tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99078132012-01-20T08:53:49.402-09:00Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.comBlogger6031100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-6118655481389091092012-01-08T12:59:00.003-09:002012-01-08T12:59:57.681-09:00

I’m not normally a big fan of White Teas, but I got some the other day as part of an assortment gift from The Indigo Tea Lounge, in downtown Anchorage, that is quite good! It’s called:  White Coconut Crème Tea “Spring select white tea hand blended with coconut, safflowers & cornflowers. Delivers a sweet creamy texture with a light body and good balance of coconut.” I highly recommend it!

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-51644932965070503672012-01-06T13:01:00.002-09:002012-01-06T13:01:56.702-09:00

So, the whole roommate thing has been an interesting experience, to say the least. As you might recall in a previous posting, he moved in temporarily and then went and got a puppy. Well, that didn’t go over very well and came damn close to breaking us up completely. He ended up moving out, which brought a whole new set of emotional problems with it (but that’s a whole other story that I don’t

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-20925638361686916232012-01-06T13:00:00.002-09:002012-01-06T14:54:00.115-09:00

You know how everybody always says that once you get a tattoo, you’ll end up with more of them? I’m not finding that to be true. I’m quite happy with just the one that I have, and feel no compulsion to get any more. About the only way I can see me getting another one is if I should happen to get bit by some exotic bug or reptile while on my Amazonian Adventure. What I have discovered, however,

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-8467640846342448482012-01-06T12:59:00.001-09:002012-01-06T12:59:48.239-09:00

I dropped my car off at the shop this morning for an estimate on the work to be done. So far, I’m liking the place. Of course, I’ve only dealt with them for a total of maybe 10 minutes – we will see how well they do on the actual repair work. Rob picked me up at the shop and gave me a ride to work. They would have done that for me, but I’d already arranged with him. Of course, this meant he had

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-53214479598258372952012-01-04T11:10:00.000-09:002012-01-04T11:10:25.278-09:00

When I spoke to the insurance company yesterday to file a claim against the man who hit me, we discovered that he was not listed on the policy for that vehicle, so the insurance guy was not exactly sure how to proceed until he could get confirmation that everything was ok and the guy had not stolen that car! I just got off the phone this morning with the insurance guy who called to let me know

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-19066752894907703062012-01-04T08:36:00.002-09:002012-01-04T08:36:46.065-09:00

I finally got the list of team members who will be joining me on my Earthwatch Expedition next month. I’m very excited… It’s going to be a small group (my preferred) with just eight volunteers, including myself. Four of them are from the US and four of them are from the UK. Four of them are male, four of them are female. Four of them are couples – or at least I assume they are married,

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-57433104484661856982012-01-03T12:13:00.002-09:002012-01-03T12:13:55.562-09:00

OMG! I leave NEXT MONTH!!! I’m so excited… I made up little packets of information for my Emergency Contact people so they would have all the information they might need in case they have to get hold of me somehow or (God forbid) have to claim my body and get it back stateside. I’m going to get all the medications I need tonight – both prescription drugs and over-the-counter ones. I don’t need

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-72054181445440725532012-01-03T12:12:00.001-09:002012-01-03T12:12:52.881-09:00

Well, I was going to write up a nice long post all about my wreck, using witty phrasing and clever statements – but honestly, I simply got hit. There’s nothing amusing about it, and I’m just not up to pretending, I guess. The long and the short of it is that as I was leaving the grocery store one evening, the truck behind me couldn’t stop soon enough and munched the bumper on the back

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-56425606251688187682011-12-13T12:36:00.000-09:002011-12-13T12:36:13.331-09:00

Today marks the 60-day point on my countdown = just two months till I go to Peru for my Scientific Expedition. Can you tell I’m excited? My tasks for this month are as follows: First – I have to gather all my gear together and make sure I have everything I need. I actually did that last night and am good to go. Surprisingly enough, it’s really not that much stuff. I will be taking a carry-on

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-53919069489795210002011-12-11T09:54:00.001-09:002011-12-11T09:55:59.057-09:00

