Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas

     Another Christmas has come and gone and the retail circus has passed, though with after holiday sales starting today I am sure that it is just as crazy out there.
     What saddens me is that so many people forget the reason for the season and see it as just another party or gift to be given or received. Christmas is a time for family and caring, it is not a reason to see how many gifts you can get and who gets more or better gifts. Don't get me wrong, I love giving and receiving gifts as well as anyone, but there is more to this time of year than just gifts and parties.
     Without Christ in our hearts Christmas would never have come.  It is because of him that we have this holiday and it is for this reason we need to remember him at this time of year more so than others.  His birth brought great joy to his family and his life to the world.  Many people forget he is the reason for the season, not the parties and gifts.
     It brought me great joy to see one branch of my family put aside their differences for this holiday season and spend Christmas together as a family, all nineteen of them.  My uncle is ill and I know it made him very happy to have all of his children and grandchildren under one roof for Christmas.  This is what Christmas is all about and what Christ wants us to keep in our hearts.
     To me this is what is special about Christmas, more than the tinsel and the gifts. Showing love for one another is an important part of the season.  Seeing friends and family and sharing news through letters and cards with those that are far away. The joy that you feel when you get a card or a note from someone you have not seen in many months or years, but still feel close to in your heart.
     It is the memories of laughter and joy that make the season special, the tree lit up, and the smells of Christmas that make it special.  The gifts are an added bonus, not the reason to celebrate. Don't get me wrong, I love the gifts and the wrapping paper, but the memories we make are more important and last much longer than the gifts. 
     You do not have to spend Christmas Day itself with them, but making sure you let them know that you care during this season is important. Be a dinner out, a phone call, or a card or gift, touching base with those you care about is important at any time of the year, but more so during this season of the year.
     It saddens me that many simply see this as the time of year when getting more expensive gifts is the most important thing. I enjoyed time watching movies with my youngest son and dinner out with my oldest. Both were times spent with family and meaningful.
Wishing everyone a very joyful end to 2012 and a very happy start to 2013.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Today's Ramblings about grocery shopping, cleaning the pantry, and clutter

      Today I went grocery shopping.  Let me tell you the commissary at JBER is a mess. Nothing is where it used to be and things are so confusing. I hate to shop to begin with, unless of course it is for fabric.  I was looking for Miracle Whip and it took me forever to find it, and it was of all places over by the potato chips, as was the peanut butter. Now please tell me, why they would put Miracle Whip and peanut butter together?
     Then I went searching for other things on my list and of course most of them were not where I thought so I had to spend more time going up and down isles looking for them.
      I know why I do not like to go shopping for groceries, unless it is at the farmer's market. It is way to complicated.
      I did go to the farmer's market to as well.  that I love doing. Yes, we still have a farmer's market in Anchorage in the winter. It moves inside the Sear's Mall and is on Wednesdays instead of Saturdays.  It is not as big as the summer market, but my favorite farm is there and they have the best carrots. They are sweet and crunchy.  I love. Today they had carrots, beets, snow apples (turnips), sweet pumpkins, parsnips, Daikon radishes, cabbage, and a wide variety of potatoes to choose from.  I bought carrots, of course. I love munching on carrots every day.  They go very good with hummus, or alone.
      I also like the spice, nuts, teas, and dried fruits that another vendor sells at the farmer's market.  They have salt free pepitas, and sweet crystalized ginger, as well as fresh dried spices, and other dried fruits, mushrooms and flavored salts.  They also have a few flavored olive oils for sale as well.  I love the pepitas, and crystalized ginger. They make great snacks.
      I also cleaned out the pantry. I put everything that is out dated or that we do not eat in bags to get rid of.  I told my husband I do not care where it goes, I just want it out of the house.  There were about five large bags of crackers, noodles, soups with too much sodium, and cereals.  All were foods we do not eat because they are too high in carbohydrates, made with wheat, or too high in sodium. I hope that they find a good home and help keep someone's belly filled.  I like my nice neat organized cupboard.  I can find things now.  I also did a little cleaning out of the refrigerator, but will save the rest of that for after the holidays.
     I am continuing to clean out other areas of the house, though it is an on going job and will take a while before I get through everything. Twenty years in one house is a long time and stuff does pile up.  I think I need to hire some one to help me who does not have an emotional attachment to things so I can get rid of more. I get side tracked by some things and others I am just not sure if I am ready to let them go, or if I might need them again.  That is the problem with trying to sort through stuff, that some call clutter and others call treasures.
     Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!  I am off to bed for the night.


Saturday, December 1, 2012

Pumpkin and Black Bean Taco

In November I went to a craft fair here in Anchorage and Two Fat Guys Catering had a booth. They were selling several items but the one that caught my eye was their butternut squash taco.  I tried it and it was to die for. This sent me on a mission, find a recipe that was similar and make them at home.
I spent several hours searching the internet and came up with several recipes that I then used bits and pieces of to make my own version of the tacos. I made them last week and my husband said they were a keeper. In fact I am thinking that I may make them again tonight.
My version is below.


