OK first things first.....my daughter looks amazing in an air cadet uniform. She looks so grown up, and so ready to be a pilot.....wow! That is right...my daughter has left the ranks of the navy (cadets) and is now a fully uniformed member of the air cadet sqaudron. She has kept her equivlent rank (WO2 equivelent to a CPO2) so that is good. Getting the uniform and being able to trully be one of them.....is great! Heather continues to wear her naval uniform, although I think this may be hard for some of the locals....and me......well it is time to swallow the anchor. It appears that there is not a meaningful role for me here locally, and instead of hanging on...I think retirment is in order. It has been 26 years.....26 good years, but time to hang up the sword.
Work is going very well. I love the fact that I can actually make decisions, and impact change. Long days, and long hours, but there is so much to do. I have worked straight since arriving. I tell Heather that I take tuesday off......I get up and put jeans on....but I still go to work at 6:45 and get home late at night. maybe next week I will take a break.
Still loving the locale.....it is not too cold. Winter is here, not with all its fury, most days see flurries, and the mountains across Frobisher are very white with snow.
Purchase of Canada Goose jackets starts this week. All is well!
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Saturday 24 September 2011
Life has gone back to normal....kind of....
So today we added a 42" HDTV to our home. Retail price of $1000.00 here in Iqaluit. I think it was a good move, but the first item on the agenda for the kids was getting Wii hooked up. Now I am sitting writing while my daughter is doing a sing off/ dance off with one of her games.....kind of like normal. The 42" TV is a little bigger then our 27" picture tube TV that we had in Halifax. The LCD TV is a nice change, with a clear vibrant picture. Next week I may add a surround sound system to make cold winter night movie nights that much more enjoyable.
Also today, Andrew started Judo again. I must say the rate for the year of Judo is very reasonable. It was only $100.00 and that is for 2 1 hour sessions a week. Pretty reasonable I think. I think he is very happy to be involved with Judo again, and he proudly wore his yellow belt.
We got a few other nice things today for the house, a new microwave, a new kettle, some new baking sheets and a muffin pan...and oh yes the spaghetti tongs.
Work is going very well. It has been 15 days straight, but I am really enjoying it. We had some great wins this week, a great week in sales, and a great week in hiring. It seems that I have hired about 30 people in the last 2 weeks, and we are getting to a place where it is working. We had some great additions to the team! I have high hopes for a super million dollar week before the end of November.
Furnace was cleaned today as well getting us ready for the winter........it has snowed some already, and the furnace has been on regularly...but it is good to know it was serviced and readied for another winter.
Life has certainly settled in...Heather and the kids are doing well....Amy will keep her rank now as an air cadet.....and Andrew while leaving cadets has lots to keep him busy.
Life is great....more to follow!
Also today, Andrew started Judo again. I must say the rate for the year of Judo is very reasonable. It was only $100.00 and that is for 2 1 hour sessions a week. Pretty reasonable I think. I think he is very happy to be involved with Judo again, and he proudly wore his yellow belt.
We got a few other nice things today for the house, a new microwave, a new kettle, some new baking sheets and a muffin pan...and oh yes the spaghetti tongs.
Work is going very well. It has been 15 days straight, but I am really enjoying it. We had some great wins this week, a great week in sales, and a great week in hiring. It seems that I have hired about 30 people in the last 2 weeks, and we are getting to a place where it is working. We had some great additions to the team! I have high hopes for a super million dollar week before the end of November.
Furnace was cleaned today as well getting us ready for the winter........it has snowed some already, and the furnace has been on regularly...but it is good to know it was serviced and readied for another winter.
Life has certainly settled in...Heather and the kids are doing well....Amy will keep her rank now as an air cadet.....and Andrew while leaving cadets has lots to keep him busy.
Life is great....more to follow!
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Carvings, Paintings, and Inuit Art.....
There can be no question for someone that likes Art, carvings, paintings, and fur art that Iqaluit is a great place to see a huge variety. On a continual basis daily you have the opporutnity to buy pieces of art work that are created from various stones to furs and canvas.
