I went there with a purpose in mind - to pick out my next breed of dog. What I was looking for was a knee high non-shedding model, but stopped at the Labrador Retriever and the Hungarian Sheep Dog - my two favourites in the whole show - not exactly knee height. The most interesting dog was this dred locked Hungarian Komodor (it's the dog lying down that looks like a mop). The white dog, whose head you can see in the picture is the same type of dog with its hair shaved short. Once again, they are not wee dogs but I somehow cannot help but feel a connection to them. 

Went to the dog show today in the Convention Centre. Yes, we do have a convention centre - for those who lived here in days of yore, it is the old Lions Pool - of course with the hole filled in. And for those of you who know Bonnita Ritchie, she was the MC and did a wonderful job. 

Last Monday in January

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I haven't been too attentive with my blog but it's been cold and dark here! Since I last wrote the federal elections have come and gone. We have a new Prime Minister - we'll see what that means soon enough, - although the Yukon stayed steady and revoted Larry Bagnell into office (Liberal) once again.

The temperatures have dipped in the last week and a half. It may warm up to minus 25 C if we are lucky. It was in fact about that temperature when 90% of the Yukon had a power outage. The power station at Aishihik went down yesterday, and with that power drain, so did the power in Whitehorse, which left most of us without power - me for about 4 hours - some people for up to 9 hours. Right now we're running on full power, but Yukon Electric is advising us not to use anything that isn't necessary as they still don't know what caused this outage. (This blog is necessary, isn't it....I promise to get off the net as soon as I'm finished).

I've been doing inside stuff - re-caulked all my windows and painted the sills, been sewing making disasterous creations which I now have to re-think, and even started knitting again even with carpal tunnel (which I hope to have operated on by the end of February, depending how busy our surgeon is).

SR is doing well enough - still in school of course. He and Tara will be tripping down to Puerto Vallarta for reading week to meet up with his dad on the ship. He's already tanning to get ready for the sun (although we have had heated discussions about the dangers/benefits of tanning). That trip will be in the 3rd week of February.

And Debbie and I are starting to make some plans for our trip to Greece / Italy, which comes up in mid April. One month in Greece, 2 weeks in Italy. Can't wait...Then you'll see a good blog if I ever find an internet cafe!

Just watched a good soccer game last week - Man U v Liverpool. Both vying for 2nd place. It was good because my team won 1-0 in the last minutes of play. In case you're wondering, Chelsea is on top once again this year and Arsenal is in 6th place, much to Arsen Bengers's dismay.

So that's about it from the north. Until next time....

And here's what I do when it's too cold outside to play. I refinished this '60's table. I think it looks groovey. 

Just a few more steps and I'm at the mailbox. Pretty view. 

The path from my house to the mail box which I walk daily. Cold today - minus 25 degrees C. We're not used to that any more! 

So, to end my tour, here is a picture of where I live - 3 minutes up the road in this direction.

Also wanted to give y'all a heads up on a great CBC television series that I previewed this weekend. Reliable sources state that it may be available to run on CBC in October. (I'll try to keep you posted). It is called Northern Town, and here is an exerpt on this series:

"The story for Northern Town was written by Yukon's Daniel Janke, with Don McKellar as story editor. Bob Martin, artistic director of Second City Toronto, is co-writing the scripts as well as providing his editing talents to the series. Janke is also a producer of the series which is a Yukon/Ontario co-production."

The story revolves around our big meteorite happening from a couple of years ago (interested? you can find out more at http://www.ufobc.ca/yukon/ykfireballjan2000.html or at http://www.cbc.ca/north/story/meteor-whitehorse-08122005.html). I found this series to be funny, witty, and very very Yukon. Keep you eyes opened for it.

P.S.: (whew! will she ever stop talking???) You know you can double click on any picture on my blog if you want to enlarge it.

My friend, Deanna Slonski also has her paintings displayed here. And I forgot to mention the aquatic centre which has a leisure pool, waterslide, swirlpool, lazy river, tots pool, sauna, steamroom and lap pool. 

The art work is fabulous also. Here are the copper swans. 

This is a partial view from the facility. Here you are looking at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and 2 Mile Hill (which takes you down into city centre) The large green structure is Takhini arena which is also a hockey arena. There are also 2 ice rinks, a "flexi-hall" used for volleyball, basketball, etc., the soccer arena (did I mention that??), a weight/training room and a running track and a children's play area. 

Of course, first on my list is to show you the first ever (in our town) indoor soccer arena. This is where SR spent his days while here for Christmas. 

Here is the entrance. 

I told you that one day I would tour the new multi-plex facility with my camera. Well, today was the day. It was sunny! I drove back from Lake Laberge and was kicking myself for not having my camera with me, so when I arrived I scooped my camera and went down to the new centre (also called Canada Games Centre). There are pro's and con's regarding this facility - one being lack of seating for the games, another, the 20+% increase in property taxes to pay for it!!! But, disregarding the con's it is a pretty nice place to get active.