Monday, August 27, 2012

Tandeming the Days Away

Tom and I have spent the summer riding the tandem all around Anchorage.  I started counting miles seriously after we returned from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.
From June 16 until August 23 we put in over 600 miles.  We had 35 miles prior to our trip to Mexico.
At the moment we are just under 700 miles and if the weather cooperates I hope to top that and head toward 750.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Laughing at Myself

Earlier today Tom and I went for a ride to the Farmer's Market to pick up fresh veggies.  We filled both of the saddle bags on the tandem to overflowing and I had one sandwich size baggie of snap peas that would not fit.  I put it in the back pocket of my biking jacket which zips on the side and runs across the back.
Tom and I had been snacking on them while we wandered around the market. We stopped to try some wines at the Wine Style booth, which also had some excellent munchies to go along with the wines.  While tasting both we discovered we knew the owners of the catering place, from years ago, back with the boys were ice skating, so stayed to chat for a bit.
I decided I wanted to eat a couple more snap peas before we took off so was trying to get them out of my back pocket, when I felt something.  I thought I was going crazy as I knew that my wallet that I had with me today with my new ID and such was not in that pocket, but I could feel something that felt like my wallet, so I got Tom to check.
I had to take off my jacket and inside the back of the jacket there is a netting that is sewn in two places to divide the pockets, one on either side and the large back pocket.  The netting is loose along the top and caught in it was my wallet that I thought I had lost. 
I checked my jacket at least three times yesterday including turning it upside down and shaking it, but felt nothing. There was my wallet with my DL, military ID, debit card, and my insurance cards.  How I missed it yesterday when I checked the jacket is beyond me, but miss it I did.  The only thing I can think of is the fact that I was so stressed out I did not feel it when I was patting down my jacket. It was caught inside the netting so it did not shake out when I shook the jacket.
I guess the laugh is on me.  Oh well, as I told Tom, at least now the pictures on my IDs look like me. 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Day from the Dark Side

Are you sure this is not Friday the 13th?

I went out for my short ride figuring I would go 5 to 7 miles then come home shower and get ready for lunch with some girl friends. About 3 miles into my ride my phone rings so I stop to answer it.  One friend was calling regarding lunch and did I want to ride with her then go to Riehl Sewing after to use our coupons.  I said sure, I will finish ride, but what time is lunch. She says she will contact friend who is working still and let me know.
I set off to ride more and stop when she texts with time for lunch and time we should head out.  I am debating turning around or going through the park and back home down another street.   I answer text put phone back in pocket and realize my little wallet purse is not there.
I look around on the ground, no wallet.  I jump on bike ride like the wind, and I mean I hauled butt back to where I stopped last time to see if I dropped it there, not there.
So, I ride back to the last stop looking all along the one side of the road, not wallet. I turn around and head back to the first stop checking the other side of the road. No wallet.
I continue back re covering my path, no wallet either way. I recross part of the path I took between phone call and text, head back down the way I started from toward my house, no wallet.
I check the yard and the garage, no wallet. I check in the house, searching my chair, both bathrooms, the kitchen, sewing room, family room, bedroom. I even looked in rooms I had not gone into this morning, dumped my purse, no wallet.
I called and canceled lunch. Then called and canceled my debit card.  The next call was to the bank and to transfer money to a different account that I have a debit card for so I can pay bills, as today I got my retirement pay.  I let them know that no charges should go through on my lost debit card and order a new one, which will take 7 to 10 days.
Next I called the base regarding replacing my military ID and to find out when they are open.  After that I called DMV to see what I need to get a new driver's license.
Once I had all that information I texted Tom and called his classroom, but got no answer.  I need him to get new ID and he was going out after work with friends. The base office closes at 3:30 and I need him. He also biked to school today.
So I called the school secretary and told her what happened and that he must read his text and call me.
I found my passport and birth certificate, drove to the DMV where I had to wait over an hour to get a new DL. It was a zoo, but then it usually is.
While I was there Tom called me, he said he had someone to cover his last class and will be waiting for me to pick him up and to call him when I am on the way.  
With my new DL in hand I drove over to get him and we headed out to the base, which is about 20 minutes from his school.
Once we were there we had to get the form I needed to verify I am not denied base privileges and can get an ID. Then we had to head down the hall to another office to get them to verify it and you must have photo ID for this.
Once I was verified we headed back to first office to wait to be called to get my new militaryID.
Then I drove back to Tom's back to his school to drop DH back at school so he could ride his bike home.
Talk about being stressed out.  I was so stressed I was shaking.  Good thing no one wanted to take my BP today.
It cost me $15 to replace my DL and $5 have a new debit card issued.
There was between $10 and $30 in the wallet, so that is gone, but hey it's only money.
The positive thing is that I got in a good workout.  I rode almost 13 miles. I am ready to call it a day. 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Bicycling the Summer Away

