Mine at Hatcher Pass September 19, 2007

One last summer adventure was in order, so we went up to Hatcher Pass and explored an abandoned mine. Smart, not really. Cool, yes.

The hike up was the most exercise I’ve gotten in awhile but was easily doable. The entrance to the mine is a culvert sticking up out of the ground that you have to climb into and down with rope. Once inside there is a lot of sliding through mud and climbing around rocks. Oh, and those pieces of wood holding everything up for the last 80 years? Don’t mind those.

Due to it being late in the day we couldn’t stay very long, but we did get some neat pictures. Next summer we plan on going back better prepared and looking around more. Doesn’t that last picture make me look so adventurous? I’m pointing at this tiny shack on the cliff. We plan to check that out too.

Janome! September 15, 2007

Part of the reason I don’t have money for a camera is this baby
I have never spent this much money on a single item for myself, so it was rather dizzying to pay for. But it was worth it. I love all of the functions it has and can’t wait to sew everything. The inaugural project was a pair of folded sushi potholders and now I’m making a Halloween quilt. Maybe by the time I get it done I will have pictures…

Still Around September 15, 2007

I’m still alive, really. It’s hard to blog without a camera; basically impossible for me. I hate it when people tell you about something without pictures, so I’m holding out on everyone until I get a new camera. Hopefully some time soon. For now I’m trying to get this blog site figured out.

Cuuute October 31, 2006

You have to go see Shelby’s costume this year. Winnie did an awesome job on it.

Slow Like A Cold Lizard… October 30, 2006

Is how I was about figuring out this pattern. A nice lady at my lys tried to explain it to me, but her being an engineer and explaining in way too much detail left me even more confused. So a few nights ago when I couldn’t sleep I just sort of figured it out. Now I only need to find a way to felt the squares tighter! This one is the experimental square.

The last few days I’ve been trying to get a birthday present finished so I can get going on my Christmas presents. I WILL have them all done on time this year!!! Later today I’m working out a present schedule so they each will be dome by a deadline. Sort of sucks a lot of the jot out of making them, but it will be November in a couple days.

I have a jump on making my Christmas cards though. These were all experiments in using all the amazing card supplies my SIL has. Can you see the embossing? Yeah, I embossed cards.

I plan on making some pretty cool ones for individual people later.

And Pillow thinks the bottom of the sweater organizer is a pretty good place to sleep.

Just Had To October 18, 2006

Four jobs I’ve had:

* Wife (Full time job!!!)
* Salvation Army
* pet store
* home health care (Where I’m working now)

Four movies I can watch over and over:

* anything Hugh Jackman
* X Files
* War of the Worlds
* I guess anything horror/scifi

Four places I have lived:

* Fairbanks, AK
* Bothel, WA
* Carson City, NV
* Wasilla, AK

Four television shows I love to watch:

* X Files
* Men in Trees (it’s in Alaska and Jack is smokin’)
* Grey’s Anatomy
* Judge Judy

Four places I have been on vacation:

* Kona, Hawaii
* Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
* Maui, Hawaii
* East Coast

Four of my favorite dishes:

* anything Mexican!
* potatoes (hey, I’m Polish)
* macaroni and cheese
* cheesecake

Four websites I visit daily:

* Yahoo for my mail
* Craftster because I’m addicted
* my blogroll
* Myspace (maybe every other day)

Four places I would rather be right now:

* At Pier1 spending my coupon
* Snorkeling in Hawaii
* Back in Mexico by the pool for happy hour. Double MaiTais!
* In bed

Swaps! October 18, 2006

Now you can see what all the swap excitement was about. Since her pictures are far cuter than mine, go here to see what I sent to Devilninny. I had a great time getting to know her through this swap, and am looking forward to many more. It’s crazy how much we have in common!

She sent me this cuuute pug shirt! I couldn’t get the picture right, but he has glitter. The shirt fits great!

Also I received an amazing stash of chocolate!!! Been eating on this goodness since I opened the box. If you ever see these coconut kisses buy them; they’re so good.

And I also now have personalized address labels! I love them!

Thanks so much for an awesome swap! Can’t wait to do more!

And guess who has a new hole in their head? This was the least painful piercing I’ve ever gotten. Hopefully it heals soon!

Aaggh! October 11, 2006

I hate how you get all set up to craft and you’re missing something crucial. Everything’s all ready to sew, except I have no more tracing paper and can’t find my tracing wheel. Why isn’t JoAnns open 24 hours?!

