Retirement? Who Does That?

Well....not retired yet and....not going to be (at least until June) as I've booked in for a spring Public Health Nurse contract returning to Arctic Bay. I feel the need to see the community in the sunshine and April 27 to June 8th is a wonderful time to be in the high arctic. Several of the casuals from this winter will be returning as well. Everyone is in a good mood and prepping to get 'out on the land' camping and looking forward to the short northern summer, 24 hour daylight, there is still snow (no bugs, easy to get around, no dusty roads) but the temperatures are comfortable. And by the time I return home the cabana boy will have the pool operational. That will total 12 weeks of paid employment for 2022 and I'm good with that. Will I reregister for next year? Not sure yet. It's feeling like I'm getting closer to that retirement planning one day at a time title though. I thoroughly enjoyed my rotation this time (it was a much better experience than last winter) if I had chosen to go out as a final contract, it would have been great memories. Lovely community, good coworkers and even a fun northern social life (example naan pizza with sour cream, arctic char, red onion and mushrooms with cheese...yum). I was doing well child immunization to catch up the overdue little ones. As a point of reference...Nunavut has 20 immunizations from birth to age four and Nova Scotia has 14 for the same period, simply due to risk factors of lifestyles. There were over 100 overdue when I arrived and only 16 (really tough to get in) when I exited so....was pleased with that measurement. The nurse in charge is retiring this month and really wanted the list to be caught up. She was pleased and made angel food cake, strawberries and whipped topping for a treat on my last day with a lovely card. So nice to be appreciated. I also chased down a few STIs (will be worse when the mines open up again this spring with the dorms) and one latent TB on DOT (directly observed therapy) 3HP treatment which is a combo of TB drugs given weekly x 12 so that only three months of compliance is required vs the previous daily meds for nine months. My replacement was delayed in Pond Inlet for a couple of weeks so only a bit of a gap. She'll be there when I return. It will be nice to have a couple of days together for the handover. There was only a first case of covid in the community the last week I was there and at present still listing as only one active....hoping they can hold it down. 

Noon from my office window

Arctic Bay on my walk from work

View from hill top

Ahhh here comes the sun

Dog team on the sea ice

I have been working through a long list of library book holds which all seem to come due at the same time. Have enjoyed What Strange Paradise, Before I Let you Go, Reckless Girls, It Ends with Us, Verity, Rock Paper Scissors, The Strangers, The Things You Save in a Fire, The Winter Wives, The Secret of Snow, The Charm Bracelet, The Sanatorium, Sooley, Lethal, and also read "Indian" in the Cabinet which was okaaay but didn't meet my expectations.  Lots of time living the single life to read, listen to podcasts, crochet (did a lap throw for the LPN) catch up on the news (when I could bear to look at it) and watch a few movies I'd downloaded from Netflix.

Trying to get caught up on my TBR (to be read) list before I am hanging out with the youngest grandson for the next few weeks. His Dad leaves in the morning for a visit with his family in Cuba and it's too early (both post transplant and pandemic) for Juan to travel. I am heading to an appointment along the way and then in to the city for a couple of days, returning here after he has blood drawn on Thursday. His Mom will work during the week and join us on weekends. It'll be good to spend some time with him as he is changing quickly.  The youngest granddaughter at 8 mo is now sitting up, creeping, standing with help and eating everything! She is petite like her mother was (is) and very busy. 

Although I'd like to be packing for a trip nearer the equator, it's just too soon for me. A friend and I have discussed/planned/given up on a trip to Ireland several times per year, beginning in spring 2020. Maybe this fall we tell ourselves. And then.....that crazy Russian dictator decides to invade Ukraine. As a meme I saw said....I didn't think the world had to replay the entire 20th century in the past two years. Sigh. It will take a while to get used to some of the changes (masks, distancing, documentation, increased cost) that are likely going to stay with us for some time. The biggest issue is convincing myself that it is worth it to get out there again. It's really not much fun with the domestic travel required for commuting to work....masks, proof of vaccine documents, reduced services, limited flight schedules and sudden changes due to crew shortages....as well as the usual weather/mechanical related challenges. 

Domestic travel is still being planned though. We are traveling to Toronto the first week of April where we will enjoy the hockey tickets we won to see the Montreal Canadiens play the Toronto Maple Leafs. Airfare was included and so we just have to cover food and lodging. Booked in downtown and the travel partner sprang for tickets to see the Raptors play a couple of games. Coincidentally a young nurse who works in Arctic Bay will be out in Scarborough/York area visiting her family (dim sun chefs) while we're in the city and we've arranged to get together for the day. She's instructed us to bring a cooler to bring home some of the frozen dim sun they create for restaurants. Will be a nice diversion. As well, after mentioning a plan to travel to Prince Albert this fall to visit with a buddy for duck/goose hunting the shore captain was thrilled that the buddy had a line on a guided snow goose hunt end of October. They are both excited....more fun to have a friend to play with. Since I have a companion voucher expiring and some West Jet travel bank and $ from pandemic refunds there has been some discussion of how far the voucher will take us. As in one ticket paid and one just pays taxes and fees so....Whitehorse/Dawson City are on the table. Just checking to see if the tourism venues are still open mid September and take a closer look. Would be the final territory in Canada to tick Yukon off my list if so and might be more attainable than Europe at this rate. As my travel partner said....that Balkan cruise in to St Petersburg you had in mind might not be manageable in your travel lifetime now...sigh. 

Have been home for two weeks and enjoyed some visits, video chats and phone calls with friends and family. Got my bags unpacked - not difficult as I stored my northern and work gear with one of the indeterminate nurses so I didn't have to schlep it 3500 km each way. Had an afternoon visit with a former coworker (lab tech heading to Iqaluit as a casual) about outfitting for the arctic. Exciting when just starting out! Now I'm working on a crochet project to keep my hands busy, sewed some masks to send to Cuba, have been baking for the long term room mate and enjoying some nice meals which make me appreciative of the dishwasher. We even got out for lunch in town....it's what (almost) retired folks do. The milder temperatures here have led to some walks to the community mailbox and visits with neighbours. Hoping to take in the craft classes being offered this month by the recreation department - not sure his Grawmp is up to chasing an active toddler but we'll work something out. 

So.....expect the...I'm packing my food update in about six weeks as unretirement continues. Later.