Trains, Planes and Francois?

"I wanna be a school bus driver..."
~Trampled By Turtles
(That one's for you Rodney;)

So my contract reads something like this: Rachel will be a teacher for the Lower Kuskokwim School District fulfilling all her teacherly duties to the best of her ability so help you God etc. then in fine print it whispers.... "and all other duties as assigned". This week I met one of my 'other duty as assigned'. I recognize this isn't so difficult to imagine for those of you who knew me in the days of the yellow Escape (not so long ago, I know). I'll even admit I felt right at home in the only school bus existing in Quinhagak, Alaska..okay that's not even true because the other fishing guide outfitters in town have a bus they use to transport clients to and from the runway. BUT it's the only bus we have at school and you are looking at the newest school bus driver! Yup, add that to the resume. Connie and I are on AM pick up duty. We cruise the village looking for kids in the weee hours. We often double as wake up calls and assistance in dressing our riders. Living here is a lot like having a family of 200 kids and 400 relatives, everyone taking care of everyone.

Speaking of transportation let me just take you on a stroll through the highways and byways of Quin, come on let's go. As we meander along we greet Alyssa, Jordan, Linds, and the Petluska twins riding by on their bikes, they yell out a cheerful HI!! Just past the honey bucket hopper, creating a make shift jungle gym out of the fishing boats flipped over for winter storage are a half dozen kids or so, who stop to watch us pass by. The local water and sewer guys are zooming all around in their Ford Rangerish pick up trucks (they remind me of the doozers off Fraggle Rock, if any of you remember them:) Then flying by on a well loved 'honda', armed with shotguns and looking like something off a news reel investigating gorilla warfare in some foreign land are Frank and David. Not to worry they're just headed to the tundra for an evening hunt before they have to crawl into bed so they can get up for school in the morning. Several more 4 wheelers zing past us some caring up to 5 or more people. People going to steam, going to the washeteria to do laundry, going to the store, going up river, maybe going home, just people going places. Then Lily or Kevin passes us with a wave and a honk headed to the airport in their taxi-esq Dodge caravan that has proved it's durability, long surpassing it's better days and still cruising the dusty roads of Quin. In the mist of all this hub bub of village rush hour we can't help but do a double take when spinning out of a drive just ahead of us is: 'Francois' at least that's what its creator calls it. That's right, here for the first time on our very own roads of Quinhagak we are witnessing its virgin unveiling: the genuine-original-renovated-taken-apart-then-put-back-together- because-his-mother-told-him-to-except-he-welded-on-a-few-extra-pieces-and-put-things-back-in-different-places-4 wheeler! This fine specimen of vehicular potential is like nothing we've ever seen before. Danny, the creator/designer is quite happy to stop by (Flintstone style of course, since his contraption is lacking in the brake department right now) but this doesn't phase him. He doesn't think of it as much a drawback as a unique selling point. Just wave him over he'll tell you how this Francois came to be. Like I said he accredits much to his Mum, who directed him to put it back together when she found her little man had taken apart the family 4 wheeler unfortunately she wasn't specific enough on 'how' he was to put it back together so he took in a little artistic liberty and voila! "Francois."

Cucuklillruunga! I Voted! Last week was the primaries...did you? I was pretty dang excited to get to use my Alaskan Voter Card, woooooo whoooo I was all official. They even had my name on the address list as: 1/2 Mile From The School. Kinda like how my driver's license reads: General Delivery. As we were leaving the 'Polls'/Bingo Hall, in the giddiness of just exercising my voting right, I enthusiastically asked a young man who was obviously walking past the Poll, "Hey, did you vote?" He turned around to see who I was talking to. "Yes, you," I asked again "Did you vote?"
"Ah, No?" he said in reply unsure of my sanity.
"Well, are you 18?"
"Yes?"
"Do you live here?"
"Yes."
"Well, you should vote. Right in there." I pointed.
"Hum, okay. Thanks." he said as he turned and headed in to exercise his voting right.
Satisfied at fulfilling my civic duty, I smiled at the sticker on my jacket. "Cucuklillruunga!"

(A mask found at the dig site)
A team of eager young students from all over the world Sweden, Scotland, South Dakota have been excavating at the old village site 4 miles down the coast from Quin.