Every day at the store you are guaranted to be approached by at least 5 different people that have a carving, jewlrey, etchings, or fur art that they are trying to sell. For many this is there way of making money, and they are not pushy about it but rather they will approach you and show you the carving, and gauge your interest.
There is a wonderful older lady who is in a wheelchair that will often sit inside the store with her pieces of fur that she has crafted into small huskies....very cute and quite a fine piece of art. Another gentlemen often has polar bears that he has carved himself out of a green stone(serpentine). There is another great artist that carves using a small rotary hand grinder (he has replaced the blade with a saw wheel). I imagine that I would cut my hand off, but it is amazing to watch him with the saw perched between his legs and rotating the stone to make the right cuts, to make the piece take shape. He specilizes in polar bears as well, but also has a lot of other carvings ranging from seals, to whales, to inuit hunters.
I went out for supper with the crowd from head office last week. While enjoying a great meal we were shown atleast 12 different carvings.......some were very beautiful. Asking price ranged from $40.00 for a small carving, or earrings to 2000.00 for a beautiful polar bear on a sheet of ice. These carvings were a different class with differnt colour stone inset. For a collector or someone who knows what they are at there is probably a great online market for these pieces of art. I know that as time passes I will build a small collection. They are great gifts as well. Supper here is very different with a parade of art....but it adds to the atmoshere and reminds you that your not in Halifax anymore.
More to come....enjoying every day, and every new experiance....
Every day at the store you are guaranted to be approached by at least 5 different people that have a carving, jewlrey, etchings, or fur art that they are trying to sell. For many this is there way of making money, and they are not pushy about it but rather they will approach you and show you the carving, and gauge your interest.
There is a wonderful older lady who is in a wheelchair that will often sit inside the store with her pieces of fur that she has crafted into small huskies....very cute and quite a fine piece of art. Another gentlemen often has polar bears that he has carved himself out of a green stone(serpentine). There is another great artist that carves using a small rotary hand grinder (he has replaced the blade with a saw wheel). I imagine that I would cut my hand off, but it is amazing to watch him with the saw perched between his legs and rotating the stone to make the right cuts, to make the piece take shape. He specilizes in polar bears as well, but also has a lot of other carvings ranging from seals, to whales, to inuit hunters.
I went out for supper with the crowd from head office last week. While enjoying a great meal we were shown atleast 12 different carvings.......some were very beautiful. Asking price ranged from $40.00 for a small carving, or earrings to 2000.00 for a beautiful polar bear on a sheet of ice. These carvings were a different class with differnt colour stone inset. For a collector or someone who knows what they are at there is probably a great online market for these pieces of art. I know that as time passes I will build a small collection. They are great gifts as well. Supper here is very different with a parade of art....but it adds to the atmoshere and reminds you that your not in Halifax anymore.
More to come....enjoying every day, and every new experiance....
Everyone is settling in....
Well after my first full 12 days in Iqaluit, I must say things are settling down and feeling very normal.....well except for the fact that we got our second snow fall and it is Sept 20th. It started flurrying in the afternoon 2 days ago and after getting home from work, and having supper with the family, we loaded up in the truck and went for a nice drive exploring the city in the snow. The real danger in driving in a snow downfall here is in my opinion the lack of "big" city lighting. It seems it does not matter what the temperature or weather is, people will still be out walking the streets.....problem is many are wearing black winter coats, or dark coats and you have to be very careful to watch out for them especially in the dark stormy night.
The kids are doing well at school. My Amy is studying Match that I can not ever remember doing...(of course I was not a model math student), it is so weird and wonderful they do not even call it math, rather they call it calculus........a great subject that requires a 250.00 calculator to complete. Andrew is doing well at school, still running for student council, and after attending his meet the teacher night......being very helpful, and volunteering a lot. That is very good.
One of the benifits of working here in Iqaluit is the opportunity to get home for Lunch........I was reflecting on how nice it was to popout from work, and go home mid-day to sit with my wife, and if I am really lucky and get home on time with my kids and enjoy lunch. This is something that was impossible in other locations as the drive home was just too much and the pressures at work too great. Here it is a normal thing to do, and because the city is not huge, and I live close to the store, it is quite doeable, and something I look forward to dialy.
