Change of plans

Will I ever start a blog post without the classic opener of…..just home from a great trip? Not likely and am really glad to be able to describe another great vacation. Changing from the failed RBC Rewards Vancouver trip to Plan B - a visit to see the Ottawa daughter worked out more than well. 

When I attended my hair appointment and chatted with the stylist about the upcoming trip she said “my cousin Michelle is a steward on the Ocean run of the Via train, you’ll have to say hello from me if you see her”.  In the ‘small world’ that is Nova Scotia, despite a long train of sleeper cars, you can guess who our steward was…yup! 

The day before our trip I travelled to my appointment with physio/rhuematologist for back adjustment and prolotherapy injection. My heel was bothering me and this apparently is from being out of line and pulling a tendon so….lots of calf stretching exercises now which make it feel much better. On a positive note, the posture support (torture apparatus) that I’ve been wearing off and on for year has been put away as the injections are in my upper back/neck now and really beginning to keep my vertebrae aligned. Plan is for another round in June. Pleased to be getting back to my physical self. 

Daughter #2 arrived on Wednesday evening with the two grandkids for Easter so I could visit before taking off. Lots of fun to have little ones in the house and all sorts of new playthings for them. The baby is really growing big (17 lb at 4 months) strong and tall. He’s a smiley guy and is easily amused by watching his big sister. She is pleased that he’s able to hold toys, makes attempts to talk to her and is her biggest fan. Yesterday when their mother was congratulating him for rolling over from back to front, his big sister walked over to him, rubbed his head and said "your'e good at rolling". My theory is that it’s all fun and games until he is able to take back toys or otherwise assert his independence. 

The arrangement was for the oldest grandson to get off the school bus here on Thursday and as I put on my jacket to meet him, the shore captain phoned from the yard to announce that the bus had gone by without stopping. I texted his mother to see that a bus transfer had been arranged (it had) or if he was going to a family member - nope, neither of them were home - so into the car to chase the bus but within 1/2 km I met the bus returning. Apparently as our house was bypassed the grandson alerted the driver and he retraced his route. Lots of visiting with the cousins, the two little guys from our former house across the road dropped by and played games, the nurse daughter arrived with her dogs and as supper was on the BBQ the father of the grandkids plus his buddy arrived with their dog (cats scattering) and sleeping arrangements got creative. As I packed the grandson’s bag, the nurse daughter did her laundry and tailored camping gear repairs for the buddy and…..the drain from the washer erupted all over the mudroom. What a mess and what a send off! A mop up, stacking of bags in the front entryway and crawling into bed. At 10:30 pm the toddler was rolling around in the hallway, talking to herself, singing and refusing to go to sleep. 

Up in the am to make some breakfast, organize the grandson, visit with the younger grandkids and off in the car to the train station. Since we were traveling out by train and back by plane, the youngest daughter arranged to pick up my car from the downtown train station and leave it at in airport parking. This was accomplished as they are making trips to their house on the outskirts of the city readying it for sale. New house construction on land they were given at the lake is this summer's project and they are looking forward to non fifth wheel trailer living. But I digress. 

Parked in the Indigo lot and discovered that construction meant no access to the station so in through the attached Westin Hotel (former CN train hotel) and checkin, selected first lunch seating and were directed to the lounge. Dropped the grandson and the luggage off there with a kind senior lady who offered to keep an eye on him while I returned to the pay station as the parking must be prepaid. After a skirmish with the machine, I paid for a week and rushed back in (assisting passengers non familiar with the area as I went) to find the grandson chatting with his minder as she assured me he was a wonderful kid. Departure was called and we made our way to the waiting train, welcomed by our steward Michelle. We settled in our cabin, checking out the amenities, stowed our gear and were shortly underway to Montreal. We made our way to the dining car and enjoyed a lovely three course meal - I had fish chowder, salmon plate and maple crunch dessert. A stop in the lounge to use the wi-fi and back to the cabin to read/crochet and off to explore the observation car, find the snacks, chat with other passengers etc. Different scenery than highway driving and the pace is very relaxing. We enjoyed a lovely supper as we shared a table with a couple from Belgium who were travelling across Canada on the train. Staff were even kind enough to suggest pizza or KD as a alternate for the younger set and I had a lovely glass of NS wine. By 9pm, as we'd arranged, Michelle had made up the bunks for us with nice linens, duvets and

flooding in Quebec

fluffy pillows. The grandson quickly climbed up the ladder and was promptly asleep. I read for a while and drifted off myself, waking at midnight as we were stopped in Campbellton and were passing through snowbanks at least four feet high - still winter here! Back to sleep with the very soothing rocking motion, awake in Quebec City in the morning. Lots of flooding in Quebec and Ontario. We enjoyed a great breakfast - I had banana bread french toast - and a nice chat with a grandmother heading to Ottawa to visit her grandson. We shared the usual concerns of technology vs lifeskills for our grandsons and then returned to pack up our things. Have decided that especially with kids, the train is an excellent option - good pace, can move around, great food, cost effective - as long as you have the time, and with only 21 hours from Halifax to Montreal...what is not to like?

We were in to Montreal station exactly on time and quickly out in the city centre. A short walk (as we admired the skyscrapers) brought us through chinatown and in to the Holiday Inn. The grandson was thrilled to find a large pond of carp with lots of walkways and bridges in the lobby and I was pleased to be given early access to our room. We settled in, went for a swim, whirlpool and sauna experience and then watched some street activity - a yellow jackets demonstration then a local cultural parade. We were tickled to find the Auntie arrived on time by train and joined us in all the fun. We wandered a bit in the old port, explored a bit of the underground city as it began to rain and then stopped for a lunch at a nice cafe called Mandys, followed up by latte/dessert at Tommys which was an eclectic spot. Back to the hotel, some games and catching up and down for supper in the lobby - enjoyed some authentic soups, noodles and more (not dim sum as we'd anticipated as we were informed it was for breakfast/lunch in Chinese culture). Settled in and slept soundly. 

In the am we discovered that the Easter Bunny had found the grandson - pretty smart rabbit - and had hidden candies around the hotel room. The most popular gift was a world atlas book with activities which the well travelled boy quickly pursued. We readied ourselves and headed out for our full day of being Montreal tourists, stopping first at a hipster cafe for breakfast - very European with good eats and drinks, then off through the old port to the Montreal Science Centre. What a great place! All the usual displays and a great exhibit on spiders. Very interactive, lots of hands on activities for kids and even a demonstration of how fireworks are made. We could've spent all day exploring there, but by 1:30 pm we opted to catch a bus/subway to the Biosphere on Ile St Helene. If you recall the Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome, an iconic landmark and the American pavilion, from Expo 67...this now houses the Biosphere. It includes a living wall, great 360 movie on the environment and wonderful displays from Expo 67 and Man and His World which continued in 1968 (fond memories of visiting then with my parents and younger sister). I was transported back to the music (steel drums, polka bands, horn sections) smells (delicious global cuisine) and costumes (grass skirts, floral shirts, lederhosen) multiple languages, fountains, monorail and pavilions. A great trip down memory lane. Great environmental info and future planning as well. We exited as the museum closed and retraced our steps. Time to ready ourselves for supper as we'd decided on Italian food so were directed by the concierge to Bevo in the old port. It was a busy spot, great waitress and a fantastic supper of fresh pasta. Yum. A lovely stroll back to the hotel in the spring air and quickly to bed. 

Monday morning saw us up and ready for our trip back to Ottawa. A quick stop for breakfast (croque matin for the daughter and a caprese flatbread for me) with fresh squeezed orange juice. Ahh. The short stroll to the train station and a wait in the VIP section thanks to a very hospitable VIA employee and we were on board. Time to play exploding kittens as we rolled through Montreal and out to farm country, past flooded fields and finally into Ottawa. We ubered to the townhouse and I succumbed to a nap while the grandson helped his auntie with her estimating work. We headed out to Value Village, where we scored some great finds such as a vintage cribbage board, a 'facts' book and a pair of jogging pants for the boy. The grandson promptly lost his new spring jacket (we suspect it was found by another shopper and purchased) and we were forced to buy a replacement. Sigh. We stocked up on groceries and headed home to make supper and call it an early night. 

