One Year Later

One year later, or so. For some reason, pics upload out of order..... Here is Abby abo. 9 mos. at White Sands.

Here is Abby abo. 6 mos. at White Sands.

Here is the fam. two weeks ago at White Sands. In case you haven't heard Jr. is leaving. Means more work for me, but spending less $$!

Trying to put something up daddy's nose. She says "nose" now, and no.

Wow, big phallus atop Pillar. May not look big from the pics, but size is relative - it's huge!

That's it!

This is it.

I was researching Palau and when I read this on someone's' blog - "Saturday was another beautiful and sunny day." - I made up my mind. I want something like this in my future.

Ha ha, I'm in paradise and you're not! Well, not really, but it looks nice, eh? This is about 10pm btw.

It's finally Spring. Here's the proof. Keep in mind I was wearing long underoos on Monday.

Freaky thick fog rolled in the other night. It may not look so impressive in the pic, but I assure you it was neat.  It was all the talk the next day.

Wai Lana = kick my a$$ (women's special)

I have been doing yoga since about March.  On Sat. mornings (way before I wake up) is yoga with Wai Lana on PBS.  I tape it and have been doing it several days a week before lunch.  I LOVE IT! I really feel like I am shaping up, and boys, don't knock it until you try it.  Shawen was making fun of yoga and was playing around pretending to do "duck walking" and pulled his groin, so......

Anyway, the past four episodes have been pregnancy and after birth specials.  Boy, if I had just been doing those when I was preggers and after, I would be in much better shape.  I also would have been more equipped to give birth.  She concentrates on strengthening the pelvic floor, which is good for women anytime so I still have been doing the asanas, and she does the exercise where you squeeze the muscles down there in a way I can understand.  I read in numerous publications on how to do that, and although I kind of could, I would always forget, anyway, she just does these really great exercises in a manner safe for pregnant women.  I seriously highly recommend checking it out.  She actually makes me feel like gee, maybe I could do that birth thing. 

Touch O’ Green, Crab Fest, Turds, and Dickens

I finally finished Oliver Twist last week. It only took a letter from the library reminding me it was way way overdue. Wait, I mentioned Dickens last in the blog title, well, as homage to Dickens I’ll start with the last first, and work my way through the plot (blog entry) as I please.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading it. The movies are similar, but they’ve altered a few major plots, in some ways okay, but in some ways not so good. First, I think they indicate Nancy betrays Oliver, she does not. Also, at the end when Sikes is running after he murders Nancy, Oliver is not with him, in fact, unlike the two film versions I’ve seen, he does not get captured after he gets shot.

Dickens uses fancy words, here’s some I didn’t know:
Imprecations
Profligacy
Loquacious
Assiduity
Paroxysm
Ineffable
Rueful
Propensity

Taken out of context the words don’t seem as fancy as they are in the sentences. Here are some chopped up sentences:
'Wolves tear your throat!'……As Sikes growled forth this imprecation, with the most desperate ferocity that his desperate nature was capable of,…

With many loquacious assurances that they would be agreeably surprised in the aspect of the criminal,….

The doctor then communicated, in reply to multifarious questions from his young friend, a precise account of his patient’s situation; which was quite as consolatory and full of promise,…

He applied himself, with redoubled assiduity, to the instructions of the white-headed old gentleman,….

‘Your prerogative!’ sneered Mrs. Bumble, with ineffable contempt.

…., Mr. Bumble took his hat from a peg, and putting it on, rather rakishly, on one side, as a man might, who has felt he had asserted his superiority in a becoming manner, thrust his hands into his pockets, and sauntered towards the door, with much ease and waggishness depicted in his whole appearance.

Why only parts of sentences? Well, they can be quite long. The first sentence in Chapter XXVII is a full 16 lines long.

Mostly, I like Dickens’ descriptions, some are really graphic:
It was a cheerless morning when they got into the street; blowing and raining hard; and the clouds looking dull and stormy. The night had been very wet: large pools of water had collected in the road: and the kennels were overflowing. There was a faint glimmering of the coming day in the sky; but it rather aggravated than relieved the gloom of the scene: the somber light only serving to pale that which the street lamps afforded, without shedding any warmer or brighter tints upon the wet housetops, and dreary streets. There appeared to be nobody stirring in that quarter of town; the windows of the houses were all closely shut; and the streets through which they passed, were noiseless and empty.

