Heat wave!

Hey! It warmed up! Of course "warmed up" means that it's only -12 F this morning instead of -21 F! However, if the wind shifts from west to east (which usually occurs with a warm front) we're going to get a bit of that ash we've been so fortunate in avoiding thus far. Sooo...although it would be nice to get past the "bone-chilling" aspect of our recent weather, I wonder if it isn't the best thing to just grin (grimace?) and bear it.

Check out the graph from the webicorder on Augustine. Old Auggie has been busy! Just click on the image to see it full-sized. Courtesy of AVO!

There was a funeral for Niel Nielsen yesterday in Kokhanok. Sad. So tired of seeing young men dying in the winter. Hope for Annie's sake they find James so she can have some closure.

Q'uo!

Brrr!

It's another cold day in Pedro. It was -21 F this morning when I came in. Norman Jacko said he had -28 F. Reckon the lake is going to be useable as soon as it warms up enough to travel on it. Not looking to freeze my face off just to run on the ice. Augustine is still puffing ash into the atmosphere, looks to be a looong week.

On a positive note, I managed (with tech support, what a blow to my geek ego) to get the new DVD burner I received for Christmas working. Yay! Now if I can just find something worth watching to burn! ;-)

Uhh...what?

Well. Here it is, 1:40 am, and I'm up too late once again. Been keeping an eye on Augustine most of the night and just playing on the computer. Spent time visiting with Nancy, you know, just chatting, innocuous conversation.

Sent the Alaska Volcano Observatory a digital photo of todays eruption (which was visible to us, things tend to be visible that rise to 40,000 feet only 45 miles away!) and sent copies to family and friends. It's posted to the right. Got a chance to use the wifes new Fuji FinePix digital camera. Nine megapixels, and it's evident. Kind of a cool camera. Best for portraits and action. It's one of the cameras we're purchasing in preparation for our vacation, the other is the one I'm buying, a Canon Elph SD550. Looking forward to getting that puppy.

Speaking of vacation, this is going to be quite the monumental undertaking. All of Nancys family will be cruising with us on the Carnival Conquest to Jamaica, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. We were pleasantly surprised when the entire family agreed to make the trip. Nancy, Elijah, and I, along with Nancy's sister and her family will probably drive from Albuquerque to Galveston. Bob and Barb will fly down. Nancy keeps telling me that the drive through Texas will be boring, but I have yet to find anywhere, desert or not, that's boring. Guess that means I'm easily entertained. Oh well.

Speaking of me, guess I should let ya'll know who I am. I'm a Athabascan Indian from Pedro Bay, Alaska, a small village on the northwest shore of Lake Iliamna. Lake Iliamna is the largest lake in Alaska, and is the only one with freshwater seal indigeneous to the lake. The economy of the village is based mostly on the local government, the Pedro Bay Village Council, with some jobs outside the village and others self-employed with bed and breakfasts, mechanic services, guide services, etc. This is a quiet little town, and most who live here would have it no other way. The impending incursion of a road will probably change that rather radically, but that's fodder for another entry.

Guess that's enough for now. Future entries will be much shorter. Q'uo!