Japanese Village

Tuesday morning the working girl headed off to the office while we slept in. After breakfast we caught the bus (sharing public transportation with the usual city eccentrics such as a transvestite - the grandson was originally skeptical of my explanation) to the War Museum, bought a three day museum pass and spent the day checking out this great facility. I'd visited it on my high school graduation trip and was impressed 45 years ago, but a larger facility and enhanced displays really make it a great spot. Lots of military veteran volunteers circulating to answer questions and lots of interactive displays. It was easy to spend six hours exploring. The working daughter joined us at 5pm after work and (as per the grandson's request for teppanyaki) we made our way downtown to Japanese Village. What a wonderful evening of conversation with interesting people at our table and delicious food. 

Lila

Wednesday saw the routine repeated with a bus to the Canadian Museum of Nature and exploration for the day. Wonderful displays of the arctic, dinosaurs, marine life, plants, geology and special exhibits of butterflies - they landed on us and fluttered in the solarium as well as the baby sloth Lila (who is leaving this week for Nova Scotia). So, a very full day. We were again met by the working girl and this time stopped at a Lebanese bakery near her abode for a delicious supper. 

Thursday we headed to the Canadian Aviation Museum and when I googled the route...1 hr 27min bus ride with a couple of transfers each way didn't appeal so...we summoned an Uber and were efficiently delivered by James (from South Sudan, moved to Canada as a teenager) to the front steps. The museum is a fantastic place, large, covers from the Silver Dart to the Space Station, lots of old fly guys wandering around to answer questions and chat about the planes, a scavenger hunt paper which entitles the youngsters to a prize upon completion (the postcards and temporary tattoos were a hit) very interactive displays and the ability to sit in a cockpit cannot be underestimated. I particularly enjoyed the northern exhibits and airplanes which we were familiar with in the mid 70s in Goose Bay while living on the base. It was a full day which ended only with the closing of the museum. We summoned an Uber and were surprised to find a female driver (originally from Thailand) who expertly deposited us at the house. Our hostess was delayed at work with a social obligation (schmoozefest) and so we found our supper and I attempted to keep the grandson from bugging the roommates as he felt they were his contemporaries. And I must say...they were unfailingly attentive to him...playing exploding kittens, making him origami cranes, allowing him to 'help' with puzzles etc.  

By Friday morning we were in need of some downtime and although we'd planned a walk to the Filipino Bakery around the corner...we were actually relieved when it began to rain. We spent a quiet morning sleeping in and reading in our pyjamas. I had arranged an engagement in the afternoon and since the working daughter was detained, the grandson stayed with the unemployed roommate until she arrived

Flying Squirrel

and I Ubered to my appointment with an Iraqi driver who was the proudest, most patriotic Canadian I've ever met. Daughter and grandson picked me up and we headed to the.....Flying Squirrel which is a huge trampoline, foam pit, basketball, dodgeball etc. centre. We dropped the grandson off to play him out and headed to a nearby Michael's craft store where we shopped for yarn, a gift box for the afghan I managed to complete for the Cuban son-in-law (he'll surely need it when he arrives) and some books. Headed back to retrieve the lad and he was worn out (our goal) and playing with the local kids who were regulars. A few minutes and some photos later and we were off to source some supper after deciding on Vietnamese we opted to return to the restaurant we'd visited on Valentine's Day and were (again) not disappointed. Even the grandson was impressed and he's just getting into trying different foods. As he explained to us, when discussing KFC, Subway, McDonalds etc "that's my culture" which sort of sums it up. 

Armadillo

Saturday morning we were on track for our excursion as we'd saved our visit to Little Ray's Reptile Zoo for the weekend so the working girl could accompany us. Although it's relocating, at present the building is smallish and we squeezed into one of the last parking spots with the place filled with families - two large birthday parties ongoing. The staff are really upbeat, patient and there are lots of jokes and smiles (always a sign of a great place to work) with crowds of kids volunteering. Apparently they involve lots of

Snake feeding 

special needs children in their programs, what a great idea! My daughter and I watched a young fellow with three girls accompanying him, one of the girls was holding a broom and said to the lad "no, you need to sweep, you haven't done any work all morning and we've been doing it all" to which he explained that he was their mentor. This didn't impress and holding out the broom she said "nope, it's your turn and you best get busy" while the other girls silently looked on. I turned away so my smile wouldn't be obvious and waited...it took a few minutes but....he swept. I'd hire those gals. There were feeding and petting demonstrations, lots of environmental, geographic and biology education shared and discussions re: protestors as in "we put a water dish in the cage with these desert lizards although they don't drink it, they get their water from their vegetables but it prevents someone taking a photo and posting it on social media to prove we're cruel to animals". People, if you're looking for a cause, at least educate yourselves! The animals at this facility are rescued and not able to be released to the wild. We investigated the summer camps for the grandson as he could attend while visiting his working auntie. A quick browse of the gift shop and after a stop in a plant nursery, we were off to have a late lunch/early supper or lupper. The grandson had requested Mexican food and so we made our way to the Glebe section of the city - lots of ethnic eateries here and enjoyed Feleema's. It was a funky restaurant with great waitstaff. My doblados, refried beans and margarita were delicious. A quiet evening of card games and packing and we were ready for departure. 

Sunday saw us up and off to the airport (only 7 minutes from the daughter's place) in good time and when I commented on how brave the grandson was being, he said "I'm holding my tears in" as we headed towards security. I used my AIr Canada voucher for booster juices which pleased my travel buddy as we waited. The flight was slightly delayed as the plane required cleaning after someone was sick. It became apparent the reason was more likely motion sickness than a belly bug as we made our way home with turbulence almost from takeoff, no inflight service, flight attendants bouncing off the seats as they ensured seatbelts were fastened, apologies from the flight deck and an intense landing with lots of crosswinds. On the ground, shuttle and located the car in Park n Fly and on the road in good time. Dropped the grandson off and home in time for supper. Later that night his mother messaged that she'd found him upset and weepy saying he missed his auntie. Likely overtired but also missing her. 

Sunny but chilly here this week allowing for laundry on the line, collecting refundables from the roadside on the walk to the mailbox and yardwork being accomplished by the shore captain. I enjoyed a visit with a friend who is arranging a new life for herself - I love happy endings. Also had a chat with another previous travel buddy who had (on the way to visit family) slipped, fracturing her wrist and was now awaiting another orthopedic appointment in a neighbouring province to see if surgical pinning would be required. You know your healthcare system is in crises when you're relieved to be treated out of province. A Frenchy's shop always lifts the spirits as socializing and anticipation of good finds are enough to improve ones mood. 

I'm awaiting the travel booking for my homecare contract in Pond Inlet which is approaching on May 17th and the next adventure. Looking forward to a new community and hopefully summer upon return. 

Living my life in six week segments

Having spent most of yesterday doing ‘desk work’ such as the Government of Nunavut immunization certification - due every three years so I anticipate this will not be repeated, assisting the computer tech working on the shore captain’s laptop, organizing my tax information for the accountant and researching european travel options.  Today was eye exam, grocery shopping and baking. I’ve sorted through the oldest grandson’s clothes for our trip (details to follow) and am now wrapping up the day with an update. 

