I've been a bad blogger lately. Actually it would seem that a lot of bloggers are falling off the rails this month. I have a number of blogs that I read on a regular basis and it would seem February is just one of those months...not that I can/should/will use that as an excuse...but it sounds like a good one!

Thank goodness this is the end of February and perhaps with the introduction of March or rather re-introduction of March into my life the number of entries will increase.

This week...

I saw beautiful sun dawgs (dogs) on my way to work Wednesday. It surprised me to see them and had I of not been late in a arriving at work would have missed them. The sun is getting up earlier and earlier each day which is wonderful. I am able to see my route to work and once or twice this week I even left early enough that the sun was still shining on the way home. Spring just might be around a very large corner.

My apartment is a total disaster. I'm contemplating moving rather than cleaning. Seems easier at the moment. I will spend the weekend doing some spring cleaning and searching through my box o files for tax related stuff. Yes ladies and gentlemen it is that time of the year. I fully expect to get a big bill at the end of the process but none the less am as anxious as ever to get them done. If anyone knows a good tax person in Edmonton...let me know. Keep in mind I need them to know the Northern stuff VERY well.

My truck is running wonderfully. This week we had temps of -25 most mornings and I tempted the fates by not plugging it in. Ever the Norther vehicle it turned over each morning without hesitation. I love my truck. :)

I went into work one morning threatening to quit...because of the amount of snow that I had been required to brush off the truck. I can't get over the snow we had earlier in the week. Seriously folks...cold= no snow= happy Jennifer. snow=work=late for work!

I had some very long meetings this week. They were held just for me...and my brain came out at the end of each day throbbing. We are reviewing the policy and procedures manual--finally. I haven't touched it since January and once this review is finished I need to do all the revisions, make it look shnazzy (SP??)and then be ready to present it to all the managers the end of March. I also have four competitions that closed on Friday I need to screen, get questions ready for, etc, etc. And I need to start our summer advertising, post at least another four positions this week, etc. Yeah, the list is getting longer, faster.

I got misplaced last night while attempting to pick up my Indian food. I can't say lost cause I knew where I was, I just didn't know how to get to where I wanted to be. I did a bad thing and ordered my Indian food from my cell phone while driving home from work. After I placed the order I realized I had placed it at the wrong location. I then had to turn around and head back to the correct location. I knew where it was, I've driven by it a number of times, but it is tricky. There are about 4 roads that all converge and diverge around the same area. The street I needed was a one way and I managed to turn onto it early and then couldn't get off that road and back around. I was 1/2 hour late picking up my food. The girl at the counter laughed and said it happens all the time! I felt better. With two one ways around it if you don't start from the correct direction you will end up circling the area before actually arriving there. The food was worth the struggle in getting there. And luckily the getting home was easy due to the direction of the one way.

The fish enjoyed his time at the office. I took him in the Friday before I was scheduled to leave for Cambridge Bay with the thought I was going to be gone for two weeks. With a last minute adjustment to my schedule I decided to leave him there. He was re-named in my absence to Herman, which then evolved to Hermes. I have accepted the name change due to the loss of the other fish. Cal and Gary are no more. Hermes is still around and enjoying being back home with me.

Either my keyboard is possessed or my fingers are...as I type the cursor keeps jumping around and I find myself typing in the middle of other words. Hmmm.

Sigh. Who is going to come and clean my home and wash my clothes??? You?

T minus 14 days to the procedure. I am looking forward to having it done...just to be done. I am feeling much better about it all and think I have a great plan of action. I will be out the night before to pick up movies, comfort food and easy to assemble meals. Likely I will be up and around by Sunday, but I want to be prepared. And one can never go wrong with a week off from work and a house full of movies and food.

Ok...alright already...I'm getting off the couch...and I'll go do some cleaning. Maybe I'll start with the smallest room...the bathroom.

Bathroom is done!!! Yeah me. LOL....small, baby steps this weekend.

I'm back from the North!

It was a great week. I'm tired and sick again...but still...a good week.

So, I stole the truck the first night, but other than that no illegal activities...at least none that I'm aware of. I did manage to get out on the fuel truck Thursday morning for a couple of hours and helped deliver the home heating fuel in the community. Yep, that is one of the many things the company does that I work for. Never one to pass up an interesting opportunity I asked the driver and swamper if I could tag along...they agreed and I had a great time.

