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.

It's a cold day..

so I stayed inside with my bud.

Gideon's urn

                             Loops and knots.

                      Net.

                                      You can see how the lid is warped in this pic.

                And it wasn't warped before - live and learn!

I made Gideon's urn.  The first I made this spring, but I wasn't quite happy with it.  The second I think turned out good.  Unfortunately, the lid warped in the glaze firing, and that has complicated matters a little.  The plan was to use yarn made of Gideon's hair to tie the lid on, but with it being warped, that doesn't quite work now.  I figure I will use wax or something else to hold the lid in place, and the yarn will still tie it on, but I am still unsure what to do with the yarn from a design perspective.  I have a plan for adding beads as well, it's kind of my signature to bead on pots. 

Anyway, if you can imagine the yarn being tied to hold the lid on, then what about the ends of the yarn? Do they hang down, how long, what about something more creative? I initially imagined swirls of yarn, but it will not keep a curl forever. Then I thought about a net-like design that is somehow knitted (woven) or tied (with loops) to reflect the branches of the tree (the urn is in the shape of a tree and decorated with leaves.)  Not sure, I think I will let my mom, who crochets and knits and who is used to working with yarn figure it out, but I am unsure even how to send it to her!  It's hard to describe, but I have to thread the yarn though the holes in the lid and base and then do the beading, well, that's kind of hard to do with Gideon being in there first.  So, need to overcome some final technical difficulties:

1. How to keep the knots tied tight?  Maybe mom knows knots.

2. What substance should we use to keep it closed?  

3. What to do with yarn - crosses? knitted/woven net? loops and knots (with beads)?

I guess I should say I made Gideon's urn as a tree thinking of him - he loved to be outside and just the "tree of life".  Inspiration for crosses is obvious, loops and knots reflect his curls which captured us all, and the woven net just seems to fit and is something I think mom could do well with.

Oo! I got a sticker!

Summer solstice, oh wait, winter

Winter solstice?  It doesn't feel like it here.  Okay okay, by my aunt Gina's standards it would be way too cold, but by Kodiak standards it's great (except for those who want a white Christmas)!  For the month of December, it has somehow been that it rains (or pours) everyday, except for Sunday, on which it is sunny.  Every week it has been like this.  

Abigail's new hat

Wearing a hat and washing hair are Abby and I's biggest disagreemnt.  While I think she should have her hair washed and she should wear a hat (whether it be for hot or cold), she insists should not!  My mom sent this hat and in recent times it is the only one she will wear.  I am happy about that, especially since she looks so cute!!!

High Noon

This is what high noon looks like. No! Yes! But just this one day, and it did brighten up a bit after that. However, the weather has been great! No complaints about that.

Ha ha I got it!

Steamy

The sun popped out today and Abigail and I went on a walk.  I call it sun chasing.  You can see how low the sun is, just above the trees, and there are places where there is light, and places where the sun don't shine.  Actually getting to the sunshine can be hard.  The low sun makes  really dramatic lighting.

                             Cloudy by the time we got back.

Pinapple express and 24 hours of darkness

How are you enjoying the 24 hours of darkness you ask? Kodiak does not get 24 hours of darkness like northern Alaska, until two days ago that is! A blast of a "warm" front from Hawaii brought monsoonal rains which melted all that ice we had from the aforementioned storm. Most of the other locals don't like it though as like they like to ski and ice skate. For me, 35-40 degrees with intermittently rain is fine (better than the alternative). Anyway, it was so rainy it never got light out!

I will not!

I will not let you wash my hair!  I will not let you wipe my face!  I will not let you change my diaper!These are some of Abigail's most recent sayings, but it comes out more like WAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAH!  Although the pic of her in her ducky tub appears happy, this baby will not let me wash her hair.  I just reach for the sponge or washcloth and she starts to whine.  She will not let me wipe her face after eating.  She does this kung-fu move with her hands, smearing even more food on her face and in her hair, blocking all attempts to wipe off the sticky remnants of dinner.  Goober head!

Storm of the century...

Storm of the century, well, almost.  It is blowing 60, howling like the dickens (woke Abby up from her nap), and snowing, and blowing, and snowing some more, and howling again.  Shwoosh, swiiiish, zroom, creak, crack (of the house), roll, roll of thing on the porch, and swish and thunk of the trash can blowing away and landing again. Ah, Kodiak weather.

Musical Abby

Abigail likes music.  The first video is her in the music play group.  The second is her blowing into a recorder.  I just heard from my parents that Abby's Godparents are learning to play the wind instruments.  They must have been channeling me when I was in Wal-Mart to buy the 88 cent recorder. 

Abby's Birthday