Life In The Bay

Kodiak-bound again…

2009-05-30T15:46:00.001-08:00

Well, heading to Kodiak for the 2009 Rural Providers Conference. Hope the weather holds, it can be really wet out there this time of the year. Maybe I’ll see some old friends, we’ll see I guess.

Still waiting to find out where Junior will be laid to rest, I hope it’s Ft. Rich, he should have military honors.

Raining and blowing today, this does not bode well for travel tomorrow. Here’s hoping it improves.

My son, Elijah

Then there are times like these...

2009-05-13T14:11:00.002-08:00

Gave my heart to someone...fully...unconditionally...totally committed...and had my heart and my feelings dashed like they never mattered. I thought I knew her....I thought I was in the "right place"...there is nothing that will make you feel like an old fool then not seeing it coming...life is so unfair sometimes...

Pain...man, I'm tired of it!

Q'uo

The absence of Summer

2008-10-15T09:35:00.008-08:00

Well, summer was non-existant. I believe you could count the "summer days" on one hand. Fall was early, and looking out at the snow on the ground at this very moment brings about an involuntary shudder. I can't believe winter has already started!

Just found out one of my favorite guitarists has passed away. Jeff Healey succumbed to cancer at 41 years of age. What a loss, the man could really play!

The turmoil, drama and controversy surrounding my employment continues, albeit slightly more muted. I've been able to lead my first tour of the PLP site, fittingly, it was my village touring. Things on that end of my life have been progressing. I'm learning more about the "art" of stakeholder relations (thanks to Heidis tutelage) and being able to put this stuff into practice is fulfilling. I am still very much enjoying this job.

We've had a stomach virus sweep the village. It knocked down 16 people in one night. In a village of 50, that's a huge hit. All because someone sick thoughtlessly kept contact with the rest of the community instead of staying home and recovering. Issued a memo that should deal with it.

Busy couple of months coming up for me. Traveling to Anchorage for AFN next week, then to Saskatoon, Saskatchawan for a Canadian Aborgininal Minerals Association conference. Should be very interesting. December is the Bureau of Indian Affairs Service Providers Conference in Anchorage, along with BBNCs Leadership Workshop. Whew!

Q'uo

Life

2008-06-19T11:28:00.003-08:00

How ya living life? Enjoying your loved ones? Taking time to smell the fireweed? I am. Finally. Life has taken on a new flavor for me in the last couple of weeks. I'm home. Alone. Nancy and Elijah are in Albuquerque spending time with my mother in law, Barb. Bob, my father in law, was taken from us far to quickly on the 30th of May. He fell from a ladder, causing immense damage to his body, and slipped away 30 hours later. I was the only one who could not make it for the funeral or grieving process. That in it's self was a big emotional hurdle for me. How do I say good bye? Am I wrong not to be there? I know what he would say, but still I have this nagging guilt about not being there with my family.

I have a huge amount of respect for the man Bob was. The way he prioritized his life, putting his family first and always making the time to "be there" was, and still is, a source of inspiration to me. This is what I need to do. I guess it's kind of a wakeup call for me. Life moves to fast to be totally focused on what's around the next corner, I need to be "here and now".

So, yeah...I miss Bob. Still having a hard time going through the pictures I have of our last trip to see them. I do cherish the memories I have though. Bob in bunny ears at Easter is one of them. Or quietly watching TV with Holly asleep on his lap. He was quite a guy. A man's man, yet...a man with a huge heart and the capacity to love without reservation those around him. Robert Dean Ostby was truly a great man.

Good bye Dad, I will truly miss you.

Love,

Kevin

Mexican Riviera

2008-01-17T10:16:00.002-09:00

This is the tail-end of a month-long trip, culminating in an 8 day cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We are in San Diego as I write, having just debarked a few hours ago, tomorrow we head for the frigid climes we call home.

Zihuatenejo harbor

Carnival Spirit - Zihuatenejo

Me! (Zihuatenejo)

Ixtapa - Dorado Pacifico

Approaching Zihuatenejo

Manzanillo Harbor - industrial!

Manzanillo sunset

Leaving Manzanillo

Leaving Manzanillo

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas

Cruise ships anchored Cabo

Towel Elephant!

Acapulco

Nancy in hot tub - Acapulco

Elijah on the waterslide

Acapulco at night

Cabo San Lucas

Elijah on the Lido Deck - first day

Elijah on the first formal night

Acapulco harbor

Acapulco pier

Vacation!

2007-12-30T18:26:00.000-09:00

Well...here we are in Albuquerque, having arrived two weeks ago, I think I'm finally relaxing! We head for San Diego and a 9 day cruise to Mexico in about a week, then back to the grindstone. I'll try to do a bit more journaling in the near future, but have included a video from home and will upload some photos in the next few days.

Wind down...

2007-09-30T23:38:00.000-08:00

I'm in Anchorage until Tuesday, got some meetings tomorrow, and then home until AFN. Fortunately, Nancy is able to be with me here...it makes the time away much easier.

Had a wonderful dinner at Trefon and Gwins this evening. She prepared a seafood chowder that was to die for! (I don't use that cliche' lightly!) Good food, good conversation.

The fallout from the HB 134 hearings continues, not as much as I'd expected, but we'll see how things are after Fairbanks.

I've included some photos from the past month or so.

The Newhalen River

Wind and wave action

Laddy & Glenda

Quo

HB 134

2007-09-23T22:19:00.000-08:00

Salutations! I'm in Iliamna preparing for the HB 134 hearing tomorrow. I came down early to help site staff get things ready, and to be available for whatever information I can share about the bill.

In case you haven't heard of it, HB 134 is a bill created primarily to stop the Pebble prospect from becoming a mine. However, the proposed "salmon reserve" encompasses most of Bristol Bay, including all of Iliamna Lake. Once in place, the act would ensure that there would not be any further development within the "reserve", regardless of it's nature. No new bridges, docks, business structures, or even trails through the lands and woods surrounding your village.

Nice, huh?