As you can see in this crappy pic of Pillar Mountain taken out back, me leaning over the railing, is a li’ touch o’ green pokin’ through yesteryear’s dead grass. The image of Pillar Mountain is about to dramatically change – we’re getting wind turbines right atop Pillar. You can see an artist rendering on KEA’s website www.kodiakelectric.com, but I don’t see any specific info, which I was hoping to find.

Crab Fest – yeah! Oh wait, it rained. Nevermind. Never did get any crab. It sold out everytime we went. I had plenty of kettle corn though!
Also, I entered the Crab Fest art show, even though the piece pictured below (not Ohr's, below that) did not turn out. Disappointing. Oh well. I sold just one piece. I am still a broke artist! At what point do I give up?

The other evening ago I was changing Abby’s diaper, and she didn’t want it back on. Since it was almost time for bed, and to let her butt air out, I just let her run around nude. I do this in the evening sometimes. This time was special. She was playing, and I started talking to Jr., and then he said ‘Oh my G--, what is that?!’ pointing to the floor. It looked like small dog turds. Oh wait, its Abby turds!!! I laughed and laughed. I was laughing so hard Abby was looking at me funny. I guess she was playing, squatted, and let it out.
Every time she poops I tell her, “Abby, you’re supposed to say Mommy, I went poop.” No luck yet.

Mustache Aficionado

Shawen had to go to Anchorage yesterday, and since he had several hours before his appointment, he got a bus pass and went downtown. He was walking around and noticed several men with very interesting mustaches - long ones sticking straight out, long handlebars, styled beards, and they were people of different nationalities as he noticed by their accents- one was Australian, one German, etc. Lo and behold there was an International Mustache and Beard convention. There was a parade and everything. I cannot believe I missed this! I am sooo disappointed. Mustaches are fun. Check out George Ohr's.

Pots by George Ohr, made sometime between 1879-1910. He liked to haphazardly apply glaze, so someone said he said. Often they are streaky, but bright. He also used gunmetal, and many other glazes. Towards the end he was doing unglazed pieces. He reported amde tens of thousands of pots. His first pottery burned down and he lost abo. 10,000 pieces. He of course got and refined his own clay from the river. At certain points, Joseph Meyer was also in the pottery.

George Ohr, the Greatest Potter on Earth (or Elsewhere)

Shawen had walked quite a ways yesterday. He said that people were kind of looking at him funny. I said, "Shawen, you're wearing that stupid camouflage sweatshirt. There's no such thing as a limping hunter!"

Shawen was still limping by the time he got back to the airport, and since he had even more time to kill he went through security to eat dinner. He had been walking for so long that his feet, and subsequently his shoes were hot. He was taking them off at security and said, "Man, my shoes are smoking!" Shawen looked up at the security person with an 'oh crap, what did I just say expression?!' The TSA guy just looked at him and rolled his eyes.

Toys? Books? Furniture?

Anyone have any old toys, books, or children's furniture they don't want anymore? Abby will take it!

An eerie fog rolled in yesterday sunny afternoon.

This type of pic is what every family in Kodiak has posted on their blog right now - beach time! This is not a common pic for Abby, she does not sit. Only to eat. That is it. Oh, and when I take her on a walk in the stroller.  I take her on a walk just to make her sit.  It calms her down and I exercise - win win.

Abby will not let me wash her hair, well, she did, but she screamed and cried, not in a I'm defying you way, but in a I am terrified way. I think this may take years to solve. I wish I hadn't let it get so bad, but what do I know about the horrors of getting water in the eyes? I had no idea it scared her that bad. Not fun. Zoila put her hair up - too cute! - too bad Abby won't let ME do it.

Omg, could this be an actual Brownie family portrait?

Old Harbor

I spent that least few days in the Village of Old Harbor. I have been here three years and had not been to a village, but I got to go this year because I am working on gathering legal paperwork for the BIA and I had a very short but necessary meeting with the tribal council about NAGPRA. It is Alutiiq weeks in the villages and this year's project is model kayaks. I sanded some model kayak parts while I was there, and watched Alfred and the other elder men, i.e.. Sven, put the models together.

We had great weather. I didn't really get to do much though. No hiking or exploring or anything like that. I was mostly at the school. And when I was done with my project I left. I did get to eat sea lion. Yes, they are an endangered species, but natives can still hunt them for subsistence. I also had really fresh king crab, and lots of fish.

