The nurse daughter has arrived at her new digs in Saskatchewan. They made the Fredericton to North Battleford trip in only five days. Anxious to get settled, the furniture had arrived and the movers are booked to deliver the house lot so.....It sounds like they all (animals included) survived the road trip but I'm sure they'll be glad to be out of the car. I am thrilled that the 2004 Sebring delivered them safely and pleased with the photos posted along the way. The goose statue in Wawa brought back memories of the reverse trip her father and I made in 1976 from Regina. Sigh.
The RCMP officers (all two of them) here dropped in to the health centre today to put up a poster for the BBQ they're having on Friday the 21st which is Aboriginal Day. And yes, they told me, they were serving hot dogs, they didn't care if they weren't healthy, when I protested. The Cst was congratulated on his baby daughter born in his home town of Estevan, Sask. after I had left here this winter and the Cpl. was congratulated on his transfer to Lunenburg Co., NS. He is originally a western lad as well, but the fiancee is a NS gal. When I mentioned that my baby daughter had arrived in North Battleford today they both had comments. The Cst said "I used to live north of there, well North Battleford itself isn't too bad" and the Cpl. said "I put a drunk on a bus once to North Battleford, I'm guessing he was ticked when he woke up" and they both chuckled. My coworker and I discussed how to arrange it so we could get to the BBQ while doing our administrative duties booked for Friday afternoons. I'm sure Nellie has other ideas than that for us.
This week has been cold, grey, windy, dusty or snowy (from one moment to the next) and not at all as balmy as the first week of my stay. Yesterday my co-worker and me headed out for a stop at the Northern Store and then off on a jaunt into the hills towards Long Lake. It was bitterly cold with the wind stingy my face, ears and numbing my thighs, as if I were struggling in March in Nova Scotia besides the ocean. She kept promising it was going to get better as we rounded the corner, then when we got in the shelter of the rock cliff etc. Finally I said "I'm over 50 years old and I don't do things that I don't enjoy anymore so I'm heading back" and I turned around, not even concerned if a wolf ate her. She often walks this route alone (she is the one who hiked the pilgrimage of El Camino in Spain) and set off without a backward glance. It started to snow that sharp stinging snow that cuts your face as I headed into the wind on the return trip. That has cured me from being her walking partner.
Today after work we had a slideshow of the El Camino hike as the (very tall and attractive) German she met while hiking, sent her a CD of the photos. He had a real eye for composition and the photos were truly wonderful. I felt as if I had done the trip (without the foot blisters or sore knees) as I viewed all the wonderful architecture of the cathedrals, the quaint small Spanish towns, the beautiful countryside and all the hikers. It was a wonderful gift. As I reminded her "European men can be so gallant". Sigh.
I have been baking to use up my supplies as I have reached the half way point of my contract. The staff are pleased with my efforts as they've had brownies, chocolate chip, jam and oatmeal cookies this week. I've been crocheting some dishcloths and potholders as well and that's good too for using up supplies. Less to pack.
Tonight my coworker (after she hiked and I baked - do we see a pattern here?) and me called my roommate from the last contract here. She's in Aklavik, NWT and is heading home on Friday after 16 weeks of contract. Home for a couple of weeks and off to do acute care in Rankin Inlet in the Kivalliq region. Lots of talk of the three of us finding a three nurse health centre and being together. Since she's been the nurse in charge twice over there, and the two of us here are either too young or too old (in our minds) we have her pegged as the SHP. The community here knows us again as the old nurse, the young nurse and Nellie so all is good.
The pace is very different at this time of year in the communities as the majority of folks are 'out on the land' so less people and less infections circulating. Apparently there was a gastro bug circulating in the community after I left in March - this according to Nellie is traditional - so memo to self.....do not extend contract into March. Ick. Today was minor stuff, program management, prenatal clinic....It's a nice lucrative way to ease into 8 weeks of vacation. I'll take it.
