Helenenorth

 Hello friends....... Not much to report this week.  It has been darn cold.  The thermometer reads minus 29, 30 or whatever, but the wind chill pumps it up to over minus 50.  The school closed Thursday afternoon because of the cold.  The school bus couldn't run,  Honda ATV's wouldn't start, and snow mobile treads were freezing. This makes for treacherous walking as the roads are hard packed snow, turned to ice.  One must stick to the sides, where there is some snow for boots to grip on to.  At Christmas, I bought a pair of boots in Montreal, with retractable spikes--they work pretty well, but it is still slippery.  I use my walking sticks, and I don't move quickly!!  I walk everywhere, including to the coop, Saturday mornings for groceries, so I am well aware of the walking hazards.  It was interesting walking there today, about 2 k.  A very nice, big orange truck stopped to pick me up--the guy said hello, I'm the fire chief, I...

 Hello all The story this week is the weather!  If you go online, you can see Ivujivik weather.  For the last couple of weeks it has been very sunny, but very cold, with the wind chill pushing the thermometer up to minus 50 or more.  If there is no wind, it isn't that bad, but if there is the slightest breeze, it gets cold really quickly.  We  keep the children in for recess because it is just too cold. You have to dress for the weather!  Not one inch of skin can be exposed!  If it is, it will freeze, and you will get a frost bite red mark on your skin---extremely painful, and ugly!!  It's colder then Kangirsuk!! We have not had any snow for over a month now, so what we have is frozen solid making the roads icy highways, and the walking extremely treacherous, even with spiked boots.  You have to really step hard to make sure the cleats grab, but sometimes, it is just to slippery.  The worst part is getting into our house. It is like...

 Hello all...... Well, if you think the cost of groceries is high--you should take a shopping trip with me to our local coop!! Coop closes everyday at 5, so I never get to go because I don't finish up until then.  Saturday is my only chance to go.  It is open from 10 to noon.  Sunday it is closed! I did bring a year's supply of staples like flour, sugar, salt, toilet paper, paper towels, rice and spices in my cargo that was sent up at the beginning of the year.  What I need are items that we are going to fix at school, cleaning stuff, and the odd treat.  No alcohol, of course, because this is a dry community--- It is about a 2 k walk up the hill from my place, so away I went, back pack and walking sticks.  Everyone is so friendly.  People going by on skidoos always wave,  and if you see another walker, they will cross the road to just say hi, have a nice day. When I got my few items, I went to the check out.  A tall Inuit man was obvious...

 Greetings all...... I can hardly believe it is the end of the first week back--although it is the second full week including travel.   The students were a little tired and out of sorts on Monday morning,  showing me the attituded--we got through that one by 11:30, and things are back on track....holiday is over, queen Helene, queen of mean is back!!! Weather has been interesting.  Monday evening was a blizzard, and what a storm!  100k  plus winds howling and snow blowing.  By Tuesday morning, it was over, so classes were not cancelled (awe!) We got the big wind on Wednesday as well, but we still went in. Temperatures hovering between minus 20 and  minus 50.  It is so cold, the water pump at the water plant is frozen. That means no water--so what we have is what we have! The school had a parade today to bring awareness of the importance of sobriety.  Each student made a poster, and this afternoon we paraded around the village ( minu...