It all started out with a very uneventful day, and I was feeling very “unloved” and needy so was looking forward to spending an evening with just him and a movie. I had even picked up two cinamon rolls from the Great Harvest Bread Company for our dessert. He had other plans, apparently. He came in from spending the day with his buddy, hopped in the shower to clean off, and then left again. Once

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-64840039598203417322011-12-06T11:52:00.001-09:002011-12-06T11:52:43.331-09:00

Yesterday marked my 6-month anniversary here at GDM Architects. Yay for employment!!! I am now eligible for the company’s 401k plan, so have been filling out paperwork this morning. It’s not the best plan I’ve ever participated in, but it’s so much better than nothing. I have elected to divert 3% of my paycheck into the fund at this time. It’s not much – just around $50 a paycheck – but again

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-25909080612741981742011-12-06T09:51:00.001-09:002011-12-06T09:56:12.441-09:00

Each year, Amnesty International hosts a Global Write-a-thon to fight Human Rights Abuse all over the world. They provide you with everything you need: information on the cases highlighted that year, addresses to send them to, and sample letters to follow in case you get writers block. Since I am such a letter-writer, I have always tried to join in. This week I will be busy writing for the

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-50483542924957157302011-12-06T09:15:00.001-09:002011-12-06T09:17:27.922-09:00

I know, I know. I swore I would never have another roommate, ever again! So what do I do? I agree to let him crash on my couch for a few weeks while he closes on his house. The problem is “a few weeks” has somehow managed to turn in to “a couple of months” because of course closing on a house never goes as smoothly as one hopes. It’s actually not too bad. He’s set up in the library on my

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-20071208364156902492011-12-06T08:56:00.001-09:002011-12-06T08:59:27.629-09:00

My little June Bug had a vet’s appointment Saturday. Since it is quite chilly outside, I fixed up her travel carrier with a hot water bottle that has a sheepskin cover on it. She loved that: it’s nice and warm AND fuzzy all at the same time. Almost makes up for having to go to the vet. Almost. She is such a good little girl and has everybody over at The Pet Stop completely wrapped around her

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-29749248160358009862011-12-06T08:40:00.001-09:002011-12-06T08:41:48.573-09:00

I received my second shipment from the Tea of the Month Club last night:      4oz of Ceylon Balangoda Tea FP The description on the package reads:      The Balangoda estate is in one of the more beautiful corners of the planet. It is situated in the low-grown Ruhunu district and shares geography with the breathtaking Yala National Park. The park is comprised of wild brush, ocean beaches,

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-8766836701410462622011-11-23T12:23:00.001-09:002011-11-23T12:25:05.308-09:00

If you’re even half as fascinated with numbers and patterns as I am, I’m sure you noticed the passing of this momentous date: 11-11-11 But did you notice this one? 11-02-2011 Or how about this one? 11-22-11 Yes, November has truly been an interesting month…

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-43868751746955955212011-11-22T14:23:00.000-09:002011-11-22T14:23:23.538-09:00

Have you tried out that new Groupon thing? Each day they send out an email highlighting that day’s special deal: anything from 75% off dinner at the Taproot to a two-for-one deal on carpet cleaning for your home. You can really get some good deals and not only are they easy to purchase, they’re even easier to use. A while ago they had one for 50% off a Wall Mural from LTL Prints. I’m assuming

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-33723187159617736152011-11-17T12:26:00.001-09:002011-11-17T12:26:47.289-09:00

It’s hard to believe that my niece is 23 years old. Of course, I still think of her as a little girl – but that’s what Aunties are for. I remember one time I went out to Palmer. I was with my sister-by-choice, Lisa, and we were on our way up to the Matanuska River to do a float trip (quasi white water rafting). We stopped off at Noel’s house to visit and found little Katy, age 6, all dressed up

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-71933494842225339142011-11-09T12:27:00.002-09:002011-11-09T12:28:01.463-09:00