They brought many of these amazing pieces of history to the school today to display. Some of the artifacts they unearthed while they were doing this archeological dig for the past 3 weeks are incredible and estimated to be 700 years old! (To the right my friend Mary's daugher, Lynn, who worked at the site.) The site being studied is owned by the village as are the artifacts which will be temporarily taken back to the university to be preserved and will then be returned to Quin to be enjoyed for generations to come. (To the left a wash basin and dipper for the steam bath house) They have to keep all the artifacts in water since most are made of wood, allowing them to dry would cause immediate damage and cracking. One of the professors explained to me that in the house they worked on this summer (they were here last summer as well) they believe that the people inside were being attacked as there were many arrow heads found in the house. It also seemed as if the people in the house were retreating to the back of the house which contained the steam bath room. There were many arrows found in the steam as well along with human hair. He said it may be why the steam/house burned down (which they could tell somehow). Isn't that just unbelievable that after so much time, the tundra has preserved these pieces and from them we learn a story, part of why we are here right now.

(Ivory seal carving, the last artifact found this summer!)

So that's the latest all ya'll and oh, I'm back in Bethel...a-gain. Thanks for the computer time Anya. Kinda funny for the last 2 weeks either I've been staying at her house here or she's been staying at mine in Quin (she had a week's worth of work to do at the school). Well until next time Adios. P. S. Josh and Chris are coming up to visit next week! My first family to visit me in the wilds of the Alaskan tundra. Stay tuned.

"Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.
Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren't you?
Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!" Psalm 25:4-6

Berries, Bikes and Byes

We trekked and picked until the cans were full

Until the tinkling bottom had been covered."
~Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

On Stage Introducing: Einar Van Gogh
I wandered into a future masterpiece in progress at the Pederson household yesterday.


Taking the plunge, ick. Michael takes a dip in the drainage ditch. Were it any other place I might have laughed but knowing what was running through the water that flowed out of the culverts around here all I could do was gasp and yell "Michael stop that! Yucky that is disgusting. You are swimming in poop!" Michael however was undeterred and continued to frollick about. So I did what any other honest paparazzi would have. I set down my bag and rummaged around surfacing with my trusty camera and snapped up a few impromptu documentations in case he shows up at school later this year with a 3rd arm or something.

Berry pickers unite! We hit the tundra this weekend in search of berries: salmon, blue, crow, black, rasp...whatever. Steph at the helm driving what could have been our makeshift float as you can see. Unfortunately we were not too successful, not like last year anyway. Our parade to the Arolik ended in slight disappointment as we found the lack of sun and over abundance of water this year is to blame for the decrease in berry population. Yep, the water has drown the fruit and the river still rises.

Our float in the berry parade.

Alicia, Steph and Allison with empty buckets...

Rookies up to their knees in tundra.

Steph and I, old pros that we are...

My new wheels! That have bad brakes, that don't work right so I had to disconnect them, who needs to stop anyway, right? Full speed ahead! Brakes are overrated. Betcha you won't see a get up like this in the Cheq Fat Tire Race back in Hayward. But where are your clip in pedals you say???? Not when you've got Xtra Tufs!

Cross country started last week and the kids are running like crazy. Today I drove them out to the cell phone tower (Jr. high) and for the High School...all the way to the dump dropped them off and they ran back! 4 whole miles, here are some pics of today's practice. I predict the Seahawks will be a force to be reckoned with this cross country season.



The Duncan Brothers Fishing Guides/Outfitters and company fly away with the geese and tundra swans this week. 2010 Fishing season on the Kanektok River is a wrap they say. They'll return when we fly away too next summer. Kinda like the changing of the guard I guess. We've been busy watching them pack their summer gear away in storage containers down the street. Watching them leave is basically like turning the page to winter. It's good entertainment too, you'd really be amazed at what becomes good entertainment around here;)

To Mike! Thank you! From the Kids:)

The Alaskan Beach Bum
I decided that I would 'lay out' down at the beach today. This is what sunbathing looks like on the Bering Sea ya'll! Soaking it up. Speaking of which twilight is around 11:00 pm for us right now. Though day by day we are again fading.