My last post finished as I exited from the six week public health contract in Clyde River and made my way ‘home’. As a buddy said “why do you keep that house? you’re never in it”. My flight from Iqaluit to Ottawa was as uneventful as an airplane packed with a youth hockey team can be. At the baggage carousel in Ottawa, I ran into a nurse who had been in Clyde River earlier in my stay and was now heading home from Hall Beach - I’d given her a contact with a former boss and she was moving on - gotta keep that networking going. Shuttle to the hotel and (yet again) no preauthorization from HR for my room so awaited reimbursement. Daughter #1 arrived and we looked at some Valentine’s supper options, finally settling on a Vietnamese restaurant in the same strip mall as the Italian eatery on the travel in. We were thrilled with our choice and will visit again. The sleepovers are always too short (will plan to extend my travel one of these journeys out) and the morning alarm sent the daughter off to work and me back on the airport shuttle. In the spirit of ‘hurry up and wait’ I sat at the gate with a man travelling to Nova Scotia to film a documentary for CNIB in a haunted house in Elmsdale. I offered to fetch him coffee while I picked up tea and he requested 8 sugars and lots of milk - that’s a milkshake not a coffee! He explained he had developed the braille pads for elevators, was a former farmer, was now selling 3D printers and did podcasts for the visually impaired. He told me that he was often paired with newly blind people doing rehab as blind since birth / having attended school for the blind he was a good example living a full life (wife, grandchild, career etc). He told me the toughest patient was a 22 year old accident victim, an engineer who drove a race car - their whole world had just been turned upside down. Our plane arrived and was promptly delayed for mechanical reasons so we grabbed some breakfast as we waited. As my friend says “at this stage in our lives, the adventure is all about the wonderful food you eat and the great people you meet along the way”. Short flight home and taxi to my nursing school classmate who stores my car, even took time to enjoy a cup of epicure tumeric and ginger tea (sounds bad, tastes great) with her. Stopped to pick up the grandson for the weekend and headed home, thus beginning a very busy few days before leaving again. 

If you’ll recall from the previous post…the shore captain had left for Cuba 10 days previously without departure supervision and it showed. As I worked my way through the weekend, the list of ‘didn’t dos’ grew. A cup of coffee on the sideboard, expired food in the fridge, dead houseplants as he didn’t water, a note from the cleaner saying he hadn’t left her pay, electronics plugged in, security camera on his desk not the driveway and no ink in the printer. The travel clothes he couldn’t find were exactly where he’d left them and he didn’t pack his coffee press. The biggest ‘situation’ was that he had installed a new floor in the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Something we’d planned for the future as the original had opened up leaving large cracks but there it was….complete with bumps of edging to the other rooms, not to mention the upheaval of moving furniture and decor out and back. My ‘not amused’ face was only modified by the grandson’s presence. 

In an effort to distract myself from the disruption, I chose to book my RBC Reward points which were expiring in March as I'd cancelled the credit card. After discussion with the grandson "Nanak you could take me to Ireland" and his spinning of the globe, we decided that Vancouver the end of April would be a great way to use the 70,000 points, enjoy some warmer weather and explore the west coast. When online research indicated you could 'breakfast with the bears' after taking the gondola to Grouse Mountain to visit rescued grizzlies, it was a done deal. I found flights through Montreal April 18, returning the 25th with fees totalling $393.30 (vs $1400+ airfare) and attempted to book on the website (refusing to pay $30 per ticket through the call centre) but there were technical issues with the site. In the morning I booked the travel, although I couldn't print the confirmation without a new ink cartridge. I planned to book accommodation upon my return from Cuba. 

I'd travelled home just behind a major snowstorm in both Ottawa and Nova Scotia, although roads were clear by my arrival. Monday brought lots of snow and the roads were still slippery when I put the grandson on the bus Tuesday morning and ran errands. Since I had an appointment early Thursday in Bridgewater, with a storm forecast, I elected to drive down Wednesday pm and overnight. When I awoke to 25cm of snow in the am, I was pleased with my decision. The roads were somewhat clearer as I made my way in to the city to visit the grandkids and friends. By Friday I'd had enough of winter and was pleased to drop my vehicle off at my classmate's (they were skiing) and take a cab to the airport for my flight to Holguin and instant summer, leaving the additional March snowstorms behind. 

Joining a charter full of resort passengers (several I knew from school or work) I was transported to the land of sun and fun. Met by Hector the prearranged taxi driver, I was deposited at a large colonial casa particular room (apartment really) for the night and slept soundly. Breakfast in the morning and off to locate the cadeca (money exchange) to exchange Canadian dollars to Cuban convertible pesos and ETESCA (phone office) to purchase wi-fi cards. I strolled to the park, connected with home online, explored the shops and restaurants and eventually made my way home to pick up my things and be dropped at the Viazul bus station for the trip to Santiago de Cuba. Lots of Asian tourists now in Cuba (as the remainder of the world) Europeans as always but not many Canadians travel outside the all inclusive circuit. Into the Santiago station about 9:30 pm and negotiated a 1952 Dodge cab (same model we had when I was a kid) from $10 down to $5 vs a motorcycle taxi with my backpack. Deposited at my casa and welcomed by all, we caught up on the news and I crashed into bed. 

Sunday I got myself organized for the school week, adjusted to the heat / humidity and reacquainted myself with the neighbourhood of sueno. Monday was back to class and (of course) if you don't practice you will lose the language. After regrouping and discussion, my professor advised that she'd "figured me out" which is quite a statement as many haven't. With the 'holes' in my Spanish grammar, Instead of working through the language with large lists of verbs to be conjugated and tenses to be studied which students beginning at the beginning do, she instead proposed that we would 'chat' and as she picked up my mistakes, she'd make notes and 'correct' me. "It is time for you to stop that now" is a frequent statement in class. While a former student and myself enjoyed a delicious supper she'd cooked of cerdo asado (roast pork) congris (rice and beans) malanga (fritters like hasbrowns) ensalada (salad) and flan for dessert, my professor explained to Nic that I'd learned my Spanish 'in the street' in a tone that suggested I was a streetwalker. Always more work to repair vs construct. The week flew by as I studied, enjoyed the company of daughter #1 and her hubby and quickly reacclimatized to my Cuban lifestyle. 

Cacti

Monday morning my 9am taxi (ancient Lada) arrived at 11am (Cuban time - stuff happens) and I was whisked to Chivirico to spend a week with family. Daughter #2, husband and grandchildren arrived that afternoon and we spent a busy but fun filled week visiting, swimming, eating, and enjoying the warm. We were treated to a great pig roast with the Cuban son in law's family (a sort of farewell get together as he'll hopefully be heading to Canada this summer). The grandkids took the trip in stride as the two year old said "this is our home now" upon arriving and although the baby wasn't a fan of the tropical temperatures, only wearing a diaper helped. Great place for kids as Cubans are very family orientated. As they headed back to the airport in Holguin, we shared a taxi with them as far as Santiago de Cuba and spent two nights there in a casa with a great rooftop cactus garden. We connected with a friend we hadn't seen in over 15 years (her son recognized us in the park and put us in touch), Had some nice meals with our daughter/Cuban son in law and discovered an area of the city we weren't as familiar with.  

We took a Viazul bus through the mountains from Santiago de Cuba to Baracoa and it was equal to any Disney adventure! Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba in Baracoa and tourists have been visiting ever since. It's more expensive than some other spots, there are more hustlers attempting to sell things in the square, and it reminded us of Vinales. We had a great casa with a water view in a quieter location and wonderful meals. We arranged for a cab to do

chocolate school 

some activities - Yumari with a river tour, hilltop hike to a small farm and a stop at a gorgeous quiet beach. chocolate school. The  second day we explored Yunque with a guided hike to the waterfalls and swim in the clear natural pool with a stop for a drink on the return. Our driver was a former teacher and wasn't shy about correcting my Spanish grammar (should've seen the look on the face of the guide when he called me out on a gender error - usually the tourist is always right as they're paying). 

