Brrrrrrrr

Well it's been cold here and busy as heck at work. 36 below this morning. Thank god there was no wind. It was minus 36 the other day with a ten knot wind. Chilly. Well the house deal crawls along.
They say we will be able to move in just before Christmas. But we will probably wait til after Christmas. That will give me time to do some work on the place, just some minor stuff. Coleman has started to smile and giggle and laugh. Not very often though-he's a very serious baby. Most of the time he looks like an angry old man.
Every one is fine and looking forward to christmas.
Take care all. Yeah library again so no pics.

Hi

Just a quick post (library so no pics) I've tried everything putting them on disc e-mailing them to myself but these library computers are very selective about what you can do.
Thank you to all who sent cards and congratulations. Both Colemans are fine as are Charlene and Miranda. I say both Colemans because I replaced the generator and pump assembly in my stove and it works great.
Any hoo the ferry is shut down for the season and it's quite warm -10 right now so they say maybe mid december for the ice road. Could put a damper on christmas if we can't get out to yellowknife. Hello Sears I guess.
Well I gotta go, I'm on a day off and am cooking my xmas practice turkey today and am going to make a wicked nice dinner for the best wife in the world.
Take care all.

some pics

My Charlie Brown and I went trick or treating; it was freezing rain out but we had fun anyways.

Halloween was different when we were kids...are you out there Mike? " Those Brown boys!"

Of course we didn't really need Halloween to be bad. All we needed was an afternoon and a book of matches.

There's a rare pic of me holding my little squishy-face! He's pretty cute but it's hard to tell because he blinks every time the flash goes off-maybe a good ol' reglar camra' is what I need. The delay with the digital cam gives him time to close his eyes.

Library again...

Just my ramblings without even the benefit of visual stimulation(no pics).
Yeah snow's here-people have been out on snowmachine already. two nights ago the overnight low was -18.
Rebecca hasn't met Coleman yet-when we go to Yellowknife for x-mas shopping I guess. Beckers is going through a difficult time right now. Maybe I'll drag her home with me at christmas and try talk her in to staying in Simpson. Well I'm going for a drive. The house purchase is no closer than last month- so regular blogging won't be happening anytime soon. I think my Lawyer has a smack habit or is a compulsive dice tosser-sure seems to be dragging this out. Shakespeare said it best, n'est pas?
What? come on! I dropped out of high school and even I know, "first we kill all the lawyers"

snow

yeah snowing again out there. this time of year I don't mind the snow. once it starts you might as well embrace it. When May rolls around it's a different story.
I Put my boat away- had to knock about 400 lbs of ice off it first. The hardest part of winter coming...putting away the boat. I think I might have to buy a snowmobile this year.
I used to ride a lot back in the day. I had a souped up Polaris 600 triple. That was very fast.
There is nothing like flying down an ice road at 120 mph. But if I buy one now it will be a more family oriented machine. Although truth be told, even now I'm thinking about next year and...you guessed it a new boat! The inflatable is great(but small and slow).

Just don't call him late for dinner...

Cole is fine. Right now, I'm calling him squishy face, so I think he wouldn't mind Cole at all.
He's a bit fussy(gets that from mom) but on the whole is a good baby. Charlene is still nervous about him;and a little jealousy shows now and then. But I make sure and spend time with her and tell her she's my favorite kid. They all are really, it just depends on which one I'm looking at at the time.
Rebecca not being with us kinda gets me down. (I've yet to have my three kids in the same place at the same time) Christmas for that hopefully.
well that's it for now. have a great big day!

finally...Ta-Dahh!!! PICS

God, if there is one thing worse than trying to get your own computer to work right, it's trying to get someone else's to work. Charlene and one day old Coleman-She's nervous...can ya tell? There is one of mom and Coleman.

And of course one of the little old man himself.

WOW- this internet connection is smokin'! I've only been sitting here five minutes and got three pics up!

Miranda is going back to work on Monday-I can't believe it either. She'll be taking Coleman and Charlene with her too. She's going to be Slavey language instructor for the pre-schoolers in the daycare. What an amazing woman!

