Yeah, someone does it, but not me. I just sit at my laptop all day doing nothing!!!!!! Right!! Today, full! got a nice message from my son peter about his deck. We had a good time building that thing and i think it really looks good. Hope it keeps the heat out of the trailer some. Great place to sit and have an evening drink.
I fixed supper last night. Instant potatoes and pre-made meat patty. Great fare for the village. boiled some eggs and watched TV. Boring! So, I read some more of the last HP book that I got back from Brandon. Warren is getting our Toby a tombstone and we will move ole'Tobe to the cemetery when it comes in. well I might have to wait until next May since I could not ask Beth to move a body. she'd gross out!. Lost my keys, then today they showed up. I have no idea who had them. anyway, they are back! got more of my office fixed up and tomorrow I am going to begin with 7/8 and distribute their schedules. Ran off list after list and faxed a lot. ate a soft-boiled egg and crisps for lunch. No wonder I lost so much weight last year. I don't have time to eat!!!!!!!!!!!! Girls are fine. jack stayed in the house this morning and I understand we only lost part of the recliner and 4 bones. doing good there, Jack.

I think allie may be planning to stay next school year also. that would be nice. The new english teacher is a joker. Cute too, but married. too young anyway. Nothing going but work so will close for today. I love you Peter ( you too Warren). . . . .

Heavens, i have not been able to take a breath since I left austin. well, here's the saga up-todate!!!

I left Austin EARLY last Monday. Leia wanted to come in and wait with me but i was too much a coward and encouraged her to just drop me at curbside and leave. She did but i was bawling for the next hour. Harder to leave thistime knowing I'll not planning to come for Xmas. flight to Seattle was great. VERY FULL! Got to Seattle with 'supposedly' an hour to get to the next gate. HA! I had 4 minutes and no trolley's. I ran and dragged the girls in the carrier and finally had to sit because my knees were giving out and I was afraid I'd fall. along came a trolley but alas it was full. I ran some more. Along came another trolley and he was full but i grabbed hold of the back bar and the trolley pulled me and behind me the girls carrier. a man in the trolley stopped the driver and I got a seat. No place to put the girls so they were dragged along. THEY WERE NOT HAPPY!! I got to the gate and had to pay for the girls flight but they held the plane for me. when I got on i was red in the face and I think some of the other passengers were concerned. One woman tried to be sweet and take the carrier but Pollie let out this blood-curdling scream and the woman put the carrier down. Dear Pollie, she is very particular about who carries her. Well i got seated and got to Anchorage OK. Mel and paul picked me up and we went to the hotel to drop the girls.

Stayed in Anchorage and shopped, completed some errands and had a great time with Me., Paul and Allie. Jack was returned by Brad who had kept him all summer and Brad was teary eyed about leaving Jack. Seems they had had a terrific summer and Brad had fallen in love with jack. Jack has mellowed a lot over the summer. His favorite thing to do now is to hop up on the couch and curl up. Even the girls bugging him doesn't seem to get him riled. Anyway I left Wed morning at 5AM to get to the flight. Nice flight, got to EMO and right away their was a hopper waiting. So I got to the village about 10 AM. NICE!!!!! I decided to get a nap. Phone rang, door knock, dog bark. NO Nap!!!

Mel and Paul were in the village one day earlier so they were settled for the day. I ate dinner with them and late afternoon Allie and Jack arrived. It was hot 81 degrees. The others walked the dog and then Paul came and hooked up the Dish so I could watch TV. Got to bed about 2 AM.

Got up Friday for school. Talk about not breathing!!!! I had so much to do. Peter had asked me to do some things also and i was running pell mell all day long. No lunch(really a good thing) and no break. I finally got home about 5:30. The girls are pleased that they can go outside and that jack doesn't bother them. They are not happy that I leave every morning to go to school. The newbies seem to be very nice. We'll report from time to time and I'll let you know how they are working out.

Sat i got up early 9:45 because I had to clean up the stuffed animal guts that jack and the girls had spread on the floor. We had brunch for several teachers. I stayed up and messed around until about 1PM then I tried going to nap. Yep, phone rang and rang and rang and dogs barked etc and door knocked etc. Well, no nap. some of the teachers got together and went down to the Yukon and had a bonfire. Boring really but something to do. jack and Neeley had a blast and they were both wet and filthy. Got home at 11:45PM and stayed up until around 3AM then went to sleep.

woke up late on Sunday and finally got so bored I went to school to do some work in the office. Glad I did since it was easier than having so many people always inand out of the office. Went to bed about 9:45.

got up early this morning and went to school. Worked like a dog, I tell you. a dog!!!! And then tomorrow is tomorrow and there will be more dog work. And to think, the kids aren't here yet!!!!! See ya.

