In four, three, two…..

Since I have spent the past two hours updating the blog and have somehow through a computer glitch lost the entire post, the replacement will be briefer. I noticed the previous posting was almost three weeks ago and so yes….I am amongst the procrastinators.

theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/02/why-writers-are-the-worst-procrastinators/283773/

It has been a busy three weeks, even though we did get a third nurse transferred in from another community as there were six nurses there and only four required. Obviously someone in staffing can't count. I had pulled an all nighter at one point and fallen asleep the next evening on the couch with the laptop. Apparently I was doing online banking as the next time I signed in I had to jump through some pretty stringent security hoops. This contract was a little calmer than last year this time as there weren't as many sick babies in the community - maybe due to the 'above and beyond' immunization program here. I'm into the home stretch of trying to get the pap smear and depo provera lists current before I leave as the creation of documents is something I can handle.

I mistakenly dipped an elders urine for pregnancy test - good thing it was negative as I wouldn't want to have the discussion about termination through the interpreter. I had a lady in last week, who actually speaks pretty good English but as I was giving her instructions she didn't want to follow, she asked for the interpreter. As the clerk was repeating what I was saying, she was answering in English faster than Louise could translate, she just didn't want to follow directions. Today there was a lady in who is now an elder with limited English and has adopted five children. She came with the baby (was a 32 wk premie) for his immunization. It's school break week so the 11 year old who was 'packing' him was quite helpful. I gave him three 'pokes' and he blew kisses to me after, so I consider him a forgiving sort. I told her that she was doing a great job and she smiled and said "you are too" made my heart sing.

I've been doing my part to support the local economy, as one of the crafts producers assured me, when I purchased a pair of snow goggles. They're carved out of caribou bone / antler and are used to prevent snow blindness, especially in the spring. The inuit have been using them for centuries. Yes, they work, but aren't great for peripheral vision. Today you're more apt to see locals wearing aviators. It is getting to be time for that spring tan.

There has been some protesting about the price of food lately:

http://grist.org/list/28-cabbage-65-chicken-and-other-insane-food-prices-in-northern-canada-2/

And really when you consider that these carrots are just a week older and wrapped in plastic for the same price…. there needs to be some backlash. I was at the COOP last week and one of the RCMP who is new to the north said "I don't really care for 1% milk" and her partner and I both said "it's got a great expiry date of four days from now and there is actually milk here". She'll learn. I bought whole milk (which I haven't been drinking since we had someone under age two in the house) and it tastes like blend if you're used to skim milk. But there were only five 1L containers as the flights have been sporadic lately so…milk is milk.

Working in the north feels as if you're employed in one large out patient paediatric unit and most of the children are great but for 'the others' here are two cute links:

http://themetapicture.com/why-my-kid-is-crying

scarymommy.com/10-things-i-said-my-children-would-never-do/

I always think back to when our children were like a daycare going on a field trip when the four of them in less than five years went out "hold your sisters hand". They were certainly normal kids but I used to feel that others sedated their children before taking them out in public. The oldest daughter had a tea visit with a new friend who has four children under the age of seven and I think was having some flashbacks to her childhood by the sounds of it.

I was out walking and heard the sound of giggles so peeked out from behind my scarf to see a group

of children making their way home from sliding. It was -50c but they were acting as if it was -5c in the Maritimes. It was 2:30 pm and just getting dark as the days are getting much longer quickly. Regardless, I am looking forward to peering out from beneath a palm frond instead of the fur on the edge of my parka.

As I think ahead to various travels, I'll share some links for your researching pleasure:

lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/buyer-beware-the-hidden-costs-of-budget-air-travel

For Americans who are unable to travel to Cuba as they are penalized on their return, the option of a cruise with a non US based cruise line is a possibility

cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2014/02/07/live-from-cuba-cruise-first-impressions/

And this researcher really makes global development come alive in this video presentation:

flixxy.com/200-countries-200-years-4-minutes.htm

I've invested in an American Express visa which gives me 30K of Aeroplan points for signing on. The key is to cancel before they start charging the annual fee - the first year is waived. Will need all those points to travel across the pond in August. Lots of exciting travel with both Mexico and then

Honduras before I come back to work. Getting excited as I've had an email exchange with the team leader for Los Encinitos and so will hopefully chat with him tomorrow night and perhaps get together in Boston next month. The big news for the summer is that….a friend and I are going to see Jimmy Buffett in concert near Boston on July 19th. That's our seats in section 13 - can't you see us just jumping around? Apparently the tailgate parties are almost as good as the concert - can't wait!!

As I think of heading home to my family and fur children, I am telling patients that I will see them in May, when it is 24 hours of sunlight, nice weather, they are out on the land fishing, hunting and camping and everyone and everything is coming to life. The following link is a travel blogger who writes about his wanderings:

nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/place-called-home/

And since the readjustments come when I head home and we go back to being a couple, the following is good advice:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/tim-hoch/2014/01/the-50-things-you-need-to-do-for-a-relationship-to-last/

So, I'm out of here (flight dependent) on Monday afternoon to Yellowknife and on to Edmonton after 10 pm to overnight with the baby daughter. Out by 3 pm so we can spend some time visiting and then in to Halifax by 2 am for the three hour drive home. Have a busy three days with errands, appointments and visiting, then off on a road trip to the US. Leaving Saturday to drive through Maine, and visit in New Hampshire with a summer neighbour before heading down to Boston to catch a flight to Cancun. March break family vacation and then back to Boston for the Seafood Show and home again.

Before all that happens, I have to eat up the perishable food, clean the apartment and survive two more call shifts and two work days. Busy, busy.

And of course just to give you courage to get through the day as it is sometimes tough to be a grownup:

uthas.com/2014/01/15/19-hard-things-you-need-to-do-to-be-successful/