Lamb Cake

Laura's mom sent this as a gift after hearing about how every year we would get a lamb cake from Mrs. Lamb for Easter. Laura made a cake for it--we didn't get it till after Easter so didn't go all out with the decorations.

Trip Up North to the Mouth of the Yukon

Day One

On Monday, March 15 I left for a bush village located on the western side of Alaska, 162 air miles from Bethel and which sits on the Yukon Delta, 15 miles from the Bering Sea to assist with a research project.

The research team that I traveled with consisted of four individuals: Lead Research Nurse, Nurse, Microbiologist and myself. We arrived in Alakanuk and the plane left us on the runway. A small pickup from the clinic soon arrived to pick us up and we rode to the clinic in the back of the truck with all of our gear.

My first objective was to set up screening clinic this had to be done quickly as research study participants started arriving as soon as they heard that we were in town. I met with the clinic staff on the use of the facility and then set up tables and chairs and signage inside and out while the others prepared the exam room and materials for sample collection. I helped get all the forms ready. Arriving in the village was quite the experience. To say that the accommodations were sparce would be an understatement. I slept in the school in a classroom and used a bathroom that you could smell before you saw it. My standards of cleanliness here are very obviously not the community standards. The big question for me “is is it safe to drink the water”? Some say yes and some say no. Maybe I should have brought my camping filter.


Day 2

To fully understand the study, I had the Nurse swab my nose. I was surprised that it did irritate the nose. Definitely not a pleasurable experience, but not that painful. My first objective today is to teach the participants about the research study. As there are so many children I had to ensure that I used words that they could understand and use developmentally relevant language.

Today I had the chance to talk with the CHA/P about rural health and to discuss our experiences in the community. There are numerous health disparities and living conditions that we have observed first hand. Around 10% of the population does not have running water currently; some of this is due to frozen pipes and the rest just due to the fact that their residence is not plumbed for water. The disparities are a continual challenge to rural health workers and life in rural Alaska.

Sleeping in the school was kind of strange. I slept in a classroom that was around 85 degrees. There were teenagers pounding at the door to the school in the middle of the night and running around outside yelling. Yet with all of the heat in the building there was no hot water to wash with. Working so late last night—I did not learn this till this morning. There is nothing, like a cold, stinky shower to start the day. The school is very run down and dirty. It was not the comforts of home, a hotel or camping—the first night I did not sleep well. I did not know if the teens were going to come in in the night or what time I needed to be up before the teacher came to class and I was sleeping there. Also I was not sure if I bought enough food—finally found some silverware and plates. There are a lot of unknowns—lots of hunting down items.

Day 3 & 4

Today I was able to see the clinic in action. An elderly man arrived in the village and was not able to get out of the plane. He arrived at the clinic with assistance later in the evening and we woke up the CHA/P. The man was incoherent and hypoglycemic. The CHA/P seemed uncertain of what to do next and the research team was able to assist in stabilizing the patient. He had an unsteady gait and rapid heartbeat. He was nervous and spoke in Yupik. His daughter was able translate. Returning to Anchorage was interesting we had to switch planes and the bags did not fit with the passengers on the first leg of the first flight and had to be snow machined to the next village where some passengers got off of and our baggage got on.

Spring Break--Let's go NORTH!

What happens when you are trying to save money on vacation and everyone else is headed south? You head north! North to Fairbanks and the World Ice Art Championships!

First though we stopped in Talkeetna for a tour of the newest Alaskan brewery, opened by a former professor. Denali Brewing is attached to the yummy sweet potato fry home, Twisted Creek which we walked to over the snowy trails winding amongst the trees from our hotel.

Then after a night in Talkeetna--I was so excited to have a TV then there was no reception so we went to the movie store to rent a movie. Renting movies is always difficult at least for us as we don't agree on the selection. I thought I would go for something funny and cute so choose "Up". Alright I have heard people who really like this movie and parts are touching but the talking robot dogs--to over the top. Paul is still teasing me about this romantic selection for our weekend away.

Then off we went continuing on to Fairbanks! Skiing the local trails, touring the Museum of the North (highly recommended--great history and art sections)and of course hanging out at the ice festival. The festival completely surpassed our expectations. We thought it might be a bit cheesy but the level of skill and artistry shown in the carvings was the best we had ever seen. These are world class artistic pieces done in a temporary medium. There were all levels of artists and all different kinds of carvings. There was a kids section where a new interactive piece opened each day. Our favorite was the ice slides! Cool and fast!

Once again sliding is a favorite sport!

Skiing near Campbell Airstrip

Saturday Morning View

Sitting down with a latte that Paul just made for me and looking out the window at the mountains--all is well!

