The mini-hike, and birthday at the Frobisher Racquet Club

First, thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback after the last post.  It was great hearing that you liked the photos (I did too!).  Also, who is the regular reader from Peru? Thanks for joining us! (I hope you are enjoying reading about the arctic.)  The blog is about to celebrate its six month anniversary, with 4,945 page views to date. Yay!!!  I really appreciate the interest you have all shown in our little family adventure. Its hard to believe we are halfway through our time here. Here's to six more months!

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post.

JJ grew up playing racquetball with his father, a sport he loved.  Racquetball isn't that common a sport most places, so years later he switched to squash.  After our move to Thunder Bay his work schedule (and having 2 young kids) got in the way of regular squash matches.  When we decided to move up here for a year JJ found out there is a racquet club in town.  He was determined to pick up the sport again here in Iqaluit. 

JJ before a squash match.

If you mention the Frobisher Racquet Club here in town you get a bit of a mixed reaction. The club has 3 great squash courts, a viewing area, pool tables, a gym, sauna, and a bar/restaurant. However, it is a private club-- the only one of its kind.  Some people feel its a bit too exclusive for the area, and there are very few Inuit members. The gym is dated, and I've heard complaints about the cardio machines not working properly. Also, its more expensive than the new aquatic centre (which also has a gym). However, it is the only place in town that has courts for racquet sports. Ideally the new aquatic centre would have been constructed with courts as well, but that didn't happen.  After thinking it over, and going as a guest a couple of times, JJ made the decision to join. He has really been enjoying playing in a league again.

Area overlooking the squash courts.
(source)

JJ was scheduled to play a league squash match the Friday night that Edmund and Wallis were in town.  As it also turned out, Friday was Wallis' 9th birthday.  We decided to combine the two, and spend his birthday at the club.  It was a great idea, because there was another birthday party (with just a few kids) at the same time.  The club put up a small bouncy castle, and set up the giant screen television with cartoons. We ordered pizza, and brought in our usual chocolate birthday cake from Northmart.  This cake is becoming an Iqaluit tradition. (Remember it here? And here?)

Wallis and JJ playing pool.

The kids found the wall-size television....

and watched happily until the pizza was ready.

Happy Birthday Wallis! (The traditional Northmart
cake for all occasions.)

Presents continued at home, because what's a
birthday without presents?

I was worried Wallis might be a little homesick as he was away from his mom and younger brother on his birthday. What can make a 9 year old feel better? Presents!  He got some books, a hoodie, a sealskin seal toy and sealskin mittens trimmed in beaver fur (which he loved and found quite warm).  Since his birthday was early in the trip he got to wear his mitts for the rest of his stay here in Nunavut.

Note: Sealskin is very rarely tanned (chemically treated) here in the north, as it doesn't need to be. Wallis will be taking his mitts back "south" with him to Ontario. This spring/summer and in the fall the mittens will have to be stored in a canvas bag (or thick pillowcase) in a freezer, or the sealskin may start to smell or break down.

The next day JJ and Edmund decided to do the hike over the hill again behind our house. This is the hill that you can see looking out our dining room window.  It's not a huge climb, and only takes about 10 minutes to hike up.  The view from the top is fantastic.  There is a large wooden cross on top that is held in place by a pile of rocks and boulders.  (It has blown down or been knocked over, but somehow always ends up back where it is supposed to be.)  This time they took Buffy and the three kids with them.  The sun was starting to set as it was early afternoon, so the pictures they got were fantastic. 

View from the top of the hill overlooking the city and the bay.

Facing left on top of the same hill.

You can see the cross on JJ's right.

Wallis climbing the hill.

The tres amigos and Buffy at the top.

Arctic Edmund.

I call the next video "Tundra kids having fun."  The kids are bellyflopping on the snow and sliding down the hill.

Sometimes, especially after a day outside in -40, you can feel like you will never be warm again.  We use various tactics for trying to warm up, such as piling on blankets or standing in the hottest shower you can stand for for as long as you can bear it.  The best way though, it to start burning all that chopped up wood-pallet wood JJ chopped up back in October. It burns very hot, very quickly. If you shut the french doors to the living room it almost feels like a really dry sauna.

Burn, baby, burn. 

Up next: Possibly a post about a certain walrus. Fingers crossed! See you all next time.  Until then, stay warm.