Isiigem Umyaalinguarai - Isiik's Thoughts

Catching up

2012-01-28T09:25:00.001-09:00

At least that is what I hope to be doing this weekend. I have been at my new job for three weeks now and I can tell already it will be very demanding - at least for the first year or so as I learn the ropes - but also exciting and inspiring. To be able to take part in creating a program from the ground up that is so needed by our community is a very important feeling. I'll just try to not let the feeling of responsibility affect my weekends!

This winter is proving to be one of record cold and snow here in Kodiak. Mohawk the rugged Alaskan husky has been sleeping indoors almost every night, and last year he may have done so twice the whole winter. On an average winter the ground freezes here up to about two feet - we have no permafrost. This year it is frozen up to 6 feet, and the city is recommending those on public water to keep a faucet running all times up through March, as even after air temps rise, the ground will be well frozen. Those of us who have wells do not have the luxury of keeping a faucet running must trust in our homes' winterization. After Jeremy made some improvements in November, we have not had any frozen pipes, but with an older house in these conditions it is always a concern.

What does this mean for our spring? I hope that it will not be too delayed, as each spring it always seems too late for me anyway. Right now it seems like a very long way off.

2011 Winds Down

2011-12-29T08:37:00.001-09:00

I have been up for a few hours with baby Laura this morning, and my thoughts are turning to the New Year and all that has happened this year. We had a lovely Christmas, with Emmy getting almost everything she wanted, and baby Laura surprising us with the speed she is moving and developing. Jeremy and I were happy not to be traveling over Christmas with two children (though we also missed the family we would have seen if we had braved holiday travel).

In a few days, we will go up to Anchorage to see my sister La Rita get married to Tru. I am so happy to get to share this day with her even though she and Tru are planning a big wedding after he gets back from his deployment to Kuwait. We did not think we would be able to make it, but I scraped those airline miles together, found a cheap rental car, and made it happen. We are even staying a night in a hotel with a pool, which will overjoy Emmy (and Jeremy)!

So much in life is changing, which is scary, but also exciting. I will be starting a new job next month designing a program in Alutiiq language and culture at the college, and while I will still be at my current job at the Museum a little bit each week, as well as during the summer, it is a strange feeling to be swept along in this enormous change in my life. I keep describing it as being "swept along" but really I should give myself more credit - none of this would be happening if I did not think it the absolute best move for my family and myself as well as for the survival of the Alutiiq language. It is an incredible opportunity that I hope will meet with great success.

This time last year I was 4 or 5 months pregnant with baby Laura. She is now a bouncing, BIG, baby girl. Babbling, crawling so fast and trying to pull up on things. Big sister Emmy has impressed us with how much she has learned this past year, particularly with her participation in preschool. She is always using her new vocabulary on us and asking what words mean that she doesn't know. Her favorite subject in school is "arts and crafts." Yesterday she brought home a bag of paper cuttings from when she visited her grandma's school, and insisted it was her important "paperwork."

By this time next year Emmy will have been in Kindergarten for a semester, and Baby Laura will be Toddler Laura. I am so excited to hear Laura talk for real, since she has such a loveable and loud personality. I will have been teaching Alutiiq Language for a semester, so I hope that will have gone well. And Jeremy and I will be 6 months past our 10 year anniversary, which is happening next June. Which I think will be a good time for a big party.

Patch Testing

2011-12-17T08:07:00.002-09:00

This week I embarked on an interesting test to find out what chemicals, metals, and other surgery related substances I am allergic to. The reason I felt the test was needed goes back to the last time I had stitches. The sutures were supposed to dissolve in a week or two, and heal up in about the same time frame, but it took over 8 weeks for them to dissolve. My allergist believed I was allergic to a material in the sutures, but just in case it was something else related to the procedure or daily life, he tested me for a full 56 substances (a near-record for the allergy clinic). The substances were chosen based on an incredibly thorough series of questions about things or situations that have irritated my skin in the past.

Patch testing is somewhat miserable. Especially if you are being tested for so many things. It requires you to literally have patches taped on to your skin to see if your skin reacts to contact with the substances in the patches. Each patch has a number so they can check back on the list to see what you are reacting to. You have to wear them for two days (my whole upper back was covered with patches locked down with adhesive tape), then have them removed and read on the 3rd day, and have a second reading on the 4th day. And you cannot exercise or get the patches wet during that time. I was so glad to have the patches removed, and then even more overjoyed to have the second reading so I could go home and shower!

My patches, before being covered by tape.

The joy at the test being over, however, was tempered by the results - that I am chemically sensitive to 6 substances or categories: Nickel, diphenylguanadine, quinoline mix, carba mix, potassium dichromate, and amidoamine. Six doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, these six substances can go by dozens of names, and also are mixed in with other materials. Nickel, for example, is found in stainless steel, jewelry, medical screws, dyes, snaps, scissors, batteries, zippers, and even doorknobs. The potassium dichromate (chrome), is found in dissolvable sutures, detergents, tattoos, bleach, makeup, construction materials, ink, copy paper, vitamin supplements, and even pool table felt among many others. The other substances I am sensitive to are fond in rubber/foams/plastic/leather manufacturing, and in personal care products like shampoo, soap, ointment, and lotion.

So the problem I had with healing from the sutures a number of months ago? It was described by the Dr. like a perfect storm: An allergy to the stainless steel needle used, the sutures themselves, the antibacterial agents, and adhesives used in pads/bandages. Then I followed up by keeping it clean daily using soap I was likely allergic to. No wonder I had a problem healing!

I now have a whole packet of information I need to compile into a master chemical/metal names list, so I can check products at the store before buying them. I am sad that some of the products I have used in the past I will have to discard, but I had already self-selected for some products that were less irritating, and so hopefully I will be able to keep some of them. And the sensitivity I have is not so severe that I will have to wear gloves to touch a doorknob or a fork. I would only experience discomfort if in prolonged contact with the things I am sensitive to. Now, armed with this knowledge, I face a much less itchy future. If I need any surgical procedures done, I can share this information with my physician and help ensure a successful healing. This test is an investment that I am glad I made.

Photo update

2011-12-05T19:09:00.001-09:00

Here are a few recent winter photos of the girls...

Crawling

2011-11-21T19:05:00.001-09:00

Baby Lala has learned to do the army crawl, after an extended period of rolling everywhere. In this video she rolls, crawls, and gets mad while I keep moving the camera farther away.

Flu Survival

2011-11-16T19:13:00.001-09:00

Just before Jeremy got home from the grand Canyon I came down with the flu. Or I am assuming it was the flu, since I tested negative for strep and mono, though I also tested negative for the flu (all of these tests only cover some of the varieties). It was the sickest I have ever been in my life, as far as I can remember. I was in such agony with sore throat, body aches, skin sensitivity, headache, fevers, cold chills, sweats, and sinus congestion that I could not take care of Emmy and Laura and asked my mom and step dad if we could stay with them. It turned into about a three day stay. I would lay awake at night and worry that Emmy or Laura would get sick, because with the amount of pain I was in I could not bear to think of one of my children suffering that much. Laura had received the first half of her flu shot last month, but Emmy and I had not received a flu shot yet, and we still don't know if it was even the flu for sure. The night before Jeremy got home I went home with the girls, since we were so excited for his arrival, but I was still so ill that I had to ask my mom to come out to the house and help. It was so discouraging to be so unable to deal with basic responsibilities, and it made me so grateful that I have family here that can help out when things like this happen.

