Friday, July 15, 2011
The Best Story
It drives me crazy but some of the best stories I have are the ones I really can't write about. So this one is edited severely for a multitude of reasons which I also don't really feel comfortable writing about. Here goes, the boringest version of the most interesting story - but you'll just have to trust me on that one. I was witness to a domestic violence incident (not my family) and I may have helped save a life by yelling like a maniac at the attacker who then ceased his attack and ran off. Later I found out he had a large knife on his person so I am glad I did what I did. Jason says maybe the victim will go on to have children that will find the cure to the disease I have (IBD). So you're welcome world. Just doing what I can as a stay-at-home-mom. Sesame Street, sandwich making, and saving lives. Usually the saving lives part of my job description falls under the large grape or tortilla chip category. But I was tasked with something a little different this week. Also in the process I hit my hand very, very hard on something, not exactly sure what, but it's been swollen all week as a badge of honor/idiocy. Mobility continues to improve so I am pretty certain I didn't break it. All's well that ends well. I am extremely glad I didn't witness a murder.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wedding Part 2
The wedding is over and we've all come home again. It sort of feels like the day after Christmas. We had so much fun and got a chance to reconnect with so many relatives and friends. Best of all my sister is very happy and her husband is a wonderful addition to our family.
The day of the wedding was magical. Leading up to that day the weather had been partly cloudy. The morning of the wedding I looked outside and there was a clear blue sky with no clouds in sight. It got very warm actually, around 85*F by the end of the day but it was gorgeous for the pictures and perfect, especially since the ceremony was outside. The ceremony went very smoothly and my favorite parts were the song my brother Liam and sister Beth sang together, Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, as well as the vows which were written by Mary and Ryan and were beautiful and had everyone near tears.
The reception was amazing, great food and a wonderful band. It felt so joyful and many of my relatives were there as well as some dear friends. It made me think of what heaven must be like. Mia danced for four hours before she fell asleep in Jason's arms and we had to go up to our room and put her to sleep. A lot of my cousins came with their children so all of the new generation of kids in the family got to play and dance together, perilously close to the cake, which was entertaining to watch. After Mary and Ryan cut the cake we left to put Mia down and then got to watch the fireworks from our room. It was a wonderful night.
The next morning Mary and Ryan hosted a brunch for all of the wedding guests that had stayed the night at the hotel, so we got to say goodbye to all of our family and promise to see them all again soon. The last couple of days we spent in Portland packing up and doing laundry.
We made the journey home on the fourth, Jason got on our flight with us which was great; he avoided a 6 hour layover in the SEA-TAC airport. Flying in we are always so shocked at how small and isolated our city looks. Compared to Portland we basically live in the sticks. A friend of mine says we squat in the woods with about 100,000 other people.
So home again to play with our dog, who got bigger, and do all the home things we do. It's a lot less shopping because we have a lot less places to shop. I miss my sisters who I got to see every day while I was down there. We even got to watch Anne of Green Gables one night which is like Purcell-girl heaven for those of you who don't know this already. Mia misses her aunts and uncles and getting to play with her cousin. It feels much farther away than normal. Realizing we have to take two planes and a good deal is $800 per ticket just to get to the rest of the country... le sigh. I will go re-read the "write your name in the land" blog entry now, because believe it or not the cranberries are ripe already in some areas of town and you know what that means. Winter is just around the corner.
The day of the wedding was magical. Leading up to that day the weather had been partly cloudy. The morning of the wedding I looked outside and there was a clear blue sky with no clouds in sight. It got very warm actually, around 85*F by the end of the day but it was gorgeous for the pictures and perfect, especially since the ceremony was outside. The ceremony went very smoothly and my favorite parts were the song my brother Liam and sister Beth sang together, Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, as well as the vows which were written by Mary and Ryan and were beautiful and had everyone near tears.
The reception was amazing, great food and a wonderful band. It felt so joyful and many of my relatives were there as well as some dear friends. It made me think of what heaven must be like. Mia danced for four hours before she fell asleep in Jason's arms and we had to go up to our room and put her to sleep. A lot of my cousins came with their children so all of the new generation of kids in the family got to play and dance together, perilously close to the cake, which was entertaining to watch. After Mary and Ryan cut the cake we left to put Mia down and then got to watch the fireworks from our room. It was a wonderful night.