"If you grow a healthy tree, you'll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you'll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree." Matthew 12:33

Revolving Doors...Round and Round

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." Dr. Seuss Oh, The Places You'll Go

This Wednesday the places I'll go was Bethel for more district training. This time it was specifically for those of us teaching special education. Last week it was district wide training and next weekend it's 2nd Year Teacher training. I'd have a well beaten path to "The Paris of the Kuskokwim" were I making these 100o and 1 trips by foot. Fortunately for me, par avion is the preferred manner in which the LKSD district wields us about. I remember when Mac, my former colleague from last year, was trying to explain to me via email what to expect living in a village in rural Alaska way back when I was first deciding if I would take the plunge into the tundra nearly a year and a half ago now.... anyway his words were, "I hope you are okay with flying because you'll be hopping in and out of a 207 like it's a Honda Civic..." Well, Mac was right on, I mused to myself as I took my recently self-designated seat at the front of the plane.
Co-pilot...it's a milestone for me, growth if you will, as last year I wouldn't have agreed to plant my bootie shot gun for nada. Well, I'm overcoming my fear, and maybe even becoming a little old hat about it, yeah right. I smiled as the pilot flipped and switched familiar levers and buttons, little lights flicker across the dashboard like bulbs on a Christmas tree, the engine roared and within seconds we were quickly 400 ft above the spongy wet carpet of greens bleeding blues, browns and grays of rivers and lakes...yep, I yawned, "a Honda Civic." (Aside Sam you better be taking car of my car and not putting tons of miles on it, please.) So in Wednesday night's case it was a Caravan not a 207, I have no idea what the technical plane number name is for it. All I know is that it's just bigger than the 207s and Navajos, holding up to 14 people or so, pretty much the biggest of planes we ever see landing on our humble gravel runway. I settled into the seat as the pilots wingman, leaned my head against the plexie glass window dirtied by everyone before me who had the same tired idea and closed my eyes to open them what seemed like only a minute later as we touched down in the ever thriving metropolis of lovely Bethel, Alaska population who really know for sure. From there I ran into all kinds of people I haven't seen in a long while, my friend Tracy for starters, she moved to Bethel from Quin in June and was behind the desk at the airline we flew with. Then Connie's daughter picked us up, no need to travel by cab (that was a treat). They dropped me off at Anya's my home away from Quin and even picked me up in the morning to go to training! (Quyana Connie!) We joke about Anya's apartment being the village's bed and breakfast, many times I've awaken to the smell of eggs and sausage frying, a smell that immediately sends me zooming back through time to Gramma and Grampa's farm, I'm seven years old and can't help but smile. Thanks Anya. Training was useful and so good to see all the familiar faces from last year. Got to meet Connie's parents and a couple of her 9 sisters and nieces as well! So fun to meet new people and places especially when you immediately feel at ease and comfortable, like you've known them forever feeling. That's how Connie's wonderful family is, I'm so thankful.

So a traveling Bible salesman drives into a little town in the deep south. It's nearing Christmas and he notices a nativity scene set up in front of a local church. He does a double take when he sees that standing behind the manger all in a row are 3 figures dressed like firemen. That's strange he wonders to himself. Upon entering the the first home on his route before he begins his sales pitch he is compelled to as the woman why there are 3 firemen in the town nativity scene. "Because it's in the bible," she responds in her thick southern twang. Then she takes the bible from him and flips though the pages. "Right here," she proclaims thumping the page with her finger "...and they came from a far (a fire)..." That was the joke Kathy told as we enjoyed an evening out in Bethel at Sho Guns one of the local restaurants. I thought it was funny. Maybe better told aloud but you get the idea.

"Meanwhile back in Quin I had pawned off my naughty mutt on my newest neighbors and friends the dynamic duo of Alicia and Allison. (They may be reconsidering being my friend now though if it comes contingent upon them providing involuntary intermittent dog sitting services...) Unbeknowst to me Animosh was giving them a run for their money. Escaping on several occasions only to tear off pell mell all over the village leading his worried caretakers on a wild 'mosh' chase. He does this on purpose I've decided, he did it to Justin on Flat Top in Anchorage too. Maybe comparable to a neglected child, to get attention they have to do something bad. Well, it appears that my faithful companion acts out when I abandon him, and it seems he goes on a hunger strike too. I haven't figured out how to remedy either situation so any ideas would be appreciated.

Animosh looking way more innocent than he really is..

Week #1 of teaching is over already. How does this happen!? Well, it's late and I'm exhausted (jet lagged, lol). So I'm going to bed. Buenos Noches todos! Suena con los angelitos!