Check out the breather holes on my son! The Brown nose in true classic form. Well I'm on nights tonight so I gotta go, and I wanna check you guy's blogs before I go so. Til next time!

no pics

I'm at the library and this computer is giving me the gears, I can't put up pics. I have a staff meeting tonight so Miranda will got to her auntie's place and post from there.
Sorry gang...I'm trying. Oh yeah winter's here. Heavy snowfall warning for the whole Mckenzie valley.
I still don't have my boat put away yet! better get right at that.
bye for now.

home again finally

well we got back in to Simpson last night about 11:30 pm. The road was bad and the fog had visibility down to about 1/4 mile, so I could only drive about 140kmh. Just kidding.
Coleman, Miranda and Charlene are all doing great...I have pics but I'm at the library and the computer is old and there is no usb port...Miranda will have to go to Brenda's place and put up pics.well my long run of nights starts tonight so i'll sign off.

still here....still waiting

well I think I'm going to stay another night. Just going to move to a less expensive hotel. The one we're staying at is almost two hundred a night. And it's nice enough, but if you add on the 250 a day in lost wages, it gets pricey to stay too long. My buddy Steven sure doesn't mind..he's racking up the hours at work.
Charlene doesn't mind, as she says " I like spending time in Lellowknife. " She has trouble saying the "Y"
so it's Lellowknife to her.
I'll let ya know what happens.
Snowed and blowed all night, winter time in the 'knife.
Hopefully there's a computer room at the next place we stay.

waiting...

Well, all day walking and eating chinese food and the other thing...still nothing! Tomorrow I have to decide whether to stay or go home and come back when the baby actually arrives. Michelle any other home remedies? other than castor oil? anyone?

no news is good news...

I'd like to meet the arse that came up with that one. Miranda is upstairs in the hotel room right now decidedly NOT in labor. Well technically she is, but it's progressing very slowly, I'm hoping tonight or tomorrow, although it is nice to be away from work for a few days in the big town. Charlene has been coming to work with me every shift, and it's been great, but I'm looking forward to getting back to normal. Although there is nothing like playing floor hockey with yer kid in an empty terminal building at two thirty in the morning. that's the stuff that'll keep you young. I remember doing the same thing with Beckers back when I first started at the airport and was still a single dad.
We should be moving into our house the end of Oct. and we'll get our internet back then. I actually don't have internet at work either.(it's a special modem thingy...) But once I move the good folks at NASA and CSA via the University of Calgary will be picking up the bill for my internet. I didn't have the camera with me on the way to yellowknife and you don't see much at mach 3 anyways. But I would have liked to post a pic of all the snow for Frank.
Anyhoo, Miranda is probably wondering where I am (I went out to the truck about 40 minutes ago) on my way back in I saw the hotel business center and voila. and now it's been 45 minutes. I'm bagged. goodnight.

Soon, I hope!

Well I'm at the public library in Simpson, Charlene and I left work early because we are on our way to Yellowknife. Miranda is just going in to labor. So now that I know where to go to get online, blogging will resume albeit with a slightly amended schedule. I have been run pretty ragged without my better half. A seven hour drive coming up. on a dirt road. in the rain. Ya gotta love the north. I don't have time right now to get caught up with you guy's blogs.
Miranda would freak if she knew I stopped to blog on the way to my son's birth!!!
Oh yeah she has now decided to not use Coleman, if you can believe that. So people a write in campaign is needed. Honk if you like Coleman!
bye guys, be in touch!

Sorry still no internet, and still no baby, so we will let you know what comes first!

SORRY EVERYONE ARE INTERNET IS OUT BE BACK IN SERVICES SOON.

We went for a drive last night after work(we had heavy t-storms)25mm of rain in two hours, I had ten mm fall in ten minutes, that's a record. The rainbows were out in abundance, and apparently there's a DeHavilland Beaver at the end of the rainbow, not a pot of gold.

Sorry, for the gross out in the previous post. He went to the Health center(No hospitol here), they gave him some burn cream and pain pills, and a week off work(to start with) he gets reassesed on july 3rd. He says he's moving around a bit better(yeah a bit better than Frankenstein) but he's dropped the cane, so there is hope. We're laughing with you dude! You're not? oh sorry, thought you were laughing.

GROSS!!!

