Merry Christmas from the Great White North!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  I'm betting that Christmas here was whiter and colder than wherever you are.  It was -37 yesterday. Winter only officially started 4 days ago, but it feels like it's been here for awhile already! Winter in Yellowknife, (although cold), is beautiful.  The hoar frost (as it's called) covers everything in thick white crystals.  It is stunningly pretty. Especially with the sun shinning on it.  I've taken some pictures, but it somehow doesn't seem to portray what it looks like in person. I'm amazed by the amount of Christmas lights.  Considering how cold it is, you wouldn't believe the work that goes into the home and business decorations.  Very festive. Not a lot of daylight hours right now.  Sunrise is about 10:30, sunset around 3:00. The shortest day was Dec.21st, so now the days will begin to get longer.

We have had a busy few months.  Matthew started working for DT Electric here in Yellowknife and loves it.  He works a lot of overtime, but it keeps him busy and he learning a lot about becoming an electrician.

We participated in the Remembrance Day ceremony.  Watched the military and RCMP members march through Yellowknife and went to the ceremony inside a packed school gym.   Rick was in the Santa Claus parade mid November.  We went to some fun Christmas parties. The 440 sqn party was great.  Rick and I won the grande prize of 2 tickets wherever "Canadian North Airlines" flies.  I'm thinking my friends and family in ON may be seeing us this summer! The holiday was really different this year.  We are missing our two daughters, but were invited for Christmas dinner to a friends home, and had a wonderful time.

 I'm still working full time.  Haven't decided yet if the insurance business is what I want to do for the next 3 years. It's definitely been interesting.  Still getting to the gym 3 times a week.  With all the eating and drinking up here, it's a good thing, or I'd weigh a lot more!  Learning how to play squash.  Not very good at it, but it's fun.  The days just seem to fly by.  Looking forward to a trip to Mexico to visit my parents in February.  I'm sure I'll be ready for some warm weather by then.

Traveling around here in the winter is interesting.  The roads are very icy.  Packed down snow and ice.  They do throw gravel on it from time to time, explaining the amount of cracked windshields.  Snowmobilers can travel on the roads and on all the lakes, which are very frozen now.  Rick has decided to join the majority and invest in a sled.  I've been feeling the peer pressure to try my hand at it as well.  Haven't decided if I'm snowmobiler yet. Really don't like to be out in the cold.  That could be a problem. Time will tell.  Maybe by next year, I'll be posting pictures of my new ride.

I've added pictures of the winter scenery, RCMP marchers on Remembrance Day, Rick's float in the parade, what I look like heading out into the cold, and some Christmas lights.

Happy New Year to everyone.  Hope you all have a healthy and happy 2015.  I'll keep you posted, as the adventure continues.