We’ve been here now in Iqaluit more than a week and, to put it bluntly, I’m weak!
Weak with the wonder of it all … like, I wonder where I get so-and-so or, who sells this’n’that? Because it stays light for 24 hours, well, almost light, we need to block the light in our bedroom so our body and brains think it’s time to sleep. My brain hasn’t really cottoned on to ‘it’s time to sleep’ since my twenties but, I digress.
What one might expect but will they have paint?
Michael wanted paint and I wanted light-blocking fabric so where does one go in Iqaluit for these items? Would you believe ‘Baffin Electronics’? We made our first trip there yesterday. I had a great time because, TA-DA, they also carry yarn. I was in my element with all that fabric and yarn. The delightful women behind the counter also had interesting ‘yarns’ to spin. Hang on, I’m about to digress again, it’s what I’m best at. We keep meeting people originally from the south, these two women being part of that group, who came here temporarily and then never left … hmmm? Did I mention we bought only a one-way plane ticket?
Ah-hah, the bonus items for the wife and yes, he got his paint.
We were able to get absolutely everything needed to make Roman blinds for the kitchen (just to spruce it up a little - those who know me, know how much I like to decorate) and our bedroom, once I’ve made the blind, will be totally dark at night. Oh, and the yarn? I bought what’s needed to make a tea cozy … I’ve lost count of how many tea cozy’s I’ve made. If you guessed I bought yarn to coordinate with the kitchen curtain fabric, you’re getting to know me.
I wanted to tell you about the light. Baha’i House looks out onto Frobisher Bay which, as I understand it, will remain frozen until the first week of July. So, if you stare out on all that bright white for long it takes awhile to see inside the house again. The sun rose today (May 29th) at 2:41 a.m. and will set at 10:21 p.m. After sunset it goes to dusk and never gets totally dark. Being one who wakens often during the night and makes many trips to the bathroom, I don’t need a nightlight to find my way there and back. Bonus!
We shared a taxi on the way home with two Inuit ladies who were also shopping for yarn. They spoke to each other in Inuktitut so I’m not certain if they understood me when I spoke to them but the universal language of laughter was very much present when Michael got into the cab and shut the door on the wooden dowels we’d bought. The driver was starting to take off when an obviously distressed Michael called out, “Wait, wait, wait!” We all looked to see why the WAIT and then laughed together when we saw the struggle to get the dowelling out of the closed door. So glad the inspector in him made sure he bought undamaged goods.
I’m interested in learning an Inuit art and/or craft while I’m here. That’s what I tried to question these ladies about, one of them was buying tiny beads. I asked if she taught bead-work. She shook her head. To this end I’ve placed an ad on a local ‘Sell and Swap’ Facebook page. I’m offering Zentangle lessons in exchange for taking home some Inuit craft knowledge. I’ve got my fingers crossed but will quickly uncross them in order to learn a new craft. I’ll keep you posted.
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I have trouble uploading photos to my blog page but have been able to put some out on my Facebook page. Please ‘friend’ Marlene Turner Russell if you’d like to follow the pictorial version of our Iqaluit experience. I’ve got lots more to post but am a little worried about sucking all the gigs out of our monthly byte allowance. Yet another thing for me to learn.
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