Steve-o didn't cover up at all the first day we were out on the river(I told him to)...or the second(I told him again) by the afternoon of the third day the burn was apparent, but not how bad it would turn out. Note the gelatinous sacs of juice. It seems humans are like butterball turkeys and self baste while cooking. This might be the worst sunburn I've ever seen. He can barely walk. But he keeps asking me if it's looking better. When I dropped him off at home, his legs were red, but didn't look too bad...

now some of those blisters are an inch high off his leg and that yellow stuff is weeping straight out of the meat. So Steven, it's not looking better bud. Miranda could barely look at it.

It was a nice day today and only 30% chance for a t-storm so I took the wife and Charlie Brown out fishing today and caught a few pike. I wasn't fishing just helping Charlene and driving the boat. Saw a bald eagle and got pretty close, Miranda got a couple of nice pics.

Miranda gave driving the boat a try and likes the improvements.

Oh, and Frank...Hardee Har har. Hilarious, where do you come up with them? ...yawn.

charlie brown plays while we get ready for our trip. I actually got back last night. we came back early because Steven learned that the sun up here can burn you pretty bad. We had 30 degree temps every day and no cloud to speak of.

We travelled just over 300 miles by boat on the river. It was a difficult trip, but fun. we only caught 6 fish. It was just too damn hot.

I've always liked fishing back to when I was a kid, at the cottage or purdy's brook. But, brother Frank gets the credit/blame for the fanatic that I am today. When I stayed with him in North Bay as a young feller he took me out fishing on lake Nippissing and Trout lake I think it was. Sheepshead, bass and northern pike. real rod bending action. well, I'm pretty tired, so that's all for now.

no pics....again, my fault, not blogger..this time

well boat trials went good, everything worked great, but my new propeller just came in today
so I won't rty that until we go.
I am without a doubt the luckiest guy in the world Sis. And I know it. I thank the stars.
I just discovered you tube myself, they have some great videos of yeah you guessed it FISHING!
well all for now.
take care all!

t-minus 72h...

three days til I head out for my northern river adventure. The boat is done and we will be doing wet trials today(we'll put up some pics this evening) My co-worker steven is getting pretty excited(so am I ) We will be travelling by boat about 160 kms up the Mckenzie river. There is a stretch along there where numerous rivers and creeks empty into the Mckenzie. This is where the sea monsters live. Not uncommon to snag a 40 pound northern pike up there.
I've never been up river that far before so it should be cool. I will have miranda's hard drive vid-cam with me so if any one wants a DVD of our trip, just e-mail your mailing address to either mirandabrown24@hotmail.com or timothy.w.brown@hotmail.com and specify if you want the family friendly version or the one that's rife with profanity as I go apes**t over losing a big fish. I'm also thinking you might want to choose between the sober version and the alcohol soaked version. (I only drink during june, july and august) for the rest of the year I am a complete tea totler. So when I go out camping I try to squeeze a whole years worth of drinking into those 3 months.
wish me luck with the boat trial.

the name game

Sis, it's funny you should say that. it was my first choice, Francis Joseph, but as you say, Miranda has the majority say in the matter(although she is notorious for giving me my way) and I always said going back years that if I had a boy I liked the name Coleman. Miranda says she doesn't care, but I'm guessing she's just tired. My 51/2 month pregnant wife just started WORKING! at the daycare, I know, I'm blown away. Other ladies would be taking to the couch, but not her. She did the same thing with Charlene. She's also looking after a fourteen bed student residence at the same time(she does relief when her friend who runs the place travels)
And she still takes care of our house too.
So to say I'm proud of her, doesn't even begin to touch the way this amazing woman blows me away every day! LOVE YA BABE!

My new truck, the 2007 Ford f-150 super crew 4x4. Heavy duty shocks and steel skid plates from front to back coupled with road side assistance including 2 free a year "winch-outs"- where ever I get stuck, they come winch me out for free...I'll probably never need that. HA ha ha ha ha, aah that's funny! never need it, hee hee hee...priceless!

Laying out how my seats and stuff will go in my boat(measure 200 times cut once..hopefully) I have been thinking on this all winter and am now almost ready to go.

And here's Charlie Brown hugging mom's belly(there's a baby in there ya know)

Sis, Beckers will probably stay with her mom from here on out. she will be here summers and holidays now. Yeah I miss her terribly, but it's working out o.k. Charlene misses her lots too; although at the grand old age of thirteen, beckers didn't spend much time with her anyways. Now when they see each other they are happy and appreciate each other. no whining and crying "she's bugging me!!!DAAAAaad!"

