Adventures with guests and caribou, and a trip to the museum

Having guests while up here comes with its own set of unique considerations.  First, if your guests are first-timers to the north, you need to be upfront with them as to what to expect.  A key question to ask when someone says they want to visit:

"Are you SURE?"

Next, let your potential guests know what they are in for. For instance, there is NOTHING to do here in January.  Its dark, and its cold.  All the time. Not just "wear your heavy winter coat that you wear in Toronto", but bone-chilling "never feel warm again" cold. As in, think about buying a parka that was designed to be worn in the arctic. Ditch the cute knitted mittens and scarves.

That is a windchill of -50 on Thursday, folks.  

Your arctic guest room awaits.

When nice, considerate guests fly up (and we have only ever had nice, considerate guests), they will ask you what they can bring.  I'm lucky that most of our family and friends follow the blog, so they know what a struggle it can be to get specific items up here.  The last time my mother came up she brought bread crumbs and wine (among other things).  Coraline's coach brought gift wrap and craft supplies for the kids. There's a fine line between sending down the list of things you REALLY wish people could bring (an aesthetician. McDonald's hamburgers. Mexican food. Anthropologie.) and what they can realistically bring, so you need to prioritize.

Mylo (feline love of my life) somehow managed to swallow enough of something last year that he nearly died. We think it may have been stuffing from a stuffed animal, but we're still not sure.  Whatever it was, it was blocking his intestines, so he was unable to keep food and water down.  After a week of weight loss, dehydration, and projectile vomiting, he had to have surgery to clear the blockage.  Since then, he needs to be on a special diet of easily digestible food.  I was told by the local vet this wouldn't be a problem, that I could order the food and it would be shipped every 6 weeks.  I brought enough to last several months, just to be safe. Silly me. We're on "island time", remember? The first food order took 3 months to arrive, and then was the wrong food. The second order (3 months later) has not come in yet.

Our latests guests, Edmund and his son Wallis, were kind enough to bring us up cat food.

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want--
I'll tell you what I want, what I really want...

What do you do when your guests finally arrive?  You treat them to a nice, warm, arctic meal:  caribou stew! One of Coraline's friends surprised us last week when she showed up on the doorstep with meat. She had brought us a huge chuck of caribou (tuktu) and an arctic char--a gift from her parents. I put the char in the freezer to save for when my mother comes up again, but decided to serve the caribou when our guests arrive. I have never cooked caribou before, so I figured the simplest thing to do would be to cook it in a stew the same way I would with beef.  After all, its just like beef, right?

Not quite. Bear with me while I go off on a tangent.

A few Inuit hunters were at the convenience store one morning getting ready to head out onto the land (I just happened to be there at the same time).  I took note of one man in particular--he was wearing a sealskin parka, sealskin pants, and a pang hat, with a rifle slung over his back.  He looked like he had just stepped off the cover of National Geographic magazine.  I was content to admire this scene from afar: a group of hunters around their snowmobiles, laughing and joking in -30 degrees, getting ready to go hunting on the tundra.  Lucky for you blog readers, my mother was with me. She saw what I saw, and immediately jumped out of the car clutching her camera.  "Oh no," I thought, head in my hands, "This is so embarrassing. These people are just going about their lives, they are not on display at a museum..." My mother, who has none of my reservations about approaching strangers, walked into the middle of the group and said "Would you mind if I took your picture?"  The hunter graciously agreed.  He even struck poses.

Inuit hunter about to go out onto the land.

Close-up of the rifle

Actual cover of National Geographic.
(source)

I really need to worry less about insulting people and intruding on their lives.  Apparently, at least when my mother does it, they don't mind at all.  After we took pics of the hunter in traditional clothing, one of his buddies jumped forward. 

"Hey, whadda bout me? Want my picture? Grrrr..."

I think its safe to say that generally, caribou is not available in grocery stores.  As far as I know, it is hunted by crazy, friendly Inuit guys who love posing for photos.  (I've been told there are no caribou currently on Baffin Island, that they are elsewhere in Nunavut this year. These guys were possibly heading out to hunt other things, like seal.  Still. Cool photos.)