The next morning Mary and Ryan hosted a brunch for all of the wedding guests that had stayed the night at the hotel, so we got to say goodbye to all of our family and promise to see them all again soon. The last couple of days we spent in Portland packing up and doing laundry.
We made the journey home on the fourth, Jason got on our flight with us which was great; he avoided a 6 hour layover in the SEA-TAC airport. Flying in we are always so shocked at how small and isolated our city looks. Compared to Portland we basically live in the sticks. A friend of mine says we squat in the woods with about 100,000 other people.
So home again to play with our dog, who got bigger, and do all the home things we do. It's a lot less shopping because we have a lot less places to shop. I miss my sisters who I got to see every day while I was down there. We even got to watch Anne of Green Gables one night which is like Purcell-girl heaven for those of you who don't know this already. Mia misses her aunts and uncles and getting to play with her cousin. It feels much farther away than normal. Realizing we have to take two planes and a good deal is $800 per ticket just to get to the rest of the country... le sigh. I will go re-read the "write your name in the land" blog entry now, because believe it or not the cranberries are ripe already in some areas of town and you know what that means. Winter is just around the corner.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Mary & Ryan's Wedding
We're down in Portland for my sister Mary's wedding and I want to make sure to write down some of the good memories we're making so I don't forget.
Mia and I came down Friday and Jason's been working so he just arrived today. It was my first time traveling alone with her and it went really well. She was up from 4 am AK time to 11 pm West Coast time with only an hour nap on a flight and she handled it pretty well. We had five minutes to get from our first flight to board the second flight and she ran through Sea-Tac like a pro. I just held her Elmo backpack about two steps in front of her and she wanted it so she kept going really fast. (That's some good parenting right there.) As it was we were the last people on the flight and we almost missed it. Our first flight was late coming in which is why it was such a tight connection. Once we were on the flight I gave her a big high-five. "We made it! Good job!" The flight was a commuter from Seattle to Portland and they had time to go over the safety instructions, announce beverage service with the caveat that due to limited time, please only choose one beverage, basically throw the beverages at each row of passengers (we passed) and then immediately announce that we were beginning our descent so they were coming around to collect the cups. It was humorous watching people gulp entire cups of beer and what-have-you. I felt so elated because it was the end of our journey and I knew my sister and her fiance Ryan were going to be there waiting for us. They were right outside security when we got off the plane and it was so good to see them. We spent the first afternoon playing x-box Kinect and watching White Christmas. No I didn't bring it you sickos! I have some limits on watching Christmas movies! But Mia found it where we are staying and so I gave in and let her watch it only 3 times so far... I don't blame her, it truly is one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Besides it's June, so we're technically only three months from the beginning of Christmas season which goes from October to January in my book. My littlest sister Bethy got off work late that night and as soon as Mia saw her she went beserk. She was rushing her and screaming excitedly. She started singing loudly and rushing around in a hyper second-wind thing before I wrangled her off to bed.
The next morning we had to go to a dress fitting and I got to see my sister's wedding dress for the first time. No hints here Ryan, sorry. BUT, it is awesome and you will love it! I won't say much but she looks like a freaking goddess in it. I also got to see Bethy in the bridesmaid dress which had been altered; she looked incredible in it. I got my dress pinned up and when we were all finished we drove over to my brother Liam's house to visit with him, my mom, and Liam's two adorable children, Liam and Addyson. Mia and little Liam have this cousin thing going on where as soon as they see each other they laugh and then immediately start playing. They look alike and they are about the same age and they love each other. Mia is rather nonchalant towards the baby but she lets me hold her without trying to peel her from my arms which was her past attitude towards babies. We only had one catastrophe that day wherein Mia walked in front of a hard swing that Liam was swinging on and it hit her in the mouth and chin, so that was a little messy but we finally got her calmed down and determined she didn't need stitches. She fell asleep in the car on the way home, around 5 pm, and stayed asleep for the next 10 hours, waking only for a banana and potty break and then going back to sleep for an additional two and a half hours. It was a weird night. But at least she got caught up on sleep.