--> This summer between our trip to Puerto Vallarta and the rain we have not gotten in as many miles as I would have liked so far. There are only a few more weeks before my husband returns to work, a classroom full of seventh and eighth graders.  
 I am looking at bikes for myself, including two different Novara’s, which were two girly for me and a Giant Sedona "Comfort Mountain Bike" which just looked to old lady for me, though I did give it a test ride. 
I have test ridden and ruled out a Specialized Cross Trail, as it was not that comfortable.  
I like two other bikes, one is a Giant "Rainier"1 "29" mountain bike and the other an Eva 3.0, though they will need to put on a shorter stem as the bike is a large and the stem is a little to long.   
I am leaning toward the "Rainier" even though it is about double the cost, as it is the most comfortable. 
The "Rainier" is a medium and in black, but I do like the color of the Eva, it is silver with pink pin stripes.  I may have to give both of them another test ride before I decide. 
The tough thing is that they are at two different shops on opposite ends of town, so it is hard to compare them side-by-side.  They are both mountain bikes, and the "Rainier" is double the price, so it is a little more spendy. 
My husband says it has to be a bike I like and am comfortable riding or I will not ride it. I will be making a decision in the next couple weeks, as I want a bike of my own to ride when he returns to work, as the tandem does not work very well with only one rider.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

theiving TSA Agents

I was one very angry lady when I realized that when the TSA inspected one suitcase on our way down to Mexico they stole one of my skorts. That is $71.00 that they owe me. I am reallly angry and will not be letting go of this one. Theft is a crime and I demand my money or my skort back. The thing that really ticks me off is that this particular color is no longer made and it matched perfectly with a couple of my tops. I am emailing, calling, and raising cain with TSA and I filed a police report with APD who told me to file with the airport police in Anchorage. We left out of Anchorage, Alaska on the night of May 29th heading to Mexico. When we arrived at our destination I found a lovely little TSA card in one of my suitcases.  This was the first time that TSA had inspected one of my checked suitcases and I pray the last because they stole one of my expensive skorts.  When I arrived at our destination, I pulled out clothes to wear each day and did not realize until a day or two after arrival when I was looking for my purple skort which matches the top I want to wear that my purple skort had been stolen from my suitcase.   I am very upset by this and expect full restitution for the skort. It is not one I can replace as they no longer make that specific color.  The cost of the skort including shipping is $71.00.  I expect immediate restitution for this item. I am extremely disappointed that TSA has a thief working for their company, and suggest that they may want to vet all employees to find the thief.  I was not satisfied with their response to my email.  I also cced my email to the Anchorage Daily News. This is a horrendous wrong that they need to rectify immediately. Theft is not something I take lightly and I will be filling a complaint with the federal government.  Obama better beware because I am working on a letter to him also.  He needs to make sure that the people that work in government are honest, not a bunch of thieves.  It is bad enough they rob us blind with their taxes that are unfair and unevenly distributed, but to steal from our suitcases, which is to literally steal the clothes off our backs is an abomination.

Update:  I checked when we got home and my skort did not get accidentally left at home.  I have also called the airport lost and found and they do not have it.  I am filing a report with the airport police, TSA, and Alaska airlines.  TSA is a joke and a major theft ring that is government sanctioned and needs to be gotten rid of because it is not really doing anything except harassing and stealing from American citizens.

Moose

Tonight Tom almost got run over by a moose.  He was coming home from his walk and there were two young moose following him.  One was walking straight toward him, so he jumped up on a neighbor's porch to get out of his way.

He got some great pictures of the two moose in our neighbor's yard and our yard.  Check these out.



One was on each side of the front door chowing down on the rose bushes.



Thursday, June 14, 2012

World War II Veterans

Today I watched a video about a plan that landed on May 23, 2012 at Reagan National Airport. It was an Honor Flight of World War II veterans.  The video showed how people from all over that section of the airport came together to welcome and honor the veterans as they exited the plane.  They cheered and clapped, and shook their hands as they exited the aircraft. A few of them were part of the official welcoming committee, but most were just travelers who were waiting for their own flights. The gate attendant announced that the flight was coming in and encouraged those passing travelers to join in welcoming the veterans. It was a warm and welcoming salute to honor them, not one that was planned months in advance, but one that just happened.  I wish I could have been there to be a part of it.

I did however have the honor of traveling on the Amtrak Coast Starlight train with two WW II veterans. One served in General Patton's  4th Armored Division. The other was a Merchant Marine.  He is 94 and his wife 86. They were married the day after the war ended. That means they have been married 66 years. 

It is not often that one has the chance to meet these heroes as there are fewer every year.  I have had the pleasure of meeting several over the years and have been honored to do so.  If you every get the chance be sure to thank them for their service because if not for them you might be speaking German today and living under the rule of the Third Reich.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Dick Clark

We lost an American Icon today with the passing of Dick Clark. 
I grew up watching American Bandstand.  He was the voice and face of Rock and Roll when I was a child and a teenager.
It is a great loss. I have fond memories of him.  His show was the highlight of the week when I was a young teen and pre-teen.  I loved to watch his show. I remember seeing Tony Orlando, Donny Osmond, The Jackson Five, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, ABBA, and many more.  If it was on Bandstand it was worth listening too. 
He kept us all young, because he was "America's Oldest Teenager."
Dick Clark will be missed by millions of fans, and I am sad to see him go.
I wish his family strength in this difficult time.  My prayers go out to them.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Earaches