I am not a butcher, nor am I a hunter.  From what I have been told, normally an animal (or is it just the meat?) is drained of blood prior to the meat being chopped up and frozen.  Caribou is hunted on the frozen tundra, so when the animal is killed, it freezes on the spot.  The frozen carcass is dragged back to town, skinned, then sawed into pieces while still frozen. Then its given out to various families known to the hunter, and whatever is left over is posted for sale on Facebook. When I thawed this caribou meat, it was BLOODY.  We're not talking that little bit of watered-down reddish/pinkish stuff that comes out of your average package of steak or ground beef.  We're talking the kitchen sink looked a bit like a slaughter house.

From this....

 to this......

The caribou meat we were gifted with.

...to this!

Ahhh.....caribou stew and vino.

You might be wondering if there is any big difference to cooking with caribou vs. beef.  I didn't expect there would be, but I was wrong.  Caribou is.....for lack of a better word....squishy.  Its much softer than beef, at least when raw.  There also isn't much marble in the meat.  My knife sliced through it like butter. It can be tough to cut the sinewy stuff off, just because the meat is so spongey. To show the contrast check out the photos below.

BTW: generally people said they really couldn't taste a huge difference between the beef stew (which I made as a back-up for those who weren't adventurous enough for caribou) and the caribou.  The texture was slightly different.

This is typical stewing beef.  There is a fair amount of white fat visible, and
the pieces are firm.

This is the caribou meat. Very dark, very little
white fat, and nowhere near as firm.

This photo just shows the contrast again.

So, your guests arrive bearing food/sundries.  You have fed them. Now what do you do with them? See my point above: there is NOTHING to do.  That is sort of true, but its not totally true.  There is a visitor's centre, a museum, the Frobisher Racquet Club, and a territorial park.

Our guests are only here for a few days, so we did our best to cram in as much of an "Iqaluit experience" as we could.  The first day we started off with the museum. The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum is known as the best place in town to purchase carvings, jewelry, and other artwork (aside from the craft shows, and possibly the prison).  The reason for this is because the museum supports local artists: markup is minimal so the prices are reasonable. Also, they only sell high quality stuff.

Nunatta Sanukkatuaangit Museum

Display cases with stone carvings, jewelry, and other art.

Stone carvings of polar bears and other animals are hot sellers. 

This display shows clothing made from caribou
and sealskin. I think its interesting
that even though these items are in a museum,
the same clothing is worn by many locals and can
be seen simply by walking around town.

Amauti. If you missed the post about these click here.

Up next: our journey with our guests continues as we head to the visitor's centre, the territorial park, Yummy Shawarma, and celebrate a birthday at the racquet club. Tune in next time to catch up!

Fox trap and bludgeoning

CAUTION: If the title of the post didn't give it away, for this particular post parental discretion is advised.

There are a lot of perks that come with living up here.  The kids come home for lunch every day.  JJ's work schedule is more reasonable and family-friendly than it has ever been. Captain Jack's school is fantastic--his teacher and principal both magically combine discipline with empathy.  He loves it.  Coraline has flourished--in September she was voted to be class representative for student council.  She has become a member of the drama club and found a niche for herself doing behind-the-scenes work: props, backdrops, and lighting.

Sometimes though, the odd thing will come up and make me second-guess coming here at all.  One of these happened recently as JJ and I surfed the web on a quiet evening.  We came across a post on Facebook written that day by a man whose dog had just been killed by a lethal fox trap here in town.  His second Facebook post stated that he still had the trap (which had been attached to his dog). He left his phone number so the owner could pick it up.  Rather than receiving an outpouring of support and grief from the community, he was immediately called out for "interfering" with a hunter's trap (taking it home with him), something that is illegal here.

No matter that it was clamped-on to his now deceased dog.

The trap was not out "on the land", but inside city limits, which is perfectly legal in Iqaluit. (These are not humane cage traps, but lethal snares and steel-jaw traps.) Community reaction was mixed.  Yes, some felt it was tragic that his dog died.  But others felt that it was the owner's fault for allowing his dog to walk outside unleashed. From reading the comments we learned there are many lethal fox traps set around town, some quite close to where we live. They have also been set in a park in Apex, along the beach, and at the Territorial Park.  These are all places where children play and people walk their dogs.  There are no signs posted saying that these traps are on site. Anywhere on the land, including within city limits, is fair game (turns out there is a bylaw in place saying traps are not to be within 100m of a building, but this is not enforced).  The traps are baited with food, can be covered by brush or snow, and they don't discriminate.

source

I understand my own view is skewed as I come from the "south" and grew up in a different culture. I am not anti-fur; the hood on my parka (and Coraline's and CJS's) is lined with fox fur. Hunting for fur is an essential part of Inuit life.  It provides income for hunters, and its necessary for warmth. I am not naive enough to think our fur comes from a "fox fur factory", nor am I turning a blind eye to the fact that animals died to keep me and my family warm when we go outside. Also, foxes are a problem.  There are too many in town, and they are dangerous. But it is very difficult for me to think of Buffy or any other family pet being crushed to death, or bleeding out, or being strangled in their backyard (not to mention the horror of a child coming across one of these traps).