SR left town today. His friends came over to say goodbye and of course I bugged them for a picture. Here is Dustin, Jessica and SR. 

Between me and cousin Joe (www.123joe.blogspot.com), the sports pages are never empty. SR is in town for a week, and his picture appears in the paper! 

And here he is moving like the wind. He did score a goal last night. 

And I finally did go to the multi-plex to watch my young'n play. His old Yukon team got together last night and had a game. It was fun to watch this group of talented men kick the ball around. SR is dressed in white.

Christmas dinner was held at the new abode this year with old friends and new - again another big project for me as I haven't cooked such a meal in years! But all went well right down to the apple pie, rum cake and cookies for dessert. 

OK,OK,OK...Christmas slowed me down. Here is a sample of what I was doing, including packaging and wrapping them to give as gifts - and that was only one thing. SR came home for Christmas which was nice - although as usual, I have not seen too too much of him. With the new multi-plex open, he was out playing soccer EVERY day. I must admit that new facility is great - one day I'll take my camera there. It has an indoor soccer arena, 2 hockey rinks and a gym for volleyball, basket ball etc & a huge pool with a lazy river- a weight room (with other equipment too) a childrens play area and the best coffee bar in town (Midnight Sun coffee).

So, hope y'all had a Merry Christmas and that Santa was good to you and I wish all that read my blog health and happiness in the New Year!

Winter is back. -20 degrees C today, but alas with the cold temperatures comes the beautiful light. Our days are much shorter now. Sunrise is at 9:39 AM, sunset at 3:59 PM. Getting ready for Christmas. All away parcels have been mailed so just intown to do. Only two more classes at college, then I'm done for now. If you're reading this Michele, thanks for your postcard. New Zealand sounds wonderful. If anyone else is travelling, please be aware I would much rather receive a postcard than an invoice in the mail. 

Yes, I was there too, but difficult to take the picture and be in it as well. 

Book club was here on the weekend. Two couldn't make it for various reasons, but those that were there did the Christmas ornament exchange and ate the best appies. Funnily, our conversation fell once again to the Life of Pi, a book we read many many moons ago and still talk about. 

...but did hit that international trade fair (forget it's name) downstairs in the CYO Hall. Here I found real Peruvians (who will be staying in town for 3 weeks and playing music at Zola's Coffee House in a couple of weeks) (I should have asked them if they knew Rusbel the little World Vision boy I supported for many years - but alas I forgot). Now that I was in the Christmas spirit, came home and (as there were no movies playing in town that I wanted to see except for the new Harry Potter movie, but wouldn't stand in LINE with the young ones) I made some Christmas cookies, which I will serve at book club next week at my house.

Spruce Bog was once again at F.H. Collins High School. It was more crafts than art, although I did purchase one Christmas gift there. It still is a great place to meet all the people you know in town though. So a trip through this venue, then off to Midnight Sun & General Store, as they were having their open house (with nibblies), Westmark Hotel as they were having the home business fair, (missed the Java Connection with the quilting fair, but did hit ...

First stop, Bakkerei (sp?) Kaffee Haus- you know the one in Horwood's Mall that no one can spell - to meet Brenda and start the excursion with some sustenance - a most delicious scone in the whole world and a cup of fair trade coffee.

Did have my camera with me this time, and as all the now melted, thought I'd show you the aftermath of the fire at Midnight Sun Coffee House. Standing by it, you can still smell the burnt timber.

November 19th -- Spruce Bog day! It must be the Christmas season, as this is THE day for arts & craft sales. Up early (relatively speaking) and drove downtown. Our winter weather has turned to spring. From -15 degrees celcius to +4! It rained last night, then froze, now it is warm again. The streets and sidewalks are shiny ice. But it is Spruce Bog day, so we plug on. All the cars are so dirty you cannot tell what colour they are. Here I am on my drive downtown.

Semi-arid you say??? It hasn't stopped snowing all month. I shovel every day. I have already levelled the tops of the flower boxes in this picture and again the snow has piled up. I think we are in for a winter like last year. And we have already had lower than normal temperatures. So winter is here and the snow makes it look like Christmas - very helpful to me as I try to assemble gifts to send south. Spruce Bog is next Saturday, and soon I will start baking the Christmas cookies. "Oooo, the weather outside is frightful....."  

In the wee hours of Nov 9, this was the scene downtown. Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters & The Nest (used furniture store) went up in flames. I drove past that afternoon (on the way to the dentist - yuck) and wished I had my camera. Both buildings were completely demolished by the fire - only black charred rubble on the ground. I drove by the next day WITH my camera, but enough snow fell that it looked like a little hill, so I didn't bother snapping a pic. (For you "old timers" reading this, this was the sight of the Pepsi bottling plant.)