* Dear Mom and Dad

July 4, 1993
Fort Liard,
Northwest Territories, Canada

Dear Mom and Dad,

News from the north this week:

1.  Someone lost their false teeth outside the store.  They are now hanging on the bulletin board for all to see with a sign which reads:  "ARE THESE YOURS?"

2.  The Sears Catalogue for fall and winter has arrived.  Great excitement.

3.  A herd of 50 buffalo moved in up the hill.  They spend evenings on the runway at the airport.  We have to 'buzz' them in order to land.

4.  A buffalo named "Rambo" lives in Nahani Butte.  Every few weeks he comes into town and causes havoc - breaks windows, kills a couple of dogs, chases a few locals.  Some of the natives got together and decided to shoot Rambo.  The entire town had a buffalo feast.  A few weeks later, Rambo returned and caused more chaos.  So far, the community has enjoyed three buffalo feasts and they still haven't shot the right buffalo.

5.  We spoke with some French tourists who are spending five months going across Canada to Inuvik then down the coast of the Americas and up again.  Final destination:  Rio/Brazil.  Sounds like a good time to me!

6.  We spoke to some German tourists who had been traveling for three years in a huge, custom built Mercedes truck.  Fully loaded and equiped with everything you might need to surive.  Amazing.

7.  Another couple from Germany were driving up the Liard highway.  They hit a pot hole, flipped the car and ended up in the ditch.  The top of their car was flattened,  the front windshield complete toast.  They drove out of the ditch - stopped in Liard for gas, and are now headed to Ft. Simpson, an 800 km. journey.

8.  I still haven't caught a fish!

9.  The clothing party I had was a great success.  Sold $1,100.00 in clothing which awarded me $110.00 of free product and another 5 items at half price.

10. An intoxicated native was stabbed in a fight.  They took him to the nursing station.  The nurses took a look at him and sent him home.  He died the next day.  HUGE scandle!

11. Howard has begun a new project.  He is building a gas station down town.  Currently, our gas is 5 km away, and because of that, many tourists do not make it into town.  When this gas station is complete, the old one will be closed.  More tourists for us.

12. Howard is bringing a soft ice cream and flurry machine to the store.  The whole town is elated.

13. We flew into Ft. Nelson for the day last weekend.  I was so excited,  even the worst of merchandise was beginning to look good.  We enjoyed lunch and dinner out and got a huge grocery order.

14. Today, Judy and I drove to the border. We had a lot of fun digging wild flowers for our gardens, eating wild strawberries and sitting by the river.  I found a wonderful heart shaped rock.  Naturally, I brought it home with me.

15. I built a very cute bird feeder last week.  All materials were foraged from the forest.  Tree bark, stripped diamond willow, moss and some gorgeous dried fungus.  Had fun.

16. Had company for dinner friday night.  Today we are going with a bunch of people to the muskeg river for a picnic.

Well, I think that's about all the news from North of 60 this week.  We're enjoying our boat and for the most part the weather has been gorgeous here.  The bugs are awesome.  I have great respect for people who grow such wonderful gardens here.  Love, Donna