First: I now have confirmation that my insurance will be reimbursing me at 100% for my inoculations. This is really good news as they are quite expensive and the doctor’s office required payment up-front. I’ll need to find out whom to expect a refund from: will it come from the doctor’s office or from my insurance? Not that it matters, really. It’s all money in the bank! But, I should like to

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-41227193430924502122011-10-31T14:31:00.000-08:002011-10-31T14:31:14.699-08:00

Once again I find myself reading such a good book that just I have to tell everybody, in hopes that at least one of you out there will be "infected" by my enthusiasm enough to actually read it too. This one is called Insectopedia by Hugh Raffles. “As inventive and wide ranging and full of astonishing surprises as the vast insect world itself. Raffles takes us on a delirious journey” –the New

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-22168206972417624652011-10-31T13:17:00.000-08:002011-10-31T13:17:35.444-08:00

Well, the first at my house at least – it has apparently been on the ground elsewhere for a while now. I got almost two whole inches in my yard, with more coming down as we speak. As always, the first snowfall of the season makes for some exciting driving out on the roads! People tend to forget how to handle icy roads after the summer months; I can’t find anything in the papers about it this

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-51945049006594825042011-10-31T12:55:00.000-08:002011-10-31T12:55:21.600-08:00

Rob and I went hiking with guns again this weekend, this time going up Buffalo Mine Road to the creek out there. Our intention was to get some grouse, but honestly just being there was good enough for me. We ended up not seeing any, so the point is rather moot. It was a beautiful day. The snow on the ground gave a nice crispy chill to the air and turned the entire area into a Black & White

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-81723758322412363742011-10-31T09:48:00.002-08:002011-10-31T09:48:32.318-08:00

It happened Friday on my way home from work. I got shot three times, even: twice in the left arm and once in the right arm. And yes, it hurt. Of course, I’m talking about inoculations. My doctor’s appointment was on Friday. Hillside Family Medicine is just down the street from my house and are a very friendly office, with mostly women (I think there might be two men) employed there. When I

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-82299894581657127562011-10-24T12:54:00.001-08:002011-10-24T12:54:51.746-08:00

Now that I have my travel plans taken care of, the next item on my ToDo list is making sure all my shots are up-to-date. According to the paperwork sent to me by Earthwatch, I need to make sure my routine immunizations are current: DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus), Polio, MMR (Measles, Mumps, rubella) and Varicella. As far as I can tell, the only thing I need to do is make sure my tetanus

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-62903546808559299762011-10-24T08:04:00.000-08:002011-10-24T08:04:20.008-08:00

Hello Ruth, Although Vizcaya Museum & Gardens are lovely and worth the trip, it is about a 20 minute ride from Miami Beach and thus would probably be too hectic a day to do the walking tour and head to Vizcaya for another tour. There is plenty to do culturally here on the beach and the Welcome Center where you would be taking the Art Deco Historic Walking Tour from has plenty of information on

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-24417462998638279832011-10-20T13:53:00.000-08:002011-10-20T13:53:24.888-08:00

Whatever shall I do with my time there? Here’s what I have planned so far. My plane gets in at 7:09 am. I will first locate my departure gate, to make sure I know where that is. Then I will find some lockers to stow my carry-on for the day. After that, I’m thinking I should exchange some currency for Peru – although on second thought maybe I should wait till I’m actually in Peru. What do you

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-10632350815417814172011-10-20T11:10:00.000-08:002011-10-20T11:25:06.461-08:00

Finally! At long last, after much struggle and anguish, I finally have my ticket to Peru! I just can’t believe how difficult it was to get. Honestly, does everybody have this many problems? First, I went to the internet – one of those Priceline.com type sites. I typed in where I was flying from, where I was flying to, and when I needed to go. They came back with a long list of flights going to

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-87731237813103520102011-10-19T09:00:00.000-08:002011-10-19T09:00:15.184-08:00

My first installment of tea arrived in the mail last night:           4oz of Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea The description on the package reads:           If you're looking for an English Breakfast, try Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea. It has a lovely burgundy depth with light hints of an oak cask; a tea to savor during hectic or quiet times. A great value, and farmed without pesticides! I made my