"...the LORD has sent me to Bethel...So they went down to Bethel..." 2 Kings 2:1-3

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occassions for hope. ~John Buchan

Jim "the charmed fisherman" Barthelman graciously offered to take a few of us 'upriver' Friday night! I finally got to try out my fancy new fly fishing rod that I purchased in Hayward this summer. Just about the time I was seriously beginning to question whether or not this purchase was the best idea for me after all, I got a bite. And the fight was on! Wow fly fishing for silvers is wild! I thought it was going to pull me into the river. If fishing was ever considered a silent-ish kind of sport I challenged it that evening. "JIM! JIM! WHAT DO I DO??? AHHHHHH! JIM? IT'S GONNA GET AWAY!!! IT'S PULLING ME IN? JIM! WHAT DO I DO??" I could hear him snickering next to me. "You're fine. Turn the pole upstream." Well, I did as I was told and landed my first silver not only this year but ever on a fly rod! I've been looking forward to this all summer! It's the little things in life, lol! We took em home filleted em then Jim and Steph vacuum sealed em! Quyana guys! What fun! Can't wait for baked silver! Wooooo-whoooo:) I live here:)

Silver (Coho) Salmon , Kanektok River, Fly Rod
Nuff Said;)

Cathy From Ohio (Who was in Quin this summer to help put on a vacation bible study!) was quoted on her opinion of the Yupik Maqii (Steam Bath) earlier this summer after having enjoyed/endured one, "In the outer room it's 500 degrees and inside the steam...is hell." When the girls told me this description last night as the scalding rocks were being dosed with tin full after tin full of aromatic, herbal stink weed steeped water, I laughed until I cried. Of course you couldn't tell for the sweat though! I couldn't agree more I howled as I wondered if my skin might be blistering. Whew! But the 'stink weed' isn't stinky at all. It smells really good actually so you're guess is as good as mine as to why it's called 'stink weed'). It reminded me of fresh cut alfalfa. Anyway if you are ever lucky enough get to enjoy the experience of a traditional Yupik Maqii up in this neck of the tundra, I'd say you're lucky enough;) Never have I been in a sauna so hot nor have I ever sleep so good and felt so clean. Quyana for inviting me to join yas Jerilyn! Cathy you couldn't be more dead on! LOL!

John Teddy reported that the bears have been on the move this summer. One even decided that it would help itself into one of the tents at the village fish camp while one guest was asleep in the tent! There are even posses of four wheelers patroling the village at night to keep the bears at bay these days. Connie said that she was walking her dog last night and thought she saw one. She didn't stick around to make sure. Running will be with a gun.

I have blonde highlights now. The response from my friends in Quin has been divided. John Teddy shook his head and said, "I don't even recognize you. You need your hair back."
Venessa was shocked, "Your hair died!"
Mary was excited, "I love your new hair!"
Hillary's Mom shared her daughter's response at bedtime prayers, "Dear God, Please let me have blonde hair like Rachel's and let my dad not be mad."
I've definitely enjoyed the mixed reviews. That's for sure.

Steph and I were in the Delta Discovery over the summer. Our picture from the Iditarod holding an issue of the Discovery was published back in July! Connie brought me a copy. So we're kinda famous, it's a big deal. LOL

Fannie sent me home last night with a bowl full of bread dough and a mouthful of her homemade aqutaq (because she was feeding me spoonful after spoonful as I was walking out the door). Then with the help of Jerilyn I baked my first loaf of bread...yeah, yeah I know I didn't make it but you gotta start somewhere:) It is yummy!

Watching 360 North on the Alaska Channel. There was Father Oleska being interviewed about his childhood. He was here in Quin during Singspiration last year. Really I need to go to bed because tomorrow is the first day of school!!!!! Speaking of...

Welcome our newest highly qualified Quinhagak teachers!

Meet Alicia from Ohio! She is our resident reading specialist and special education extraordinaire! She arrives with great experience teaching in Ohio last year. This is Alicia's first time in Alaska! What a brave and adventurous spirit she has.Connie is from Bethel, Alaska but has called Washington home for many years. She is close to home now and more than ready to bring our Special Education program to the next level. I'm loving working with her! We've been swimming through paperwork and programs all week and we still have our heads above water!





This is Allison #2;) She's from the best state, Minnesota (I'm a little biased I suppose). Allison is fresh off the boat and geared up to take on this year's 6th grade! We are thrilled to have her. She too is brand new to the last frontier and thriving!


This is Alison #1 and her hubby John. This adorable, adventure bound couple hales from back east, Vermont I believe. They are my new neighbors to the left, Ani has made fast friends with their two pupperoos Riley and Tucker. Ali will be our new excellent 4th grade teacher and is chomping at the bit to educate her estudiantes!