Hostal Maria

Leaving in the 6am darkness, we made our way over terrible roads from Baracoa to Holguin by collectivo (Willy jeep which has been modified to cram lots of people in and has a diesel engine now) containing two Koreans, us two Canadians, a Swiss and an Italian and three Cubans - United Nations. We were dusty and jumbled when we switched vehicles in Moa to an Americano (large 50s car fitted with an extra backseat - think mafia and you won't be far off). Dropped off at the collectivo lot we grabbled a taxi - a lovely 50s Buick with fins like my grandfather owned - to Gibara. We lucked into a room at Hostal Maria with a beautiful casa and fantastic cook. Pop. 20,000 Gibara is a fishing town, not overly touristy, nice restaurants, friendly but not pushy folks and cool ocean breezes. We enjoyed the beach, explored the cave formations, wandered the town and ate our way through the four days. 

Cayo Damas

An early morning taxi to Holguin, Viazul bus to Santiago de Cuba, met by our taxi and back on the island by 2 pm. Couldn't travel any smoother in a developed country. A week of beach holiday for complete relaxation was the most down time I'd had for the trip. We had friends over for lunch, they hosted a pig roast for us, there was a wedding, we took the local bus to Chivirico and attended a birthday supper....a full week. 

The end of March brought a sad message that a lifelong friend had passed away from the brain tumour she'd battled for over two years, having been diagnosed as I was finishing my chemo. Always that survivor guilt, as well as never being ready to lose a good friend. Hers was the description of a life well lived, loved by many with not enough years to see her grandchildren grow. Tough to be out of the country at times like this. 

Miracles of the Virgin

I arranged a taxi to the city for my final 10 days and attended daily Spanish classes. Found some time to take the reacquainted friend's daughter (now a 4th year medical student, she was 7yrs old when we last visited) and boyfriend to supper, spent an evening catching up with her mother, went on an excursion to El Cobre and the cathedral of the Virgin de Caridad, explored the neighbourhood and was joined by the shore captain (he arrived while I attended my final class and was a bit overwhelmed at the NO English spoken in the casa situation). I showed him around the area, we took the professor and our son in law out to supper on the rooftop at San Francisco. The final day we relaxed in the park and readied for our after lunch exit. An uneventful (if you can call traveling with badly behaved Ontarian resort tourists that) flight to Toronto, overnight and next day commute home. Located my car in the Park n Fly as my nursing classmate had left it for us. 

Arriving home Thursday evening to sort the mail, vacuum cat fur, unpack, do laundry and crawl into bed. Friday was a great day to hang laundry on the line, walk to the mailbox while enjoying the mild temperatures and....book a hotel for Vancouver. I began by looking up the flight confirmation, or should I say attempting to look up the reservation as it had vanished, the credit card was cancelled, points expired after 90 days and I later discovered no payment of flight fees to be found in my online banking. I remembered it was Air Canada through Montreal and the dates/times. I phoned the RBC Rewards centre and there was no record of my transaction. I was instructed to call Air Canada and was informed that we didn't have tickets on those flights. As I told the shore captain "I am NOT telling the grandson the trip is off, I'll take him to see his auntie". Sounds easy enough right? Nope. The two hour Halifax to Ottawa return flights booked last minute just before a holiday weekend cost $950+ for each ticket! No way. I checked out Aeroplan and Air Miles but they used lots of miles AND cost as much. I researched Via rail to Montreal and flight returning from Ottawa and was satisfied with the compromise although the train only departed on Good Friday, arriving in Montreal on Saturday morning. The added adventure of a sleeper cabin on the train, eating in the dining room, visiting a new city and seeing the auntie were sure to be a hit. In the morning I spent over an hour on the phone with RBC Rewards and the short story is - the points were gone due to a 'glitch', no reservation could be found but in the end the points (without expiry now) were applied to my life partner's card - as close as they came to admitting their error. I checked with the daughter hostess, received clearance from the grandson's mom for the change in plans, booked rail and air and began investigating tourist options such as the Biosphere and underground mall - not opting for wrestling match tickets as per the grandson's suggestion. When I discussed the situation with the grandson he said "no Vancouver?" and was then onto the new plan. I described the train cabin with steward and chocolates on the pillow (similar to cruise ships) he said "will there be swans?" He explained he was referencing the towel animals left on your bed. I was pleased to discover that the sleeper car fare includes all meals (3 course each) 24 hr snacks and hot beverages, you can purchase adult beverages and bring your own to consume in your cabin - as long as you don't get rowdy. Kids movies are shown during the day and evening. 

Tomorrow I have a haircut appointment and plan to hit up Frenchys as the grandson has taken a sudden growth spurt. Daughter #2 arrives with the grandkids for the weekend in the afternoon. Thursday morning an appointment for my back injection and the grandson will get off the bus here after school. Good Friday the adventure will begin....

Six weeks in review...

Although I had the best of intentions to update this blog as my six week contract went along…it was not to be. I managed to publish the original update through the network at work before the Access Denied warning barred me from further attempts. This blockage extends to all personal email and most video clips. Reasons given by IT include fear of infecting the network and restricted bandwidth. I’m sure they just don’t want us to have any fun online. So, although I roughed out this update, it’s being posted in Iqaluit as I await my afternoon flight to Ottawa and I promise another post from home with photos of Clyde River.  

To pick up from my awaiting the Dr roommate visit it turns out that she was born two years after my youngest child, having just graduated as a physician in May. A Chinese immigrant she ate noodles, was very sensible, thorough and hard working, putting in long hours and dealing with all sorts of complex referrals. She works in the ER at Qikitani General Hospital in Iqaluit in between doing community visits and I considered her an ‘old soul’ for her age. She’ll be returning just after I leave so I’m sorry to miss her next time. It made for a busy health centre to have first Dr clinic, followed by a general surgeon removing lumps and bumps, the dental team, eye glass fitting, and psychiatrist with psych resident in all in the same week. This week it was the OT in from Iqaluit and some fussy old dude who wore his pants hitched up under his armpits doing an update for the clerks/caretaker who take x-rays here. As I attempted to make small talk (thinking he might know the DI tech in Cambridge Bay) I asked “have you been to Kitikmeot?” and he replied “no, I’m just over at the hotel”. Who said those techs don’t have a sense of humour eh? It’s the eye team taking a turn as I make my exit. 

This past month has been one of multiple medevacs for the CHNs with various accidents and illnesses. The entire community of kids is sick with colds (thankfully no RSV or influenza here yet) and various rashes. I’m pleased to say that I managed to catch up the entire well child list to current dates during my stay, started the Synagis immunization (for high risk infants such as premies to protect against RSV) organized the Gardasil list for 9yr olds, caught the (very long) depot injection list up, tracked down the STI positives including one who was still drunk at 3 pm and named the wrong brother for contact - the non cheater was pretty confused when I called him in. I’ve managed to get a handle on the TB program - at least what ‘should’ be done and when - bloodwork, chest X-rays, weights, contact tracing, record keeping. Making it happen is another matter. Time to go home when I’m annoyed with chasing TB patients who don’t take any self responsibility for their meds, yet are given snacks and drinks (one has to have Gatorade) of their choice with the meds administered, and $150 gift cards for the Northern store at completion of their treatment, those who drink a juicebox of tropical punch (photo of fruits on the side) and then with tingling lips tell me of the allergy to kiwi and banana so I can do vitals, give benadryl and ask them to stay but…they leave as they haven’t been to bed all night and go home to sleep, people who don’t get up in the morning to keep their appointments for mantoux tests and just drop in to the clinic late in the afternoon, those who are frantic to have a mantoux so they can go to work for Baffinland but…don’t return in 48 hrs to have it read. I want to eat fruits and veggies for three meals/day and not take five minutes to dress to go outside. Am thinking perhaps that six weeks is getting to be a bit longer than I desire (8wks + didn’t used to be a problem) as I wasn’t minding winter etc the first month. Still ongoing projects (Spanish studies) but once I’ve finished up my crochet projects it’s time to go….

