For Eric

I love you honey. I'll be on my way today!

May's closure

April and May have gone by so fast.  We are rapidly approaching Friday, our last day of school.  We'll have the last bits of clean-up, maybe a little movie during school and then the potluck at noon with awards and some presentations by the students.

The following are some pictures taken this month, sorry, there is so much packing to do, cleaning to accomplish and the odds and ends to tie up that I really don't have the time to be too wordy right now.

For PE, the kids really didn't want to play, they wanted to go for a walk.  Well, they are still kids and ended up playing anyhow, that guard rail turned into a balance beam!

A village resident overheard me talking about wishing I had gotten the opportunity to head out to South Spit and find some of the glass floats that people have tubs of around here.  Later that evening, he showed up at my door with 6 of them.  I taught myself how to tie around one of them, this is the result, one continuous string, hanger included.  I took it to him later as a thank you, I'll be coming home with the other 5, knowing how to tie this version of the net and looking forward to hitting up a craft store for some materials and maybe beads!

Fly in, fly out....well, we get barges too.  I sure hope that's how this got here.  I rode in the back of this while helping a resident earlier this month.  Let's hope it's the only time I ever have to ride in one!  Oh, we have a water truck too!

For the past week, I've made pancakes every morning for any student who wants them in the morning.  I've had lots of takers and made a very large dent in the pancake mix.  This was a special request, choc. chip pancakes.  I've gotten very good at pancake making now, though, not so great at eating them.

Oh, we had chicks hatch at the school!  They were so cute, I had never been able to experience it before.  I have to say, the little golden ones hold a special place because I remember seeing them at Wilco when I was younger, however, the little black and grey one below is my favorite!  He had so much personality and was the only one like that.  I think it was because he looked like a Siberian Husky with that mask around his eyes!

Mt. Pulik was beautiful when I went on a little campfire with two wonderful people and Hikup, their energetic dog.  (one of the puppies I helped out earlier in the year)  A rare chance to get a great picture and the ability to see the mountains in the area.

That will have to be it for now, maybe a post tomorrow night during the school sleepover, my last night here in Alaska.

Go out like a lion?

I thought it was come in like a lion, go out like a lamb?  Not come in like a lion, go out like a lion.

It didn't really matter though.  We enjoyed it when we were able to get out in it!  There was a good lot of snow dumped on us in very short order.  It doesn't stop school here, they still come, we still have class and it's still fun to watch it come down all day.  It's just hard to image it like this all the time.  But, here I am, living with the snow, all the time!

This storm was particularly fun because of the wind that would rustle up the snow that had fallen and create some pretty monster drifts.  It would blow the falling snow onto my front porch/stairway and it even made it a bit hard to open the door because it was so deep at one point.  You can see in the picture that I had not made it outside yet.  I have this nice big window in my kitchen that looks right down the stairway.  The snow was piling up on the handrail, stuck to the side of the windbreak and this was taken BEFORE it started sticking to the door.  At this point there was about 5 inches on the landing before I went out and cleared it off.

Now, when you get this much snow, and then it packs down as it clears, there is a bit more ice around to sled on.  The kids love this and we took one afternoon to go and play after school.  You see that races down the hill by Icicle Foods are a popular sport.  What you don't see is that the races don't always end with everyone making it down the hill.  Some slide off to one side and into a bank, some fall off a sled while the others continue down towards the bottom.  We all have fun and it breaks the cycle of school and home.

My good friend Debbie and I went out for a little walk across the lake one day while the snow was still around.  While walking across the lake, we ran into some wolf tracks.  I thought they were pretty cool.  A little scary they were right in town but we knew they had been in town already.  I was happy to get some pictures of the prints.  We started up the hill after walking across the lake and found ourselves "post-holing" and decided to head back down the hill.  I figured instead of doing that on the way back down, I was just going to roll instead.  What you'll see here is me at the bottom, my roll marks in the snow.....encouraging Debbie to do the same.  I giggled, then she giggled and rolled part of the way down.  I'm sure she'll not forget that any time soon!

 This was also the time where I got to go and pick up a piece of my art that I will be bringing home with me, a locally carved mask from whale vertebra.  This is NOT my mask, but another one carved by the same artist.  I just thought this was too cute not to photograph and I know that a friend of mine will like to see it!

What's the worst..

thing that could happen?