It may not be my next career, but I had a wonderful couple hours.




I had one of the guys take a picture of me...but it hasn't shown up on the camera so I think that perhaps there was something lost in the translation when using the camera. Oh well.

Wednesday evening was the annual auction. I bid on and won a travel holder for tickets, passport, etc along with a $100 gift card for travel. I bid $50. I ended up paying $60. I had 20's and felt that the extra $10 wouldn't hurt me as the $ were going towards the literacy society. (Good Karma!)The same evening we watched Susan Aglukark in concert. I've been a fan since her first album so it was great to actually see her in person.

I cooked supper for an old buddy from Iqaluit on Thursday night...or rather I heated up food. It was great to catch up on the gossip from Iqaluit. Friday evening I went to a friends home for pizza and bingo. Yes folks...radio bingo is back in my life. Of course I didn't win any money, but for me the whole point of the evening is just to socialize with friends. I visited with this family last time I was in Cambridge Bay and had a couple of great visits with them this time as well. Lunches, pizza night and just seeing each other at the trade show events. I look forward to seeing them again.

It would appear that I may be up again for a week next month. I certainly hope so.


Lots of snow to cover some of the equipment around town.

This cutie was spotted at the concert. I tried taking a couple of photos of her face on...she even posed but they didn't turn out.



Kissing cousins. The little guy was dancing in his fancy slippers and giving all the ladies kisses.



My photo credit!

Look at the four pics in the back ground. Mine are #'s 1, 3 and 4.


Sun creeping up. I finally had some sunny days in Cam Bay....just too bad I didn't get to enjoy them by running around all day taking pics.

Arrived in Cambridge Bay safe and sound. The flight was delayed leaving Edmonton and then we weren't sure we would be able to land in Cam Bay due to weather but we did. I checked into my new accommodations Sunday afternoon and took a nap.

I'm in a three bedroom apartment. Upstairs is kitchen, living room, dining room, half bath and washer/dryer. Downstairs are three bedrooms and a full bath. I have cable tv, stolen wireless internet and couldn't be cozier.

I spent Monday at the office and at this point it is all a bit of a blur. Monday night was the opening night for the trade show. It was great to see so many friendly faces. Lots of hugs and how are you's that night. BUT...prior to arrival at the show...

I'm at the office and someone says "There's a truck outside warming up for you. Drive it to the trade show tonight and use it tomorrow." Ok--thanks. I finished up my work, walked out the door and got in the truck. I drove around town for a bit then back to my apartment, got ready for the evening and then headed to the bunkhouse for supper. Just a couple of minutes before supper I hear "Who stole Randy's truck?" All eyes turned to me. Apparently around the corner of the building was another truck also warming up. I hadn't noticed and had gotten into the first one that I saw. Which was--Randy's truck. No biggie...they are all company trucks, but everyone tends to have 'their' truck. It was the laugh of the evening and this morning I returned the truck to Randy.

The trade show is going well. I'm just trying to relax and rest up before the evening events...supper and awards. I'm tired and would rather stay home sleeping but I must show up. So far a good week.

I stole a truck last night. Details to come tomorrow...if that doesn't up readership I don't know what will. LOL.

Wednesday night I was at the Montreal vs Edmonton game. While I have seen a number of games in Calgary this was my first official bum in seat NHL game. I had a wonderful time. A friend from NU happened to be in town and managed to get tickets and lucky me...I got to go. After a lovely supper at Pappa's Pizza we were off to the game. I took a few hundred photos and have been deleting the fuzzy ones this evening in an attempt to find a few good ones. I have uploaded a few good ones below.

I'm off to Cambridge Bay in the morning...but my trip has been shortened. I have been needing/wanting a meeting at work with certain people and that is now taking place the last week of the month. So I need to cut my trip short in order to attend. Can't say that I'm overly sorry about that today. I am heading back in March for another week so it all works out. Now cross your fingers that during the week I am in town I get some sunshine for pictures.

Surprisingly enough it is only 8pm Saturday night and my bag is packed and ready to go. The only thing left to go in is some food out of the fridge in the morning. I have been packed since about 4pm this afternoon...there is a first for everything.

