tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79200367439332486062024-03-19T00:05:19.772-05:00i have a webpage. whoopdeedoo.whoopwhoopwhoopmandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.comBlogger518125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-63635131212623638072021-09-27T19:02:00.000-05:002021-09-27T19:02:29.987-05:00Remember me?<p>Five and a half years since I posted here. A lifetime ago. More than a lifetime, literally. I’ve brought a whole new life into the world since then, and sometimes it feels hard to remember the me before these kids.</p><p>So here we are, over 19 months into a pandemic, and I don’t have anything to say. Feeling sad. Feeling frustrated. Exhausted. I keep having these sudden random memories pop into my head. Flashes of places I’ve been but had forgotten about, people I used to hang out with, little snapshots of my youthful self. Was that really me? It seems so long ago. </p><p>It’s a beautiful late September evening. I’m sitting in the park taking some quiet time to myself. If I stare blankly into the grass for a while, it looks like the ground is undulating. </p><p>Maybe I’ll write again before the decade is up. Hopefully I’ll feel more like my old self. </p><p>Better get home now. </p>mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-58643515133479157732016-02-09T20:46:00.000-06:002016-02-09T21:42:00.842-06:00separation anxietyi knew the day had to come eventually, but that doesn't mean i'm any more prepared for it. a few months ago i felt more ready than i do today. right now i feel panicky and scared and needy. i don't want to go back to work tomorrow.<br />
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i can't believe the year is up already. what a crazy, emotional, amazing year. i've experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. in the first few months there were days i was so overwhelmed with darkness... but thankfully i had the support i needed to get through it. i have met many wonderful people and made lovely new friends. of course the most wonderful of all is my dear little daughter. i never knew such true, all consuming love until her.<br />
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i had all these things i was going to write about, but now i'm drawing a blank. i'm trying to think of some positives about going back to work. i won't have to pack up a bag full of diapers, wipes, extra clothes, snacks, etc in order to leave the house. i won't have to inhale my lunch, burning my tongue because there's no time to let it cool as she might wake up any minute. my clothes won't have cereal or yogurt on them within 20 minutes of getting dressed. i'll be able to the bathroom alone. i'm sure there are others. but all i can really think about is all the stuff i'm going to miss. our morning coffee at starbucks, walking to the library, taking her to play groups, going on afternoon play dates, watching her with her little baby buddies. the cuddles, the kisses, the smiles and the laughs. she is growing and learning so quickly, every day i see something new. but now i feel like i'm going to miss it! i know, it's not like i'm going on a one way mission to some distant planet, i'm just returning to work. but i'll go from seeing her all day to only a few short hours. i'll miss my baby!!!<br />
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i always assumed separation anxiety referred to something the baby went through. now i know the truth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x50i7cEqP5RLF305_5qBhEOLvPEIODMYf-qNU43-2WlXD0DWKHm2tRaUYNacBbBPjNh7RZmw7GNqr1Y2o5iJ_vDsnUGV1saI5VcCVC-usZ6vHYs5t2_O7Jz0tJLyLVNTNkqLQNwsriw/s1600/IMG_3861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x50i7cEqP5RLF305_5qBhEOLvPEIODMYf-qNU43-2WlXD0DWKHm2tRaUYNacBbBPjNh7RZmw7GNqr1Y2o5iJ_vDsnUGV1saI5VcCVC-usZ6vHYs5t2_O7Jz0tJLyLVNTNkqLQNwsriw/s320/IMG_3861.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">post-nap bedhead and smile</td></tr>
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mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-50517984405101194442015-05-16T18:19:00.000-05:002015-05-16T18:19:40.337-05:00a fire-pole, and other parenting ideasGetting my daughter to sleep isn't that difficult, the real trick is getting her to <i>stay </i>asleep. First comes the bouncing and singing. Okay, she's asleep, now the hardest part: putting her down. I hold her for a while, hoping she falls into a sleep deep enough not to notice the move away from my body and onto the mattress. Gingerly, I ease her onto the bed. First her feet touchdown...steady now... lowering her head... EYES OPEN! Quickly scoop her back up and immediately they close again. Little bounces... and try again. It usually takes me at least three tries.<div>
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Once she's successfully laying on the bed, I stand perfectly still; you wouldn't even be able to see me breathe. I contemplate my escape, cursing the creaky hardwood. I am so close to victory, and yet defeat threatens me with every step. What I need is a fire-pole, so I can slide silently down to the main floor. I'd wear mittens so there'd be no squeaking of skin on metal, and I'd plop noiselessly into a pit of foam pieces. Yes, that would work. I have also imagined myself swinging out of the room on monkey bars, so as to avoid the perilous floors. A house made of marble would be equally adequate for enabling a soundless departure.</div>
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Instead, I slowly slide my foot across the ground, trying to detect any creaks before all my weight goes down, and reaching as far as I can to minimize the steps required. I try to hold myself up somewhat on the dresser as I slip out, then with hands pressed against the hallway walls as I near the stairs. One time she stirred and opened her eyes before I made it out of the bedroom and I instinctively ducked down out of sight. As I lay huddled on the floor, I thought how absurd it was that a three month old could incite such ridiculous behavior in a (more or less) sane adult. But instead of picking myself up off the ground, I slid out. That's right, laying flat on the floor and pushing myself backwards with my hands, I slithered out of the room. A new low (haha, pun).</div>
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There is one other thought that crosses my mind every time I lay her down. I inevitably get my arm pinned under her head, and sliding it out without waking her is challenging. That's when I remember an old commercial for the War Amps Champs about playing safe. A robot gets his arm sawed off and then clicks it back on. He says "I am Astar, a robot. I can put my arm back on; you can't. Play safe". Oh how I wish I had Astar's removable arms!</div>
mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-28782205439086263482015-05-07T19:53:00.000-05:002015-05-07T19:53:52.396-05:003 months in (almost)I remember thinking that babies sleep a lot, so surely I'd have plenty of time to write my blog. Hahahahahahahahaha! Ha. Oh, the folly of a new parent. Little did I realize that the sleeping would have to be done in my arms, leaving me unable to do much of anything, let alone sit and type merrily at the computer. But right now she is sleeping on her own so I will hurry hurry hurry to try and bang out a quick update before she wakes up. That is pretty much how I do everything now. She's asleep, so hurry and gobble down some food. She's asleep, mad dash into the shower. She's asleep, quickly toss some laundry in!<br />
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oh dear god, the phone rang. and a wrong number too! my heart was pounding as i tip toe ran to get it. thankfully, she is still asleep. phew.<br />
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so, i'm a mom now. craaaazy. i don't even know where to start. i thought this post would just pour out, seeing as i've become one of those people that can only talk about the baby. but what do you expect, having a baby has become my whole life. and things that are totally story-worthy in my mind, no doubt fail to captivate my audience. "so Amelia was looking at her crinkly fabric book - she loves that book, so focused on the pictures - and she totally <i>almost turned the page by herself</i>!" i gush enthusiastically. whoever i'm talking to waits for the rest, and then realizes by my goofy ear to ear grin that there is no more. "um... cool. good story," says the unimpressed listener. okay, i'm exaggerating, that would be kind of a lame story. she didn't almost turn the page by herself, she DID turn the page by herself!! Whooo!!!! The crowd goes wild!!!!<br />
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there are also chilling tales of poo mishaps and giant barney gumble-esque burps, uplifting triumphs of grabbing the dangling toucan and pushing the music button on the snail. and of course feel good heart-warmers of big morning smiles, sweet coos and gurgles, and too cute to handle giggles. seriously, she laughed for the first time a week ago, and it was so adorable i thought i was going to explode. instead i just squealed with delight myself, and then hugged and squeezed her like the abominable snowman does to daffy duck.<br />