We all deal with difficult things in our lives.  We all deal with difficult times.  This year has already been rough and I'm sure you've seen that if you've followed along.  By now you've seen that I've caught up through the middle of March...yes, I'm a bit behind....and that's ok.  I didn't want to let these next two things out of the bag so early on.  Purposeful slacking?

There's not a job for me here next year.  That's right, my time in Alaska is rapidly coming to a close.  I've known it for awhile and many of you that know me a little more personally might already know that as well.  My experience here is rapidly coming to a close.  I knew this already at the end of Fur Rondy.  Ok, I deal with that.  You mean I "have" to go home for the summer like I was already planning to do to be with my family.  The thing is, now I have to go to the job fair to search for a new job.

Plans change.  In the blink of an eye.

March 15th.  No amount of technology can cross the distance from Egegik, AK to Home like you need it to.  I don't care what kind of degree Western Oregon has given me, how much I've learned on my own, how big a smart board can make someone's body via Skype, it doesn't matter.  You can't hug a screen when your Mom gets on the screen and you INSTANTLY know something is wrong.   She was JUST HERE.  What could have possibly have gone so wrong in one week?

Cancer.  Again.

WHAT?!  That gut wrenching feeling, knowing you can't do a thing about it, knowing you can't hug her, knowing that you can't hear what the doctors say, knowing you will not get to hug her for for 3 more months and knowing that it's not the little Stage II this time, it's the terrible IV that you didn't want to hear the doctors say ever.  What is it about being cancer free for 5.5 years?  I thought she was in the clear?  She hasn't done anything to deserve having to go through this again.  Anger, rage and confusion all directed towards the doctors for not doing their job.  There should be a test, full scan done before they take someone off their drugs at the end to "double check".  The intense rage will get you nothing though besides some high blood pressure and a gut ache.

All I can do is sit here and be supportive.  Comfort, console, check in, and try to deal with it in my own way.  Right now, that's through writing.  Supportive through port placements, chemo treatments, hearing about what's going to be done next, and supportive through another round of hair loss.  (and some pretty informative texts)  By the way, she's starting to respond to her chemo treatment and the doctors have said they are happy with her progress.  That's a positive sign.

So until I leave on May 18th, you'll see posts about experiencing my last few months of Egegik and we'll see how the job search goes.  I'd love to find my "forever school".  I'd also love to hear from some of the readers of this blog if they'd love to see it continue through updates when I think about Egegik or hear from the students.   OR  Would you like to follow me to a new blog when it's time?  Please comment below.

Spring Break pt. 5: Rondy

Once we got into Anchorage, found our hotel and got settled into our "deluxe" accommodations, we were ready to hit the town.  Right outside our hotel was a Rondy shuttle stop which is marked by the metal Fur Rondy signs you see Mom standing next to here.  It was definitely  nice to have that ability to just hop on a shuttle and get around that route if we wanted.

One of our first tasks was getting to the stores and getting the shopping done and out of the way with.  My friend Matt from work had a rental car and so willingly picked us up and took us around.  It was nice because I had never driven in Anchorage, only ridden when I first got here in August.  That was quite the ride then.  We were all over the place!  Now, I knew that I might need to pay a little more attention as Mom and I had talked about renting a car for the rest of our time.  Anyhow, we hit the stores and Mom learned about Bush Orders and how you just leave your stuff there for them to ship to you at Wal-Mart.  It's wonderful.  I brought a cooler and got the cold stuff from Costco.  Don't tell the hotel, but it sat on their roof outside our window the whole time we were there!  How convenient, Automatic fridge!  Once we were done with the shopping, we decided to hit up Red Robin for some dinner.  Big mistake!  Entire dinner comped...that beautiful dessert you see is the only thing we paid for.

We partook in a lot of the Rondy activities that were available.  You'll see we hit the Charlotte Jensen Native Arts Market where you can get so many different types of Native Art.  When I saw the title of it, connections were made between the Jensen Arctic Museum at Western Oregon University and this.  Same family?  I'm guessing I might be right.  We also hit up the snow sculptures which weren't in top form as they had been snowed on.  Pictures there were a little rough because there was a grey sky instead of a blue one to take pictures, but I'm sure you'll see the forms.   I was impressed by some of the fur products available.  I had seen a wolf hat on a man at the resort and found this one in a shop and they let me try it on.  A bit forward for me, but it was good for a picture.  Mom, however, found the more "risqué" area of the shop.