On the flight back I got an extended tour. The flight went to Akhiok and then back to Kodiak. It was great to be able to see the south end of the island. I didn't think I was ever going to be able to see it with my own eyes. I only know it by maps. We landed in Akhiok and the really fabulous pilot Eddy arranged for me to go to the school and see some old Russian Orthodox icons, papers, and books that are in a display case there. We then took off and I got to see Olga Bay, Cape Alitak, and Aiulik peninsula. There were TONS of game trails. Holy cow. I saw one bear moseying along. It is gorgeous down there. If it was warmer I would seriously live there! Although all the bear trails were a bit intimidating.

Near Cape Alitak there is this big long spit, it was really neat formation, it looked like paradise. Sorry, no pictures of anything, I forgot my camera! I took it out of my bag to get a pic of Abby, and forgot to put it back in! Not sure a pic would capture my enthusiasm about being able to see that part of the island. On the way back I also got to see where the villages of Kaguyak and Eagle Harbor were, also got to see Refuge Rock. Kaguyak was destroyed by the 1964 tsunami. They had just finished building a new church, and it was all washed away.

Pandemonium

There was a rumor circulating that someone here in Kodiak got the swine flu, which was not true. Shawen and I were talking to a neighbor about it and Shawen joked around that in case of a pandemic when we run out of food we will have to eat people. He then realized his joke was not so funny, and said" wow, I have been playing way to much Resident Evil". Why is human cannibalism so taboo? There are several cultures that did / do eat other people. Other species also eat each other. The first time I saw an eagle I was in Pasagshak. I was looking at a bird and then an eagle swooped down and caught it. As I have been walking around town recently, e.g. Near Island, there are spots of decimated bird feathers, some of which are still attached to a bit of skin, gross, but the point is eagles eat other birds, and they are our national bird!
P.S. This post is supposed to be humorous, I am in no way condoning cannibalism.

Challenges

My new photo challenge is to get a photo of Abby and her Big Bro together - a good one! It is hard to get a pic of Abby, she moves too much, or she wants the camera so she can see pics of the "baby", but both of them together will be even more challenging. I want her to "remember" her brother when she is older. Poor Abby has been very sick, so she looks a bit disheveled.

My other challenge is creating an entry for the Crab Fest Art Show. Hopefully I don't blow this one one, f-up the glaze, etc. It looks a little strange right now with the underglazes on it, but the whole piece will be covered in a blue glaze and the underglazes blend in. I wish I would have taken a pic sans the underglaze. When pieces are leatherhard is when I like them the best - so supple.

It's a large piece. Shawen calls it somethjing like a big monster. When Peter saw it the other day he also remarked how large it was. Hopefully people see more to it than that! I have poured about 40 hours into this piece all-in-all. It is an "Octopus' Garden", where I also would like to be. Thanks John.
Of course I can't just make one piece, I have to make an entire kiln load. I made some votives, what will be corked jars, and a few large, simple bowls.
If I look tired it is because I am! I have also been sick, but I keep pushing myself.

Yesterday I traveled out to Port Lions village for a meeting. The school, where I was most of the day, is quite nice and deluxe for the 30ish students. I am not sure what "village" life is like. It looks like it might be nice, but then again, maybe not enough to do? Of course all I like to do is go the beach, go on walks, yoga, and pottery, so....what would I be missing? Well, in Alaska I am missing warm weather, so I see no Alaskan village life in store for me. There are parallels to any other small village though, which is where I ultimately want to be - a lot of the food is subsitence, a lot comes by plane or boat, goods also by plane or boat, hmm, yep, unless you're making/getting it locally everything would have to be shipped, but is that much different from going to Wal-Mart? It's just shipped directly, at a much higher cost. Why do I need so much stuff anyway?

I will be visiting Ouzinkie for just one day, and Old Harbor for three days, so perhaps I will get a taste of what living in such a small community is like. I imagine it is similar to like living in Mt. Adams or South Park, but then there's nothing beyond South Park or Mt. Adams, so you would have much less contact with people outside of South Park and you'd be stuck with all the same people that are in South Park, for better or worse!

I went to Port Lions to facilitate the return of human remains to the Native Village of Port Lions for reburial. I have been working on NAGPRA and the Kodiak Alutiiq Reptration Commission for several years now, so it will be a good day to see these people reburied.