Arctic fox.
source

JJ had been taking Buffy outside off-leash once every week or two to let her run off steam.  At our house in Thunder Bay, our backyard is fully fenced in.  Buffy had lots of room to romp around and play. There is no fence here. Her ability to recall (come back when you call her name) is only so-so, so he's been working on that with her as well.  This latest news has ended this--which makes me sad. As there are no off-leash parks here (ha!) the only exercise she will get for next 6 months is when she is walked on her leash.

Buffy on a walk on the land this past fall.

Walking on the tundra in the summer, before fox traps were
an issue.

To be fair, playing tug is also exercise.
Sort of.

The issue of dangerous fox traps within city limits has been raised by city counsellors several times in the past. People are extremely passionate about their point of view, whether for or against. Discussions in council chambers have become heated, and the FB posts flying around afterward reflect this.  One argument put forward is that the greater danger is a bite from a fox with rabies--that these traps are helping, not harming.  (And yes, there have been reports of rabid foxes in the territory of Nunavut this year. The territory is 2 million square kilometers, taking up 20 percent of the land mass of Canada. So far this year there are two confirmed cases of foxes with rabies.) Another argument is that hunters have a right to hunt and trap wherever they want, and the government has no right to interfere. A comment I have seen regularly on Facebook is "Hunters' rights trump all others."

Personally, I'm not convinced the rights of the Inuit hunter should take precedence over the safety of children and pets walking around IN TOWN.  Outside city limits, certainly.  This is an Inuit territory, where food is still hunted from the land. If hunters are convinced they must trap in town, I'm not sure why those particular traps couldn't be humane cage traps. Couldn't the animal be killed humanely upon release?

This issue seems to come up regularly in Iqaluit.  A couple of weeks after I started writing this post, it was raised again at a city council meeting. Another dog, a husky this time, was injured by a fox trap roughly 8 meters off the side of a road in town. Recently a puppy was also killed, even closer to the road. The result of the council meeting is that the mayor is going to meet with the local trappers association.  Also, council is going to "explore the issue".  I'm not sure what is left to "explore".  What is clear is that this is viewed by many as an "Inuit vs. White People" issue.  I wonder if it has ever occurred to hunters that any child could be hurt by a trap, regardless of the color of their skin. (There was yet another article on this in the Nunatsiaq News.)

Getting away from fox traps for a moment, there are these two controversial stories that also appeared recently on Facebook.  I say controversial not just because of my own feelings, but because reaction from the community was, again, mixed. First, the story of a boy who killed a seal with a hockey stick.

Followed by the story of another boy, this time who killed a rabbit (again, with a hockey stick).

I'm not sure where to begin.  I think in most places in Canada, if a 10 or 11 year-old bludgeoned an animal to death, their parents would be concerned. The child might be taken to a mental health specialist for assessment, possibly prescribed counselling, or even medication. (JJ has assessed children who have done this sort of thing and referred them to a psychiatrist.) Its one thing to fire a rifle at an animal and kill it, or strike a lethal blow with a hakapik (used to club seals).  But to kill  an animal by repeatedly striking it with a blunt object......

Up here though, things are looked on differently.  These two kids were minor celebrities following their actions.  Parents and extended family, and some of the community, were proud.  To them, these boys were viewed as providers. Others were repulsed, disgusted, and didn't hesitate to voice their opinion. Discussion became heated, with the implication that "southerners" were judging "northerners". Racism was again implied.

At times this feels not like a different place, but a different world.  I know better than to feel that just because I was raised differently my way of thinking is the "correct" way.  Of course not.  But the thought of my son bludgeoning an animal to death with a hockey stick gives me something to think about.  At first it seems horrifying. But, if we were starving, would I be proud and thankful?

I honestly don't think I have much to worry about on that subject.  Recently Captain Jack Sparrow asked me if his flimsy plastic sword would be able to kill a caribou, if he was able to hit it "just right".