August 6, 2008
First entry before going back. Get ready Warren!!!!!!!!!!! Got up EARLY and went to dentist to get crown on tooth. Easy peasy! Went to have b'fast in Schulenburg. tomorrow, travel papers for the girls and a rabies shot for twovir. I finished doing all the scheduling for the MS/HS AGAIN! The idiots at the DO worked on the schedules and now i have 7 classes for one teacher when I only need two. I've already complained so we'll see when they make it work like it did early summer. No knee surgery this summer so I'll hobble around on the ice monster again and then I'll have it done next may. I still have several loose ends to clean up before I go, but yesterday I sent off the last tub of stuff that I bought this summer. I need to pickup a vacuum cleaner in Anchorage and I'll check it as luggage since I'll be carrying only my backpack and the girls carrier. I was thinking I'd get some meat in anchor but nah, I don't like meat that well and we've still got some in the freezer anyway. I have all the bills online again and that makes it easier to pay them once I'm in the village. Leia was off yesterday and called to see if I was coming to visit. I told her I had been there all summer so just wait until sunday. Then Beth will drive me to Austin and Tuesday morning I fly out. Peter is going to visit Mildred and should be back Friday with all the news. I need to call Warren and ask him about the generator on the RV. Carole called, fired again, and now regrets no getting the alakanuk job. Hey, whatever!!!!!!!!! See ya

I have a few more days in Texas and the heat and then it's back to the village and 'cool' temps. I am really excited about going back. It should be a fun year. I was contacted by Jean Sauer ( a friend of Deanna's ) about teaching in Alaska and she called this morning saying she had gotten a job in Kaltag ( up the Yukon near Fairbanks). She is excited about the job and so am I. Her village is small with only 54 students in the K-12. She lives in conroe so it will be as much of a change as it was for me. She was in Houston schools and . . . . well you know what that meant.
I don't know if the girls are ready to travel back but for a time they will be happy until the snow flies and the ground is cold. Until then they will be OK and then they will have to remember the heat of tTeaxas. I am flat broke after this summer. Last week I went to Peter's and we built part of a great deck!!! It will be about 3K but with labor it will be more like 9 K. The whole family worked on the deck and it really looks great. I'll be sending money for them to do things like paint the deck itself etc. Little touches. Leia and Keri have gotten a lot done this summer too so I'm really pleased with what the job has allowed me to do for the kids. It's like being paid to go on a long vacation. Paul got hold of me the other day and wanted to know about his classes and I really need to get in touch with the Afcan's to let them know what is going to happen. I am really ready to go. Just leaving this sweat hell will be great!!!!!!!!!! C came down for several days and she and I spent time in Austin. she's doing OK. Guess I will close and write later. See ya!

So, I'm home. I'm sweating too. The trip was OK and easy. The girls were great again. It is just so long that I do not look forward to the travel. But, I am home. I have spent a lot of time with L and K and we have gotten a lot of money spent well. The fence in back looks great but the gate needs re-working and that should be done on Monday. We got trees cut down and stuff hauled away and other stuff that should be done. I am pleased with what we've done. When they are working on the weekends I come to the farm and Beth and I run the roads. Gas is so high it costs me 70$ to get to and from Austin. That's crazy but I'll bet it isn't gonna be the last price hike we see. I have to start entering all the info to get the schedule done because I have promised myself and Peter that I will have the stuff done by June end. My other Peter and the kids have not yet called or emailed, so selavie. I will NOT be going to the Tancrede wedding because of the gas and also because I have a dr appn't then. I am getting lots of stuff done. Feet, knees, heart, teeth, eyes, heck just a complete overhaul. Called W today and found that a stone for Sasha and Toby is about 100$, so I'll order Toby one. I still need to have the pipe fence put around the cemetery. I don't think Ernie will be able to do it so I'll call around for prices. Will get the car worked on on Monday and then back to Austin for another couple of days. I look forward to Alakanuk. Max said the Reds were running as well as smelt. They ought to be having fun at fish camps. Maybe we'll be back in time for berry-picking.

