Holding the World in a Paper Cup

Archive for October 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween in AK

It doesn't feel like Halloween. It feels like Christmas. There are no corn mazes here. In fact, there is no corn at all. There are no fields of never ending pumpkins ripe for the picking. The fall leaves fell weeks ago, and were recently buried under a fresh layer of snow. But Halloween it is! And the Burns' family participates!

All of our holiday trimmings are in the in-laws' basement in Georgia, so I had to be get creative with the Halloween decorations. Well actually I didn't really create this idea, I just straight stole it from another blog. But who's keeping up? Not me. Not anymore. I used to think if I didn't invent the idea, then it didn't really count. Making something that someone else thought of was the equivalent to tracing in my mind. These days when I see an idea and follow through with making it, I am proud of myself.

So. I took black card stock paper and used chalk to rough out some basic owl shapes. Then I just cut them out. I used spray adhesive to temporarily glue them to the window. It was really simple, plus I already had all the supplies on hand. I wasn't feeling particularly witty when I cut in "Burns' Halloween". It made no sense then or now. Sooooooo. Yeah.

Getting into Character

Annie Oatmeal dressed up as Mary for "Dress up as a Bible character" day at Awanas.
She was very happy about it.

Did you see "How to Train Your Dragon"?

Here's our little Viking. She helped me put this outfit together with stuff we already had. She wore it to her preschool party and on the eve of Halloween to the community Halloween bash sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

To make the hat I took a ball cap that no longer fit and cut the off the bill. I used masking tape to cover the embroidery and to give it an overall uniform texture. I shaped the antlers out of aluminum foil and wrapped those with masking tape as well. I spray painted the tape with silver paint. I realized I could have simply used duct tape after seeing how it turned out (it looked just like duct tape). In my defense, I initially considered using duct tape, but I didn't think it would look right. We had trouble keeping the hat on her head, so I ended up sewing a brown headband into it. It blended right in and worked perfectly.

During dress rehearsal, Charley actually thought to have me crisscross white yarn across her forearms. It was a very viking-ish touch, but on party day it proved to be too uncomfortable.

Girls Go Out

(From the right) Maria, Rachel, Courtney, Jamie, and I just before we walked up to a haunted house in Salcha and realized we'd have to wait 2 or more hours out in the cold before going in. But we had a good time. It was nice to go out with the girls.

So Halloween has come and gone. Our candy bags are full. Our jack-o-lantern's face is sunken.

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday, Monday...and then some

Well Monday, I made good on my promise and got the workbooks out and Raspberry Tart and I did some homeschooling. For the record, I’ve been “homeschooling” Raspberry Tart with and without (mostly without) the aide of workbooks her entire life. It seems like I’ve been communicating with her as if she was a grownup for as long as she’s been with us. Chuck and I have always agreed that we shouldn’t assume anything is too complicated for her simply because it isn’t something that is traditionally taught to children her age. She always shocks us with her ability to grasp and retain knowledge.

Playing Outside in Alaska

For the life of me, I can't seem to get Raspberry Tart interested in spending much time playing outside in the snow/mush. Normally, Raspberry Tart loves being outside. In fact she would live outside if we would let her. But with cold weather, comes lots of layering, and with layering comes lots of trouble.

Raspberry Tart isn't one who likes the idea of wearing clothes at all, so getting 2 layers plus a snowsuit and coat on her isn't an easy task. She's a kid who's easily irritated on a regular day has a hair-like trigger temper to boot, so when her pants get jacked up in her snowsuit all wrong, she can’t work her hands like she wants because of the mittens, and her hair is full of static and is clinging to her face like spiderwebs, she’s going to let you know it. And since she may have inherited her temper mixed with a helping of easily irritated from me, the scene in the coat room can get bad in a hurry. Dressing to go outside during winter in Alaska is a hard transition to make. For both of us.

When we are at school, it is a different story. She loves the time spent outside with her friends. Maybe it is because she’s more agreeable during that time of day. Maybe it is because her friends are there to distract her from the irritations. I think her attitude will change when we get more snow. When the snow is thick it is also dry, like powder. There are also more sledding opportunities in our future. I think sledding will work wonders for her winter weather enthusiasm.

I am really banking on it.

The Wood Pile

Chuck continues to hack away at the wood pile, turning the pile of pickup sticks into short little logs.

In the big scheme of things, I've helped him very little. When we hop out of the truck after a day of gathering wood in the burnt fields or after one of many recent and generous donations from friends, our unspoken arrangement that puts me in charge of the kid and him in charge of the wood, is set into motion. Occasionally I go out to help him unload, and he gets agitated because I am kind of in the way and he'd rather just unload it all himself in the more efficient man-way. But I know him. He secretly enjoys the company and soon we are laughing and faux pushing one another out of the truck bed, as the wind chaps our cheeks and rustles our hair.

