Stretch Hummer

Well, I started this post a week ago hoping I would have some pictures to post with it, but alas people have not sent any to me yet.

The night started off like any other Bethel evening. Eric and I were having supper with Greg and Amy, some of our friends here. About 8:30 pm, Amy gets a call from someone asking her if she could do something. Amy explains that she has company and hangs up. Well, I find out that the someone happens to be Andy (one of the high school science teachers) that we both know and she invited Amy to a 40th birthday party for one of the high school teachers. I was actually invited to this party too but told Andy that I couldn't make it because I already had plans.

Apparently a bunch of her closest friends (not Amy & I, we're just friends) splurged to get her a ride in the Hummer Stretch Limo that Bethel has recently acquired. For those of you that know Bethel, you are probably thinking, "what, Bethel of all places has a limo?". Oh we don't just have 1 limo, we have 2. We have a regular Cady limo and then the Hummer.

Okay, back to the story - Amy and I were debating if we wanted to go into town for the party when about 9:30 pm we get a knock on the door. As Amy opened the door, we see the Hummer limo outside. I guess the limo was a little late and was trying to make it up to the birthday girl. Since the birthday girl actually only lives 2 houses down from where Eric and I live we decided to go and have some fun.

The hummer has seating on one side and in the back and comfortably fits 8 people and you could probably squeeze in another 2. The other side of the limo has a "counter" with spots to stick bottles and hold glasses. Of course, since Bethel is a damp town the limo company has decided that there will be no alcohol in the vehicles. And since Bethel can get a bit muddy, everyone has to take off their shoes before they hop into the limo. All shoes are corraled into a rubbermaid tub and given back when you get out of the vehicle.

We got to go through town listening to the awesome cd/music system while strobe type lights were flashing all over. Once we got to the party location (the b-day girl's house) we had some champagne to toast and then they had a bunch of smoke oysters (about 20 lbs worth!). Amy and I partied until about midnight, but a few of the die-hards partied until 2 am.

So, that was my first real experience in a limo and it happened in Bethel of all places.

ps - once I get pictures (if) I'll try to post a few

Bootleggers Playing Hide and Seek on the Tundra

This is the title of an article that was featured in the New York Times. You know you have a problem when the New York Times does an article on your community. Check it out for yourself here. If for some reason the link doesn't work to to the New York Times and search for Bootlegger on Tundra. That should bring it up. Basically it's talking about the problem we have with the sale of bootlegged alcohol. A fifth of R & R (Rich & Rare) whiskey, which is a bottom shelf brand, costs a mere $10 in Anchorage, but can sell for $300 in a dry village. Two months ago, state troopers in Aniak, about 90 miles to the northeast of us here in Bethel, reported chasing two drunken bootleggers 25 miles up the Kuskokwim River, sometimes at speeds topping 40 miles an hour. The suspects were finally caught — with five bottles of vodka.

Alcohol is a battle that way too many rural Alaskans have to deal with!

Cards I forgot to Post

I made some cards a few weeks back and forgot to post them so you all could see. Here they are! I liked the idea of using black as the main card in the following example. Not sure on the designer paper and stuff, but it was just an experiment.Same with this one, an experiment. I love everything about this card, but I don't know about the designer paper. When I'm trying a card for the first time and don't know how it's going to turn out, I like to use scrap type paper. That won't be as easy now considering I donated alot of that paper to the TWC (Tundra Women's Coalition).This is probably one of my favorite cards that I have done. I love the idea of having a cut-out with a spinner focus. This is actually pretty easy to do. I send it as a birthday card to a friend. Hopefully she likes it as much as I do!
Once again, I am using one of my favorite stamp sets, the Embrace Life. This is a pocket card. I made about 6 of these for a swap, but ran out of time to get signed up. Guess I'll just wait for another swap or send them out as RAKs (random acts of kindness).

Stamping Saturday

Well, I was fiinally able to get some more stamping/crafting done on Saturday. Here is one of the ideas I had for Halloween treats for the people at work.These cute little things hold a peppermint patty in them. I saw this on one of the blogs that I follow and thought it was just the cutest thing.

Here's a box full of spiders. Don't you wish all spiders looked like this? I love the one in the bottom center. It's looking over at the one beside like it might be trying to attack him. I also love the ones that are really cross-eyed. I think everyone at work will love them!