And so… I’m going to be the HCN (homecare nurse) in Pond Inlet on a casual contract May 17 for four weeks - spring in the north, on the floe edge, near Bylot Island. Ahhhh. You’ll have to Google it if not familiar with the name/location. It’s a good sized community (pop.1800) on the eastern edge of the NW Passage about a 45 minute flight above here. It’s the same latitude N as Sachs Harbour but the other edge of Canada. It has the usual northern demographics of 600 kids under age 14 and perhaps 150 over age 60 in the 2016 census, so a busy spot for CHNs vs HCNs. My buddy says the CHNs are all young and it’s a busy spot but again…it would be with lots of kids. I’ve enjoyed homecare in NS, as I like the patient being in their own environment and control, so looking forward to it. 

A previous weekend I was dealing with a husband who has never had to ready the house, pets and pack materials etc for Cuba by himself. I’d like to think he was missing me as I’ve made it look easy, but the only way to describe his behaviour was…snarly. If he’d said “I have no idea” one more time in that tone in answer to various routine questions, his safety  would only have been guaranteed by the distance between us. At one point in the first phone call he was asking me to name various articles I’d picked up in my Christmas shopping, to pack. I finally remembered that he’d thrown the bags out of the closet as I made him put the holiday decor away - I undecorated the house/tree on New Years day as I packed for north, so they wouldn’t be waiting for me in Feb. Then it occurred to me that at 9pm he was likely in bed but not walking the four steps to the (never used) treadmill to look at the bags piled there. When I called him on it, he corrected me to that it was 9:20pm.and directed me to call at 6pm the following evening. Not behaviour that encourages one to buy a ticket to join someone acting like that! I followed up with various texts about the house cleaner, taking enough cash out of the bank to exchange, cat care etc. Pretty clear who has always handled the pre-travel arrangements in our house and you can see why. 

He traveled early to the city and sent photos of himself with the grandkids in an effort to make me jealous - it worked. The following day I texted to see how his travel was going and received an update about bad weather in Halifax, taking the second flight up to Toronto with the first cancelled, circling Pearson for 15 minutes waiting for runways to be cleared and finally waiting for deicing in the freezing rain with the update that he’d ‘forgotten’ to go the bank to get money, took cash from the console of the truck, would try his credit card in Cuba and let me know how he made out. Clearly NO memory of my credit card debacle of November! He arrived, was met at the airport by the Cuban son-in-law and off to his casa. At present, he and the son in law have travelled by bus from Santiago de Cuba to Havana for the immigration medical (whohoo getting closer all the time) which according to FB photos is an adventure all around. Thankfully the son in law is doing really well with his English and isn’t deaf…just sayin. On Friday pm I received a somewhat clear email from the shore captain stating that the Cayo was booked the first week of March with only room for the kids/grandkids but he’d found a casa for us in Chivirico. He’s now making arrangements on the ground in Cuba, including a trip for us to Baracoa which is northeast of Guantanamo after the kids leave.  

I have managed to book my flights (including matching my travel partner’s on the return) a room (with the help of my daughter/son in law) in Holguin and booked my bus ticket from Holguin to Santiago de Cuba, arranged with my prof for a week of Spanish lessons and my room in Santiago de Cuba. After that I’m at the mercy of the guy who doesn’t plan…plans. It is nice to be thinking of warmer climes, especially in the -42c weeks we’ve just had. It is February in Nunavut so completely expected of course, and although the sun returned for a few more hours per day, it’s still frosty.  

I joined the Clyde River Swap n Sell (originally to locate a pair of mittens for a nurse from NS who had asked me to find a pair) but have continued my membership for pure entertainment value and local info. For example…posted for sale…cups of grapes/crisco - perhaps a newer version of a traditional treat of berries mixed with caribou fat and no I can’t pronounce the local name for it. I did get a pair of mittens as requested by asking a patient who was selling ookpiks (small owls made of sealskin) if she would make some. She arrived last week with a lovely pair of black leather mitts with purple fox fur trim which I purchased as the personal shopper. 

Friday (after unsuccessfully looking for a patient to give TB meds to) I dropped a coworker at the Northern store and so picked up some (overpriced, bruised) fruit to last me until Wednesday and a box of ice cream sandwiches to leave as a treat for the health centre staff when I head out. There was a little fellow (looked to be about the age of my oldest grandson) ahead of me at the register with a 50% off container of double bubble gum balls. He tried to pay the teenaged cashier with a handful of coins which she counted and then picked up the gumballs and said in Inuktuit - the equivalent of…you don’t have enough money…his face fell. I said “I’ll pay for it, put it on my order” . I suspect this isn’t a common occurrence as she repeated in English “you’re going to pay for it?” and when I said “yes” she handed the little guy the gum. I don’t think he was completely clear on what had transpired and was concerned the offer might be rescinded as he quickly scooped up the container and made a hasty exit with a confused look on his face. Now, the last thing any northern kid needs is more sugar and I hope I haven’t contributed to him being one of the dental patients sent out for extractions but…I just kept thinking how heartbroken my grandson would be if this had happened to him. Who knows? Maybe his grandfather was one of the crowd of locals who came to push the health centre vehicle out of the snow when I got it stuck in last weekend in front of the apartment in a near blizzard - a very warm, giving community here. That said, it didn’t stop me from celebrating my last Friday, last Saturday, last Sunday (you get my drift - pun intended) here. 

Had attempted to get a visit in to the Cultural School to have a peek at the library but when I finally got an answer today, one of the the local cooking students advised….sorry, it’s just me and Susie in the kitchen…and when I questioned the whereabouts of the boss, I was told that he’d gone to Iqaluit for a visit. Oh well…

My replacement arrived unexpectedly on Sunday. When my roommate went to the airport to pick up a returning CHN she found her there. Bilyana is a TB nurse from Ottawa (living in Gatineau) who does short contracts in Nunavut. She’s originally from Germany/Bosnia, has great tattoos and is involved with several heavy metal bands in Montreal. She is a very experienced TB nurse (used to working in communities with 40 - 100 patients having DOT meds vs 5) so I was relieved to find she’d get the files in order for anyone coming after me and she was relieved to find that I was comfortable with ALL the other public health tasks of the job which make up the majority of the job - we’d both been told it was a TB nurse contract….HR lies.  She’d never done well child immunizations, drivers medicals, STI tracking, depot injections or general medical blood draws. So we had a whirlwind three days where I tried to wrap things up and make sure she got to do the major tasks at least once. It was nice to have two of us doing the workload so I could wrap up details and she could find her way.  

The final rush to eat up/donate my food, clean the apartment, wash the linens and pack filled the  

awaiting the flight 

evenings/lunch breaks of the week. It always feels as if I’m saying goodbye somewhere and the staff/community have contributed to an interesting/challenging six weeks of memories. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day which was great for flying. The only two passengers on the flight were myself and one of the health centre clerks so we had a private jet. We even arrived early in Iqaluit and a buddy and her husband picked us up and deposited me at the Frobisher Inn where I had a snack, bath and crawled into bed early. Nice to not have to worry about a work alarm for a while.

The weather ‘south’ has been awful with a major snowstorm dumping 40+cm of the white stuff on Ottawa and awful driving in Nova Scotia, so I’m glad to be travelling behind not through those situations. Surely looking forward to seeing the oldest daughter on my commute, although the weather in Ottawa hasn’t been any warmer than here. We have plans for a meal and a Michaels shop - some thick yarn to make a first winter cozy throw for the new Canadian son in law. 

70N and Loving It

After a glorious but very busy Christmas and New Year’s filled with family, friends, food, travel and fun, lots of fun where we enjoyed having the eldest daughter home for what is looking like her last solo holidays as hopefully our son in law will join her this year. We all took turns entertaining the grandkids and ate too much. A complete success! Followed by a fairly quiet New Year’s, last minute visits and frantic packing with a January 2^nd leave.

