At Home…in Alaska

Archive for February, 2005

I started _The Hope Chest_ yesterday. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for over a year but held off reading it because I was adamant about finishing the others I’d started first. I’ve been plugging away at those books more slowly than I usually do…perhaps it’s the content (requires more pondering) or just my “state of being” at this time. At any rate, I finally completed a couple of those (one I had already read but was reading aloud to the children) and feel justified in adding another book to the list.

None too soon either. My oldest daughter is/has reached that “young lady” stage. She’s more interested now in sewing and handwork than she’s ever been. Although I’ve taken some time in the past to teach her some of the basics, it hasn’t been enough time or enough basics. I need to buckle down and take these things more seriously and not just continue thinking “when I have the time.” I need to make the time now. She does well with cooking because that’s not something anyone can put off until they “have time.” She’s done it every day with me for years and has quite a few things she can do on her own. I’ll not worry about anyone getting fed something after this baby arrives. It may not be full balanced “complete” meals…but they won’t starve! She’s getting there (her sisters too) but it won’t happen “over night” - ie the next couple of months.

Anyway, it’s the other stuff I have to get serious about and I think this book will finally give me the “inspiration” I need. I’ve looked forward to doing these kinds of things for years (even before they were born) with my daughters…must not let the opportunity pass into regret!!

I’ve also had TODKAH since our oldest was 3 or 4 years old…mostly for myself. But, I found I already knew many of the “basics” gone over in it in many of the areas covered so I haven’t touched that book in quite a long while either. Time to dust it off and get some inspiration there too…

I’m nervous about showing/letting her use the sewing machine…visions of a young lady in my home ec. class getting a needle through her finger. I know I’ll get past it…but I might be holding my breath the first few times.

Actually, I think I just inspired myself a bit here! Fun times ahead!

We’ve been having pretty mild weather and that’s very cheering! Had several days in the mid - hi 40s. Today it’s pushing 50°F! The sun is so warm and the snow continues to melt! And take a look at this…

Wahoo! This mama’s snow shoveling days are just about over!!!

The Lil’ Overseer!

He may be little but he’s confident.

Big Brother and Little Brother

Two more brothers in our family.

30 weeks today!!! Only 10 more to go. I’m actually feeling a bit nervous seeing how far down that ticker has gotten…

Nothing much to update otherwise. Still hanging in there and feeling pretty much the same. Good but heavy and tired often. My hip has it’s good days but they are few and far between. There are days I can hardly get around and poor dh said the other day, “Oooh, Honey. It hurts me just to watch you.”

I still have my goals in front of me as far as the house. Just keep putting my nose to the grindstone and putting one foot in front of the other. It’s getting difficult to juggle everything. Academics is definitely bare bones now with me being happy if we just get the Bible and the 3 R’s in. Again, just keep plugging along…

We had a dog a few years ago that was an adopted stray that had been hanging around our yard off and on every day for a week or so. Finally, his pathetic condition prompted us to call him to us rather than continue hoping he’d “go home” or someone would find him. He was young not a puppy…not more than a couple years old I’m guessing. He had a collar (ratty) but no tags. (Here in the city limits you need them but else where no. So, don’t know if he was from town or out.) Anyway, we kept him for a few months. First on a rope in the backyard. Chewed through a few - even a large tow rope. (Took him a while but he did it. ) When he’d get loose, he’d just come up and lay by the sliding door where he could watch us. But, sometimes “wander lust” would get the best of him and off he’d go. Not wanting to have the “pet gestapo” get on our cases, we resorted to a chain. Didn’t chew through that! He got more and more hyper though and the chewing on the side of the shed and digging started. Our children were much smaller. They couldn’t go near him when chained up because he’d jump on them (being happy and friendly) and scratch them up. He absolutely wouldn’t listen to commands as long as he was chained. (Not to say he did better when not chained! ) Sometimes when dh was home, he would let him loose. We evidenced that “crazed” look and racing! He would go absolutely nutty racing around the property, knocking over whatever happened to be in his way, quick turns one way then the other just as you described. I don’t think he ever ran completely out of our yard…maybe just to the two neighbors on either side…but there was no catching him if you tried. Goofy, goofy.