The day after Jeremy returned I was starting to feel better, but Emmy began to get sick and feverish. It was so hard to see her sick, but oddly she did not complain of the exact same symptoms I had. However, her fever was frequently very high (around 103F) and she was in clear distress. I think we went to the doctor 4 times last week. She was supposed to start preschool on Thursday but we had to delay it because she was so ill. Finally on Friday we got a call from the doctor who said she did not have the flu like we had thought, but was suffering form a kidney infection. I could not believe we had just been trying to keep her fever down when she should have been on antibiotics days earlier! But we just hadn't known. So, a few days of antibiotics later, Emmy is getting back to her normal self, and she was able to start preschool yesterday! Besides being completely exhausted, I think it is going well. She is very excited about the upcoming book fair.

Emmy, recovered and excited for her first day at preschool.

Halloween, Winter Arrives

2011-11-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

Right after Emmy, Laura and I returned from a very whirlwind trip to Oregon, we had Halloween festivities here in Kodiak. I tried to make sure that Emmy especially had a great time on Halloween, even though with Jeremy gone I felt more like staying home. I even got in to the spirit of it by wearing a costume to work for the first time ever. Thankfully the Greek Goddess costume I borrowed from my sister was basically like a pretty dress. I don't think it would have been as easy to wear a pumpkin costume while sitting at my desk.

Right after Halloween we got our first snow of the season and overnight it now feels like winter. I have been burning the wood stove each night, and each morning I let Emmy cross off another day on the calendar. Tomorrow Jeremy gets off of the canyon. A few days later he will be arriving home on the airplane. Emmy is beside herself with excitement. It has been a long trip.

Jeremy leaves for Grand Canyon

2011-10-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

I try not to think about him like this, poised above a huge hole in a rapid. But I can't help worrying about the danger he faces on his trip. This is something Jeremy lives for, though. He wouldn't be who he is without the river.

Last time Jeremy went down the canyon, he had no incidents or injuries, but he caught some unknown virus right before coming home and became very ill, the same week another recent canyon adventurer died from catching the plague (yes, literally the plague) from an animal carcass. Turns out Jeremy didn't have the plague, nor did he have anything else they tested him for, and he eventually got better on his own. That just goes to show you that the things you worry about are often not the things that go wrong. But this time, keeping fingers crossed, we will get our man back with nothing more than a relaxed attitude after his weeks away from "America."

The Sister Connection

2011-09-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

New Video of the Girls

2011-09-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

We got some flip video recorders at work and I brought one home to try out. It's true they are very easy to use. But they have stopped selling them since everyone uses their cell phones for video nowadays. Everyone but me...

Fashion 1911 - 2011

2011-09-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is a lot of fun. 100 years of fashion.

Caqit ukut: Planking, Owling, Leisure Diving, Horsemaning?

2011-08-29T20:07:00.001-08:00

It seems like every couple of weeks there is a new viral internet photo craze going around. Planking was the first big one. There was a guy at Mike and Erin's wedding that kept planking on everything, and it got me thinking about it more. So for those of you who haven't figured all of them out, here is a run down of some of the top photo trends...Did I miss any? (all photos from Google Images)

Planking: Where the subject lays face down, with stiff arms and legs, in strange unexpected places.

Leisure Diving: In this technique, you stage a photo of the person flying through the air, usually into a pool, in a very relaxed pose, hence "Leisure" diving. Few people in Alaska do this, because who has a pool?

Horsemaning: Inspired by the "Headless Horseman," two people are used to make an illusion of one person beheaded, often with the "body" holding the "head." Supposedly the photo below was taken in 1920, and has repopularized the technique after being discovered in a garage sale and posted online. I kind of want to try this one.

Owling: Supposedly the next greatest thing after Planking became popular, I am least inspired by this one, despite my Alutiiq name meaning "owl." Like Planking, but in a owl-like position, the subject perches in various unlikely locations.

Update: We had to try horsemaning at home. Here is our most successful attempt. Emmy thought it was hilarious.

Japanese Knotweed - Invasive Species

2011-08-14T09:00:00.001-08:00

So...the saga of the backyard septic installation continues. We were happy to see our grass growing in the new backyard fill, even though there was also a prevalence of weeds. There was one plant that I had never seen before, which I hoped was some sort of nice bush I could use in my landscaping. It sprouts with a reddish tinge, grows quickly, and has broad oval pointed leaves.

Unfortunately, as a visiting friend warned us, this plant is Japanese knotweed, which is highly invasive. Apparently there was a landslide where various contractors were getting fill dirt from, but was from a location highly infested with knotweed - a highly aggressive invasive species. So, my options are now to use poisonous chemicals, cover with heavy black plastic for a number of YEARS, or cover with 5 FEET of new clean soil. Pulling up from the roots can actually spread it worse, since root systems can be 45 feet long, and only a small root fragment can restart a colony. Another option is to cut it down up to 6 times a season for 5 years or more, which is sometimes used for large stands of it, but it can regrow to full size within a month or two.

I asked the Kodiak Water and Soil Conservation District to come and look at it, and they suggested they could target spray it with something, and only kill a little grass since the knotweed are not yet well established. It might or might not fully address the problem. What a pain!

A Beautiful Wedding

2011-08-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we attended the wedding of Erin and Mike. It took place at Abercrombie, and it was incredible. Everyone in the wedding party wore whatever they wanted, but somehow it all looked planned. The bride was radiant, the father proud, the couple glowing. Jeremy was a best man and Brent was the Officiant. Emmy was a flower girl. The weather was fantastic, with just a few thin clouds, and everyone was having a great time.

Chiniak

2011-08-06T21:03:00.001-08:00

Pingaqtaaka Cingiyaq. I like Chiniak. I must admit it, I like it even better than Pasagshak. It has a nice rugged coastline and round little bays surrounded by trees, with beautiful ocean views all the way along the road. Today, since my parents-in-law are in town, we brought them out to Isthmus Bay, the same place we were last weekend. Although it sprinkled rain most of the afternoon, we had a blast. It would be quite nice to have a place out there some day...

We set up Emmy's "kids tent" to have some protection for Laura from the rain.

Being an avid sports fisherman, Matt caught and released most of the day, but he and Jeremy kept three of the brightest pinks for the freezer.

There may have been just as much fun to be had in the tent as there was on the beach.

Emmy eating her cookie and enjoying the scenery. The seiner in the background made sets all day long.

Laura seems to enjoy being out doors and getting fresh air. She was very cheerful.

Looking back from the beach towards the winding stream.

Summertime Sunshine

2011-08-05T20:23:00.001-08:00

It really has been a lovely summer for weather. Our home water supply has taken a hit due to the scarcity of rain, but I really can't complain. These photos are from our trip to Chiniak last Sunday.

Family Photography

2011-07-31T08:39:00.000-08:00

Last night we went for a hike off of Woodland Drive on Spruce Cape. We brought the camera and Jeremy, Emmy and I all took our turn at photos. It was a beautiful evening and we had a lot of fun. Here are some selections...

Photo by Emmy. It took a few tries to get the tops of everyone's head in the photo and no fingertips in the way, but she did great.

In this one, we tried to get the whole family in the shop without stopping or slowing our walk. Pretty funny.

Laura tries a glamour shot.

Emmy and I try the "Senior Photo" look.

Jeremy gazes thoughtfully into the distance.

Peak of Summer

2011-07-17T14:35:00.001-08:00

It feels like just a few weeks ago I posted, saying how pathetic my garden is this year. Well, maybe my rhubarb yield was not as much as I had hoped, but I think things have actually turned out pretty good so far. There probably is not much time before we start noticing things going downhill again towards fall. However, the salmonberries for the most part are unripe and/or seedy due to the lack of rain. The backyard grass seed project is looking sparse, but I still have hope it will thicken by the end of the season. I'll post photos when it is further along.

Jeremy got a used swing set last weekend from his boss, and he added the slide we got from Bill, and a few new swing seats. We found another use for the small deck that used to be in the backyard, and this afternoon Jeremy plans to stain both to make them look new.

