One sunny beach visit....

I know what this is! It is a breadcrumb sponge. We got a book about Alaska's seashore creatures. It has kind of depleted the mystery and intrigue of this once foreign environment, but "congratulations to meet you" breadcrumb sea sponge.

Fairbanks

Gorgeous weather. I was inside most of the day, but it was still amazing. We were there the nicest week of the year I think with all the autumn colors!

Notice the mirror under the car so you can see the underside. More about the auto museum below in the text.

They had clothing at the auto museum too, I think on loan from a other local organization, but as a permanent display. To have age appropriate clothing accompany the cars was neat-o.

Love this dress! Seriously, love it.

The details on these cars are amazing. Complete with wicker baskets on the side and lovely woodwork.

Just taking a spin! Actually, this would have been a hard vehicle to drive. The steering wheel and gears where awkwardly positioned. The museum does drive the cars periodically so they remain in working condition. Not this one, it's a junker.

There's something wrong with this pic - can you guess what?

Which part - a white girl, with no mushers, in the grass?

A piece of the Alaska pipeline. Yes, I saw it, and I saw a moose for three seconds, and a musk ox too.

Okay, so the pictures are not of the conference, which is why I went. I assure you it consumed, in a good way, 99.99999% of my time. It just happened that my co-worker was somehow keen on taking my picture when we went places. Most of this is at the hotel where we stayed.

The Fountainhead Auto Museum was located on premises, and it was a lovely museum, which was started by a rich man who apparently has done a lot for Fairbanks. I also visited the Museum of the North, of course, which was smaller than I imagined. They expanded a few years ago, I think adding a bit of workspace etc., and they redid some exhibits. The difference between the new and old exhibits is astounding - from blank grey flat barely interpreted exhibits to exhibits with depth and general visual interest, as well as better interpretation. One odd aspect in the main gallery is the combination of displays. There is a case of a remarkably preserved baby mammoth face, followed by Athabaskan clothing, next natural history specimens, next to something about outer space, followed by historic gold rush - all from the same area geographically, but very dissimilar collection types.

The conference went quite well. I did learn a lot, even though I had originally thought the topics were not super interesting. I think I learned most about myself. I am on a serious marathon of self-exploration, trying to better grasp the universe and whatnot. On Friday, right before I went to bed, I reflected on the day, astounded that all that had happened could have been in one day. It's hard to summarize, but I gave my presentation, which went very well, I felt good, and then later felt misunderstood and shunned. No one asked me to dance :(

Ok, back to business. At the conference I learned about lobbying, working with communities to create exhibits (we Skyped with staff from Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand), and I learned about Etta Jones, who lived in Old Harbor for some years, and then her and her husband took one last job in Attu before retirement, only to be captured by the Japanese. He was shot, and she was shipped to Japan for YEARS. It sounded like hell. The author, her niece, was presenting and she read a rather pleasing poem about the horrible torture of whistle blowing. The guards would blow the whistle for every movement - waking up, dressing, eating, cleaning up, walking, sitting, standing, undressing - everything!

On Saturday, I was supposed to go to Anchorage, followed by Oklahoma City. I had been feeling not great. It was a REALLY busy few days and I have been fighting several viruses apparently. Before I left the hotel I decided to walk around this lovely lake one last time. I got halfway around and suddenly was faint and sick. That was it, I could go no further. Luckily, someone from Kodiak came upon me, a nurse at that! The hotel brought a golf cart out to get me, and waiting was an ambulance. I was not going to go to the hospital, but I felt terrible, and was not really "with it" enough to make decisions. My heart rate was fast, so they took me in. They gave me 3000cc's of IV fluid, about 3.5. pints. It was apparently needed. I didn't pee it out. I missed the flight out, but the Kodiak colleague was staying with her friend, who let me stay in the guest house. I cancelled the trip to Oklahoma. The doctor thought it would have been crazy for me to fly there, stay one day, and fly back. I agreed.

I felt like an ass for cancelling, but I was sick. Abby also was sick, and it was a good thing I came home for her. Those first two days back were rough though, and let me tell I wished I would have went to OK, but it all worked out, very weirdly. I am very thankful my Kodiak friend helped me, and her friend in turn. I am glad I did not get really really sick, but was helped to get better in the right time frame. Being sick can be scary (when you feel like you're going to pass out and you're alone.) Things seemed to work themselves out, in a confusing way. I'll take confusing over not working out though.

Alaskan Rock

Life on "the rock" today was particularly fabulous. Despite this morning, of which I will say no more, Abby and I went to the beach. The clouds did not in any way depress the beauty of the baby blue sky in the distant, the search for sea creatures, or the castle construction.

After an arduous visit to the beach, Abby napped and I did pottery. After nap we ate and went to the playgound. After that we were going to go to our secret sunny spot, but went to the Ram site where we colored with chalk and watched the sun set - awesome in the true sense of the word.

The next day fog sacked Kodiak in and I couldn't have been happier. We needed a rest. Plus, I have to pack for 50 degree Fairbanks, where I am presenting at Museums Alaska, and 90 degree Oklahoma City, where I am presenting at a IMLS grant awardee meeting, just prior to the AALSH conference. I also just found out our Karluk One project has been funded. Go me, go museum!

I have spiritually concluded a chapter in my life and I have turned a new page. I found faith, through the difficulty of accepting the consequences of my actions and those of others, as well as the "fate" part of it which is just out of my hands. I now know peace, which will lead to bliss. I am on a path. I don't know all the twists and turns, but I know the destination.