Fond memories of Kodiak

When I look back on Kodiak there are several distinct memories I will have.  You wonder why I am thinking of fond memories of Kodiak now, when I am still here? Perhaps it is the additional snow we received that is making me yearn for warmer places - my mind is definitely there.  

Of course I will think of baby Abby, here asleep on my teddy bear.

The majestic dumpster chicken visiting our yard.

Spending time on the beach and going on walks.

And of course pottery, the "what do I do inside?" hobby.

Slushy goodness

It is a snow-rain mix today, which creates a gel-like coating on the ground. It's fun to walk through!

I sent the above bowl and jewelry to be auctioned off at WSU's Arts Gala, but the bowl broke in transit. It had a design from the terracotta on the Miami Hotel, which is no longer in Dayton, but in the dump, scattered in my parents yard....When it got demolished we would go late at night and collect pieces. They finally put a fence around the site and we got caught inside the fence. Rather than scurry away, my mom boldly went up to the guy, pointed to a piece of Greek Key terracotta under the large track loader, and said, we want that. After some discussion (I had long since split), I think he said something about wearing hard hats, we left. The next day the piece, although somewhat smaller and broken since the loader ran over it, was sitting by the fence.

I began pottery again. Been cleaning the garage for the past few weeks and last night I did a warm-up throwing session. I am trying to get a "masterpiece" done for Crab Fest. That's soon! Too soon to maybe make a whole kiln-load?

Snow accumulation, possible ash fall

We are so close to having ash fall, one wind shift and it's over.  The volcano has gone off somethinglike six times today.  Now there's ash fall warning for Anchorage, etc.  Sorry folks up there, but I am not hoping for the wind to change, unless it's in the version of a pineapple express - above freezing would be nice.

King of shoveling

Shawen Jr. shoveled for five hours yesterday. The time was needed to complete his PE requirement, so we're not mean!

Four feet of snow!

This drift is way taller than Abby.  Keep in mind she is standing on about another 18 inches we haven't cleared.

I was all amazed at our neighbor's car being buried, see MINE behind Abby??? Notice the mirror and antenna? It's totally buried. She's standing on about 3 1/2 feet of the stuff. When I walked out to the car my foot was at about mid-window as I hovered over the car.

Our neighbor's car buried.

Last Hurrah!

This is officially the most snow I have ever seen.  Our neighbor's car is almost completely buried. (I'll post a photo later, when it's light out). The snow comes up to mid-window and the front end has disappeared into an abyss of snow.  There is a snow drift at the bottom of the stairs that comes up to my shoulders.  

Redoubt volcano erupted, pictures of ash fall

Car stuck on Rezanof causing a backup.

People actually trying to dig themselves out.

Just kidding! Kodiak did get several feet of ash in 1912, so really it' not so funny. We just got dumped on with a few feet of snow.

Spring? Well, not yet!

I can't wait for warm beach weather! It might be hard to convince Abby there's no swimming.....

but she can enjoy splashing in her ducky tub - quack, quack, quack, quack.

Off we go

Another winter activity has been going to Food for Less downtown and letting Abby run around when it's too cold outside. I am not sure what the people who work there think, but no one has said anything to us yet! As you can see, she only wants to shop for products with babies on them (diapers, toilet paper).

Delving into the ink

With winter full-on and me being terribly ill I have been reading a bit lately. I didn't read anything but US Magazine during my college days as I spent so much time reading hard core art history literature. After graduating I began reading Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mystery series. I have been working on that ever since! I don't read much in the summer, and in the winter it was taking me about 7 weeks to read a book (1/2 hour, 4 nights a week). I have been reading more, so I'm averaging 5 weeks now (1/2 - 3/4 of an hour, 5 nights a week). Okay then, anyway, I love how "Amelia" speaks and writes - it's perfect hoity toity English! In case you didn't know, the series is about how Amelia travels to Egypt to pursue her love of all things Egyptian, particularly pyramids, falls in love with an archaeologist, and how the couple and their kids keep getting wrapped up in murders and crime.

I usually just keep going with the series, but the last time I was at the library getting my next installment I ran into Charles Dickens' section. I have seen several cinematic versions of Oliver Twist, and each one has varying story lines. For example, in Roman Polanski's version Bill Sykes accidentally is hung after a long chase with Oliver, where as the Masterpiece Theater version (c.2007), written by Andrew Davies, Sykes is haunted by Nancy's "ghost" and then hangs himself. More curious is the whole plot that the family who ultimately takes Oliver in is his mom's former love and her sister(!), which was not at all in Polanski's version. I am curious to know what is written in the book, so I decided that I would change paces for a moment.
Spoiler - Sykes accidentally hangs after the chase and Oliver is reunited with his mom's family as I read in Wikipedia.