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anyway, this entry has actually taken several sittings over a few days to get through, so i'm just going to post it and try to write again soon.<br />
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<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-71547239921359954792015-02-01T18:26:00.000-06:002015-02-01T18:27:01.636-06:0039 weeks... ready and waitingOne week from due date. They originally told me February 6th, but turns out they meant February 8th. I know two days doesn't really make a difference, and it's just an estimate anyway, but man those extra two days til d-day seem like an eternity has been added on! I've been doing a countdown for a couple of weeks now. And I have a feeling I'll be doing the due date + 1, due date +2 count <i>up </i>too. Slowpoke little lazybones baby.<br />
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I've thought about blogging about my pregnancy experiences on several occasions, but for one reason or another never got to it. And maybe it's best that way. I have not exactly been one of those people who has enjoyed a radiant glow and raved about how much I love being pregnant. I could rattle off some of the unpleasantness I have endured, but to truly capture the grim reality, I would have to be way more honest than I'm willing to be. No need to share or speak the horrors aloud. I'm sure I'm not the only one, so it can just remain a tacit understanding among mothers. Let's just sum it up and say that pregnancy can be really gross. Yes yes, it's also quite amazing, miracle of life and all that, but I was not prepared for the havoc it would wreak on my body.</div>
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But let me focus on the good stuff. One thing that continues to captivate me is watching my belly move. Basically whenever I'm relaxing at home, I have my shirt pulled up so that I can see it when she moves. For a while there were big, swift waves as she rolled and twisted and squirmed. Now that there's less room, the moves are slower, but just as enthralling. Out will poke an elbow or a knee, and just stay there (until I gently push it back in). It's creepy but so cool. I still sort of can't believe there's a baby under there.</div>
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Although I'm absolutely terrified of the whole giving birth thing (and of course nervous about the parenting to follow), I am so excited to meet my little squirmy mcgoo. Now that the finish line is in sight, I just want to get there. But I know I should try to appreciate (through the back pain, heartburn, uncomfortable sleeps, etc etc etc) that this is the last little while I get to feel her stretching and wiggling around inside me. This is the last little while when I alone carry her and feel her and protect her . Soon enough I will share her with her daddy and her grandparents, her auntie and uncle and cousins, who are all very eager to meet her too... but right now she is all mine.</div>
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mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-71905193826223685162014-09-26T12:22:00.000-05:002014-09-26T12:23:52.484-05:00almost a grown-upNo excuses for not writing. I actually had lots of things to write about lately, so I only have laziness to blame. First of all I wanted to write about China: all the things that had changed and all the things that had stayed the same. I've got some great side-by-side photos I want to post, that really illustrate what's happened in 10 years. And I still want to do that. But there is so much else to say, that today will just be an overall update on the last 6 months.<br />
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So let's start with China. Of course there were tons of fantastic experiences with wonderful stories to tell, but the one that wins hands down, is the day of rafting down the Li River - the day that Blair proposed :) I won't lie and say it was a huge surprise. We had already talked about it and decided that we would get married, so it wasn't totally out of the blue. But I wasn't expecting it then! It was sweet and exciting, and even though we both knew the day would come at some point, we both still felt giddy and nervous. So yup, of course I said yes, and now we're engaged! I never thought I'd be so enamored with a piece of jewelry, but it's so sparkly and beautiful!! And as cheesy as it sounds, when I look at it, I really do think about how much we love each other. Groan :p<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrBVAq27KwhkM2vX4domMpUySp49_KmsslnS0vTDL-X_RhH3pCH-TLISGydo6SsrEmtinnApr-DOv4-e9s8IhZy8rU6BW2KmVhyphenhyphenIpjSSlpfeQKxT23eJtiOjqvRisThTF5vd_u5eNmhU/s1600/ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrBVAq27KwhkM2vX4domMpUySp49_KmsslnS0vTDL-X_RhH3pCH-TLISGydo6SsrEmtinnApr-DOv4-e9s8IhZy8rU6BW2KmVhyphenhyphenIpjSSlpfeQKxT23eJtiOjqvRisThTF5vd_u5eNmhU/s1600/ring.jpg" height="165" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mandatory cheesy ring shot</td></tr>
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Skip ahead to the next big event. When we got back from China, I had a voicemail waiting for me. It was regarding a job I had applied for several months back - a job I reaaaaally wanted - and they were offering it to me! I was ecstatic. But things got a bit complicated when I got back to work and found out that another position I had applied for was going to be offered to me as well! The latter was a job that I thought I had no chance at, as it was quite a step up and there had been tons of applicants. I was shocked that they chose me! Anyway, to cut to the chase, after much fretting and deliberation, I chose that one. It started sooner, and it was a significantly higher position. New job!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdDOvkAY_M650-h_7NYcSA0jxupa934tabWhdrA8C9CCUDmPKUHHvo7tug5lISlBiH9aYlAhnxwLp-4WXAC9qH3Gq5E0rhgYU2AjAGoRUZMiwNeoVz1DW6GX2A4grEHbfZIehPykCdGI/s1600/New+Job.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdDOvkAY_M650-h_7NYcSA0jxupa934tabWhdrA8C9CCUDmPKUHHvo7tug5lISlBiH9aYlAhnxwLp-4WXAC9qH3Gq5E0rhgYU2AjAGoRUZMiwNeoVz1DW6GX2A4grEHbfZIehPykCdGI/s1600/New+Job.gif" height="200" width="164" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">movin' on up :)</td></tr>
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A week after I started my new job, my third niece was born. That was also the day I found out that I was pregnant. Pregnant! Of all the milestones, this one is the life-changer. We're going to have a baby!! This was planned; we had decided to just give it a go now and see if it happened. Neither of us care about being married first. And boom - it happened immediately! Wow, life will soon be very different. I keep joking about doing all these grown up things like buying a house and getting engaged. But becoming a parent trumps them all. Just over 4 months before I'm a real honest to goodness grown up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMExLYBK89b2lpzUQQf65qhFKxcfUv_fzYdKK4261vStHMVtPzXtN6BqmjzZWQvi7-GDWcQ1sSrmgbdAuF3Yh8r87bdb6kku2qLS1FPizfVtDDz6vOnsn9Uj47I4pJxkhyphenhyphenhe35U3OQvk/s1600/12+week+ultrasound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMExLYBK89b2lpzUQQf65qhFKxcfUv_fzYdKK4261vStHMVtPzXtN6BqmjzZWQvi7-GDWcQ1sSrmgbdAuF3Yh8r87bdb6kku2qLS1FPizfVtDDz6vOnsn9Uj47I4pJxkhyphenhyphenhe35U3OQvk/s1600/12+week+ultrasound.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12 weeks (a little alien inside me!)</td></tr>
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All this happened in two months. I got engaged April 4th, started new job at the end of May, and found out I was pregnant June 4th. Given my normally uneventful life, that's a lot going on in a short span of time!<br />
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I'm off on a whole new kind of adventure.<br />
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<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-86710016133691456822014-02-24T12:57:00.000-06:002014-02-24T12:59:35.437-06:00blizzard day (number 2)well, i got my wish of wanting to experience an arctic blizzard. it started yesterday, cleared for a bit in the evening, and is back even worse today. the wind is gusting to 80km an hour, and with the windchill the temperature is now at -57C. our office is closed for the day, along with much else. i went out for a walk yesterday and it was pretty cool. i snapped a few pictures, but in the 5 seconds i had my hands out of my mitts, it felt like my fingers were being crushed in those medieval torture device thumb screws. pain right to the bone!<br />
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at first i thought "woohoo, snow day!" but a few hours into it and i'm just kind of bored. i've had my breakfast, talked to a few other hotel guests, watched some netflix, done some knitting, started another puzzle (my third), refreshed facebook a squillion times, and stared blankly out the window at the indistinct building across the road.<br />
