| Friday March 14, 2003 Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Great White North! Well, it hasn't been white as in snow much - but we did get our first snowfall here and WOWEE, you think things are big in Texas, the snowflakes here were 2-3 inches in diameter! Kids were being trampled! Birds falling out of the sky! Craters made in the soccer field! The place became a blanketed winter wonderland. That was the morning, by 3:00 it all melted and only a couple puddles remained. There was a cougar sighting the other day as it was swimming across the river to the village side. It disappeared pretty quick, but being that nobody knew where it was, there was a small alert for parents to pick up their kids after school instead of them walking home. Interesting that I write "small alert" - that must mean that we have become accustomed to things like this. Would that be a small alert where you are? Speaking of interesting differences, the after school program went on a hike a couple weeks ago. Before they went, they sent out a permission slip for parents to sign. Among descriptions of what to bring, where they are going, and when they would all return, it was printed: "We will have two 12 gauge shotguns for protection." Would you send your kids on such an expedition? That's just life in Kingcome. Nothing happened. Actually, the group ended up not going anyway... It was witnessed recently a time of real bonding between Father and Daughter: Nicole helping to give her dad a mohawk. Kristin has had the pleasure and opportunity to watch a local carver do his work. He has done a couple carvings for us and has welcomed Kristin in to watch his art. Kristin also had the pleasure of going out to Vancouver Island for 4 days to an Adult Education conference for people working in First Nations communities. We were happy to have her back and happy that she brought some donuts as proof that the outside world is still there. I (John) will have my own out-time in late April going to a conference in Vancouver - I get to stay at the Hyatt where the conference is. I hope to wake up to a foot massage and USA Today on my pancake-laidened silver platter. On this theme of travel, we are outta here tomorrow for 9 days! Spring Break time. We will be attending the MCC retreat as well as some visiting and we will come back with a very prized possession - Kristin's mom! Our first visitor from the States! She's very excited and we are extremely excited to see her and show her this world we have been in for 6 months now. I hope she can give a real "outsider's report" for the next newsletter. The oolichan's are coming soon! No, those are not Weapons of Mass Destruction (well, unless you smell them rotten - then perhaps...) The fish that inundate the river have been the local talk because their yearly season is close at hand. Anytime from late March - early May. Definitely we'll write more about that and have pictures when it happens. Check out www.oolichan.org click on Home, then under Interactive Tour, click Online Version. There is a little movie (with Audio) about the oolichans, what they are, how they are processed and why they are important to so many people. Apparently they are so plentiful, you can walk in the river and just reach down and pick them out with your hand. We may have visitors when the oolichans are here - what an experience that would be... Whew, this was a long one. Keep the peace and keep in touch. We thrive on contact from you all. jOHNkRISTINnICOLE |