I’m somewhat settled into my new role as public health nurse in a new region, new community and transient apartment. And it looks like I’m able to update the blog on my laptop, save then insert the thumb drive into the network at the office to post. I’m working on transferring photos from my phone to the computer to USB as well…that might take some finagling. You’re not missing much as the pictures thus far would be dark, blizzard and more snow. This community is known for its inaccessibility with flights frequently cancelled and blizzards common. The routine of travel is only routine if you’re repeating the same route without weather/mechanical delays. The two day commute turned into three necessitating a dig through the duffel bags to find clean socks and and underwear for the run into Clyde River. Third times a charm apparently.

The commute started out well with a mid day flight meaning a reasonable arising time for the three hour drive which was shortened with dry pavement. I stopped at my nursing classmate’s as she stores my car. She also volunteers at the airport so she drove me in and we wrestled the bags from the vehicle into the terminal. The bags were obviously under 50 lb. as they were smoothly accepted and I was delighted to receive priority stickers for them. After a quick security clearance (thank you Nexus) I made a Starbucks stop for hot chocolate and bagel and was joined by my volunteer buddy so we caught up on the news until boarding. The flight to Ottawa was routine, my bags were first off the carousel, I called the Hilton Garden Inn shuttle and was efficiently deposited at the hotel. The only glitch being I had to pay for my room and will be reimbursed on my travel claim as there was no preauthorization by GN for the reservation, small issue. Daughter #1 joined me after work and we had a great supper at a lovely Italian restaurant. We celebrated our reunion with cocktails and I enjoyed a strawberry liquer/prosecco drink which was correctly named as a strawberry delight. The salads and pastas were delicious, leaving no room for dessert. We browsed Michael’s and I resisted yarn purchase due to space limitations in my luggage - most restrained I’ve ever been at Michael’s. Look out on the February return when I’ve eaten the food I’m carrying in. Back to the hotel to partake of mimosas and visit until sleep overtook us. 

Morning routine meant I headed out on the airport shuttle and the daughter made her way to work. Never long enough but wonderful to be able to visit along the way. A plan to extend my trip by changing the ticket on one of these runs out is on the list. A quick check in at First Air with bags tagged through to Clyde River and no need to prioritize one. As I waited at the gate with a South African GN policy analyst heading back to Iqaluit after a holiday vacation with his family in Manchester UK as well as his cousin, Iqaluit criminal justice clerk, from the same place, they entertained me with northern stories. The north is a haven for immigrants, especially taxi drivers, but lots of young professionals as well. The flight departed on time, it was a flawless three hour run and after breakfast I snuggled into my parka and had a great nap until we were approaching Iqaluit. The only negative being I missed the warm chocolate chip cookies which were served. We deplaned to the new airport which is stunning and I made my way to Gate 5 for the Clyde River departure. The plane arrived and….an announcement was made that the Clyde River segment was cancelled (blizzard there I’d seen when checking the weather). Over to the First Air counter to be told that tomorrow am was the likely rebook and given a customer service phone number. I called HR and was given a room at the Frobisher Inn for the night and told a 0745 departure to Clyde River was planned, to be at the airport 6 - 6:30am. Check in, dragging of bags to the room, regrouping and off to source wifi for my stay in Clyde River. The clerk has misdirected me to the wrong business so I walk in -34c to the Gas Stop on the corner for the SSi Micro outlet. It took a while and a bit of cash but the Inuit clerk manages to set me up with a new sim card meaning I have a new phone number for calls and texts and 3GB of data/month. Talk about same country, different planet…it’s like international travel. The clerk calls me a $7 taxi and I’m deposited back at the hotel. I am delighted to find there’s a cinema in the building with Mary Poppins and Bumblee playing, the same as at home but defer due to my early start in the morning. I source some arctic char and salad with a cup of tea for supper and then veg out. Ahhhh.

Awake with the 5am alarm, repack, dress in winter gear…as my buddy used to say…how do you dress for a northern flight? put on all the clothes you have and head to the airport…and call a taxi. I find the doors locked when arriving at 6am and no First Air staff in sight. Security guard lets me (and a Clyde River resident) in and by 6:30 the First Air staff arrive, quickly ignoring the assembled passengers. At 0645 I attempt to check in and am advised that the flight to Clyde River was cancelled this am. Nice. We’re being put on the flight to Pond Inlet this afternoon and will be dropped off on the way, leaving at 1:30pm, be at the airport by noon. I call the  hotel and ask to reclaim my room for a few hours - no problem then share a taxi with a family of four and their mounds of luggage back to the Frobisher Inn. We actually stop and pick another passenger up on the way in town. I have graciously been given the front seat and don’t dare look over my shoulder to see how a fifth body was added to the back seat. We explode from the cab, I drag my bags up the steps, retrieve my key, struggle to the room, deposit the perishables in the fridge and flop in the chair. After collecting myself I mosey on down to breakfast and enjoy a smoked arctic char eggs benedict with home fries and a tea for breakfast. A quiet morning with my book, a call to First Air to ensure the flight is still on before I repeat the process again. I share the hotel shuttle with a BC student who is applying to med schools in the hope of returning to the north, I wish her well. Check in and finally free of the bags. I wait at the gate with the various community members I’ve already met and my newfound friend of the early morning plays a mean harmonica concert for us. I forgot how much I enjoyed Nunavut, with all its rough edges it’s still a wonderful place of authentic people who are managing to retain their Inuit language and customs, albeit with terrible dental health, large numbers of children and beautiful chubby dark eyed babies with full heads of black hair, folks with very shy helpful ways and lots of giggles. It’s been four years since I’ve been in the territory and it’s a wonderful feeling to return. The flight departs on time with 12 passengers for the two communities as we leave the midday light of Iqaluit and fly into the arctic darkness. After two hours a final approach is announced and the lights of Clyde River pop. 1004 appear along the hillsides. As we approach the airstrip I notice the locals looking out the window and bracing, so I do the same as I assume we are coming in more quickly than usual. Momentarily we are down onto the runway with a firm bang and a couple of bounces and then taxi to the small airport. We’re quickly off the plane and into the crowded terminal. I’m sought out by health centre staff who are waiting for me “are you the TB nurse?” We retrieve my duffels from the back of the cube truck and are off to pick up the apartment keys. Hard to get a sense of the place in the dark and moving so quickly. It’s already 4pm but the acting nurse in charge suggests I come back to get started so we drop the bags, I stuff the perishables in the fridge and return to the health centre. Getting onto the network for email (have 3578 messages since 2014 when I was last employed by GN) and logged in to Meditech are the priority. I try to get my head around the charts and notes stacked on the desk but I don’t know this community, the program or any of the parameters. At 5:30 pm the mental health nurse is leaving and I hitch a ride with her, making plans for a grocery run the following day. It’s been a long day. I unpack my food, clothes and supplies into the cozy apartment, take a much needed shower and fall into bed.