Now that does not mean that I get home at 12:00 every day.....I still am managing a large retail store......sometimes it is 12, sometimes 1, and sometimes 3....but that matches the times I get home for supper.....sometimes 6, sometimes 7, and sometimes 9. But I love it!
Amy has asked to go out on vactaion in February....mostly because the bands she likes are on a Canadian tour and she would love to see them.......we will need to see what we can do!
Until the next time.....while the North is certainly different, it is wonderful, and the more different, the more the same!
More to come!
The kids are doing well at school. My Amy is studying Match that I can not ever remember doing...(of course I was not a model math student), it is so weird and wonderful they do not even call it math, rather they call it calculus........a great subject that requires a 250.00 calculator to complete. Andrew is doing well at school, still running for student council, and after attending his meet the teacher night......being very helpful, and volunteering a lot. That is very good.
One of the benifits of working here in Iqaluit is the opportunity to get home for Lunch........I was reflecting on how nice it was to popout from work, and go home mid-day to sit with my wife, and if I am really lucky and get home on time with my kids and enjoy lunch. This is something that was impossible in other locations as the drive home was just too much and the pressures at work too great. Here it is a normal thing to do, and because the city is not huge, and I live close to the store, it is quite doeable, and something I look forward to dialy.
Now that does not mean that I get home at 12:00 every day.....I still am managing a large retail store......sometimes it is 12, sometimes 1, and sometimes 3....but that matches the times I get home for supper.....sometimes 6, sometimes 7, and sometimes 9. But I love it!
Amy has asked to go out on vactaion in February....mostly because the bands she likes are on a Canadian tour and she would love to see them.......we will need to see what we can do!
Until the next time.....while the North is certainly different, it is wonderful, and the more different, the more the same!
More to come!
Saturday 10 September 2011
The Great "White" North.........great to be here....
Well I have arrived! Great flight out of Ottawa with amazing service. Not only did the flight crew treat me to the traditional cup of tea, I also enjoyed hot towell service, a great meal of eggs benidict with a fruit salad and a nice selection of banana bread and cream cheese and crackers, a great bottle of cranberry juice.....and.......yes there is more, a pillow, a blanket, a warm large oatmeal cookie, and just when I thought it was over they came with a tray of sweets (candies) to ensure our ears would be o.k.. It was a great flight, and fantastic service. Way to go First Air!
The house is nice, in decent shape and clean. A few minor issues, but nothing crazy. The city of Iqaluit is nice enough. It is about the size of my old town of Bridgewater (7500-8000 people) it is on the water surrounding the harbour just like my old town of Lunenburg, but there is something very different and refreshing. It is almost raw.....raw with opportunity. There is a mix of jelly bean style St. John's homes perched on the rock face, many duplexes, and town homes, and more apartments going up then even Halifax.....it is certainly growing.
As we flew in there were a few icebergs in the water below. As we approached the town I looked below to the mountain tops to see pure white snow. I am told that arrived on Sept 2nd.
Once in Iqaluit ther was no snow, but it was a plesent 6 degrees and sunny. We drove around town getting our bearings.....and were pleased. We located the forward fighting base of the Canadian Forces, the damns, and the mountain side. We also drove out to Apex.
First thing this morning, my second day after waking up at 5:00am (which did not please Heather) we headed out for a drive, and then over to Sylvene National Park....Heather and I went for a short hike up the hill side to the top where we were able to see both Iqaluit behind us, and the mountains un front of us as well as a great view of the flood planes, and of the 2 waterfalls below. Also of course a much nicer view of Frobisher Bay.
Things are looking great. After attending the cities recreation department mass registartion this morning the kids, and Heather are involved now in a number of events....and just like St. Nick we are preparing for the long winter....but instead of a nap...we plan to be involved and going.
More to follow.....!