Making Fire

I am struggling each day to improve my ability to make fire. I mean, it isn’t as if I am rubbing sticks or stones together, but dang it. Getting this wood burning stove going with enough momentum to stay burning once I shut this iron door, is not as easy as striking a lighter. Sometimes, I wonder how houses burn down. I mean I know it happens. I’ve seen the fire trucks rush by. I’ve even seen houses burn. But dang if I can get some wood and newspaper to stay lit in the fireplace, I have to hover around it for 30 or more minutes.

But with each new fire, I am improving. Being in Alaska (and refusing to burn the pricey oil from our tank that would supply traditional heating) forces me to be persistent, which isn’t normally one of my strong suits. In time, I expect to be an expert fire starter. But now, the fire I began 30 minutes ago, that hasn’t yet put out any heat to speak of, is dwindling from flames to embers, so I’m off to blow at it or poke it or something.

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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Adventure on Clearwater Lake

Friday, October 22, 2010

So, Chuck tried to kill us today. This morning we prepared for an outing on Clearwater Lake. We planned to see the salmon that had arrived in the clear waters that drain from Clearwater Lake into the Tanana River. Chuck had seen hundreds of them earlier in the week, and was anxious to get Ginger Snap and I out there to see them too.

We prepared for cold weather by layering. Ginger Snap and I wore our snow pants over a couple of layers to increase the odds of staying dry and warm in the shallow canoe. Chuck topped his layers off with insulated waders.

Since I know that keeping Ginger Snap fed will usually equate to keeping her happy, I packed a picnic. I also went through some of the tear sheets I have pulled from Family Fun Magazines over the years. I found an idea for making faces using paper plates, grass and acorns. I knew we wouldn’t run across any acorns in these parts, but I thought maybe we’d hug the bank close enough to grab a few handfuls of grass or straw and we’d be able to use that to piece something resembling a face together. So I packed the paper plates and the Elmer’s glue.

I even grabbed a clean peanut jar, paper cut into strips that could fit onto a child’s wrist, tape, and a marker. After scanning the area, I planned to scout out several items Ginger Snap could easily find either floating in the water or on the bank, write them on the paper, tape it to her wrist, and instruct her to collect everything in the peanut jar.

After I collected all the items that would undoubtedly lead to “Mother of the Year” bragging rights, we set out. Oh wait, we set out and discovered that Chuck’s truck was filled with duck hunting gear. And we quickly deduced that he wanted us to drive separate vehicles for this “family outing” that he took the day off in order to enjoy. He had not once mentioned that duck hunting would be a part of the “family outing”. I felt that if this was a “family outing” then the family should be together. But I complied (not happily) and began to load Ginger Snap into my truck. But Chuck, being an experienced husband, quickly exchanged the decoys for the car seat. Then we set out.

We arrived at Clearwater Lake Landing a short while later. We drove down the ramp and Chuck got out to unload the canoe. Ginger Snap and I clung to the few moments we had left in the warmth of the truck while we watched the wind chop the water into sharp points.

When our time with the heat was through, we rolled out (on account of all the layers) and carefully balanced our weight in the canoe. While shoving off, I looked up to the landing and took note that our vehicle was the only one in the lot.

It didn’t take me long to realize all those plans I had that involved Elmer’s Glue, paper plates, and peanut jars were completely and totally, ridiculous wishful thinking. LAUGHable. We were so cold, so thick with layers, so afraid that with one false move the gale force winds would topple us out of the canoe and into the frigid water, I never even once considered breaking out the crafts.

Chuck’s goal was to get us out of the main lake and into narrow section that drains into the Tanana River. With his paddle, he steered us alongside the bank until the wind made it impossible. The water was shallow, so he got out and pulled us through the worst of it.

Once we reached the narrow passage, the trees did their best to shield us from the wind’s fury. We floated along peacefully, searching the waters for the salmon that Chuck had discovered earlier in the week. When he originally saw them, the water was clear and the fish were abundant. Today, the water was murky so we couldn’t easily spot the fish. We did see a few but unfortunately none of them were interested in Chuck’s lure.

Chuck had a “sunny” picnicking spot in mind, but when we arrived I found it to be at least 15 degrees cooler than it had been in the canoe (and that was just 2-3 degrees warmer that what I would classify as unbearable). Ginger Snap was cold and terribly unhappy, but she was doing a fine job of toughing it out. I was cold. My unhappiness was increasing. Rapidly. I worried the wind wouldn’t allow us a safe passage back through the wide expanse of the lake. I said, forget this picnic. Ginger Snap can eat on the boat. We shoved off. We tried to go back in the direction we came from, but the wind would not allow it.