I now fully understand why my youngest son screamed when he had ear infections as a baby.  They hurt like the dickens.  I mean intense make you cry kind of pain.  I could sure use some of those good drugs they gave me after my open heart surgery to take away the pain.
My teeth hurt so bad I cannot chew on food or even run my tongue over them as the pressure from my sinuses and ear is so intense.  If I was a baby had no words to express my pain I too would scream.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Branson Missouri

I had a long and tiring trip to get there, but enjoyed my visit with my cousin and her family. It was a long drive from St. Louis, MO to Branson, MO in the dark. It took me longer to drive in the dark than it would have in the daylight, but then I do not have that great of night vision and I am definitely not use to those big rigs whipping past me on the interstate.  Alaska does not have that many big rigs and we do not have major interstates.  It did bring back memories of when I use to choose to drive between those big rigs because you could go faster and use less gas.  I guess I have slowed down as I aged. Oh wait, I am still young, I must mean become more cautious since moving to Alaska.  Yes, that sounds so much better.

I arrived in Branson very late and had to find my way out in the country to my cousin's house and when I say in the country I mean she lives way out and up a winding road at the end of the road, or darn near.  In the dark I missed a turn and had to flip a U-turn to find the right road. They name roads after the ABC's there.  I was looking for T-road. The turn was lost in the dark.  I found it the second time and arrived at her house about 2:00 AM.
Of course, we did not just go straight to bed, not we stayed up for another hour or so talking and then slept in the next morning, me more so than her, but then I was running on about 3 hours of sleep total when I arrived at her house.  I never do sleep very well on airplanes.
The next morning we had a nice chat and took pictures.  It was a snow day for Branson as they had gotten a couple inches of snow. For this Alaska girl that was funny as we get 14" and all they do is cancel after school activities if the roads are bad.  In  twenty years of teaching in Anchorage I think I can count on one hand the number of snow or ice days, where they canceled school. Alaska is prepared for it, and we have all the heavy equipment to clear the roads, while Missouri and other places do not get much snow so they are not prepared when it does come.
Lauren still lives at home and she enjoyed the day off. She road her four-wheeler.
Janie and I preferred to stay inside and chat, though we did take a ride with her husband, Dan. We went way up to a housing area that is on the edge of the Ozark Mountains, and the roads were a little hairy with all the ice.  Dan reminds me of Tom when it comes to driving, he just goes. Janie and I held on tight on a few of those turns as it was scary.  Dan enjoyed and I think he enjoyed scaring us also.
I really enjoyed my visit with my cousin and hope to see her again soon.
I am also very thankful that she and her family are safe after came through the tornado that hit Branson this last week.

Winter Snow

I woke up this morning to more snow falling outside. We are less than 13" away from beating a record for snow fall set during the winter of 1954-55.  Considering that it is still early in the season for Alaska, we have a very good chance of breaking the record.
When I look out on my back porch I see this:














Out my front window I see this:



It is a little too much snow for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love a white Christmas, and snow is pretty, but I hate it on the roads. Too many idiots come out when the snow falls and accidents happen because they do not know how to drive slower.  I also get tired of winter and want green grass and pretty flowers, and to be able to ride our tandem. The cold gets to me as well.  I love Alaska, but really wish our winters were shorter, and not as dark.
The good news is we are gaining daylight each day and that means summer will come, just not soon enough for me.
Until then we are in a race to beat the record for snowfall in a season and we may well win.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

My Soldier, Private First Class Ehmann

Private First Class Ehmann; 
Caleb Schneck and  Bryce Ehmann, with Capt. Yaw, who swore them in.
I just returned from a trip to Missouri to see my son, Bryce, graduate from basic training and AIT.  He enlisted in the Army National Guard in August 30, 2011 and left home for basic training September 12, 2011.
He had a short block leave during training in December and came home for the Christmas holidays.
He brought me his official picture when he came home. I took a picture of it with my iPhone.
Private First Class Ehmann

They now post pictures during training on Facebook and I snagged a few that had Bryce in them.  Here are two from the 701st Military Police Battalions Facebook Page:
Bryce is the red face peeking out around the leg.
Bryce and his platoon mates during the field training exercises.

He also sent me this one:
Dress uniform, before adding ribbons.

Then I took a bunch while down at Fort Leonard Wood for Family Day and Graduation.
Family Day. The ribbon on the left is for Marksman with two different weapons. Above his name is the MP emblem.
Wearing the rank of Private First Class.
Bryce at the MP Memorial.
Bryce at the Camp Museum MP exhibit.
Bryce and I at the Family Day Banquet.
Then on graduation day I took several pictures including one of his platoon during the ceremony.
Bryce is in the back row, because of his height. In front are Drill Sgt. Desimmon and Drill Sgt. Roderiguez.
Private First Class Ehmann with Drill Sgt. Roderiguez.
Both Drill Sgts. told me that Bryce was a good soldier, and they were pleased to have him.  Drill Sgt. Roderiguez said he was quiet.  I guess she did not get to experience him at his wildest, with a bunch of boy scouts playing video games. 

If you have not guessed by now Iam very proud of my soldier.