Most likely immune to damage from plastic swords wielded by 8 year boys.
source

Up next: We're having company this weekend!  I'm so excited!  I'm not sure what we're going to be doing exactly.... The local outfitters have shut down for the month (with temperatures hovering around -35 to -40 or colder, and the fact that it is dark most of the day, they don't drum up much business in January). We were hoping to do some snowmobiling around town, but today its -41 again. One person in town told us January is "too cold to be outside for southerners". Ha! We're wimps!

Tune in next week to find out how the visit went, and what's up next.

OMG!!! Kamiks!!!

So once again we are in the middle of a blizzard.  The kids are home from school, already bored by 9am. The wind is pounding against the house, the roads are impassable due to snow drifts and white out conditions, and the entire city is shut down (I know all this because of Facebook, of course).  JJ got up with the kids and gave me the morning to hide in the bedroom in peace and quiet so I could 1) come to terms with the fact that my children are home and stuck inside AGAIN, and 2) get my blog post out to all you lovely people. Fingers crossed that this horrid weather blows over soon.  We are expected company later this week (yay!) and it would be lousy if flights were to be delayed.

Awhile ago I posted about the seal hunt and its importance in Inuit culture.  One of the reasons it is so important is that sealskin is frequently used in making clothing and boots.  I've already told you all about my sealskin boots that I picked up last fall and LOVE.  They were manufactured commercially using sealskin harvested here in the north. They are also nice and warm, I have found them comfortable down to about -30 degrees.

The boots I purchased in November.
(source)

Around town I have seen women wearing absolutely gorgeous sealskin boots. They weren't like my sealskin boots. These looked looked unique; with colourful embroidery and a soft sole. My first thought was "What kind of boots are those?", followed quickly by: "Where can you get them?"  Turns out, these other boots are called "kamiks"(or kamiit depending on who you talk to) and each pair is made by hand. The designs in the sealskin are unique to the community where the kamiks are made.

Kamiks on facebook.

Another style of kamik.

Of course, I decided I wanted a pair.  I mean, LOOK at them!  Getting my hands on them, however, is not as easy as walking up to a store and purchasing.  I would need to find someone willing to put in the hours to custom-make them for me.  That didn't seem easy.  Would I just walk up to random strangers and ask "Who made your kamiks? Would they make me a pair?" I'm an introvert.  That's not my style.

Then I heard about a course offered each year in making kamiks.  That would be awesome!  I wouldn't need to find someone to make me a pair, I could make my own! I started asking around for more information about the course.  In a previous life I made prosthetic limbs, surely kamiks wouldn't be beyond me, right?  For weeks I daydreamed about various designs and patterns.  Then I found out that participants for the course are selected via lottery.  Materials are scarce (and expensive).  Instruction is intense, and learning requires a lot of one-on-one interaction.  Only a handful of people are randomly chosen. Every year many, many people submit their names. Some people have been trying for years. 

Results of a course on making kamiks in Arctic Bay.
They are BEAUTIFUL!

I decided that I will still put my name forward for the course when the opportunity comes, but I want a pair whether I'm chosen to participate or not. So, in the meantime, I would start looking for someone to make me a pair of kamiks. I pulled up my big-girl pants, shoved my introverted self to the side, and threw out the question to random strangers on the internet (much easier than in person). "Looking for custom kamiks.  Can anyone make me a pair?" I got a few responses, all people suggesting OTHER people who might be able to help me.  No one came out and said "I can do that for you!"  So I contacted a person whose name had been suggested.  

She responded (wahoo!) and said she already was working on some custom orders but would be willing to make me a pair when she was finished.  "Yay!", I thought.  "I've hired a random person on the internet to make me a pair of custom kamiks! I really hope she knows what she's doing! I hope she really is good at making kamiks!"

Turns out, she knows her stuff.  I don't know the entire process, but I asked a lot of questions along the way. This lady was kind enough to tell me and send me photos. Here is what I know went into making my kamiks:

First, she had to acquire the materials.  This in itself can be a challenge. She needed fabric, two different kinds of sealskin, cord, thread, etc. Next, and this is the most time consuming part, she had to chew the bearded sealskin (with her teeth!) to make it soft and pliable.  This part ends up being the sole of the boots. Apparently there is a tool available to do this now, but many Inuit, like the woman making my boots, still do it the old fashion way (using their teeth).