Yesterday it was also very sunny so we went out to Abercrombie and let Emmy run around a bit up near the big bunker. She was saying "I feel like I am in a fairytale land!"

Future Band

2011-06-30T21:45:00.000-08:00

Emmy's cousin from Juneau is now old enough to really interact with her. Here they are rocking out with each holding half of a video game guitar.

Seeding today

2011-06-25T08:22:00.001-08:00

Well, the septic took a bit longer than expected to get completed. The contractor's backhoe broke down, and a few other mishaps took the project into the middle of this week. But I am happy to say it is all closed back up now and we have the nicest, newest septic system on the block! He he.

Since we have quite a large expanse of bare dirt now, today we are planning to rake and seed the back and side yards with grass. I hope this will result in a nice grassy expanse where the girls can play. I'll post a photo late in the summer to show how things turned out.

The back yard, our beautiful Three Sisters view, and the telephone pole.

In other news, my potatoes have sprouted, along with the sugar snap peas and nasturtiums. We got my birch tree planted in the front yard, decided to spare the sickly maple tree from the burn pile for one more season, and things are starting to look pretty nice out in the front garden.

Septic Installation

2011-06-18T12:11:00.002-08:00

After nearly a year of trying, waiting, and stressing, we are finally getting our septic tank and leach field replaced. We don't feel...excited exactly, but I anticipate feeling very relieved within the next few days to know everything is back in working order. We will also have a nice flat backyard which will be nice for the girls to play on once the grass grows in.

Our contractor is doing a very meticulous job, measuring and leveling at every step.

Emmy, playing princess of Gravel Mountain.

Unrelated to the post, but just had to include this cute pic of Laura, who is smiling more and more every day.

Laura

2011-06-14T09:12:00.005-08:00

Baby Laura laughing. She turns two months this weekend.

Garden 2011

2011-06-13T12:58:00.001-08:00

Well, the garden won't be much this year. Due to the length of time it is taking us to get the septic field replacement project completed, the backyard will be lucky to just get reseeded with grass before the end of the summer. I did buy two trees, a small ash tree and a paper birch which I hope to establish in the back yard, but we'll see how long we have to wait before that happens. I used to have three raised beds back there, so I am planning to ask Jeremy to build me some new ones next year for my potatoes and other food plants.

The front yard is now the primary garden, and is hardly worthy of a report, but since it is sort of a tradition to give garden updates, I will go ahead anyway. The large rhododendron which suffered for years in my shady yard (before rallying last year after I finally began putting miracle grow on it) is still alive. I will post photos of it soon, though it still looks like it would have liked to remain in its original location out on the Coast Guard base. It was outside of a building out there for 15 years or more in a nice sunny location before it was removed (yanked out of the ground with a chain tied to a truck) and rescued by my step dad. Keeping it alive has been quite a job, but it still blooms bravely each summer. My small rhododendron was pretty badly smashed by the snow being pushed off the road by plows last winter, but still has some leaves on it. I think I need to protect it with a fence or some large rocks before next winter.

My rhubarb, which was moved last year to the front yard is now getting more established and I may be able to harvest some this year. I LOVE rhubarb pie! I have about 4 plants, 2 of which are of good size. My only other edibles this year are some chives which are doing great, some sugar snap peas in a planter, and two halibut tubs where I planted some potatoes. I got the potatoes planted late, and in store bought potting soil, which I plan to add some kelp to. I am wondering how they will do.

I am a big fan of perennials, and the flowering plants that survived include a couple types of primrose, a columbine, two colors of astilbe, and some lily of the valley. I had two different types of mint last year but neither overwintered, which surprised me. Rounding out the front garden, here is a hedge of rugosa rose, foxgloves, and some nasturtiums which have not yet sprouted, along with some filler annuals from the nursery, and a few more items waiting to be planted. Whew!

Now that I listed out everything, I guess my garden isn't too pathetic. It is no "master" garden, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of it and It can only get better as time goes on!

Stop the Belo Monte Dam!

2011-06-01T14:06:00.005-08:00

The Brazilian government has just approved a massive dam project that will displace 40,000 Indigenous and other residents of Brazil, and flood over 120,000 acres of rainforest and local communities.

Chief Raoni of the Xingu cries when he learns that Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff approved the beginning of construction of the hydroelectric plant of Belo Monte.

Even if it is too late, the Brazilian government needs to know the rest of the world is watching. Sign a petition to be delivered to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff here.

Crab Fest Weekend #2

2011-05-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

We've been hitting crab fest every day and it has been packed due to the lack of rain. Let's just say I am exhausted and it isn't even the last day. Actually we are going back down to the festival shortly...ayaa!


Three Cousins.

With Mom and Alberta.

Enjoying the spinning apples.

Catching some duckies.

They must have played the ducky game and froggy game about 5 times each.


Riding with friend Kori in the trucks.

Identical cousins, LOL.

Jeremy in the kayak race.

Crab Festival 2011

2011-05-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

What is this? Sun? Every year is rains on Crab Festival, but even though we had a rainy forecast, yesterday was merely cloudy once the festival started, and now today is beautiful and sunny! Emmy is beside herself with excitement about the rides and games. This morning her cousin Ravenna from Anchorage arrived, and they have already gotten in an hour of rides before naptime.

Places I Have Been...

2011-05-23T09:57:00.002-08:00

...and places I would like to go. I had some fun on TripAdvisor plotting out the places I have been in the world (yellow) and places I would like to visit (green). I did not put as places I have been those locations I just passed through by car or in the airport on one occasion. I am not too adventurous but I do like to see new things. Right now I would say my top two places I would like to visit are Hawai'i and Italy. Italy may take a bit longer to visit, maybe when the girls are a bit older.

The TripAdvisor travel map does not allow you to place pins on extremely remote spots, like the towns I visited in Chukotka, Russian Far East. Or some less remote locations like most of the villages on Kodiak Island. But I guess one's definition of remoteness is relative. Also I am not sure why it says I have been to 20 countries, because I am counting only 7. Oh Well!

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Fairbanks Graduation Trip

2011-05-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we went to Fairbanks so I could walk in the UAF graduation. We had such a busy trip but got a lot out of it. Emmy and Jeremy went swimming 3 or 4 times in the hotel pool. We went to two parties, had meals in some of our favorite restaurants, went to the playground, saw some friends, and of course attended the graduation ceremony. Laura did great on the plane since she really doesn't know where she is yet. By the time we came home, Emmy did not want to leave sunny Fairbanks.

Best "Thriller" Dance performances on the web

2011-05-17T09:56:00.003-08:00

I featured the Arctic researcher Thriller performance over a year ago on this blog, but have been mentally compiling a list of other great Michael Jackson Thriller performances I have seen on the web. When I saw the Maori Haka version from the movie Boy (which I am dying to see) I knew this was a sign I should do a blog posting. I remember seeing a surprise wedding dance version once, but when I tried to re-find on Youtube, there were hundreds of wedding versions, and I just couldn't find one I think is the "best." So here are some others I did find for your enjoyment.

Do YOU know of any unique, surprise, or unexpected versions of the Thriller dance?

This next one cannot be embedded, but is worth clicking the link to view. It is prisoners from CPDRC prison, who also have a number of other great dance performances on Youtube. They even jazz up the Thriller moves a bit.

http://youtu.be/hMnk7lh9M3o

Some JJ Cole Employees in a practiced office rendition:

And the one that got it all started for me, the northernmost version of Thriller, performed at the Toolik Bay Field Station:

Ironically, I do not myself know the Thriller dance.

