I'm not 10, I'm 12

Kevin (our principal who really knew Ethan was 12), kept wishing Ethan a Happy 10th birthday, that's what "uncles" do, right? They lovingly give you a hard time and meanwhile, a good chuckle is had, usually by the adults. Ethan had a small gathering, it worked out perfectly, I almost want this birthday repeated over and over for future parties. What I mean, the games had so much more focus and we laughed a lot since kids weren't nervous of the larger crowd or disruptions from too many kids going in different directions. It was quite managable with the crazy season of school and getting ready to move, laid back, just what we all needed.

Nonsensical Jibberish

I remember coming back to the village. From Spokane, Washington to Elim and Koyuk, Alaska. The English language, or part of it, at it's most, confusing. Let me add more breadth to that statement with a few one liners straight from the "vil!"

From Koyuk:
"Hubs man, real cheap" (Hubs is short for Hubber* ...this is a common expression in which hubs can be translated as cheap)

"Man, this chair is bony." (After a gal sat on a chair, looked to be in deep thought for a moment, then was dissatisfied with the hard chair)

"Dad went up river and PRETTY SOON he saw a flock of cranes....." (pretty soon is understood to be a length of time, depending on the context of the story, it can be minutes or days)

"Not too pretty good" (not good)

From Elim:
(Myra in class) "First, let's review some of the highlights from yesterday's reading on the Reconstruction Period."
(Kids in class) "Ten Bucks" (which always meant, nah, or make me)

"RRRRRRREEEEEEAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" (The more you can pronounce each letter and extend it, the more convincing you can be!)

"You come?" (After returning from summer break, not being in the village for a couple months, simple greetings after a hug and smiles...pretty standard in other villages)

In conclusion, I can write a short explanation of my thoughts on moving.

5 years ago, I moved from Unalakleet to Koyuk...and pretty soon, Jason and I got jobs in Galena. Hubs, had to pack lotsa boxes. Jason and I took our Honda to the post office and the roads were not too pretty good, rrrreeeeeaaaaalllll bony seat I was sitting on. Jay wanted me to carry in boxes, even with my weak knee and I replied, "ten bucks." We saw our post master and she said, "you come?"

Constructing Dreams

Four score and seven years ago, we started forth on a new housing project... or at least that is how long it has felt. I am sure that our friends and family have become tired of the details, but there has been a new development that warrants a new blog posting.

We are moving to Galena... old news by now. We were originally going to try to move and build within the same summer, a thought deemed crazy by most of our loved ones, but they have not been living in rented distrcit housing for the past seven years. Now, the plans have shifted... yet again, and we will be renting this summer and winter while preparing for building the next summer.

We called John at First Day this morning with a new idea. By now, he knows its me even before I say hello as I have called him with so many different thoughts during this whole Harris Home project. Poor John must be about as gray as I am now and I fear he will have a nervous twitch by the time the last nail is driven into our house. He will aimlessly walk around mumbling something about that crazy Alaskan Harris family.

The new thought is to order the kit this summer so that it can be shipped into Galena during the short summer shipping window as it will need to be barged on the Yukon during the ice free months. We will store the materials within the containers during the winter and unload them as spring begins to break so as to avoid what John calls the greenhouse effect inside of a steel container. "Some people pay extra for blue tinted pine, but that is not how we designed them," was John's statement.

So... the most updated plan... move to Galena, find a lot, get pilings for a foundation, order kit, store it on the lot, and begin building in the spring when it is warm enough that the nails don't snap off while being driven. It will give us a longer building season as we will not be depending on the Yukon to break up prior to construction and it will hopefully allow for us to get a "cheaper" shipping rate as gas prices continue to go up.

The above picture is that of the design we are considering. It will allow for 1600 square feet of livable space and make up for the fact that we will not be able to have a basement in Galena.

Random Photos

Jimmy Hoffa, or the ATV trailer?



Kemper window shopping for chicks. The odds are good, but the goods are odd.



Although I'm not always conservative with money, we just saved $19.00!

Bro and I

My brother, George, and I had an evening to spare here in Anchorage, so, we drove out to the airport and watched planes land and take off. This gives us a chance to talk about various topics ranging from politics to random facts my brother recites from all the reading that he does. I really enjoy his company, my brain appreciates the fact food and we just have good 'ol fashioned fun together. Of course, it's customary to buy him dinner (big sister treating little brother), and if he's up for it, help me shop, which isn't as exciting as watching 737's take off. George does website building, makes me laugh, and is well, my brother I've grown to appreciate and love as we get older.

5 weeks later

People consistently ask, "how is your leg doing?" My guess is that the picture can say it better than me describing it, considering I just read that most people in America operate within a 5th grade reading level in comprehension. Not that I would write using complex words, but now I am getting beside the point. Coming to this point in recovery is quite relieving, being able to walk without crutches and a noticable limp. Kemper, with his typical lab enthuiasm, has almost sent me back to the hospital a couple of times, heck, how does he know about ACL recovery? That should be my line of reasoning, but nonetheless, I wasn't too happy with him when he jumped over my leg because there was someone knocking at the door, all the while barking. So, 5 weeks later, I feel amazingly better and consider the work Dr. Maguire did nothing short of a miracle.

Jason's Makeover

Grizzly Adams to...Byron Bruckner

We were noticing that even his beard has some grey in it. Yeah, it's a little weird to be married to an old man.