Just finished my supper of scalloped potatoes, baked squash and ham - yes I am eating my way out of the community - so I shall update this blog. I am on call today which has meant one prearranged visit and an otherwise undisturbed day. As I ate my meal, I thought of first call days in other communities where I have been careful to eat breakfast before starting call at 9 am and ensured I have snacks in the desk drawer of the office and leftovers to heat in the microwave should I get a few minutes to eat during the day. Here I've managed all sorts of domestic chores, crafts and baking while on call. Most certainly not complaining.
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| Main St in the spring |
Since I'm on the subject of air travel and when you live in fly in communities, it is a matter of interest / reality to all, some connected comments. A senior manager told me that he had to "go open up the airport as no one came to work in the hamlet office". Well, it was Monday, in the spring and the sun was shining so….not really a surprise. He unlocked the terminal door and the flight doesn't land until afternoon, by then someone showed up to check the runway. As the boss was expected back on Thursday we were discussing her route to BC and I hadn't considered that she flew through the Yukon, but it does make geographic sense. The airline which flies in Yukon is called North Air and the route from Inuvik to Whitehorse is via Old Crow and Dawson City. Flights from Dawson City to Vancouver aren't a problem. The replacement nurse and clerk were discussing the old DC3s but the website boasts new planes so hopefully their stories are from 'back in the day'. Duct tape holding up rattling overhead bins and freight in front of the seats under a non secured net, stacks of boxes which would've tumbled backwards but a passenger in the front row got up and fastened the net to the floor as they taxied to takeoff. My coworker thanked the good samaritan and said "I didn't want to die by freight today". He agreed. This week the very large Anglican minister was in community. He used to belong to a biker gang and looked like a DOT employee in his XXXL reflective jacket. He had introduced himself to an elder who said "do you work at the airport?" and he explained he was a minister "a minister at the airport?" she asked and was perplexed.
On Thursday, when the boss, her hubby and dog were to return home and the clerk's husband as well as a few others, it was windy, blowing snow and low visibility. Aklak Air flew to Sachs Hbr and could only see the road not the runway - back to Inuvik to try the next day. The COOP driver told the replacement nurse who was trying to get out and on to Paulutuk that you can usually see the belly of the plane when they overfly but could just hear them this time. The clerk received a text from her hubby as they flew over the runway so we knew they were turning back, as you can call and text on the plane - oh yeah, no electronic navigation equipment to interfere with - is that a good thing?
Her husband is a resource officer of some sort - I'm not sure there is a direct correlation in other areas as he deals with all sorts of wildlife and resources. He travels frequently and is heading off to Durban, South Africa in June for a meeting. I asked what animal and she replied "probably polar bears" which I questioned as to the amount of in Africa. "Oh they talk about bears all over the world" she said. When I shared the information I'd read online on one of the adventure sites (you know the ones written by someone under age 30 who is a self professed expert) about what to do if you encountered a polar bear - because I didn't believe it - she was appalled. I reported "you're supposed to roll into a ball and play dead". She said "absolutely not, where did you read that?" When I questioned the best plan, she was thoughtful and said "well, you could try to run and…..pray". Reassuring. I sure hope those mister polar bears are still looking for ladies out on the ice until May 7th.
I phoned the school and asked them to send three students over for immunization after class. In about five minutes, two giggling students arrived saying "I'd rather have a poke than do math" which I had to agree I would've chosen as well. They were checking their pulse rate and it was up. Their cheeks were pink with cold and exertion so I explained the physiology of tachycardia and one offered that "we were being baby reindeer". The third who came after school was less brave about the needle and apparently chose math to delay the visit.
I found a beige curtain panel in the linen closet and thumb tacked (no curtain road) it over the bedroom window blinds. It gives a rather strange shade which is reminiscent of backyard camping in a canvas tent, but does block out the light as it increases. More attractive than the usual aluminum foil look, although that is an alternative next to the glass as an additional help for May/June.
