Enter the Moms

Now that Mom and Lori have blogged their way through the build up, the journey north, and their arrival in Iq(u)aluit, I suppose I should lend my perspective on some of these events and catch everyone up on the awaiting son's perspective...

For many weeks leading up to their departure, the Moms were taking this trip to bug-'n-bear country in stride, mostly wanting to discuss the basics during our weekly(ish) phone calls:  Where will we stay?  My place.  No really, where?...Which airline should we fly? The one with the cookies.  Cookies?...Will we be able to drink the water?  Yes.  But as the big day approached, the questions began to take on what could be described as a slightly more earnest tone.  By the time "eight sleeps to go" arrived, something like the following note arrived in my in-box: "Along with the tomatoes, herbs and wine you asked for, Lori and I will need something to cover our respective modesties..."

What to say?

Seven more sleeps:

Emailing packing list to M&L:  "Bring pajamas, sweaters, long johns, a warm hat that covers the ears..." etc etc

Six more sleeps:

Email from mom:  "If it's cold enough for winter hats, what are the black flies wearing on their ears?"

Five more sleeps:

Phone call during the day with message left on answering machine: "Poops, I'm just calling to find out whether we're going to need anything for warm weather, like maybe a bathing suit?  But don't worry about calling me back right away!  It's not urgent...".

Email sent after (or perhaps during?) voicemail:  "And Josh, we've just started this blog..."

At this point I started to think.  I was excited about my two visitors, but looking around my apartment my subconscious understood more clearly the implications of putting me and the moms up in my little shoe box on the tundra.  It all surfaced when a friend in town called me up and asked me whether I'd started getting my apartment together.  'What?" he said.  "Your mother's coming to town and you haven't started cleaning?  I've already cleaned my living room in case she comes over!"

One more sleep:

Voicemail:  "Hi Luvey, its me.  I just wanted to let you know we're in Ottawa and we'll be in tomorrow afternoon..."

No more sleeps:

Buzzer sounds at 5:50.  Josh snoozes until 6:52.  Get up!! Get up!!  Wash remaining dishes.  Do the "incrimination inspection".  Finish remaining laundry.  Realize the vacuum is still at the neighbour's and begin picking lint out of the carpet on hands and knees.  Only the biggest pieces though.  Realize it's 8:25.  Brush teeth.  Get out door and coast down the hill to work.

Friend picks me up at 12:00.  "What flight are your moms on?"  "First Air, I think." "You mean you don't know?!!"  Drive like maniac to airport and...oh shit!  There's already a plane sitting on the tarmac with its stairs down and...NNNNOOOooooo...people waiting outside for cabs!!!

Run inside and search frantically for kindly-and-perhaps-a-bit-stunned-looking grey haired ladies and what do you know?  There's one standing near the security gate wearing a black brimmed hat tilted jauntily - and recognizably - to one side.  And she has a camera aimed right at me!  Lori shows up a few seconds later.  And now we're all together.

Rest of day spent doing regular Iq(u)aluit things that M&L can talk about later...

Now off to Pang.

Josh