How CHARming

Today was the big going-away potluck! Renee made some char chowder, Lisa made some delicious lasagna, Brendan brought in some excellent homemade bread, and I, well, emptied out some canned fruit into a bowl. : )

It was a wonderful celebration, a chance for me to thank the people in the community who had made my experience in Cambridge Bay so wonderful. It was wonderful to see everyone before I left, especially since the recycling kids finally got to see their video! Well, it did skip a little (I later realized that the quality was too high). Then, the Heritage Society staff presented me with some really awesome gifts, including an ulu, a doll and a cool card with a picture of a char on the front that said "thanks for the CHARming visit)!! I attempted to explain my deep regard for all of them, but realized that I would never be able to express just how thankful I was to be a part of their family.

Everybody loves a potluck!

After work, I was invited to go to the Crockatt's cabin with their family. Kim and Dave's niece just arrived today and I had a great time getting to know her. She is a rising sophomore in college who is going to be working with the Heritage Society for the next month and a half (sounds a lot like me, eh?). We played cards, roasted hot dogs, walked out on the ocean and then walked on the land to see some tent rings. It was so neat to be able to see archaelogical remains in their natural element, not surrounded by red tape or a glass window! Around the tent rings were some smattering of bones as well. The one in the picture below was a fox jaw.

Liza and her fox jaw (she put it back) : )

Kim reminds me a lot of my mom in that she can identify everything. : ) She pointed out Arctic willow, a flower that you can pull out of the ground to eat the root, the tree rings, some bones and some muskox fur. She said that as it starts getting warmer, muskox will rub off their fur onto rocks. It makes great clothing; it's softer than cashmere!

One of the tent rings

After making some smores, we headed back into town. Joey and I talked for a little while, took some pictures with the cats, and then I stayed up late packing so that I could get some errands done tomorrow. I have so much stuff to do before I leave, including the polar plunge!