What an exceptional week this has been! So many people looked at me askew when I said I was coming to Rankin for January. Many knew I was crazy as I posted the December temperatures on facebook, or mentioned that the Arctic was a great place to be in January. These first few days have proven this is the place to be.
Getting here...late as usual. Vancouver to Winnipeg flight was late, for no noticeable reason. Winnipeg to Rankin was late, but we were all warned on check in that the flights might end up in Churchill or back in Winnipeg due to weather conditions in Rankin. All the flights the day before were cancelled. While we were waiting the Calm Air flight left. That seemed like a good omen. However, they then announced that our flight was going to be delayed by an hour. An hour later we were still sitting in the airport, and then they announced we were boarding. Good.
Winnipeg was cool. It was the first time they had cold temperatures and the first big snow came December 31st. Temperatures on Jan 2nd were below 0 but not by much. On the plane they were announcing the temperature in Rankin Inlet was -32. I began to feel a little antsy and wonder if I really was making the right decision!
Since arriving the temperatures have been quite normal, usually around -30 with a wind chill of -45 to -50. I thought that walking in -50 was wrong, but have found that actually it works quite well. Now, of course, I am on first call. That means I have a car. It also means not enough exercise to sleep, which is just totally annoying. Thought there might be some activities that would help, and there are, yoga in Tuesday and Thursday, Walk Tall is Tuesday and Thursday. I will be able to sleep, for sure, on Tuesday and Thursday!
Yesterday we had a really unusual day. The first time, ever, that the fire alarms went off at the Wellness Centre. I walked through and the director said, “It must be real”, so went back to the Maternity and told them it was for real. We all dressed into all our clothes and got out, as did everyone else. It was the first time I had seen the physios since arriving. It was great! Got pictures of all the staff standing outside, in their parkas, waiting for the building to be cleared. Lucikly for us, the fire hall is next door to the Wellness Centre. He walked over and checked the building and then called whoever turns off the alarms. They couldn’t do it, and had to call someone else, and eventually they did go off. The noise was phenomenal, so I just stood outside, with the smokers, who found the whole situation so stressful that they needed a smoke break!
We had a birth on Tuesday. I was the second. It was just on the edge of normal, so was interesting to watch. I have learned that as a second it is best to sit on the sidelines, until needed and then just, be a second. It means that really not doing anything until the mother is pushing. That is always interesting when things are normal, but not quite.
Right now I am sitting looking out the window at the beautiful clear sky with the sun coming up, in the middle of the horizon, not on the east, and a low line of cloud beginning to come up in the southwest. It is unbelievably bright, as there are no trees, and lots of ice. It means you can see forever and the sun seems to be brighter than anywhere else on earth.
It is truly stark and beautiful here, and I am so happy to be here in January.
Jennesse I apologize. I regularly read your blog--haven't missed many, and I'm often struck by how beautifully clear your stories are. Someone once said, "While reading good writing, to the reader the writer disappears." Yours exemplifies the rule.
ReplyDeleteI've had this happen before--I SO like a writer's writing that I don't think about saying so. I've come to think the two thoughts are related--good writing; writer disappears, so whom would the reader thank?
hugs from a fan in Victoria, BC