As today was Monday, coworkers asked me how my weekend was and I was able to reply without hesitation "great!".
I was first on call Friday night and had only one phone call at 11 p.m. which was the lab reporting a critical result - on a patient we'd already settled - and nothing, not a peep the remainder of the call shift. I had to pick the phone up in the morning to make sure the line was still operational. The community had pretty much emptied as all went 'out on the land' to hunt caribou and geese and fish for arctic char. I saw two kids on bikes go by on the street all evening. Nice to be reimbursed to sleep. Saturday, I was second on call and had only two phone calls - neither from the first on call looking for assistance - one from the Mental Health Worker inviting me to supper at her house and the other from the teacher daughter updating me on the job fair outcome. Although she had very little seniority and was at the end of the day for appointments she managed to score her first choice of P/1 French Immersion at the school she desired. The HR folks conducting affairs were a bit surprised to see boisterous celebrations from her and the principal at such a late point as there were teachers being given positions but not their first choices, just thanks I've got a job and walking away. The position is a permanent one meaning that when daughter #2 receives her probationary contract next spring (please, please let us be heading into an election so those politicians won't cut anymore positions) the job is hers in perpetuity. Fingers crossed. Supper was lovely and it's always nice to go to an indeterminate (permanent) employee's home as they have all the trappings associated with permanent living such as art, photos etc.
Sunday was a rainy day and I used it to laze around (it was my completely free day off) have a long phone chat with my friend who is recovering now at home, bake some cookies, do some online research, crochet a dishcloth for one of the front office staff and go for a walk with two of my coworkers in the evening. We walked up the hill over towards Long Lake as we had last winter but it was certainly a more comfortable temperature and the mist reminded me of the Maritimes.
 |
| Ice starting to melt |
 |
| Lots of snow left |
 |
| Arctic willows? |
 |
| Purple saxifrage |
Today wasn't too bad as a start to the workweek, just minor things really and we were able to keep up. I was on call and fielding the requests such as "I've had this for two years but I want to come and see you this morning". You likely don't need me to tell you what the answer to that one is do you?
The afternoon was pretty straight forward except for an email from the Nurse Manager saying that casual contracts will not be booked for any less than six weeks and if anyone has shorter ones booked they will be given the option of extending them to meet requirements before being cancelled. This is of no direct concern to me as I've arranged myself to do eight week contracts but rest assured there will be fireworks. I told my coworker today that I'd bring the popcorn if she got the drinks and we'd pull up some foldable chairs because there's gonna be a show. There are a number of Maritime nurses coming for two to three week contracts at fairly significant cost to the employer so the line is drawn in the sand and the sides are positioning.
If you need a smile to perk you up, let me share an anecdote with you. The previous stay here in Taloyoak, I lived in the apartment across the hall and that is where most of the baking supplies had migrated as my long suffering (and eager to consume my baked goods) roommate would source equipment from this apartment as in baking sheets, pastry cutter, pie plate etc. So yesterday when I considered making biscuits I realized the pastry cutter was 'across the hall' and the occupant of the other apartment keeps to herself so I didn't want to disturb her. This morning as we were about to begin the morning meeting I mentioned to her that I was looking for the pastry cutter and would get it from her one of these days. "I certainly don't use it" she said. This afternoon when I came back from downstairs I found on my door handle a............candy thermometer. Hmmmm. 'I don't use one of those either', I thought, 'but I sure do want the pastry cutter'. I'm guessing none of the baking supplies are getting much of a workout in that apartment.
This evening I spent a couple of hours downstairs at evening clinic, but it was all manageable. I did miss a chance to Skype with the electrician daughter due to the calls though, boo. And now I am considering dragging the phone with it's two km of line (there are no cordless phones here) down the hall to the bedroom. Night all.
