Fort Franklin (Jan 17/05) - The smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies hugs the Grey Goose Lodge and all those within its walls.

It's a quiet night in the kitchen and other than getting a jump on tomorrow's baking, it's just pork chops for two on the menu. But for Delena Takazo, 17, and Nancy Kenny, 23, there's no slacking off.

The pair of kitchen and waitress staffers at Deline's community-owned inn are still hard at work scrubbing pots and pans, setting up part of what will become a continental breakfast spread and wrapping up a platter of those still temptingly gooey cookies.

While the two are clearly at different stages in life - Takazo lives with her 21-year-old sister Amanda and is still finishing high school, while Kenny is a single mom whose daughter Marie turns two in February - it's obvious they enjoy their work and each other's company on the job.

That type of friendliness is common to the small Sahtu community, they say.

"Everyone here is always so nice," said Takazo, who moved back to Deline almost a year ago after spending about 10 years in Rae Lakes. "Relatives, friends and elders - everyone knows everyone else and helps each other out."

With winter here, both of them planned to be doing lots of Great Bear Lake ice fishing.

"I go out with my relatives and set nets," said Kenny.

But there's more to winter in Deline than fishing, Takazo added.

"The caribou are good here and I'm also looking forward to going out and doing lots of Skidooing," she said.

When they're not working or out on the land, both said they enjoy watching movies, playing frustration rummy and going to the community gym.

"I like playing soccer and volleyball, all the sports they have," said Takazo.

Kenny added the volleyball tournaments are great because you can win money.

Teams from around the community pay an entrance fee - usually it's about $50 - and the best teams take home cash prizes.

The pair have so much fun in Deline they can hardly imagine themselves living anywhere else even five years down the road.

"I like it here too much," said Kenny. "This is a great place for my daughter to grow up." Should you ever have occasion to visit them or their cozy community nestled on the shores of Great Bear Lake, you'll no doubt understand why.