Baby names? thought we had it all figured out. But then I started thinking...

Miranda wants Francis, Frank for short and Baptiste for a middle name(for her Grandpa)

I cringe at the thought. Kids can be cruel.

Me, I like Coleman, Cole for short. Coleman Brown.

Rebecca stays in YK with her mother now, so while we were there we had a chance to visit. Charlie Brown and big sis Beckers have a hug. Some buffaloes on the road. We had to wait for about 15 minutes for a nursing cow and calf to get off the road.(Charlene calls the calves baby camels-I guess because of the color)

Oh, and Frank, I don't have to worry about my truck being Found On Road Dead, As long as I

Fix Or Repair Daily!

FINALLY!

They are'nt too big but TA-DAAA!!

Baby boy Brown, top pic lower leg, middle pic bird, and last pic is his face, showing lips and the brown nose.

blogger punked me.

I have been trying for a couple of hours to put up the ultrasound pics and blogger is not co-operating. Miranda will keep trying later after I've gone to work.

pics finally...thanks M

The ferry comes to pick us up on the Fort Simpson side. A buffalo . We saw A LOT of them on the way to Yellowknife. The closest ones are only 30 Kms outside of Yellowknife! Soon they will be strolling thru downtown YK.

I know, not funny.

Well Charlie brown was actually half right. We are having...wait for it now....A BOY! that was the half she had right, the part she had wrong was that we won't be naming him Darien. I don't know what cartoon or commercial that came from but. Melinda (Yay I got it right) will put up some ultrasound pics later.
I was surprised and pleased when I found out. I was so happy, I went out and bought a new truck. We traded in our '06 Ford Escape for a brand new '07 ford F150 4x4. It's pretty big, but we actually will have room for all the kids, the dog, the boat, motor, 3 coolers, 8 jerry cans, and a partridge in a pear tree. But I must admit, driving that behemoth around Yellowknife was...nerve racking. On the way home we had some buffalo troubles, A bunch were on the road and wouldn't move. I honked my horn and a big nursing cow lowered her head and took some aggressive steps toward us (the new ford trucks run from trouble quite nicely) but after fifteen minutes the buff proved her point and gave us the road. There is some video but it's rated R because I was freaking out. bye4now

sorry 'bout that

Hit enter on that last one and it wouldn't let me edit. Well we went to the hospital today and had a good ultra-sound exam. And as it turns out Charlene was right all along.

We just got back from yellowknife...

a week off? you gotta be kiddin" !

Well, when we come back from Yellowknife, we will be announcing the sex and name of the baby. Over the last few weeks I've heard a lot of different opinions, and I guess at least half of the peoples predictions will be validated, (The I told ya so crowd) even a broken clock is right twice a day tho, it should be remembered.
When you live in an isolated area, it's a really big deal to go to Yellowknife (the big town)
I mean all the fast food, canadian tire, all the stuff that you southern folks take for granted traffic lights! hard to get used to that. It almost makes the 8 hour drive worth it!

I remember when we were kids, mom would dope us up with a gravol pill before a long drive.
That car door would close, and the world got fuzzy-poof! we would wake up in Lawrencetown when we stopped for supper, another gravol fix and the world got fuzzy- poof! we would wake up in Halifax! mom said the gravol was so we wouldn't get car sick but Mike and i were easier to control and more behaved when we were comatose.
Dad told me once that when I eventually took my kids on long drives there would be tv in the cars and the car would know how to get to places on it's own, and if you needed help someone would talk to you through your radio. Sounded like science fiction then, now it sounds like DVD, GPS and ONSTAR. It's not as buck rogers as when I imagined it as a kid talking to dad, but it's still pretty cool.
Any hoo, if you are hoping for boy/girl you will hopefully know when we get back. bye

no pics, not much going on...

Still haven't put the boat in yet. Although everyone else has. I'm just too busy at work. But there is a gal at school now who will begin her on the job training with me at the station when I come back from my river trip at the end of june. A pilot friend dropped off a big feed of fresh pickeral the other night. It would have tasted better if I caught it but it was still good.
The bugs are getting pretty bad now, our little dip below zero wasn't quite enough to do any real damage. And we've been getting just enough precipitation to make sure there are lots of the hungry buggers.
It got up to 27 degrees here the other day so that means the thunder bees and hair eaters will be out soon. These are some of the grossest bugs god ever put on the planet. Seriously, a big (1 to 2 inch) gross shiny black beetle with long antennas, velcro feet, that you guessed it land on you and EAT YOUR HAIR! and thunder bees....nuff said?

charlie brown demonstrates the ability to go cross-eyed. I can move my eyes independantly of each other and it looks like she can too. (yes mother, I know they can get stuck like that!)