The sponsors of the bill are attempting to stop the mine using a tactic akin to killing a mosquito with a shotgun. The consideration for those tribes and communities within the propose area is non-existent. We'll be forever burdened with life in a game reserve, but the sponsor will have kept his campaign promise!

Ridiculous.

Sooo...we sally forth, hopeful that folks understand what is occurring, and silently imploring them to speak their hearts.

Wheee...the fun never ends!

Q'uo

Hmm

2007-09-05T21:58:00.000-08:00

Uhh..............anybody see August??

Six in Five

2007-07-24T23:52:00.000-08:00

Well. It's been an interesting week. We started out in Wasilla, the next night was in Anchorage, then the following day we flew in to Pedro Bay, back to Anchorage, then we headed down to Dillingham. Next was a day trip to Naknek, then back to Dillingham. "We" refers to myself and two senior employees and two consultants from NDM, and we were holding informational meetings in the listed locations.

Most of the presentations went halfway decent, but the ones in Dillingham were trying. The same tired agenda of those whose job it is to mislead and misdirect was being presented as "questions", and the hostile and literally rude attitude of many of the people attending the shareholder informational was beyond even what I envisioned. However, there were folks in attendance who were genuinely interested in learning about what was happening with the project, and what information was available.

If anything, it showed me that I could deal with whatever was thrown my way, because regardless of where I go, it's not possible for it be worse then Dillingham.

*sigh*

And so it goes.

Q'uo

Life Changes

2007-07-12T11:48:00.000-08:00

I've recently started a new job with Northern Dynasty Mines as a Community Associate, and I'm loving it! My duties include traveling to Nondalton, Newhalen, Iliamna, Kokhanok, Port Alsworth, Koliganek, Dillingham, and of course, Pedro Bay, listening to the people, and forwarding information. The necessity of interacting with stakeholders and community members is tailor-made for me, I relish the opportunity to be a part of history in the making. Some of the job is going to be difficult, especially when faced with those who are emphatically and passionately opposed to any kind of development whatsoever. However, I believe that a healthy environment, such as the one surrounding this event, cannot be without equal participation on both sides.

I've included a couple of photos taken from my trip to Kokhanok a couple of days ago.

Q'uo

Tours

2007-06-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

I just finished a tour of the Pogo mine site, and it was an experience to say the least. To begin with, the mine is 85 miles south of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway, and that's just the gate. The actual mine is another 50 miles inland on a gravel road that meanders around and over many hills and streams.

The camp and processing area was carved out of the side of a mountain, and the mine was bored into the side of a mountain. Part of the tour was actually going down inside the mountain, and I gotta tell ya, it's nowhere near as "glamorous" as depicted in the movies! I don't know how those guys can work inside that mountain for 12 hours a day, it would drive me bonkers! All in all it was very informative and interesting, I've included a few pictures I took.

Q'uo

Back in the Saddle......Again!

2007-05-07T23:11:00.000-08:00

Well, Nancy and I finished our trip to the lower 48, the conferences went well, and it was nice to see her family. Nancy's sister surprised her by showing up for Nancy's birthday. Nice trip, but it's good to be home. We both missed Elijah immensely.

Received someones first attempt at posting a derogatory comment on my blog. I say "someone" because this individual posted anonymously, which hardly surprises me. Unbeknownst to them, I'm not only aware of who the sad little person, but why they did it. It's kind of disheartening to be exposed to such raw hatred, but when your life amounts to nothing but bitterness and animosity to everyone around you, the likelihood of that perverse attitude infringing on the lives of normal people is almost a given. I have to admit that my first reaction was to post the comment and respond in kind, but I'm sure that hiding behind a screen, smugly secure in their electronic anonymity, lurks a pathetic soul yearning to just be loved. So, smile...Jesus loves you!

Have a wonderful day!

Q'uo

Another plane ride...

2007-03-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm here in Anchorage again. This time for an ANICWA conference at the Millenium. It was a beautiful flight, kinda made me forget the blizzard we endured the last couple of days. Anyway.

Took this shot from 11,400 feet as we passed Pedro Bay (it's on the left side of the photo. That's Augustine Island in the background, and you can just see the steam plume streaming. Cool, huh?

Q'uo

Life In The Fast Lane (sure to make you lose your mind)

2007-03-05T16:32:00.000-09:00

Salutations dear ones. I won't even begin to sample the veritable plethora of reasons why you haven't seen me in a 'coons age. Suffice it to say, I've been busy! I gave up my seat on the BBNA Exec board to spend more time at home, but it seems like my travel has increased, a fact that my wife is prone to relate at the proverbial drop of the hat. All being said and done though, I feel more "worth" in what I'm doing now, so I guess there's that...

Downtown with Legislature Bldg.

Speaking of my shy bride, she's ensconced in Dillingham until Friday for a CHAP forum. Those of you who understand that acronym know what, how, and why. The rest of you, never mind. LOL...just a joke.

Yep.

Oh well...

The Channel & Douglas Island

What is the deal with a REAL winter?? I can't believe it's STILL cold, and the forecast seems to be leaning towards more of the same! I keep waiting for the other soggy, muddy boot to drop, but it isn't happening...just when you thought you had things figured out....

It was a very interesting trip to Juneau this past week. I'm beginning to understand more of the workings and goings on down there, and let me tell you...it's enlightening! It's probably not a good thing, but I kinda enjoyed the experience. Will probably be heading back down there again in a couple of weeks. I'll try to post some of the pictures I took in the next few days.

Rm 322 Baranof Hotel

Anywho!

Good to be back! :-)

Q'uo

Tis the season..

2006-12-15T12:01:00.000-09:00

One of my Pedro Bay Christmas memories is gathering at the Council Building to go Christmas caroling around the village. It was a very COLD evening. I can't recall how many degrees below zero but it was very nippy and there was a lot of snow. It looked and felt like it was going to be a white and wintry Christmas. We finished singing and as I walked home I thought the air felt warmer. When I got home I watched my thermometer needle move quickly to the right as the temperature increased from -20 to +40 in a very short time. Instead of a white Christmas, it was a very slushy, mushy and wet one. But a merry Christmas just the same.

