The Twins are HERE!

Today I met the twins. I‘ve been in town a week now and thought it was time. More to the point I had to. You see I was down to an extra work shirt and a couple of pair of gotchies. Socks had just about maxxed out. The twins are located just under the staircase. The same one I climb several times a day.

When I get within two steps of the top, I have the most amazing view out my dining room window. It’s the INUKSUK, the stone marker. I have to find out if he/she/it has a name. But day and night in swirling snow and sunny bright periods it’s there constantly reminding me of the heritage this place holds so dear.

The residence is serving me well. There are other apartments closer to the health centre but this one has an aura about it. Its distinct shape and design make it quite unique. I’ve figured out that it faces due south, hence, the reason for the three 14 x 36 inch windows across the top of the ceiling. Duh, mention Solar heating? The living room is bright with this feature. At least, it was Sunday (three days ago) when I was last there during the daylight hours (count ‘em). The official forecast does not list blizzard anymore.

The daylight hours are getting longer now. Someone said it’s increasing at 11 minutes a day here. I think that they are in denial of the weather. It’s amazing when everyone comes into the centre in the morning. The staff entrance has a rack for holding your boots, When you arrive you are supposed to place your boots on the rack to reduce the wet floors and mess that melting snow can cause. If we did this at home our foot wear would have wandered. And salt and mud are a southern person’s nightmare…none of that here.

So when you greet folks the first thing they complain about is weather related…sound familiar? Susie, with the nice boots, the other day complained how cold it was and then without pause said “But I’m half white, I feel the cold!” That just about sums up the vast diversity of people that are working with “up here”.

I met Santa, yesterday. He was in to the health centre getting his annual check up. He didn’t need an xray though, so I was a little disappointed. He wasn’t dressed in his famous red suit that the Mounties have adapted. No, he was in street clothes, so if one of the workers hadn’t introduced him, I would never have known. It seems this time of year things are winding down and he gets his checkup so he has time to get ready for next season.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a week and its now the second week of January 2008. I had that shocking reminder in a phone conversation with my wife yesterday. I guess the charge card bill has come in. The $200 in cold weather gear (actually over $300 if I include the boots that she may have missed on the other card) didn’t seem to be as much of a problem as those golf clubs that I bought her for Christmas. The trouble is with the nice weather back home I think she wants to go practice and right now she’s ready to hit my balls!

Grace had a hard time calling Rankin Inlet last Friday. After she had educated about four telephone assistants (is it proper to call them operators these days?), she eventually got hold of the health centre. It was after hours, of course, so she got the nurse on call and had a radiophone experience. I finally got a picture of one and will post it as well.

Well I’m off to visit the twins. I have choices of hot/cold, warm/cold, warm/warm and hot/hot. If it’s anything like the first four seconds of the shower each morning cold/cold will be an arctic awakening.