The Albany Bulb

Part dog park, part tent community, part art walk, the Albany Bulb has no shortage of personality. If you're ever in the Berkeley area, stop by for the views of SF and the GG bridge as well amazing art. I wanted to interview one or some of the inhabitants we encountered on our stroll about their lifestyle but it wasn't meant to be. Maybe next time.

Finally!

A year is too long. We're not so photogenic but we're still total awesomeness. It's good to be home.

Suburban Wildlife

It's good to be home. Things have been pretty busy here. I'm occasionally a fill-in chauffeur for a family member's chemo/radiation appointments (I like to call them cancer party play dates), got three cavities filled and am running last minute shopping errands for the Anonymom and Little Sister.
Went for a walk with my nephews and youngest niece on the Nature Trail and let my niece command the camera. Here are the results:

Bambi!

Pig's Lake

Nephew #1

Sister Sassypants, Niece #3

Nephew #2

Nephew #3

Tonight is Chile Relleno and movie night with my sisters. We're not complete until the brother gets here tomorrow but it's a good start. Like I said, it's good to be home.

All My Bags Are Packed

I'm ready to go. My flight off the peninsula is in about 20 hrs. I have butterflies, a dry throat, pounding heart, wiggly toes and a wandering, uncontrollable mind - the need to be on the move. I just want to be on my way, knowing that I'm getting closer and closer to home. who knows why I thought one more day of work would be a good thing? I've already tried to move my flight to tonight but it was a no go. So far the plan is to get the the airport about 3 hours early and see if I can speed this up already. At this point I might just start walking.
Watched Amelie last night and I LOVE it. Dropped and spilled my sourdough starter this morning. Am a totally mindless, distracted and ineffective therapist today but the kids are so sweet. Three Christmas gifts so far and a little boy who begs me everytime I see him, to take him back to Speech. It will be hard to leave them in May.

4 More Days

4 more days until I'm home! I can't believe it's been a year since I've seen my family and that's how I know it's time to give up Alaska. For now.
Found a place to stay when I get back from winter vacation. It's another house sitting gig right on the river with one 9 yr old lab and very nice owners. I'll be there 'til the first week in March. That means in 1 out of 14 months I will have paid rent by the end of this adventure. I am a very lucky girl. Woman. Person.
I'd like to show you the stars on a clear, Alaskan night. You really wouldn't believe how awesome it is. But, here's a moon to howl at instead.

Frost

On Such A Winter's Day

Dentist = Breakdown

I'm sure there are some people out there that're very familiar with this equation for other reasons but I hadn't experienced it until today. Here's the story:
Went to the bank to finally deposit the 2 paychecks that I've already lost twice. After the bank I made it to my dentist appointment. The one I scheduled all by myself and was 15 minutes early for (who am I?). But things went quickly south when the results came in from Dr. J. A root canal and 2 crowns. WTF, mates? I know I haven't been in awhile but do I have scurvy or something?
Then the front desk lady wrinkled her nose at my out of state cell number. Then she wrinkled her face at my company name. "I haven't heard of that before." Of course the no street address thing was a problem. I started hearing foreign languages as she described the process of getting a referral for the root canal. Something about going somewhere else by China Sea Buffet (food?! I know that!) and then coming back for the crowns while in the meantime holding on to my own x-rays. Flags were raising in my brain. Bells and whistles were going off. 'Do NOT let that woman give you a small envelope of something important' is what my brain was saying. Nodding and smiling is what my face was doing. Then came the insurance mess.
Did you know that a medical card is not a dental card is not a prescription card is not a vision card? But where is the treasure chest for getting myself to the dentist? Things... not. making. sense. Did someone say Chinese food?
My flight instinct wins out over that "figure it out" one every time. Unfortunately, the dentist shares a parking lot with a care home and two taxis loading old folks with wheelchairs in the rain and ice were blocking my exit. I won't go into details but it wasn't pretty. Just don't honk at me when I'm feeling stupid.
Couldn't get this chart out of my head after that.


The post is called "Why I'll Never Be an Adult" from the blog Hyperbole and a Half (their are people out there whose blogs are followed by more than their mother?). While there are many more reasons while I'll never be an adult, I'm sure that a dentist appointment causing the phrase "I can't do this" to be stuck in my head on repeat for an hour is one of them.

