I woke to the forecast for tomorrow on the radio. The sun will rise at 12:07 PM and set at 3:24 PM. That will give us about 3 hours and 17 minutes of daylight. We will get down to 45 minutes of sunlight by Dec. 21. Today our high will be -10 degrees Fahrenheit and the low will be - 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind off of the sound will be 10-15 knots. Interesting isn't it?
That is our only radio station for music by the way. It plays whatever they feel like playing, sometimes rock, sometimes gospel, depending on who is the disc jockey at the time. I got to get thinking about Christmas soon. If I don't presents won't get out on time. Ugh! Whoever invented shopping for Christmas should be shot! Just kidding. It presents a unique challenge from Alaska!
Anyway, I better get going. 3 hours to do everything I need to do sucks! Take care all!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving from Alaska!
This is supposed to be a time for giving thanks for our many blessings throughout the year. We have a lot to be thankful for. Here is our top 10 list:
1. We are thankful for having so many loving friends and family members still breathing! (Yep as you get older that counts!)
2. We are thankful to have a nice home, even if it is in the deep freeze! (minus 28 degrees a couple nights ago)
3. We are thankful we could buy a already made pumpkin pie, because our local store doesn't carry the ingredients to make one!
4. We are thankful for the internet, cause at .31 cents a minute, phone calls just are too expensive!
5. We are thankful for the ice cleats on the bottom of our shoes. Anchorage is a long way away, and that is where you get sent for serious injuries!
6. We are thankful I found a roasting pan large enough to put the turkey in, and it cost less than $100!
7. We are thankful for frozen White Castle Hamburgers! It is our only source for well remembered fast food! Sigh....Wendy's, Burger King, Subway..... Someday
8. We are thankful for the local Taxi, too cold to walk to the store and postoffice!
9. We are thankful we don't have to live on Muktuk! (Whale skin and blubber)
10. We are thankful for everyday we have together, even though we can drive each other nuts!
1. We are thankful for having so many loving friends and family members still breathing! (Yep as you get older that counts!)
2. We are thankful to have a nice home, even if it is in the deep freeze! (minus 28 degrees a couple nights ago)
3. We are thankful we could buy a already made pumpkin pie, because our local store doesn't carry the ingredients to make one!
4. We are thankful for the internet, cause at .31 cents a minute, phone calls just are too expensive!
5. We are thankful for the ice cleats on the bottom of our shoes. Anchorage is a long way away, and that is where you get sent for serious injuries!
6. We are thankful I found a roasting pan large enough to put the turkey in, and it cost less than $100!
7. We are thankful for frozen White Castle Hamburgers! It is our only source for well remembered fast food! Sigh....Wendy's, Burger King, Subway..... Someday
8. We are thankful for the local Taxi, too cold to walk to the store and postoffice!
9. We are thankful we don't have to live on Muktuk! (Whale skin and blubber)
10. We are thankful for everyday we have together, even though we can drive each other nuts!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Well, Minus 25 Degrees!
I was impressed by yesterdays temperatures. Sigh.... Right now real time temperature is -25 degrees. Now that is impressive! I wonder when it will get warm (anything above zero is warm) again. Right now, the sauna I found out about is looking nicer and nicer!
Today Richard found out the importance of walking to work with a flashlight. Last night, a doctor who was visiting here from Anchorage was killed. He was walking somewhere out in the dark about 2 miles from town, and was hit by a snowmobile. There are no rules around here about driving snowmobiles or ATV machines. They go zipping along, and I have almost been in an accident while in a taxi. I hope this wakes Richard up, that he is no longer in Tennessee. Sigh.... I feel sorry for the family of the doctor.
Good night for now!
Today Richard found out the importance of walking to work with a flashlight. Last night, a doctor who was visiting here from Anchorage was killed. He was walking somewhere out in the dark about 2 miles from town, and was hit by a snowmobile. There are no rules around here about driving snowmobiles or ATV machines. They go zipping along, and I have almost been in an accident while in a taxi. I hope this wakes Richard up, that he is no longer in Tennessee. Sigh.... I feel sorry for the family of the doctor.
Good night for now!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Make that -15 degrees
The temperature is continuing to drop. Since my last post a couple hours ago, it is now down to minus 15 degrees real temperature. Reminds me of the song, How low can you go?! LOL Take care all! Hope your enjoying reading this.
Subzero Temperatures are Here!
Everyday, it is getting a little darker. We are down to about 4 and 1/2 hours of full sunlight now. Yesterday, I went and stocked up a bit on food. I experienced my first white out conditions over near the post office. It was not snowing, but you could not tell the sea from the sky from the shore. I guess it was due to foggy conditions over the ocean. I was told that means there is still open water somewhere out there.