As Jerilyn and I were zooming along on her four wheeler over to her aunt's to take a steam, we found ourselves in awe of the evening scene. The sunset over the mountains last night was incredible. Striking blues, yellows, pinks and oranges swirled together like I've never seen in the sky and can't even describe. The pictures don't do it justice but I had to try to share it. It looked like the top of the mountains were on fire. We had to turn around just to got back so I could get my camera and try to capture the view. This is the best I could do.

Sunset on the mountains Saturday night.

Same night but looking toward the mouth of the Kanetok River to the Bering Sea.

Shout Out To: My Thoughtful Brother Good Luck on you pursuit of time travel. And to Allison and Alicia thanks for the great spaghetti dinner tonight! And to Sherry and Steph for saving Ani from himself when he chewed through his leash today. Quyana my friends.

Genesis 1:20 "God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, And every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!" It was evening, it was morning— Day Five."

Our Side of the Tundra

"I fly." "What? You're a stewardess? I mean, I'm sorry - flight attendant. Which airline?" "I own my *own* plane. I'm a pilot."
- Maggie and Joel, Northern Exposure

Home and Welcomed As I began this post I got up to have snack and peeked out the kitchen window to catch one last glimpse of the unexpected but immensely appreciated dose of sunlight we received this evening when the clouds momentarily thinned enough for the fading rays to trickle through. Across the connected back yards of tundra I can see a handful of kids wringing these precious few hours without rain for all they're worth and bouncing away on a trampoline. I have to smile. They've been knocking on the door since I arrived..."Could we visit???" Yes, yes I am as excited as they are to catch up and reconnect! But when Joshua and Bob (our excellent maintenance men/water delivery guys every Monday) pulled up the other morning to fill my trough I'd be lying if I said I didn't put my pillow over my head and tried to ignore the unreasonably early knocking thinking it was way too eager young visitors. Oops, I apologized as I stumbled out of bed unlocking the deadbolts when Bob revved the engine of the 1962 vintage water hauling tank to signal to me they would leave me waterless if I didn't wake up and open the door! "Morning Joshua." I groggily offered hair flying every which way squinting into the rainy morning, "Sorry, I thought you guys were the kids...come on in and filler up;)" "It's okay." he laughed. "Welcome home." "Thanks." I chuckled, turned and headed back to my cozy, warm bed to gather a few more of zzzzs before the real kids started knocking:) Welcome Home:)

On and Weighing
While back in Bethel for training my dear friend Kathy who just started in the district and has been having some hilarious adventures of her own (check out her blog) was shocked when the the ticket agent at one of the airline companies requested her weight. Kathy couldn't fathom why on earth this woman who had only moments before weighed both of her bags and checked them in, called out to her as she walked away "Ma'am what do you weigh?" Kathy, without missing a beat threw out her numbers, shrugged and kept walking. As she relayed this odd experience to Anya and I we both had a good laugh. "It seems some things become second nature. See most of the time the ticket agent actually makes you stand on the luggage scale. You don't even think anything of it. Those bush planes are touchy." "Oh," Kathy nodded,"I figured she must have some good reason for it." Up and Flying

Well, our chartered flights both into and out of Bethel for the 2nd Annual District Inservice were a treat. It was in fact the cute junk plane pilot from last year manning our ship. All my sneaky teacher friends took their seats leaving only the copilot seat forcing me to be front and center. Real nonchalant, right. Keep in mind I intentionally avoid that locale as I prefer not to stare at the bazillion buttons and gauges that one must maneuver to keep us air born. So I was already nervous. It was a scenic flight lol. So comfortable was I that on our return, I invited myself to sit shotgun and was even offered the headphones so I could hear all the air trafficers giving directions and speaking in code then I got to talk the pilot's ear off. Pretty positive the unsure passengers behind were willing me to shut up and let the man focus on matters at hand such as flying the plane. Little did they know I was flying the plane. Naaaaa, just kidding I turned down the opportunity in spite of his attempt to convince me that "ahhh, its easy. You wanna land it?" Hum, nope, I choose life.

This is actually a pic flying from Minneapolis to Anchorage.

