How it Began!

So the whole thing began about two weeks ago when I got a phone call at the camera store (where I now work part time) asking if I was still interested in doing a locum for the xray tech in Rankin Inlet. I still do relief work here in the city on occassion for one of the local clinics (I retired from the hospital about 2 years 8 months ago but who's counting ??). Prior to that I had a couple of xray grads go there to work for a short time. More about that later.

January is usually a slow month in retail after the christmas season so I jumped at the chance. It's always been a dream to visit the Arctic...probably more so lately...when there is so much talk about what is going on there longterm.

My wife has been very supportive of me in this venture...truthfully....making sure I have the appropriate winter gear and clothing to keep me warm. She does, however, keep asking me "Don't you know anyone who runs a clinic in Bahamas, Bermuda, Florida or Mexico?" So that she also experiences some of the joys I have actively been clearing the freezer for her. We'll see if she tries it!

Winter camping as a teenager was an experience...staying overnight in a tent with the wind whipping around and the sleeping bag somewhat frozen in the morning. My cold feet were something else. We didn't know to dress in layers in those days...we just kept piling the clothes on until we were.

My other coldest experience came at this time of the year. After school, I worked at a small grocery store, Eke's Meat Market on Queenston Street across from the hospital and delivered groceries on a bicycle. Two doors up was Fosters' Ice Cream...Bob and Mae Ewart ran the place and I can remember those free Ice Cream Bars that were being hand made down in the production area. It's forty years since this happened but that Christmas I was sent to help sort and label the frozen turkeys that we kept temporarily in Foster's huge walkin freezer before the customers picked up their ordered birds. It was cold..my ears were tingling even with a toque and the heavy coats worn by the ice cream staff. By the way, Foster's had the best Black Raspberry Milkshakes that were ever made...nothing today compares.