Roz Goodman

In 2004, we were in the process of finishing our new house. We still had bare plywood floors, but we wanted to have the feel of the Christmas season. We went out and cut a tree and put it in the living room right in front of the big windows on the bare floor. Besides decorating the tree, we strung lights outside from the edge of the porch. Then being able to enjoy the Christmas program put on by the kids, under Nancy's direction, at the church, having the Christmas carolers come, and topping it off with Christmas dinner with Marge and Carl, made it one of the most memorable Christmas's ever. Being able to enjoy festivities with other people who share the true meaning of Christmas, our Savior’s birth, is a great memory.

Jerry and Karen Pippen

Back in the “Good Old Days”. of course those days are only “good” to those who remember them that way, the radio was pumping out a song titled “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier” Most of us kids here in the village walked around singing the song at the top of our lungs. I believe none of us had any idea who this fella was but the words and melody was very catchy! Well it so happened that my sisters were working out in Anchorage that winter and caught the Davy Crockett fever also! As Christmas day dawned I went downstairs to see if I had gotten my new pair of jeans or perhaps a new shirt from Santa. Lo and behold! I had a number of gifts under the tree! That Christmas I received a Davy Crockett Jacket with fringe, a coon skin cap and a Davy Crockett air gun. The wild frontier of Pedro Bay had a new king!!!!!

John Foss

One of my best memories of Christmas in Pedro Bay was way back in grade school when Irene Carlson was my teacher. She had previously been overseas to China (I believe) and brought back all these amazing thin papers and a book on Origami. We spent a lot of time making ornaments from that book. She had us make beautiful ornaments, as we made placemats for the community potluck and all kinds of neat decorations, she reassured each and every one of us, that ours was truly the most beautiful she had ever seen. As we made stuff, she would tell us about Christmas and what it meant in other places around the world. She made sure that the cooks made goodies for us to snack on, and sometimes that was cake and juice, or we would have a taffy pull. The school smelled of glue and glitter, cake and kool-aide, and her talking in that very authoritative, but caring voice. She made me believe in Christmas traditions and the meaning of Christmas, but to also appreciate that there are other cultures that have equally important traditions as my own. She brought in special goodies on occasion, and slipped me a candy when I thought I was the only one getting one. I often wonder if she was slipping candies to everyone else and we all thought we were the only ones! It truly makes me smile. She made that Christmas and many more very special and memorable in my young life, and I will always remember that.

Karla Jensen

One of my most favorite, most memorable Christmas's would have to be...when we had gotten back from Anchorage, after Autumn was born. Because, we had a Christmas that was truly amazing. It was not just some "regular" Christmas get together, it was a memory that will always be with me, no matter where or what happens. It was Christmas morning; I came running out all excited, at like 6 am in the morning. I ran into my parent’s room, and flew onto their bed like a bird freed from prison bars. I tried to wake them up, my dad was still asleep. My mom (Karla), woke up and told me to go back to sleep, saying it was too early. "but mom? it’s Christmas!" she told me that I needed to go back to bed, and that we would open presents later. Daddy was awake by then, so he got up, Mommy got the baby (Autumn), and we all headed out to open Christmas gifts. I will never forget that b-e-a-u-t-I-f-u-l little smile that was on Autumn's face as she opened her presents. I remember exactly what she looked like, exactly what she smelled like, and exactly what she did. She was in her cute little PJ's...and she smelled of warm milk...and stinky diapers...lol...she was sitting on the floor watching us open gifts, and when we put a present in front of her, she just looked at us. as if she was saying "what am I supposed to do again?"...it was the funniest little thing ever, watching her stare go from us to the gift. After we had opened Christmas presents, she used to have this little chair that was in the shape of a yellow car, it had small toys attached to it. And it was on springs, so she could jump up and down as much as her little feet would let her...lol...she would do that for hours, it was always so cute to watch her. Her little legs just pushing off the floor, with a smile on her face that was just so adorable. She was so cute, that it just made me want to eat her up and dip her in my coffee....lol....she also had a swing, that was attached to the ceiling, it was like bungee jumping, it had bungee cords connected to it, so when she jumped it would make her fly all over the place. I remember sitting on the floor, opening presents, in my red and green PJ's...they were made of fleece, so they were really itchy...lol...but I wore them anyways..because they were also REALLY warm at night. Just seeing that HUGE smile on her face was like opening a door to a room filled with diamonds...but seeing her little smile was even better then diamonds. I always loved to kiss her little tiny cheeks, they were so soft. she was just the most adorable little thing ever! lol..she still is, but now she is 7 years old. and just a mischief little thing..naw, just kidding...lol..thats my most memorable Christmas ever..MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!!!!!!!!!:D

Chelsea Jensen-Roehl

My favorite Christmas was last year (2005), we had a nice tree, there were lots of presents and we got to go ice skating.

Autumn Jensen-Roehl

Turbulence

2006-11-26T21:59:00.000-09:00

I've had some hairy flights in small planes. Some shaky ones in jet airliners as well. I've even survived a crash. But today, I got nervous for the first time in a loooonnng time.

After the plane picked me up, we stopped in Nondalton for 5 passengers, then in Iliamna for 3 more.

After taking off, the pilot started climbing for a higher altitude, hoping to get above the low clouds and gusty winds. Well, we did...eventually. At around 6000 feet we hit some of the most violent turbulence I've ever had the misfortune to experience. There was a lot of sudden updrafts, followed by massive downdrafts. My cranium had many intimate encounters with the roof of the cabin, none of which were enjoyable. We were all being thrown around the cabin like rag dolls for only 20 seconds, but it felt like 20 minutes. One second the nose is pointed at the sky and the plane is climbing like a lovesick angel, the next moment it's plunging to earth in a 75 degree angle. There was one lady who really thought we were goners, and the noises she was making are probably going to give me nightmares tonight!

However, we made it, and the remainder of the flight was relatively smooth and uneventful. Life is nothing without adventure, but I think that there's a lot to be said for the staid and predictable!