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i've purposely held off having a third cup of coffee so that i could venture out to get one later, as my big activity of the day.<br />
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i also keep glancing over to my box of wine. but it's not even noon, so i'm trying to hold off.<br />
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here is a photo journal of today's very brief jaunt outside:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK0lvBi-IdkW5kVjNyUw5MbdSrZad1DyVOkSGUQsi1nd3pN8hqjdvzZjxFBX49XMcX2AExLtZXekFbzJg46wZ6h5DvBDdxLbyQQFkD_U14_bvgLGXRDCndRfrji5a-2MOeL8y4EA8iK4/s1600/DSC_0788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK0lvBi-IdkW5kVjNyUw5MbdSrZad1DyVOkSGUQsi1nd3pN8hqjdvzZjxFBX49XMcX2AExLtZXekFbzJg46wZ6h5DvBDdxLbyQQFkD_U14_bvgLGXRDCndRfrji5a-2MOeL8y4EA8iK4/s1600/DSC_0788.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
there's my hotel. and you can just make out the apartments across the street.</div>
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let's go a few steps closer....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeYIA8EELWP1HuAJVhIrS9snEwpKMIZor7-oaezd_H976kd-u1-Qr6dZ8n9WGfoayuWd1oDJ01swJ3yw-J2AQsHS5UjgmpgxGs_ylTHoOhKkv1lUS2_vGliEKWithtqVNHqveX5YCEUQ/s1600/DSC_0787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeYIA8EELWP1HuAJVhIrS9snEwpKMIZor7-oaezd_H976kd-u1-Qr6dZ8n9WGfoayuWd1oDJ01swJ3yw-J2AQsHS5UjgmpgxGs_ylTHoOhKkv1lUS2_vGliEKWithtqVNHqveX5YCEUQ/s1600/DSC_0787.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yup, they're coming into focus now. a few more steps...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02s5VeFOq59ZxVhdJWgjU3wxJVn9LcQ023fVjDY5AUc2q5zXF3jmZNLIhgwPwQl440nSTIDJFL0zdRgwkvTBu7bLDm4fFHPUbM56HOp37XIK-A7uWJVXo9OQzXe0GCk6QzOoZcNlFSPo/s1600/DSC_0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02s5VeFOq59ZxVhdJWgjU3wxJVn9LcQ023fVjDY5AUc2q5zXF3jmZNLIhgwPwQl440nSTIDJFL0zdRgwkvTBu7bLDm4fFHPUbM56HOp37XIK-A7uWJVXo9OQzXe0GCk6QzOoZcNlFSPo/s1600/DSC_0789.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">there they are, the first one clear, its neighbours fading behind it.</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nr5NkAyNDG-T5pJLsdyXJZSPRVIK6NEF7vlyD-5un2sDubQbThX0CDVxbKOu4I_DtZApRGXl8yR7Bggv89iNPjsesCLkN_SyFJg4LSqzJIAOqYzhSw5emtFIRI519VAiwkVm7f_Hf-I/s1600/DSC_0790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nr5NkAyNDG-T5pJLsdyXJZSPRVIK6NEF7vlyD-5un2sDubQbThX0CDVxbKOu4I_DtZApRGXl8yR7Bggv89iNPjsesCLkN_SyFJg4LSqzJIAOqYzhSw5emtFIRI519VAiwkVm7f_Hf-I/s1600/DSC_0790.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and that's enough of that, i'm freezing. back to the hotel. still visible!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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and a couple of pix from yesterday that i like:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S4vkeGzt3OXmJIiG28u6E-HWS3_V5dcNhm6CAbbrSz6o1ENJBWEB7tPP2jNOEf4pqf0lCDLjZonbVlRAh7XaUhyphenhyphenG4R239OwOmUKGFGoZMseMlEia3wmPJ0IGled-t2Msf9XusiGO_Qk/s1600/DSC_0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S4vkeGzt3OXmJIiG28u6E-HWS3_V5dcNhm6CAbbrSz6o1ENJBWEB7tPP2jNOEf4pqf0lCDLjZonbVlRAh7XaUhyphenhyphenG4R239OwOmUKGFGoZMseMlEia3wmPJ0IGled-t2Msf9XusiGO_Qk/s1600/DSC_0779.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wind sweeping across the lake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSezfkQp387xukUK-jsn96MCjDSD3Gvuq8u6uIS-6AHzpSJh3TS0er_AHGIXxwh6UtxZBi0lrpqUf1dxUiuEhByHNJTQQguxAKiL9nrvNAeLRfPajyVW4_mIPGCudDDhyphenhyphenJzXTTcmgqPIQ/s1600/DSC_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSezfkQp387xukUK-jsn96MCjDSD3Gvuq8u6uIS-6AHzpSJh3TS0er_AHGIXxwh6UtxZBi0lrpqUf1dxUiuEhByHNJTQQguxAKiL9nrvNAeLRfPajyVW4_mIPGCudDDhyphenhyphenJzXTTcmgqPIQ/s1600/DSC_0778.JPG" height="225" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">someone pushing their way through the wind as they cross the lake.<br />
this is my favourite photo</td></tr>
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<br />
and hey, look at that, it's after noon now!<br />
<br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com0Rankin Inlet, NU, Canada62.808375 -92.0852853000000162.692370499999996 -92.4080088 62.9243795 -91.762561800000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-72465868782232055922014-02-22T14:28:00.000-06:002014-02-22T14:30:26.041-06:00soapsto- bloodstone carvingsi'm reeling. i don't even know where to begin. this beautifully calm and quiet town has shown me the evil hiding within. drugs, abuse, violence, death. i was a part of it and didn't even realize it.<br />
<br />
one of the cleaning staff at the hotel is the girlfriend of the guy from whom i bought my soapstone carvings last time. a cute little polar bear and an innukshuk. so cool. she approached me and asked if he'd tried to sell me anything, because he had stolen some carvings from her uncle. and then she told me more.<br />
<br />
he is a drug addict. he steals soapstone, carvings, materials, money. he doesn't want to work, just get quick money for more drugs. he is abusive. he wants her to keep her mouth shut so she asked me not to tell him we spoke. she showed me bruises on her arms. he has knocked her out, broken her eye socket, kicked her with steel toed boots until blood came out her ear, and ruptured one of her kidneys. she said she feels "slow, like a half person" since the injuries. she told me another girl committed suicide because of his emotional and physical abuse.<br />
<br />
you aren't still with him, are you? she told me she tries to stay away, she hasn't seen him in a few days and she doesn't know where he is. but she wants to help him. she wants him to go to the counselling he is supposed to be attending (since he was released from jail and is still on probation). she is trying to keep an eye on him, and others also want him to get better. but he doesn't want to.<br />
<br />
i don't understand it. the whole thing about the abused staying with the abuser. i don't get it at all. she knows he's bad. she knows he doesn't want to change. and yet she said that isn't really him. i tell her she should protect herself and stay away from him. she says yes and that her mother is helping her.<br />
<br />
i hope she is okay. i hope she gets out.<br />
<br />
i hate those fucking sculptures now.<br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-65686916306169294702014-02-15T22:03:00.000-06:002014-02-15T22:04:14.473-06:00chill weekend in rankinhaha, a weather pun.<br />
<br />
but i'm not going to waste time talking about the weather. it's cold here. the end.<br />
<br />
today i had a lovely relaxing day. i woke up and watched the american/russian hockey game while having coffee and a bagel. then i did a couple of crosswords with more coffee. finished off a puzzle with another coffee. not surprisingly after all the coffee, i felt a little antsy and needed to get out of the hotel. showered and bundled up and headed out to nowhere in particular.<br />
<br />
i decided to go visit alice (aka: my mitten maker). yup, i just popped by. well first i popped by the wrong house, and was told that alice lived next door. oops. backtracked one house. her daughter and grandson were there too and we had a nice visit. i apologized for just showing up but they said that's how we do it here, and to come visit again.<br />
<br />
wandered around town a bit. went into the two grocery stores. no, not to buy anything, just for something to do. but really, there's more than just groceries. the Northern is like a mini department store, with clothes and groceries and toiletries and sofas and washing machines all squeezed into the size of my normal safeway.<br />
<br />
walked down to the edge of town and sat down on a snow mound for a while, just enjoying the peace and quiet. then headed to the arena for the raffle. talked to a few people as we waited for the draw. didn't win anything. oh well.<br />
<br />
came back to the hotel and made myself a grilled cheese sandwich (which i burnt) and some sweet potato fries (which i also burnt). just watched Blackfish (about killer whales in captivity) and it was quite sad and disturbing. now for some red wine and my knitting. ahhhh...<br />
<br />
i can't believe i still have a whole other day off!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM80Uv0IwXyUKyIGO2IvVtszFmMJEpYWHV7mZBTDFLceDH8J8SX9bnluuwMA_fv2y2gK0OImxNIZPHmmrxXle7p9K5jwx9Kep_efaHoWgtDCKdkS5R89-oMIwlT3MqaGCqoSAGMRntINs/s1600/DSC_0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM80Uv0IwXyUKyIGO2IvVtszFmMJEpYWHV7mZBTDFLceDH8J8SX9bnluuwMA_fv2y2gK0OImxNIZPHmmrxXle7p9K5jwx9Kep_efaHoWgtDCKdkS5R89-oMIwlT3MqaGCqoSAGMRntINs/s1600/DSC_0735.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2Rankin Inlet, NU, Canada62.808375 -92.0852853000000162.692370499999996 -92.4080088 62.9243795 -91.762561800000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-80529397502577583792014-01-26T12:32:00.000-06:002014-01-26T12:32:12.015-06:00the complimentmy brother has been joking that my blog must be broken because no new posts are showing up. haha. if only I could blame it on technical difficulties! but alas, it's just a loss of creativity and lack of things I feel are worth writing about. <br />