I logged on to type this. On my computer, I have put the true local temperature. Yesterday it was 14 degrees at this time, wind chill put it below zero. However, just now, the true local temperature is -8 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrr! We will have to be even more careful outside. Each day, it gets colder, so don't expect it to warm up again until the sun returns. It will be nice to be able to linger outside again. I still walk outside, but it is so icy, I am afraid of falling. If that happens, I will find myself in Anchorage. That is where they take care of injuries and such. 1,000+ miles away. I won't be walking outside as much, but I did find out there is an activity center with a sauna and exercise equipment. I think I may use it. That is all for now! BB
I logged on to type this. On my computer, I have put the true local temperature. Yesterday it was 14 degrees at this time, wind chill put it below zero. However, just now, the true local temperature is -8 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrr! We will have to be even more careful outside. Each day, it gets colder, so don't expect it to warm up again until the sun returns. It will be nice to be able to linger outside again. I still walk outside, but it is so icy, I am afraid of falling. If that happens, I will find myself in Anchorage. That is where they take care of injuries and such. 1,000+ miles away. I won't be walking outside as much, but I did find out there is an activity center with a sauna and exercise equipment. I think I may use it. That is all for now! BB
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I got to taste Muktuk!
Well, today had a number of firsts in it. Richard flew out to an outlying village, to inspect medical equipment. I bundled him into his new coat, coat bottoms, boots, ice clamps, hat, face mask, gloves, and sent him off. He could barely walk.
He got home about 7 pm, and his boss came in with him. He wanted to know if I would like to try a piece of Muktuk. I knew what is was, and told him sure. If it is not alive, I will try anything. For those of you who don't know, Muktuk is whale skin, with whale blubber attached. It had been cooked and was warm still.
I did not mind the taste, it is slightly fishy and salty, but I have never enjoyed eating fat. The skin had the consistency of grissle. Richard liked it, so I let him finish it. It wasn't horrible, but the texture was not like what I enjoy. Here is a link explaining what muktuk is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muktuk
Here is a photo of what Muktuk looks like:
http://brevig.bssd.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/cut.jpg
The black part is the skin, the white part is blubber. It is a source of vitamin C, and is supposed to be highly rich and nutritious. I would prefer the meat, but I said I would try it and I did. I will pass next time I think. It was nice of him to share some with us.
He got home about 7 pm, and his boss came in with him. He wanted to know if I would like to try a piece of Muktuk. I knew what is was, and told him sure. If it is not alive, I will try anything. For those of you who don't know, Muktuk is whale skin, with whale blubber attached. It had been cooked and was warm still.
I did not mind the taste, it is slightly fishy and salty, but I have never enjoyed eating fat. The skin had the consistency of grissle. Richard liked it, so I let him finish it. It wasn't horrible, but the texture was not like what I enjoy. Here is a link explaining what muktuk is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muktuk
Here is a photo of what Muktuk looks like:
http://brevig.bssd.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/cut.jpg
The black part is the skin, the white part is blubber. It is a source of vitamin C, and is supposed to be highly rich and nutritious. I would prefer the meat, but I said I would try it and I did. I will pass next time I think. It was nice of him to share some with us.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
First Blizzard, and Native Dancing
Today the first real blizzard arrived and with it a "Warm" day. Well, for up here, 28 degrees is a warm day! It is usually too cold to snow. I must be getting used to the way of thinking up here, because I was thinking, hope the ice is still strong enough to hold. LOL I don't even ice fish.
I am learning a lot about the native way of life. Last week I watched a conference in Anchorage on TV. I got to see Native Dancing and singing. The people are very humorous, and tell stories with their songs and dancing. Even if you don't know the language, you can understand what is going on by the movements in the dance.
My favorite dance was the seal dance. They sit in a row facing the same direction, as if in a canoe. The drum/singer calls out directions. Look to the left, look to the right, there one is, get the rifle, load it, fire! Bang goes the drum! He yells you missed, fire again! You got it! Paddle, paddle, now pick up the spear, throw it, now reel it in. It is a small one. Put it in your pocket, and we try again!
Next verse is the same, except this time, he says, there is a big one! World record! Fire the rifle, wait that won't work. Fire the machine gun, still not. Get the bazooka! You got it! Row, Row faster! Pick up the spear, never mind, just get out and pick up the pieces and take them home to Grandma!
Here is a short example I found on http://www.youtube.com/. You will be able to see what I mean! The people enjoy life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHfjFPjE_uw
Another type of seal hunting dance, more formal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHkYGUpEYbk
Check out this site for more about the conference! Goodbye for now!
http://www.nativefederation.org/
I am learning a lot about the native way of life. Last week I watched a conference in Anchorage on TV. I got to see Native Dancing and singing. The people are very humorous, and tell stories with their songs and dancing. Even if you don't know the language, you can understand what is going on by the movements in the dance.
My favorite dance was the seal dance. They sit in a row facing the same direction, as if in a canoe. The drum/singer calls out directions. Look to the left, look to the right, there one is, get the rifle, load it, fire! Bang goes the drum! He yells you missed, fire again! You got it! Paddle, paddle, now pick up the spear, throw it, now reel it in. It is a small one. Put it in your pocket, and we try again!
Next verse is the same, except this time, he says, there is a big one! World record! Fire the rifle, wait that won't work. Fire the machine gun, still not. Get the bazooka! You got it! Row, Row faster! Pick up the spear, never mind, just get out and pick up the pieces and take them home to Grandma!
Here is a short example I found on http://www.youtube.com/. You will be able to see what I mean! The people enjoy life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHfjFPjE_uw
Another type of seal hunting dance, more formal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHkYGUpEYbk
Check out this site for more about the conference! Goodbye for now!
http://www.nativefederation.org/
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