By the way, the picture above is my Mom (on the left) and Roz Goodman at our annual Thankgiving potluck. Even though most of the residents were out of town, we still had a great turn-out!

Q'uo

Departures

2006-11-22T10:08:00.000-09:00

We're nearing the end of the "traveling period", that block of time from September to December when BIA conferences, trainings, and other related "out of town" events are occurring. There is still an exodus of people today and this weekend heading out for the BIA Service Providers Conference in Anchorage. The only thing I dread about these trips is the increased number of people in Anchorage during this time.

These folks are there for the conferences and holiday shopping. That means bigger crowds in the stores (and you all know how much I love the carnage that is holiday shopping) and on the roads. The stores are one thing, but having more people on the road makes me cranky. There's always some bozo thinking he (or she) is the protege of Mario Andretti, and that gaining the extra five seconds of time weaving through traffic to make it to the head of the lane for the stoplight is going to have a profound effect on the rest of their day. The near misses and lane cutoffs are usually punctuated by my horn, which unfortunately sounds like a muffled sneeze and usually has no effect on the transgressor. I have considered changing my horn, but the idea of mounting a 150 decibel truck horn in our PT Cruiser did not sit well with my wife so I'm left with the obligatory (and according to her, mandatory) defensive driving that I'm so fond of. (NOT)

*Sigh*

Guess I better go pack.

Q'uo

Thankful

2006-11-21T16:59:00.000-09:00

When I'm standing outside on an evening like this, looking at that sunset, breathing in the cold air, hearing only the occasional ATV or voice break the silence, I'm truly thankful. I'm thankful for my salvation, the wonderful gift of life He gave me.

I'm thankful for the wonderful wife He blessed me with and the beautiful son she gave me.

I'm thankful for my parents and the way they raised me. I'm thankful for the village in which I live, and the people who live here. My life ain't bad. It's not what you have that counts.

There are times when I feel overworked, or when I feel stressed out, and it isthose times that I tend to forget just how good I have it. It doesn't matter that the weather is completely unpredictable. It doesn't matter that I won't be able to go on vacation when I want to, or travel to Anchorage as much as I'd like. What matters most, are the two precious souls waiting for me at home. If it was just my faith, and those two, life would still be good. It's not what we have, but then again, maybe it is.

Q'uo

Auuuuuuugggggghhhhhhhh! (snow)

2006-11-09T17:37:00.000-09:00

I cannot believe it's white outside! I think it's time to move!

Got a brand new laptop for work. Dell XPS M1710 with the following goodies:

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7600 (2.33GHz/667MHz/4MB) - 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 6 - 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX - 100GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive - Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card - Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Module (2.0 + EDR)

This is one bad mamma jamma! Pictures upon request! ;-)

Things have been really jumping at work. Our new administrator has really been immersing himself in all aspects of the job, including spending time with those of us who have been here a while, learning about our jobs, and what he can do to help us. It's feeling pretty good, but there's also sadness in the departure of John Baalke, who has been more then a supervisor and manager, he's been a confidant and trusted friend. He will be truly missed by all. I wish him all the best in whatever adventures he undertakes. He rocked the Council righteously for 10 years. Go with God my friend.

Q'uo

Chatty

2006-11-06T21:08:00.000-09:00

Well, we had a good chat session night before last! Although Shawnmarie and Ingrid were the only ones who could make it, we had a great time. Hopefully, more will be able to join next time.

<------Guess who?

I'm kinda diggin' the cold weather, of course, this is my favorite season of the year, has been since I was a kid, so the clear, cold nights and nippy mornings are seeming more like a comfort zone now.....how weird is that?

I'm actually enjoying a fairly good speed tonight (I'm starting this the night before) so I'll try to upload some photos while the speed is up.

Well...I did my civic duty yesterday and served as an election judge, so I wasn't able to get this posted yesterday morning when I meant to. Anyway, here 'tis!

Elijah and I had some time together while Nancy was in Albuquerque, this was our "landing observation" trip!

The village website will be back up, momentarily...I'm designing a new look.

Q'uo

Here we go again...

2006-11-06T10:27:00.000-09:00

It never fails to amaze me how fast the seasons change. One day you're enjoying the fall colors, reveling in the bright oranges, reds and yellows, and the next day those trees are frosted over, there's ice fog on the lake, and fresh snow on the mountain. Wonder what kind of winter we're facing this year?

I know it's been a long time between entries, I just can't seem to find the time anymore. I guess that's a credit to the amount of time being spent working, but it's really putting a crimp into my online life! Oh well...if you haven't realized by now that my blog is a random affair, then I feel sorry for you!

Just kidding!

Check out this very cool clock!

Here's a couple of shots from this morning. The bundled up canine is "Spot", and he's obviously well prepared for our chilly mornings. I didn't know they made parkas for dogs! He seems to be okay with wearing it, but I'm not sure if it coordinates with his studded collar! :-)

This is the moon "setting" behind Knutsen this morning.

Q'uo

Termination Dust

2006-09-29T15:46:00.000-08:00

This morning I looked up at Knutsen Mountain and lo and behold, snow on the peak! Guess that's the end of whatever summer we had.

Upload speeds are so slow, I'm going to wait until I get to Anchorage on Monday to upload the rest of the HGTW pictures.

Q'uo

The Waterbaby returns!

2006-09-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

I'm actually ambivalent about returning home. On the one hand, it's great to be back with my wife and son, and on the other, I'm sad about leaving all of my friends, and my "other" family. Such wonderful memories are flooding me right now that I think I need some time to process the whole experience. This conference, 'Hearts Going Toward Wellness' was the most uplifting, sanctified gathering I've ever attended. I can't wait for the "next" one! There are so many people that I already miss!

I've included pictures of our time, and over the next few days, I will try to get as many posted as possible. Feel free to copy them.

These are my friends Steve and Trisha.
Aren't they cute? (Don't hurt me!)