Picture Impossible III

Photos of Abby will look like the above for the next year.  As soon as she sees the camera it's "baby, baby, baby" because she wants to see the baby, i.e. pictures of her on the camera.  When she doesn't see the camera she moves so fast everything is askew.  The above was taken with the setting of taking photos of motion with the little running man icon, apparently the little running man runs slow, because it is too slow of an exposure to catch Abby.

Note the painting behind her.  You ask, is that a strange deranged clown?  Why yes, yes it is.  My grandfather, James Leist Sr. was an accomplished painter.  His paintings were mostly in the style of Netherlandish landscapes and still lifes of the 17th and 18th century, but this painting, which is rumored to be a self-portrait I believe was not a favorite among the family.  It is not a "pretty" painting, but it reveals his sensitivity and acute observation of the world.

Okay, it took me all day of taking photos, and I finally got one where Abby is not throwing a fit over the fact that I won't give her the camera! This is at Mill Bay beach. It's great that she can walk now. The problem is chasing her! She insisted that she wanted to go into the water.

Kodiak Hospitality

All the people I have met in Kodiak on a regular basis amaze me at how open, hospitable, caring and kind they are.  Unbelievable really that so many nice people, like the co-worker and his family I mentioned in the previous post, live in one town.  

A women who used to do what I do at my job invited me to their 10 year anniversary party last night.  I don't know them well, so I wasn't going to attend, but she made a point of calling me and inviting me. Abby, Shawen and I had a great time and I am so thankful they let me enjoy their happy family and friends for those few hours.  

I could go on and on with examples of Kodiak kindness, such as Kodiak Kindness, and how everyone was so supportive with Abby's birth, well, it goes way beyond supportive.  Anyway, I am lucky to be here with these uber cool and nice people.  

Yak yak

Why no entries? Is my life too boring? No, but it's not necessarily worth writing about - work drama (which has momentarily been resolved), arguing with Shawen, wondering what we will do for dinner.....doesn't seem worth documenting. Except, my co-worker did ask me if he could put a link to my blog on his blog, and I was thinking to myself - WHY?! Then I realized that it would at least force me to write more, although, he would be a topic quite often! (not that there is anything you could say bad about him as he is the coolest person) BUT, for example, today I mentioned to Shawen how they are going to try to eat locally only - he already hunts and they have a garden, but taking it a step further. This angered Shawen. He saw it as unrealistic. However, I disagree. It's not unrealistic for them. It is obviously something I cannot do as I am not out tromping up mountains with a gun (may be I should be!), nor is there much space for a garden, but I have always tried to collect local berries, mostly unsuccessfully as all the spots I know are already raided. It's a nice thought, growing and harvesting your own food....but I doubt I will ever have the capacity (money and space) to ever do it.

Why eating close to the source may be hard for some - Okay, fishing, you have to have equipment, possibly even a small raft, a car to transport that raft, for canning a pressure cooker, and a freezer. Hunting, must have a gun or bow and arrows, other gear, and again a freezer. Garden, have to have space at minimum, or in my case build raised beds - takes $$$. Harvesting is a possibility, but somehow I have a feeling certain people will not want to eat seaweed and nettles. Jr. has expressed an interest in salmonberries, so we'll see about more berry gathering. Shawen's point was that for people with not so much money and space, how can we eat locally when we can't even buy local goods (fish, meat)? It is illegal to sell your subsistence meat and fish is more expensive here than back home. We do buy Alaska potatoes though!

This aspect of not having money and space I think is a concept that some people do not seem to understand. I get a little miffed at the comments of how much there is to do in Kodiak in the winter for example. I usually do not yield to the harsh weather here. I still get out. I took Abby a walk last night and I assure you I got several nasty stares and two comments about taking babies out in such cold!!! But unless you have $ for skis, a place to keep them, and a four wheel drive vehicle to get you there, yes, outside winter activities can be limited here in town (especially when the indoor activities are closed when I am off, e.g. the touch tank and Refuge). But like I said, I get out unless it is really extreme. Alright, I have beaten this topic with a dead deer. I said my peace.