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-6685630808787825842011-10-17T11:17:00.000-08:002011-10-17T11:17:10.972-08:00

Have you ever eaten there? It’s quite good, offering up all sorts of yummy bread products and sweet treats, as well as a whole menu of soups and sandwiches for lunch. I got to eat lunch there this weekend with my friend Lorna. The person behind the counter taking our order was a cute high school aged guy, complete with acne and braces. He’s got potential, though = I’m sure when he’s older

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-45141056606747163662011-10-17T11:08:00.000-08:002011-10-17T11:08:21.754-08:00

I did a rather stupid thing this weekend – and it’s entirely my own fault, too. I can’t place the blame anywhere other than on my own shoulders, because I know better than to talk on the phone while driving. I know that! Yet, that’s what I was doing. I was leaving the movie theatre (I’d just seen The Thing! = what a fabulous movie), following Lorna as she headed out the parking lot on her way

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-39354180586851234662011-10-14T14:16:00.000-08:002011-10-14T14:16:38.019-08:00

I posted this a couple years ago from a book I was reading at the time. It's funny enough that I thought I'd repost it... An Incomplete Education by Judy Jones and Wiliam Wilson May as well begin with the documentary footage of the scorpions. Not that it prepares you for the bandits, or the Majorcans, or the fellow kicking a violin down the street. In a way, it does prepare you for the man and

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-36533580333417312532011-10-14T09:36:00.000-08:002011-10-14T09:36:33.121-08:00

Boy, don’t I wish… but, really – it just might actually be a possibility! National Geographic is having a contest right now, and the grand prize is a trip for two to Antarctica! I’ve been logging on each morning for a month and submitting my name; the contest ends on the 17th of October, so I should know soon if I’ve won or not. So, Lorna… wanna go to Antarctica with me? You’re the only one I

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-58177700565449326622011-10-13T13:08:00.000-08:002011-10-13T13:08:10.503-08:00

Thursday: Type vocabulary list, phrases, and miscellaneous words during lunch hour Monday: Work on homework during lunch hour Tuesday: Finish homework during lunch hour Wednesday: Review homework during lunch hour Meet with Spanish tutor for 45 minutes Go to class for 2 hours Repeat as required till class is over for the sememester! --------------- That is my plan of attack for my

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-21672751428814016972011-10-13T11:20:00.000-08:002011-10-13T11:20:41.459-08:00

Apparently, I’m addicted to Craig’s List. Have you been there? It’s an awesome place, man! You can find ANYTHING there! In fact, you can sometimes find too much – things you really didn’t want to know were available. I found two really good jobs there: both Treeline Construction and GDM advertized for my position on Craig’s List. I even got several Cat-Sitting jobs from an ad I myself posted.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-65582876404015679892011-10-13T09:27:00.002-08:002011-10-13T09:27:35.138-08:00

I know, I know… I have months left before I get to go to Peru. Still, I have been checking the weather in Iquitos each day. Iquitos is the city where I will be rendezvousing with the group, by the way. I guess I just wanted to “get a feel” for the weather ahead of time, so that I would pack the right things (theoretically, at least). It’s kind of funny, actually. I check it each day – and yet

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-34701248265794707562011-10-13T09:19:00.000-08:002011-10-13T13:09:01.480-08:00

I had to drive around a dead cat on the road as I was going to work this morning. It was a beautiful cat, too: white, with black markings. I’m sure somebody out there is wondering where their cat went, and will eventually come to the realization that the cat will never come back home again. Honestly – it’s their own fault. I truly believe that cats do not belong outside in the city. My

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-32899562559847266092011-10-12T14:36:00.000-08:002011-10-12T14:36:34.742-08:00

I just did something rather impulsive yesterday: I signed myself up for a Tea of the Month Club! I have been in one before, back in my pipeline days, and really enjoyed it. Now that I have such a good job and actually have some money to play with finally (within reason, of course) I felt I could go ahead and treat myself once again. The Tea Table http://www.theteatable.com/ They have