We enjoyed sites and sounds of downtown Anchorage, some late at night while searching (unsuccessfully) for geocaches.  Our hotel view was of the carnival and we were just far enough away that we didn't hear it.  The Ulu Factory was just over the road.  We thought it would be fun to go and see.  HA, tourist trap.  Good thing we don't fall for those things and good thing it was free!  The Alaskan Experience Theater was somewhat informational.  Some updating is needed for sure and we were robbed because the hydraulics that simulate the Great Alaskan Earthquake didn't work.  We did have fun, I enjoyed every minute with Mom and I know that even though we didn't see the Northern Lights, we still got to experience some of Alaska together.

Horse and Buggy Ride to Orso's

Explaining the Blanket Toss to us.

Spring Break Pt. 4: Onto Anchorage!

The ski resort was great but it's time to head into Anchorage for Fur Rondy.  We get to drive out of the skiing world and the fresh snow, along the sound and all the beautiful sights and into the city to see the sights, do some shopping, and enjoy some of the "touristy" attractions.

Below, you'll see a little photo journey of our trip into town.

Leaving the resort.

Low clouds blocking some of the view of the majestic mountains all around us.

State Troopers, always on the job!  I have to say, this picture was taken from a moving vehicle at 60 MPH!

I just loved how the snow stuck to every nook and cranny of those rocks.

It's a Race!

The Sound looking back towards the resort.

Our Limo Van from one drop off site to the hotel.

Spring Break Pt. 3: Beautiful Alyeska

Beautiful Alyeska and their crazy skiers!

So I know it's been a long time coming, but here we got with the rest of the posts.  

Mom took the gondolas up to the top of the mountain with another teacher friend of mine.  They are used by riders who just want to hit the restaurant up at the top and the skiers and snowboarders who are crazy enough to ride their way down from the top of the mountain as well.  It was pretty cold as you can tell by the massive icicles hanging from the snow still on top of the building at the top.  The wind is pretty intense up there too.  That third picture shows how the wind shapes the icicles at quite the angle!

I'm not sure that Mom was so convinced about the sun deck at the top, I'm sure it's great in the summer time though. The rest of the pictures are from the top of the mountain and the general areas of restaurant/lodge at the top of the mountain.  That last picture is a beauty as the clouds began to dissipate and a clear shot of the surrounding mountains came into view.

While she was up on her ride, I was busy learning how to downhill ski.  I took some private lessons, advanced very quickly and was very happy that I had gone 1:1 with an instructor rather than with a group.  He was a very nice man and was pleased at how fast I progressed through the lessons.   Being a bit of an adrenaline junkie and competitive person, I know that only boosted my desire to continue to learn as well.  Honestly, I can't imagine a better place to learn how to ski!  I might have spoiled myself though.  I'm not sure the Oregon powder will be quite as nice.  I will give it a try though!

You can't even see where the chair lift goes because the clouds are still there....ride the gondola, then take the chair up further!   These guys are NUTS!

Sun Deck?

Spring Break Pt. 2: Unless you're the lead dog...

After the few days of a literacy conference and a late night trip out and back to Anchorage to pick up Mom from the airport, it was time to get the Spring Break activities underway!  We sure weren't going to waste any time.  There was a lot to do and we didn't want to miss any of it.  First on the list, a dog sled ride!

Chugach Express is a wonderful place to go through if you are in Girdwood.  Dario and his team not only provide a great experience, but his expertise and knowledge allow for good discussions about his life with his animals.  He answers questions, takes you on a great ride and brings you down to his kennel to show and explain to you what it's like to be a musher.  In addition to our ride and many others just like us, his big project right now is getting out into the schools to provide an opportunity to reach the youth and provide them with an experience to bond with animals, develop skills, and feel the sense of responsibility you get when someone depends on you.  *of course, this sits very well with Mom and I!

When we arrived at the pick up spot, all you see is a field of snow.  Tell-tale tracks in the snow show that there's probably been a sled through here at some point in time, you can't see them anywhere though.  So much snow has fallen that it's easily knee deep and very soft.  We waited a bit, looked around and wondered about how our ride would be.  Listening to the silence was peaceful and pretty soon you heard some calls and whistles.  Around the corner comes Dario with his team and the riders just before us.  Dogs pulling tight, they come along the tracks they've made previously in the day to where our trail meets theirs.  Of course this is our guy, he's got a sled made for riding, his riders have a camera, and he greets us right away.