A few years back when I was at a Beauty For Ashes, my first as a leader, I was asked to introduce myself and add a "blurb" about my life. I commented that I was born on Lake Iliamna, and Lydia Olsen quipped, "That must have been cold!" Henceforth, she has referred to me as "waterbaby". Due to the fact that I have a great deal of respect and love for her, in spite of the teasing, I am owning this moniker! Thanks, Lydia! :-)

You're right, Connie, I have been having an inordinate amount of trouble uploading, hence the lateness of these additions! :-(

Q'uo

Travel

2006-09-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hey! Guess what?? I was invited to attend a ceremony in the decaying apple! NY, NY that is. I was supposed to be representing BBNA at a Citgo sponsered ceremony. You may notice I'm saying "supposed to be", that's because I've made a decision to not go. There were many factors surrounding that decision....Nancy couldn't go....it's basically a one day trip to fly clear across the country, turn right around and fly back....the per diem issue is bad...$64 a day for meals in New York City!! Ridiculous! Oh well. Can't wait for Kodiak!

I've included some pictures of the picnic Nancy, Eliajh and I had a couple of weeks ago. Great fun, and the perfect beach to have it on. We deemed it "Our Beach". So, for those of you out seeking great beaches to picnic upon, seek on...just stay away from ours!! LOL!

Those are hobos on the fire, my dad's boat, and my son doing his fly guy routine.

Q'uo

Froggy day

2006-09-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

Well, the land is cooling off at a regular rate now. This is the second day in a row we've had fog, and the temps continue to drop at night, it won't be long now.

I have got to get away from this weather jag I'm on! There has got to be other things I can notate besides the weather......wait a minute.....nope! Weather is it! :-)

I've included a couple of "fog pictures" for your perusal, yes...just for you!

Q'uo

What??!! No rain???

2006-09-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Amazingly enough the weather seems to be leveling off, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, September has yet to be survived. Historically, this is the month when water levels rise to unprecedented heights, and every stream and river is flooding. Being that all of the above occured in August, I'm a bit nervous about what September will bring.

Heading out to Kodiak Island on Sunday for the Hearts Going Toward Wellness conference. Haven't ever been, it's a bit intriguing to visit our biggest island. Can't wait to see all of my brothers and sisters!

Elijah has discovered the joy of woodworking, and already is lamenting the fact that it will take another six weeks before he receives his next "kit". Very fun watching him concentrating so hard on getting it right.

Q'uo!

Busy

2006-09-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

Things keep moving on me here. I'm the only one in the office, not sure why, but I am. There's all the stuff that needs to be done here, and there's the things that need to be done for my parents while they're gone. I'm answering phones, meeting planes, hauling people, delegating jobs, etc. Keepin' me hoppin', as bizarre a mental picture that may be.

Here's shot of my sons class. It's dress up day, and of course, he goes right over the top, suit and tie! Nancy was up late getting the suit cleaned and ironed, worth it though, doesn't he look smokin'!

"Yo! Where my dogs at?"

Woof!

Uploading again.......naturally!

2006-09-01T00:22:00.000-08:00

I was having a problem uploading photos for a bit. Seemed that every time I attempted an upload, it failed at around 90%. Needless to say, this became a bit frustrating after four or five attempts. So far, the problem hasn't reoccured. I hope to have at least 10 or so more uploaded in the next day or so.

The shots below show a couple of bovine inhabitants of the local tailings pond at the Gibralter mine, and Heidi sampling the tailings pond water. The cows were part of a herd that belonged to a local farm, and in British Columbia, it's a law that they are allowed to roam wherever they want. Apparently, these cows just wanna hang out by the tailings pond. Heidi, on the other hand, just drank the pond water. Moo. (belch)

Uhh...you're not reading this, are you Heidi? ;-)

Q'uo

Houston......we have Fall!

2006-08-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

Seems that way anymore...the sun made a brave attempt to shine yesterday afternoon and this morning....for all of 15 minutes! Woohoo...we're cooking now!

I have to admit though, I love this weather...the lake is flat, the air is fresh...as long as it's not CONTINUALLY raining, I don't mind...

As you can tell, I'm making a concerted effort to maintain daily postings. Can't promise how long this burst of "creativity" will hold, so read 'em while you can.....LOL!

Oh yes! Forgot to mention for all you fellow geeks out there, I've upgraded my machine again. Dropped in a PC Power & Cooling aftermarket PSU, rated at 470W, and a new ATI Radeon X1900XT card. Thinking of upgrading the memory from 2GB to 4GB in the next phase.

Q'uo

rainrainrainrainrain......Augggghhhhh!

2006-08-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is really getting ridiculous! It just keeps raining, I'm frightened to think about what it's going to be like in September! We managed to get out for a picnic yesterday, hobos over the fire...mmmm! Nancy, Elijah & I had a really good time. This was something our little family really needed.

I've included a couple of photos of a HUGE electrice (yes, electric!) shovel. As you can see, there was more then enough room for all of us.

Q'uo

Mine Tour

2006-08-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

I just returned from British Columbia on Saturday, was supposed to be on Friday, but the weather wouldn't cooperate. That time of year again, but then, it seems to have been "that time of year" all year!

About the trip; I toured two major mines, including the largest copper mine in the world. It was a very eye-opening trip in that I was able to see how a large pit mine could be situated just 8 miles from the second largest sockeye fishery in the world and not detrimentally affect it. I will, over the next few days, include photos of the tour, and some commentary on what you will be looking at. The mine (Highland Valley) is huge! I was a bit taken aback by the sheer enormity of the site, including the tailings pond, seepage and pits. Regardless of where you stand on mining, I trust you will find the information that follows interesting, and above all, informative.

Quo

Heavy Heart

2006-08-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

I've spent a great deal of my life in the last three years committed to an ideal that I now find is without spiritual guidance or moral backbone. Having brought this to light, I was lectured and "strongly encouraged" to keep these things secret. This goes against everything I have learned and experienced and now weighs heavily on my heart. I KNOW my Lord WILL sustain me, but now as I walk through that valley, it seems so lonely and dark. The feeling of betrayal and loss is suffocating. The hardest thing is not being able to walk through this in community. If you're reading this, and believe, please pray for me.

