Bad day

I officially had my first bad day of kindergarten. Day 5 of school and we've hit a rough patch. Ugh my kids were little demons today. I didn't get through my reading lesson. I didn't get through my science lesson. What did we do today?! The boys were squirrelly and the girls were gossipy and no one could be quiet! I was frustrated beyond belief and constantly grabbing one after another to stop running around the classroom and standing on tables. I am hoarse from using my stern voice all day. I don't like being stern, I like having fun in kindergarten! I'm still waiting for boxes of my lesson plans so I can have more fun stuff to do to keep their attention. I have not given up though, I know it is simply one day out of the hundred plus I will have. Tomorrow is new and I shall try again with the little monsters. I do love them dearly still :) 

On a brighter note, I got a card from my mommy today! Very exciting to see mail for me waiting in my box. I also went with some ladies to look at a place to move into. I don't think I will go though. It is a two bedroom and there are three of us. Also the bathroom was smaller than the bathroom in our camper back home. It costs more than where I live now and I am guaranteed a ride from where I am now. We'll see. I'm still looking into transportation and looking at itty bitty places of my own in town. I just want my Olive to be here with me to snuggle at night. If my current residence allowed for pets, I would be happy as a clam where I am, but I miss my baby so badly. I need some comfort when it's cold and lonely at night and all through the winter. I think I shall go to bed early tonight and dream away these insignificant problems. Tomorrow is a new day after all and damn it, I will succeed! 

I want one of these please!

alaskan-kuspuk-pattern-eskimo-dress

It's called a Kuspuk and they are all the rage here in Nome. I don't want a long one with a frilly skirt, I just want a normal shirt length one. Everyone wears them here! There is a special day during the week dedicated to wearing these at school. We have Kuspuk Wednesday and Tropical Dress Up Thursday. I am feeling left out of these rituals. 

Connected!

Ladies and Gentlemen! I have been connected to the world! That's right, I officially have an Alaskan cell phone and internet at my place of residence. I am so thrilled to be able to connect with the world outside of Nome. So if you need my new number ask my mama or email me and I'll send it to you. I just don't want to post it for the world to see. So I'm connected and have facebook again which is fantastic! 

Today I was introduced to yet another Nome one of a kind and must see. The women's shelter thrift shop is open Tues/Thurs for just an hour and you can fill either a plastic grocery bag for $4, a black garbage back for $6, or a box for $8. I split a bag with another lady and got two pairs of jeans, one pair of sweats, two button ups, a nice sweater, and goofy jacket for Kimmy that I could not pass up, and a sari. Sadly, the jeans were too short so I gave them to my short neighbor and she was very thankful. It was a great trip! I'll have to hit up the rummage sale on Saturday at the senior center to try and find some boots. Everyone seems to find great boots around here at the rummage sale. My feet are getting wet in all this rain. It rains almost every day here and its getting colder already. I'm excited for snow :) Winter in Nome is going to be beautiful. 

Also...still looking for a 4 wheeler so either someone send me one or give me tips on what to look for!

~baby alaska

Only in Nome

Since Monday was a holiday, there wasn’t much to do around here. I took a gal to school in my Alaska Dad’s car. My wonderful principal that drives me to and from school everyday lets me take his car if I need to run errands and he always says “Now Jennifer, drive slow, turn on the lights, and be careful where you park.” Sounds just like my daddy back home! We spent a few hours in school. I got a head start on the next few weeks of math and science. We left school on a hunt for something that can only be found in Nome. We found what we were looking for! A rubber duck race down the river! Over 800 people buy rubber duckies and enter them in this race. People go out in a boat and release the ducks while the bystanders race down the riverbank to see the exciting finish. It is about 150 yards that the ducks float before coming to the finish line: the bridge. Winners and the very last duck take home prizes and the rest of the money goes to a good cause apparently. I don’t know what that cause is though.

Coming back to the dorms I returned Alaska Dad’s car and decided to make grilled cheese. While I was cooking two delightful gentlemen came in to harass me about the kind of food I like to eat. Apparently canning (it’s actually in jars so I don’t know why they call it canning) sockeye salmon is all the rage here. There were bits of salmon floating in olive oil and other juices in a pressure sealed jar. DISGUSTING looking. I said no way would I eat that fish that has just been sitting in a jar on a shelf for who knows how long. Of course, they took this as a challenge and made me a sockeye salmon spred. It had mayonnaise, only the real stuff, dill, pickle, and some other spices. They loaded it on some pilot bread for me and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. DELICIOUS. I also tried dried smoked sockeye that was marinated in brown sugar before being smoked. DELICIOUS. Fish is definitely better in Alaska! I told the guys that my dad would be so jealous. I have a pretty wonderful home away from home up here. I am still amazed every morning when I wake up and see the mountains through the clouds.  

