When I’m in the north, I live near this lake. It’s the tenth largest in the world, the deepest in North America, and has a huge impact on the weather. To some extent, it moderates, but it also causes the heavy, wet lake effect snow, too.
We had quite a warm day yesterday, but when I went walking on the lake trail, the breeze coming from it was decidedly cool. It hasn’t warmed up much yet!
The name “Slave” has nothing to do with slaves or slavery but comes from an Indigenous word, “Slavey,” and is Dene in origin. The Slavey people are distinct from the Dene, but their histories have intersected frequently.
Here is another photo of the same lake, from a similar vantage point, taken in December, 2019. I think it was about -40C.
As I continue to work in the Northwest Territories, I always miss it, but it seems that because of the lockdown, now more than ever.
I hope I am able to go this summer, but there are no guarantees.
In a world that seems to be turning in on itself, (or is it just turning on us? Is it human arrogance to think that because humans are suffering, the Earth is suffering?) missing home is a very minor thing, but it’s an important touchstone and foundation for us all, even if home is a backpack.
On this June 1, I wish you all a lovely and safe month with good weather, rain when you need it and no lower back pain. 🙂
Lilacs are such common, and, some may say, old-fashioned, flowers.
I think they’re lovely. And the scent! Heavenly. Especially after a rain.
Happy Friday to you! Here in Canada it’s a long weekend, but we won’t be doing anything much except continuing to relearn our appreciation for the simple things.
I have been really busy during this lockdown and so I haven’t done any “repairs” on my blog. But …
I’ve been working long hours and usually through the weekends as well, but during a recent regular health check-up, I discovered that my blood pressure was extremely high, to the point that I was apparently in “stroke territory,” according to the nurse-practitioner.
I’ve had what amounts to a latent blood pressure concern for some years now and it’s an issue that very decidedly runs in my family. I keep an eye on it, and do what I need to if it starts creeping over to the wrong side of the ledger.
Unsettled waters.
But my, this was a wake-up call. So, I had to take some very quick action to do a repair on me.
I find this working from home to be difficult. In the past, I’ve been able to draw a line around home and more or less wall it off. It was a sanctuary. But now? Work is at home; home is at work. Stressed employees were needing to talk. Many new and unexpected tasks had to be completed. NOW. There were shortages and frustration and fear and uncertainty. Days slid into nights and merged into each other in an amorphous mass.
M did his best to look after me by making wonderful meals and looking after everything else.
But I wasn’t able to “turn off.” Texts and phone calls arrived throughout the day and night, and needed to be answered. The community where I work was having a tough time coping and one of my employees became ill with covid (this person was isolating and so there was no spread, and thankfully, after eight days of ICU, there has been a full recovery).
It has slowed down somewhat now but I also realised that I had to get firm, too, and carve out a space for me to relax and chill and rest. My cardio-vascular system would thank me for it.
M has been baking bread.
So, where does blogging fit into this? Blogging has been, and continues to be, one of the things that takes me out of myself. Some bloggers are sharing beautiful photos, others are sharing laughs, still others are sharing recipes and gardening tips. Reading through the posts I follow has been a very welcome diversion, a healthy brain diversion, so in a way, I didn’t need to repair my blog, because it has been busy repairing me.
Lovely lavender.
Blogging comprises a community, and I don’t think that the countries represented here have ever before been so bound by a common enemy. I hate this virus, but in many ways it’s creating a sort of world-wide bond.
I find working from home to be weird, even after almost a month of it from my locked down state.
I’m feeling it, both mentally and physically.
Normally, I walk to work and then spend a lot of my day on my feet. I’m in and out of offices and other areas and people are always dropping by to see me for all sorts of reasons. It’s busy busy. My days can flash by.
It’s a different road right now, whether we want it or not.
I’m trying to separate work and home, but that’s difficult when home starts in the hallway outside my door.
I’m sitting at my computer for long periods of video calls, phone calls and texts and have to remind myself to get up and stretch.
I’m missing items and materials that are in my work office, but I can’t go there.
My home printer died a couple of days ago and I need a scanner.
I’m gaining weight.
I’m sometimes finding it difficult to focus.
It’s not the best situation by a long stretch, a very long stretch.
Dawn breaks.
But then I remind myself of all the people who have lost their jobs in this virus world and I remember to be grateful and stop my whining.
I remember that I’m not sick, nor are any of my loved ones. I haven’t lost anyone to this scourge. I’m together with my M, and I have food, a comfortable place to live in, caring phone calls and texts from friends and family and colleagues, and best of all, I have toilet paper. 😉
It’s a strange weird world and I don’t want to be in it (wah) but there are many alternatives that are a whole lot worse.
The premier of Nova Scotia got pretty frustrated at the number of people still going outside to loiter in groups, so during a press conference he told residents to “stay the blazes home.”