Camping with Dad

2011-05-09T11:58:00.001-08:00

Emmy and Jeremy went camping Saturday night at Abercrombie. It was a little chilly yet, so few others were staying in the campground. Melissa, Melody, Laura and I went and visited for dinner. It was a beautiful evening and the girls had a great time. Emmy was reportedly very cozy in the tent, inside both her and Jeremy's sleeping bags while he slept in a spare.

Emmy turns 4!

2011-05-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

With her first cake on her real birthday. Her party was held a few days later on Saturday.

With her new Strider running bike. No training wheels or pedals.

At her party with friend Kori

With cake number two, and cousin Melody.

Baby Shots

2011-04-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Kitchen complete

2011-04-26T10:28:00.002-08:00

With the arrival of Baby Laura, I haven't posted the news that before she arrived, Jeremy completed the final touches on the kitchen. He still wants to install a breakfast bar, but if you didn't know that, you would say it is 100% done. It is sooooo nice to have a functioning kitchen, with lots of space that is just pleasant to look at. The whole downstairs is enjoyable to spend time in now that the remodel is done.

Jeremy and Mohawk enjoy the new kitchen.

Here is a photo of Laura doing her favorite activity other than eating.

Baby Laura Beverly Counceller

2011-04-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

Born April 18th, 2011, 11:25 pm. Weight 9 lbs., 9 oz., 21.25 inches long. And adorable!

Weekend Roundup: "Spring" Hike, Tiles & floor, Grandma's Birthday

2011-04-03T21:15:00.001-08:00

Slightly treacherous.

Puddle fun

Mohawk could hardly contain himself.

It was so rainy and windy, we kept to the woods for most of the walk.

Emmy and Me

Backsplash tiles, not yet grouted, but looking AWESOME thanks to Bill!

Emmy enjoys the finished floor, completed by Jeremy and Brent.

Hard to know who was more excited :-)

So sweet.

Kitchen Stage 8: Appliances!

2011-03-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

We have water. We have power. We have appliances hooked up. If needed, we have a fully functioning kitchen. I must restrain myself not to move back into the kitchen until Jeremy has a chance to do the trim, end panels, and other details...But today is a good day!

Kitchen Stage 7: Countertops

2011-03-20T21:01:00.002-08:00

From drywall installation to counter tops within one week...Jeremy has been hard at work. And so have quite a few friends and family. Today Jimmy lent his expertise on laminate counter top application. This kitchen has turned into quite the community project. Many thanks to everyone!

Jimmy routering.

Jeremy chose maple for the routered edge. Not sure if we will leave light to match the floor or stain to match the cabinets.

We used Wilsonart HD laminate, which is supposed to be 30% harder than typical laminate.

Kitchen Cabinets

2011-03-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

Kitchen Floor

2011-03-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

Today Jeremy and Dave did the floor on the kitchen side of the great room. In less than a day! The other half of the great room will be done after the cabinets are moved over. It looks AWESOME!

Jeremy locks the boards in place. He used a thin foam underlayment, a 3-in-one that is supposed to be good for blocking moisture, sound, and...something else.

Dave says he'll sleep good tonight.

We used a laminate with beveled edges, so it looks more like wood boards. It has a 40 year warranty and is moisture resistant - a good thing here in Kodiak.

We got the flooring from ifloor.com, which has a distribution center in Seattle.

Kitchen Stage 6, and Grandpa Dave

2011-03-15T20:06:00.002-08:00

There has been much happening, as you can see from the pictures. Brent finished mudding (Thanks Brent!), Jeremy sanded down the walls, and then we decided they looked so good, texture wasn't necessary. So yesterday was priming, today was painting. I had trouble pcking out the paint, worrying I was getting something too dark, but it is actually just a bit darker than off-white. It looks good though - very clean, but warm too. It should allow the darker cabinets to really stand out.

Grandpa Dave (Jeremy's Dad) has been helping during his visit for the past couple of days. It's what we call a working vacation!


	Emmy dances with joy at all the progress.

Primed and painted.

Never thought "this old house" could look so new.

In preparation for tomorrow's flooring installation, Jeremy brings in some self-leveling crete for a low spot.

Keeping Grandpa busy. Just don't believe any rumors about Jeremy working him to death on the remodel.

Kitchen Stage 5: Drywall

2011-03-12T08:31:00.000-09:00

The guys are hard at work, with drywall now on most walls and some of the mudding well on its way. I believe my job today is to pick out paint!

"Yes, I do love overhead drywall installation. Nearly as much as overhead insulation."

"There"..."No, There."

Surveying the progress.

Emmy was having a lot of fun dancing with the guys after they finished up last night. She saved the last dance for Daddy.

Kitchen Stage 3, 4

2011-03-06T12:33:00.002-09:00

With the construction zone that is our house, It has been all too easy to use the excuse of not being able to find the connector cable for the camera as a reason to not update the blog on our kitchen progress. So here I am playing catch up...

Brent and Jeremy obliging me with an "action shot" during floor demolition. There were many old layers to the floor, which made it difficult to tear up. With the floor being so lumpy, and originally constructed with thin plywood, Jeremy had to tear it down to the original framing, and even redo some of that.

Floor in partially removed, partially rebuilt stage.

With a clean, new floor, the downstairs has become an irresistible play area.

Old large window torn out in preparation for the smaller over-sink kitchen window.

Framed in opening for the smaller window.

Emmy working with her "tools," that is, making a collection from the many color-coded electrical caps. Oh yeah, did I mention the kitchen has also been completely rewired, courtesy of Bill? Apparently the whole old kitchen was on one circuit.

Now that the new electrical has been run, Jeremy can put up some additional insulation before applying new drywall. Notice the post next to the window at right - Jeremy added this after removing the old drywall and seeing how little reinforcement was on the original wall.

So, the next stages, if I understand everything correctly, include drywall for the ceiling and walls, installing the laminate floor, bringing in the cabinets, connecting the electric to the appliances and lighting fixtures, countertops, plumbing, and all those final touches.

I am at about 35 weeks now, just over 30 days until Baby Laura is due to arrive. Since Jeremy's work is taking a spring break in about a week, he will have some uninterrupted work time. So he believes finishing all of this is feasible before we become a family of four. Quite a deadline though, eh?

Kitchen Stage 2

2011-02-12T13:47:00.003-09:00

Now that the cabinets have arrived a bit earlier than expected, Jeremy is working hard on the kitchen demolition. Today, he tore off all the drywall, removed the old lighting fixtures, and expanded the opening into the living area, getting some help from Brent along the way. What a HUGE difference a few hours makes!

How it looked this morning, as Jeremy began getting rid of the old drywall.


Drywall removed, suddenly it feels like a cozy cabin downstairs. We didn't know when we first bought the house that the whole downstairs was constructed with square logs, though it explains the low ceilings. Cabinets will be installed in a "U" at the far end, and extend along the right wall up to the window.

Note the larger opening at the far end under the stairs, which was previously regular doorway-sized. The nearest opening visible in this photo will be walled in, and make one side of the "U."

One of our new cabinets, still in the box!

Final phases

2011-02-10T17:37:00.001-09:00

I haven't been keeping track of my pregnancy weeks with this baby the way I did with Emmy. It is all so confusing anyway - they say you are pregnant for 9 months, but then they begin counting your first month before you are actually even pregnant. Then, you discover that you have the baby at the END of the 9th month - so really it is 10 months. But then if you consider that the counting begins before conception, you are back down to 9 months. It gets even more complicated when you think of how most pregnancy books and guides count by what week you are IN, while at the doctor, they count by how many weeks you have completed. Some books count different months as having either four or five weeks. So while I have told people I am seven months along, my Mayo Clinic pregnancy book is telling me I am halfway through my 8th month (it counts through the end of the 10th month!). And what is the point of all these various counting methods when the due date is only a good faith estimate at best? So, I have been keeping track less diligently this time than last, but today I figured it out, and I am in my 32nd week. Laura is due at 40 weeks, so we are really getting close here.

