Endless daylight

Well, my new family has spent a few weeks here in Yellowknife, and the adjustment is going pretty well. The only downside for them, thus far, is the decided lack of what Southern Canada calls 'night'. Both James and Jennifer are having some trouble with this. Just so you get an idea, the sun generally doesn't set until after 11pm for about two months in Yellowknife, and the sky does not really darken much. Currently, we have a twilight of sorts, but for several weeks, you can go outside and read by the light that is still present. They find it rather eerie that the sun sets in the northwest, which is the way our balcony faces. Then, the sunset doesn't fade; it just moves around to the north, then northeast, and rises at three or so in the morning. Right now, it's up at perhaps five. Check www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca and click on Yellowknife to see the latest sunrise/sunsets.

In any event, Jennifer has had some sleepless nights, to be with me during my days off. I work a night shift and am pretty used to the days up here. Even in Southern BC, where I'm from, the days are very long at this time of year, so it was less of an adjustment. Her other sleepless nights are caused by the fact that just ain't any night that happens! For them at least. James, at ten years old, can't yet wrap his head around the fact that it is nearly midnight, and he REALLY should be in bed. Especially when there's still light to play outside. It's a struggle.

The other adjustments are such things as not having the same sort of groceries available here, and the exorbitant prices of certain items. Jennifer gleefully is sharing this information with her relatives in Georgia. I am always quick to point out, no, this is not a Canada thing, it's a NORTHERN thing, Jennifer. We do have different types of foodstuffs here, and sometimes we can't keep the things we take for granted down in the south. We only just were able to pick up leaf lettuce at the store the other day. You have to hit the store early to snatch that up. She was quite gleeful when she reported that she'd gotten some. It sometimes can be like the Soviet Union during the time of Communism. No lineups, mind you. Just having to be there at the right time. Perhaps lined up behind the truck!

Anyways, that just a few of the things they're adjusting to. I can't wait for the first snowfall; they'll be excited. That will be in....September?

Ok I'll post

Well, I'm in my new home in Yellowknife Northwest Territories Canada.

We drove the whole way from Georgia. That went better than could have been hoped for.

First we stopped in Chicago to spend 2 days with friends we'd never had a chance to meet. You can read more about Chicago on Moon's blog I'm only going to add a few things.

My son, as usual, managed to add some drama to our time in Chicago. On our last night there all the adults were sitting outside on the steps talking when Moon's husband came to the door, called me and said, "I think you need to come in here."

Then I heard James, my 10 year old son, crying. I hurried into the house to see what was going on and found him with a puffy lip and a LARGE black speck stuck to it. It was about the size of a match head and was hanging on to his lip. For a moment I thought it was a tick.

I asked James to take a few deep breaths and tell me what had happened.

His reply, "An ant crawled up and bit me on my lip."

Huh?!? I know I'll lose super mommy points for admitting this, but the first thought I had was "I gotta get a picture of this!" I passed on the camera and went to James' aid though.

When the ant bit him he had reflexively yanked back on it and pulled the body off, but the ant head and jaws were still firmly attached to his lip. Anna, our host, was running around getting tweezers and antiseptic. James was calm, but crying as I explained I would have to grab the head and yank it off.

A few seconds later, I firmly pinched the head and with a surprisingly hard tug managed to remove it from his lip. There was a fairly large hole where the mandibles had been attached.

I told Les, my husband, later that night that I thought James had probably tried to kiss the ant, maybe on a dare. Les was astonished. "He wouldn't do that would he?"

My eye rolling response wasn't lost on him. The next day as we drove out of Chicago I questioned James about his "it crawled up and bit me" story. He admitted he'd been trying to kiss the ant.

Only my son... sigh

Arrived at last.

Hi everyone. Yes, we finally made it up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. We will have a more complete description of the arduous journey we took through eight states, two provinces and onto the NWT, but we just got in July 2nd, late in the evening. We're sort of beat. I was instructed by the better half (and the more literate of the two of us; I can spell better than her, at least) to let those who read these missives that we are well, and in good spirits. More later.