Housing disclosure

When I moved here it was January. I was shown an apartment 3 weeks after I arrived. The guy who shows housing here picked me up at work and brought me to the apartment. Here is what I learned that all new GN or Fed employees should know.
Lets start with the questions he asked me:
Q. do you have a dog?
A. yes
Q. does he bark?
A. yes, he's a dog.
Q. do you smoke weed?
A. what?
Great start and welcome to Iqaluit.

You have the right to refuse any apartment, you will be offered up to three then you're on your own. Good luck with that.
You have the right and the expectation that the unit be immaculately clean, top to bottom, inside and out.
You have the right to accept with conditions; eg fix the cupboards, the carpeting, the door, the light fixture.
You have the right to insist that the unit be "re" cleaned if it is not in move in perfect and I mean perfect condition. Know this when you move out if this guy is having a crappy day you will be made to pay or clean until the power tripper says it's okay. He made one employee clean the hinge on her washing machine lid...with a q tip! and another clean a small spot off the oven rack in what was otherwise a perfect unit! hmmm?

Why the rant?
Nobody in the GN or housing informed me that I could insist on having a picture perfect move in no hassle apartment.
I have 14 yo carpeting that they are hassling me about because I've requested new flooring.
The condition of my unit when I accepted?
1. dried urine on bathroom floor, toilet black.
2. filthy carpeting that is 5 years over the period of replacement according to the housing standard
3. damaged doors frames due to previous animals
4. washing machine was filthy and needed javex to make it useful
5. front windows broken
6. holes through the inside doors ie fists
7. blinds black with years of grime....I washed them in the tub
8. food in fridge
9. wood shavings on flooring
10. building supplies left behind
11. bathroom cabinet was black with grime.

If only someone had informed me. That man who showed me this unit was hasty and less than professional. Quite frankly he was well aware of the GN expectations and took advantage because I believe he is either racist or lazy or burnt out or just took out his bad day on me.

So the fight begins. They expect me to move my furniture so the guys can replace carpeting that they didn't even bother to steam clean.
But hey if someone did their job.....

The GN housing liason has requested a copy of my inspection from he who shall not be named. Two weeks still waiting. I will email it to her myself next week, maybe even with pictures.

how to mend a broken heart?

A foster puppy of course!
This pup was being cared for in the Iqaluit Humane Society and we have committed to fostering her for a short while. She was 4.5 wks when we picked her up and by 8 weeks she should be ready to move to her forever home. They had named her Slippers for her white toes. We like the name Kamik better as the markings continue up her front legs and reflects her proud heritage.
She has a great temperament and seems in excellent health. Kamik spends her puppy days in puppy ways, trouncing around after our feet, yeowling for food and crashing exhausted at the end of it all.

northern spring

At work this week a co worker was griping about the snow that has continued for nearly a week. Off and on, a little snow shower occurs daily. I reminded her this is spring! This is the arctic!
This got me thinking....you know it's spring in the arctic when (and please feel free to add to the list).
1. the snow buntings and geese return
2. when the dog is off the roof (snow drift steps melt away)
3. there is more daylight than darkness
4. the temperature sans windchill is warmer than -20.
5. the tidal waters seep up on the frozen bay.
6. the pavement appears
7. the potholes appear
8. grading the road doesn't fix the potholes
9. the plow is now used to grade the roads
10. kamiik become impractical in the mud
11. sunglasses a must even on a cloudy day (owie that's bright!)
12 ice crystal replaced with tiny snowflakes
13 the ravens take up their spring dance in the skies.

More ideas of spring things. ... click comments to see what spring means to other northerners!

thank you and good bye

My old fella no longer greets my return. This blog is to remember what a fine animal he was and the wonderful companionship we shared.

buntings and spring challenges

Uhoh, have been remiss again. Also not much to write about. Mike, Daniel and I went skidoing one evening after work.
The light was flat which made it difficult to see the trail and cracks in the ice. Spring break up kind of freaks me out, skidoing over large cracks and tidal pools during high tide. But this time (compared to earlier last year) it seemed the cracks weren't as large and we didn't have to cross tidal pools.
Later on the same outing, the girlie in me rose up and squealed, grimaced, and all reasoning was abandoned.
What you ask?
Having toured the bay we arrived back on land at Apex ventured up'n over the hills. The alarming girlie bit was when Mike and Daniel disappeared over a hill.
I'm not that into amusement parks, I don't go on roller coasters...just too scary! No choices here, now. I can't deke outta the line! If anyone had been watching me they would have been in stitches. Abject terror overcame reason but down I went, straight down! Before I knew it we had arrived safely to the top of the other side.

In other exciting news; the snow bunting has returned! This is a sure sign of spring, their cheerful chipping and chirping and flitting through the air add a welcome element to the skies.

Here is my so-brand-new-it's- being-modelled-on-the-steps-of-the-woman-who-made-it-for-me parka! Wonderfully warm and beautifully rendered and most importantly, it is very feminine. Ahh! you can be a woman and be warm in the arctic!

what to do, what to do....

It occurs to me on each long weekend, after the initial excitement of a long weekend, that there are no road trips. No trippin down the highway to visit with friends, family or for an outing to take advantage of the fine weather. Nope, a road trip Iqaluit style may involve a 3 hour plane ride.
There are of course lots of things to do on a long weekend anywhere. Here you can ski do on the bay or the land, visit friends and family still or just hang loose and get the spring cleaning done.

This Easter weekend the Francophone centre hosted a sugar shack which included a yummy breakfast and maple syrup toffee made on the snow. I met up with Katie and Brandon for the buffet feast. There was a lot of food; Fruit, ham, bacon, crepes, french toast, scrambled eggs, baked beans, bread, croissants, sausage, coffee, juice and carrot cake! hmhmhmhmmmm!

Naturally Polar man was there to enjoy the feast. He propped up a mini polar man next to an ice inukshuk for a photo op!