Another trip to the doctors office today...and more pills. Since the sinus issue has yet to fully correct itself..and I apparently still have a tiny bit of a fever I am having a second dose of the fun pills. The Dr wasn't overly concerned with the allergic reactions and figures that they are not being caused by the meds...so that is a bonus but the pharmacist and I agreed that until I am off the meds I will continue to travel with benedryl!

On a totally disgusting dr related issue...I picked up a toe fungus in India last year. I initially thought it was just a damaged nail ( you know, from one of the many bricks I dropped on said toe) and then once I decided it was fungal tried to treat with over the counter stuff and every home treatment I could find. Obviously it didn't work. I have known for a while that I should speak up and uncover the toe in the presence of a dr and get some help, but with everything else going on it seemed minor. This past weekend though I realized that sandal weather will be upon me sooner than I am used to and that I should finally speak up. A quick glance at the little piggy and the dr wrote a scrip. I have 100 pills to take...one a day for the next 100 days....though in actual fact dr and I decided I should get the sinus issue out of the way before I start on the toe! At this moment I am very glad for health insurance as the pills for my funky toe cost $278.40! Yikes! Lucky for me...my health plan covered it all!

I also finally managed to track down a copy of the results from my colposcopy in January. No, no additional information on the sheets, but I like having a copy...something about being able to look at the sheet and read it over and over again is re-assuring. And no wonder it hurt. The sample size was 0.5cm...which if you look at a ruler isn't very big. But when you think about where that came from...OUCH!

I am just over a month away from my LEEP and am feeling better about it daily. I think the more I have shared about it the better I feel. I guess having things oout in the open is always better than hiding them away.

Work is a touch frantic this week. So much to do. I am trying to get a new booth set up for the trade show next week, buy the 'kit' that I take to shows with me (safety pins, markers, duct tape, stick pins, elastics, stapler, extra staples, scissors, envelopes, post it notes, sticky velcro and clips) this 'kit' has served me well at past job fairs and I am sure will once again come in handy. I went candy shopping this evening and had ballots translated for the door prize done up this afternoon...there are so many little details to think about when getting ready for a show.

I found out today that they do have an apartment ready and waiting for me. Yeah! I will be taking some dvd's with me, my favorite tea pot, a good book and chicken. We will have some privacy during our stay and the ability to cook our own meals. I can eat in the bunkhouse with the rest of the folks whenever I want...but this will be great...especially seeing as most of the meals last time involved pork and I prefer to keep my body pig free.

It's been quite a week thus far.

This time next week I will be enroute to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. I'm heading North for two weeks. If course I am not packed, not organized and the house isn't clean yet...but I did say it is a whole week away. And those of you who have traveled with me via the written word know that the packing and cleaning will commence a few hours before take off.

I'm really excited about the first week of the trip. The annual trade show will be on and I will get to see a few old friends from Iqaluit. Not as many as I would like, but a few.

I am hoping to stay in one of the apartments the company owns rather than the bunkhouse. Oh sure, it was fine last time, but I would prefer something with a bit more privacy. We have also discussed if management should be staying with non-management. It is still being debated. The problem gets into the conversations in the evenings. Do the non-management have the ability to vent their frustrations with management if management is in the same room? Should evening discussion revolve around work issues? Etc. I'm more concerned about having personnel files with me and folks getting into them or at least seeing them.

As an update on the sick girl. I was feeling better on Thursday but did go home early to nap. I slept a record 7 hours that night and managed to be productive on Friday. Then in the middle of the afternoon it happened...I was hungry and decided a small snack was in order. I opened up a can of tomato juice and within 5 minutes my top lip rivaled that of Angelina Jolie's. And let me tell you ladies and gentlemen I will not be getting my lips done anytime soon. Not a good look for me. I pumped in some benedryl and a few hours later the swelling started to go down. But I was concerned. Today, Sunday was the last day for the meds. I have a follow up appointment tomorrow and hopefully more meds will follow along with some insight on the allergic reactions. Two in one week for a person who has never had any is a big scary. And while I am on the mend, I am not cured yet...so I`m hoping for another dose of drugs. I do not want to fly with my current sinus issues. It will be a painful flight.