Lastly, here are Private Schneck and Private First Class Ehmann after graduation in their dress uniforms. They certainly look a lot more grown up than they did in August.
I am very glad to him home for now and looking forward to spending time with him, as I know Caleb's mom is as well. These two fine young men are here to serve in the Army National Guard of Alaska and the United States of America. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Wanda's Vegetable Stew

I have been making a new vegetable stew this winter that Tom loves.  I have modified it a few times to get it just right and now think I have perfected it.

-->
Vegetable Stew
By Wanda

2-4 cloves garlic
2 - onions
4 - packets chicken bouillon
5 - 6 cups water
1-2 tsp. Thyme
1-2 tsp. Basil
1-2 tsp. Black pepper
½ -1 tsp. Sage
1 tsp. Rosemary

4 - 6 – carrots (depending on the size.)
1 – turnip
1 - red pepper
1 – yellow pepper
1 – orange pepper
1 - butternut squash
1 - parsnip
4 – small red potatoes
2 – med. sweet potato
1 – med. Zucchini




Start by chopping and sauteing two onions in just a tiny bit, less than a tablespoon of olive or grape seed oil; along with two to four cloves of garlic, depending on the size.

Then blend the onions, garlic, chicken bouillon, 3 cups water, thyme, basil, black pepper, sage and rosemary until smooth.

Pour the bouillon mixture into a large pan.

Chop the carrots, turnip, red pepper, yellow pepper, orange pepper, butternut squash, parsnip, small red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and zucchini into small bite size pieces.  This is the most time consuming part of this recipe.

Add the chopped vegetables to the bouillon mixture, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for several hours, or cook in a crock pot all afternoon on medium heat.

This makes about 8 servings, so I freeze half and make dinner and lunch for Tom and I out of half, saving the rest for another day when I do not have the time to chop all vegetables.




Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Reflections on Imagination

Today Bonnie Hunter posted an interesting blog that got me to thinking.
You can read her post here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/01/pure-imagination.html?showComment=1327551844370#c4642121868046526008

I found this through Google images.
She talks about the lack of imagination and play time, real old fashioned play time that kids today have.  Not time on the computer, or organized sports, but the kind we had as kids where we built tents out of blankets and forts out of snow and imagined a whole new world.  You were the princess in the castle with the knight on a white stallion who defeated the dragon, or you were the knight who was fighting the dragon.  Your world was anything you imagined it to be, not the world that some computer geek dreamed up and programed into a computer game for you to play.
Bonnie's comments got me thinking about the changes in my students over the last almost thirty years of teaching and how assignments that allowed students to use their imaginations and write stories or draw their own Greek city-state started out as some of the best loved and most wonderful pieces the students turned in. Yet towards the end of my teaching career became long drawn out battles because they did not know what to write, or wanted me to tell them what to put where in their city-state.  They could not picture it in their minds, or what they pictured came straight out of a video game.  They did not enjoy the process of closing their eyes and imagining what the world could be. It was all computer generated.
"What you want me to draw and color? Can't I just cut and paste pictures from the internet?" Were typical responses from students when asked to do these things.
Found on Wikipedia
I can remember back about ten years ago when we were doing a fairy tale unit, as part of the unit I showed students the movie "The 10th Kingdom" and then asked them to write their own fairy tales. Those students turned in wonderful stories, stories that I would never have though some of them had in them.  You are talking kids who had reading and writing disabilities and I was often lucky to get five sentences, writing five page stories full of details of what they saw in their mind. Fast forward to today and they do not even know what a fair tale is in some cases.
 Found this on Wikipedia
Found on Wikipedia
I put the fault with some parents, they do not read to their children, they over schedule them and plunk them down in front of the computer or television. Bonnie is right games we played, or even that our kids played are no longer played on the street. Today a relative posted a comment on Facebook about doing something
Old School."  She said she was playing Nintendo.  When I think "Old School" I think of hula hooping, kick the can, or board games like Monopoly and Twister.  I guess that is why they call it a generation gap.

Kids today do not have the time to just be kids, and are not encouraged to develop their LEGO®imaginations. They are not read to, reading is a wonderful way to spark a child's imagination, as are LEGOs, crayons, and other toys that foster a child's ability to be creative and to make up things. It is sad to see how backward in someway we are heading because of all the advances that we have, which are really simply way to stifle creativity and imagination.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Snowy and Cold in Alaska

I have friends in other areas of the country who are wishing for snow. Now many of you may know that Alaska is making national news with all the snow in Cordova, over 18 feet of snow so far this season. Valdez has even more at about 27 feet or something close to that. They have the National Guard down in Cordova digging people out and clearing roofs to prevent cave ins.

