A beer on Friday

I haven't quite got around yet to my one-time plans of brewing my own beer up here, although I have run into some people in town that do. It makes alot of sense when you otherwise have to fly up your choice of brew. I may have to resurrect the idea after I recently ran across a review of this book - Fermenting Revolution - which posits that drinking and making your own beer can help save the world. Sounds like something I can get on board with. Check out the author's Beer Activist blog for some interesting reading , or another website I came across on the subject: Brew Like A Monk.
(Warning to beer-drinking Northerners: some of these sites feature delicious-sounding microbrews unavailable in Canada, much less in our land of canned Labatt Ice)

Cheers.

Uphill Snowmobile Races

No, I didn't enter. I don't think I'm at the point yet where I can hang off the side of my skidoo while I go around turns like these guys did. These pics are from Friday.

Igloo building competition

Motoneige

Since the weather's gotten nicer over the past few weeks, the desire to get a snowmobile has increased exponentially. A week ago, I went to see a very reasonably priced (cheap) one, and with this week off I couldn't wait any longer: on Friday I became the proud owner of a 2001 Arctic Cat. Living up here without one, it just seemed like I was missing out on too much.

On Sunday, I broke in my new machine with an ice fishing trip.

Here's me on my tough new machine (notice the stitches on the hood that makes it look like my skidoo has been in a fight):On the trail with David and Stephanie:
Preparing the holes and jigging with our minnows:












After many hours of quiet, some excitement!

Success! David and his Char.

Team Shattered Dreams

Shortly after arriving in town, I decided that if I was going to live in the arctic, I should join a curling team. Unfortunately, when the season began, I still had a shift at the public library on Thursday nights that prevented me from joining my teammates at the rink. Seeing "Team Quigley" written on the league schedule in my absence, Stephanie and Curtis began referring to themselves as "Team Shattered Dreams."

Luckily, I cut back at the library, and along with the addition of Chris (aka Inflatable Elvis), our dreams of curling were resurrected. Two weekends ago, we played in the final Bonspiel of the year, excited to show how much we'd improved throughout the curling season. Unfortunately, we lost all 3 games we played. But that didn't dampen the fact that it was a really fun season of curling, and a great introduction to the game for me. In honour of my year at the Iqaluit Curling Club, I give you the curling rock anthem: The Team Shattered Dreams Theme Song.

(Special thanks to Kate Nova for the use of some of her photography.)

Back in Blog

Okay, I realize this has been a quiet blog as of late. Any chance of catching up on posting was derailed by a week in which the children went mad, including swearing, obscene gestures, climbing on rooftops, and threats of beatings (perpetrated by the children, not me.) Actually, that was just one kid, and that was only last Monday, but it should give you an idea of what my week was like.

Luckily, after experiencing some of the worst that the teaching profession can dish out, I now get to enjoy one of the benefits: Spring Break. This week is Toonik Tyme, Iqaluit's spring festival, so there's lots going on around town. And the weather has turned sunny and warm(er). Stay tuned for regular reports, pictures from my new camera, and adventures on my exciting new toy.