Home again, home again...

We're back in Iqaluit and Cathy is dealing with the cold, harsh reality that she's back to work tomorrow with a bath, a Tim Horton's donut and a glass of red wine. Because we each having our coping methods and this one is uniquely Cathy's.

So, yes back in our own house after a madcap two weeks back in St. John's. It's always important to put these kinds of returns back to Iqaluit in perspective. Because flying up there weren't many smiling people on that plane. However, those two weeks ere not based in reality. Yes, it was grand to be back in St. John's. However, if we quit our jobs tomorrow and moved back to town, it would be nothing like what we just went through. Many of the people we saw have already flown to different parts of Canada. Those who do live in town would be busy with work, family and other things.

It's important to put all that in perspective. Besides, it was nice to walk in through the front door of our house again. It was good to see Boo lose his little mind when we came through the door. It was nice to have our stuff around us again after spending two weeks living out of suitcases.

So yeah, it's good to be back. And hell, the weather in Iqaluit is warmer than what we left in Ottawa. Although I assume there is more food in Ottawa. Because of some screw-up, the fresh food sections of North Mart and Arctic Ventures look like they've been ravaged by locust. Apparently there hasn't been any bread in town for five days. I understand that in some of the other communities that's almost par for the course, but in Iqaluit that's pretty damn weird.

The rest of our adventures back were uneventful. We dodged a bullet getting in and out of Halifax before a storm hit, screwing up up the airport. We did one last shopping blitz in Ottawa which bordered on the comical. We bought lights at IKEA and a small cow and several chickens at Costco. Living up north means you do things like take down your cooler on wheels, leave it at the hotel over Christmas, pick it up when you return and drop a ton of money on meat, which is still cheaper than up here.

The only thing worth griping at were the massive lines at Wal-Mart. Which would have been bearable, except as we neared he front a woman argued over a dozen or more Christmas items which she insisted were 75% off, thereby holding up the line for at least 20 minutes.

I think I'm impressed that I actually made it this far into the Christmas season before seriously contemplating murder. Cathy went to sit down for a few minutes and then rushed back for fear I was about to do something that would make me a more permanent guest down south.

Anyway, that's it. We're home, we're unpacked, the Christmas stuff is put away and I didn't murder anyone. A successful return. I have a few blogging house keeping items to deal with over the next few days. That includes a look at my stats for the year, New Years resolutions, a Best of the Decade list, a post on the evils of Snowbabies and the Nunies.

Here we go...

Last Five
1. Here we go - Lily Allen*
2. The weight - The Band
3. Thoughts and prayers - Ron Sexsmith
4. Snow cherries from France - Tori Amos
5. Saint Simon - The Shins