Don't let the sun go down on me.

The crawling race at family fun night, Christopher needed to be handicapped after a couple of false starts. Here Martina assists Christopher with his restraint.
Two more strides and Christopher will win this race.
This was Jamie showing the kids how to complete the race, and here is Christopher showing Jamie how to do it right, the extra speed is achieved by clenching the fingers tightly in your left hand.
Christopher designing a better mousetrap, or at least a scooter board with a little leg room.
Ok I hate this picture, but some artsy types in my photography book said to do this to give a impression of speed, Well, there is it, I won't be doing it again :)
And the Super sized Scooter board is now taking passengers.
Christopher and Jessica at the Feast on Saturday night.
Christopher displaying his patented eating a cupcake with your mouth and nostrils technique, We were all really impressed.
Melissa and a local Medicine woman Alestine Andre, who recently taught Melissa a yummy recipe for making spruce tea.
A Elder anticipating tonight's feast.
The closest thing I could get to a picture of Christopher standing still at tonight's feast. Now this may be artsy but I like this one.

Hello Everyone,
Well the last couple of weeks have been marred by Internet, satellite and the ever increasing laziness of the disappearing sun. We've passed the 4 hours of daylight point and are losing a minimum of 8 minutes of light a day until is disappears completely. This year has been harder on us than the others, probably because we went to the south during the transition time, when we got here we've had trouble getting our circadian rhythm back.
With it being National addiction Week there have been several local events we've been able to be apart of the first was Family fun night on Tuesday. Which as these events usually are, was set up and arranged by someone who didn't actually have children. He discovered a very important fact, offer to host a event that will draw a whole lot of children to a area where they can yell and scream and run and jump, and you'll get allot of kids to show up... and no adults as you just became that evenings babysitter. Other than our hosts Melissa and I were the only two adult attendees who came in to witness the evenings festivities. Regardless though, we had a great time and Christopher really seemed to enjoy his victorious evening and prizes.

Oops, actually the first event was a pancake Breakfast on Sunday, I forgot as I accidentally slept through several reminders that this event was about to occur and in fact I slept right through it... Unintentionally, I assure you, however if it was to be repeated tomorrow I have a feeling the same result might be achieved. I am told the pancakes were delicious, and I can attest to the extra couple hours sleep certainly were great.

Tonight's event was " a snow sculpture contest followed by a Bonfire followed by a Feast", which we also were privileged to attend. Apparently the focus of this event was more focused towards the feast than it was the snow sculpting and bonfire, as I never did see anyone actually go outside, touch any snow or light anything on fire. But there was allot of eating, and I guess the focus of addiction week is geared more towards drug and alcohol addiction than it is towards food addiction. Christopher took this opportunity to participate in the countdown to sobriety to testify to his 5 years without a drink, even in his enthusiasm he was accurate.
We hope everyone is doing great and enjoying themselves as we are.
Take Care
CG

Freeze up

Hello Everyone,
We have entered week 4 of freeze up. every week a helicopter lands outside the store and delivers mail, other than that we are on our own. We are about to run out of pop, the last milk we saw expired 2 weeks ago, no eggs, no fresh produce (nothing left in the produce area except potatoes, cabbage and yams), we still have some bread that we froze a month ago but thats running low too. we are out of pork and some chicken products, but still strong on beef.
Looks like freeze-up will last another three weeks at least so things are getting limited. I hope to buy a Ski-doo next week, or whenever Canada Post delivers the parts we're waiting on. If that happens I'll be able to ski-doo up the river to fort McPherson and get some supplies for the family, I can't restock the store till my sled for the Ski-doo arrives, but that will be after the road re-opens and trucks can get in. This week I hired a Bootlegger to go to Inuvik and get me some UHT milk, no profit to be made from this transaction but hopefully it will stop me from being lynched by the town for a few more days... Actually the town has been very supportive of us with a few exceptions... How some people can complain we have no fresh products when they've lived here their whole lives and done this many time before I'll never understand. I actually had one person complain we didn't charter a helicopter to get the new movies here on time for their Tuesday release. It seems the Elders are much more understanding, its the twenties that figure if they can still get their Pot and Booze I should be able to get them Pizza Pops.
We are enjoying the community and Christopher is enjoying the school.
Take Care
CG

"Oh Holy Crap"

Hello Everyone,
This is the Grinch speaking, tonight I kissed two hours of my life goodbye as I watched the Christmas release of "Deck the Halls". Now I realize I'm not a child anymore but am I insane in thinking that the joy of Christmas is now officially gone from the world, Its been replaced by version 2.0, and that means although things are now in Dolby THX 5.1 it doesn't mean they are holding any actual value to society whatsoever. I mean, movies like the "Santa Clause" and "Polar Express" may contain interesting moments, they just don't seem to retain any of the goodness of the classics's. I can't think of a single movie (of the last 20 years) designed for this season that could make you walk out of a theater or your home and smile at a stranger the way "Miracle on 34th street" or "a Christmas Story" could achieve. I believe these movies may have some redeeming value in some way I am unable to comprehend, but are they capable of inspiring the type of joyful anticipation in a child the way I was inspired as a youngster, I can't comprehend their capacity to do this? Am I just the insane Grinch?
Are all the good stories told? Am I missing something? Please help, I'm trying to raise a child here and all I can think of is that he'll believe the spirit of Christmas is in Black and White. What inspired you, to our readers of both the "Old" and "New" generations. And if anyone says its the song "Do they know its Christmas" I will officially puke.

Happy November 5th

Its a long way down, so look out below!!!
Just hang in there kid, schools almost over.
Slowly waking up for school today, we are quickly approaching 24 hours of darkness. Its making waking up on time harder and harder as each day passes.
Our newly spawned gas station behind our house and the chief filling up his ski-doo from the siphon hose.

Hello everyone,

Happy Guy Fawkes day and Bonfire night. It was a scant 402 years ago that a group of well meaning roman catholics (aren't they all) attempted to blow up king James the I and his family as well as most of the English Aristocracy to destroy the Protestant rule in England at the time. 1800 lbs of gunpowder were secreted below the English parliament to be ignited on Nov 6th during the opening of parliament. Now we celebrate this event in some area's of the world by shooting off a bunch of fireworks and starting allot of fire's. Our dedication to the cause of democracy must still be commended. It also leads to a wonderful memory from my childhood which is why I remember it. The following verse is a traditional English verse from the time commemorating the events of that time ( I apologize in advance should anyone find this verse offensive to their religious belief's)

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up King and Parli'ment.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England's overthrow;

By God's providence he was catch'd

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

A penny loaf to feed the Pope

A farthing o' cheese to choke him.

A pint of beer to rinse it down.

A faggot of sticks to burn him.

Burn him in a tub of tar.

Burn him like a blazing star.

Burn his body from his head.

Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.

Hip hip hoorah!

Hip hip hoorah hoorah!"

Take Care

CG