We are Alaskan Women!

Sunday I went on a girls adventure with some super fun gals: Kayla, Carol, and Lilianne. We drove a few hours back around the mountain sides through Dexter (where Wyatt Earp’s house is) and through nameless communities past Dorothy Falls, past Salmon Lake and the Boy Scout Camp, all the way to Pilgrim Springs. The road was crazy once we turned off “the highway” that leads to Council. It was a one lane road built of what looked like railroad rock. Parts of the road had sunken back into the tundra (which by the way is very squishy and spongy like moss and really fun to jump around on) so it is flooded with muddy water. 4 girls in a 4x4 Jeep driving through waist deep muddy water! “We are Alaskan women!!” we were yelling as we bumped along. At the end of the road there is a super cute pink one holer and you park your car to walk a mile through marsh and tundra. All along the way there are little pools of bubbling water. The hot springs are everywhere behind mountains and you wouldn’t know they were there unless a native showed you or you knew someone who was shown. We ended our hike at an 8 foot tall wooden basin that is surrounded by a very unsteady deck. You climb up the steps, strip down to bathing suits or whatever you’ve got, and jump in! You end up in a wooden basin that is filled with 110 degree water that flows in through pvc from the springs near by. There are no seats so you either float or try and touch the bottom. I was in for 5 minutes before I started to boil so I climbed on out only to be eaten by Alaskan Mosquitoes! They are the worst kind of skeeters I’ve ever encountered. They are tiny itty bitty little obnoxious things that leave enormous welts all over your body. So I had to get in, get out, get in, get out while we all shared stories.

On the way back to Nome we stopped to walk around on the tundra and pick blue berries, cranberries, blackberries, and crowberries. We also stopped on the side of the road where fresh clean freezing cold spring water shoots out the mountainside. We filled our water bottles with the coldest and freshest water I have ever tasted. I drank right from the mountain! Don’t worry, I didn’t poop my pants or anything. It was great!

We went to dinner and got a $14 BBQ burger then went to Lilianne’s apartment in town to read Tarot Cards. I’ve never done it, but when in Nome! From what my cards said I believe that I am in the right place. My cards were all about listening to my inner spirit and following the path that it tells me to go while ignoring the negative outside influences. They said that it was time for me to stand strong on my own ground and not be afraid of making difficult decisions because I will make the right ones if I listen to my inner whisper. I guess it was time for me to take the leap and make my own way in the world, and I landed in Nome! I love and miss everyone from back home. I know I was so lucky to have the family that I do to take care of me for so long. Without my family I would have been lost. They push me when I need to be pushed and keep me sheltered when I need to be sheltered. I know there are many many people that aren’t as lucky as I am, even though life definitely hasn’t been easy. I am still battling this uphill climb, but I’ve got a smile on my face and a bounce in my step! 

 Pink one holer in the middle of the tundra

 Me, Kayla, and Carol in the tub

 Obviously not ready for the picture

 The four amigas! Me, Lilianne, Kayla, and Carol

the view from the tub

My Saturday in Nome

Saturday I spent the whole morning and into the afternoon at school. I got boxes in the mail so I had things to bring into my room that are actually mine! I have books! I also cleaned out the toy/puzzle/game shelf so that hopefully it isn’t quite as easy for them to grab things during the day when they aren’t supposed to. I’m also going to have a thin blanket to hang over the front so when it is choice time I can uncover what shelves are “open” and cover it when the area is “closed”. I went through the lower cupboards to clean out unnecessary items and rearrange so it makes more sense to me. I labeled the doors to so I know what is in them. Very busy day! 

I actually got to go to bed early too and it felt great to sleep all night long. I did wake up thinking I heard my Olive meowing for breakfast...sad day :( I miss my baby. I sure hope my daddy hasn't given her away already.

My bedroom and classroom

 My bedroom shortly after unpacking some of my things from my suitcase

 All my flight and baggage receipts 

 My classroom! 

 Bulletin board to make Aunty Lois proud