<br /><br />
but today I have a little something I want to jot down. something that makes my heart swell with joy. I feel myself so touched that I have to share it.<br />
<br /><br />
As you know, I taught English in China for a year. That was back in 2005. Somehow, I managed to keep in touch with one of my students, who was just 7 at the time. I've always been amazed that she has continued to email me over all these years. I mean, she was just a little kid, she's more than doubled in age!<br />
<br /><br />
today I got a wonderful email from her (and not just because, after I sent her a recent photo, she said I hadn't changed and still looked young - although it certainly didn't hurt the ego). She told me that she was going to the US for university and how excited she was. She remembered how she was upset as a kid that she had to learn English, but that now she was glad. And then it came: she said that honestly, I was the first teacher that got her interested in learning English. <br />
<br /><br />
Wow. This has made my day. No, more than that. I will think of this whenever I feel down, and it will lift my spirits. I am so moved, and so honoured... I don't know if I've ever felt something like this. I inspired someone. I made a difference in her life. of course I'm not taking credit for everything she's accomplished or the path she's taken in the last 9 years, but now I know that back in the beginning, I was able to spark something in her. She always told me that I was her favourite teacher, but I just thought she was being sweet. I guess I didn't realize that I really could have an impact. What an amazing feeling. I hope all teachers strive for this. To motivate someone, to awaken a desire to learn - is there any greater reward for being a teacher?<br />
<br /><br />
That and the holidays.<br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-55202218508495403212013-12-06T14:42:00.000-06:002013-12-06T14:42:32.838-06:00farewell nunavut!down to my last few hours in rankin inlet. i've been jotting down reminders of the things i've liked and disliked about staying here, and the like side wins by a landslide.<br />
<br />
things i love about life in this little arctic hamlet:<br />
<ul>
<li>i love the sunrise and that i am always awake to see it</li>
<li>i love the colour of the snow at different times of day. blue, pink, orange, white.</li>
<li>i love looking away from town into absolute darkness</li>
<li>i love the silence, except for the sound of dogs barking somewhere in the distance</li>
<li>i love that no one knows their address, but everyone seems to know who lives where</li>
<li>i love that people give their phone numbers as just 4 digits, because the first three are always the same</li>
<li>i love shared taxis</li>
<li>i love that there are no sidewalks</li>
<li>i love how trucks and skidoos just made their own roads. why go around the lake, when you can go across it!</li>
<li>i love all the homemade parkas (i can never brag about knitting my own scarf again)</li>
<li>i love babies in hoods (amauti is the inuit coat the mothers wear - the babies look so cozy!)</li>
<li>i love wearing snow pants. this is something i plan to do at home, fashion be damned!</li>
<li>i love that it's like a town full ofsouthpark kennys walking around. nothing but eyes in hoods</li>
<li>i love having to do that full body swivel to look to the side.</li>
<li>i love that i'm "from down south". winnipegger = southerner. weird</li>
<li>i love the friday night bingo on the radio that everyone plays</li>
<li>i love the sense of a close community and that i have temporarily been a part of it.</li>
</ul>
things i won't miss:<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>dry skin. seriously, i slather on coats of lotion and i still feel like my skin is cracking.</li>
<li>all the static to go along with the dryness</li>
<li>brain freeze from the outside in. that's where the cold hits: right between the eyes.</li>
<li>coffee. oh my god i am just so sick of it. everyone drinks coffee all the time. i have been havnig 4 cups a day, just because it's the thing to do.</li>
<li>coffee-mate. drinking 4 cups of coffee and i don't even have cream!</li>
<li>the evil giant ravens. they just hover and circle above me, like they are waiting to pick at my frozen corpse. man, they creep me out</li>
<li>the constantly drippy nose</li>
<li>wiping said drippy nose with the wad of frozen-snot kleenex that is always in my pocket</li>
<li>my eyelashes freezing together when i blink. </li>
</ul>
actually, i like that. i'm moving freezing eyelashes to the "i love" column.<br />
<br />
well kids, that's it, i'm outta here. flying south the rest of the winter :)mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-29286984119126350302013-12-01T22:35:00.001-06:002013-12-01T22:35:58.188-06:00a wonderful arctic weekend what a wonderful weekend! it started off with a walk up the hill at the edge of town to watch the sunrise. i stood on the hilltop, the wind blowing, snow drifting across the rocks like they were steaming, and everything glowing pink as the sun came up. the world was so quiet and beautiful.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW-TwRsuUbiLd6pKZkdtxrlSXOHHsZ1QvVTO0h3fS0ShXhScPCS_OqJSZE6USIpSr44AyTE628ZPQdIJjB5LrogCRmT5CwFH-RxMk9-hPtfIm8WdKz6B713CojhhgCXB_cWtptFHvGxc/s1600/DSC_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW-TwRsuUbiLd6pKZkdtxrlSXOHHsZ1QvVTO0h3fS0ShXhScPCS_OqJSZE6USIpSr44AyTE628ZPQdIJjB5LrogCRmT5CwFH-RxMk9-hPtfIm8WdKz6B713CojhhgCXB_cWtptFHvGxc/s400/DSC_0707.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i could see this every morning and still be in awe</td></tr>
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i went to the community centre and put a couple of tickets in to win some sealskin mitts... alas, no luck. but a lady gave me her number and said she could make me a pair. then i checked out the Matchbox Gallery, a little art shop and studio, where a couple of people were working on their sculptures, followed by a bite to eat at the sugar rush cafe, a cute place with 50s diner decor. Finished my poutine and headed back out to see the sunset. later in the evening, someone on the rankin inlet facebook group posted that they were having a bake sale, so i decided to go. i wandered around, trying unsuccessfully to find the address. i asked a few people if they knew where it was (giving the address) but no one knew. finally i asked for her by name and was pointed to the right house! it was a bit odd knocking on a stranger's door. and even odder when a young man answered the door, and i had him and 4 kids in the background staring at the unknown girl in the doorway. everything was pretty much gone except for some buns and bannock, so i bought some bannock.<br />
<br />
today there was a real highlight. i made arrangements to meet a woman and her mother to look at some mitts her mother made. when we went in the house, two elderly ladies were kneeling on the floor, cutting up a big chunk of frozen caribou with ulus (curved inuit knives). there was also a young couple and 3 children in the small house. they were all very welcoming. the mother didn't speak any english, so her daughter translated. we chatted for a little while, and she showed me the mitts - too big :( she told me how the older ladies really like eating the frozen caribou because they have no teeth and it just kind of melts in their mouth. then she asked if i would like to try some. Yes, i would! i have never eaten caribou before, let alone raw, frozen caribou, carved right in front of me. It was good. it didn't really have any flavour. but it did just melt in my mouth. she even offered to give me some to take home, which was so kind. they have lots of people that needs to feed, and i didn't want to take it from them. the visit with them was definitely one of the coolest things i've done so far.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7oi26apfi2hWCLpfxuAPyFme_-l0d3NV3kF2mTwPCk15YdFJdAF5RVIoTccIRK7Bb8Rbpd3EYSSq-tpczerFkiLN7tskMLV9urztPiGedIqr64csCiEJMJsYQGZuQwXIvR7_r3q98wo/s1600/DSC_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7oi26apfi2hWCLpfxuAPyFme_-l0d3NV3kF2mTwPCk15YdFJdAF5RVIoTccIRK7Bb8Rbpd3EYSSq-tpczerFkiLN7tskMLV9urztPiGedIqr64csCiEJMJsYQGZuQwXIvR7_r3q98wo/s400/DSC_0721.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sweet adele and some frozen caribou meat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