Anchorage got about 14 inches Thursday and it is was still snowing at the time. Tom dug me a path to my car and cleaned it off before he left for work at 6:30 AM and when I went out at about 2:00 PM the snow was almost up to my knees. My car was buried and it took a while to clear it off.  Visibility was not too good and I almost turned around and went home, but I wanted my massage at the chiropractor.  I drove slow and careful.
When Tom came home he spent two hours shoveling out the driveway and the sidewalk so we could walk without having to wade through snow.
Somewhere in my back yard there is a fence. You can just see the edge of it on the left had side. See that tiny line of brown in the snow through the raspberry bush branches.
 We are near record breaking here in Anchorage for the season with the snow, and possibly with the cold temperatures.  Today the high at my house was -5.6 and it was -16 when I got up around 9:00 this morning.  Talk about cold, that is darn cold. It has been colder here, but the cold seems to be coming more often and staying longer this year and I am done with it. I told Tom today it was time to move to some place warm like Arizona.
I am grateful for one thing, the days are getting lighter earlier, so the darkness is fading away which makes the days much nicer. At least the sunshine gives the appearance of warmth.

Here is a picture of one of our "friendly" moose who visited the neighborhood in November.
Moose visit my street often during the winter months, and this day I happened to have the camera handy. The main rule to remember is do not try to pet them, and stay out of their way.  I stood on my porch and took this picture with my husbands camera using one of his long range lenses.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Insurance (Rant)


I find it very interesting that my retiree insurance prefers to pay for diagnostic testing and cover illness rather than pay for preventative therapy. They cover twenty chiropractic/massage therapy visits a year end of story. Chiropractic has been proven to help keep you healthy, but my insurance would rather pay for when I am sick, than pay for keeping me healthy.
They pay for tests that my cardiologist runs to make sure my heart is functioning properly, x-rays to diagnose arthritis, medication, and the like, but not things that are designed to help keep me healthy and functioning.
I find if funny that it is cheaper for me to be sick than it is to be healthy, at least when it comes to what I have to pay out of my own pocket.
Insurance wants us to have to pay higher rates because they want to pay more, rather than pay to keep us healthy and thus not need to have them pay as much, so then our rates would not need to be increased.
It is interesting that they will pay more for one little pill, than they will pay for preventative medicine. I know that some medications cost upwards of $400 a pill, or a day and people have to take them several times a day or at least daily. Yet a chiropractic visit and or massage is only a couple hundred dollars a week, if you go once a week. It is less if you go twice a month.
Greed seems to keep insurance and doctors going. I mean have you ever really looked at what you pay for your 15 minutes with the doctor? Heaven forbid if that doctor is a specialist. The cost of those 15 minutes is more than some people make in a week, depending on their hourly rate. If they have insurance they usually only have to pay 20%, but that is still a days pay. It is ridiculous what medicare costs today.
I am sure that most medications cost less than a quarter of the price they charge make, maybe even an eighth, and yet they gouge the consumer.  I don't know what we can do as patients, citizens, people who need the medication to survive, but we need to find a way to reduce the cost of medical care for everyone. I don't mean socialized medicine, but there has to be a way to bring this country back to its roots and make sure everyone can afford medical care without having to mortgage their homes. 
If some one gets seriously ill their family can end up on the streets, just trying to pay their deductible to cover the cost of medicare with the high cost of some insurance premiums and the minimum care they cover.
I know I am on my soap box, but I really have an issue with the fact that insurance does not cover things that can help keep people healthy. Preventative medicine should be covered at 100%, then maybe more people would be willing to try to prevent illness and thus save themselves money in the long run.  

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012 Word of the Year

I am participating in Quinn McDonald's 30 Day Creativity Practice and Pat Sloan's challenge to pick a word for the year to focus on.  My word for 2012 is    

                        CELEBRATE

Lake in Ireland
I plan to celebrate everyday.. It does not have to be a large celebration or even a major event. I can celebrate that I exercised, or finished a block for a quilt, or even that I just got out of bed that day. It is the fact that I will be focused on the positive each day.  Looking at the bright side of things, and not the negative. If you want to join in go to either Quinn McDonald's http://quinncreative.wordpress.com or Pat Sloan's blog http://blog.patsloan.com/2011/12/pat-sloan-happy-2012.  I also found another blogger who believes in picking a word for the year Ali Edwards  at http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/onelittleword.php and I am thinking of joining her class, One Little Word.  To quote Ali:
"Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2012? It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought, or a feeling, or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.
One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet.
Again, be open to the possibilities."


To Read more about my goals for 2012 click on this link to my other blog. http://quilted-hearts.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-word-of-year-and-goals.html

Good-Bye 2011

On this last day of 2011 I want to take a few moments to reflect back on this last year and all that has transpired.  Though I do not have all the pictures I wanted to include added as of yet, I thought I would post this and then come back to add the photos, in the next couple of days.
2011 has been a year full of change and adventure. I returned to work the beginning of December 2010 and turned in my retirement papers the end of January.  May 21st was my last day of work and on July 1st I was officially retired.  No more special education paperwork, or meetings that last for hours. I still love the kids, but am done with all the red tape and politics. 
I am enjoying subbing this fall and having fun with the students.  I primarily sub at the same middle school Tom teaches at, so we carpool to work. I love being able to pick and choose when I work and having time to cook, workout, quilt, read, blog and journal.
Tom and I are enjoying the fruits of my cooking from scratch, which is a good thing because Tom was told he is pre-diabetic and has to watch his diet.  We’ve given up the majority of processed carbs and many other carbs, though we enjoy a treat now and then. We have been experimenting with new recipes that are lower carb and have found some really good ones. 
I am doing well now that my heart is fixed and Tom has lost 30 pounds counting carbs and walking daily.  I personally think he is a little crazy as he walks even when it is -16° outside.
Joel is living in Anchorage and working at a local vet clinic.
Bryce joined the Army Guard in August and left for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in September. He finished boot camp in November and started AIT. He will be a military police officer when he is done in February. He comes home for 12 days for Christmas.  The Guard will pay for college, so he can continue working on his degree. He wants to he a high school art teacher. We miss him and are looking forward to his coming home for Christmas.
In April I went head over heels on Tom’s bike and broke my right arm at the elbow. No cast, as they didn’t want it to get stiff. It was a fun experience that I don’t want to repeat and like my heart surgery, it was not on my bucket list.

