naomi, to think of the cat first!
It was very hot for about 3 days, between 24-30 degrees. We were uncomfortable, but the bugs must have been, too, because they became sparse. The kids were glad to be able to swim. Keegan and Joel were fortunate to have an individual swim lesson. Their instructor, Robert, is so passionate and serious about not just learning the skills, but mastering them, so he’s been pretty tough on the boys. I think it’s good for them, but I saw how Robert could be intimidating. I went to pay for the lesson, and he said to me, “Lesson? What lesson? When did we have that conversation? Last week?”
I replied, “No, you told us yesterday to come.”
“Oh,” he said, “I got about 2 hours of sleep last night, I can’t remember anything I said yesterday.”
“Do you want us to come back another day?”
“No, no, I’m here all day anyway so let’s do it now.”
All-righty then. After all was said and done, Keegan said it was a very good lesson.
I finished cleaning the school after the last of the workers left, and Lynn and I both got a laundry basket of books from the library for the kids. Hopefully, Diana and Josiah will have lots of opportunity to practice their reading.
The weekend of July 31-Aug 2 was the Midway Music Festival, 40 km south of Fort McPhoo. On Friday, Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, and Josiah went biking in the morning with the Hanthorns and their cousin, Abby. Josiah kept up with the bigger Hanthorns. Having bigger wheels with Kelsey’s old bike really helped! In the evening, I drove three people from town to Midway, because just over the ferry, Lynn realized she did not have enough fuel, and had to turn around, so I took her passengers. Sarah, Annah, and Joel started walking down the Dempster until they caught a ride from someone. Helen, a lady from church, invited us to her tent and I tried her duck soup. The whole duck gets thrown in the pot. We watched some square dancing and jigging and we got home at 2:30 am.
On Saturday, Joel, Annah, Ruth, Judah-Ben, Jesse, Bronwyn, and Keegan all headed down the Dempster on their bikes towards Midway. Lynn followed after them an hour and a half later to check on them. It was a good thing too, because although the morning was beautiful, it started to rain. No-it was a downpour. Jesse, 6, went 11 km to the ferry, before Lynn picked him up. Joel and Annah made it the entire 40 km without incident, but the rest were caught in the rain. Keegan and Ruth got drenched just before the last downhill to Midway. Judah and Bronwyn got the worst of it. She had missed the ferry with everyone else on it, because she had stopped twice, trying to refasten her makeshift snack bag. But it was just as well, because Judah was thankful he didn’t get left behind. The road is extremely hilly, and she kept thinking Midway would just be over the next hill. She thought that about 11 times. Lynn finally caught up with them along the emergency airstrip. Judah could go no further. His wheels were caked with an inch of mud. Mackenzie and Abby were in the van with Lynn and they cheered the cyclists on. They encouraged Bronwyn and she made it the rest of the way. What a trooper. By the time I arrived with my little ones, Lynn’s mom, Muriel, Esther and Jadynn, everyone was wet and cold. I dragged out the extra coats and blankets and soon everyone felt a whole lot better.
The Gwich’in set up their canvas tents, teepees, and cabins and Lynn’s friends, Connie and Susan, let us warm up in theirs. There was a woodstove in the middle and it wasn’t long before we were too hot. We moved to a nearby teepee with a barrel stove and roasted burgers and smokies. When, Susan, saw me with Estelle, she put Estelle on my back, covered her with a shawl, and fastened a leather baby belt under her. She was cozy and I remarked, “It keeps my back warm, too. I should have tried this a long time ago.” Susan said, “Well, don’t have another baby just to keep your back warm!”
Lynn stayed late with her oldest and Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, and Josiah. Keegan and Bronwyn both tried square dancing and had a good time. I drove home and took Lynn’s mom, and Esther and Jadynn with me. When I pulled out on to the Dempster I turned right, but the van went left. All the rain had made the road like ice. We slid towards the opposite ditch. Just at the last possible moment, the van straightened out. Fortunately, the rest of the ride home was uneventful, but we did take it slow.
We went to Midway again on Sunday after church. Being Sunday, Paul was able to come with us, too. Keegan decided to stay home, so I left Ezra and Evangeline with him. Amazingly enough, even with all the rain, the road was still dusty. It sure runs off fast. We hung out in the teepee again and ate lunch and Bronwyn and I tried swan meat. It did NOT taste like chicken; it was more like roast beef. We had hot tea steeped over the fire, and with a little sugar, Naomi and Diana were converted to tea drinkers. It helped that it warmed them up too. Naomi was in her glory as she picked berries the whole weekend- black currants, blueberries, and even a few cloudberries (called ‘knuckles’ by the Gwich’in). Cloudberries look like white raspberries, but taste similar to apples. Berry picking was the one think Naomi was insistent on doing again in the Arctic. Mackenzie and Diana joined in the fun. Josiah found $10 in the mud and that made his day. Bronwyn danced again in her moccasins with the Hanthorns and had a blast. It was another very late night. Due to all the excitement of the weekend, we did a lot of sleeping and I washed a lot of muddy laundry.
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