Off and Running
So tonight Animosh and I laced up our running shoes and headed to the Bering! Like I said, we had a tinsy tiny bit o sun today so everyone was outside. It was wild to be back out on ye ol gravel road looking far across the tundra in every direction: to the distant mountains, the receded tide, the village and the flatland. So familiar, like we had never left. It was as if we never spent the last 2 and a half months surrounded by towering pines. Time and place sure are weird things aren't they? I remember thinking just a few short weeks ago that I'd be back up in Quin in no time and be having a hard time thinking I was ever home. It's true, here we are back home in Quinhagak, Alaska catching up with family and friends on this side of the tundra;)

Shout Out To:
Cathy and your hubby for the great surprise at school today in my mailbox! Quyana for the beautiful tshirt and note. It makes me smile knowing you were here and this verse is perfect for the return to Quin and start of a new year. Thank you dear friend.

"So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith."
Galations 6:9

We're BAAAAaaaaack.

"A little reminder to those intent on signing up for the fall session of the Cicely continuing ed program, the deadline is this Friday. Let's see what's new this quarter: Lou Volpee will be teaching a course on practical rural law. Topics include Road Kill: Whose Moose Is It and the always controversial rightof way, Sno Go Versus Dogsled."
- Chris on the air

That's me at the top of Bird Ridge

Hi folks, Ani here. If she's not going to get to it I guess I'll just take matters into my own paws. We made it back to Quinhagak my home and native land. You are wondering about my mom??? She's all over the place lately, she tries but well, like I said... She's unpacking groceries right now that she hauled back on the plane today after her 'teacher inservice' in Bethel (I got to stay with our new neighbors John and my 2 new friends Riley and Tucker). "Just the necessities. Get it while the getting's good" she tries to convince herself and me as if I get to eat any of it: eggs, cheese, bread stuff we can't get in Quinhagak all the time. She's stocking up for winter I guess. Which probably isn't such a bad idea, seems like its here already with this drizzly, damp, cold weather. No fishing yet okay maybe a little at Bird Creek in Anchorage where I ran around on the mudflats while the tide was out. Watched a little boy lose his shoe in a a sink hole too. Lucky he didn't loose his whole self. Yeah, and she drugged me too can you believe it??? Yup, I figured it out about 1/2 through our flight to Anchorage when I came to and realized I had been crammed into that cage again and was snugly wedged between a box a frozen salmon and an oversized suitcase. Just when I thought all this unnatural air travel was a thing of the past off she shipped me again, touched down in the land of the delta gray in the middle of the pouring rain...Bethel. And it has been raining ever since, all summer up here for that matter they tell us...mom keeps saying "maybe we'll have a sunny fall". People just roll their eyes at her. So anyway as I was staggering around the lobby of Hageland Air trying to recover from my latest sedation, little kids crawling all over me, she did it again and I didn't wake up till the next day. The flight back to Quin was lovely. At least that I remember. Thank you Dr. O because of you I wasn't nearly as traumatized as my first time flying. So I've become a latch key dog and have had more doggie sitters in the last 3 months than most canines see in a lifetime. Don't get me wrong this summer has been the wildest adventure of my existence so far. I didn't know where I might end up next! I had so much fun meeting everyone! I'm glad I finally get to have my say! She's unpacking boxes right now that she's been shipping up for herself all summer, if you ask me they're full of stuff she doesn't even need. So last week while we were in Anchorage she made me sleep in a garage while she gallivanted around (sorry for all the fur Chris but I shed). Okay that's not entirely true, we did hike up Flat Top where I was dognapped by the guy in the yellow shirt. Mom and Uncle Josh call him Justin but I knew I couldn't risk it, stranger danger. I escaped from him 3 times and had everyone on the mountain trying to catch me. But don't worry I fended them off until my mom finally made it back down the mountain. She was relieved and so happy I was okay. I could tell because she couldn't stop laughing at my dognapper Justin. The sun was square that night too. Crazy eh? The next day we hiked up to the top of Bird Ridge! And the day after that I pulled my dognapper up to the top of Crow Pass to see the Raven Glacier. I might be small but I'm super strong. I know she's ready to get back to work and is missing her family and friends and whining around about the rain but don't worry I'm keeping her good company. That's the latest from the north country. I need to go to the bathroom so I've gotta go remind her! I'll try to get her to start posting again. But she's not too good with transition times so please be patient:)
From Quinhagak!
~Animosh

That's Me and Mom at the top of Bird Ridge!


Shout Out To: Amy and Bobby on their newest addition Baby Girl Ila Sophia! And to Tim Debilt our very own Quinhagak School LKSD Teacher of the Year! Wow! Congratulations!

"So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west. I'll send orders north and south: 'Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places." Isaiah 43:4-5