On a side note, Abby started daycare this week with a Spanish speaking care provider. I wonder if she will pick up the Spanish?

Little boo-boo

Yesterday Abby got a hold of Shawen's soda can and cut her little finger on the lip.

Jr. saw it first, and started yelling "Get a bandaid! Get bandaid! Get a bandaid!" Shawen rushes over and sees the little cut. Abby is not crying, no, she thinks its cool. She starts squeezing her finger, wiping blood here and there, carefully inspecting it.

Jr. was very upset and scolded dad harshly for letting Abby get a hold of the can. Abby getting hurt is a big deal as we obviously care for her quite deeply. In fact, we pretty much worship her.  She is by far the happiest baby on Earth, and we are by far the happiest parents.

Grooving

Alright, I shouldn't be so negative. There are good times.  

Here is Abby and I grooving to the Beetles. She loves it! She bee-bops, shakes and shimmies.

Snow

I hate snow because I get stuck in my house. I can't take Abby on walks with a foot of snow and no sidewalks on a main road. When I do go out it's dangerous, such as this morning when the snow removal trucks were practically running me down. I was feeling hunted, like I was about ready to be squashed. This is why I complain about the snow. I had to explain this because of criticism of my criticism.

Gideon's urn update

Technically Gideon's urn is ready to ship to my parents.  I figured out how to do the beading yet let my mother do the yarn work (see previous post about urn).   It will now be complete after she put's the ol' boy in there, ties it shut, and then creates a net-like arty pattern with his yarn (his yarn because it is made from his fur).

Kodiak splendor

Old Lahaina luau performers - awesome!

Maui

Squirmy baby.

By a beautiful banyan tree.

Chasing Abby.

Olowalu beach.

Here I go!

In order to escape the winter, to see my parents, and so my parents could see Abby, we all met in Maui. It was a long journey for my parents, who I don’t think ever really got to relax much. I don’t think it is possible to relax with an independent-minded 14 month old who just learned to walk (oh, and she was teething as one or more of her molars in coming in).

There were many good points of the journey. Warm weather, in fact, perfect weather for me – 65-80 degrees. Lots of beaches, one I liked a lot – Olowalu beach at mile marker 14 south of Lahaina. Went to the Old Lahaina luau and saw a great performance (wow those girls can move). Got to go see reefs and tropical fish in a submarine. Went to the aquarium where Abby got to run around like a mad women (Abby learned to walk in Maui). We had a nice place to stay, a comfy mini-van (thanks to the fact that I could say Honoapi'ilani Rd. right), good food (Maui Gold pineapples and Kona coffee yum!), and I came back with people saying I looked healthy, so I must be at least beige instead of translucent.

There were some problems. Our timing was always off with Abby a lot it seemed. She was always falling asleep just before we would get back to the condo, then she would not go to sleep again easily. When we got back home after an all night flight, I put her to bed and Lucky my stupid cat woke her up and she screamed like I never imagined I would hear her scream. Ten minutes later she passed out on the floor, and then eventually crawled on top of me to sleep. Poor tired baby.

My parents probably thought I was the worst mom ever on the trip, but I needed a break! I work all day and take care of Abby all night, and all day and night on my days off. I spend each evening reading her books, kissing her feet, taking her on walks weather permitting, giving her a bath, tickling her and then doing laundry and other chores and repeat.  It's tiring having to be so busy all the time. It has been this way for almost a year. All the other parents I know have family around or hire babysitters, and I have neither. Thank goodness for Shawen Jr. though, he does a lot.

I’m content to be back in Kodiak. Shawen kept saying on the trip that we had more wildlife here, and I kept disagreeing with him, but the first day after getting back on my walk I saw tons of eagles, other birds, and a sea lion eating something.   We joked we could have a business Snorkel Kodiak, or maybe people should  just stick to snorkeling at Molokini. 

Anxiety

I need to have faith and let go of my anxieties - my new year resolution.

Happy New Year! (The year I broke the bells)

I celebrated EST new year (8pm my time), and I rang my special bells so hard the string broke! Well, okay, it was really old. I celbrated with Abigail (Shawen was at a no alcohol party and Jr. was at work). We watched fireworks together (finally! They've been trying since the 4th of July). Abigail was amazed.  She got a little nervous with a big one, but when she saw me smiling, she smiled back and enjoyed them.