The next day we got ready for what we affectionately termed the "Panty Party", just a lingerie shower for some of Mary's girlfriends. It was really fun, about sixteen people or so and everyone seemed excited, watermelon cups with coconut rum in the bottom and lots of good food. Red roses and white candles and a constant hum of feminine conversations. Mia noticed at one point that everyone was talking to someone. "Talk to me, Mom." And she tried to herd me away from who I was talking to at that moment. She complimented the guests on their nails and jewelry and laughed (forcibly) at times when everyone else was laughing. I tucked her into bed while people were still lingering.
Mia's really latched on to Uncle Ryan this trip. She knows he will play catch with her when my sisters and I are talking and she's bored out of her gourd. She snuggles with him and watches movies, tries to suffocate him with blankets and asks if he's coming to see her multiple times a day. He attends to her little comforts and wishes and she has deigned to return the full range of her warmth on him.
All this time, every day, we talk about Daddy and when he is coming. He's been working a job out of town and this wedding is our chance to see him; after the wedding he goes back to work and we don't see him again for a while. Mia says things like: "My Daddy is amazing. Do you think he's amazing? I miss him so very much." But this morning I dragged her out of bed and we went to the airport and got him. He's sleeping right now in this very room and she's sleeping in the bedroom and all is right in the world because we are together.
I articulated something to my sister that I keep saying. Because it brings tears to my eyes when I say it and I know that it's true. And it helps you keep your perspective on life. It goes something like this: The wedding won't be perfect. Life won't always be ideal. Being together is just that, it's about going through life, whatever it brings, together. You'll have so many amazing moments, like when you give birth to your child, or one of you is sick and the other one is there for the other. Or when you look at each other ten years from now and realize you're still best friends.
For me, time softens relationships, they grow more mellow yet more complex. The shine of idealism wears off as you realize you're still human and so are they and sometimes you make mistakes and sometimes life just happens and you can't control it. But you love each other anyway. You're loved in your imperfections and you find that you love in spite of imperfections. So wedding time has waxed me philosophical. I love my family and I get to see even more of them in the next few days! I'm so grateful I could be here for this special moment in my sister's life.
Mia and I came down Friday and Jason's been working so he just arrived today. It was my first time traveling alone with her and it went really well. She was up from 4 am AK time to 11 pm West Coast time with only an hour nap on a flight and she handled it pretty well. We had five minutes to get from our first flight to board the second flight and she ran through Sea-Tac like a pro. I just held her Elmo backpack about two steps in front of her and she wanted it so she kept going really fast. (That's some good parenting right there.) As it was we were the last people on the flight and we almost missed it. Our first flight was late coming in which is why it was such a tight connection. Once we were on the flight I gave her a big high-five. "We made it! Good job!" The flight was a commuter from Seattle to Portland and they had time to go over the safety instructions, announce beverage service with the caveat that due to limited time, please only choose one beverage, basically throw the beverages at each row of passengers (we passed) and then immediately announce that we were beginning our descent so they were coming around to collect the cups. It was humorous watching people gulp entire cups of beer and what-have-you. I felt so elated because it was the end of our journey and I knew my sister and her fiance Ryan were going to be there waiting for us. They were right outside security when we got off the plane and it was so good to see them. We spent the first afternoon playing x-box Kinect and watching White Christmas. No I didn't bring it you sickos! I have some limits on watching Christmas movies! But Mia found it where we are staying and so I gave in and let her watch it only 3 times so far... I don't blame her, it truly is one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Besides it's June, so we're technically only three months from the beginning of Christmas season which goes from October to January in my book. My littlest sister Bethy got off work late that night and as soon as Mia saw her she went beserk. She was rushing her and screaming excitedly. She started singing loudly and rushing around in a hyper second-wind thing before I wrangled her off to bed.