Q'uo

TTT

2006-07-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

Greetings all!

I just finished Family Wellness Warriors Initiative Training The Trainer, and am in Anchorage for a few more days.

I don't know why I haven't been able to find either the time or inclination to blog, but I think recent developments will lead to a change in that situation. :)

Nancy is flying in for the the weekend, and will be here tonight. Can't wait to see her! Our son is still in summer camp and apparently having a great time, he didn't have much to relate to my wife, TOO busy! Guess that's a good thing, I was worried he'd be homesick.

Enclosed some pics from the last couple of weeks, most of them in the last few days.

Q'uo

Long time no blog...

2006-06-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

Howdy do there friends and neighbors! Can't believe I haven't written anything in here since May 9th!! Good grief! Doesn't that entail having my blogging privileges jerked? Sorry guys..been hard to get back in the groove.

Not much going on here yet, summer is making an effort to rear it's head, but spring is stubbornly refusing to leave quietly. Rain and wind seem to be the order of the month. I'm still holding on to hope that this will be a summer of record, temperature-wise. If the early appearance of our ursine neighbors is any indicator, it will at least be an adventerous one!

Mom and Dad are bombin' around back east. Getting some visiting and rest done before the fish hit I guess.

Things seem to be leveling out for me. Kind of nice to be back in the saddle. Now, if I can only manage to make it productive! ;-)

Q'uo!

Rangers vs Twins

2006-05-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are in Arlington Texas. We spent yesterday in Galveston, and today at the NASA Space Center. After that we drove up to Arlington, and as alluded to in the title, we are going to watch the Rangers play the Twins at Ameriquest Park. We're all pretty jazzed about the game, but are so road-weary that the excitement level is severely diminished. I've included some photos from the cruise, and will upload more tomorrow.

Q'uo

First Day On The Road

2006-04-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

Well, actually we have been "on the road" for a week or so, but only in terms of travel. Today we actually drove from Albuquerque to where we are right now in beautiful (insert winking emoticon) Ozona, Texas. What you see below is part of my day. The ones with me standing by the car is when my father-in-law, Bob and I got pulled over for speeding (total bogus call) by one of Texas' finest. Very ambitious young man....anywho, he gave us a warning and we were on our way.

The next set of pics is of the threatening clouds in the area and the tornado watch that has been issued. Freakin' me out man!

More later,

Blog not, want not..

2006-04-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

I find it hard to concentrate on writing in here anymore. Keep thinking about vacation time. Ten more days and I'm a gone dead train. I'll probably be crawlin' in the door my last day!

The snow has been freezing up pretty hard in the morning, you can run almost anywhere on a four wheeler. If it's still that hard in the morning, I'm heading up Knutsen River. I'll post some pics if I can make it all the way to the banks.

You have got to be kidding me!

2006-04-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

It's April. I know this because my calendar tells me it is. However, the weather says it's February. Winds hitting 35-45 mph, snow blowing, and on top of that, it's melting. This is doing absolutely nothing for my attitude! Two weeks to go, and I'm outta here! Actually, I've already left mentally (no jokes now) just waiting to get on a plane.

Had a brain-drainin' session with BIA Human Services this past week. Tons of requirements for the upcoming visit, should keep us busy.

I'll post more pics before I leave, and I will be posting from the ship, but right now, there isn't a whole lot to show. It's all the same dreary, white, landscapes.

Q'uo

Bleah

2006-03-22T09:26:00.000-09:00

Y'know...things aren't that bad, so why do I feel so lackluster and unmotivated? I have so much to do, and can't seem to get going. This is most frustrating.

Full Board

2006-03-16T09:08:00.001-09:00

Returned from the Bristol Bay Native Association Full Board of Directors meeting yesterday afternoon. Although the majority of the meetings went very well, there was an attempt to circumvent procedure and introduce a resolution to the board that would have specifically targeted the Pebble Prospect. The portion of the resolution that was "too specific" in nature was struck, and the resolution passed. It irks me that those adamantly opposed to development would do anything to advance their views, regardless of the forum. I believe that the "fight", as it were, has just begun, and we haven't seen anything yet.

Busy Day

2006-03-09T20:16:00.001-09:00

There was a lot of activity around here today. The optometrist from BBAHC was here, Ralph, Jeff, and Marlo from BBNA came up for our monthly Council meeting, and Nancy & Elijah came home!

We had a great meeting, I think the BBNA team presented well, and some very insightful questions were asked. All in all, it went better then I expected.

My cousin Josh was in today, so I've included some pics of his departure.

Q'uo!

Throttled back

2006-03-08T12:00:00.000-09:00

I just found out that Starband has started enforcing a 3.4 GB transfer limit, so now if I hit that limit within 7 days, they throttle us back to less then 100 KBS. Ridiculous! So much for "unlimited access"! I can't even get the advertised speeds, and they're throttling! I put in a call to our account manager, complained and he put in a memo on our behalf to leave the settings where they are, without throttling.

The wind is whipping out of the southwest, at around 40 mph. I actually like it when it's this windy, always have. Pretty dang cold though. We have 14 mph here, and the wind chill is -8.

Dad left for Anchorage this morning. He's has some medical appointments, and Mom is heading in on Thursday to be with him.

Miss my family. Elijah had his braces put on this morning. He's pretty psyched about the whole thing. More then likely because Brandon has them. He's not to thrilled about the list of foods he isn't able to eat anymore, though.

I've included some pictures of our day. Enjoy.

Q'uo

Winter Blahs

2006-03-06T12:03:00.000-09:00

I don't recall ever experiencing "cabin fever". Of course, spending most of my time outdoors, skating, sledding, hunting, and generally goofing off probably staved off any occurance of that particular malady. Now there never seems to be the time for all of that. Hence, my dour attitude lately. I keep looking at my countdown clock, and wishing it were in single digits. I find myself gazing longingly at the image on the TV...white sands, sparkling water...it's not until I realize that the "girls have gone wild" that I snap out of my reverie and change the channel.

*Sigh*

I need a vacation.