it's the last days of alakanuk 2007-08. gosh, I look back over the year and it seems to have gone so fast. I have learned a lot this year and it has all been fun. I have enjoyed the snow, the mud, the people, the housing, the dogs, the staff, the river, the ice, the school, the kids, the parents. Just such a full, fun year. I have so many plans for next year and now that I've gotten to know people I really want to continue in this job for many more years. I do need to get home to my family and spend the summer there so they will be OK with my coming back. I have tackled the certification problem and it seems I am in again next year as long as I take some courses. I'm OK with that. My principal is terrific and the staff, by and large are good teachers. we have our test results back already but we won't know whether we accomplished our goal until august. I fly back the middle of august. the housing is being boarded up and the work orders for the summer have been turned in. I've checked out and have nothing else to do except mail a tub and pack my backpack. that is all I'm taking home. the pack and the girls. they are packed and ready to go home. gosh, I'm bored already and feeling like I want school to start next year. Darn, but, it's been fun.

the snow is melting fast and the mushiness has arrived. It was crunchy walking this morning but it had had a light freeze last night. I am in the proces of cleaning up the old files in the office today. some go as far back as the early 90's. Stupid to file that kind of junk. so much of the material has been updated several times since it was put out and then filed. So, the cleaner, Dianne is taking charge. I intend to get rid of all but one locking file cabinet and I'll get rid of the other cabinets. One of them is a fire-proof file. A two drawer. It must weigh 500 pounds. I can't wait to get rid of that weight. Ha, ha. then I'll have them put in a wall mounted table on one side of the office and then I'll have room for kids and papers and . . . . . more filed papers.!!!!!!!!! Warren is closing on the boat. we really had fun bringing that thing down the Mississippi. A memorable trip. Fog, dogs, locks and kathy. We had a blast!!!!!!! Now he can really retire and travel in his travel trailer. At least until he gets tired and then comes and parks it at the farm where we can really agitate each other until one of us dies. I'll even have to expand the size of the boneyard so we can all be planted there along with all our dogs, cats and sibs. Ought to be cool to be stomped on and crapped on by the cows. Next year I would like to learn to dance and maybe have a first dance ceremony. They call this 'going native'. Lost my passport, found my passport. Was sorting through the stuff I need to send home and found it in an envelope. Yippee me. I have my tickets home and the dogs taught to get into the softside crate (except sometimes Pollie gives me hell when I shove her butt inside. the backpack items are assembled and I'm ready for the trip to hell. I see from the victoria ppaer that it will be 94 on Thursday. it was 43 yesterday and I had to finally pack my down jacket and wool hat away because it was too hot. I need to start wearing my wellies today because of the water and mud. tomorrow we get girl scout cookies nd hopefully we'll get the 'spirit'wear we ordered months ago. Beth threw out my oil check so I've reordered. She bought a ford focus. Next year I plan to buy the same thing in Anchorage and drive it home. well, see ya.

Hey, when I was a kid the whole elementary school had a maypole ceremony and the classes danced and I remember it as being fun. Alas, today we don't do NOTHIN' except R<W<M. No wonder the kids today don't no nothn'. No fun in school. No dance, no music, no theatre. School sucks!!!!!!! well now I have fewer days than before (duh). We have Prom Saturday night and the seniors are decorating the gym all this week. I'll report later about how it went. Heard from Warren and David Feray. I'm gonna try to visit David and Jenny when I start back to the village. Beth is getting a new ford focus. she looked around and found a really good deal on one and she goes today to Houston to pick it up. She told me she was going to pimp out poor little Pete and hold her little paw in the air and try to hitch a ride to Houston. I also asked beth to forge my signature and get money from my bank. I think she feels it is a one-way ticket to alcatraz. I told her the advantages of prison but . . . . . . haven't heard from Leia in a while. Maybe she's out apprehending bad guys. it snowed this morning, now the temp is above 32, so it's turning to slush. Such fun. I finally had to resort to using my YakTrax. I put them on my shoes and it seems to be easier to navigate the ice under the slush. we had a meeting about the new school slated for alakanuk in a couple of years. Cost will be approx 76 million. Yep that's million. Your tax dollars at work. that actually works out to a little less that 1/2 mill per student in construction costs. I can't quite wrap my brain around that figure. the cost of rock to make a base in the slushy tundra is approx 80 $ per yard!!!!! We have two years before construction begins. then it will take a year to complete. I sure would like to be here to work in the new school building. I keep thinking I need to be 45 years old. I've never wanted to be anything but what age I am but since i've come to the village I really want more time. Guess I'll have to live to be 100. Works for me.

