Sunday December 4, 2022

 Hello

Welcome to winter--and I understand old man winter has visited the sunny side of Canada too!!

We have just come through a 3 day blizzard with winds of up to 100 miles an hour, blowing snow and drifting snow.  Yes, there is a difference.  Blowing snow is when it is falling and blowing.  Drifting can happen when the wind blows it across the landscape.  All three can happen at the same time making any kind of outdoor activity, including walking, extremely dangerous.  I have no idea how the Inuit of past gone days ever lived or survived here.  Yes, they had the ice houses--but they had to build them--and what kept them warm--not a stick of wood anywhere--so they had to depend on the whale oil or seal oil--not exactly something you could buy at the local Hudson's  Bay Store!!  

With school closed on Friday, I invited my Inuit neighbour in for coffee.  She is the kindergarten teacher.  She is about 45, has three children, is divorced, and lives here on her own.  Her ex is in Montreal with two daughters who are attending post secondary.  I do not know where the other child is.  She has lived here all her life, and she told me of the many changes.  The airport is rather new, in old days, only float planes could land on the water, and in winter they landed on the uneven ice--landing was very unpredictable.  There was no bridge across the river, separating the village into two parts, so in summer, people always had to walk in the river to cross over, in winter, it was frozen, so no problem.

She also told me the school was one building--with  less then 100 students.

Although she was born in a hospital in Montreal, her mother and father were both born in ice houses or igloos, as we call them.  That would be in the 1940's.  

So interesting--and such a hard life.  After our chat, I began thinking about this generation of children.  They really are in a time of transition--not easy at all--think about it!!  The old ways verses the new ways.  The economy--the old way, the new way.  Change takes generations.

I had my brush with the red light on--it meant low water.  So no water for almost 3 days--could not be delivered, and the sewage could not be removed either,  because of the blizzard.  Fortunately for me, I have 2 big plastic containers of water, and was able to manage.  Some of the residents, with 8 or more people living in the house, are less fortunate.  Basics needs such as water are an issue here.

On the brighter side, students are progressing, and the reading is getting better.  I am going to start to write little drama's and get the children to illustrate them.  Then, we will have  a presentation with dramatic reading, with pictures and some acting.

Weather is better today, the roads are ploughed, and it is about minus 12.   I have resisted going into the school this weekend, and have taken a very good rest.  Just watching movies, reading and playing my clarinet.  I might try and go to the Northern (Hudson's Bay Trading post) to get some coffee--how lucky we are to have this store!!  As you may remember, there are no restaurants here--so you need to pretty much figure out the cooking and treats yourself.

See you soon--

Hugs and love

Helene

Christmas Bazaar went ahead, inspite of the blizzard.  Only indoor shoes in the school.

This is Tommy, the culture teacher.  His students made these fishing handles out of wood packing.

These two ladies are trainers from Vanier College in Montreal.  They spent 2 weeks working with teacher aides to upgrade them.  Notice our Christmas door.

Only Penina showed up in the afternoon, so I made her the teacher, and we played an Opposites matching game.

The blizzard.  Picture taken from my upstairs bedroom window.

Here goes Mr. Water guy to fuel in fresh water.  These guys make about 100,000 a year.

Pulling the hose up to my place

The fresh water tanker.  The tanker used to remove the grey water is blue.

Tanker can not make it closer because of the snow.  

That nasty red light!!