this evening i went for a drive with a teacher i met. we drove just a little ways out of town, and wow, it was something else! away from the lights of the little town, the stars sparkled in the night sky, and utter blackness was all around. we stopped the truck and stepped outside for a moment. oh, that wind! i think it must have been gusting at about 80km/hr or something. i could barely open the door, and once outside i could only stand with my back to the wind, it was so powerful. we only lasted about 60 seconds and i had to get back in the truck. i thought my face would peel off out there! god, how could people survive in that?? the final stop was a tour around the dump. it was surreal, like a post-apocalyptic landscape. first there was the stretch of oil drums, and then piles of abandoned frozen trucks, mattresses, coils... it was extra eerie in the dark. no polar bear sightings, just a large white rabbit darting across the snow (perhaps it was late for a very important date).<br />
<br />
all in all, a fantastic weekend. i can't believe it's my last!<br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-75903667492476219962013-11-25T18:39:00.001-06:002013-11-25T18:39:12.413-06:00a light breezei looked out the window across the lake, and was taken aback to see that the world was going in reverse! snow was gusting across the lake and i could see four people heading north, all walking backwards. Step by step they plodded into the past, like someone had hit rewind. like when superman flew so fast around the earth the time rolled back! The illusion was ruined when a snowmobile zipped across, going in boring old regular forward motion. but then it was out of the picture and we returned to backwards land. It really was sort of surreal to watch. Briefly one of the four turned around and tried to walk straight on into the wind, but quickly spun back around and resumed his blind trek.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
and no wonder; that wind stings! i barely had any exposed skin, but where the wind did hit was like thousands of little fingers pinching me with tiny nails. i want to say it's like being pelted in a sandstorm, but i have no idea what that feels like. maybe if i ever experience it, i'll say it's like the wind in rankin inlet.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
but now i'm home, stripped down to a normal amount of clothing layers, enjoying a glass of red wine, and perfectly cozy.</div>
mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-25191378160881415322013-11-23T10:42:00.001-06:002013-11-23T10:42:23.398-06:0010 days in, 10 degrees colderMy second weekend in Nunavut. Funny how when i first got here i posted a screenshot of the weather at -30, thinking that was cold. oh for a day when the windchill was only -30! the the actual temperature is now -31, with the windchill making it -43. It's been like that every day. i check the forecast regularly. it's predicting that next week sunday will get up to -27. oooh, nice!! seriously, that sounds nice. oh how my standards have changed!<br />
<br />
anyway, friday nights the big event in town is Bingo. people even come in from other hamlets to play. so of course i joined in. everyone goes to the community centre to buy their cards, but the game is played over the radio. i had dinner with my supervisor and co-worker, dabbing along excitedly as the numbers were called. i was getting pretty giddy on the big bingo as i was only 3 away... and the pot was $15,000! oh well.<br />
<br />
because it is a small town, my co-worker knew almost every winner that called in. Oh that's Laurie from downstairs. That's my cousin. That's my aunt. that's my other cousin. probably would have been pretty awkward if i'd won. people would be thinking, who the hell is that? she's not from here! damn southerner taking our winnings! haha. it was a fun night, and seeing as it's another $15k next weekend, i may just have to play again.<br />
<br />
Today is the big craft sale. i'm looking forward to it; hopefully there will be something cool i can get for a souvenir. and again, people from all around the area will be coming in.<br />
<br />
ooh, yesterday there were three polar bears just on the outskirts of town (at the dump). my co-worker was going to have her husband come get me to go see them, but he said they were already being chased away. but really, they were pretty damn close to the town, and thinking about my little solo walk last weekend, it turns out my polar bear fears were actually not all that irrational. my co-worker said she was chased by a bear about a year ago. how shit, how terrifying. i think i will have to reign in my inner explorer and keep safety a bit more at the forefront.<br />
<br />
one final note. i think i'm going to rejoin facebook. 10 days of the isolation up here and i think this may be as good a reason as any to get back on. it's all about staying in touch and sharing with friends, right? well, seeing as i've got no cell service and can't even send a text, i'm feeling the need to reach out. how else will they know that i'm in such a cool (pun, har har) place?!<br />
<br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-1241761145503307252013-11-17T21:08:00.001-06:002013-11-17T21:08:24.398-06:00roaming around Rankin Inletthere is no point hiding out in my hotel waiting for better weather. that just isn't going to happen. so i decided to go for a nice leisurely walk to explore the town today. but seeing as it was -37C, i just had to get prepared...<br />
<br />
leggings: check.<br />
2nd pair of leggings: check.<br />
socks: check.<br />
2nd pair of socks, extra thick: check<br />
leg warmers: check<br />
jeans: check.<br />
sweater, hoodie, scarf, tuque, snow pants, coat, : check, check, check, check, check, and check.<br />
boots: ugh, hard to bend over with this puffalump body.... check<br />
and mitts: check!<br />
...and only 20 minutes later i was ready to go<br />
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it was all worth it! i wandered about for nearly two and a half hours and was perfectly cozy! i ended up walking a little bit out of town, towards the Hudson Bay. i ventured off the road onto some snowmobile tracks, and then off the tracks to climb some rocks for a slightly higher vantage point. i really felt like quite the adventurer; not a soul around, the snow crunching beneath my boots, huge black birds soaring above, the faint barking of dogs somewhere in the distance, and snow and ice stretching endlessly before me. and then i started freaking myself out thinking of polar bears or encountering some other disastrous fate and decided to head back.<br />
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i wandered up and down the streets, blinking away ice crystals on my eyelashes. with about half an hour of daylight left (ie: around 2:45), i returned to the hotel and peeled off the many layers. aah!<br />
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here are some more photos:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRZ65wZk7IpqtFLkCc2cCj2oBnXdbXRWN7k_Z9w1RxQJnxZgFW7GF4GRvUbz1gW35gJj7hiYJmMffv0180dop49Kt6tD-Rul5TqPjDCNmcBibKnN6dvIYJ3uPrN9hFPuQJDNA2Qr9CtA/s1600/DSC_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRZ65wZk7IpqtFLkCc2cCj2oBnXdbXRWN7k_Z9w1RxQJnxZgFW7GF4GRvUbz1gW35gJj7hiYJmMffv0180dop49Kt6tD-Rul5TqPjDCNmcBibKnN6dvIYJ3uPrN9hFPuQJDNA2Qr9CtA/s400/DSC_0668.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">downtown</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvwYlz_IfIA726XJN2-m_1ZKFpdHeg2NarRrKC8itkaIOlbVdhmrAwHCEg13JrCbSIe-49ycd_S7B43ub04rYm1aUScJoc3OS7R6WM2UBYdgnXfJkWXsG3vpi7DHUxks8ebvrAQUiHwM/s1600/DSC_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvwYlz_IfIA726XJN2-m_1ZKFpdHeg2NarRrKC8itkaIOlbVdhmrAwHCEg13JrCbSIe-49ycd_S7B43ub04rYm1aUScJoc3OS7R6WM2UBYdgnXfJkWXsG3vpi7DHUxks8ebvrAQUiHwM/s400/DSC_0678.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">off the path and up some rocks for a view... ooh, so pretty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking out over Hudson Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRjYKGyQHLgBCMiOaVCh8CVzgT9ff5CINYcr0LUq_vXbHgt-y8jNgtP5nj4RyI07SRBlOpMif0DeS31Zgz3d34UlFoNdAFlkSFF2YS0ao1XA1UqEzj8gXkfg0Sl0OKkjbMY3Ss0d-aeM/s1600/DSC_0681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRjYKGyQHLgBCMiOaVCh8CVzgT9ff5CINYcr0LUq_vXbHgt-y8jNgtP5nj4RyI07SRBlOpMif0DeS31Zgz3d34UlFoNdAFlkSFF2YS0ao1XA1UqEzj8gXkfg0Sl0OKkjbMY3Ss0d-aeM/s320/DSC_0681.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is what -37 looks like.</td></tr>
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<br />
I know i look a bit frosty, but i was totally comfortable. well, my eyeballs felt cold once in a while (who knew eyeballs could get cold!), and my hand when i took it out of my mitt for photos, but otherwise i was perfectly content. Looking forward to more bundled up strolls.mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-62713536564459002942013-11-15T20:34:00.001-06:002013-11-17T21:17:33.152-06:00snow and ice and everyone is niceok, i realize i've only been here for two and a half days, but so far, i love rankin inlet. i love the small town vibe; the friendly community is so welcoming. whenever i pass someone as i walk, they smile and say hello. i love the openness, i love the clean, crisp air, i love walking down the wide roads and across the lake as ribbons of snow sweep across my path.<br />