Q'uo

Is anybody................out there?

2006-03-04T21:35:00.000-09:00

They made it out...house is so empty without them...this is going to be a looonnng week! Oh well, Nancy needed the break, and Elijah was so looking forward to swimming. They keep calling to check on me, "how ya doin' Dad?" "sure doesn't feel the same without you", etc. Nice to be missed...but the truth is, I've been traveling so much, I'm not too broken up about staying home and chillin'. Can't believe I just used that word! LOL! Word to your...oh never mind...who am I tryin' to fool? I stopped being "with it" 'bout 10 years ago! :-/

I'll tell you what, there's not a single day that goes by anymore when I don't think of turquoise waters and sugar-white sand beaches! C'mon vacation! Daddy needs a change of latitude! I think my family in Albuquerque is getting amped about this as well. Can't wait to see them all.

Q'uo

Snow...white stuff...powder...cold, wet, miserable etc.

2006-03-03T13:44:00.000-09:00

Okay..I've been trying NOT to complain, but this is getting old! I can't believe it's still coming down, and according to my "cruise timer", I still have approximately 57 days to go before I can really relax! Oh well....gotta hang in there...must think warm, sunny thoughts!

Nancy & Elijah are leaving for Anchorage tomorrow (hopefully) and will be gone for approximately 5 days. Reckon I will be foraging (see heading for Moms for dinner) for a few days.

New 'Puter

2006-03-02T12:29:00.000-09:00

Got a new tower, spent most of yesterday setting up. Now, I know that the few "nerds" out there would laugh at my taking most of a day to set up, but it was a bit more complicated then just taking it out of the box and plugging everything in.

First off, it's a Dell Dimension 9150, the processor is a 3.0 Pentium 4 dual core, with a 800mhz FSB and a 2MB L2 cache (945P chipset). I've got 2 Gig DDR2-667MHz SDRAM, 160 GB HD, ATI Radeon X600 HyperMemory video in a PCIE configuration, onboard 7.1 Surround Sound, and a truly tool-less case. It leaves me plenty of room for expansion; 2GB more of RAM, bigger video card, 500GB HD, 3.4 Pentium 4 processor.

The part that took longer was that I ordered this fairly "bare bones", so I had to install two Plextor burners, a CDR Premium, and a DVDR PX-708A, an additional 2.0 USB card (the tower only has 7 USB ports and I require more! :) I'm thinking of dropping in the Creative Labs Audigy 2 Platinum Pro sound card I have, because you can disable the onboard audio in BIOS, which is a really neat trick. Gotta admit though, the 7.1 sounds pretty sweet for onboard audio.

After that, I had to spend the afternoon installing the many device drivers for my three printers, CD tower, and flat-bed scanner. I started to install and restore the data to the mulitude of apps I use, but ran out of time, guess that's next on the agenda.

Q'uo!

Musicale

2006-02-28T17:36:00.000-09:00

The Musicale went very well. We had a great time singing and seeing old friends.

There was a twist to the whole trip. My dad was hospitalized with congestive heart failure and anemia. I spent two days longer in Anchorage to be there for my mom and dad. Dad was discharged from the hospital yesterday, and we all came home today. Bumpy over Pile River Valley, but not a bad trip all in all, considering it was in a 207.

Good to be home.

Q'uo

Traveling, traveling, traveling..

2006-02-22T10:56:00.000-09:00

Got stuck in Anchor Town a day longer due to high winds in Pedro Bay. Have not felt like writing much this past week. Came into the office on Monday (even though it was Presidents Day) not to work, but check email, etc. Long story short, my computer fried. Microprocessor went the way of my svelte form and gave up the ghost. Now, I'm forced to order a new tower! ;-)

Heading back into Anchorage for the Musicale, playing guitar for the group. After that, it's Dillingham around the first week in March for the spring Full Board meeting of BBNA. The fun never ends. Wife is getting more then slightly perturbed that I'm still traveling, and the subject is the catalyst of more then one spirited, um, discussion.

Finally sold the van! So glad that headache is gone. At least we got our money out of it!

Q'uo

In Anchorage

2006-02-14T21:41:00.000-09:00

Made it to Los Anchorage today...wasn't sure if I was going to make it...wind was over 50 mph when Tim picked me up. Quite the flight...but I've had worst.

Very sad news today. Charlie was found. I do so wish it had been on a postive note. But....there's a reason for everything...keep his family, especially his son and daughter, in your prayers.

Not feeling like writing much more tonight.

Q'uo Charlie...rest well.

Prayer Request

2006-02-13T18:41:00.000-09:00

I'm asking for prayer for someone who is missing here in Pedro Bay. No one has seen him in five days, and we're fearing the worst. None of the signs we're seeing are leading to any conclusions that end well. Still, there are those that have lasted longer, so...please pray. And if the end result of the ensuing search is negative, pray for his family.

I'll be in Anchorage from tomorrow until Friday, and will be posting from there.

Chin'un

Snow....again!

2006-02-12T18:06:00.000-09:00

Y'know, I thought it was a unique phenomenon. We got some real, up to your knees snow! I figured we were blessed to have received as much as we did. Then a couple of days ago, it warmed up and started raining. Figures. That's par for the course in Pedro Bay, as far as weather is concerned. Lo and behold,last night it started to snow again! 10 hours later, we have what you see in the picture. Crazy. I went down to Rushin' Creek to pick up the Sanners for church, seein' how their suburban is on the fritz, and managed to drop most of the rear end into quite the muddy little creek. Took a loader to pull me out. Ahhh..what is life without a few bumps in that road? Builds character? Nope. Patience? Uh huh. Life is what it is. It helps to define your spiritual character. And keeping your tongue in check in front of the pastors wife when your truck is leaning into a creek really helps definition! :-)

Q'uo

Travel

2006-02-10T22:58:00.000-09:00

Traveled to Dillingham for a BBNA Executive Committee today. Weather was a bit touchy, but managed to make it home this evening. Not a whole lot going on today, but do feel like I'm catching a flu....thanks SJ! LOL

Need some sleep.