Bearded sealskin ready to be made into a sole (before the
chewing).

After chewing, she coated the leather in oil.  Then, she dipped it in seawater from the harbour (every year she gets a big bucket of seawater before the harbour freezes). Then she chews the leather again, cuts it to size, and shapes it. Next she had to design a pattern and sew the top part of the boot.

Stretcher for the leather sole.

Stage 2: making the top of

the boot.

This top part of the boot was made using ring sealskin (from a ring seal).  (Bearded seal is used for the soles because the leather is thicker.)  Ring seal is used for the top part because the fur is softer and more plush. The white part above was made by scraping the skin with an ulu (traditional women's knife) against the grain.  Then it was dipped in boiling water and left outside.  The sun reflected off the snow bleaches the leather. I was advised that if the white part ever starts to turn yellow I can use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to try to turn it white again.  Then I am to wipe it off with a damp cloth, and hang the boots outside to bleach again.  (But not until after I wrap the boots in rope.  If I don't the ravens will pick the boots apart.  Apparently ravens are afraid of getting twisted up in rope so it keeps them away.)

The top of the boot is sewn to the bearded sealskin sole.  The next step is making the duffel socks.  These are traditionally hand-sewn, but some people use a sewing machine.  There are 2 parts to the duffel sock--a thick sock with a second "bootie" added to the foot for extra warmth. After the duffels are sewn into shape they are typically embroidered or decorated with ribbon. The possibilities for the duffel socks are endless.  I knew I wanted blue flowers and green leaves on mine. 

Finally, after a month of anticipation, I got the a message through Facebook that my kamiks were ready. I drove to the home of the woman making them to pick them up.

The lady's house where I went to get my kamiks.

Facebook pic of my finished kamiks.

Putting on the duffel socks. The red part is the second "bootie"
for extra warmth. It isn't attached and fits on after the first
sock.

Sliding my foot into the boot.

Tying the cord while the artist checks the fit.

And voila!

I've been told to keep my kamiks in the freezer (or in a cold porch) when I'm not wearing them.  This will help to keep them soft and prevent them from drying out.  I'm not supposed to wear them if the snow is wet (they are waterproof but its not good for the leather). I'm also not supposed to wear them "down south", because the salt the roads can puncture the soles (not to mention damage the skin/leather). 

I'm still hoping I can take that kamik-making course offered in the new year.  I think it would be a blast, and I could make a pair for Coraline. Fingers crossed! 

Update: so what is it like to wear kamiks? Strange!  There is no hard sole on the bottom, so it feels like I'm wearing thick socks.  This means I actually need to pay attention to where I put my foot down as any ridges or small stones are easily felt (I had to clench my teeth together the first time I mistakenly stepped on a stainless steel ridge walking through a door).  Also, I find them a little slippery on floors (but not outside on the snow), and uncomfortable when shopping for groceries.  They are obviously not meant for hard, concrete floors. Imagine walking around Costco in socks--its like that.  Although beautiful works of art, this is footwear designed for a specific purpose in mind:  walking in cold, dry snow.  

Up next: It may be time for a controversial/"parental guidance advised" post.  I've been holding on to this one for a couple of weeks now.  I've mostly shared the good stuff about living up here so far (lack of school days for my darling children notwithstanding). However, its not ALL sunshine and roses.  Check back Thursday to find out what's been going on.

  

Facebook in Iqaluit: Informative. Quirky. Funny?

I've hinted a lot on the blog about how important Facebook is to the city of Iqaluit, and to the whole of Nunavut. I'm not a huge fan of Facebook.  It feels like a bit of a fad website that has seen its day in the sun, and is slowly turning into a mess of ads and posts from people I don't know (that are friends of friends of people I don't know). That said, it is impossible to live here and NOT be on Facebook daily.  Facebook doesn't cost money to join, doesn't take long to load, and if you change your settings so those videos that automatically start playing in your newsfeed DON'T start playing, it doesn't eat up a lot of bandwidth. For these reasons, it is used by everyone in the city. I am, like other Nunavummiut, on Facebook every day. Its the first thing I look at in the morning to make sure school hasn't been cancelled due to a power outage, or lack of water, or high winds, etc. When the scheduled teacher development days were changed, it was announced on Facebook. When the city shuts down, it is announced on Facebook. Way back when Halloween was postponed? Facebook.

Facebook is the beating heart of the city of Iqaluit.

