Back in the bus. . .

Before yo read this, it's all in fun. Riding the bus for the most part is good, saves us money, I don't have to drive around in the crappy weather, and it's safe. This is just to make you laugh (if you read it like I say it (mom, can you hear me ranting as I do?), it's funny!)
I am back to riding the bus a few days a week. Bob is on 10s so I ride the bus home. Here's the thing. . . I started back on Friday, which just so happened to be the first day of a cold spell and winter storm. So I walked through a blizzard to get to the bus stop. But I caught the 4:20 bus and was home a little after 5 pm. No biggie, I know that I am riding the bus, I make sure i have warm clothes on. Monday rolls around and now I am back to needing to catch the 4:50 bus and I quickly realize it is back to it's old habits of last year. When it is never on time!!! So this bus is 25 minutes late. Mind you, the buses run every 30 minutes this time of day. This means that we miss the Douglas transfer. Luckily for me, I am working at the theater, I just need to get downtown by 6 pm. Unfortunately, this driver lets us know that since he is running so late he will not be finishing the route because he just has to start all over again. So basically he boots us out. By the time I get to work it is 5:45 pm, so I am on time but I am so cold. And so the same story repeats itself yesterday, except that I am going home. The bus is 20 minutes late, we miss the transfer and I can either stand out in the cold for 25 more minutes waiting for the bus or go to the theater, call Bob and have him pick me up. So I get home 15 minutes later, at least I don't have to stand in the cold. By the way, if I haven't said so already we are in our first cold spell of the year so in the low teens and single digits. I also forgot to bring my hat yesterday. Luckily one of my coworkers had a spare and took pity on me so I borrowed it last night. Brrr. MJ

The Paper Doesn't Run . . .

One year ago today Quinton James was born. Happy Birthday.

My daily routine is blown today. And I need routine. When we left for work this morning, no newspaper. Apparently they do not have the same motto as the Post Office. Bummer. Usually after Tristan and I walk I come back to my room, check my e-mail and read the paper. Now I have no idea what is going on in the world. Plus no Dear Abby. I need her wisdom to start my day.

The Ferry Schedule finally got posted yesterday> (AM & UP I will be looking it over tonight and let you know when it runs from Skagway to Juneau.) It is a little disappointing, which is what the residents of SE were concerned about. We actually have to arrive a day earlier in Skagway for the Chilkoot. Which is rough, there aren't many places to stay (we didn't want to camp before and after the trail). Plus it's not cheap. Not outrageous, but not cheap. But that just means more time in Skagway and I do love to go new places. Who knows, may them will even have a Wendy's (they don't, but a girl can dream).

You'll notice a new list added to the right side of the blog. I have been on a reading frinzy since vacation. While in Mexico I read 5 books. Since we have been back I have read 6. Scott said that his goal this year is to read 5/month. I think that I am up for the challenge. Now before you go making comments about the books I am reading, let me just say that I start reading books with the students and then I have to know how they end. So yes, there will be many middle school aged books, but I still read them and they are 200-300 pages, so it passes. I also decided to read the Bible this year. I have always wanted to read from cover to cover and I was given a yearly Bible so this is the year. Some of the reading is dry, the listing of family lines, but it is organized nicely so that you don't read just that for one day. So each day it is about 15 minutes of reading and you complete the Bible in 365.

Well, that was the 8:30 bell, time to get to work. Good Day.

Student Artist in the Spotlight

Once a week the Empire does a "Student Artist of the Week" this week is an 8 year old and I loved this:

"My hero is probably my mom because she helps me a lot. (This next part is my favorite) When my little brother tries to roll off my lap, she catches him and puts him back on my lap." I don't know why, it just made me smile. MJ

Senseless

So, two 20 year olds decided to throw rocks to break a door last night at our school, then throw the same rocks through a stained glass window we have that overlooks our gym. It is a beautiful piece of art that portrays different sports. It looks like they were located today - quick police work. I just do not get it, what is the purpose. I mean aren't they old enough to know better? I hope that they are arrested and forced to pay for the damages. It is just so sad for our students.

Other than that, good day. We almost have all of our reservations made for the Chilkoot. Just waiting on the ferry schedule. It will be a real pain in the butt if the ferry doesn't run to Skagway everyday. We made our plans on that assumption. Oh well, we'll get there.

Bob started a longer workday today. It looks like they are going to 5 10s. The tourist season will be here soon.

Tristan and I are taking a couple felting classes next month. Beginner ones. I have no idea what it is, but it sounded like fun. I googled it and I think it is a type of knitting. Does anyone know for sure? MJ

Moon over Mt. Roberts

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Confessions of a newspaper reader:

So I read the paper each morning and Dear Abby is one of my favorite places to stop. Today as we remember Martin Luther King Jr, she included this quote:

"Along the way of life, someone must have the sense enough and morality enough, to cut off the chain of hate."

Yesterday I was thinking about the "power of one" and this is fitting along with the day: one person can start a chain reaction for the good.