The next morning we had to go to a dress fitting and I got to see my sister's wedding dress for the first time. No hints here Ryan, sorry. BUT, it is awesome and you will love it! I won't say much but she looks like a freaking goddess in it. I also got to see Bethy in the bridesmaid dress which had been altered; she looked incredible in it. I got my dress pinned up and when we were all finished we drove over to my brother Liam's house to visit with him, my mom, and Liam's two adorable children, Liam and Addyson. Mia and little Liam have this cousin thing going on where as soon as they see each other they laugh and then immediately start playing. They look alike and they are about the same age and they love each other. Mia is rather nonchalant towards the baby but she lets me hold her without trying to peel her from my arms which was her past attitude towards babies. We only had one catastrophe that day wherein Mia walked in front of a hard swing that Liam was swinging on and it hit her in the mouth and chin, so that was a little messy but we finally got her calmed down and determined she didn't need stitches. She fell asleep in the car on the way home, around 5 pm, and stayed asleep for the next 10 hours, waking only for a banana and potty break and then going back to sleep for an additional two and a half hours. It was a weird night. But at least she got caught up on sleep.The next day we got ready for what we affectionately termed the "Panty Party", just a lingerie shower for some of Mary's girlfriends. It was really fun, about sixteen people or so and everyone seemed excited, watermelon cups with coconut rum in the bottom and lots of good food. Red roses and white candles and a constant hum of feminine conversations. Mia noticed at one point that everyone was talking to someone. "Talk to me, Mom." And she tried to herd me away from who I was talking to at that moment. She complimented the guests on their nails and jewelry and laughed (forcibly) at times when everyone else was laughing. I tucked her into bed while people were still lingering.
Mia's really latched on to Uncle Ryan this trip. She knows he will play catch with her when my sisters and I are talking and she's bored out of her gourd. She snuggles with him and watches movies, tries to suffocate him with blankets and asks if he's coming to see her multiple times a day. He attends to her little comforts and wishes and she has deigned to return the full range of her warmth on him.
All this time, every day, we talk about Daddy and when he is coming. He's been working a job out of town and this wedding is our chance to see him; after the wedding he goes back to work and we don't see him again for a while. Mia says things like: "My Daddy is amazing. Do you think he's amazing? I miss him so very much." But this morning I dragged her out of bed and we went to the airport and got him. He's sleeping right now in this very room and she's sleeping in the bedroom and all is right in the world because we are together.
I articulated something to my sister that I keep saying. Because it brings tears to my eyes when I say it and I know that it's true. And it helps you keep your perspective on life. It goes something like this: The wedding won't be perfect. Life won't always be ideal. Being together is just that, it's about going through life, whatever it brings, together. You'll have so many amazing moments, like when you give birth to your child, or one of you is sick and the other one is there for the other. Or when you look at each other ten years from now and realize you're still best friends.
For me, time softens relationships, they grow more mellow yet more complex. The shine of idealism wears off as you realize you're still human and so are they and sometimes you make mistakes and sometimes life just happens and you can't control it. But you love each other anyway. You're loved in your imperfections and you find that you love in spite of imperfections. So wedding time has waxed me philosophical. I love my family and I get to see even more of them in the next few days! I'm so grateful I could be here for this special moment in my sister's life.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Weather
It's always one of those cliche conversations but today it just feels so pervasive. It was muggy and overcast all day yesterday and today it's humid, sprinkly and completely gray except for the Alaska Range and Denali which was in full view as I drove down the Steese Highway this morning. The sky above the mountains was perfectly pale blue with tiny fluffy white clouds and it looked like our section of the sky was just painted with gray. Hopefully some of that weather moves up here.
The hills went green about two days ago and so even with the rain it's not that bad. Having that light, bright green everywhere makes this city so much more beautiful. Some irises I transplanted last year (against their will) have decided to make the best of it and have not only come back but seem to be increasing. I will finish planting my small garden this week probably; I usually do a box of lettuce for sandwiches and salads and a box of carrots, which are snacked on through the summer, and a box of wildflowers for my personal enjoyment. You don't expect to find anything pretty tucked away on the side of the house, so I like the concept of having a Secret Garden of sorts. I'm rather new at gardening but there is something so great about weeding so maybe I do have the knack for it.