Land of the almost midnight sun. Miranda took this pic of the sky a couple of nights ago just going to midnight. We gain about 4 minutes of daylight a day now.

Cousin Jon by' has quit smoking and I want to say way to go. when you are ready to quit and want to, it just kinda falls into place. I always thought I would have to strand myself out in the bush for a few weeks to quit smoking. I had a dream about two weeks ago that I smoked a cigarette, and when I woke up, I felt dirty and guilty like I had done something wrong. I guess the demon nicotine can't crack my iron will in my conscious so it's trying to sneak in the back door of the sub-conscious. dirty pool nictotine. I have a day off today, and the wife is trying to tempt me to put the boat in the water. Believe me, I want to, but I want to do some work on it first. This year will see three new swivel seats, a new propeller, a hydrofoil, a sonar(fish finder)

and a souped-up CB radio. I'll be spending a lot of time out by myself this year, because of the missus being preggers; so she wants to be able to call me when I'm out. (last year I went out by myself in mid september, went up river about 50 km,lost track of time, and ended up having to come back in the dark. Needless to say, the old lady had a worried look on her face when I got home.)

my new e-mail, and yeah snow again

Well after an abscence of about 4 years, I am back on the roles at hotmail. My e-dress is timothy.w.brown@hotmail.com so if anyone out there feels the need. I apologize for the glaring lack of pics in my posts. But I got Miranda a nice new 60gb hard drive vid cam for mom's day and since then the still cam has been feeling left out.
There is one time of the year when I am REALLY happy to get snow...and this is one of them.
It has been snowing for the past 15 hours. Take that! you *&%&$#@# mosquitoes! The forecast is calling for more snow and temps falling below zero. After the first two hatches of bugs, if you can get a good freeze it basically means a summer with very few bugs. Three years ago it happened and I went the whole summer and never used bug dope once!
I have booked my first two sets of holidays for the summer with one week at the beginning of june and one at the end of june. The first week of june I'm going to take the wife over to yellowknife for some shopping and her ultrasound appointment.
The last week belongs to me. Me and my co-worker Steve will be going on a river trip for about a week. Well night shift again so it's time for coffee, and a shower.
Sis, that would be awesome! We really wanted to come down this year; but it's not in the cards.
Spring of '08 for sure. Miranda said she would prefer to travel with a nine month old baby, as opposed to travelling when still pregnant.

A belated happy birthday to Michelle, as I have been only recently returned to terra cognita it may take a while to get bdays and the like uploaded to the old biological hard drive. So expect a few more "belated", as they go by me. Sis, I had yours pegged cuz I have a method, my bday is on the fifth so yours "MAY" be on the 6th. I hate being a stereotypical GUY in that for the most part those days escape my memory. I got married the day after my birthday to make sure I would remember our anniversary, Yeah right.. as I get older, I try and forget my birthday on purpose, so that didn't work out. I always have to ask Miranda when Charlene's birthday is.
It's funny, for some things my memory is almost edetic (photographic) and for other things it's almost non existant.
which reminds me Mike, wasn't it actually Purdy's name on the building despite it being Henshaw's auto body, then it got painted that teal color shortly before Earl Goucher bought it and operated it with Steven Harris as S&E auto body. Any body ever drive down through Deep Brook? I would love to see any pics from there; new or old.

Well I am looking for another job and have applied on a job with the justice department as a probation officer (Look up IRONY in the dictionary). I know, priceless! But I need something with regular hours that pays roughly the same and still lets me feel like I am doing something worthwhile. Historically, I've gotten every job I've ever tried for; so here's hoping that holds true.
We might go Grayling fishing this afternoon so hopefully some pics tonite. Ha Ha my stomach actually just growled very loudly when I thought about...mmmmm..Grayling..slobber. drool.