And, in other news, our kitchen cabinets have arrived! Jeremy has been so busy, and since we did not know exactly how long they would take, the downstairs is not quite ready yet. Nor have we ordered some of the final items to complete the project like a new sink, lighting, countertops, etc. I have a feeling that this weekend will be a busy one...

Kitchen Stage 1

2011-01-31T19:01:00.003-09:00

I am so excited about the progress Jeremy is making on the downstairs. We are reconfiguring the space to take away the two long skinny rooms that were our living room and kitchen (what Jeremy called "The Double-Wide"). I keep calling it a kitchen remodel, but really it is the kitchen, living and dining rooms that will all be different. So far, he has torn out and rebuilt the floor in the living room, removed all of the old cabinets, and yesterday took out the majority of the dividing wall, except for the significant support posts and beams that are needed since it was a bearing wall. I believe the next step is to redo the current kitchen floor so that both rooms can be unified with one flooring type. Goodbye ugly linoleum! Then there will be drywall work, wiring, the new cabinets and plumbing... How lucky I am to have a husband who can do all of this! Obviously I can help very little with the project, except the tough jobs of picking out cabinets, tiles, flooring, and paint colors...

So this is what the kitchen will look like, sort of. A portion of the dividing wall will be retained at the far end of the room to form one wall of the u-shaped kitchen area, with the dining room on the left side - in the far end of the original living room. The window visible on the right hand side of the first photo will be smaller, and can be seen in the layout image. The other ends of the old living room and kitchen will become the new living room area, though I am not sure if the necessary support post in the middle of it all will add character or make it difficult to furnish. We'll worry about that part later.

New Background

2011-01-25T08:37:00.001-09:00

Instead of posting last night I played around with my blog design. It is still not exactly how I would like, but I do like being able to use one of my own photos as the background. Although it has to be tiled, which I do not like so much. There are just too many variables I guess.

In other news, I got my diploma in the mail yesterday. That is the physical proof I have been waiting for that I am really, truly done with the Ph.D. I already knew I was done but somehow the mind doesn't want to get fully comfortable until the diploma is in hand. So now I guess it is time to move on. Except my advisor would want me to consider the publishable journal papers to be created out of different chapters, to really make my mark. Maybe soon...

7th Month

2011-01-20T19:06:00.000-09:00

A friend up in Fairbanks is being induced tonight. By this time tomorrow she should be holding her new baby girl. I am starting to think about the end of this pregnancy and if I am going to be ready. I still have over 2.5 months, but I have scarcely thought about the reality - that we will have a new baby girl in the family, who will be the center of the universe for a while, needing all of our care and efforts. I remember with Emmy the first month was pretty desperate. By month 2, her personality was beginning to show, we got into a routine, got some sleep, and began to feel sane again. That time frame is what I look forward to at this point - I am in a smooth part (relatively) of the pregnancy, but things will get tougher physically until the birth and for a while afterwards. But it becomes worth it in a short time. Here's to our next adventure!

Winter tragedy

2011-01-10T19:36:00.000-09:00

Last night Jeremy was called out to help search for a person on Island Lake we have known for many years. He had gone ice skating and did not return. The story does not have a happy ending. We slept little last night. It has been such a strange day. We feel so terrible for his best friend and his wife, and all of the other people that will be affected by this. The whole situation was very erie. Tragedies like this remind you not to pass up opportunities to spend time with friends and family, since you never know when something like this will happen. And it also reinforces the importance of communication and safety precautions, as common situations can quickly become dangerous and deadly.

We are moving...

2011-01-08T09:19:00.002-09:00

...upstairs.

In preparation for the remodel of our kitchen and living area, which I am WAY to excited about, we are moving our living operations up to the apartment in our house. Emmy has already had her bedroom up here since late summer, but I have been resisting moving the kitchen and living operations up here, mainly because I am used to spending my time downstairs, and that is also where the dishwasher is. However, it is fully set up here, with the exception of a full-sized fridge, which Jeremy and Ben will be moving up from the other kitchen today. Everything is a bit more compact, but most of it is in better shape than the house is downstairs, as Jeremy has already redone the flooring, moved up the furniture, and put in a wood stove. With our main living room furniture up here as well, we've been basically camping downstairs, using a park bench as a couch and a weird uncomfortable chaise lounge for an easy chair. I guess it is about time. These photos are of the scene up here this morning, but if you have been in our house you will notice that the photos are reversed. Photo booth reverses my pictures for some reason...

With Jeremy tearing out the cabinets, the drywall, and even the floor (not just the flooring - the actual floor!) before we can start reconstruction of things down there, the next few months will be a mess downstairs. The result though will be a completely renovated, beautiful living area. My hope is that it will all be completed by the time Baby Laura gets here in mid-April.

New Year's Resolution

2011-01-05T19:02:00.000-09:00

I usually don't do resolutions. But in the spirit of all the big changes in my life, I decided to do one this year. My resolution is to be mindful of the fact the much of the stress in my life comes from within. In my work there are often stressful situations - saving a language is no easy task. But I can choose how I respond to those situations, and I can choose to internalize less of the stress. So that is what I will be trying to do.

So far, I have been doing pretty well. Things are busy, some might even say stressful. But I am kind of enjoying being back at work for full days now that I am not working on school, able to focus my energies and get a lot done. It is a good feeling. Let's hope this lasts!

Full Circle

2010-12-19T11:04:00.001-09:00

Last night we had some friends come over to celebrate my completion of school. This week I have been thinking about the time that has passed over the course of my Ph.D., and how long it has felt, while actually being very short in the big scheme of things.

The year I applied to the SLATE program at UAF to start my Ph.D. was 2007, when I was about a month further along in my first pregnancy than I am now. A few months after we had Emmy, I started my first class, a summer intensive up at the UAF campus when Emmy was 2 months old. I brought her to class with me each day in a stroller, fed her in class, changed her on the floor in the hall, and let her sleep in one of the suitcases we flew to Fairbanks in. By that fall, we were preparing for a move to Fairbanks where I needed to be on campus to complete the majority of my coursework. At that time, Emmy was learning to crawl. We spent 2008 in Fairbanks, then moved back here in 2009 so I could complete my research and other requirements, and then write my dissertation. All together, this took just over three years. Summer of 2007 to Fall 2010, and all that time I was working and being a mom. This would not have been possible with a lot of support from friends, family, and especially my husband - and I don't mean moral support - I mean actual help from these people in the form of childcare, meals, house cleaning, and a hundred other favors I will never be able to repay.

As I begin the next chapter of my life I am halfway through my pregnancy with our second daughter. Who knows what will happen in the next three years. Last night my mom said she sometimes wondered if she should have told me not to do the Ph.D., because now she has seen how hard it was on me. I told her, if I hadn't done it, I would always wonder if I had made a mistake or missed out by not doing it. This way I have no regrets. Yes, it was miserable at times, but I did it, and it is something I never have to do again!

High winds

2010-12-14T16:11:00.003-09:00

Looks like we should tie down...everything tonight and tomorrow!

From NOAA weather Kodiak:

KODIAK ISLAND
INCLUDING...KODIAK CITY
950 AM AKST TUE DEC 14 2010

...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...
.TODAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY.
TEMPERATURES DROPPING INTO THE MID 20S. NORTHWEST WIND 25 TO 40 MPH
WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 55 MPH. 
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 15. NORTHWEST WIND 40 TO 50 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 75 MPH POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT. 
.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTH WIND 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 75 MPH
POSSIBLE.

Snow

2010-12-14T08:00:00.003-09:00

From a few days ago...Since it started raining almost immediately after it snowed, we took advantage of the opportunity to get the girls outside and play, though it was well past dark. Marshmallows, snowballs, sledding and a snowman!

done. really.