Traffic between LAX and the train station.
Outside the LA train station. This fountain is beautiful.
Me relaxing on the train it NY.
Tom working on flight reservations while the Amtrak customer service rep, is trying to reroute us out of LA, without messing up our entire trip.

Tom and I had two wonderful trips this year.  This summer we flew to Seattle for a few days and then because of flooding and mud slides canceling the northern Amtrak route, we flew to LA to catch the train to Chicago on our way to Rochester, NY.  We are very grateful to our wonderful friends Michelle and Beau for running us to the train station and then to the airport. It was insane that we had to fly down to LA so as not to mess up our entire trip.  We were also rerouted due to the fires in the southwest states.  
JImmy with Tom

Bob
Linda
We had a nice time in Rochester visiting Tom’s family.  The weather was great and we seemed to be just a head of the heat wave.  Shhh! Don't tell I put their pictures up.  The only one of his sibling I missed was Judi, and I don't know why I did not get her picture.  I think she hid from the camera.  I also missed getting a picture of the one other niece that we saw. The other niece and nephew live out of town.
 Amy

And of course our niece and nephew, Amy's kids.

From there we headed to Washington, D.C., where we had an awesome time. We walked about ten miles a day, went to almost all the memorials, and many other places. My favorite was the Holocaust Museum. It was emotional, but very informative and well done. We definitely need to return, as there is so much to see.

After D.C. we headed to New Orleans for a couple of days. It was an experience. The food was delicious, and the people were very interesting. We rode the trolley, walked along the Mississippi River, and wandered all through the French Quarter, it was a wonderful experience.

From there we headed up to Memphis where Mom and Jim picked us up. We spent a week with them and had a nice visit, which included a trip into Nashville to the Grand Ole Opry. Tom had never been. The music and the show were great.  It was great to see Mom and Jim and was a relaxing visit. We spent the day in Memphis, wandering around Beale Street and riding the trolley before catching the train to Chicago.
Mom and Jim
Mom and I
Mom and I
Mom and Jim
 



















Tom and I at the Irish family farm.
We had several hours in Chicago and went the Art Institute before catching the train to Grand Rapids, Michigan to visit my mom’s family. The Institute is worth a visit if you are in Chicago.  We had fun with my Aunt Sue and a good visit with many relatives that included stops at the farm that has been in the family for over 150 years and several cemeteries where my ancestors are buried. We also had a fun family dinner. I enjoyed getting to see Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. It has been a long time since we were in Michigan.

Darla, Tammie, Wanda, and Jodi


Nita and Ann




Hunter and Dayna
Aunt Sally and Uncle Gene
























Sharon and I. Aunt Linda and Aunt Sue with me. Grandma.  Tom with Aunt Sue






 














 After Grand Rapids we headed off to the Grand Canyon. The canyon is a gift from God. We enjoyed hiking along the rim and down a few trails. It was peaceful, and relaxing and I can’t wait to go back. The sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking, as is the view of the canyon no matter where you are along the rim. It is beyond words to describe and if you have never been I highly recommend that you go.  We plan to return in the future.
 

We road the train back to LA and up the coast to Seattle where we spent a few days before returning home. We had a great time on the train and the sleeper cars are great.

In August Tom headed back to school and I began to really enjoy my retirement.

Bryant Park, NYC
In October we flew to NYC to meet up with my mom and Jim for our trip to Ireland, but first we had an awesome day in NYC. We rode the subway, walked down Broadway, visited Bryant Park, went to the top of the Empire State Building, and last but not least visited Time Square.  It was a wonderful day.

The next day we met up with Mom and Jim at the airport and headed to Ireland.  The trip was incredible. We were in Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Donegal, and more towns and villages than I can remember.

Neolithic Tomb
We visited Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, and walked along the Dodder River in Dublin.  We visited a 6th century monastery, a round tower, and spent an evening at an Irish pub listening to traditional Irish music and watching Irish dancers, Tom loved the Irish coffee and Guinness.  I loved that they had hot tea everywhere with cream and sugar.  We toured a Neolithic tomb, which was over 5,000 years old. It was awesome. We got to go inside one and it is lined up so that on the winter solstice the sunlight comes in the window over the entrance and lights up the entire thing. It is the only time it is lit by natural light, all the way through to the center.