Chuck determined we’d have to follow through with the original plan and take what we call “Earl’s Shortcut” back to the main lake. “Earl’s Shortcut” is an even narrower strip of water that varies between deep enough to float and so shallow you must exit the boat and drag it across the rocks. The rocks raked across the bottom of the boat and threatened to peel away the bondo and fiberglass sheets that hold old cracks together. Chuck knew this we’d have to take “Earl’s Shortcut” before setting out today. It was part of the plan.

Since I couldn’t very well put my hip waders on over two layers of clothing and snow pants, during the first ½ a mile or so, I walked the bank and Chuck drug the canoe. I tried to hurry along so Chuck would never have to wait on me, but after I got a little too far ahead, Chuck yelled out for me to slow it down. When I asked him why (of course, I had to ask), he said it was ‘cause of the bears. Yeah. Salmon filled narrow lake inlets? Wooded forests? That makes for some big bear potential. Then you know what he did? He loaded his shotgun with bear slugs.

I kept walking, parallel with the gun wielding man and the boat. Now that sounds simple enough but the dry grass was high and the water that snaked in and out of it was frozen…mostly. After I stepped through the thin ice into muddy water 4 or 5 times, I got back into the boat. My feet were wet and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. At that point, I might have wondered aloud why anyone in their right mind would ever think this was a trip a family could enjoy. I might have done that. But, Chuck kept smiling and paddling/pulling us along. I told Ginger Snap more than once that complaining would do us no good whatsoever then, I took my own advice.

I knew there was still a long paddle ahead of us and I was determined to get it over with. I sunk down to my knees in the wet boat, dug my paddle into the water with Olympic like determination, and tried not to ask how long it would be before we saw the ramp again.

After what seemed like a long, long time, we reached the point at which “Earl’s Shortcut” emptied into the lake. We were so close. There was just this one problem. That portion of the lake was frozen. It wasn’t frozen solid but there were big chunks of ice that butted against other big chunks of ice. There were thin sheets of ice under the big chunks. There were sheets of ice over the big chunks of ice. Of course, Chuck the crazy outdoors Alaska man, was expecting that too. We paddled hard and barreled through, breaking the ice into smaller pieces as we went. Once, I even had to jab my paddle into the ice at the bow of the boat, beating the ice into bits, while Chuck motored us through. Ginger Snap rooted us on.

We finally pushed our way through into the main lake but our trip wasn’t over. Without the shield of evergreens, the wind relentlessly thrashed waves at our little green boat. It was just as rough going out as it was going in. We paddled hard. We struggled to hug the bank but to stay out of the ice.

As we paddled, we listened to the music of ice bumping other ice and I imagined a bamboo wind chime.I realized I was blessed to be allowed to hear the music the ice makes in Alaska. I realized I am blessed to have a husband who wants to include us, no matter how difficult the trip. I realized I am blessed to have a daughter who is tough enough to handle such an uncomfortable family outing.

We paddled, and paddled, and paddled until finally, we reached land.

We got the truck running, and I helped Ginger Snap quickly shed her outer gear so she could snuggle in for a warm truck ride home. I rode home in my under armor, as it was the least wet article of clothing on my lower half.

All this was just a run of the mill, day at the lake for Chucky boy. In fact, he plans to go back to the lake on Sunday. Personally, I thanked God we survived the ordeal. And while that seems a little dramatic now, it certainly didn’t seem dramatic then. Thanks for the adventure Chuck, but don’t you EVER do that to us again.

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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Sunday, Sunday

Things are slow around the cabin today. I promised Tenderheart that tomorrow, we will be productive. We'll do some type of home schooling or something. It will involve me getting out a workbook and talking her through some activities. Maybe we'll go for a nature walk. The promise of a fruitful tomorrow is what relieves my laziness induced guilt today.

As I read and simultaneously marvel over Tenderheart 's latest masterpiece, Chuck busies himself with the ever growing log pile. Cutting them up into pieces, small enough for our tiny, little, wood stove, stacking them into piles for cold weather, extra cold weather, and seriously cold weather. He seems to really enjoy it. It is a good thing too, because it is terribly time consuming, laborious work.

Tenderheart quietly sets up her babies on her perch, a third of the way up the loft stairs. She paints designs on a white umbrella and some construction paper. She watches a couple of DVD's, one of the big T.V. and one on the portable player alongside me in the bed beside me while I read. I occasionally feed the fire and shift the dogs from outside, to inside, to the arctic entry. I read Tenderheart a few books. I make up some words to "Hush Little Baby" that neither rhyme nor make sense, to amuse her and then I spend the rest of the day trying to get the song out of my head.

