2009

Happy New Year everyone! 2008 was a hard year for almost everyone we know, so here's hoping that 2009 is filled with love, peace, and prosperity! We could all use a lot of that. Andrew, Phillip and I are sitting here this afternoon of the eve of 2009 contemplating our resolutions for the coming year, and each of us is at a loss of how we can be better than we already are! Wow! Now I know I made you laugh at that one!
Anyway, I guess I have never really established a New Year's Resolution per sey - and I am not sure that this year will be any different in that manner. Each of us has goals, but I am not sure they qualify as "resolutions". One of mine is to go back to school. Andrew and Phillip are still thinking about some of their goals, and are having a difficult time focusing on that right now because the TV is on........
We hope you all have a wonderful year!

Christmas Break 2008

Andrew's Christmas Loot

Merry Christmas Everyone! We Love you and wish we were together! More Christmas messages to come later! Time to play for a little while!

Spar Christmas Party 12/13/08

Phillip and I went to the Spar's Christmas Party Saturday night with a couple of our friends. It was nice to be able to spend some time together.

Our Living Room!

Hi Guys,
I know that it has taken me forever to get a photo of my home to you, and here it is at Christmas time... so this photo is a little unusual. But, I wanted it to be nice and clutter-free before I photographed it.

So - These are a couple of photos of the Living Area. The windows span the length of the room. The book case is in the far corner of the room; and behind the sofa is our tiny area for skinny people to sit at our dining room table (which we never use). Behind the Dining room table, there is a sliding glass door that leads to the patio.

The chair that you see in the right bottom corner of the top photo is where our computer desk is positioned. So, our Living Room, Dining Room and Home office is all in this room of our home!

The bottom photo is our Dining area. Yes, it is a white tree... I know!
It is my $35.00 Wal-Mart special!

Catch you all later with more photos...

Introducing "The Kodiak Mall"

Thought I would share with you some comical thoughts I have about our Kodiak WalMart. Enjoy!
I do not mean for this to offend anyone.
Attention Kodiak Shoppers: We are pleased to welcome you to your Kodiak Mall! We are open daily for your shopping convenience.
Since we are well aware of the sobering fact that we are pretty much the ONLY business on the Island that MAY have a few of the things on your Holiday shopping list this year for your friends and family in the lower 48 states, we are pleased to extend our hours of operation to accommodate your Christmas shopping needs! Beginning Nov. 28th, our store hours will be as follows: M-Sun. 8am-10pm. We look forward to assisting you with all your shopping needs!

Please note the wonderful departments that you will find in your Kodiak Wal-Mart... I mean...Mall:

"Concierge"
In observance of a long-standing Wal-Mart tradition (inflicted...I mean introduced by Sam Walton himself) someone will be standing at the front door and forced to offer you a cart and a semi-smile upon entrance! *Please note that the greeter has the option to offer you a soaking, or semi-wet cart- depending on their Holiday Spirit! We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. However, we do regret to inform you that petitions for raises were politely turned down this year and our employees are working for a minimal amount of money and do not qualify for benefits because they only work 39.75 hrs. per week! So, picture yourself in their position and see how jolly your smile is! just a suggestion to help tip your Holiday Spirit Meter toward the positive zone :)

"Gift Wrapping Service"
To your left, as you enter, you will notice the Customer Service Desk staffed with some very friendly personnel. Please do not harass the help! We fight hard to convince them to stay during this time of year as our customers seem to forget what the meaning of Christmas really is in the first place.

"Food Court"
Also on your left, just past the Customer Service Center, you will find our "Food Court". We are tickled pink to announce that we have expanded our choices to included a small Subway Restaurant! In the past, your only choice was a pretzel or a hot dog provided by Wal-Mart's value menu! Please feel free to fill your tummy and rest your weary feet from all your Christmas Shopping within the mall! Subway offers daily Sandwich Specials to provide a wonderful variety for your Holiday Diet.

"The Christmas Shop"
Just past the food court, you will find our area dedicated to Kodiak and Alaska Souvenirs. What Christmas box sent to the Lower 48 would be complete without something purchased from this section of our store offering an array of cheap shot glasses, strange moose poop gadgets, and a vast selection of items that might offer a glimpse into the life offered on our beautiful Island? Don't forget to pick up an ornament or two to comisserate...I mean...commemorate your wonderful years on the Island. You know you are going to miss it when you leave!

"Kay Jewelers"
Just past the Souvenir area, located on the right as you work your way to the center area of the store... mall... you will find the jewelry department. Though the jewelry may not be to your liking...face it - the prices are incredible and the selection is vast in comparison to any other store you will find on the Island!