2010-12-12T14:40:00.000-09:00

I am almost afraid to say it, for fear of making it not true. After all, the diploma is not yet in hand. But yesterday, my final requirement for graduating - my printed dissertation copies - were mailed to the UAF graduate school. It doesn't seem real yet. I am not jumping for joy. I am not demanding that everyone call me Doctor! Maybe the thrill that everyone thinks I will feel upon graduating will never materialize. That's not to say I am not happy and relieved. I am ready to get on with the next chapter of my life. I want to be able to focus on work when I am at work, and my family when I am at home. I want to start taking my gardening more seriously again, and do something creative. It will be nice to do nothing sometimes and not feel guilty about it.

In the short term, it is time to consider the holidays and the family trip to Tennessee and Indiana coming up in just a week. And there is much to be done at work before then. And how many presents to wrap? The end of one thing does not mean I will become less busy. At least not yet.

Emmy's Christmas Dress

2010-12-01T17:02:00.000-09:00

Ultrasound #2

2010-11-30T13:01:00.001-09:00

Looks like Baby is going to be a girl! Emmy is very excited to be getting a sister to play with. I am getting what I wanted, and Jeremy is getting used to the idea.

Some think it's better to wait until the baby is born to find out the gender, but I find it so much easier to plan now that I know. For instance, it looks like we can keep those garbage bags full of baby girl clothes that were left over from Emmy and her cousins.

Day after Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T12:24:00.000-09:00

Since we won't be here on Christmas, we set up our tree early so we have time to enjoy it before our trip. Emmy is so excited.

Thanksgiving on Kodiak

2010-11-25T11:32:00.001-09:00

Ima-mi April?

2010-11-22T08:00:00.001-09:00

Why have I not been posting since September? Well I have a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I am pregnant! I had an extremely rough first trimester, with severe morning sickness, smell sensitivity, and general hopelessness for about the first 4 months. During that time I also had the severe hacking chest cold that went around Kodiak, followed by bronchitis. As soon as the bronchitis cleared up, and the nausea started to fade I had three weeks of headaches, which turned out to be an untreated sinus infection. I don't even want to say I am feeling better for fear I'll jinx myself.

Here's the little one at the last ultrasound, which unfortunately did not reveal the gender. We are having an elective ultrasound next week to hopefully find out if this is a little boy or girl.

And then there is the dissertation. My final draft is due to the graduate school on Dec. 3rd if I want to graduate this semester. And yes, I do very much want to graduate. The editing phase of the dissertation has been much more difficult than I had thought possible. Finally I am nearing the end, but am still not DONE, so you can expect to hear more from me in a few weeks.

Christmas will be so great this year.

Almost Camping

2010-09-06T18:53:00.000-08:00

We almost went camping on Saturday. We packed up, quite a lot of work for the whole family with the dogs. Well, Jeremy did the majority of that. We went out to Kalsin Bay where Mom and Tony and a number of their friends camp every year. It was pouring rain. We had a dry tent, but there was just nowhere good to go for shelter. So after all of our raingear had failed us, even though we still had a dry tent, we decided to head home at about 9 pm.

The one exciting thing that happened involved bears and cattle. We saw three bears upstream in the distance fishing, inland from our camp. Our camp was along the top of the beach. They seemed to be getting a bit closer and Tony had just cooked some steaks, so we were keeping an eye on them. As Emmy and I went down the beach to check on the halibut Jeremy caught, we heard some commotion and realized everyone had jumped in their trucks. Jeremy yelled to me to get Emmy in our truck, just as I saw a herd of cattle come barreling in from the side - they were chasing off the bears who had been running full speed towards our camp. I never got to see the bears get close, but the cattle were imposing - they must have developed an instinct to chase bears off when they got too close to their grazing area. The bears never came back that night, but there were some jumpy campers, rumor has it.

Romania Trip #2

2010-09-03T16:30:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since I posted more photos from Romania. Here is a nice selection. There were so many great things to see and photos can hardly capture how subjects looked in real life, but these are some of the better ones...

Metalworking detail on an entry gate.

Outside of the house where Vlad Tepesh is rumored to have been born.

The nice lady who made the purse I got for Emmy.

Sign outside of Voronets monastary. Those wearing shorts, including men, were given long wrap skirts to wear inside the gates by the nuns.

"The Last Judgement" painting on Voronets Monastery.

Romania Trip #1

2010-08-15T13:09:00.001-08:00

We had a great adventure in Romania! Here are some photos from Alberta's camera. I'll post more once I get mine uploaded. Roving Romania was an awesome tour operator, and we saw so many amazing things...

On the Trans Fagarash Pass

Defense Tower at one of the Painted Monastaries

Exterior of Painted Monastary at Sucevitsa

After the long climb to Poienari Castle/Fortress (built by Vlad Tepesh)

At Bran Castle

2010-07-29T11:39:00.002-08:00

In case you are curious how the weather is while I am in Romania...

Ben & Crystal's wedding

2010-07-27T15:29:00.001-08:00

Our friends Ben and Crystal got married last weekend. Jeremy officiated the ceremony. Here are a few photos from the event.

Crystal checks on their baby Ira.

Right before the ceremony. The bride wore a vintage 1960s gown.

"I do."

Our little family.

Defense

2010-07-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

I passed! It went very well, everyone was supportive, and it's done! Can't really elaborate because I am headed to El Chicanos to celebrate :-)

Defense

2010-07-22T09:51:00.002-08:00

My defense is tomorrow. I am nervous, even though I know I am prepared and it will be just fine. I'll let you know how it goes after I am recovered!

Kodiak on the Cheap #2

2010-07-20T18:54:00.001-08:00

Other great deals on Kodiak, that also taste good...

1. Martha's Place. You can get a huge beef, chicken, veggie, fish, or potato taco (using two tortillas) for exactly 5 dollars, and it comes with chips and homemade salsa. And topped with the best real guacamole ever. Warning: you may spend some time standing in line, because Martha's Place is a van. And you need to know where she parks for lunch and Dinner. And she's closed all winter, so get it while you can.

2. Java Flats. Delicious sandwiches and breakfast burritos. Not sure how much they cost, but its not much, definitely under 10 bucks. They come with chips and homemade salsa, or fresh fruit. Its hard to go wrong here. They are crowded on weekends, so it is worth it to call in and then pick up your food, take it to the beach or out the road, and really enjoy. Disclosure: Java Flats is owned by a friend, and she's the best kind of people.

Also, check out Urban Spoon Kodiak where you can rate restaurants, see menus, etc. I always go on there when I need to find the phone number for getting take out, you know, when I am not otherwise cooking my family a delicious homemade meal.

Double Rainbow Clip

2010-07-20T07:59:00.002-08:00

My Defense is this Friday here in Sun'aq, and what I am nervous about now, is that EVERYONE I know (well practically) is going to be there or are calling in. Why did I agree to this? Because all those people are rooting for me that's why. Nonetheless, I wonder what it would have been like to have it up at UAF like everyone else...maybe just a tiny bit less stressful? Knowing me I would have come up with a reason to be stressed about it no matter what.

In other news...

I know this is all over the internet, judging by the over 5 million views, but I just had to include it here. Wow. You have to watch it to understand.

Old Harbor/Nuniaq Camp

2010-07-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

A few photos taken at my recent trip to Old Harbor's Nuniaq Camp last weekend to teach Alutiiq Language...

Kodiak Wedding featured on Wedinator!