Things look better after a good sleep and a breakfast of lobster and scrambled eggs - due to the kindness of a previous occupant who left a few groceries in the fridge and cupboards. After lunch my coworker arrives and we make our way to the Northern store which is the only shop in town which likely accounts for the atrocious prices (even by northern standards) and mediocre quality on the shelves. The place is new and clean with helpful staff but it isn’t hard to spend $60 for a small bag of food. There is even a Tim Hortons express kiosk at the entrance. I’m dropped off with my groceries as my co-worker takes the vehicle promising to return in time for me to head in to the health centre for an arranged visit. A large part of TB treatment is ensuring that medication is taken and this is accomplished by something called DOT (directly observed therapy) meaning…watching a patient swallow the pills as ordered - daily in the initial phase, then three times per week for the continuation. A major problem being discontinuation of treatment or more than two missed doses in a row. If the patient doesn’t attend the appointment as arranged then they are located at home, work, school etc and the medication administered. The 4pm appointment isn’t kept as the patient doesn’t get up until 5pm, I have to phone the TB assistant as I have no idea where the patient lives and she comes to the health centre to accompany me, navigating for me as I drive. There are various complications to the visit which necessitates my return three times to the health centre and I’m flustered. I collect my coworker and as we head back to the office I suggest that it’s difficult to have nurses coming in and out of the community. She agrees adding “you’re never sure if they know what they’re doing” to which I respond that although I haven’t gotten off on a great start, I’ll do better. She shows me how to record the visits on Meditech and in the TB binders. I promise to do the visit the next day without messing up and definitely not calling her - she nods approval and heads home.  As I drive home in the darkness, all the roads/housing looks the same and it takes a couple of tries to find the correct street. If the guys delivering water on the truck had called the RCMP when I couldn’t find my place and was trying to enter the wrong apartment, then fled when the key didn’t work…I’d have had some explaining to do. Hard to be the new kid on the block.

Over the course of the weekend I watch the final season of the series A Place to Call Home which is the Australian series a buddy recorded for me (and my former job share partner) and it’s very well done, although I’m sad it’s over. I crochet some dishcloths, start the shrug I’m doing for one of the daughters and make a lobster sandwich for the TB assistant as she expressed a love of the crustaceans. Bribery is my only resource at this point. I work on my Spanish studies as those pesky verbs don’t stick if you don’t practice! I’m surprised that there is as much light here at this time of year with 10:30am to 2:30pm being a bright twilight, more than I’d expected. The DOT visit requires a home visit and I’m wished “good morning” at 5pm but it is more efficiently conducted and I even manage to enter the details into Meditech. Bit of trouble with the printer setup but all in all a better day. I wander the health centre finding my way around the pharmacy, treatment rooms, lab, store room etc. while it’s empty. The weather is deteriorating with a blizzard predicted, the flight is cancelled and the Dr will not be in, there is talk of a weather closure in the morning. The Dr will be bunking with me so that means washing those dishes in the sink and thinking of something for supper for us. I finally got in contact with the shore captain as it turns out he had his phone set to ‘auto reject’ for any unknown number or at least one not in his contact list so he hadn’t been receiving my texts or calls from my northern number. We had a short chat (he has a man cold) after sorting it all out. In the to and fro I discovered I have voicemail on my new number but no way to access it so a call for Qiniq support is in order.

The morning’s phone call yesterday from the A/NIC is to inform that the health centre is closed due to the blizzard so I spend my 15 minutes with the blue light, check online, source some breakfast, dress for work, pack a lunch and crochet a bit. I shovel my way off the porch/steps - Mathew arrives at 11am and we pound our way through drifted snow banks on the main road with reduced visibility as snow removal is ongoing - exciting run. I spend the quiet time reviewing the well child program, wrapping my head around the program and answering the door as people have noticed the vehicle. By 1pm the health centre is open and the staff is in. The TB assistant does her best to get me in line and even reassures me that I’ll ‘get the hang of it’ so the lobster must be doing the trick. I manage to administer DOT, draw bloods, order them on Meditech, print the labels, register the visit, consult the physician for the clinic and write a nursing note. I’m slow, got to ask all kinds of questions, don’t know the people and even the simplest tasks are painful but…things are getting better. The staff are all great, even the caretaker who pretended he needed a TST (TB test) after lunch and of course I went along with it until the TB assistant said with a sigh “he works here!” as I’m guessing this isn’t the first time he’s pulled the stunt on a new nurse. The major annoyance of the day was when the TB assistant told me that as of last month there is Bell service in Clyde River. I could’ve screamed! I’d asked Bell and was told ‘nope’ and thus jumped through all the Qiniq hoops. Sigh. At least I now have it setup for other communities should it be required.

Before lunch today the TB assistant and I headed across the road to the school in the twilight to administer DOT meds. There are 400+ students in the K – 12 school with 24 in kindergarten. It looks like a busy place with kids of all ages wandering and lots of local artifacts. The steps aren’t cleared and I take a slide down the hill on exit. That’s the problem with the blizzards depositing so much snow. I spent part of lunch hour clearing out a path to the water and sewage fixtures on the side of the house as they won’t service either if not accessible. After commenting on the beautiful community my co-worker is already trying to convince me to return in the summer as it’s “really pretty then” and shows me wonderful photos/videos of rivers, waterfalls, arctic char fishing etc. Ahhh

So I made hamburger soup for supper tonight, with fingers crossed the Dr isn’t a vegetarian and will bake biscuits on the one pizza pan I found. Honestly seven (count em) muffin tins and no baking sheet? When the young Doc arrived I thought for a moment she was a local but is a youngish, slight Asian physicianwho is making her way efficiently through the patient list with an expected 14 office visits per day. I’m reviewing all the documentation for well child, TB, STIs, depot provera injections and feeling the weight as all this brain stretching is hard work. By the time I catch on it’ll be time to leave. Stay tuned!

Holiday Wishes

As we're into the holiday countdown now, a quick update.

I've managed (with a couple of extended evenings) to complete the craft projects on my list. The house and tree are decorated, the outside projection lights are up. The wrapping (including the projects built in Santa's workshop aka shore captain) is completed and I'll tell you that doll furniture is NOT easy to keep from poking through the edges! I've baked apple and mincemeat pies and frozen the chocolate cheesecake - to keep it safe. I'm heading out now to brave the crowds for a final grocery shop.

Today I'm capturing the grandson at school dismissal and we're heading to the airport to pick up his auntie who is flying in from Ottawa for five fun filled but all too short days of festivities. The excitement in Ontario and Nova Scotia is building as although we've visited the capital, she hasn't been home in over a year. There is even talk of stopping for garlic fingers on the way home.

We'll be joined by one set of offspring from the city this weekend who are visiting both branches of their families. The large extended family gathering is here on Sunday, complete with photographer to capture all the generations and with the weather forecast of wind/rain it should make for good attendance by the lobstering crowd. By Christmas Eve it'll just be the three of us having a quiet holiday. The working nurse will host the family on Boxing Day in the city and then we'll take the oldest back to the airport that evening.

After all the get togethers, it'll be time for me to drag out my northern stuff and pack for my next adventure as my first flight is January 2. I've received the travel guidelines from GN and they will pay for two 50 lb. bags only so....after the essentials it'll be whatever food I have space/weight for. So....a two hour flight (leaving at 1 pm not 7am) Halifax to Ottawa and overnight visit, Ottawa to Iqaluit is a 3.5 hr flight then a two hour flight to Clyde River. A much more manageable commute with the bonus visit. Due to flight schedules on the return in February I'll be overnighting in Iqaluit (chance to visit buddies there) as well as Ottawa. I was tickled to see that the travel email included instructions to 'Matthew' to arrange for my pickup in Clyde River...made me feel like Anne of Green Gables, except that I'm Ann without an E. Getting excited for the next chapter...

Hopefully an update before I head to the tundra. In the meantime have a wonderful holiday with family, friends and good food. 

It's all good!

Well,  the best of intentions did not result in a posting in November. As usual there are multiple reasons, and amazingly some of them exciting, all of them positive. Let me fill you in on all the developments...

My Canada to Cuba commute. even with the stop in Toronto including delay was routine. An issue with getting all the luggage aboard at Pearson translated to 30 bags not arriving in Holguin with us. Although my suitcases were last off the belt, I was thrilled to see them. A quick stop at the money exchange and outside in a blast of tropical sunshine to meet the cabbie my son in law had arranged. Off to the bus station and time to grab a sandwich and drink before the 5 pm departure. Pleased to see my son in law's smiling face and his father's vintage motorcycle sidecar at the arrival in Santiago de Cuba.

