What my kids and I looked like when we lived in Inuvik, although not for the entire time because we were there for four years. We were not always sepia coloured.
SHARE YOUR WORLD – 2016 WEEK 2
Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets?
In the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie when Evelyn is asked if she is in a relationship with Douglas she says “Well, we are not NOT together.” That’s how I feel about aliens. I do not NOT believe in them. Still, if one were to come up to me in the grocery store and ask me how my day was going, I would be very surprised. But just because I can’t imagine that happening doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. I don’t think life as we know it is the only kind of life there is in the universe. If there is something beyond death as we know it, perhaps we will be astounded at how limited and biased and deluded we were in our beliefs, no matter what they were, one way or the other, before we got there. And if there’s nothing, there’s nothing. No point in getting your shorts in a knot about it.
So I try to keep an open mind. Live and let live. It would be foolish to believe we are the most intelligent life forms in existence when you consider some of the bizarre things we’ve been up to.
How many places have you lived? You can share the number of physical residences and/or the number of cities.
- Saugeen township farm until age six (Ontario)
- Arran township farm until leaving home
- Orchard house while attending teachers college in Stratford
- Shared 2 bedroom apartment, substitute teaching in St. Catharines
- Room and board in private house in St. Catharines while attending Brock U.
- Rented garage sized house in Kenora after getting married.
- Basement apartment in private house, Dryden
- High rise apartment in Guelph when W went back to University
- Basement student campus co-op apartment in Guelph – baby daughters first home
- Government house in Cambridge Bay, NWT, baby sons first home
- Government row housing in Inuvik, NWT.
- Government house in Pond Inlet, NWT.
- Government house in Yellowknife, NWT.
- Current house in Sherwood Park, Alberta. (Bought and paid for…yay!). It’s nothing fancy but it feels like home.
If you were given $22 million tax free dollars (any currency), what is the first thing you would do?
Put it in the bank and think about it. I’m sure I would suddenly have lots of advice and suggestions pouring in from all directions filling up this open mind of mine. I might move to a new house. It’s been awhile for us nomads.
The Never List: What are things you’ve never done? Or things you know you never will do?
Never say never! Because you never know!! I’ve never communicated with extraterrestrial beings. Or have I? How would I know for sure?
One thing I feel certain about at this moment in time is that I will NEVER take a trip to the South Pole. But if I do I will send you a post card saying sorry, I was wrong about that. Wish I weren’t here.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
Since I mentioned all the screaming going on in Midsomer Murders whenever a body is discovered (and there can be up to five in a single episode) there has suddenly been a marked lack of it. I’m grateful for the depiction of other plausible reactions, even though now I could be seen as a sarcastic exaggerator for mentioning it in the first place. Like that might be the worst thing I’ve ever been called.
I was sad to learn of David Bowies death today, but I’m looking forward to all the tributes and flashbacks of his extraordinary life.
Death is such a funny thing. We know it happens to every one of us, but no matter how much warning we might get when its imminent, we are never prepared for it. There’s that ‘never’ word again. It’s like a hard punch to your heart, ready or not.
So let’s be grateful for the memories.
Breathing Space 
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