Mush Mush

Well if there wasn't enough for the locals to laugh at me already (I don't really know how to sew, I'm a wimp when it comes to the cold - I always look like the abominable snowman, I've never driven a snow machine - I will though as soon as it warms up, and of course the obvious of not knowing the language and culture).  Well I've added an extra reason.  I am the leader dog of a sled.  Actually I'm the only dog of the sled.

Weeks after we moved from Ottawa to Selkirk I made Brian (yes I made him ;o) go to a bike store in Winnipeg to buy me a Chariot double stroller (it converts to a bike trailer).  Nathan was only 7 or 8 weeks old but I needed it to get out of the house and go places (and bring my two darling boys with me) since we only had one vehicle at the time.  While in Selkirk, this stroller took us to the park, to Shopper's Drug Mart, the Marketplace (the only two stores in Selkirk that had doors wide enough for the monstrosity to fit through), to preschool, around the block etc.

I LOVE my chariot.  It was expensive but my sanity is worth that much.  Before we moved, Jenna went to the bike store and picked up the Chariot ski set for me.  It was expensive (my sanity is still worth lots!) and this time I didn't tell Brian how much it was :-)  Well almost four years after buying my beloved stroller, my Chariot is still getting me out of the house with the added bonus of keeping my youngest boys warm (or at least sheltering them from the wind).  My stroller is now on skis, has two poles stretching out from either side of it and at the end of the poles is a belt that I attach around my waist.  Mush, mush here we go.  I pull my kids to and from school, daycare, the store etc.  It sure beats pulling them on a sled.  It's a workout though let me tell you!  The only problem is that poor Benjamin has to walk everywhere and he was initially quite jealous.  I think he is getting used to the idea since he gets to hold my hand while we walk.

I have yet to get Brian to take a picture of us but I did try to take one myself...  Taken on a very cold day this past week.

People stop and stare when they see me coming and the kids mob the stroller every time we pick Benjamin up from school.  The picture below is of one such mob.  Can you find the stroller?

While I hope the novelty wears off, the attention my children get is darling.  We keep trying to explain to them that we have so much compared to those who live here and, therefore, we need to be very good at sharing.  I'm not sure how much they understand since they (nor myself actually) haven't stepped foot inside an Inuit home.  It's difficult to imagine how little they have.  Not being selfish and sharing what we have...  What an important lesson to learn.  I hope we learn it well and take it with us wherever we go.