what's happening world? Not much is going on here. Just working. Actually working. had a party last night for sue Johnson. Birthday. during the party we got a telephone call from anchorage. someone there had had a phone call that said a house in the village was on fire. Everyone took off to see if they could help. (Village has a fire truck , . . .IF it starts . . . IF it has water in it . . . . IF anyone is there to drive it.) the houses in the village are made of plywood and are all fire hazards. No one has smoke or fire alarms and few have fire extinguishers. anyway, once the fire started there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Inside was a man in a wheelchair who had diabetes and could not move on his own. to say the least. He burned to death. People tried to get inside to get the man out but couldn't. the man's name was Clyde Smith!!!!!!! so they put the coffin (if people buy one) inside the box and cover the box with a tarp. then they place the remains on the top of the ground usually on a platform (about 2 feet high). that's all folks. Just sitting there. animals, weather etc. Hey, you are dead after all! Well we have about 3 weeks before school is out. I think the snow will be on the ground until we leave. the slough is melting around the edges and only snowgo's are on the ice now. No cars anymore. Spring is trying hard but making little headway. Carole called yesterday and said the bankruptcy was denied. she is appealing. Warren called and said they were in the RV park and out of the boat (which is in the boatyard being repaired). He and Kathy both seem under lots of stress. When the boat is gone, they will be OK. when I get home this summer I need to get the fence built around the cemetary. When I am planted, I really don't relish the thought of cows' pooping on me. Maybe on Warren, but not on me. then I need to move the pets to the new plaace. We all need to be together. Might even move mom. I am not looking forward to flying home. It is such a stress with the two girls. they have been going inside the soft-side crate to eat so they are getting used to it. then there is the problem with them being cold. I don't know what I'll do to keep them warm. the little planes are not heated and they will be very cold. maybe wrapping the crate with a heavy coat will help. I don't know yet. I had hoped it would be warmer when we left. it's warm in Texas. I'll die of heatstroke when I get off the plane in Austin. But, the girls will be happy. I haven't gotten my rebate check yet. I haven't gotten my gas check yet either. I'm patient. Still have one cow to adopt out. Beth is thinking about starting her own herd. good investment. Beth says we've had no rain. Pond is dry. I'm gonna buy a wading pool for the dogs so they can stay cool. Lots of new movies I want to see. I keep looking at fast-food commercials and I keep thinking how much food an calories are in the cities that are not here in the village. Lots of potential weight gain out there. But, not me!!!!!! I'm gonna stay slim and svelte!!!!!! (Hush up, bro). well, it's back towork. I actually do that from time to time. We'll see what the day brings.

for the last three days all I've heard at home or work is the dripping of melting snow. We've got a long way to go but it is melting pretty fast. I hate to walk anywhere because it is just slush and deep slush. it is really harder to walk in this stuff than in deep snow that's drier. i don't know how much snow will be left when i leave but yesterday the temp was 60 degrees. I nearly died of heat stroke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the school building is getting hot, just as it was last year when school started. the deck and ramps are all clear of snow and the 'hamster tubes' are slowly appearing. You can even see grass. Pollie and Nudles went outside yesterday and peed in comfort for the first time in about 6 months. They were happy little girls. I went to Potlatch last Friday night. I drove the van and got stuck (got that on film) and the principal was able to pull the van out with the 4-wheel truck. The potlatch was very nice. Tons of people (they warn folks with babies not to bring them because of the possible transmission of TB!!!!!!!) I watched first dances (they give away lots of stuff). I think they must have thought that i stink. I got two washcloths and a bar of soap. i also got some agutak. it was pretty OK. agutak (sometimes called eskimo ice cream) is made with ground fish, seal oil or crisco, sugar and berries. sounds yuck but it was OK. I think it depends on who makes it. i need to put away the ole Bravo soon. My neighbor will change it's oil and put stuff in the gas tank and then we can store it in his con till next snow. got some bagels yesterday along with some coffee, so I'm set for the next couple weeks until i get home. Patrick sems to be doing OK. Lots of working in his garden and listening to bird-songs. a grreat life. See ya