Fourth Blog

We have officially finished our first full week of school. It was a very busy week for me, as we were missing two teachers and just two of us were keeping kids busy with Math and language Art for the entire week! I know one of the two missing teachers has arrived but the other one is not here yet, and I may have to teach 5 hours and 20 minute days until he/she arrives. Something that I am not looking forward to at all!

On Thursday I headed for a long bike ride with my fishing rod and a couple of containers in hope of catching fish and picking berries. I was thinking of fishing first and picking berries on the way back. After an hour of riding I arrived at the fishing spot and started casting. Unfortunately it didnt last, as there was a truck stuck in the mud further on the river bank. I went over to give them a hand, but it was too late, the truck was already deep in the mud. After 30 minutes of trying I decided to head back to town and get them help. It was just about to get dark by the time I arrived back. I called the driver's father and told him about his son's situation. I saw the driver the next day, he was very grateful for my help.

My fishing buddies with Blue Eyes and catches of the day(Sunday)

Friday was beautiful day, sunny and warm. After work I was walking home when I came across Husky, our large male pack leader from last year. He looked so scruffy with big scar under his right eye. I think either the old age is catching up with him or the fight for dominance with so many other dogs in the village taking its toll. We were both so happy to see each other. He would not stop licking my face, which I am sure is his way of welcoming me back to his neighborhood. I am looking forward to having him for my walks, runs and bike rides as he is the only dog that I can rely on his experience and awareness when it comes to dealing with bears or wolves. Also waking up to his barks followed by howls in the middle of night at the sight or sound of slightest movement in front of my place. I cooked him some oatmeal mixed with tuna followed by some dog food which coincidentally had arrived that very same day.

Blue Eyes staring at the fish(Sunday)

Saturday was another beautiful day. I started the day with a walk for berries at 10:00 am with another teacher. We walked for an hour, picked berries for an hour and walked back for another hour. I then had to go to the airport to get the remaining groceries which I had ordered a few days earlier. I usually place an order for vegetables and fruits once a month from a Safeway in Thompson which is an hour flight away. By the time I made it to the airport I was disappointed to see only half of my cargo had arrived, the non-essential half! I'll have to do the same again on Sunday. After that I decided to take three new teachers for a water run and show them where the spring in. We did that and on the way back we stopped by the dump to show them the bears. We saw the same family of three plus a large male. I tried fishing two more times later that day, no luck what so ever.

Mama bear and her two cubs at the dump

Low bush cranberries

Sunday started as a very grey and gloomy day. It was raining for most of the day so I decided to stay indoor and do a few more lesson plans. At about 1:30pm I went to the airport (its not really an airport, a gravel runway and a trailer as the station, pictures to follow soon) again and was very happy to see the final load arrive. You would be surprised how happy a bag of tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and vegetables can make someone! I stayed indoor and decided to bake my first bread of the season. Weather improved slightly so I decided to go for some fresh air and another try at fishing while the dough was rising. This time Gods of the God's River smiled at me and I managed to catch two Trouts and a relatively large Norther Pike. It ended up being a great afternoon/evening with the shining sun and the neighborhood kids company. The bread ended up being a success, and along with oven roasted fresh trout and some salad, it was a fantastic dinner!