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today was lovely, it went up to -7 or something (-13 with windchill). i went for a nice walk over my lunch break, wandering into the core area where the grocery store, banks, post office, etc are. it's as close to a downtown as there is. i chatted with a couple of people as i went, and with those i didn't speak to, we still exchanged big smiles and hellos.</div>
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i snapped a few shots on my phone today.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRkfOUewPzrnU5GAjiFE7PMe0beOXHoCLQUvqxxuxYU4R_xD8BILCTYOTtIt4370pO5VBUcKWRsN9cI2O0vwY0Tlr4Eh9NMvLmxxC-EH0GFSW9oYtoc4X43LF5ZLIdCaLOVtnyZTIzKg/s1600/DSC_0638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRkfOUewPzrnU5GAjiFE7PMe0beOXHoCLQUvqxxuxYU4R_xD8BILCTYOTtIt4370pO5VBUcKWRsN9cI2O0vwY0Tlr4Eh9NMvLmxxC-EH0GFSW9oYtoc4X43LF5ZLIdCaLOVtnyZTIzKg/s400/DSC_0638.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking to work at 8am</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P6p3DG6MZXpsmiGVt9BX8Qcv_q0Cv8LvdrgDY96OLoKb1sUfwmICaegqGBpKZ5xheiMwCyQ2L1DAbCcNzU2OhcQWHtDAcmCwlE_hP1NJ7iuAufQfWptFpIsBeQLsKxJU8vFgbvYVpP8/s1600/DSC_0640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P6p3DG6MZXpsmiGVt9BX8Qcv_q0Cv8LvdrgDY96OLoKb1sUfwmICaegqGBpKZ5xheiMwCyQ2L1DAbCcNzU2OhcQWHtDAcmCwlE_hP1NJ7iuAufQfWptFpIsBeQLsKxJU8vFgbvYVpP8/s400/DSC_0640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking across Williamson Lake to work (the red building at the end) after lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKH58o09v7Lt6WkgUZ-2Fj3PaJXPDHMWIq_mdP3dU0tAplSru3KEMW_HfgKQhwLnfq6BU4zUzcjUkMnSyu73KobY6fMB3pWYpzLW6nW7enm1U-Hy3lYtk7Gbs6l77sIE5awqDuz_IxOE/s1600/DSC_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKH58o09v7Lt6WkgUZ-2Fj3PaJXPDHMWIq_mdP3dU0tAplSru3KEMW_HfgKQhwLnfq6BU4zUzcjUkMnSyu73KobY6fMB3pWYpzLW6nW7enm1U-Hy3lYtk7Gbs6l77sIE5awqDuz_IxOE/s400/DSC_0654.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the sun heading down... and it's only 1pm</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02az4p9PGJCp59WJMdyk5RrKpstEdjTiOA13oGXhrkBIFK7JfAzMzlaZJKiVTxrPjhTnqiz9nD5b9AhfmzVLZSrtBIIgh1nlJkIeT-7fCSnWEDC5J9SWM3OchUWBEUsVAWr1hyP8UeFw/s1600/DSC_0652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02az4p9PGJCp59WJMdyk5RrKpstEdjTiOA13oGXhrkBIFK7JfAzMzlaZJKiVTxrPjhTnqiz9nD5b9AhfmzVLZSrtBIIgh1nlJkIeT-7fCSnWEDC5J9SWM3OchUWBEUsVAWr1hyP8UeFw/s400/DSC_0652.JPG" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rankin's Inukshuk</td></tr>
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I might bundle up later and step outside to see if i can see any northern lights. or i might just bundle up in my pjs with a glass of wine and watch tv. unfortunately, tomorrow is going to be a doozy of a cold day with temperatures going down to -30... -45 with the windchill. makes it pretty hard to wander around and sightsee or take photos. </div>
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but i will definitely head out in the evening because i bought my ticket to.... the beer dance!! there will be two bands playing, and beer brought in for purchase (Rankin allows booze to be brought in, but there is nowhere to buy it in town). anyway, i'm really excited about the beer dance because apparently they only happen a couple of times a year, so this is a big event. yay! and how can i not attend something called a "beer dance"? BEER DANCE!!! i will let you know what it's like.</div>
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but now i'm going to sit back and relax in my room, with the sound of skidoos zipping around outside</div>
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mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2Rankin Inlet, NU, Canada62.808375 -92.0852853000000162.692370499999996 -92.4080088 62.9243795 -91.762561800000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-1341842614863029032013-11-14T07:35:00.004-06:002013-11-14T07:37:01.134-06:00the call of the north<br />
Friday morning an email was sent out at work, asking if anyone was interested in helping out at the office in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. They needed someone urgently, and for about 3 weeks. Naturally i jumped at it. An adventure! Another part of this big beautiful world I could explore. I have never been to northern Canada before, so this was going to be a whole new experience. And i love those!!<br />
<br />
By Friday afternoon my flight was booked for Wednesday morning. I spent the weekend shopping and packing. I bought a new winter coat and boots (I'd been planning on it anyway, this just spurred me on). I was also told to pack food, seeing as it is very expensive and selection limited. I felt like I was packing for some kind of arctic expedition with my tub full of food. Such a strange trip!<br />
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The flight was smooth and all the staff so friendly. Before I even arrived I was getting these warm and welcoming vibes. As we neared the town, flying over nothing but snow, ice, and freezing waters, I wondered why on earth anyone would want to settle down here. It sure didn't look very inviting.<br />
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I got off the plane and walked up to the small airport, wisps of snow blowing over the tarmac. I was told that Rankin Inlet was known for its strong, harsh winds, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. It was brisk, but refreshing. Then again, that was the warmest point in the day. I felt quite different walking back to the hotel at 5pm, when it was already pitch black and noticeably colder.<br />
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Anyway, time to get ready for work. I will write more later. Especially once I have had a chance to go look around during the daylight (which will have to be the weekend) I really have to bundle up today - it's ridiculously cold out! Check out what the windchill makes it "feel like".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-qnU4UZ_9c73nkpkUkbgo4W9r4Hu5eQ01VxMg48ELgg-_e5upcu4easEpo0s91A7e0DAnf3ofcwVuHO_WnGGGHvLcSJene2jBCHYlsivzd4_FHPJQSmJEo5wTc1wi-g6UnmwAox1HaQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-14+at+7.11.57+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-qnU4UZ_9c73nkpkUkbgo4W9r4Hu5eQ01VxMg48ELgg-_e5upcu4easEpo0s91A7e0DAnf3ofcwVuHO_WnGGGHvLcSJene2jBCHYlsivzd4_FHPJQSmJEo5wTc1wi-g6UnmwAox1HaQ/s640/Screen+shot+2013-11-14+at+7.11.57+AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">brr!!!</td></tr>
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<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-63507376774833727632013-10-20T18:07:00.001-05:002013-10-20T18:08:26.901-05:00I'm jammin'i'm jammin' i'm jamming i'm jamming i'm jamming, i wanna jam it wit you. i'm jammin' i'm jamming i'm jamming i'm jamming, i hope you like jammin' too.<br />
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but if you've got any sense, you will <em>not</em> like jammin'. sorry, that's just plain old jamming, with the "g". i spent a whole afternoon jamming. as in, making jam. you see, we have all these lovely concord grapes growing on our garage, and every day i looked at them admiringly, smitten with those deep purple spheres that seemed almost fake in their perfection. it seemed a shame to just let them all freeze or rot as winter approached. i should do something with them, i thought to myself. i should be all martha stewarty and make homemade grape jam! yes, what a fabulous idea.<br />
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i googled how to make it, and it seemed pretty straightforward. all of the various sites i looked at mentioned that it takes a bit of patience to peel the grapes, but they all kind of breezed by that point. i guess if they didn't, no one in their right mind would make the jam. so let me be clear: peeling the grapes takes a very, <em>very</em> long time. it's easy but mind-numbingly tedious. your fingers will wrinkle and stain. your eyeballs will glaze over. your bowl of peeled grapes will very slowly start to fill.... but the bucket of unpeeled grapes still to go will never seem to dwindle. you will hate the grapes. you will hate martha stewart. you will hate the websites for not warning you that jam making is for crazies.<br />
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anyhoo, without further ado, here is the play by play of my jam making adventure.<br />
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requirements for jam:<br />
3 lbs concord grapes<br />
3 cups sugar<br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
immeasurable amounts of patience<br />
glass(es) of wine or other booze to keep you from going bonkers<br />
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step 1: ah... beautiful grapes on the vine spark jam-making inspiration <br />
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step 2: collect big pile of gorgeous grapes. continue to admire them and marvel at your wonderful idea.</div>
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step 3: pluck grapes from the stems. they look like a bucket of blueberries. start to nervously realize that this is a lot of grapes</div>
