My big adventure

[RobbyPants]

And we’re in Michigan! Time for more tacos and beer than this 40-year-old body can handle.

[RobbyPants]

(For any of you familiar with Game of Thrones)

I was visiting with my brother yesterday, talking to him about our girls having had education at "southern schools". He told me he feels like I'm a wildling from beyond the wall. He says he feels like he's the Starks from the north (being in Michigan), and then I come from further north, acting like they're all from "the south".

I can be a wildling. I'll agree to this.

[RobbyPants]

And we’re back in Canada. We won’t be home until tomorrow afternoon, but we are in the country, about to board our first plane.

We had a good trip to Michigan, but it always goes so fast.

[RobbyPants]

Well, we made it most of the way back. We’re stuck in the town where we do our shopping on account of freezing rain. It was fine for driving on salted roads, but you can’t fly bush planes in that. So, I’ll be missing at least part of the work day tomorrow.

[Mark]

Well, we made it most of the way back. We’re stuck in the town where we do our shopping on account of freezing rain. It was fine for driving on salted roads, but you can’t fly bush planes in that. So, I’ll be missing at least part of the work day tomorrow.

At least it won't be your mortality which keeps you from work tomorrow.  Enjoy an extra day off and buy something splurgy.

[RobbyPants]

We made it back, safe and sound! I had about 8" of snow to clear off the car, but I don't have to drive anywhere until Thursday.

They ended up cancelling school today because the other teachers got stranded as well. We all came up in the same plane (which means that we were in a larger, heated plane). Of course, if anything happened to that plane, the community would have lost all three of its teachers.

At least it won't be your mortality which keeps you from work tomorrow.  Enjoy an extra day off and buy something splurgy.

I did. It wasn't super splurgy, but I got something nice for dinner. Also, I made sure to bring two bottles of whiskey up, since they'll have to last until March, or maybe even May.

[Dom]

Good to know you made it home safe and sound, I bet you appreciate your nice, warm home right now.

[skyking]

We made it back, safe and sound! I had about 8" of snow to clear off the car, but I don't have to drive anywhere until Thursday.

They ended up cancelling school today because the other teachers got stranded as well. We all came up in the same plane (which means that we were in a larger, heated plane). Of course, if anything happened to that plane, the community would have lost all three of its teachers.  

At least it won't be your mortality which keeps you from work tomorrow.  Enjoy an extra day off and buy something splurgy.

I did. It wasn't super splurgy, but I got something nice for dinner. Also, I made sure to bring two bottles of whiskey up, since they'll have to last until March, or maybe even May.

getting the nicer larger heated plane was a win!
They all have heat , but some of it works better than others LOL.

[RobbyPants]

Good to know you made it home safe and sound, I bet you appreciate your nice, warm home right now.

This is true. Luckily, it isn't that cold right now. A bit above 0 F. It was something like -25 when we left.

[Dom]

Good to know you made it home safe and sound, I bet you appreciate your nice, warm home right now.

This is true. Luckily, it isn't that cold right now. A bit above 0 F. It was something like -25 when we left.

It's colder than I could stand....but it is beautiful.

[RobbyPants]

Well, I finally have internet back after four days. I guess the fiber line was somehow damaged.

[RobbyPants]

I get to travel to town for four days. I'm going to (hopefully) be doing some work on education authority's website. I still have some unanswered questions, but it seems like I have enough info to make it worth while to meet in person.

Weather-wise, we've finally been seeing the occasional above-freezing day.

[brewerb]

I get to travel to town for four days. I'm going to (hopefully) be doing some work on education authority's website. I still have some unanswered questions, but it seems like I have enough info to make it worth while to meet in person.

Weather-wise, we've finally been seeing the occasional above-freezing day.

What does "town" consist of?

[RobbyPants]

What does "town" consist of?

About 5,000 people, but also several grocery stores and a beer store. My first day here and I already walked 3 km each way to pick up some beer for the hotel stay and to take back. I haven't had any beer since January, just because it's such a space suck and I can't ship it up when I email for groceries.

I am totally enjoying this small slice of civilization right now. I may or may not be into my 3rd pint for the evening...

[brewerb]

What does "town" consist of?

About 5,000 people, but also several grocery stores and a beer store. My first day here and I already walked 3 km each way to pick up some beer for the hotel stay and to take back. I haven't had any beer since January, just because it's such a space suck and I can't ship it up when I email for groceries.

I am totally enjoying this small slice of civilization right now. I may or may not be into my 3rd pint for the evening...  

What does small town Canada consider night life, or any entertainment for that matter?

[Fireball]

I don't know about Canada, but I spent two winters in Idaho, and card games and a lot of hide-the-weenie seemed to be pretty popular.

[RobbyPants]

What does small town Canada consider night life, or any entertainment for that matter?

I can't speak for anyone else, but three pints and some internet have been pretty fun tonighit.

Normally, when I'm even further north, my wife and I tend to stream some show after the girls are in bed. That, or do what Fireball said.

[brewerb]

What does small town Canada consider night life, or any entertainment for that matter?

I can't speak for anyone else, but three pints and some internet have been pretty fun tonighit.

Normally, when I'm even further north, my wife and I tend to stream some show after the girls are in bed. That, or do what Fireball said.

The town has no movie theater, no sody shop, no bingo parlor?

Canada sounds boring.

[RobbyPants]

The movie theater closed, sadly. There are restaurants. I don’t know about bi go, here. I know people play in the community where I live.

[skyking]

bi go, bi stay. No matter, eh?

srry

[RobbyPants]

bi go, bi stay. No matter, eh?

srry

I hate when I hit space instead of one of the bottom letters on the keyboard. Sadly, it's too late to edit the post.

But yeah, this bi stuff certainly sounds more interesting than bingo.

[RobbyPants]

March break starts for us next week (or I guess, this afternoon). All of Ontario schools (which excludes First Nations communities) have canceled school for the two weeks following March break. Our school hasn't said they're doing that.

My wife originally wanted to go to Winnipeg for March break, and still does. I've been growing more concerned about this over the past few days. We've been cleared by the education director to go, but we have to let her know, and we have to self quarantine for five days when we get back (longer if we show symptoms).

To make matters worse, our nearly 16-year-old cat is disinterested in eating, and seems to be having trouble swallowing. I don't feel like asking a cat-sitter to take care of a possibly dying cat. Any way this week goes, it's going to be a weird one.

[RobbyPants]

We are officially doing virtual school for the rest of the year. My wife is recording math videos for grades 1-3 as I type. This mostly puts me out of a TA job, although I might get reinstated for some odd jobs around the school like painting.

For my girls, this is probably a good thing, academically speaking. They no longer have to split their time with three other grade groups. They can get more learning done in a day in a shorter amount of time. Also, they effectively have me as a TA available with only the two of them to split my attention.

Edit: Oh, I should probably update you all on my cat! Sonja is doing much better. She's still not 100%, but she is eating, showing great interest in eating, meowing normally, and enjoys sitting on my lap, again. It seems she had some blockage that eventually worked its way through. This is good, because I have no way to get her any type of surgery. I'd like to think the bacon grease I fed her helped. In case any of you doubt the healing powers of bacon, remember my cat.

[RobbyPants]

It's been fairly warm in the afternoons/early evenings. Last night, it was about 10C/50F, so we went out for a bit of a walk to keep from being cooped up all the time.

[skyking]

get over there on that rock now! No backtalk!