I have the urge to drive directly to the store today and buy rice krispies, come home and make a giant pan of treats along with a huge pot of goulash. And gorge myself on carbs whilst hunkered under a cozy blanket with something brainless like A Knight's Tale to watch. That exact formula for happiness brings me back to our first apartment and what we did on rainy days. As a new bride I didn't cook veggies all that often and had about three recipes under my belt so even goulash I had to learn from my husband. I think I could make eggs, enchiladas, spaghetti, carrot cake, and pumpkin pie. Not a large repertoire, but he didn't criticize and now I can cook. I'm not gourmet or anything but most nights I make something homemade and eight years later it seems easy. Honey if you're reading this Happy 8-Year Anniversary this week, still think I'm the most fortunate woman in the world to have you and marrying you was one of the best decisions I ever made.
To rainy days! And sentimentality and melancholy thoughts and the color green. Oh, and a low fire season, sorry to everybody who makes money off of fire, but please Dear Lord could we please have a smoke-free summer?
I leave you with the song that's been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks:
Sumer is y-cumen in;
lhude sing, cucu!
Groweth sede and bloweth mede
and spring'th the wode nu!
Sing, cucu!
Awe bleteth ofter lomb,
low'th ofter calve cu;
bullock sterteth, bucke verteth;
murie sing, cucu!
Cucu, cucu,
well singest thu, cucu;
nae swik thu naver nu.
The hills went green about two days ago and so even with the rain it's not that bad. Having that light, bright green everywhere makes this city so much more beautiful. Some irises I transplanted last year (against their will) have decided to make the best of it and have not only come back but seem to be increasing. I will finish planting my small garden this week probably; I usually do a box of lettuce for sandwiches and salads and a box of carrots, which are snacked on through the summer, and a box of wildflowers for my personal enjoyment. You don't expect to find anything pretty tucked away on the side of the house, so I like the concept of having a Secret Garden of sorts. I'm rather new at gardening but there is something so great about weeding so maybe I do have the knack for it.
I have the urge to drive directly to the store today and buy rice krispies, come home and make a giant pan of treats along with a huge pot of goulash. And gorge myself on carbs whilst hunkered under a cozy blanket with something brainless like A Knight's Tale to watch. That exact formula for happiness brings me back to our first apartment and what we did on rainy days. As a new bride I didn't cook veggies all that often and had about three recipes under my belt so even goulash I had to learn from my husband. I think I could make eggs, enchiladas, spaghetti, carrot cake, and pumpkin pie. Not a large repertoire, but he didn't criticize and now I can cook. I'm not gourmet or anything but most nights I make something homemade and eight years later it seems easy. Honey if you're reading this Happy 8-Year Anniversary this week, still think I'm the most fortunate woman in the world to have you and marrying you was one of the best decisions I ever made.
To rainy days! And sentimentality and melancholy thoughts and the color green. Oh, and a low fire season, sorry to everybody who makes money off of fire, but please Dear Lord could we please have a smoke-free summer?
I leave you with the song that's been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks:
Sumer is y-cumen in;
lhude sing, cucu!
Groweth sede and bloweth mede
and spring'th the wode nu!
Sing, cucu!
Awe bleteth ofter lomb,
low'th ofter calve cu;
bullock sterteth, bucke verteth;
murie sing, cucu!
Cucu, cucu,
well singest thu, cucu;
nae swik thu naver nu.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Bando
Well, we got a dog. His name is Bando. We were thinking about Bandit, but Mia kept saying "Bandaid", and I didn't want a dog named band aid. He's now 11 weeks old and a husky-beagle/lab mix. He's pretty cute and very puppyish. Meaning he pees in the house and teethes on everything including us. He's definitely a lot more work than I bargained for, but I'm not giving up and in three years or so he will be a great family dog. Hopefully my training will be so excellent that he will learn even faster than that and do his business outside like a civilized dog and stop terrorizing small children with his puppy exuberance.
Everyone including my husband keeps telling me that he's not a baby. Apparently they think I'm confused; I actually do feel a little confused and googled "puppy postpartum" in the days just after we brought him home. It really is strange how having him has brought back fresh all the memories of how unsettling it was to be a first-time mom. You're sure you're going to screw it up, the only horror is the anticipation of how. You have no sleep and everything becomes a huge deal. And you love your charge fiercely even though they seem to eliminate with impossible frequency. The best days are when I don't worry so much about him ending up with some incurable behavior problem. Or when I repeat what is supposed to be my new mantra: "He's a DOG." There have been a lot of awesome moments with him and he seems to be learning some things, so things are looking up. Change can be really good.
