PART ONE: Jared Leaves !!
We sat behind the long
rustic kitchen table and observed our American visitors cross the lawn
and plod up to their quarters. A hasty decision was made – Jared
would leave on their plane going out. Bob and Steve would even drop
him off at the city of his destination. That morning I had already packed
his clothes. This trip out would be a three-fold event … stay at his
Uncle's and complete his pilot’s training… continue on to his Grandma’s
– there he would hopefully obtain a Drivers Licence [ she had volunteered
to be his instructor ]. Last – he would complete his application to
the RCMP and write their challenging exams. Jared would be gone for
a minimum of two months … but we both realized there was nothing holding
him at Thompson Lake any longer - he might never come back! As I made
final preparations, he packed the miniature H.F. amateur radio - he would
string a long wire across his place of residence and thus have communications
with me. As the final hour approached the place was still ... we ignored
each other and if I recall correctly, he spent the final minutes playing
with the dog and cat. Good-bye was a simple handshake and a nod. In minutes
the plane was gone and with it my son whom I had raised alone since diapers.
I presume these same emotions are experienced by parents whose children go
off to war. As the floatplane passed over head HEIDI would mournfully howl
her lone good-bye; her cries would be repeated late that evening – to be
joined by those of a solitary wolf somewhere in the Freisen Hills.
I would walk/sit stoic
for weeks after – washed over with the countless memories of our 17 years
together [Trapped in a Cruel Paradise] …
From that day forward Thompson Lake would change – the first symptom
being my most unusual behavior - getting names mixed up. The cat would
become Heidi ... the dog was Kitty... Jared was intermingled with both.
This continued for months. I can almost hear the cat informing me, "God
are you stupid –I’m not a dog ! "
Jared would remain in constant contact with me via H.F. Radio [when
conditions permitted]. I would hear/share his highs and lows and
thus the weeks stretched into months. I certainly missed his extra two
hands and his constant chatter!
His life in the South
was not without humor… there was the incident at his Grandma’s when he
ran out of wire for his amateur radio antenna and helped himself to the
neighbor’s fence ! Apparently he was petrified of his pending Driver’s
Examination [meanwhile he is carrying a pilot’s licence !] . As he was
getting into the vehicle, he informed the Examiner of his fear … the Examiner
was so flabbergasted , he told Jared just to drive around the block - that
would be fine.
At this point I was
still naive to assume he would be back at Thompson Lake.
After completing his
"chores" in the South he returned to La Ronge, acquired miscellaneous
employment and settled in . As documented in the book he would discover
his little ‘’Honey–Ho’‘; the rest is history.
Is he happy? With Honey–Ho,
I know for a fact he enjoys their bind. Life in town? Well perhaps the
correct answer is, " As happy as a bush kid could be.” Just recently
his Honey – together with an Edna Willis - would make Canadian history
by being the first aboriginal ladies to obtain their amateur radio licences.
[advanced]
MYSELF ? Memories-memories-memories
… it appears every stream, every valley, every bay gives me flashbacks
of our adventures together. I have finally accepted the fact Jared
is not here – he has another life. Will he return for at least a trapping
season? I’m not sure.
What will
happen to our Eden once I’m gone ? I’m not sure. Perhaps the answers
will come eventually within these chronicles [… and I will find some peace].
I will now list some
of Jared's escapades while in town. You all remember the three aviation
books he memorized [Trapped in a Cruel Paradise] and then found they
were all out dated!! Yes, he memorized a fourth. Well with the
same enthusiasm [piss and
vinegar], he applied himself to his computer career. Yes, we are
talking about thousands of hours –surfing, experimenting, reading, picking
brains, tormenting everyone and everything pertaining to computers for
two years … and lastly - a few dollars!
Yes, perhaps he over
qualified himself for the North … presently besides his computer repair
business, he teaches night classes to both adults and juveniles.
In addition he is the certified Galaxy / Direcway microwave satellite installer.