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step 4: squeeze the end of the grape, allowing the inside to plop right out of its skin. </div>
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step 5: peel. peel. peel peelpeelpeelpeel approximately 1200 grapes for approximately 2 hours. stare at pile of grapes. detest grapes. kick yourself over stupid jam-making idea.</div>
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step 6: put all the skins in a food processer and puree with 1 cup of sugar until smooth.</div>
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step 7: regroup. admire that incredible colour. go have a glass of wine or something.</div>
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step 8: back to work. put the grapes, purple skin puree, the rest of the sugar, and the lemon juice into a pot.</div>
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step 9: bring to a boil. then turn down heat and let simmer to thicken. stir occasionally. </div>
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step 10: more tedium as you strain out the seeds, mashing the mixture patiently to get out all the sticky purple goodness.</div>
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step 11: i didn't think it was thick enough so i put it back on the stove for a bit. oooh, looks so perdy. my love of the grapes is renewed.</div>
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step 12: pour into jars. woohoo, we're done!!!</div>
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step 13: enjoy the unbelievably delicious results. YUM!! </div>
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i was actually crazy enough to do this whole thing <em>twice</em>. the second time around i set up my peeling station so i could sit at a table within view of the tv. much better than standing at the kitchen counter, staring out the window, the occasional squirrel running along the fence my only entertainment.</div>
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and i have to say, the jam is amazing. thick, rich, and sweet. my mom, brother, and sister have all raved about it. and clearly, if i put myself through this a second time, it goes to show that i think the product is worth the effort :)</div>
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mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-39685822933959223922013-09-28T22:17:00.001-05:002013-09-28T22:21:34.958-05:00Saturday night tv....<br />Just a quick post from the iPad because I can't tear myself away from the couch and this crazy show about crazy people. I'm watching Obsessions and this episode is titled "Animism". It's about people who have emotional and sexual relationships with inanimate objects. One guy was talking about his relationship with his car, how he mostly kisses her and caresses her, can spend an hour with her and just masturbate. And a woman who was shown with her arms draped around Big Zee, as she described her love for him. Big Zee is a crane, by the way. That's right, a big yellow metal crane. A priest explained that when he gets intimate with his sound boards, he is fully clothed - it's just an exchange of energy. He also wonders about his first sound board love. He has photos of "her" and wonders if she's still "alive" etc. But they don't hold a candle to Linda and her love affair with Bruce. She calls him her soul mate. And she married him. She married him and refers to him as her husband. Bruce is a Ferris wheel. She married a friggin Ferris wheel! How the hell is that possible?<br />
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So some people get their panties all in a bunch over gay marriage, but human/steel unions are just hunky dory? What the -<br />
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Oh wait, they're showing the marriage ceremony.... which is being performed by the sound board priest.<br />
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I guess I'm just not open minded enough to accept the love of these people and their inanimate object life partners. Man, I'm such a prude.mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-46661473334342281212013-09-06T19:12:00.001-05:002013-09-28T22:23:57.891-05:00back to our rootsIt's been a long, long time, but we are finally going back to where it all began.<br />
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I feel like a nostalgic parent, wistfully reminiscing about your first hesitant days when you were so unsure of yourself. and then you found your voice, made friends, and blossomed. you were very different back then: young and excited because everything was so new and there was always a story you wanted to share. now that you're older you've grown distant, most of your pals have gone their own ways, and you don't say much at all. but you will still always be precious to me. you are, and will always be, my dear, sweet, never-to-be-completely-parted-with blog.<br />
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that's right, I'm talking about my blog. and like I said, we are going back to where it all started:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>China</strong>!!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really wanted to use one of my own old china pix but don't have any on the computer :(</td></tr>
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I confirmed the flights today! We (Blair and myself - the blog doesn't get its own seat) are heading to China in about 6 1/2 months, and staying for just over 3 weeks. Wahoo!! It will be almost a decade since I was there (wow, I can't believe how fast time goes!), and at the rate China changes, I wouldn't be surprised if everything is completely unrecognizable. I am so excited, and yet a bit nervous too. It's always a bit weird going back to a place you once called home. I really want to go to Dalian (the city where I lived and taught) but it is inconveniently quite out of the way. Bah! But I feel really determined to get there. Yes, it is a must (for me - Blair not so convinced).<br />
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Anyway, I just had to share the news. At first I wasn't super keen on going back to China, because there are so many other places I've never been to and want to see. But now that it's booked, I'm super excited. I am going to say "tai guai le!" (too expensive!), no matter what the price. I'm going to haggle over 50 cents. I'm going to eat rice noodle soup and <em>real</em> kung pao chicken. I'm going to give bai jiu (yucky Chinese alcohol) another shot. I'm <em>not</em> going to have the version infused with dog penis. I'm going to walk the great wall in spring, just like I did in winter and summer. I'm going to use squat toilets like a natural. I'm going to skip the crappy light show in Yangshuo. I'm going to have a beer and play liar's dice with an old friend. I'm going to remember so many things - the good and the bad - that I'm forgetting right now.<br />
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I can't wait. I hope you'll join me :)mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-24493870299676673022013-07-02T16:31:00.001-05:002013-07-02T16:31:20.313-05:00my first staycation<br />
Ah, holidays.<br />
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I'm enjoying a different kind of holiday this week. a holiday where I have absolutely no plans and nothing specific to do. normally when I take time off work, I try to do something with that time. take a trip somewhere, or even just go to the farm. but not this time. I had booked this time off way back in april, and I thought something might pop up between then and now. maybe a cheap last minute flight, a spontaneous trip somewhere. but nothing. I contemplated canceling my holiday request, but decided to give this whole "staycation" thing a whirl.<br />
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So far, I have to say it's pretty great. the weather has been gorgeous: sunny and 30 something degrees. We had our families over for a bbq and everything went super well. it was hot, there was lots of delicious food, and everyone was chatting and having fun. Canada day was another scorcher, and I had a beautiful day riding my bike, hanging outside with family, checking out the various festivities, watching fireworks, and collapsing exhausted at the end of the day. today I discovered the fun of a pressure washer! I decided it would be fun to have a project this week, but nothing too overwhelming or urgent. something that if I don't finish it, it's no big deal. so I decided to paint our fence. or stain it, varnish it, treat it, whatever it is you're supposed to do to fences. how exciting! handyman Amanda, that's what they'll call me! the pressure washer is so cool. i'd never used one before and I was just mesmerized watching the layer of dirt that I didn't even know was dirt come off, leaving a brand new fence behind! well, after an hour of spraying, I was soaking wet and covered in fence scum. But I had 2 and half beautifully clean and new looking sections of fence! ....which leaves about 15 more sections to go. this is where the whole 'no big deal if I can't finish this project' mentality comes in. <br />