"Eddie Bauer"
Straight across the way from the Jewelry counter (on your left) are the men's and boy's clothing! Good luck finding the sizes you may need!

"Babies R' Us"
Just beyond that (still to your left and a little straight ahead) you will be face to face with our tremendous selection of baby items you are eventually going to need if you live here long enough! Boredom - or something close to a hair-brained idea to get PFD for the rest of your life - through a child born on the Island - is going to catch up with you at some point. So, why not plan ahead?

"Famous Footware"
Across from the baby section - we have stocked the most fashionable and up-to-date footwear available to our Island! And if you cannot find something that suits your fancy- just realize that it doesn't matter anyway because the snow slush left behind will eventually ruin them. Plus, you know that no one here knows the difference - and you will find something else to replace the pair once you leave and head back to civilization! So, take advantage of the fact that no one here CARES what you have on your frost-bitten feet to begin with. Just another cheery thought to get you through! :)

"Forever 21"
In the center isle you will find the wild array of girls' clothing that proves no matter how cold it is... girls just want to be girls, and they don't care how cold their tummy is - they are going to show it off while they don't have muffin top. And really, who can blaime them anymore?!

"Micheal's"
Keep working your way past the shoes, and you will find some things here that we like to call "Our latest crafting supplies"! Just buy the Christmas cards located in the right front corner of the store (where the Christmas trees are) and send them! Even the most avid crafter cannot justify the amount of money needed to dress up Martha Stewart's latest excuse for a lame line of paper and expensive glitter and stamps that she likes to call "crafting supplies". Trust me, it will be okay for a few years to abandon the need to create elegant cards for the ones you hold most dear in your life! Plus, think of it this way... we are four entire hours, and two shipping weeks behind the rest of the United States... and the crafters in the lower states have already sent them something more crafty! Maybe someone will send you one!

"Joanne's Fabrics"
Just pass up the fabric area altogether! No one really wants another handmade flannel blanket made of cheap fabric that is going to peel. Also, although I know that a lot of you are very excited about the historical election that our Country has been forced to deal with for four miserable years; please resist the urge to purchase a yard of our wonderfully out-dated paisley print fabric to create your friends and family a"cool Sari" in honor of our Nation's President-Elect!

"Best Buy"
We regret to inform you that we, ourselves, still have not figured out the hours of operation for our photo department - so take advantage of our vast selection in our computer accessories department and purchase a new photo printer and photo paper and learn to do this yourself! We have one kind of paper and two of the most popular brand names on technology hardware from which to choose! Make a decision already!

"Game Stop"
For all your gaming needs - just wait until you move off the Rock and you can buy them at bargain prices at the Game Stop you are certain to find within the vicinity of your new neighborhood!

"Bed, Bath, & Beyond"
We have a wonderful antique selection of housewares located near the center of the store for your convenience. Just come to the realization that you don't want to pay shipping on those items to ship them to your friends and family - and you know you don't want to have to deal with moving more of that stuff when the time comes, so do yourself a favor and don't even go down those isles! We do not profit from stocking current kitchen and home gadgets - due to the Pampered Chef and other home party consultants on the Island. If you positively must purchase an item that should be available in this area, ask a friend to connect you with one of those people and ship the stuff you buy DIRECTLY to the person on your list!

"Bass Pro Shops"
Go to Mack's Sporting Goods for all your hunting and fishing needs. The people on your list already have everything we offer in this section. Mack's has the latest gadgets and the best brands! And we don't even sell Grundens, which is what your friends need to fish in cold summer water anyway!

"Lowe's Hardware"
No one wants any stuff from our hardware section for Christmas anyway, so don't even look in that section! Just keep working your way around the huge circle in our mall right to the Christmas section and buy the tree your movers forgot to move when they didn't look in your patio closet. I would say that a purchase under $200.00 for a wonderful pre-lit tree is a bargain!

"Toys R' Us"
Don't even bother looking in the toy section now! If you did not get your lazy (I mean un-demented) behind out of bed on Black Friday and shop like the rest of the Island - you aren't going to find it now! I would suggest looking on line and paying outrageous shipping prices to make sure that your wonderful Johnny has something under the tree this Christmas morning!

"Walgreen's"
You will find pharmaceuticals and chap stick for your wintry stress needs in our Health and Beauty section located on the left of our circle - just before you head to the check-out isles to spend your whole month's paycheck! You may as well stock up on the cold medicine, chap stick and massage items while you are not sick! You know we will not be open and ready to serve you like the Wal-Marts located in the lower 48 states that are open 24/7! Plus, it is time that you face the fact that your loved one will not be here when you are feeling under the weather to run out and buy it for you, anyway! You know, too, that you hardly have the energy on any given day that you are not feeling under the weather to tote little Johnny and Julie to the freezing car with frozen shut doors to make a run to "town," much less, when you are ill!