We would like to say a Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out in blogland, Hope you all have a wonderful day!

tears in my eyes

Mike I stand corrected, it was indeed Henshaws auto body, and I believe the chicken soup lady was Phyllis Henshaw/Harvey - I laughed like hell when I read about the chicken soup, it all came back to me like the details of a horrible car wreck. Didn't she do perms and stuff too?
Oh man it's good to laugh like that, thanks Mike. God the smell, you could tell from a half mile a way when Phyllis was at the house.

happy birthday sis

A big happy birthday to my big sister Margaret. Sis, you sure haven't changed a bit. A fountain of youth in upper clements perhaps? Country living must be it. Have a great day Sis. I have a day off today. So I'm going to take Charlie Brown flying toy planes today, I'll put up some pics tonight.
Love ya Sis, Happy Birthday!

My neighbour, proving just how drunk you

can get if you try really hard. The water is only about four feet deep; so he's not in any real danger(but you can drown in a mud puddle right?) However, someone dies every other year doing this on lakes or the river. Yes, I have done it once and no, not on purpose.

The ice is pretty much gone on both the mackenzie and liard rivers. I hear on the moccasin telegraph that the ferry might go in the water on monday, fingers crossed for operations by friday.

I would like to give a shout out and big congratulations to my niece Michelle and her family on the impending renovations to their family.

Klinger? Wow! I never woulda thunk it! I honestly thought back then that you were kinda gung-ho. Frank, You were larger than life for me when I was a kid.(don't worry, you are normal sized now!) I remember thinking how cool to run around shooting Germans.(uh, I was like 5, o.k.?)

I remember what I was thinking when this pic was taken...I was going to ask Sis for a snoopy sticker, when she finished taking the pic. Frank went to basic shortly after this was taken I believe. Was that the reason for the pic? You can see Dad and Frank seem to be looking at the T.V. anyone remember what was on?.....NO? O.K. I'll tell you, It was the news.

Although the ice moved out on the river, I never thought to bring the camera. I'll take it with me when I go to work, and post some pics tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's an old pic of dad from when he was in the paper once; getting a promotion or something. It lists on the bottom all the ships dad served on. I actually remember when that was in the paper. We were living in the white house in deep brook, across from Purdys auto body. I even remember our phone number from that house; it was 638-8400. How's that for a memory? Once, after we moved to Dartmouth ,I went over to the Naval museum in Halifax and looked up the crew pictures in these big books and found dad's pic aboard some of those ships.

When I was looking at some old pics of Dad and Frank in uniform the other day(Miranda was making a themed photo display) Charlene walked up, looked at the pics on the desk, pointed at Dad's pic and said very seriously "He's the Captain" then she pointed at Franks pic and said, "And he's the first officer!" Miranda and I laughed it was so cute. I don't know where she gets some of the things she says.

Sis, when we find out the sex of the baby we will probably tell everyone. I'm just starting to adjust to the fact that we are having another baby. Miranda is 5 months and doing o.k. (no sickness or nothing) but lots of emotional stuff, lonely all the time because I work so much.

But her brother is staying with us for awhile; so I'm off the hook there. Well speaking of work, I am on my way out for another 12 hours of overtime... cha-ching!

twofer tuesday

Had some time to pass before work so decided to try upload some more pics. Mackenzie river, meet Mackenzie drive. A Britten Norman Islander departs runway 13. And of course, me and Charlie Brown.

Sis, the missus wants a boy, but I don't have a preference. Girls can be just as much fun as boys. (I tend to tomboy them up a bit)

But, Miranda definitely wants a boy and says she wants to know before hand, and will be having the ultrasound within a couple of weeks.

river update

First off, I would just like to say that there is no rivalry between me and Frank. I have been posting under the banner of reparteè or banter. I certainly never meant to offend Frank or anyone else. And if I have, I sincereley apologize. Perhaps without being able to see the smile (or cheeky grin) when things are written and read; something gets lost in translation.

Besides, his kung-fu must be very strong, how else would he know I'm sitting down? (too easy Frank?)

To answer your question Sis, being in touch with you guys again is awesome and comes in a VERY close second to having another baby. I spend a lot of time telling Beckers(Rebecca) and Melinda stories about you guys and growing up back home. (No, not as punishment! they seem to enjoy it!)

The pics. No movement on the river yet. It's holding stable at the bank edge. In places, it's climbing up onto the road.

Charlene and mom came out to work last night and play a little soccer to pass the time. I work between 60 and 80 hours a week, yeah a week. So sometimes they come to work for the night.