Earl and Cheddar came to take Chuck away from us and his pile of Lincoln Logs for the afternoon. They went out to prepare for a spring bear hunt. Today they searched for an ideal place to bait a bear, climb up a tree, and wait for him. Chuck arrived home with two Sharp Tail Grouse. He posed with his birds and I took his pictures while the sun cast shades of pink into the sky as it sank below the horizon.

The snow we got last week has turned into a mix of 3/4 mush and 1/4 ice. The sun that shone for an uncharacteristically long time today, melted the icicles that had formed on the eaves of the cabin. The fire pops and I flinch, more accustomed to the open fireplaces of my youth than the glass fronted wood stove. Life is mostly quiet today. Tomorrow could be different. I will let go of the guilt that comes with laziness, and relish the slow rhythm of the day.

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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Time Spent with Family in Southern Alaska and Back to the Interior: The Final Chapter

On Wednesday, I began to worry that I wouldn’t be able to get my family back to the airport with their luggage. Sunny, Crepe Suzette and I spent most of the day in thrift stores and the truck bed was quickly filling to near capacity . We also visited Best Buy and Lowes. And that was it for me and Anchorage. I was through. I knew I had to bring the family back to the airport on Friday but after that I was determined to be absolutely though with Anchorage.

Thursday, we planned to have an at the cabin day, but that backfired when certain members of our family decided it would be nice to eat lunch at an Alaska style café. We searched Big Lake and most of Wasilla before deciding on the Roadside Inn. It was a good choice.

Sister being generous.

Out by the Roadside Inn.

Afterward, Craig surprised us by pulling into a couple of antique/junk shops.

He stayed in the truck and we got out and milked the time for all it was worth. I felt kinda bad when Crepe Suzette looked out the window and noticed that Granddiddy was slumped in a real uncomfortable position. Apparently he had fallen asleep. Mama and I tried to hurry Sunny along but she tends to have trouble pulling herself away. In her defense, antique/thrift/junk shops in L.A. are so picked over that she rarely can find a deal so she sifts through the stuff like it is solid gold. And I understand that. The only difference between our love of thrift stores, is that is she isn’t afraid to spend a little money on something she loves. She also isn’t a bit deterred by the fact that whatever she buys isn’t likely going to fit in her suitcase and she will have to find a box and a post office in order to get it home. Not one little bit deterred. It is fun to see her get excited and continually bring items to the counter. While at one store, I laid down three whole dollars for two handmade scrubby pads for dishes and Sunny bought, well, a lot more than that.

With Mom and Craig set to leave on Friday at midnight and Sunny leaving the following morning, saying goodnight Thursday night was hard. I had a great deal of anxiety about how I would handle saying good-bye to everyone again, so in preparation I told Mom and Sunny that we would not have a tearful good-bye at the airport. Thankfully everyone was in agreement. Apparently, I should have filled Crepe Suzette in on the plan because when she realized our time was nearing an end, she began to sob heavily. At that point, my emotions were out of my hands.

We pulled ourselves together and on Friday we began the incredibly daunting task of packing our things and cleaning up the cabin. I spent a lot of time strategically packing the truck bed with all of our goods. I was trying to get as much as possible packed in there before Craig came out mumbling about how he was just going to call a rental car. But before long he was out there shifting bags and luggage, and mumbling about how he was just going to call a rental car. But, we made it happen (just barely) and he tied on the tarp for the long haul back to Anchorage.

Sunny arranged for us to stay in a nice hotel for the evening where Crepe Suzette got to spend some time with Granna in the indoor pool. Then us girls got in the hot tub for a while and before long it was time to say good-bye to Mom and Craig. We kept it short and sweet and they got on the shuttle bound for the airport.

Sunny, Crepe Suzette, and I sat down to pray for all of our safety while traveling, and I could hold it together no longer. Crepe Suzette snapped me back quick when she said, “Don’t cry Mama, you’re gonna make me cry.” She was handling it like a trooper; the least I could do was pull it together for her sake. So I did.

Soon after, we settled in our beds and in what seemed like no time at all, I was waking up to see Sunny gathering her luggage to catch the shuttle to her plane. She kissed us bye and headed out well before daylight. Crepe Suzette cried her little self back to sleep as Sunny climbed aboard the shuttle headed for the airport.

We gave the sun a chance to melt whatever ice might be on the road and headed out, Delta bound. Because there was potential for black ice on the road, I took it a little slower.

Look who fell asleep. A very rare occurrence indeed.

A couple of times, I even felt secure enough to pull the CD case out. Crepe Suzette and I listened to everything from Paul McCartney to Charlie Daniels. It was a pleasant ride.

The closer we got to home, the more the world transformed. The RV parks had closed down for winter. The mountains were covered with thicker blankets of snow and the evergreens glistened under heavy frost.