*pound*

After interminable delays with incompetent shippers, unneeded hazmat and Dangerous Goods declarations (for dry cell sealed 12V batteries?), Canadian customs, and Air Canada losing all of this (unnecessary) paperwork and having to send FedEx a new set to FirstAir, we were finally set to ship our research equipment today from Ottawa to Resolute. After 3 weeks in transit from California.

But today, due to an unexpected large numberof passenger bookings, FirstAir had to remove airfreight from the plane. Guess what was left behind... and the next plane to Resolute isn't until Wednesday. My project may be toast unless we can get it in the field, unpack, deploy and test within 2 days (instead of the planned 2 weeks) and everything works right the first time. Auugh! (head against wall)

Arctic air-follies

The latest is that (a) FirstAir will fly a charter tomorrow or Monday to get the backlog of airfreight northward (which includes food for the residents), and (b) today's flight only got as far as Iqaluit (nee Frobisher Bay) where the passengers will be flown the rest of the way tomorrow on two puddlejumper turboprops. Including AR, who is presumably making an unexpected stopover in Iqaluit tonight...

Otherwise, I spent the day helping friends move in their new townhouse, carrying boxes and installing new electrical fixtures and outlets. Late today I was invited to a party tonight, which I would have loved to attend (a friend's farewell) but by the time I was invited I'd already promised the kids I'd take them to the drive-in to see the PPG movie. Rats... or Mojos, as the case might be ;-)