Checking in at Betty Ford October 9, 2006

A lady just called my house convinced that this was the number of an alcohol rehab center…Took me several tries to get it through that it is not.

Does Columbus really deserve a holiday of his own? And what of the whole argument that the Vikings were here way before he was? And what about the Native Americans? Ahh, controversy. All I want is to be able to mail a couple boxes and deposit my pay check!

That new knitting project? It’s just a lace up skirt. No, not a hooker one; this beauty here. I’m making mine a nice tweedy brown which I hope will go with several things in my closet. I’m past the casing the elastic and down into the first few increase repeats. Just need to finish before it gets too cold to wear it.

It’s really windy today. There’s fallen trees all over the yard, including the one that Puppy’s runner is attached to. I’m just glad that I’d been lazy and not put her out there earlier.

This is the only bloom I have from the several HUNDRED gladiola bulbs I planted. We had very little sun and lots of rain this summer, which probably is what did it. I need to go dig them all up before it gets cold and hope for better weather next summer. (They were a mix of lime green and bright pink.)

And you can tell it’s Halloween by the nail job. I wanted just the orange, but the lady seemed excited and I guess they’re kind of cute.

I spent a little while this morning updating things on here, so if you see anything spelled wrong let me know. I feel so greedy as I added a Wist list up there.

I Love These Things October 8, 2006

You know you’re from Alaska when…

….You think bald eagles aren’t that great

… You know to go to best buy a month after a cd release because that’s when it will FINALLY arrive in Alaska

….You wish seagulls came with a mute button

…You can go to Mc.Donalds and order off the $1.50 menu which they feel is equivalent to the $0.99 menu

….You have to have a raven cage around your trash to keep them out

….You go to school, work whatever in the dark and come out in the dark

….30 degrees is shorts weather

….-10 is a bit nippy

….buses leaving school are delayed because a bear is in the parking lot

….You tell people you live in an igloo for kicks

….You don’t swim in natural bodies of water for fear of swimmers itch or beaver fever

…. Having a moose in your front yard is a legitimate excuse for being late to school

…. There is nothing like Matanuska Maid

….You only go to the fair for turkey legs and a husky burger

….You have been chased or know someone who has been chased by a moose at least once.

…. You design your Halloween costumes to fit over snow gear

….You get an attitude when you have to pay tax in the lower 48

…. There is 4 feet of snow the night before school and you STILL have to go.

….If you don’t like the weather wait 5 and then go back out

….You sleep through an earthquake like nothing ever happened

….Salmon isn’t a delicacy

….Halibut is beer battered rather than cooked some fancy way

… 70 degrees is equivalent to 90 degrees in the lower 48

…. You know who “Sleeping Lady” is

….During the winter you rarely use your freezer,

….You think 4 bucks for a loaf of bread is cheap

…. A “cookout” is not all the time outside because its entirely too cold for all of that

…. You don’t sleep in the summer because its too short to miss a minute of it

….Half your friends own a sled (snow machine) and you think people that call them snow mobiles are insane

…You call tourist terrorist

…You refer to the 48 states as the “lower 48″

…. You’ve seen the northern lights, and you know why they are such a “big deal”

….You know its all about the snow, DUH.

…You know that Cattle Company has the best potato soup there is.

…You know the 4 seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Break-up, and Re-Construction.

…Your bedroom windows are covered in aluminum foil or black blankets.

…Two speed limits in Alaska, the get outta my way limit, and taking cover limit

…You go to red robin and only order the bottomless fries

….You only watch the news when they announce the amount of the years dividend

…Your school classes weren’t canceled because of ice

…You KNOW your teacher is stoned in class

…You have to start your car at least an hour before you leave so most of the ice and snow will melt off by the time you leave

…You wear flips flops all year, and don’t get sick

…You’ve never seen cotton or tobacco growing, but your neighbor has a 30 acre pot field

…You think driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

…You literally cant leave the house without seeing some one you know.

…You know the term “studs” isn’t referring to hot guys.

…Have to ski in gym class

…Your grandparents drive at 65 mph through red lights without flinching.

…You see people wearing Carharts clothes at social events.

…You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

…You know who “Binki” was and was so sad when he died.

…You expect to see a moose crossing Tudor everytime u drive down.

…You give up and tell people in the lower 48 that you DO live in an igloo and you DO have a pet polar bear named Mishka when they refuse to believe otherwise.

….You call someone without a crack in their windshield a tourist