Animal Update

Not as many birds this winter at our feeder. Not sure why but think it may have to do with all of the ravens that are congregating in the trees surrounding us. A neighbor a block away is feeding the ravens. I miss the nuthatches.

Moose--the first moose spotting of the winter from our house.

Favorite Things!

I love getting Christmas cards and hanging them up--I feel surrounded by friends and family. Often I wait until February to take them down. I used to carefully arrange the cards that my parents got and form them into the shape of a giant Christmas Tree--taking up the whole wall. I would build it day by day.

2nd favorite--fun old jewelry "vintage". A store that I really like but find incredibly overpriced went out of business. Paul went with me one evening even though he was sick to wait in the store as I went through the entire selection picking out some selected necklaces. Many of the necklaces came with clip-on earrings which I can't wear. I do not know how women ever wore them--they pinch your ears so. But an incredibly talented friend of mine took the clip-ons and modified them into modern hanging earrings. So many matching sets!

CHEESE

After listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and the authors families experience of trying to live off the land we were inspired to try making some cheese.

It was suprisingly easy and quite tasty--using the kit that we got for Christmas. Cheese Kit--30 Minute! It would be easier if we could fine fresh milk as almost all of the milk in AK like the majority of the food in AK comes up by barge.

To more exploring with cheese!

Christmas In South Dakota

Merry Christmas!

May the winds blow and blow and blow. We were snowed in for days at moms. What storms, luckily there was enough food. After the storms ended the visitors came and came--we had over 120 people over for postponed Christmas and New Years parties, baby showers and just coffee.

Paul's favorite was of course getting a gun for Christmas.

Ski Break

Perfect! Dream like snow surrounds the trails. Today Paul met me for lunch and we skied around the lake behind where I work. We skied from the door of my office and back.

This is the ultimate lunch break.

Thanksgiving

Starting out Thanksgiving morning with a ski is the perfect beginning to the holiday. It was a thanksgiving item for us. What fun and how lucky we are to have such great ski trails.

We had a great Thanksgiving complete with a smoked turkey with Ken and Sue and family. Then on Friday we went to the lighting of the town tree! Santa arrived with a full team of live reindeer--only in Alaska!

Philly

Fall in GA

My friend and her husband bought this incredible house just outside Atlanta. Acres of wild beauty! I spent a few days helping out and trimming the jungle and transplanting plants! What fun! Sound crazy to some but an ideal break for me :)

Fall

Fall Visitors—The last visitors of the season have come and gone.

Mom, Ellen and Dick came up to Alaska on a cruise and then took the train into Denali before coming to visit us in Anchorage. Their timing for visiting Denali was impeccable. What incredible fall colors! Check them out!

This has been the most beautiful fall that I have seen in Alaska. I think that the warmer than normal summer and the extra long fall have created such intense colors. We have not had snow in Anchorage yet, this is also a first for me in Alaska.

We had a great time with Mom, Ellen and Dick and showing them around Anchorage. We were able to spot bear, reindeer, and moose and of course eagles as we toured around. Anchorage is such a fun city to show visitor around. The diversity of food and cultures and the incredible natural beauty make being a tour guide easy.

Just spending some time at the house and hanging out was really nice. We played cards, watched the birds and of course mom did some landscaping :-) I am excited to see the bulbs that we planted come up next year.

I laughed as Mom and Ellen walked all over taking pictures of the mushrooms--Paul and I had done the same thing days before. The love of nature runs in the family. We even went to a mushroom festival in Girdwood, Alaska!

One Year Ago Today

I can't believe that it has been a year. It doesn't seem real and sometimes I think the distance makes it seem less real to me than to the rest of the family.

I miss Dad and his welcoming hug and the the cat play by play updates that he would give when I called home. Some guys, relive the game play by play and who did what and what resulted and who won. For Dad it was the cats: Blackie, Whitey and Orangie (a.k.a Cinder, Snowball and Pumpkin). "Blackies got Orangie down, Whiteys on the sidelines watching...whoa Whitey is in! Whitey is IN, and they are all rolling around. Blackies got Orangie by the tail..." It sounds corny, and it was, but I miss it.

Still healing and I'm still crying as I think about Dad being gone. 2008 was a difficult year, but refining. I was never more proud of my family and friends than in the time around Dad's death. There was so much that I learned about family and friendship as we prepared for the auction and sat around at the picnic tables on the patio with everyone that came to help. In short I am blessed.

I may have at times tears of sorrow but I find more joy in the incredible memories and relationships.

I put some video's that we showed at the Celebration of Life Service online. Next year I will put the rest up.