Just my thought for the day. MJ

Chilkoot Trail Schedule

Tristan made our reservations on Wednesday and here is what it looks like:

Ferry from Juneau to Skagway on the 28th or 29th
(will still need the ferry schedule to be posted in order to make reservations. Lots of drama over that right now. This is an important way of transportation for this area and normally the schedule is posted in Nov/Dec so people are in an uproar and rightfully so, it is the least expensive way to travel around here and when you don't like to fly (me, me, me) it is the only other way.)

Monday, June 30th (7.5m) staying @ Canyon City Campground

Tuesday, July 1st (5m) staying @ Sheep Camp

Wednesday, July 2nd (8m) staying @ Happy Camp

Thursday, July 3rd (9m) staying @ Bare Loon Lake

Friday, July 4th (4m) into Bennet by 2 pm

and then White Pass Rail to Skagway to celebrate the 4th. Tristan thought it would be cool to see what they do for the 4th and then we will ferry home on the 5th. It is pretty exciting and real now that our reservations are made.

This week we got our backpacking saw (which Bob insisted was a bad design and went on for 5 minutes before he commented that it was operator error, so it is a good design and we get to keep it.) and our backpacking trash bag. Which is the most expensive trash bag I will ever buy ($35) but necessary since y0u must pack out everything. Basically it is a dry bag, but with an extra lining. This trail you are not allowed fires, I know, camping with no fire nuts, so we can't even burn paper, so it all has to get packed out. That made Tristan absolutely certain that Rosco was not coming. Yes, they even want you to pack out your dogs poo. No way for me.

So now the rest of the preparations are beginning. We have many items to purchase before I go, which is fine since this is the type of camping we want to be doing now. Bye, bye City Camping. My brother would be proud. It is a little odd, staring over with our gear. Now the first question is how much does it weigh? We think that we found the tent and sleeping bags we want. Are you all picturing this, me loaded up like a pack mule. I am a little nervous about that part (mostly because I like to eat and I know I will be freaking out if I have enough food. I do not like to go hungry!) Speaking of food we where looking a bear bags and man are they expensive. Damn animals, find your own food. But for this trail a dry bag will work. Which is still pricey, but not as much as the other. The process is slow since we will most likely do much of our ordering online or special order. No just walking into a store and finding what you need.

Bob is going to have me looking like Rambo by the time I leave. Knife on one leg, bear spray on the other. Just enough to piss em off. (Mom calm down, I am only joking, it'll be fine.)

That's it for now on the Chilkoot. MJ

Fine, Fine

Okay, so I've got some stuff. I guess that I should get back to blogging.

We had some record wind gusts this past Sunday. It is pretty crazy to sit in our living room and watch our window breathe. Yes, it moves in and out, a little scary.

Sunday, January 13th
Airport clocked @ 66mph
Mayflower Island near Douglas @ 70 mph
Federal Building (downtown, across the channel from us) @ 75 mph
Top of Eaglecrest Ski Area @ 90 mph
Sheep Mountain @ 154 mph

Along with the Sheep Mountain winds here's a little story:
Friday one of the helicopters was on top of that mountain. The weather got to bad to fly out so they had to hike down to be picked up. Which means the helicopter got left there. Picture what 154 mph wind gusts do to a helicopter, not good apparently. Yicks. Bob will have to let you know the progress of it's repairs.

So let's see, now we can add record winds to our list of new experiences since we have been here. MJ

Back to Reality

To be honest, I got nothin'. Just wanted you all to know we are doing fine. Both back to work and daily life.

Does anyone have any Christmas pictures for us to see? Hint. Hint. Thank you Klien Family. MJ

Puerto Vallarta

We had a wonderful vacation. PV is beautiful, lush (one of Bob's words while we were there), the people are friendly, the weather was perfect. We don't say that we will go back to a place very often, there is so much in this world to see, but PV and the Grand Canyon, we'll be back. PV hopefully soon.

Observations of the trip:

The breeze was warm and felt so good.

The first cab driver we had was crazy. I thought we would die before we made it to the hotel. He cut in and out of traffic, was speeding, and drove on the shoulder. Yicks.

In order to find Made In the USA you need to go to a foreign country.

My new drink of choice, a Pink Panther. Ordered by a 10 to 12 year old boy in line in front of me. Delicious.

We read. It felt good to sit and just read.

New Year's was a Disco/80's music flashback and it was fun.

Baby Sea Turtles look like big Sea Turtles, only much smaller.

All Inclusive has its ups and downs. Eating and drinking all you want is fantastic, until your clothes don't fit. But it was worth every bite, we love to eat.

Our flights we smooth. Flawless landings and take offs.

On our red eye flight we were in row 6 and you have to put your carry ons up top. So the man next to me offered to put mine up. I said "Oh wait, I have to get something." I unzipped my backpack, grab Mr. Bear and said "my pillow". His response "Looks like a bear to me." I then replied "It's a pillow". Whatever, I dislike flying and I am not too proud to have comfort. He was nice, he just laughed.

We had Burger King for breakfast on the way down. On the way home we paid to have our luggage stored so we could go past security and get Wendy's. It was so good. We ate really slow and savored every bit. Ahh, frosty.

We posted a couple hundred pictures on Snapfish. We took 570 so that is scaling it back. MJ

We're home!

We arrived home today. We had a wonderful trip and will tell you all about it later. We are sleepy. MJ