Santiago de Cuba 

vintage cars 

Clearly the words wonderful and Cuba belong together when
describing any travel there but...add solo and it's over the top. It was what could only be described as a working vacation but the most fun I've had for a while. I certainly have experience with solo travel but that is my commute to work, this was completely different. It's a lovely selfish experience to only have to think of yourself as far as schedules, decisions etc and with the total Spanish immersion it was better to not have anyone to speak English with. My helpful Cuban son in law was of course available and it was great to visit with him.  He (with my daughter's oversight) had found me a lovely casa, a professor and scoped out restaurants. Details to follow.

I spent four weeks in Santiago de Cuba with a room in a casa particular (Cuban version of B&B) in the Sueno area (quiet residential spot near the university) with a lovely family in a large room with two beds, ensuite (hot water), large closet, air conditioner, fan and fridge. The linens were changed every three days as I was told I'd sleep better in clean sheets. The room cost $15 and would have been

breakfast of champions

the same price for two people. La senora (Maria Christina or Tina) was everyone's grandmother and there were three generations plus 'la domestica' (cleaning lady) to try to figure out what I was saying. I was spoiled with a huge daily breakfast of fruit plate, eggs various ways, bread, ham, cheese, homemade juice (jugo natural) tea and anything else I mentioned I liked ex. mermelada/conserva etc. Seriously enough food for breakfast and lunch and this costs $3/day per person. Had my own key and came and went as I pleased. Watched Cuban baseball playoffs frequently on TV with my host Luis and we agreed Las Tunas are going to be the champs. As of yesterday they're still in first place. He was pleased to find someone to watch the games as the Europeans who visit only watch/understand soccer. La senora (and most of Cuba) have enjoyed novellas for years - first on radio, now TV and moving from Brazilian to Turkish and East Indian dubbed into Spanish. It's a serious addiction. Don't try to interrupt a viewing just sayin.

La profesora Cecilia is retired from Universidad de Oriente and was in fact Dean of the Spanish department when our daughter studied there 15 years ago. She is fluent in Spanish, English, Russian and French and is well travelled having taught/studied in various countries Ghana, Spain, Canada, Russia, England etc. over her career. She has a comfortable home less than a block from my casa and

not a tourist beach pose

conducts lessons in her airy third floor veranda. An initial assessment revealed that although I have a fairly extensive vocabulary (nouns) and my pronunciation is acceptable my grammar (verbs, pronouns, tenses etc) is abysmal. This wasn't news to me as I have avoided working on the grammar for over two decades. Cecilia later shared that she was gobsmacked when she did my initial testing as she had never encountered a student who could communicate  in another language without verbs! The classes were conducted entirely in Spanish. As Cecilia stated "it's Spanish you're learning, I'll only use English if you're stuck and it adds to your comprehension". Being forced to explain the various situations I found myself in daily was a steep learning curve. For example, when both my RBC credit cards got blocked for 'fraud security' after I attempted to get a cash advance. This meant my daughter had to Western Union me the funds and did you know that a Canadian cannot receive a WU transfer there, it has to be a Cuban? Good thing I have connections. So for these amazing, customized private lessons I paid $5/hr and did two hours of class per day. I had asked for more but Cecilia assured me that this was plenty and with the homework and extra reading of three to four hours daily...she was correct. It took a lot of work to earn an E (excellent) on my homework or a "muy bien" in my oral replies as she's a tough cookie. Cecilia is an intelligent, independent feminist, a bit older than me, who knows Cuba, loves good food, has children and grandchildren like myself and as Anne of Green Gables would say...I feel we are....kindred spirits. I am already planning a second session in March.

With Cecilia's assistance, I managed to live less like a tourist and learned/put together various things I'd wondered about for years. I shopped for pan suave at the local panaderia (bakery) fruit / veggies off the market cart, found supplies and ways around the city, navigated the new supermarket etc. We went on a field trip to a lovely hilltop restaurant in Puerto Boniato and then visited the cemetery where Fidel and my friend Liliana who passed away two years ago are resting. I enjoyed two weekends in Chivirico where it's always nice to escape the city and hang out with friends. Stayed with my nurse friend Elena and visited other friends in the area. Clearly my grammar has a long ways to go but I noticed that conversation was much easier. For example, Elena's parents (who I've known for over 20 yrs) made an effort to chat with me vs the nods, smiles, hand gestures, dictionary and Elena translating attempts we've made at communicating in the past. And clearly it's a different level of conversation that can be conducted. So, this gives me the motivation to continue with the homework....

It wasn't easy to return to the cold and snow of Canada but the pending arrival of a new grandchild helped. I overnighted in the city on the way in, spending some time with a friend and visiting with the granddaughter. Since it looked like the expected arrival due in about a week was a ways off, I headed home Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning I received a lovely photo of our 9lb 7oz grandson. I extended congratulations to all and made plans to head back down at the end of the week as I'd arranged for our oldest grandson to spend a few days here. So last week was spent enjoying the company of grandchildren, visiting friends and getting some errands in. I also attended the movie Bohemian Rhapsody and if you get the chance to see it, do so and you'll understand why it's being nominated for Golden Globe awards etc. Headed home for the weekend, ate some lobsters, got my snow tires on, did some Frenchy shopping, enjoyed supper with our German chef and friends and stuffed a couple of stockings for the mission.

On the topic of work, this will after all the yanging on about it, come as a complete surprise but....I have a six week contract to be TB nurse in Baffin. Over the past few years Nunavut has had a major outbreak of TB, to the point that entire communities are screened and treated if required. TB teams of epidemiologist, diagnostic imaging techs, Dr and nurses go in with mobile equipment and deal with the outbreak and later a nurse maintains the program. I feel as if it's been nine months gestation to get to this point, no one should have to be that persistent to work in an area which is drastically understaffed. I am heading to Clyde River (Kanngiqtugaapik) from January 2 - February 14. This causes looks of confusion when I state this locally as the small village of Clyde River, NS is five minutes drive from my house which I pass through on the way to the highway. Clyde River, Nunavut pop. 900 is a traditional Inuit community at 70N latitude near the Davis Strait. Of course 24 hrs of darkness at present, but only -24c this week so quite pleasant. I'm pleased to be traveling through Ottawa and thus visiting with the first born daughter on the way in and out and we'll hang out at the Hilton Garden Inn as it's only seven minutes from her place.  This is a new region, new community, new program and no on call with just a Mon. to Fri. position, so lots of things to look forward to. Have been trying to sort out the internet access to keep in touch and there are several options as well as the work network so you'll still be hearing from me.

I've gotten the Christmas decorations out (with the usual waves of nostalgia as I recall the times when our kids were small) and am enjoying the cozy atmosphere. There's a tree on the front steps to be brought in - this in itself is an amazing statement, as the non retired shore captain usually was pressured to bring one home by December 22. It will be a busy holiday celebration this year as the oldest daughter will be home for five days - likely her last solo holidays as 2019 will be the year for her husband to join her - Citizenship & Immigration Canada willing. We'll have all the grandchildren here on December 23rd as well as the extended family for supper and then join the youngest daughter (nurse working Christmas) on Boxing Day for our family meal. The nurse daughter is moving to a new job in the local hospital (my old stomping ground) as they plan to build on property they were gifted and our son in law is a lobster fisherman. So lots of changes.

This evening I survived assisting the life partner with the installation of a new microwave  - although it's not an exercise I plan to ever be involved in again and no I don't want to talk about it. A few more craft projects to finish up and some wrapping. Off to the city the end of the week for some visiting and concert attending with a friend and then the shore captain. Time to wrap this up as the oldest grandson will be coming after school tomorrow and since he's told me that my chocolate chip cookies are the best he's ever tasted (what a charmer) I'd best fill up that cookie jar.