Apparently blogger is saying enough, so no soccer pics today.

roll on big river, roll on...please

Well the big river broke last night and the ice started moving for about 3 hours...then the ice jammed up somewhere down river. When the ice jams up the water has nowhere to go but up. When I came home from work this morning the water was just below the edge of the river bank. The river has risen about 12 feet over night. If the ice doesn't move soon, I'll have to become a harbor master instead of an air traffic service provider. I haven't been outside yet today, but we'll take a drive and get some pics before I go to work. Melinda has been documenting break-up as I have been on night shift and still have 6 to go. Unfortunately, the pics don't seem to be uploading properly.

Sis, no comments from Frank...yet. He's waiting. Watching me sweat. Then when I least expect it...ZING! The comment from hell! or wherever the BVSQ lives when she's not here snitting on me. (yeah, I like that one too, SNITTING) I think you get the drift on that. One benefit from getting franked ...a few days with no mosquitoes!

Sometimes I make it too easy for Frank, yes I noticed the QUADPOD is actually a tripod, usually they use a quad pod because they don't tip over as easy...must have been built by a new guy this year.

well I just woke up, apparently there has been some ice movement on the liard river overnight. At this point I must give a very loud and very sarcastic THANK YOU VERY MUCH to the BVSQ as it started snowing on my way home from work this morning. I know, I know. Mosquitoes one day snow the next. This time of year you can have four seasons in one day. But only one season today, winter. Our snow was gone, now all is white again, and more in the forecast. What in the name of Frank and the BVSQ is going on with the weather?
My first year here in Simpson we had temperatures of +20 and higher for about five weeks and then one morning near the end of june...BAM! we got more than 2 feet of snow overnight.
I've been in touch with my colleagues at Environment Canada and are considering naming this phenomenon after my older brother. When the weather is nice and warm but you are going to get an unexpected dump of snow this will be known as getting Franked. Monday morning cooffee talk might go something like this...
" How was your weekend?"
"Horrible, the weather was nice on friday, but we got franked over night."
"Really, was it bad?"
"Yeah, a foot of snow on the ground saturday morning."
"Bummer, I can handle a late season storm, but getting franked is the worst!"

Some movement on the river!!!

The little wooden quadpod (tripod has three legs, right? so...) When the river breaks, the quadpod moves and yanks the rope out of a trigger rig and stops a clock and sounds a siren. This alerts the village to get ready because break up is a potential flood event. If the river breaks in the middle of the night the siren wakes up the EMO guy who then starts the flood watch.They were using canoes on the runway at the airstrip in town 2 years ago. The ice has started moving at the Liard river ferry crossing it broke there at 9:00pm, but the ice on the mackenzie river by town hasn't moved yet, it may just go in the middle of the night. We are about 7 miles from the Liard ferry crossing as the crow flies.

guantana...where did you say?

No I didn't get scooped up by the green meanies. Although I did inadvertantly become entangled in one of the live excercises the other day. I showed up at work un-announced on my day off (during a bomb scare excercise) So I was delayed,(not detained) from leaving after my unscheduled visit. But I have been very busy at work. That and a non-cooperative blog site have kept me from posting.
Well the river is hanging on with a vengeance. The ice hasn't moved an inch. It has melted away from the shore and there is some open spots here and there. (isn't a picture worth a thousand words?) Tomorrow, I promise ,for some pics. I think when the river breaks it's going to go like a toilet flush; all at once.
We have been averaging between 80 and a 100 movements a day at work.
A movement is everytime an aircraft arrives, departs or flies over my area of responsibility.
I'm back on nights tonight so, it's a little slower.
And we have the first crop of mosquitoes out already. They are great big hungry buggers too.
well off to work...I can hear the planes still going one after another off the island airport. might be a busy night after all.
well off to work...or gitmo

They're here

Well the green meanies are here. Some arrived early and caused a bit of hub bub at the airport. That little plane you see in one of the pics was not tied down. These Griffon helicopters have four blade main rotors and push A LOT of air. When the first chopper came in to land at the fuel tanks, the crew from number two had to jump to the ground and run over and hold that plane down. The others hover near by providing cover and waiting for their turn at the pumps.
That's all they will let me say for now. I could say more...but of course then they would have to kill me.