I was tucking Mia into bed the other night and we were discussing Bando. She affirmed that she liked him, that she loved him, and that he was her friend. I said,"He makes a lot of mistakes, doesn't he." And she said, "Yeah, but that's ok, we'll take care of him." I think that moment alone makes it all worth it.
Everyone including my husband keeps telling me that he's not a baby. Apparently they think I'm confused; I actually do feel a little confused and googled "puppy postpartum" in the days just after we brought him home. It really is strange how having him has brought back fresh all the memories of how unsettling it was to be a first-time mom. You're sure you're going to screw it up, the only horror is the anticipation of how. You have no sleep and everything becomes a huge deal. And you love your charge fiercely even though they seem to eliminate with impossible frequency. The best days are when I don't worry so much about him ending up with some incurable behavior problem. Or when I repeat what is supposed to be my new mantra: "He's a DOG." There have been a lot of awesome moments with him and he seems to be learning some things, so things are looking up. Change can be really good.
I was tucking Mia into bed the other night and we were discussing Bando. She affirmed that she liked him, that she loved him, and that he was her friend. I said,"He makes a lot of mistakes, doesn't he." And she said, "Yeah, but that's ok, we'll take care of him." I think that moment alone makes it all worth it.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Adele and Pizza
Yes I know, an odd combination but it makes sense in my little world. First of all, Adele. Wow. I'm not your typical fan-girl who gets crazy about every single brand new artist to come down the pike. Also, I realize with humility and a smackerel of shame that she's not really a brand new artist. Apparently whilst I was asleep under a proverbial boulder, Adele won two Grammys in 2009 (no big deal, am I right?)... uh, yeah. I only discovered her a couple of months ago and now I can't shut up about her. My favorites in no particular order:
I honestly think that so far in my relatively short life, she has the best voice of any female vocalist I've heard. I appreciate her range, her control, and am enamored by the fact that she writes most of her own stuff. Her education in music only deepens her ability to create and gives her more tools to utilize though some of it I'm sure she was born with. Sigh. If I can convince one person who has not heard her yet, please go to YouTube and check her out. Here's the link to Make You Feel My Love... it was the first I'd heard of her and my infatuation started there.
Now for the pizza segment of this bulletin. I've had a pizza recipe that I have been using almost weekly for a solid year. Last week it failed me in a big way. It was a doughy, almost inedible mess. Too bready, not crisp on the outside, soggy in the middle. Words escape me to describe how truly awful it was. Perhaps you may have heard me bragging about it in the past: "I can go from nothing to pizza in 35 minutes." Well, it tasted like it took no time, I can tell you that much. Last week's episode pushed me over the edge and I was starting to abandon the idea of delicious homemade pizza, when led by fate and destiny into the environment of an Anchorage pizza place named comfortingly, Uncle Joe's Pizzeria, I realized the perfect crust is out there and it's up to me to find out how to make it. I've found some promising instructions on the interwebs, and have access to a covey of lovely friends who can actually cook, so my prospects are good. I am now investigating a pizza stone and I'm getting excited about pizza again. I will let you know when I have a finished product worth taking a picture of (and eating). I love pizza so much, I may plant some basil this year for the first time, any advice would be welcomed. I leave you with my favorite pizza-eating song: Mambo Italiano sung by Rosemary Clooney.
