A report nearly prepared while away in Nunavut last month this is a collection of plenty pics from this past year plus some new photos from the fall season. As well, a write-up on how one busy but quite memorable 2015 all came to be.
Approaching work the past five years there had never come a moment of feeling fully settled in. Change became necessary, and leading into 2015 many new pieces had begun to fall into place. This didn’t all come easy and I took quite a time with it. In fact, trying several different options at home first, before long it would only lead to discontent and my looking elsewhere. By the end here I was mostly just disengaged, often restless, and would certainly not want to continue any efforts in making a full-time living of nursing in the valley. Despite working alongside great people and regularly enjoying the type of healthcare only interesting and real emergencies can provide, it is the lesser work perks such as the odd scheduling, silly obligations and pressures to provide unpaid availabilities, my being on a leash for nothing, accepting all cutbacks, a lost seniority, and an overall lack of autonomy in the profession, which has all weighed heaviest and wore on me thru time. So on Canada Day 2014 I gave most of that up! Drove out to Nipigon, spent a week alone figuring out a plan before coming home. By that November I had four employers and since then picked up a fifth with a sixth now possibly on the way, all for casual or contractual jobs. For the first time in my professional life I have basically taken over the entire control of my work and time. 2015 would be the first full year to test these decisions...
WINTER.
January through March could be broken down into two parts, work and play. Having had been hired back with an old employer in James Bay, the opportunity to take on casual / locum employment in northern Ontario meant leaving family behind at times in order to fully condense a workload... The first few weeks into the New Year saw good ice come quick. Walleye with some splake and lakers were the order of business before departing north. Mike nailed a real beauty best eye for himself but one surprise catch for me was way more smoking hot, and a tank laker caught wasn’t bad either... Once settled in Attawapiskat the next five weeks combined work with outdoor wonder. To keep fit a personal challenge called the Taiga Trek was taken on, planning to hike 100 kilometers over river, ice road and through snowy bush during the duration of my stay. The distance got crushed, along the way shedding some pounds while finding some great photo opportunities too. A snowy owl over a couple days kept me busy sweating for miles to snap the perfect pictures, a prize equal to some of the best fish catches passed... Once returning home there was a need to make up for some lost time with family and friends. Taking the girls skiing their first time was a fun day we all enjoyed, while a weekend up in the Bogie with Bren and some fishing friends was a great getaway... Jonzing for lake trout, March provided local opportunities to jig up some lunkers on different lakes, until finally friend Len and I headed to N.W. Ontario for some R&R, fishing and snowmobiling with our buddy Rob. The perfect finish to cap off winter.
SPRING
April to June was mostly planned time at home. The spring started in Florida with the girls. Rollercoasters and shows at Universal and Disney with plenty swimming and shopping, they loved it. During what remained of April all was quiet with local work, so plenty on the honey-do list got finished, including tying some bucks and flies. Friends Len and Luke end of the month came to me offering up a floating seat for some overnights camping while adrift down the Saugeen, and that was a pretty cool experience... Once the home lakes opened it was crappie and gar with a little lakers into May and June. The girls joined me often and so did new and old friends as well. It was another banner spring for many great fish. The sun now shining, plenty people wanted time off from the local E.R.’s too, and the phone rang daily for work offers early May into July. Setting off mid June to Onamans for a week of eyes, pike and lakers there, Stevie Z rode co-pilot with me three days for half the trip. Despite engine troubles hours in, he nailed his first over 20-pound laker, a forty something inch pike and the biggest walleye of the week before leaving with a smile on his face. I caught good ones as well, including an eagle, moose, bear cub and some rare pelicans. Fishing solo while camping at the resort, Rob, Loki and I enjoyed hanging out after that, during the long evenings... Finally once school was out, and knowing I’d be leaving come July for work, there was only one day for bass fishing to be had as most days were spent lazing at home or running places with the kids.
Continued...
Best in 2016 to you, new dad!
It's even warm up here at the north pole this year. 
Best to you in 2016 too bud. We do have to meet up, that's for sure.
My daughters tell me they want to see the world, the oldest (a teenage fish monger now) saved for Greece and now New York city. Good of them to want to choose experience over other things.