Slieve League Cliff
We moved on to Donegal where we visited the Slieve League Cliffs, which reminded Tom and I of Adak.  It was beautiful. They are the highest cliffs in Europe and they drop down 19,722 feet to the Atlantic Ocean.  The waves were crashing against the cliffs.  We were served Irish tea and scones after our visit to the cliffs and they were delicious.

We visited Triona Designs where we watched then weave Donegal tweed wool cloth. They told us they are down to 70 weavers from 700. It is sad that old traditions and trades are dying out. The cloth is beautiful. I enjoyed watching the weaver and seeing samples of some of the different cloths they weave. Tom and I got Claddagh rings as an early 30th wedding anniversary gift.  They are beautiful. We also bought some things made from the Donegal tweed.

We toured the Belleek Pottery Factory, in Northern Ireland, and saw the how the pieces were molded and decorated.  No piece leaves their factory unless it is perfect and I got to break a piece with a tiny imperfection, which was still beautiful. We saw how they make the tiny flowers that are on some pieces, the woven baskets, and watched artists painting pieces, and inspecting them, as well as watching them load a kiln. They have some beautiful pieces.  A few people were painting bunny baskets that will be on QVC for Easter.

We visited the Museum on Country Life, which was fascinating. Some things we saw reminded me of things that were on the family farm in Michigan.  There were antique farm tools, furniture made of grass or hay, information on the great famine, and art work depicting life on the farms.

From there we headed to Galway.  We took a catamaran cruise in Kilkenny Harbor, which reminded us of Alaska, the views were green with stone fences and sheep on the hillsides. It was a nice relaxing cruise.

The next stop was Kylemore Abbey, which was beautiful. The Abbey is located on Kylemore Lake and is still used today. It was very peaceful and the area is gorgeous.

We watched a demonstration at the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory.  The master carver cut a bowl while we watched. The master carvers are required to have art degrees, and then must apprentice on clear crystal for five years before they can carve the colored crystal.  The crystal is beautiful and of course I bought a couple of pieces.

We also toured the Connemara Marble Factory where they have some beautiful marble, in a variety of colors.  It was interesting to learn that marble came in so many colors and they had some with shells imbedded in the marble, as well as fossils.

We visited the Cliffs of Moher, which were beautiful and again reminded us of Adak. It was very wet and windy that day, but we loved it and walked up the path along the cliffs to look and take pictures.

The Flying Boat Museum was also very interesting.  In the 1930s and 40s Pan Am Clippers flew between Foynes Ireland and the U.S. with a stop over in Ireland. They were huge flying boats with seats that made into double decker beds like on the trains and a 14 seat dinning room. They could hold 28 passengers and even had a honeymoon suite.  While there, they did a demonstration on how to make an Irish coffee and Tom was picked to be the one to make one.  He enjoyed that and keeps the ingredients on hand at home to make them.

We drove through the Ring of Kerry with its awesome views.  We watched a sheepdog heard sheep and visited the Skellig Experience Museum.  The Skellig’s are rocky islands were monks built homes of rocks that look like beehives and they lived there for a four or five hundred years. They build steps up the rocky peaks on the islands. They also dug out holes in the rocks to catch water.  They islands are very isolated and desolate.  They look like giant rocks jutting out of the water, no soil or plants that you could see.  They are dangerous and hard to reach because of the weather, waves, and rocky coasts.  People can wait days to get a chance to go out to the islands, and then have to be very careful as they are dangerous, especially on wet days as the rock steps can be very slippery.  I wish we could have gone out to the islands.

We visited a Woolen Mill where we bought some beautiful sweaters. We stopped at the Rock of Cashel where 12th century church ruins are open to the public. It is where the last King of Ireland, the King of Munster, converted to Christianity. The views were beautiful as were the ruins.  The old cathedral is huge and stands tall on the hill. They are doing some restoration work to preserve it, though many things including frescos in a small chapel have been lost over the years.

We ended our time in Ireland back in Dublin where we spent the night at the Clontarf Castle Hotel. The castle is from 1172 and has modern additions for guest rooms, but parts of the old castle are still used.  The lobby is from the castle and has high stonewalls with a huge fireplace, and a small alcove hidden behind it. The ladies room near the dinning room has a fireplace in one stall. There are centuries old tapestries hung on the walls. It was an incredible experience. 

I am so glad we got to go and thank my Mom and Jim for taking us. It was a wonderful trip and I hope that we can go again sometime. The food was good, natural tender beef, lamb, Irish coffee, scones, Irish soda bread.  We did not have a bad meal though I did not try the blood pudding. Mom, Jim and Tom did and they said it was something they could do without.

We had a quiet Thanksgiving.   We have a quiet, relaxing Christmas and I enjoyed spending the day with my youngest son.

I am flying to Missouri in February for Bryce’s graduation from boot camp and AIT and have planned to spend a few days with my cousin who lives near there as well.

We are planning to stay at home and relax next summer, and ride our tandem bike while enjoying the Alaskan Summer.

I have gotten off track with my blogs and have decided that in 2012 what I need to do is set up one day a week to devote to my blogs, so I can stay up on them. 

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