I am thankful I have my ever so lovely daughter and my family. Although small, they make up for it.

I am satisfied with life on this rock, especially when I get to go to someplace warm once in awhile to get some vitamin D.

This is an email from my mom to me about all the party supplies she got for Abby's 3rd Birthday. I think Abby is set! I am so looking forward to her birthday. I know she is too.

I write this blog as Abby will not remember these early years, but I want her to know how much grandmum and grandad love her, so here it is (the aside in the middle about Sully and Caesar is funny):

Planned two parties of 8:

two packages of 8 each invitations- Dora

Dora super star ribbon badge for Birthday girl

8 butterfly party hats (matches the colors of the other stuff)

8 foil tiaras (Happy birthday) 2 hot pink and 4 gold (matches colors)

one package with a musical candle + a "3" candle.

One sealed package with a "3" sparkler candle. (whooo-hoo- do you want a sparkler candle for your birthday? (34?) NOOOO! -- hey it least your birthday number doesn't begin with a 5 and end with a 9!!!)

two packages of 8, Dora , 9x9" plates with three compartments (cake and small snacks or ice cream- bit larger than cake only plates only 25cent difference)

two packages of 8 each Dora matching cups

two packages Dora napkins- use leftover for everyday.

Dora sandwich bags- I found these for $1 and you can put cookies or candy in them or use them every day. You can write the kids name and the name on the package says Abbey- ha!

bag of large balloons- "girl assortment" dark pink, purple, white, light shell pink (the Dora balloons were more expensive and I didn't think you could find helium.)

One package each- dark pink streamers and purple streamers

Gift bags- I knew this stuff would be even more expensive there IF you could find it. You may need more to fill them out. here is what I have so far:

two packages of 8 each Dora party gift bags

two packages of 8 each Dora blow-out birthday horns with a circle photo of Dora wearing the bracelets that I got.

four packages of 4 each nice Dora bracelets- yellow beads with Blue flower that has lip gloss.

Three packages of Krazy straws- 6 that are curvy and 2 pkgs. of eight straight that are striped in colors of party

two packages of eight each sticker strips. Someone has gotten smart as the stickers now come only 1-2 pages for $1 which is highway robbery. They used to be cheaper.

I got one package of pink princess and one of tropical hello kitty- they matched, were cute, shiny and less expensive choice and will fit into goodie gift bag.

four packages of five each "glow" bracelets.

I am walking back and forth from the back bedroom to the computer to write stuff down and I have apparently tired out Caesar and Sullivan. I looked down and Caesar was having a cat dream with his whiskers, eyelids, paws and tail moving as he dreamt. I walked in to check Sully and he was sound asleep by Morgan's side of the bed and he was having a dream- his eyelids were twitching, he was making little noises and his paws were moving. Wonder if they were dreaming in parallel universes??? They both just yawned and stretched and Sully got up for a drink of water.

to continue:

two packages of 12 fake "gem" rings

one package of 12 tracing strips

eight tiny Dora puzzles that were only 49 cents each- that's all they had. would have bought more if they had them.

.......

Happy mama.

Sushi cake. I would have liked to have a slice. It was cake you know!

Lollipop. lollipop, oh lolly lolly pop.

It was so funny to sit and watch these three teenage boys judge chocolate chip coffee cake. They were taking the responsibility seriously. "Do you think the chocolate flavor overwhelms the light cake texture?"

Enjoying the music at the fair.

Abby really wanted to have a bite.

Here, bunny bunny.

Older cute pics, back when she had hair. More about that later....

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Jane Austin and Zombies you say? That's right up my alley! I did prefer the prequel, Pride and Prejudice: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, rather then the original.

"My Lord?" Belgrave said blabdly when he walked in a moment later. He was a studiously stoic little fellow of forty-and-some years with a gray at his temples and a pale gray complexion and a gray, gray soul. If he noticed his employer lolling about without a stitch on, he didn't show it. He never seemed to notice anything, which is one of the reasons Lord Lumpley depended on him so. As a test, the baron once strutted around an entire morning with half an apple clinched between his naken cheeks, and when at last Belgrave commented upon it, it was only to say, "Pardon me, My Lord, but you seemed to have bruised your fruit. Shall I fetch you something fresh?"

"Will you tell me how long you have loved him?"

"It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. but I beleive I must date it from my first seeing the way his trousers clung to those most English parts."

She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man, who in disposition and talents, who would most suit her. His understanding and temper would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that would have been to the advantage of both; by her aggression and livliness, his introversion might have softened, and from his judgement, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have recieved benefit of greater importance. But no such happy marriage could now teach the admring multitude what connubial felicity really was.

From the very beggining - from the first moment of my acquaintance with you, you manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and you selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike.

propinquity

acrimony
petulance
sanguine

We have been staying busy - state fair, with a blue and red ribbon for me for pottery, duck quacking, goat feeding, and bunny petting for Abby, as well as dancing, a super large lollipop that would have lasted forever, but got taken away after an hour, and lots of rain;
picnic, more dancing, sunshine, but had to leave when she got out during musical chairs, she could not grasp the whole "you're out" thing;
playground, including chasing shadows;
today though, I am SICK. So, although I have done laundrey, including putting it away, grocery shopping, pottery, made fried green tomatos (green tomatos in Kodiak?!!! A first in five years), and taken care of Abby all day, I have finally succumbed to the fact I can't do everything. We did not make it to the beach, nor have I done yoga, swimming, or walking, and housework, not so much.