Ah but this is life in the North, on an island in the middle of nowhere. But it is not all hunting and fishing. The days are not always packed with fun cultural activities. In fact it can be hard to be there when family is so far away. So I get to the point of this blog.
My Dad! Yes, he has now been laid to rest and in my mind is truly "gone Fishing" But a part of me remains unsettled. As I had wanted to bring him to Thunder Bay 2 years ago where he could get daily care and be with his true family. But because I am in the Web 10 months out of the year, and my brothers are in Kam, it was hard to figure out how to make it work. But now its a moot point. Human nature has me saying "IF ONLY" but I know my dad would shake his head and tell me that it was no use looking back on things we can't change, make changes now to the things you can!
Man nd Dada is right. So the things I can change: stop saying to family "We should get together" After spending the morning and afternoon with my extended family, and sating again to my Cousin Gil "Oh we should get together we should come out and see you." I actually called them this morning and told Kathy, put on the coffee we are coming for a visit. "Striking while the iron is hot"
What brought on the sudden desire for this reconnection.How did we make the decision when standing at the crossroads? Well I have to give the credit to my Aunt Anna, my Dad's sister in law, who was married to his little brother Simeon a.k.a. Butch. She got the relatives that are "loyal' to her to call and harass my brother Warren because their names were not in the paper, and because I put Simeon instead of Butch in the paper, and I forgot to mention the sisters in laws in the newspaper clipping. It was so petty and so vile it almost made my brothers stay home the day of the funeral. But we all stood together and that side of the family was a no show, but the beautiful Finnish side of the family was there in full force, and they were loving and kind and proud of us kids (LOL KIDS).
For years my brothers and I have tried to be close to our cousins ( children of my dad's brothers) and over and over again their petty jealousy has slapped us in the face. It was as we were feeling like we had the love of family when they all came over 30 of them and crammed into my tiny living room and kitchen, no one complained if they had to stand, or wait for coffee, they all stayed they all eagerly waited to talk to each of us and told us over and over, don't be strangers, come and visit.
Man it was like all 3 of us were struck by lightening. These were the family members we needed to build the connections with, they build us up, they don't tea us down like my Aunt and her brood. These people embrace us and welcome us back over and over.
It will be hard to go back to the Web after the conference and it will stil be hard to be there 10 months of the year, but now when I come home, i have family i can spend time with. laugh with and cry with. The anticipation will be something i can look forward to. So when it is -45 out and I am 2 weeks from coming home, I can think of the great times I will have being with this incredible family I have.
So as they say, everything happens for a reason, my Dad is at peace, he is suffering no longer, and in his passing we have gained a family again!
So, I will feel less stressed in the Web now, and remember that its only temporary, but my family and my awesome friends are forever!
