Wanted: My Twin

So it seems I have a twin in this town. Finally. In London, people were always asking me if I was related to so-and-so, because I looked just like them. Then in Rankin, the same thing happened. "Are you sure you didn't live here like, ten years ago? I could have sworn you did."

It was a relief to move here when apparently I was the first person to look like me. But then on Thursday at North Mart, someone confused me for someone else. I found it funny, until yesterday when I was mistaken for "Molly." This was funny for another reason: I was hauling a large a box of liquor to my car. Molly must be throwing a party soon, too, or she's about thisclose to joining a 12-step program.

In reality, I'm not at all surprised when people confuse me. I am pretty generic looking. Aside from my tattoo and death-defying clumsiness, not much tells me apart from other 20-something girls. But I want to meet this Molly and see if she really does look like me.

In other news, we had a blizzard yesterday. While this is my third "spring" in Nunavut, it still took me a bit by surprise. I think this is the latest I've ever experienced a blizzard. I know there was one in May or June in Rankin in 2007, but I was on holidays and missed it (I got a sunburn that day, actually). Despite my shaking apartment, rattling windows, vibrating tinfoil (on the window above my bed), and a verifiable draft coming from the window, I still managed to fall asleep around 7pm last night. I awoke at 9am, feeling refreshed and ready to commence Saturday cleaning. And people wonder why I don't want kids! I'll take 14 hours of undisturbed sleep over changing diapers any day.

Anyway, it's that time of year again. The time when the grocery stores run out of kitty litter and cat food. I have about 4 days left of food and am kind of nervous about it. I had to make a food order last year from Marche Central just for some litter. Looks like I'll be making one again on Monday. I've been putting off making a sealift order for cat food and litter, but I guess I should.

Well, I hope all the southerners reading this are enjoying their warm long weekend. I'll be in my house with the heat turned up, hoping the snow melts any day now.

Midnight Post

This is my list of things that I am looking forward to that I have not seen since London:

1. TV.
2. VCR and DVD player and our movies.
3. The brand new toaster.
4. The brand new slow cooker.
5. The brand new microwave.
6. The brand new deep-dryer.
7. The brand new food processor.
8. The brand new pans.
9. The brand new drinking glasses.
10. The brand new electric blanket.
11. The brand new vacuum.
12. The brand new grill (George Foreman style)
13. The brand new down-filled featherbed (mattress cover).
14. Dishes.
15. Cutlery.
16. The rest of our pillows.
17. The stereo.
18. The other computer.
19. The bread-maker.

Look at all that brand new stuff!! It's going to a mini Christmas the day it arrives. No, scratch that. A giant, awesome Christmas! I've never gotten so much stuff for Christmas in my life. This will be the Christmas of Christmases (of non-Christmases). Thank you to anyone and everyone who bought any of those items for us, we've had to wait a long time to open our own wedding gifts.

Jeff and I have plans to write a humourous entry this week based on something we saw while taking a walk today. We discovered another nice area to walk around. We've always taken lots of walks together so to live somewhere that is pretty much 100% great walking area is very nice. We already have a "happy place" and it's a small beach right near our building.

Jeff is off to Chesterfield Inlet tomorrow (technically today). He returns around 5 or 6 which is good because he'll be off to Coral Harbour again on Wednesday/Thursday.

Our cat Leah seems to be doing very well. She's currently using a grocery bag that somehow made it to the living room carpet as a pillow. Earlier this week she discovered a surprising love for used dryer sheets. She's eaten probably 6 or 7 black flies since August 1st. She is very good at catching flies and the flies up here aren't very smart. These two factors combined mean that when flies get in the house, they're in Leah's stomach within 5 minutes. The first time she ever got a black fly in her mouth up here, a loud BZZZ! noise was heard from Leah's mouth. It was amusing.

Jeff is hopefully going to order us our Canada Goose parkas tomorrow from Weaver & Devore to be picked up the next time he flies out to Yellowknife which is apparently soon.
I am going for the Mystique and Jeff is going for the Heli-Arctic. Pictures of both:

Left: The Mystique. Right: The Heli-Arctic.

(posted by Jaime)

Complicated Airline

Good newses.

1. The moving company is coming to do an estimate on Wednesday morning.
2. They are coming to actually move our stuff July 28th. Yay. It's as far away as possible!
3. Leah is all booked and ready to become an aerodynamic, gravity-defying kitty.

I called First Air and Air Canada today to book Leah. Air Canada was blah and First Air was pretty nice. I asked about bringing her in the cabin and this was the conversation:
Me: Are cats allowed in the cabin?
Rep: Yes.
Me: How big can the carrier be?
Rep: It has to be a soft-sided carrier.
Me: But how big can it be?
Rep: Small enough to be included as a carry-on.
Me: What are the measurements of that?
Rep: Small enough to fit under a seat.
Me: *gives up* Okay, gotcha.

I asked if I had to give a definite answer about my plans with that and they said no. They have to call back to confirm and they did about an hour ago. Someone else called and said, "It's okay for your small cat to be in the cabin."
Me: Uhh yeah, about that. I'd have to buy a smaller carrier and I don't think I'm going to do that. I'll just have her in the cargo hold. Can you change the reservation or does it have to sent through again?
Rep: It has to be re-sent in.
Me: I'm sorry for the confusion, I was told I didn't have to give a definite answer right away.
Rep: Ohhhhhhhhkayyyy, someone else will call you to confirm your cat can ride in the CARGO HOLD.
Me: Uh, okay.

I was kind of amused when I called First Air and there was no long-winded voice menu at the beginning. A human being picked up immediately. Remember those days, before voice menus? I wonder if in the future, everybody will have their own voice menu.
Hi, this is Jaime's phone. If you are calling just to chat, press one. If you are calling to arrange a get-together, press two. If you are family and calling to complain about something, please call while our phone is unplugged between the hours of 12am and 9am any day of the week. If you are a telemarketer and wish to sell me something, please press the number that is 10 times 605.32 minus 3 divided by .457 plus 4 564 482 minus 4577712.

(posted by Jaime)