2010-07-15T13:49:00.001-08:00

Wedinator is a blog devoted to funny, embarrassing or bad wedding photos. Does anyone know who this is? Obviously it was held here in Kodiak.

see more Wedinator

Spruce Cape

2010-06-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

Misty morning walk

Summertime fun

2010-06-29T09:00:00.002-08:00

The first three photos are from Pasagshak last week, when Jeremy and Emmy dropped me off to finish my edits. We took a little trip to the beach first since the weather was so great. The last photo is from a few days ago after Jeremy and Ben went fishing.

2010-06-25T20:56:00.003-08:00

The defensible draft of my dissertation is in, and a couple days later I am still recovering. This weekend I am going to spend a little less time on the computer and rest my eyes. Maybe go for a hike and try to remember how to relax...

Pas'rsarmen Agciqua (I am going to Pasagshak)

2010-06-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

I am headed to Pasagshak for a few days to finish up my edits. I turn in the final ('defensible") draft to my graduate committee on Wednesday, so the pressure is on. A month after that is my defense here in Kodiak! A week later Alberta and I head to Romania for a vacation. When I get back I will be finishing up any edits I have, turning in the paperwork, and depositing. Then you can call me Dr. :-)

Seriously though, I have a LOT to get done in the next few days, hence my retreat to a place with no internet or other distractions.

2010-06-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

In preparation for Father's Day, I asked Emmy (in front of Jeremy) "What makes Daddy such a good dad?" She paused and said, "Because he makes money."

Kodiak on the Cheap

2010-06-17T16:13:00.001-08:00

Since I eat out a lot, I thought I should share some recommendations from time to time. So here goes, my recommendations for a cheap meal in Kodiak that also tastes good:

1. Sandwich special at Big Al's Pizza inside Cost Savers. For 6 dollars you can get a salad that would cost you about 15 dollars elsewhere (they don't even charge more for a chef style vs garden - I get garden) AND a sub sandwich, either cold or like a pizza sub. Yes, sometimes they forget some instructions or ingredients, but for the price, this can't be beat. And you can get the lunch special for dinner if you want. Another good cheap item from Big Al's is the breadsticks with marinara sauce.

2. Monk's Rock bowl of chowder or borscht. Somewhere around 5 dollars. It comes with bread or crackers and is a pretty good size. Everything there is homemade, so even the higher priced items are well worth the money. The BLT with gouda is also heavenly, by the way, although a bit more expensive.

Next time I do reviews: best dinner items from my favorite Kodiak restaurants. I only wish there were more of them. (interpret how you wish)

Buskin River "float"

2010-06-14T15:51:00.003-08:00

Hmmmmm. Well, all I can say is that I am happy Emmy had a good time and that her Daddy was there to protect her.

Photo by Jone S.

Near Island Hike & Picnic

2010-06-13T10:25:00.002-08:00

Rhubarb

2010-06-13T08:00:00.002-08:00

Since I split and moved my rhubarb this year it is a bit small for harvesting. Yesterday Shelly let me come over and harvest a bunch of her rhubarb. Thank You Shelly! I was able to put a few packages in the freezer as well as set aside some to make a pie today. Aatunaruaq piturnirtaartuq!

Formatting

2010-06-12T08:56:00.002-08:00

I have been playing around with the blog appearance, which you may have noticed if you check here often. It seemed that the more I messed around with it the harder it was to read. So I went a bit simpler. Hopefully I can keep my hands off it now!

Mohawk

2010-06-11T12:15:00.006-08:00

Mohawk has come a long way since we got him in January. He is still very skittish, especially with men, but he is coming along well with his obedience. He can sit, lay down, shake, and even go in his kennel on command. Actually, when I put my coat on, he goes in his kennel because he anticipates my wishes. Today I gave him a treat in his kennel, and then he kept going in there and looking at me, expecting another treat. Smart dog. Since he is bonded to me he is really affectionate (as long as he approaches me on his terms) almost to the point of being demanding by roughly rubbing his face on my hand.

We have devised special ways of training because of his quirks. Because he never can feel trapped without panicking, we use gestures to get him to go in his kennel or to the front door to be let out. I stand aside to allow him to go to the door, where he lets me put his run line on him, rather than make him pass by me through a narrow opening. The pathway to where we want him to go always needs to be the widest path, and I use a sweeping arm gesture to direct him. Weird, but it works.

When we got him he was fluffy but very skinny. Now he has filled out quite a bit, but his summer coat is sort of short haired - I wonder if he has a long winter coat and a short summer coat due to his Fairbanks origins, or if he will be short haired from here on out. He is just over 1 year old now, so we'll have to wait and see.

Beautiful Day

2010-06-09T09:39:00.004-08:00

As heard on KMXT this morning: although it is sunny now, it won't last. the Barometer is dropping, so enjoy it while you can...

Here is a photo from my walk on White Sands beach this morning, and one from my garden.

River Picnic

2010-06-06T15:54:00.005-08:00

It was looking a bit blustery when we decided to drive out the road for a quick picnic, so we decided to go to the put-in at Sargeant River. Emmy and I ate our lunch in the car since it was so chilly, but after we got out there was much fun to be had, including smores and throwing rocks in the water.

Jeremy thought the levels looked good for a quick run so we came home and he got his boat and he headed back out. Kathy volunteered to set shuttle for him. Emmy and I decided to work on the hanging baskets.

Chives

2010-06-04T15:56:00.005-08:00

My chives really took off this year. So much that with the recent rains they got a little bowed over. So today I picked a huge bunch of them and chopped them to dry. That way I can always have some on hand to add to soups or pasta salads, or whatever needs a little greening up before serving.

I had a ziplock bag of dried chives last winter and it was great to have on hand. It lasted all winter, and saved me a bit on my green onion purchases. If you live in Kodiak, you know that a small bunch of green onions can cost up to 2 dollars, already wilted, so it is nice to have an alternative, even if it is dried.

Now the kitchen has a zesty onioney fragrance and my eyes are just mildly burning. I put the cookie sheet in the oven (with it off) to hopefully cut down on the vapors.

My little Baker

2010-06-01T11:15:00.003-08:00

Ever since Emmy made her own birthday cake with Grandma Sizemore, she has really enjoyed helping bake sweet treats. She has done 3 cakes in the past month, some cupcakes, and here she is helping out with the banana bread we made yesterday. It turned out very good with a few semi-sweet chocolate chips thrown in. I am trying to make sure there is at least one piece left when she gets home from daycare!

Crab Fest Weekend

2010-05-30T17:51:00.003-08:00

We have had a lot of fun this weekend with family in town. Here are a few pics to enjoy...

The Girls...

Emmy on a ride at the Crab Festival.

Emmy making cupcakes for our dinner party.

New Koniag/KANA building

2010-05-28T13:44:00.006-08:00

Yesterday we went to the grand opening of the new Koniag/KANA building over on Near Island. Will Anderson, President and CEO of Koniag, and Andy Teuber, President of KANA presented a Jerry Laktonen paddle to the architect who designed their new building. Another Laktonen paddle went to the construction company.

The building was absolutely beautiful, and I'd guess there was well over 200 people in attendance.

The Garden

2010-05-25T20:42:00.003-08:00

I am not an expert gardener, but I love to be in the garden. Every spring There are a series of phases I go through about gardening. In about January or February when those cheap gardening catalogs come in the mail, I gaze hopefully at them, the bright flowers, the full grown blooming trees...then remember that anything I ever ordered from those catalogs, except for my rugosa roses, never survived.

Then when things begin to thaw out in April (if we are lucky) I start obsessing about kelp and beach peat to improve the soil. The obsessing happened this year, but I never actually got any kelp. I just drive around in my car with those yellow rubber gloves and a few garbage bags, thinking I will get some "next time," every time I drive by Mill Bay beach.

The next phase is the indoor planting phase, which for me, this year, consisted of some cilantro in a six inch pot. Still alive by the way. And I got Emmy to eat a few leaves. Huzzah!

