Octopus

Last Saturday the museum had an octopus processing event in the lab. Over 50 people attended! It was a jam-packed good time.

Herman from Ouzinkie provided the octopus and tanner crab and showed everyone what to do with it!

Leave it to Jill to locate the sperm rope. The staff did some post event discovery of how octopi reproduce. Except the the part where the males only get to mate once and die within three months after mating, I think most men wouldn't mind being an octopus. One arm for gettin' it on, one arm for a sandwich, one for a beer, one for the remote......
http://www.asnailsodyssey.com/LEARNABOUT/OCTOPUS/octoRepr.php

Cutting out the beak. Jill of course saved that.

Maka a Face

See how she layers the earrings? Nice labret!

The Maka a face books are just blank faces - all was added by Abby, the necklace (each one bead, so she made the B&W pattern), and there are eyes under those glasses.

This is me.

Recent works

Abby has fashion sense. She likes this "Make A Face" sticker book. She does such creative things. For example, they come with pairs of earrings. Well she combined two paris of earring to make dangly ones - so fashion forward!

Rows of bunnies - each with a blue tail, green body, black legs, orange ears, pink forehead, and yellow cheeks! and a sticker for flare. She's 4!

This one jsut gives me warm and fuzzy feelings. I love her happy faces!

Little person under the tree..

weekend report

Abby and I had a great Sunday together. We went on a walk of the harbor, as stated previously, and then chilled at home the rest of the day. We played Disney Princess Yahtzee, Dora crazy 8 cards, and Princess dominoes. We put together her Princess art desk, which really cleaned up her art area. She has an easel for paining, the desk for drawing and coloring, and a table for her sticker books. All in all, we had a great day together.

40.7

We have exceeded our record snow fall for January! The five foot high berm was finally carted away today.

Now I can perhaps check the mail.

The sunsets have been pretty.
Just think, after all this 15 degree weather, 60 will feel so warm, in another six months.

I got a couple pictures in the Visitor's Guide. They used a photo of a WWII light whatever (don't need to know this info anymore) and a trawl net.

Oh, and Abby decided she'd rather be a princess than a boat captain.

It's 19 degrees with 30 knot winds Skipper!

It seemed warm on Sunday, turned out to be only 19 degrees, but without the wind....anyway, since it was so warm, Abby and I perused the frozen harbor. Above is the Alaska Fresh Seafoods cannery, complete with icicles and eagle.

High tide. No grid access.

Captain Abby??? Well, she's been talking about how she is going to be a female captain....
My lil' skipper!

Despite the cold, fishin' is still happening - cod and tanner crabs mainly right now.

Abby is still learning the concept of taking photos.
She takes a picture of the couch with a flower necklace.....

I take a picture of her opening presents....

She takes a picture of the sky when we are out sledding....

I take a picture of her with a fake mustache.....

or chocolate on face...
Or perhaps it is I who am learning. Her images are more artistic.

Abigail is always soft....

"Abigail is always soft....always sweet." A description for an iTunes radio station - Abigail - "Timeless love songs and soft classics." The station plays horrible 70s music, but describes my lil' angel boo so well!

Where's the snow at?!

Right here you lower 48ers!
Now it's 20 degrees and icy.

We got a little snow. 11 inches balancing on the railing!
Last night we got 6 inches in a few hours, followed by rain. it has caused much havoc - swimming pools in the road ways, 5 foot snow berm to *#^! shovel, 3 boats capsized in the harbor - not cool dude!

Russian Christmas Vespers, followed by Starring at the museum. If you don't know what starring is by now, you have some catching up to do!
http://www.alutiiqmuseum.org/exhibits/electronic-exhibits/281-orthodoxy-in-alutiiq-life.html

Starring was the highlight of the weekend. I didn't do a whole lot else. Went out to dinner with a friend to celebrate his birthday. Besides that, slept. I am going off a medication, and it is kicking my ass. I feel alright so far today....probably three months more to go before I feel "normal" again!

I'm calling it - Poo!!! Hope is a horrid thing.
By the way, I think it's called cyber stalking.

For Granted

Abz and I took a walk in the sunshine when it was "warm".
She often complains she is cc c - COLD.

A bumpy ride back from Ouzinkie!

It's hard not to compare your own life to others. I had a fine holiday break. Granted, there was no family, no warm beach, no purchasing of goods (oh, furniture, fine cheese, guns, household appliances, etc.), but I have plenty else. I could easily bemoan the fact that I miss my parents, I miss warm weather (fresh fruit!? 10 cent coconut!?), and I am tired of not even having a bed frame, but I have good friends, a good imagination and lots of long johns, and I HAVE a bed! I think of the starving children in the world, and I know Abby is a lucky girl. And I am BEYOND lucky to have her in my life. It doesn't seem that I can do shit about people I don't know, somewhere out there in the slums of Mumbai, but at minimum, and I can continue to support the community in which I live. I do not take even the small things (blessings) in my life for granted. I know I have a lot.

be·moan/biˈmōn/

Verb:

Express discontent or sorrow over (something): "single women bemoaning the absence of men"

And thank goodness, there's no recent bemoaning of that! We'll see what happens. When things look up, sometimes it's still shit, but poo can be used as fuel and building materials, so......

Why hello 2012

Sorry, no profound resolution to share as of yet. I know I ended the year well! Spent the day watching zombie show. Ooooooarhhh. Then that night grilled prosciutto wrapped scallops, moose sausage and portobellos, purple mashed garlic potatoes, a sixty dollar bottle of New Zealand white wine, some HotCat, followed by Ben and Jerry's and port! How so utterly indulgent. Oh my!

New Year's Eve took Abby to see the light show on Otmeloi. Hearing her squeal with delight is all the Xmas present I needed. Then went to MJ's for the big bash. Talked to mojoceratops and danced with the ladies - all with no photos though! Brought the camera, then forgot to take photo, then forgot camera.

Last night I was all alone. Watched Masterpiece, how lovely. Shawen actually finally got laid. Why the hell does that bother me?!!?? He's been harassing me for weeks - calling me a whore. You would think I would be WELL over that. Oi.

Tonight I think a movie is in order. There is finally a kid's movie in town.

In hindsight, wish I would have taken Abby to Ohio for my break. It has been cold as bleep, and kind of, well, slow - Kodiak style. In Ohio, balmy. We could have gone hiking and all kinds of stuff. Instead, here I am at work, and whoops, today is a holiday! Oh well. I didn't want to see anyone anyway. Woke up with nightmares about not finishing a grant project and needed to convince Jill to paint, but of course, she has her own ideas about paint, and there was some mild miscommunication, but it worked out cause, duh, Jilly's right.