My fish will be headed to the office while I am away. I have considered taking him with me, but I think he would prefer the office to my Northern stopover. I am hopeful for many, many pictures from Cambridge Bay. Surely in the two weeks I will be there I will get sunshine at least one day. And with my new camera in hand I might even be able to capture a few good shots.

This time last year I was in sunny, HOT, sweaty India. Up to my eyes in bricks and dirt...and loving every single minute of it. Oh I can't wait to do another Habitat trip.

Here's a couple shots from last year...as seen previously.

I'm in my office at work...my tongue is out I'm making a phhzzt noise and doing a happy dance. Why? Cause I was right!

Sure, it happens now and then.

When I got my new business cards in December I checked the translation against my old card and it didn't match. It didn't even come close. I was confused and mentioned it. Asked who had done the translation and all that but basically got blank looks and whatevers. Today an email arrived from one of the other staffers who got cards in December. Her card was on a desk in Yellowknife and someone read it. Asked why her business card said Jennifer and a different last name. LOL. I checked and sure enough my name is one her card.

So I have been proven correct.

I survived my first day back at the office. YEAH me! In spite of myself I was even productive this afternoon. And if you haven't noticed, yes, I hate being sick. And while I have been known to suffer the occasional down day due to cold, flu, hangover...I would say that up until the past few months I was a relatively healthy girl. And happy to only see my dr every few months.

By Sunday night I was crawling the walls. By Monday night (hives and all) I decided that maybe I should re-arrange my furniture. I didn't, but likely only because I didn't have the energy. By Tuesday night I was bored of tv and surfing the internet.

Today I was up and at least functioning. Tomorrow I hope I remember what did at work today. The great thing about starting work on a Wednesday is that Friday is just around the corner.

Decisions today...buy a bicycle and bbq this spring. Preferably the bike first. I am anxious to get out and get moving. While I enjoyed tromping around the tundra in my parka, I do not enjoy slippery sidewalks and rushing traffic. It is not very relaxing or restful to have large trucks driving by within inches of my body. I am under the impression that there are bike trails around the city...which will be proven when the snow disappears in a few months.


Won't this bench be nice for sitting on in the spring/summer.

I survived the weekend. Barely. It is now Tuesday morning and I still haven't managed to get to work this week. By a strange (but wonderful) twist of fate I had a dr appointment booked for Monday afternoon. I showed up extremely early and got the pity vote and was allowed in earlier than expected. As I went over my symptoms and he stuck the thermometer in my ear. "Whoo. You definitely have a fever." Diagnosis sinus infection. Gave me a scrip and sent me on my way but am supossed to come back in a week.

I took the first dose around 2:30pm.

Conversation with my mom: "I don't feel good. Make me supper." Which of course wasn't happening due to the over 3000km difference in our addresses. I got off the phone and decided some of those nice soft kleenex with the lotion were in order. I decided it would also be a good idea to pick up some supper. Rather than ruin an old favorite with sick taste buds I headed to Quiznos. I finally drag myself home and once again settle in on the couch. My BFA calls and as we chat I rudely chew my flatbread in her ear. I finish supper we continue chatting. Then I start scratching my arm. And I find I'm feeling kinda itchy allover. I figure the fever is spiking again. I finally look at my arm and say on the phone "My arm is covered in red spots" We discuss the spots and hang up. I head to the head and upon lifting my shirt notice that my entire torso is covered in large red spots. Scary.

I freak out for a few minutes. Then finally call the 24 hour RN hotline that AB has. As I wait on hold I google hives, allergic reaction, etc. After a few more minutes on hold I decided to head to the pharmacy. Pharmacists always know. Sam the pharmacist says definitely an allergic reation and gives me benedryl and sends me home. He didn't listen to my whole story about the new food and the new medication. He just figured it was the meds. I called the pharmacy I got the scrip from and they suggested that based on the timing it was the food.

The benedryl kicked in within 4 hours and I was hive free all night. I took a second dose just in case, but the problem hasn't come back. I'm hoping to be back in the office tomorrow...if for no other reason than a change of scenery. I have spent so much time on my couch since Friday night I will soon need to re-arrange the furniture for a different point of view. I hate being sick.