Some of the other things I did today are three different cards. The first one includes stamps from one of my favorite stamp sets. It's called Embrace Life.This card uses the stamp set Delight in Life. Another one of my faves. I also tried something new on all of these cards by dyeing my one ribbon. I took plain white ribbon and ran it across the stamping pads. Taada, customized colored ribbon! I also trying chalking on this card. I took my embossing pens and "colored" in the flowers. Then I put the chalk on top of the embossing liquid. I love how it makes the flowers look watercolored.This card uses the Berry Bliss papers from the old catalog. I had some leftovers from my stamping group that I thought I would try to use up. Once again I dyed the ribbon using the Chocolate Chip color. I like this technique and think I'll use it alot.

Well, I can't wait to see what I get done today. Happy stamping to you all!

Snow

No, we didn't get more snow but I wanted to show you all the snow we did get on Thursday and Friday. Someone said we got about 4 inches. I'll let you decide for yourself.

This is looking outside our front door from the second floor.This is looking out to the north from the same spot. No snow today, which is good. I'm hoping that we get warm enough to melt all of this snow.

All of this snow is getting Eric excited for the trapping season though. We went down to one of the repair shops to see if Eric could get his sled (snowmachine, er snowmobile) ready for the season. He's got all of his trapping books/magazines/catalogs spread out seeing what he needs to order. We've also had the pleasure of watching a few trapping dvds. I think he is going to try to snare some wolves this year and hopefully more lynx and wolverine.

Where did Fall go?

Well, I can say winter is finally here. Fall has decided it didn't want to stick around. Yesterday was the perfect fall day. The sun was out and shining bright. The trees still had some beautiful leaves on them and the temperatures were chilly but not too bad.

Fastfoward to this morning.......................

Temperatures hovering around 30 degress, but a nasty wind causing temps with windchill to be right around 8 degrees. Since it's dark here until about 9:30 am, you cannot tell what the weather is really doing outside unless you are standing in it. Once the sun came up we could tell that it wasn't going to be a pleasant day. It has been blowing snow all day. I don't think much has accumulated, but we cannot really tell because of the wind. I wish I had the camera here at work to show you. It's the type of snow that fall sideways, parallel to the ground.

I should have just stayed home this morning. On top of the blowing snow, they are still working on trying to get the siding done on the building before it gest too bad. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but since it was so cold this morning, they had to put their air compressor in the entry way that just so happens to be on the other side of the wall of my office. I was joking around with one of the workers and he said that it would only go off every 10 minutes or so. Well, at least it's not every 5! Since a few of these guys had started with the project when it started in July I got to know a few of them when my camps were gong on. Apparently they were joking around about putting the compressor because they knew I'd be getting the noise. Anywho, so every 10 minutes roughly I would hear the air compressor kick on to build back up the pressure. They about noon, since they had the air compressor where they did, it over loaded the breaker and it tripped. This just so happens to be the same breaker that my computer is plugged in to. After resetting the breaker, I thought we would have our (my) problems fixed. Boy was I wrong. They did decided to move the air compressor outside, but they are now working RIGHT outside my window! The scaffolding is literally 2 feet below my window and they are screwing in the siding right above my window. Although it has been quiet the past 30 minutes. Maybe they are gone for lunch. I can hope.

Anyways - I just wanted to let you all know that no matter how cold you are right now you could always be me!

First Official Snow Fall

It is officially snowing in Bethel Alaska today. Of course it is the big heavy wet stuff that doesn't stick around, but still it's snow! When I looked out my window this morning I saw rain that didn't look like rain. It looked like the consistancy of snow, but it was falling like rain. Very strange. I've never seen anything like it.

On a side note to make this post a little longer, Barrow which is the northernmost city in the country will host it's first ever post-season football game. This will be the only game in the history of football (I think) to be played above the Artic Circle. Barrow only started football at the high school in 2006. The team is 7-1 and is excited about hosting the post-season first round game. It will be this Saturday and average temps for this time of year in Barrow is 21. Record lows were -12. Here's hoping to them not having a record season with the temps! Actually they are thing in the mid 20s.

Well, I better get back to work. Happy Belated Birthday Karen! You need to update your blog! I'm sending you a card, so you should expect it sometime early next week.