Anyway, long story coming to an end…we finally took him to the pound. Just had to. He wasn’t the dog for us although he liked us and we liked him. Neither dh or myself wanted or could take the time to “reabilitate” him (I think I was pg w/ #4…) and the children obviously were too young to do it. It was a tough thing. Dh still talks about it to this day and the children often wonder aloud about him. On a postitive note, one of our former renters did volunteer work at the shelter. It (the dog) came up during a conversation dh was having with him and he said he remembered a dog of that description and he thinks he got a home. Whether a permenent one or a foster one, we aren’t sure…but that he wasn’t euthenized made us happy.

So, that’s my “dog story” for what it’s worth…

2/17/05 3 (brown)

2/18/05 5 !

2/19/05 3 (2 brown, 1 green)

2/20/05 3 (brown)

2/21/05 5 !

Isn’t that funny. I was picked in Blogroll Roulette over at Carmon’s blog!

I better make a post…LOL!

First, I gave our sight the title Hunt’s Alaska Homestead because we both want to get back our roots eventually. Both of us grew up rurally and want our children to have the same benefits. My dh was more rural than I was…no running water, trapped with his father for part of their livihood, etc. I still had to haul wood with my dad and learned to hunt and fish like a pro. (I’ll have to dig up some old pics one of these days and share them…) Also, dh’s paternal grandparents *did actually have* an Alaskan homestead in the early - mid 50s. I want to say even before statehood… Anyway, although we don’t necessarily desire to acquire that particular parcel of land, we do want a larger parcel *somewhere* in this great state. How rural we want to be is still up for debate… Fly in only? Some access by land? Still close enough to town so we won’t miss out on a little bit of “culture” every now and then? At any rate, that explains our title…something that was a reality in the past and something we want to make a reality in the future. We have a good start on our nearly-an-acre-in-the-’burbs with our chickens and two cats though!

Second, yes we do have a small home business. We had much more inventory before Christmas… My poor dh hasn’t been in his shop making things for almost a year now to keep inventory up though. He is still self employed…just in another “field” right now to keep us afloat. We can and do take “custom orders” though for anyone who is interested and can guarantee that you’ll get something more quickly from us than waiting for our site to fill! He makes fixed blade knives as well as ulus…and some other things as well. Really, he’s a “jack of all trades”, can do just about anything he sets his hands to. He is blessed and I’m blessed being his wife! Feel free to ask if you are curious…

Third, I can’t think of anything else at the moment… Some littles are needing my attention! I’ll come back later if I can. Otherwise, if you want to know something about me or Alaska or something else I can’t imagine at the moment, the comment section is open for those!

2/12/05 3 (2 brown, 1 green)

2/13/05 3 (2 brown, 1 green)

2/14/05 4 (brown)

2/15/05 4 (3 brown, 1 green)

2/16/05 4 (3 brown, 1 green)

It snowed a couple of days ago. Ended up with 2 inches of very wet heavy snow this time as it was mixed with freezing rain.

Total snow fall = 63 inches.

The weather the last three days or so has been wonderful! Mostly sunny, mostly blue sky and up to 46 -47° F!!! The eves are dripping like crazy and the warmth of the sun through the windows is very noticeable. I’m loving it! I’m itching to start some seeds…but I’m having self-control and holding out till around the first of March. I have to buy seeds this year as I used up most of my “left overs” last year and what I hadn’t used up got ruined when the roof of the temporary greenhouse caved after some rain. If we end up taking a family trip this year (details later as they are decided upon), then having as large a garden as I’d like won’t be feasible. Still, I’d like to get some tomato seeds and other things (not sure yet) and do *something*.

Funny how a snow report turned into a garden-look-ahead report…

29 weeks today!

Again, all is well. Although, my blood test came back with low red blood cells. So, I could be anemic in one of three ways - iron, folic acid or a B vitamin. Since my midwife is still moving into her new house and home clinic, she has to find her book that tells which is which because she didn’t remember “off the top of her head.” Not to worry. She’s been doing this a long time and one little slip of memory doesn’t concern me in the least. She had a great time figuring out how baby was laying today and what the “pieces and parts” were. Baby is still posterior and kind of oblique today so finding the heartbeat took a while too. Baby kept moving all around giving her a run for her money and she kept laughing and telling Baby how funny (s)he was.

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the refrigerator is still working. A good vacuuming, etc. helped. Still acting funny…but working.