Seriously considering inventing ice gloves and socks for cooling off

Fairbanks summer weather is usually the hottest weather in the state - and I am feeling it! OMG I am one hot eskimo! haha - not like OMG that woman is HOT - more like OMG that woman needs something fast or she is going to have a heat stroke! I know - some of you are thinking, "C'Mon! get real! Fairbanks is not too bad right now." I know - I am surviving. It just feels like I am a little out of my element and didn't bring too much "juss hut!" clothing to wear. (Two jeans???) lol

This was more to rant, I am not serious about the ice gloves and socks...or am I??
Enjoy the hot weather while you can - I know I will - when it get too hot I just picture how Fairbanks is during winter and think - this is not too bad. Not too bad at all

Trading some time with family to complete classes - tough.

Unlike those in urban communities, when a distance ed student needs certain classes only offered on campus one must leave family behind and travel sometimes a great distance to complete the class. On Saturday June 13th I had to leave my children to attend a class in Fairbanks. I sure wish I could have brought them with me but the cost of travel within Alaska is almost two times more than one would pay to go out of state. The class is starting out very well, with 9 other students in a post-baccalarette program. I commend them for their stamina - they are doing a whole set of two week classes together. One of them has a 3 week old baby. My first day was okay, the second evening (yesterday) I was sighing and calling home. My daughter teased me asking if I was going to cry - I just responded YES! I miss you guys! Most of the people I knew when studying on campus are not here - it feels almost empty. There are a couple people here which is such a relief but - I miss my babies!

At Fairbanks for a meeting

Alaska Native Teacher Preparation Project (ANTPP) is having a meeting here in Fairbanks so I get to travel.... I just wish I could have brought my family here. It is HOT out. 78 degrees yesterday. I met a lot of great people and I greatly enjoy the wonderful accommodations. Wonderful role models in long-time native teachers. Great times!!!

Where did SPRING go???

Its so cold outside!!! snowing on May 1st?? OMG. It is cold and dreary and dismal outside yet my two-year-old boy makes a bee-line for the door every time I turn around. We went through an almost daily routine of changing his clothes an average of three times before he tired himself out enough to not want to run out as soon as his shoes came on. I am so ready for summer...just not all too thrilled about the bugs that comes with it.

Peter Nick "Ap'a Papasneak" 7-4-1918 to 4-5-2010

My Ap'a Peter passed away during our Bright Monday, the day after Easter, at the YKHC hospital with family surrounding him. It has been a very busy week and a half... The things that comfort me is that he has had ALL his prayers answered. 1. He had a long life 2. He was surrounded by family 3. he did not leave us suddenly as he feared he would and 4. he passed away during a time we hold sacred - our Easter season. We miss him greatly, yet I am at peace knowing he no longer hurts, is no longer sick...or lonesome, hungry or sad. May he rest in peace and his memory be eternal. I love you very much Ap'a, thank you for being such a big part of my life, and showing me by your example how to be a true human being.

A personal awakening

Sometimes in life one realizes issues in one's behavior that cause a great mental review of actions and, for me a "darn-it!!....okay I admit it. I need a change of priorities." I got to talk to a great, wise woman today in what started out as a would-be-very-brief apology for missing a memorial feed. Bottom line, I finally admitted to the fact that I feared hurting too much during the time we will eventually have to say our final goodbyes to my grandfather, so I tried to distance myself from him... I know. It is wrong, and in a big way unplanned, unintended, I just continued to use other things in my life as excuses to delay visiting, even when my conscience reminded me I didn't listen. When I finally went to see him I noticed he lost a lot of weight and family members said he sleeps most of the time. I cried a lot, but luckily he stayed asleep long enough for me to get ahold of my tears. One thing that was said to me today was "You're young its okay if you fall apart, you will recover. Your Ap'a is old and he needs his family with him during this time. Someone needs to be the one to get the family together during this time because it is a tough time. Its okay to get mad, sad, just as long as you be together with him you will not regret it. If you do fall apart afterwards, you have a big family that together will make it." I am so grateful for her advice and prayers. Thank you Bunny, you are a great role model and a wonderful mentor!

The Eels are close - maybe they will get some here this year

The annual Eel harvest is similar to the annual smelt harvesting in the Kuskokwim area: both happen within a few days once a year, both have the people buzzing with each other over where they are and when to expect them, but that is where it ends. Smelts are small fish, eels or lamphreys are well....eels. Smelts come in the spring right when the ice leaves the river and eels come in the fall after the first ice floats down the river. Smelts are on the Kuskokwim and eels travel up the Yukon.

There are many ways to cook eels. Some people bake them, some make eel soup. I have never quite gotten my mouth and stomach used of the taste of eels.