I just wanted to get my damn teeth cleaned but that didn't even happen. DebDeb so confused...SYSTEM FAILURE.

Raddichio

You can't always get what you want

But sometimes, you get what you need. Kidding about being bitter. How could I be? Happy Sunday, Friends.

Population: 1

Abandoned dwelling in my 'hood. Ms. Havisham has left the building.

My Friday night activities consisted of checking the pump house to make sure the light bulb is still on, thus making the insulated little shed warm enough for the water pump to keep working. All good there. Checked the level of the holding tank and had a few moments of dread when the dipstick slammed into something solid, making me think I got a tank full of frozen shitwater and no way to get rid of it. Once I finally got enough light down the tube I found an obstruction in the pipe. Searched the property for something I'd be willing to sacrifice (raw sewage and all) to push it back and found nothing. Finally was able to angle the dipstick past the protruding piece of metal with numb fingertips in 9 degrees and discovered I was worried about nothing. Except that's where I got into trouble over the summer, got a little too comfortable after that first dipstick. Insert proof of emergency pumping picture here:
Then walked the dogs to the river and watched the ice flow by for a bit. Got home with a frozen ass which seems to lack a blood supply but continues to grow. Quite the mystery, yet now I find myself parked in front of the tubes with a can of whipped cream and a tall, hot buttered rum. Mystery solved. It's a nonstop party here, let me tell you. Is 8 o'clock too early to go to bed?

Peaceful

A late Sunday morning walk in my quiet neighborhood.

Thankful

Heavy Equipment

After getting home from Anchorage on Sunday I stopped by the Roper's and got a lesson on using the snow blower. They were so cute, they made sure to get a picture of my "first time" and this was already in my work inbox this morning. I'm so lucky to continually find such good people around me. But I won't be so lucky if we keep getting snow like we have been over the last 24 hrs with this driveway as my responsibility for the next 3 wks.. I took two passes at it with this sucker, shoveled a little and woke up with arms like noodles. I'm starting to see why women get married.

Suggestions

What I've been reading:
It's a fictional account of women in biblical times told through the eyes of the character, Dinah. Apparently some people are all fired up about it because of ridiculous religous notions but it's much less about any story from the bible and much more about sisterhood and the hardships inherent to being a woman. You men out there should really still give it a shot, you might learn something.

What I've been listening to:

Can't get enough, actually. See what you think.


And what I've been learning:
I went to a class in Anchorage this weekend about young children with hearing loss whose families had decided to go the route of cochlear implantation. The presenter was from a school in Bay Area but the scool has sites in many states. Their goals as stated on their website are: teaching deaf children to listen, think and talk through intensive speech/language therapy and the development of listening skills." Here's their site if you're interested but mostly I'm happy to have attended a useful continuing education class that will really help me with a few of my students and to adapt best practices in this area. The school offers training camps (for free!!) which I will most definitely be applying to. I'll take any additional knowledge that could help me.

So I also learned to use a snow blower today but that can wait for another time. Good night. It's only quarter to 8 but with the time change and darkness, it feels like 11 already.

Plagerizing

Click here to find out how roadkill finds it's way to Alaska's tables. Thanks Marianne!

Back to the Future!

Quick, to the Delorian! Ok, so I just wanted to say Delorian. And post another picture of a moose. Looking ahead-- I need to find a place to live for Jan. to early March. I need to figure out where I'm going for Spring Break. Hawaii for some sunshine or Denver to see if I'd like to live there someday (for awhile). From April to the beginning of Aug. I'll be back at my first and favorite house sitting place, The Roper's. And then it's on to greener pastures. California, Colorado, Oregon, where or where should I go next? Leaning towards Cali for awhile so I can be back with the sibs. Breaking up is hard to do.

Bachelor(ette) Paradise

Main house, halibut boat and the marsh land where moose,bear and bald eagles like to hang out.
The summertime living room.
The far one is where I am now.



House sitting here until Dec.14th when I leave for CALIFORNIA! Back in September I stayed in the main house while the owner (Joe) went on a moose hunt. Now I'm in Jimmy 2, one of the cozy cabins. It's an awesome property and all of Joe's friends come and go as they please. Someday when I grow up, that's exactly the kind of home I want. If you ever come to Alaska and want a fishing or hunting guide (Uncle Mike!), call the Fish Magnet.