A New Horizon

My goodness. I swear I have not forgotten about you guys! I have been so busy I have had little time to blog for the longest time. I do come back with a vengeance though with some great news. Ok the deal is I have never really had a career. I have always worked at odd jobs, some that have been very good to me over the years, and others that have not been. For once in my life I get a fighting chance like everyone else. A wonderful opportunity has arrived at my feet in the form of a program out of Morrisburg, ON called the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario. It is a ten week long course for obtaining my heavy equipment operators license and I couldn't be happier as I have been chosen as one of the successful candidates yesterday. I leave Rankin Inlet April 10th 2010 and end the course on June 18th. Just in time to fly out to Newfoundland for July 9th to get married!

I have posted for you curious ones the link HERE. I am excited to go as is Melissa but at the same time, we done this 'apart' thing from one another last year under different circumstances and it was tough. I hope this year is a little easier knowing that we are doing this both for good reason. I gotta go as my time is cut short yet again but really had to do an update with you all. Keep in touch!

La Chef Burton

Not a big blog tonight, just a picture of my first batch of palaugaaq (bannock). If your unaware of what this is, it is basically bread. Inuit style. I actually managed to make a batch of this addictive stuff and it sure goes great with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.

Tough Times

My goodness, it has been a week since I blogged. I am really slacking in this department. Something I want to discuss today; snowmobiling. I have watched in the past month as two friends have bought NEW machines right out of the Northern store here in Rankin and drive away with lose fitting nuts & bolts, skis dropping off, blown head gaskets and overall just lose parts. Unbelievable that for the amount of money spent on both machines in total in excess of over $20,000 that both would have so many issues. Safety issues. Both riders carry their wive and child with them.

I watched yesterday as literally the right front ski from a brand new Ski Doo Skandic dropped it's ski. Just, fell off. Not broken, just dropped off. The result of this has forced our friends who own the Scandic to return it to the store to get a refund. The refund was easy, but tough on the couple who just bought the new machine and sold me their old one. I feel horrible I am riding around enjoying theirs as they now are walking. The Northern couldn't trade in the machine for another because they simply didn't have that model available. Had his wife been driving with the baby and the ski fell off, could have made for much more horrible of a story than the one I have already told.

Today, without our friends we went to watch the Sunday races on the ocean. It was a blast and unfortunately I didn't have my camera handy as I usually would. I will next Sunday though. The machines they race are great sounding and quick. Rider experience is everything though from what I witnessed.

One final note, the way to make a friend is found by engaging in proper conversation because really you never know how nice of a person you could be talking to really is. I learned this lesson today.