"Not a Super Wal-Mart"
We regret to inform you that we are NOT a SUPER Wal-Mart - as you are well aware! That means, you need to go to Safeway and pay ridiculous prices if you need anything on Monday or Tuesday - because you know that the Commissary is closed those days! You shouldn't have let the rain or snow keep you from going when you knew that was your last chance for a few days! Learn to plan ahead! This is an Island, for crying out loud!

Thank you, and Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukka, and Happy Chanukka! We look forward to seeing your smiling face and assisting you with your needs this year!

*Important Disclaimer: Please note that since we (the Nation) seem to ever question the existence of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we have been strictly prohibited to greet you, or fare you well by uttering the phrase "Merry Christmas"! Unfortunately - as well - we are not to apologize for infringing upon your Christian rights to stand up for what the Holiday is "speculated" to mean. Since you are Christians, it is expected of you to have the decency and courtesy to silence yourself when you feel you are being a "victim of Democracy".

"Learning to be a Man"

On the way to Cub Scouts tonight, I prepped Andrew for his Scouting time. He always has a very difficult time behaving at Cub Scouts because his best friend Josh is there with him. Josh's dad is the Leader of our Den, and I am the assistant. Our sons are the most hyper boys in the bunch, and we are constantly calling our sons out during the Den and Pack meetings. I often wonder how the other boy's parents feel about us as leaders since our boys are the least patient and cannot seem to sit still. You go to Scouts to learn how to be a man I told him! And that is it in a nutshell for me. I never understood the values of Boy Scouts until I became involved with the program, and I seriously doubt that there is any better way to teach a boy to become a wonderful, well rounded man. What other program is structured with such finesse? What if ALL boys learned the values taught within Scouts?
Imagine if all the boys who eventually become men knew the following: How to determine what type of screw to use for a specific project, things to do in case of an emergency, how to plan and cook a healthy meal, feats of skill to keep your body healthy, the ways of respect shown toward different people in our lives, how to survive in the wilderness, what it means to be a good friend, ways to help your family and community, how to respect and preserve our world, and my two: HOW TO SERVE GOD AND OUR COUNTRY! This is what Andrew has learned in Scouts during the past three months - and he is only 8! I am SO proud to be part of this wonderful program, more importantly - for MY SON to be a beneficiary of such a wonderful organization! I know this may seem like an advertisement of Boy Scouts, but it is what is on my mind tonight! I have tried so many other things to help center Andrew's focus in the past, and even though Andrew has a long way to go... I feel confident he is on his way to becoming "BECOMING A GREAT MAN
JUST LIKE HIS DAD!
I Love you, Phillip!

Gone...Again

Five days together sure goes by fast! Why do the days apart DRAG on like there is no end in sight and the days together are gone before you catch your breath? This morning has been very difficult for all of us. All the other guys on the boat are still here...except for mine. It always seems to work out that way for us. I know it works like this for others as well, and that is not what I mean. I just wish that time could stand still for a while - yet travel on at the same time. This morning was the first time I have cried when he left since we have been here. Each time gets harder and harder - and they say it gets easier! No... Love grows each day - and it becomes harder and harder to watch the one you love have to leave all the time.

It is Christmas Time

Though the snow falls, and it looks like a Christmas Card around here, the heart is heavy for me as I think about my family and friends on the East Coast. This Blog is for all of you. I know it doesn't seem as personal, but trust me; I am thinking of you as I write this. I miss you all so very much, and to top it all off - Phillip is leaving again for ten days to go to California. When he comes home from that, he will be leaving to go on a Santa trip to visit some remote villages in AK. Then, he should be home for about 5 days before Christmas.
He misses all of you, too. He really has a hard time coming and going all the time. He says he feels out of touch with what is important to him and our family. I know this is going to be worth it in the end, but it seems like an eternity when you add up all the time away from each other and put the rest of your life on hold!
Andrew is doing well. He loves to play in the snow, but talks often that he wishes he had a super power that allowed him to leave this place for long periods of time to be with his grandparents. He has started his long journey with the Scouts, and is making good grades in school. I am very proud of him!
My favorite part about living here is not having a steady job. I like to be here when Phillip gets to come home. It would kill me to go through all of this and never be able to see him because I have to go to work. I have adjusted to the ways of the place, but do not want to stay here for too long. It is sad to know that Phillip is counting down the days until we get to leave. Right now we are at 952!