There are two main "groups" I go to frequently: Iqaluit Sell/Swap, and Iqaluit Public Service Announcements. (Then there are the closed-group sites for the schools, which I check daily.)

Iqaluit Sell/Swap Facebook group

You can come across any number of useful, unique, and downright wacky things on this site. (This is a closed group, so you need to be invited to join by someone who is already a member.) Before moving up here I'd heard of people selling things via Facebook before and thought it was kind of weird.  I mean, that's what Kijiji and Craigslist are for.  But here, Facebook is THE way of obtaining second-hand goods.  And meat. Crafts. And brand-new shampoo. Everything from houses to photography to curtain rods. For your reading pleasure, I have hand-selected a few choice posts from the sell/swap group. (Be warned: some of the things that are common-place up here may not be suitable for all viewers. Remember, this is a community of hunters.)

Inuit-style Minnie Mouse parka.

Oh, the new love of my life. Kamiks.

I just.....mayonnaise? 

Caribou meat. I used to cringe at my Facebook feed some days, but
I've gotten used to it now. Mostly.

Narwhal tusks are always a top seller.

This one doesn't need a caption. I can't help it.  I still cringe sometimes.

Star Wars parka.

Walrus skull and arctic fox hide.

Iqaluit Sell/Swap runs on small town trust.  People pay someone in advance via EMT (electronic money transfer, or internet transfer through your bank), then they collect the item. This works far better than I thought it would.  If we lived somewhere else, I would be worried about paying for something and then never receiving it.  Iqaluit, though, isn't like other places. If someone hasn't received an item they paid for, they will post about it, tagging the seller.  And they don't mince words.  "Don't EVER buy from _______________, I purchased a ____________ that never showed up!  She took my money and ran!  BEWARE THIS PERSON CANNOT BE TRUSTED." Then they keep an eye out for the seller and sabotage any further attempts at selling. Also, people who have not received items they have paid for via Facebook have been known to report it to the local RCMP (and yes, they do investigate). Since its a small town, and because you are expected to use your real name (and even if you don't people know who you are), everyone quickly learns who not to trust.

Also, if items get stolen they are very hard to sell on Sell/Swap.

Good luck selling this red parka now, thieves.

Iqaluit Public Service Announcements

Still with me? When I told JJ I'd joined this group, he nodded and didn't say very much.  I would read various post out loud to him in the evening, roaring with laughter.  It wasn't until he joined that he put 2 and 2 together and realized what an amazing site this is.  You would think from the name of the group (Iqaluit Public Service Announcements) it would be mostly official announcements from the city of Iqaluit. "Such and such neighbourhood is experiencing a power outage", that kind of thing. And yes, those announcements are there.  The site is extremely informative when it comes to blizzard warnings, construction, water shortages, school closures, polar bear sightings, etc.

However, the glory of this site is that it is open to ANYONE to post ANYTHING.

This happens frequently.

Whaaaat?

This has to happen at least once every two days.  Someone either loses or finds
a wallet.  I don't know how many are returned to their owners, but it almost
feels like the people living here need to put their wallets on strings around their
necks. Also, its funny that Iqaluit still has a Video Shack.

Another polar bear sighting.

Yup.  Anyone can post ANYTHING.

Iqaluit mitten crisis--solved.

Hard to get away with anything..............

Finally, there are the posts that tug at your heartstrings. You get to watch
goodness happening in the world in real time.  But then it makes you sad
thinking "WHY are so many people so desperate for food?" Many of
the responses were people tagging other people to bring it to their
attention in their Facebook feed.

If you have been reading the blog you will know that we are in the middle of a "milk crisis", in that, for over a week now, milk hasn't been available in any of the stores.

And finally a few days later.........

Ermagerd the milk is here!  Quick! Run to the store!

When Arctic Ventures put this on Facebook, I was in the middle of making supper.  I sent JJ to pick some up if he could, because this has already happened once.  Milk came in, the store posted on FB, and the milk was gone. Fingers crossed he gets there in time..........

Milk happy dance.

When JJ got to the store he said they had 6 1L cartons of 1%, and about 8 2L cartons of lactose-free (which CJS and I drink).  He bought 2 of each.  I hope this milk shortage gets under control soon.

Up next: I got kamiks!!!! Or kamiit, depending on who you talk to. This whole inuktitut to english translation gets tricky sometimes.  At any rate, I GOT THEM!!! Plus, I'll tell you how they are made.