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Habitat in Iqaluit: Week Three - pg 1
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In August, Sandy Berg, our intrepid Executive
Director, left the tropic-like comfort of Kingston to
join a group of similarly dedicated Habitat folk in the moist and
mosquito infested Land of the North: Iqaluit, Nunavut.
These are their stories ...
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Day 18
Tuesday August 21
Kieran O'Sullivan has now taken over as
on-the-spot reporter ...
 We
are on our own now but the help and guidance we’ve received from
Teams 1 and 2 will see us through.
This is Day 18 of the build but it is Day 1 of the newly PAVED
POST OFFICE PARKING LOT!
At the Build, the rest of the window casings were completed and
trim painting was tackled.
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Adopt-a-Day crew today was from North Mart, led
by Manger Eldon Drodge.
And we had fun (and some future volunteers).
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Effie (left) and Siobhan and Courtney (above) touching up some of
trim which was in turn touched up by homeowner Pau later in the day
(below). |
For grilling the burgers for lunch
we decided to switch the BBQ to electric ...
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... and during lunch a plate of these things
mysteriously appeared..
Affiliate Chair Glenn Cousins brought along son Maxwell,
claiming that Max was a master carpenter.
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Day 20
Thursday August 23
"Toasters will burn the bread,
Radios will bring forth static
Washers will wash and shrink
Ovens will bake the cake
TVs will celebrate the mundane
And lights will light up the dark
Power is nigh"
 Jennifer
was sweeping prior to this photo and continued sweeping
afterwards.
Sweeping is necessary at the site for safety reasons etc but
sweeping also bestows on the sweeper a certain amount of authority
- 'excuse me' gets people moving, raising feet. You can get others
fetching dustpans and other paraphernalia.
It also gives you a certain amount of anonymity - people forget
you are there and say interesting things.
You can look busy - just leaning. And there is a sense of loss
when someone comes and takes the broom away.
Jennifer was just sweeping.
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The electrical work continues, Larry is doing some wiring.
Larry just got married last Wednesday,' way to go ' Larry, but
Larry was supposed to be taking two weeks off right now for some
event that apparently takes place immediately after a wedding.
Larry is going to miss that, as great that it is that you are
working, right now, Larry, try and take those two weeks off real
soon, the experience is recommended.
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Back in familiar territory, a nice soft misty rain (or a GR%#@!"+*
downpour, depending on your outlook on life or whether you are
standing underneath it). The railings were painted during a
dry spell.
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Day 23
Sunday August 26
The Can...
is resting comfortably just a few steps from the build. It
would seem a shame to disturb it now after its - apparently -
turbulent life. What was it, when it was shiny and dent free and
covered by a label? Was it 'wieners and Beans' dropped by a family
going for a day of berry picking years ago when the sun shone all
the time (perhaps the small child found it heavy and wanted both
hands to eat berries and got into trouble for it and now, as an
adult, still likes berries but not beans)? Was it a can of 'Ragout
Irlandaise' that fell to the snow from a kamoutiq being pulled up
to the plateau to meet up with some caribou (and if successful
would not be missed)? Was it a can of 'Meatballs' being carried by
two young boys who were running away from home, because THEY would
not get them THE TOY and they were brave for the first while and
then there was the dark, the wind, the blowing snow, the cold and
the simultaneous decision to drop the bag and proceed at a brisk
pace homewards (to a warm welcome or to a interesting - and
painful -discussion, about removing foodstuffs from the premises).
No it was none of those, but whatever its history there is one
sure lesson -
 make
sure someone brings a can opener, rocks do not work.
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More cans ...
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Day 25
Tuesday, August 28
 Electrical
90% complete, so ...soon
Most of the work takes place in the evenings now and the
volunteers last night included a doctor (Jennie) who moved too
fast to be photographed,
but ...
... we did capture Dennis turning on the Northern Lights (What,
you thought they were a natural phenomenon?)
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Day 27
Thursday, August 30
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That wasn't our fault - the view from the back porch of the house.
(they are blasting before putting gin power lines into rock)
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Pau and Dennis,
looking up -
way up.
Happy Birthday,
Dennis,
from all the volunteers to the
Volunteer-in-Chief!
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Nick and Ben setting things up for the imminent arrival of the
roofers |
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"Seriously guys, that van behind me is trying to get up the
stairs"
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Day 28
Friday, August 31
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated Day at the house. NTI President
Paul Kaludjak and the other volunteers, after a blessing given by
Rev Mike Gardener, started in at the drywall. After the electrical
inspection the balance of the drywall will be hung and then all
the work is done except for taping and finishing the drywall, plus
the roofing, flooring, plumbing, heating, cupboards, counters,
doors, fixtures, painting, touch ups, cleaning the site, outdoor
Christmas lights, horse shoe installation etc
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NTI Teamwork Some tasks go better with working alone but building
this house is definitely a team effort. |
Day 37
Friday, August 31
The Site, The Build, The House.
When will it become a home? When the key is handed over and the
signatures made? When the work is done and all the volunteers have
left? When all the possessions are moved in? When the first family
meal is cooked? When the first visitor is welcomed? When the first
Christmas is celebrated there? Or does it happen at no special
time, just one day coming in from the cold and saying 'Its good to
be home" ?
People come home to adobe huts, apartments, attics, barges,
barns, basements, bridges (under), buses, caves, chateaus,
containers, cottages, castles, cellars, condominiums, cliff
dwellings, duplexes, farm houses, forts, floating houses, garages,
grass huts, gypsy caravans, hotels, hovels, lean-tos, lighthouses,
lofts, mansions, monasteries, manufactured homes, over the shop,
under the shop, palaces, penthouse, railway cars, shelters,
snowhouses, tents, trailers (except in high winds), treetop
dwellings, yurts.
And for some, there is not a place.
Pau and Adam will come home to House 1416, and it will be home
when the dog is brought over, inspects and moves in.
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DAY 39 > |
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