Following that is the biggest phase, which is obsessing about getting everything into the ground. It usually begins with some premature plant purchases, which must be babied for a number of weeks because it is still too cold or they are not hardened off, but I put a lot of thought about where they will go and when. I also soak my nasturtium and sugar snap peas to wake them up before I sow them outside.

This year, since I had to start some new beds due to our new dog's chosen walkway (down the length of the bed along the house), so there was planning with Jeremy and getting new dirt, etc. I moved the plants that had survived and set about stocking the new beds mostly with perennials. I also started some potatoes and carrots and a whole bed of calendula since I am hoping to make some tinctures or salves or soaps with the petals this fall. I just cannot rest until everything is planted.

As of now I have just a few measly potato starts to get in the ground, but today I also began my last planting phase, which is the hanging baskets. I have my starts, but I think I will wait until the weekend to put them all in baskets. I am a bit worn out from all the weeding I did today reviving an overgrown bed after I realized I had too many plants for the beds I had going.

The garden will be beautiful this year.

Posting from Akhiok

2010-05-22T16:46:00.003-08:00

Yes, It has been a while. I had a talk the other day with Patrick S. about blogging, and that got me thinking about doing another post. That, and the fact I deactivated my Facebook account. I intended to reactivate after a few days just to give those FB execs a message about my privacy concerns (because I know they really care about me personally), but then I just haven't had the urge to go back on. The only drawback is that I can't contact a few select people I would like to be in touch with. Maybe one of these days I will reactivate, then quickly deactivate again. ha ha.

So I am in the Akhiok school right now. I came down for the day to do a presentation for the Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc. annual meeting about the Alutiiq Language program and status of the language. I think it went pretty well, and I even got a blanket with the AKI logo, in case I get weathered in! No, I am pretty sure I will get back to Kodiak tonight (knock on wood). I have potatoes to plant this weekend, so Servant Air, come on down!

Final Push

2010-04-01T07:36:00.002-08:00

Don't expect much from me over the next month...I am entering a last big push of writing in order to finish up my dissertation...I am going on educational leave and focusing all my energy on getting a full draft.
Here's a cute Emmy Pic to enjoy in the meantime. Can you believe she is almost 3?

Snow and schoolwork

2010-03-13T19:56:00.004-09:00

I just spent about a day at the Saltonstall compound working on schoolwork, but came home few hours early for the snow storm that hasn't materialized...yet. I had planned to go out to Pasagshak for writing, but the weather has been very snowy. Speaking of snow, a friend just broke her leg sledding this afternoon when she ran into a tree. Poor Thing! Don't worry up at the hospital - we fed your kids!

I have remained safely inside, though safe may not be the best descriptor. I was trying to get a side table out of the apartment this afternoon, while holding aside a leaning mattress and an old high chair with my leg (I should mention it's a bit messy in there right now), and when I stood up I rammed my forehead into the side of a door Jeremy had removed during installation of the new floor. So I have kinda like a lavender goose egg, with a fuschia line running vertical, right on my hairline, mid forehead. I may try to play it up, make it look intentional.

The House is a Shakin'

2010-03-08T20:22:00.003-09:00

They downgraded the wind warning from 65 to 55 mph, but I haven't had the house shake this bad since we moved back from Fairbanks. I'd say the gusts are well above 55 mph. I don't think it is snowing, but the snow is blowing horizontal along the windows. Jeremy is out there shoveling the driveway. Maybe I should have him tie off?

We had a blizzard warning much of the day and it was pretty terrible, near zero visibility at times on the road. They closed the museum early due to the weather, road conditions and projected winds. I hear a number of other activities, college classes, etc. were also cancelled.

And weren't we Kodiak bloggers talking about the unseasonable spring weather just a week or so ago? I am just hoping this snow is insulating the poor perennials that chose to sprout early. My trip to Pasagshak later this week to finish up a few chapters may need to be reconsidered, but that is a few days off. Who knows. My Alutiiq language teacher Nick always says, "March comes in like a lion." I'd say he's right this year.

"Distinctive Destinations"

2010-02-28T08:19:00.003-09:00

An Alaskan Town is coming in dead last in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations competition. If you love Sitka, Alaska, or if you are just curious about the competition, please visit the web page here. I wonder how towns get on this list, and how good ol' Kodiak can be featured next year...

Time is ticking...

2010-02-27T08:52:00.002-09:00

I am headed to Fairbanks tomorrow for the work week to meet with my advisor and work on my dissertation. My goal is to have a suitable draft of my analysis and analytical framework chapetrs to send to my committee by the time I leave. Of course I also had planned to have a rough draft mostly done of these two chapters before I even got there this time, but Things always get in the way...

The whole family has been sick this week. It was more like a domino effect: Jeremy started getting sick with a bad cold last weekend, had it bad Monday and Tuesday, and I started to get sick Monday and had it worst Tuesday. I got a bit better but kind of plateau-ed with a headache and sore throat for the rest of the week. Poor Emmy came down with it Wednesday and had to miss daycare the rest of the week. She had no voice last night, well it was sort of a croak, and is still coughing pretty bad. my poor baby!

One thing I have learned though is that things ALWAYS get in the way of writing, and the challenge is less about writing than it is about avoiding the obstacles that keep it from happening.

Jib Jab

2010-02-21T20:08:00.004-09:00

A friend posted this video on Facebook, and it was so genius I had to post it here on my blog, without even asking him first:

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

And here is one of Jeremy and I, from when we went to the Olympics:

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

photo catch up

2010-02-14T11:40:00.003-09:00

It's been pretty busy over the past month, and looking at these recent pictures - they are already out dated because that snow day lasted about a day. But I just have to share these adorable shots of Emmy and the family, from the snowy driveway and our night out in Pasagshak.

The warm temps have given us bare ground, mud puddles, sprouting grass and other perennials like my poor rhubarb. I have taken to looking at online plant and seed websites even though I know it is WAY too early. I think this happens to me every year though, whether it is cold or warm. And I have big plans for the garden this year...

I make the journey

2010-01-27T11:25:00.002-09:00

This afternoon I head out to my "retreat" in a little cabin to write my dissertation. Although still working on the chapter on my theoretical framework (Activity theory) I am going to move right along to the analysis, or do both at the same time, or whatever happens naturally, as long as I can get the words on paper. I am not going to have internet access and may have to drive down to road to get cell service.

I am so excited to do this, but also scared. This is kind of a turning point, where if it goes well, I will be on course to complete my writing in time to defend in May. If I sit out there with writers block, things might not look so hopeful. But with no distractions, I am pretty sure writing will be the only thing preventing complete boredom. Perfect. I have needed to get away because these other things I care so much about in my life, like my family and my work...I always seem to choose them first, even though I know that delaying my dissertation completion will only inconvenience the family and the program even more. So here I go, off into the wilderness. Because although this life is lovely dark and deep, I have many words to write before I sleep.

Macaq angituq - The Sun is returning

2010-01-25T10:49:00.001-09:00

This morning on the way to work
I saw the light of the rising sun
on the horizon.
What a great feeling
to be reminded
Kiak will come again.

Pants on the ground!

2010-01-17T07:16:00.002-09:00

Don't ask why I know about this guy, the General and his "Pants on the ground" song, since I don't even have TV! This is a great remix, although I can't tell if the man himself is benefiting from it. I sure hope so. He deserves his own recording contract!

Haiti Earthquake - How can you help?

2010-01-13T14:58:00.002-09:00

The American Institute of Philanthropy has provided a helpful list of charities that you can safely donate to for the Haiti Earthquake relief effort, and grades them according to how much money actually goes to the cause.

I chose Doctors without Borders. The box below will take you directly to their Haiti relief donation page.