His future? I’m unsure.
I’m sorry but this
chapter is certainly vague in parts … please forgive me but we all are
in a period of transition – in fact it appears the town, the whole North,
is in a period of change. Not unlike the Russian people, the Northern
residents have found/realized the world is finally open to them.
So with the odd stumble [perhaps a fall !] we are moving ahead and yet
at times we just don’t know what to do with our new found freedom.
HELLO TECHNOLOGY! [help me when I go through the ice !]
LATEST JOURNAL ENTRIES:
– who all watched ‘’
The Bachelor ‘ ? I did ! HEY come on, he was cool !
- BIG NEWS!
Jareds x-teacher is back at Thompson Lake ... is she still squirrel-ly
?
Yip. Hi Dianne !
- broke trail to woodpile
...uneventful [thank God].
- NYPD ...hey
Bobby’s back … as a GHOST ... TO Sipowitz only [well done].
- Reading
and sponging handgun forums on internet –YEAH !
- Yes Dianne
you have tormented me on/off for ten years now.
- Please
- please you all don’t whine about our gun laws! 
I can get a handgun from
down East faster then I can get a laptop computer.
-This is a bit crazy ...the only EMERG com I have presently is email.
What do I do, email hospital and yell HELP ! ? [Face it Mike if there
was an emergency you would be cold]! So much for high-tech.
- Yeah my
pc phone is el-crapo.
- no matter
how far down I am, once Tom Roberts and Sheila Coles get together, it’s
a riot ! Happy- happy.
- SHIT it’s
snowing again !
- finding
high performance handgun ammo in Canada is like finding a hooker at the
Vatican .
HOME-MADE:
1.) I am so remote even
the bears get lonely.
2.) I am
so remote even the wolves get lost.
GROAN-N-N-N-N-N-N
- On a carrot
cake binge … what else can I do with Grandma’s carrots?
- I am worried
++++ If snow continues, how do I get to the woodpile?
- Ditto
for electrical supply … no wind … no sun ... gas is going fast … DOOM
!
- Can’t
wait for my chronograph to arrive ... like man I’m into velocity/energy.
- No-Name
Kitty misses Heidi so badly ... perhaps it is time for her to retire
to Jared’s/Honey’s? After 14 YEARS OF MINUS 40, they can collect
her pension cheque!
- Brrrrrr
... it’s going down tonight... Debbie I got your blanket out.
O.K. here goes. More home-made:
Q: Both father and mother
of the child are also the child’s aunt and uncle. What’s wrong
? [Mikey’s getting weird!]
Q: If I’m
handsome but no one sees me, am I really handsome ?
- Hero of
the Month; Caroline Parish —YEAH THREE CHEERS !
- Big news
–Thanks to Crystal Voice of Santa Barbara Ca. I have a working phone .
- Am I addicted
to the Internet? What the hell do you expect? I have 20 years
of friggin’ questions to be answered!!
- Do I still
see those Forest Fairies? OF COURSE! Enclosed a photo –she
is standing under a Pine mushroom. Don’t believe me?
Princess Lyssa and the Mystic Ashley will vouch for me.
- Yes, after
many exams and licences I was given a Restricted licence re: handguns
... followed by a ‘’ carry permit ‘’ – ‘cause I’m old and feeble!!
I enjoy studying the ballistics/safety end of it. Is CFC STRICT? You bet
- but fair.
- OOOOOOOOOOOH
CRAP another blizzard … what now Mike?
- Jared
and Honey told me they were on Indian time! Now that’s funny [crap I
told them to mail $ to Rodger a month ago].
Due to the
holidays there will be no postings till the new year. Please stay
tuned ... M
E RRY X
MA S / HAPPY HOLIDAYS
and let’s live a year …
Mike
Dec. 3 2004 .
PS. I will discuss
with Master Dave Webmaster re: posting Xmas pictures ... please check
back.
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