- Make You Feel My Love ( a Bob Dylan cover)
- Rolling in the Deep
- Chasing Pavements
- Someone Like You
- Cold Shoulder
Now for the pizza segment of this bulletin. I've had a pizza recipe that I have been using almost weekly for a solid year. Last week it failed me in a big way. It was a doughy, almost inedible mess. Too bready, not crisp on the outside, soggy in the middle. Words escape me to describe how truly awful it was. Perhaps you may have heard me bragging about it in the past: "I can go from nothing to pizza in 35 minutes." Well, it tasted like it took no time, I can tell you that much. Last week's episode pushed me over the edge and I was starting to abandon the idea of delicious homemade pizza, when led by fate and destiny into the environment of an Anchorage pizza place named comfortingly, Uncle Joe's Pizzeria, I realized the perfect crust is out there and it's up to me to find out how to make it. I've found some promising instructions on the interwebs, and have access to a covey of lovely friends who can actually cook, so my prospects are good. I am now investigating a pizza stone and I'm getting excited about pizza again. I will let you know when I have a finished product worth taking a picture of (and eating). I love pizza so much, I may plant some basil this year for the first time, any advice would be welcomed. I leave you with my favorite pizza-eating song: Mambo Italiano sung by Rosemary Clooney.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Write your name in the land
I was awake at 5 this morning, a little earlier than planned but what can you do. I lay in bed for a while trying to go back to sleep and thinking about spring. And then I thought about summer, and then I thought about cloudy days, then frost, and winter. Then I had an epiphany. I live in the freaking arctic. Well technically the Arctic Circle is around 125 miles north of here, but close enough. And then the thought: Why do we live here?
I'm glad I asked. I actually have a great answer for this after being here for 30 years. It's good to remember when confronted with the hassles of living in this climate. Here's a partial list of pros:
1. My husband. He lives here. That would seem obvious but I have a thing where I really like being where he is.
2. My family and friends. Including my daughter I currently have five relatives that live here with me and countless dear friends that are "Alaskan Family".
3. Appreciation. When you have the contrast that we do, -60 F* in the winter and up to 90 F* in the summer, you really appreciate things like green leaves on trees and grass on the ground and sun on your face and birds singing, etc. Summer is like a high for me. It's only three months long but who ever heard of a three-month long high.
4. Repeating traditions. I've only ever had one Christmas that wasn't white, and that was in California. It's really, really pretty. Just last night my daughter and I played in the giant icy puddle on our street, and she fell in and cried, just like every other kid growing up in Alaska does at this time of year. It's fun watching her experience the things I did when I was a kid.
5. The sky. I've been to a lot of different places, and the sky looks completely different here, and amazing. When I am not here I get lonely for the way it looks.
Yes I could see picking up roots and moving to a warmer place somewhere along the line, we like Costa Rica a lot... could you imagine eating locally grown mangos on a regular basis? But for now when things get tough, it's dark and cold, or wildfires have filled my valley with smoke, I just remember to write my name in the land. Remember Skylark, the sequel to Sarah Plain and Tall? "You don't have to love this land," said Maggie. "But if you don't love it, you won't survive. Jacob's right. You have to write your name in the land to live here."
You can't spend all your time daydreaming of other places. You must embrace it. And if necessary get out there with an actual stick and write your name in the actual land. When the snow melts, of course.
I'm glad I asked. I actually have a great answer for this after being here for 30 years. It's good to remember when confronted with the hassles of living in this climate. Here's a partial list of pros:
1. My husband. He lives here. That would seem obvious but I have a thing where I really like being where he is.
2. My family and friends. Including my daughter I currently have five relatives that live here with me and countless dear friends that are "Alaskan Family".
3. Appreciation. When you have the contrast that we do, -60 F* in the winter and up to 90 F* in the summer, you really appreciate things like green leaves on trees and grass on the ground and sun on your face and birds singing, etc. Summer is like a high for me. It's only three months long but who ever heard of a three-month long high.
4. Repeating traditions. I've only ever had one Christmas that wasn't white, and that was in California. It's really, really pretty. Just last night my daughter and I played in the giant icy puddle on our street, and she fell in and cried, just like every other kid growing up in Alaska does at this time of year. It's fun watching her experience the things I did when I was a kid.
5. The sky. I've been to a lot of different places, and the sky looks completely different here, and amazing. When I am not here I get lonely for the way it looks.
Yes I could see picking up roots and moving to a warmer place somewhere along the line, we like Costa Rica a lot... could you imagine eating locally grown mangos on a regular basis? But for now when things get tough, it's dark and cold, or wildfires have filled my valley with smoke, I just remember to write my name in the land. Remember Skylark, the sequel to Sarah Plain and Tall? "You don't have to love this land," said Maggie. "But if you don't love it, you won't survive. Jacob's right. You have to write your name in the land to live here."
You can't spend all your time daydreaming of other places. You must embrace it. And if necessary get out there with an actual stick and write your name in the actual land. When the snow melts, of course.
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