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I will do more on the fence throughout the week. maybe i'll get the whole thing cleaned, maybe not. for now, at least the novelty of the pressure washer makes it fun, and it doesn't feel like work.<br />
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other than that, nothing else planned. other than have coffee outside while doing the crosswords. visit my sister. lay in the sun. make sangria. drink sangria. relax. that's it. nothing else on the agenda! yay!! so what if i'm not off to some exotic destination this holiday. my backyard is exactly where i want to be :)<br />
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mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-29841786250818455362013-06-06T21:09:00.000-05:002013-06-06T21:09:45.563-05:00Oh goodie, another phobia<br />
maybe phobia isn't quite the right word. i mean, i'm not <em>afraid</em> of them, like i am of moths. but i think that's only because these are stationary. i definitely have an irrational and hyperbolic disgust of them, which leads to extremely ludicrous overreactions.<br />
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I've discovered that i am revolted by toadstools. <br />
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seriously, i don't know how i'm going to get through this blog, because just the thought of them - the mere writing of the word - sends shudders down my spine. we have some growing around a tree on the boulevard (oh god oh god, they're so gross), and now they've even spread so that a few are in our yard (barf barf barf). the clumps around the base of the tree are really big, like the size of cats and loaves of bread (blech, gag), then about half a dozen smaller clusters have popped up along the boulevard and a blob or two on our lawn (i have to stop, i'm going to be sick).<br />
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i'm back. feeling queasy, but i shall persevere. <br />
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i can't think of anything more nauseating than those mushrooms. repulsive fungal growths infesting our grass. they make my skin crawl. i almost couldn't walk up my front sidewalk because they were only a few feet away. oh so gross so gross so gross! squishy, lumpy, dense, moist, pop-up-overnight, cankerous blight infecting my lawn!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p6SD4JxXjpeM89VIuniw3QphBJJY0J4KjTWEudJ6IBf-JXbFqcYKDIQ8Ov8jmqR1N5T2ook0KxNlXCpaLUYvnTE2jBIpnlUvPWqOcqXUUzE_OEfyP8Qc9BPNHZw0di5JCQy9dRwkZ14/s1600/DSC_0547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p6SD4JxXjpeM89VIuniw3QphBJJY0J4KjTWEudJ6IBf-JXbFqcYKDIQ8Ov8jmqR1N5T2ook0KxNlXCpaLUYvnTE2jBIpnlUvPWqOcqXUUzE_OEfyP8Qc9BPNHZw0di5JCQy9dRwkZ14/s320/DSC_0547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">blair digging out the vile toadstools. I took a photo of him<br />
while peeking through the blinds in the upstairs window.<br />
this is as close as i could get, and even then i was trembling</td></tr>
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<br />
ok, i must stop. retching and having mini-convulsions at the thought of them. i made blair go outside and dig them all up to get rid of them. but he's not allowed to talk about it because i start freaking out when they are mentioned and may break into tears. now i must go have a hot shower and scrub the thoughts of them away. <br />
<br />mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-42610628380747638522013-05-08T19:36:00.000-05:002013-05-08T19:36:12.435-05:00things that make me happy<br />
sometimes I like to complain. but today, for a change, I thought i'd share a few happy things. and i'll put it in bullet point form because bullet points also make me happy!<br />
<ul>
<li>I went to Stars on Ice last week (yay!) and at the end of the show Kurt Browning shook my hand (YAY!!!). i practically knocked over the two little old ladies next to me in my eagerness. I wanted to tell him that i'd been coming to the show for 20 years, but couldn't utter a single word; i just shook his hand frantically while grinning like an idiot. but maybe that's ok, because when i went through my collection of Stars on Ice programs from over the years (obsessive nerd), i realized that this was only year 19. so <em>next </em>year i'll have to tell him :) yes, i get just as giddy and awestruck now as i did in 1994.</li>
<li>i'd been brushing up on my French lately so that i could take a "second language evaluation" at work. i was very stressed about the 45 minute oral test. I took it 2 weeks ago, on a day i was really sick, and.... I got the marks i needed, yippee! so now I've been upgraded to a bilingual employee, which means a teensy bit more money, and hopefully more opportunities. way to go, me.</li>
<li>i am in love with ataulfo mangos. they are sooooooo delicious and less than a buck each at superstore. yumyumyum!</li>
<li>we finally had some nice weather and the weekend was beautiful! i sat outside in our backyard for the first time since moving in 6 months ago, drinking a beer and reading a book in the sunshine. so content!</li>
<li>my 3 year old niece came for a sleepover and we had tons of fun doing arts & crafts and baking. plus, she is just too adorable when she's asleep. when she cuddled up to me and held my hand, i thought my heart was going to explode.</li>
</ul>
that's it for now. nothing over the top exciting, no jaw-dropping updates, just some simple things that make me smile.mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-62547388314466542442013-04-24T15:31:00.000-05:002013-04-24T15:31:48.529-05:00the fluvomirreah. that's the awful new word i've coined. <br />
<br />
i'm sick. not as sick as yesterday, and a thousand times better than the day before, but sick nonetheless. monday at around 330, i started to feel nauseous. i thought i was just getting nervous about the oral french exam i had to take for work the next day. but after throwing up 4 times, i decided even my own delicate nerves wouldn't cause that big of a reaction. my mom picked me up from work to drive me home because i didn't think i could handle the 30 minute bus ride. as it turns out, i couldn't handle the 15 minute car ride either. we had to pull over half way so that i could throw up out the side of the car. how gross.<br />
<br />
upon getting home i threw up several more times, then curled up under three blankets with a bucket beside my bed. the next 4 hours were pretty terrible, and i will spare you the gruesome details. i didn't leave my room until the next morning, when i somehow managed to get up and go to work to take the french test. maybe that was a bad idea as i definitely wasn't at my best, but i jst wanted to get it over with. as soon as it was done i left work and went to my mom's where i feel asleep for several hours.<br />
<br />
things have improved. i'm no longer vomiting or any of that other gross stuff. but that's just because i haven't really been able to eat anything. a couple of bowls of chicken broth and some toast. i've dropped 8 pounds in the last two days, just because my body has purged itself of all contents! today i'm just lazing about the house with a terrible headache. i have to walk super slowly because each step causes pounding and my vision blackens.<br />
<br />
i hope i feel like myself again soon. this sucks.mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7920036743933248606.post-76156875093444573432013-04-21T11:58:00.002-05:002013-04-21T11:59:43.369-05:00snow and stupid<br />
ugh. today is not exactly off to an auspicious start. for one, it's snowing. AGAIN. it's april 21st, and it's snowing. come one! am i ever going to get a chance to enjoy my new backyard? afternoon drinks on our sunny deck, evenings sitting around the firepit... sigh... not to be realized anytime soon.<br />
<br />
this morning i got up around 830, shuffled downstairs in my housecoat and slippers, and put on a pot of coffee. i plunked myself down at the table to go through the newspaper and do the crossword. my usual routine. as i was drowsily flipping pages, i heard i tinkling noise. huh. i wonder what that is, i thought, continuing to flip. tinkle tinkle drip drip. is the tap on? finally i come out of my sleepy fog enough to consider that something may not be right in the kitchen. sure enough, the coffee maker is pouring coffee straight down onto the element, cascading over the counter and onto the floor. the pot sits empty off to the side. and oh, fantastic, the drawer beneath was slightly ajar so a cups worth of coffee has also poured in all over the cutlery. oy.<br />
<br />
yup, today definitely has the makings of a day when i should just laze on the couch, avoid the miserable weather, and not undertake any complicated tasks (like coffee-making!). but i'm off to a birthday brunch at my dad's. gotta go brush the car off. grumble grumble.mandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12738245893037288328noreply@blogger.com1