Q'uo

Age punctuated!

2006-02-09T14:25:00.000-09:00

You didn't see a post from me yesterday because I was laid up at home.

You see, the night before when I stopped by my brother's house, I slipped on a board going up to his door, hyper-extended my knee the wrong way (is there a right way?) , then jammed it as I fell off the board into the convenient slush-filled puddle below, quite adequately adding insult to injury. Soooo.. as I hobbled painfully around the house, my thoughts, which were litigious in nature, were focused on my advancing years and seeming inability to respond in a "cat-like" manner to slips of this nature. However logic raised it's ugly head and reminded me that my "cat like" reflexes had gone the way of the dodo years ago, coinciding with the addition of a *cough* few pounds I'd added to my studly frame. Ah hahahahaha....knew I couldn't get through that with a straight face!

Oh well...life goes on...

Have a great day!

Q'uo

Waxing philosophical....

2006-02-07T12:08:00.000-09:00

It was on a Sunday morning, 46 years ago today, that I entered this world. (Thanks, Mom!) In that time I've seen, and been, many things. Most of them wonderful, some of them not. All in all, my life (which, when compared to my Uncle Gus, is not so long) has been a good one. I'm blessed with a woman better then I deserve, and a wonderful son. A good job. Lots of family around me, and close friends that care. There's not a whole lot more that I could ask for. Life is.....better. You have to know me to appreciate that last statement. ;-)

Meteorologically (is that a word?) speaking, we got dumped on!! I'm guessing it was around a foot of snow that fell yesterday. Kept the guys busy plowing the roads and the airfield. That's my brother in the loader doing his thing. It's finally let up. Y' notice how I kept away from the weather until MUCH later?? Huh? Huh? :)

Mom & Dad are coming back today. Dad's eye appointment went well.

Have a great day!

Q'uo

Yeah, I know...they lost!

2006-02-06T12:18:00.000-09:00

Bummer! I thought the Hawks really had a chance. I think being deflated by some very questionable calls had a lot of bearing on their game. Oh well, at least they made it to the Super Bowl.......and.........there's always next year!

My wife brought up a very good point. My blog seems to deal mainly with weather. In my defense, that would be because the main focus of this community in the last two weeks has been the weather. It permeates our lives right now because it's been so extreme! But, I will make an attempt to write about something other then the fact that it's snowing flakes the size of my hand, or that the visibility is zero zero. ( See pics ) The first is flash-less, the second is with flash so you can see da purty snowflakes!

We lost power this morning about 6:15. The skinny is that a line break somewhere on the east side of the village is the culprit. The guys are out troubleshooting as I type. Thankfully this didn't happen when it was -25F.

I've noticed that none of you, assuming there are SOME of you reading this, are not commenting at all. You can offer up your comments by clicking on the "Comments" links at the bottom of this post, or in the guestbook I've added to the right. I would prefer commenting on the main page, but will take any comment whatsoever! :-)

Q'uo!

Windy....village

2006-02-04T17:01:00.000-09:00

Well, the wind has increased big time. Ron Aaberg clocked the speed at his place at 62 MPH at 4:449 pm. We've been seeing gusts around 45-50 mph here, with an average in the village of around 30 mph. Yeehaw. Don't see a whole lot of aircraft in the sky around Pedro today! Beauty part of all this is the continued increase in temps, and the apparent cessation (temporary as it may be) of eruptions from ol' Auggie. You know it's been cold too long when 32 F feels postively balmy.

I'm ready to watch the 'Hawks take their first World Championship tomorrow. That's right, I said it, the Seahawks WILL win the Super Bowl. :-P Should be a great game. Dunno if I'll have time to post until late tomorrow night, so enjoy the game, and grab hold of something solid if you're in Pedro Bay!

Q'uo!

Uh oh...

2006-02-03T10:44:00.000-09:00

The wind and temperture have gone up. Temp is currently 20F, and the wind is out of the NE up to 25. That's okay until it switches around to the southeast. Here's hopin' and prayin' it doesn't! Talked to John Nelson in Kokhanok about the possibility of ash falling on them, so far, so good. If the wind does shift to the east over in the Inlet, they'll be the first to know it. :-/

Changed the countdown timer location, wasn't really wanting to copy the code to every post I made. Besides, it would look a bit weird having all those counters on one page. Oh well, live and learn.

Got invited to the Pippens for the Super Bowl. Nothing like watching The Game on a 42 inch plasma in 5.1 Surround!

Q'uo

Respite? Hello?

2006-02-02T09:33:00.000-09:00

Still cold. Auggie still cranky. Can't believe that the temperture dropped again. -21F when I came in this morning, still is as a matter of fact. My electronic weatherman tells me that it's supposed to be 20F tomorrow....I'm having a hard time swallowing that!

However. 87 days until the Cruise!

Check out the day we're having!

Q'uo!

Suspicious weather

2006-02-01T10:02:00.001-09:00

It's a very damp cold today. The temp is -13F, and the humidity is 61%. Feels like snow, and in fact there was a slight dusting last night. It's nice to have the temps up a bit, hopefully they won't go so high as to bring east wind.

I notice Auggie has been rumblin' and spewin' again. I think it's about time for the ol' girl to settle down. Enoughs enough already!

We are finally getting a load of fuel this morning, and just in the nick of time because we're right down to the nitty gritty. SJ tells me the tank is hours away from running out on this building, and pretty close on a couple of others. That's a wee bit too close for comfort, but with all of the eruptions, and the inclement weather that hit Kenai yesterday, we're fortunate that ASA can make it over here at all.

On another positive note, I don't have to attend the latest ICWA conference! Yay! Thanks, John! :)

Just got this off the AVO site. It's an .avi movie clip of the volcano. Follow the link, then right click and choose save target. Unless, of course you're hardwire broadband, then just watch! :)

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/image.php?id=7411

Q'uo

Heat wave!

2006-01-31T09:08:00.000-09:00

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!

2006-01-30T11:42:00.000-09:00

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?

2006-01-29T01:30:00.000-09:00

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!