Month: May 2010

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First Ice Cream of the Season

This afternoon turned out to be ‘proper’ Dawson weather: sunny and HOT! It was time to go get my first ice cream of the season!

I parked at my favourite spot at the corner of 3rd and Queen because it’s a conveniently central location:

I then walked the half block to the post office:

I doubled back to Queen, crossed, turned right towards the water, and turned left on Second to go to the bank:

After taking out some money, I cut across Second and a vacant lot, crossed an alley, and came up beside the row of buildings that holds the ice cream shop:

Turns out they’re only opening at 3 for the next little while and I was a few minutes early, so I decided to take a quick stroll around town.

I headed back to Third and Queen and took Queen all the way to King:

I turned left at King to head back towards Front Street and the water, and took this shot of the Dawson Visitor’s Centre (log cabin) across from which is the NWT and Dempster Highway information centre (blue roof):

I took a left at Front Street and ambled down the two blocks that would take me back to the ice cream parlour. There, I went all out, since prices have not changed from last year, and had two scoops in a waffle cone. Summer has officially begun! 😀

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Thinking Within the Box

Today was cold, wet, and miserable. I worked my normal split shifts and went into town between them to see if I had any mail. *rereads that* Somehow, my day was a lot better than that sentence makes it sound. Maybe it’s because camaraderie doesn’t translate well to written form? 🙂

When I came home, I spent some time on Google, researching volunteer opportunities in the US for foreigners, finding the National Parks Service International Volunteers in Parks Program. If I am eligible for the visa, I would then be allowed to apply for any volunteer position in the National Parks Service and it would be okay for them to pay me with a full hookup site. This seems like the perfect solution for me. It would enable me to enter the US in a much less suspicious way than doing so ‘for holidays’ would, it would cut down on my expenses, and it would give me something to do as well as more experience on my resumé. I’ve completed my application and will sleep on it before sending it off. I already know where I want to apply first should I be approved!

Now, I’m watching what passes for a sunset around here. My bed is calling….

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False Advertisement of the Weather Variety

I have to keep reminding myself that I am in Dawson a month ahead of last year!

Today was cold and blustery, completely unpleasant. I had thought to go into town during my split shift, but instead hunkered down at home and got some work done at my contract.

Since I work every day in Dawson and won’t have major projects like I had last winter, I’ve decided to set myself a daily monetary goal to reach at which point I can say that I am ‘off’ for the rest of the day. Otherwise, it would be very easy to work during every spare second. Of course, town will be opening up soon and I will have plenty of opportunities to go out for dinner or shows, but with the days being as long as they are it’s good to have a definable moment when I can tell myself it’s okay to go out and have some fun.

I was asked today where in Dawson one can go to buy dishes and other kitchen implements:

1) the Free Store (dump);

2) the Thrift Store (attached to the church);

3) Home Hardware (new stuff, $$$)

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Awesome Find at the Dawson Dump!

I went to the Dawson City dump today to drop off several bags of clothes that no longer fit me. I hadn’t off loaded half the stuff that most of it was gone!

Pickings were slim today, but I did come away with this beauty:

A brand new (tags still on it) sweater in my size from my favourite store (Reitmans) in a colour I like. Sweeeeet!

I went with a few guests who came away with a box of stuff themselves, as well as a pretty decent bicycle.

Earlier in the day the manager went to the dump in search of coffeemakers and brought me back a copy of James Michener’s Alaska so that I can plan next year’s northern adventure. Yes, I’ve pretty much decided that I will be having a third Klondike summer. 😀

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Like I Haven’t Left

Yesterday, I finally got the toad trickle charged and was able to take it out for a spin. We had a couple of guests who needed a ride back to town to pick up their luggage and a few groceries, so I took them to give the toad a bit of a workout. It’s working just fine. I also spent a couple of hours behind the front desk getting reaccustomed to procedures.

Today, I worked a ‘normal’ shift, at least one that was like what I was doing at the end of last summer: 11 to 2, then 5 to 8, including doing the night audit and locking up. I’m almost 100% back into the groove of things!

This afternoon, I went to town to check out the state of my PO box and all was good. I had a couple of pieces of junk mail as well as a post card from my best friend, which made the trip out worthwhile.

The weather today was weird; started off sunny and warm and became cold and rainy, but now we’re back to bright sunshine (at 10PM no less). I hope that this rain thing isn’t going to last much longer!

It’s just so good to be back. 😀