The house is nice, in decent shape and clean. A few minor issues, but nothing crazy. The city of Iqaluit is nice enough. It is about the size of my old town of Bridgewater (7500-8000 people) it is on the water surrounding the harbour just like my old town of Lunenburg, but there is something very different and refreshing. It is almost raw.....raw with opportunity. There is a mix of jelly bean style St. John's homes perched on the rock face, many duplexes, and town homes, and more apartments going up then even Halifax.....it is certainly growing.
As we flew in there were a few icebergs in the water below. As we approached the town I looked below to the mountain tops to see pure white snow. I am told that arrived on Sept 2nd.
Once in Iqaluit ther was no snow, but it was a plesent 6 degrees and sunny. We drove around town getting our bearings.....and were pleased. We located the forward fighting base of the Canadian Forces, the damns, and the mountain side. We also drove out to Apex.
First thing this morning, my second day after waking up at 5:00am (which did not please Heather) we headed out for a drive, and then over to Sylvene National Park....Heather and I went for a short hike up the hill side to the top where we were able to see both Iqaluit behind us, and the mountains un front of us as well as a great view of the flood planes, and of the 2 waterfalls below. Also of course a much nicer view of Frobisher Bay.
Things are looking great. After attending the cities recreation department mass registartion this morning the kids, and Heather are involved now in a number of events....and just like St. Nick we are preparing for the long winter....but instead of a nap...we plan to be involved and going.
More to follow.....!
Thursday 8 September 2011
Families doing ok....I am on my way!
Well I need to start by saying sorry....Internet in the North is sketchy at the best of times. I was not even North yet, but alas not much quality internet in Goose Bay either. Bandwidth is used up.....and I was only able to make post when travelling or visiting the local CapSite.
My family has now been in Iqaluit for 2 weeks. Things are o.k.....obviously there is lots that is very different. And, there is snow acroiss the bay, which is clearly visable I am told from our house. That is right....September 8th, 2011 and there is snow. I am told from some ex-Iqaluit residents that it kind of creeps towards the city.........until they are covered in snow....we will see.
My son after his first week has been nominated for Student Council President....and is making friends, and my daughter who at 16 I am mostly worried about, met a young lady from Lower Sackville on her first day, and is already referring to the lunch hang out spot as "The Browns". She is outwardly saying this is a terrible thing....my hope is that she settles in and everything will be ok.....
I left Goose Bay today at 9:40. I am in Halifax right now waiting to catch a flight to Ottawa where I will overnight before getting on my final plane of this trip to head to Iqaluit in the morning. I will be there by Lunch time.
I hope to do a tour of the town, and visit each of our 5 Quick Stops and the main store by supper time to get a glimpse of where we stand, so that come Monday we can start planning.
The senior executives from Head Office will be there on Tuesday at which point we can start to make our stores the best, and a destination for all local residents.
Stay tuned, more to come with a couple of pictures in the next couple of day!
My family has now been in Iqaluit for 2 weeks. Things are o.k.....obviously there is lots that is very different. And, there is snow acroiss the bay, which is clearly visable I am told from our house. That is right....September 8th, 2011 and there is snow. I am told from some ex-Iqaluit residents that it kind of creeps towards the city.........until they are covered in snow....we will see.
My son after his first week has been nominated for Student Council President....and is making friends, and my daughter who at 16 I am mostly worried about, met a young lady from Lower Sackville on her first day, and is already referring to the lunch hang out spot as "The Browns". She is outwardly saying this is a terrible thing....my hope is that she settles in and everything will be ok.....
I left Goose Bay today at 9:40. I am in Halifax right now waiting to catch a flight to Ottawa where I will overnight before getting on my final plane of this trip to head to Iqaluit in the morning. I will be there by Lunch time.
I hope to do a tour of the town, and visit each of our 5 Quick Stops and the main store by supper time to get a glimpse of where we stand, so that come Monday we can start planning.
The senior executives from Head Office will be there on Tuesday at which point we can start to make our stores the best, and a destination for all local residents.
Stay tuned, more to come with a couple of pictures in the next couple of day!
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