The family before us tell us that we are going to have a great time, thank Dario and go about their way.  We get a run down of how the sled works and decide that it's a much better idea for me to sit in front where the seat is very low.  Mom will take the chair level seat.  Well, wasn't she lucky?  Not only does the scenery not change.....the smell doesn't either!  Those dogs fart when they start running!  I could not believe it!  Let me tell you, you think a dog toot is bad with just dog food, try getting the food they feed sled dogs!  The initial start was a big slow, not a big jerk like I was expecting.  The large amounts of snow that had fallen the past week really made the trail slow.  It didn't matter, the dogs loved it and I was having a blast too. 

The ride around the meadow was amazing.  We were told a few of the dog's names before we started.  Ryan was one of them.  We found that out real quick because he is a young dog and needs a lot of correcting.  (Sounds oddly familiar for some reason.)  As they pulled together as a team you could tell they were in it for the workout and they loved what they were doing.  The whistles and the calls of "Gee" and "Ha" were familiar as I had used them several times before with Ciqu.  I thought back to rollerblading with him and it was comforting, and then a little memory escaped out the side of my eye.

As we came up to the kennel, we slowed down, came to a stop and Dario had an anchor in the ground to keep the sled in place while the pups rested and we took a tour.  Looking back at the meadow with the sled in the picture, the sky was beginning to clear and the beauty of the day was just amazing.  Word got around that there were new people coming down and all the pups were interested, up looking around.  Dario explained how things worked and how they trained in different locations for different parts of races.  When explanations were done, word then got around the kennel that we were leaving for a run, and those that were not already on the sled were not going.   Howling from those not going started, those already on the sled howled in return!  Music to my ears.

We took our time getting back around the meadow, enjoying every minute of it I know that it might not be something I ever get to do again.  I love that Mom was able to come to Alaska and experience this with me, that we got a chance to be pulled by a team of dogs through feet of snow in the middle of some of the most beautiful mountains I've ever seen and that it's an experience that really could only happen because of this year in Alaska.  I've been so blessed because of this wonderful year, even with the heartaches of being gone, it's provided not only me, but now Mom with some wonderful opportunities too.

Sled ride in Girdwood, AK

Dorothy and Dario with the dogs

Mom and Dorothy with the sled and dogs

Spring Break Pt. 1

There is so much to tell about Spring Break this year.  A delightful adventure away from the village into Anchorage and then away to Girdwood.  Alyeska Ski Resort to be exact is where we stayed.  The district had a ploy.  Don't get me wrong, I lept at the chance.  They fly me out and back to a stunning resort and mountain in exchange for a few days of my spring break doing a literacy conference.  I'm game!

So, off I went.  Ski resort, ok.  Last time I was at one of these, it was as a chaperone at Bogus Basin.  The kids remember fondly how stupid I looked trying to learn how to snowboard.  I remember, not so fondly, how I felt after learning how to snowboard.  Several falls, cartwheels, somersaults, flips, and broken bindings left me fit for hot cocoa and pain killers.  This time, I was going to learn how to ski.  We'll get to that in a later posting.

For now, here's some pictures of the resort and the surroundings.  It snowed almost the entire time I was there.  Our bear friend here got several inches in the course of this morning.  He was right out the window as you start to look up the mountain.  There was so much fog and snow that you can barely make out the base in the background.

This second picture was how we were greeted as we came up to the front of the hotel.  A flaming globe at night.  Warming the hands as you waited outside for a cab or your car is an option.  The inside windbreak was another one too, but this one looks much cooler!

My room was on the 4th floor.  Since it was on the 4th floor, there was a roof that was right at my level and they had snow piled along that walkway/roof area.  It was a bit weird but so much snow that I could barely see out my window!  The other problem with that, they had to come by and blow the snow in case of an emergency as well.  This man thought it was pretty funny that I thought it was cool enough to take his picture while he was working.  He was clearing about a foot of snow though!

This last picture is of the resort from the gondola.  Mom took this one while I was out skiing and she rode to the top with a friend of mine.  Oh yes, Mom....that's right, she came to visit me!  That was the other perk of getting to be in Anchorage over spring break.  A visit from family and a WONDERFUL time with Mom exploring not only Alyeska but Anchorage as well.

More to come!