Yikes, alright, so it’s been awhile. At first I was sitting in Ross River willing the days to count down slower so I could just escape the tedious boredom of this silly town and go home. My days consisted of feeling sea sick, watching TLC shows in the a.m., walking the dog, doing some yoga, watching Dr. Phil and Oprah, making dinner and reading before bed. A tedium any twentysomething can see was filled with lameness. It was brutal.
Then I finally got to fly to Vancouver, where I visited with some high school buddies. We toured around, I bought ridiculously priced yoga pants, and we watched fireworks on the beach that night. It was a beautiful first night away from Ross.
I flew into Ottawa and surprised my sister by arriving a day earlier than she thought I would. It was priceless. I spent my time in Ottawa going to movies on the big, fancy screen, laughing at hilarious childhood movies in the basement, having sleepovers with my best friends, eating deliciously wonderful food and having heart to hearts: soooo much better in person than over the phone. Made some important artistic discoveries like She&Him and the Flight of the Concords (I don’t get out much).
Drove to Maine with some family and relished in the familiar beauty of the seaside town we’d visited many summers before. We played in the waves, ate fried clams, kissed lobsters, read on the beach and got sand into every crevice imaginable. I even went like 5 days without showering. Cuz hey: bathing in the ocean is so much better. In week-long doses, that is.
I said goodbyes to Maine, then goodbyes to family and friends in Ottawa. It was so hard to say goodbye, especially to my mum, because we now had so much more to bond over. We definitely have made the leap from parent-child to a place where we can be friends.
When my plane landed in Whitehorse, I was greeted by husband and in-laws and we set off on a Yukon tour. We stayed a few days in the capital at a B&B that had no beds or breakfast (c’est la vie) before heading up the Klondike Highway for 6 hours to Dawson City. I love Dawson. I really hope we can live there next. It feels like stepping on to the set of an old movie. Then we drove 7 or 8 hours back to Ross River, where our lovely helpers moved us from the brown house around the block to the big, beautiful new house.
And now that the in-laws have had their fill of the Yukon, and it’s back to being husband, myself, Goober and Skylar in this new, beautiful big house, I actually feel happy here in Ross River. Maybe it’s the change in dwelling, maybe it’s the refreshed perspective that comes with a trip home, or maybe it’s not being in a perpetual state of queasiness. But I’m in a place that feels like my home and I can’t wait to make room for one more. 

Labels: family, friends, Ross River, Yukon

In our short time here in Whitehorse, we have met some wonderful people. I didn’t think it would be a big deal to move out of the city, because I figured I hadn’t been here long enough to be affected by cutting ties.
Now that we’re 10 days away from leaving, I am clinging to the comfort of friends I have made since arriving here on 07/07/07.
When we announced our move day out to Ross River, I figured we’d have last tea and coffee dates with our buddies, load up the pickup with Wal-Mart and Superstore supplies and head on out. What happened was not one but two going-away parties were planned for us. It made me feel oddly welcomed, strange that a party would be thrown for us when it’s seems we’ve hardly had a chance to be more than a reference note in people’s lives.
This last weekend was the first of the two, and what a perfect Yukon night it was.
We went outside of the city to our friends’ house for a bonfire. We arrived before sunset, because that isn’t happening until about 9:30 p.m. these days. I learned a new way to build a fire (lots of newspaper, haphazardly thrown kindling and lots of blowing before the logs) and, more importantly, how many people cared enough to spend their Saturday night seeing us off. It was touching, and as I mentioned, a little odd to be the guests of honour!
It was a perfect night for weather, it never really got cold, especially in front of the fire, not even by the time we left at 4:00 a.m.! The sky was clear and for hours we were treated to dancing green northern lights. I learned that if you whistle at them, it’s akin to taunting and they recede for a bit, at least that’s first nation folklore.
We drank and made fireside confessions that will never go beyond the orange glow, and laughed louder than the music, which was allowed to blare in the rural neighbourhood. Besides that, if there was a noise complaint called in to the police, it would be redundant, as on duty officers joined in the fireside party sporadically.
It was a ,marvelous night spent among friends that genuinely wished us well, offering us places to stay when we come back in to ‘the big city’ to load up on supplies at retail prices. (As opposed to insane Ross River prices on limited selection)
Next weekend’s another, only it’ll be a swanky cocktail party, complete with requisite dress code and fondue!! I can’t wait, but I can. It’ll be bittersweet.

Labels: friends, Yukon

Labels: friends, steak