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-61160285248353659482011-10-10T12:49:00.000-08:002011-10-10T12:49:02.015-08:00

I had a very quiet weekend, full of rest & relaxation. It was very nice, yet at the same time I actually got a whole lot done. Saturday was my eye appointment. I had thought that my glasses were no longer working for me because I couldn’t see the close-up stuff when I did my paper-cutting and card-making. I bought a $3 pair of glasses at the pharmacy that worked better than my $600 glasses! (I’

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-71466822280095352662011-10-07T10:52:00.002-08:002011-10-07T10:52:47.800-08:00

Part of the preparations for my trip to Peru is to read as many books and watch as many movies on the subject I can find prior to actually going, so as to have a better appreciation for the environment, culture, and inhabitants as I can. Here are some of the books I’ve read, all of which I highly recommend: Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest      By: Sy Montgomery When Sy

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-76574897580189555112011-10-07T10:14:00.000-08:002011-10-07T10:28:19.439-08:00

I got my annual exam over with yesterday – and got all my paperwork signed for the expedition, too! While we were at it the doctor suggested having blood work done as well, since it had been quite a while since I last had it done. What we were mostly concerned with was the cholesterol levels, since I have a family history of high cholesterol. I got the results back just this morning: I’m good

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-11214662168049966902011-10-06T15:14:00.000-08:002011-10-06T15:14:02.401-08:00

Things are happening around here lately – I’m a happy girl. My Craft Room: for all intents & purposes, it’s finished! Rob installed the window shades and fixed the chairs for me the other night. The few things that are left to do can be done at anytime over this coming winter, and do not impede my using the room. I am still planning on refinishing the table as it is old and has been well used.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-3626422150005405682011-09-28T11:23:00.000-08:002011-09-29T11:19:32.367-08:00

The teacher at the Spanish emersion school told me that I needed to purchase a Spanish-English dictionary for the class I’m taking, and recommended the Oxford Dictionary as being her personal favorite. I went on-line and ordered one thru Amazon.com using the $25.00 gift card I’d earned thru my credit card. It’s advertized as “a pocket dictionary” so you can imagine my surprise when I received

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-30244267339374687672011-09-27T12:44:00.001-08:002011-09-27T12:47:17.047-08:00

I know, I know… it’s been over a month since my last update here. I’m sure you all have been just dying to know what’s been going on in my life! So I’ll give you the brief “Reader’s Digest” condensed version: My Job: work is going quite well. I am busy enough to fill 40 hours a week, and have even managed to go out on a few site visits. The people I work with are all very nice, and I am fitting

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-5809196813127926072011-08-16T15:06:00.000-08:002011-08-16T15:06:29.444-08:00

Not only did I get a full day’s work in, I also managed to get several more items knocked off my to-do list! One: I found out the other day that we have a wireless connection here at work, so I brought my laptop in and downloaded all the updates on it. The only way I know to do that is to turn it on, connect to the internet, turn the computer off, and allow it to update itself. Then turn it

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-52681087710082345412011-08-16T14:48:00.000-08:002011-08-16T14:48:12.673-08:00

Saturday was such a nice day outside, Rob and I finally got around to tackling the moss on my roof. Last year we had taken a solution of bleach and water to it, so it was mostly dead. We just had to get up there with a wire bristle broom and sweep off the dead stuff. Of course, Rob can’t do anything half way – so while he was up there, he took my garden hose and pressure-washed all the cracks

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-38529860340409411402011-08-16T14:34:00.000-08:002011-08-16T14:34:38.620-08:00

Woke up early Sunday morning and headed out to the property in Talkeetna to burn the old wood. It was a great day for it – wet, rainy, and overcast. The drive out was uneventful. Rob slept most of the way, so I got to drive by myself. I must say, I was rather miffed at Rob: I was tired, too, but no – he had to be the one to doze thru the whole drive. Ah well, such is life. We made one little

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-53259103707572906612011-08-12T16:04:00.002-08:002011-08-15T06:50:14.576-08:00

And here I thought I was done with the ride… but it’s the DOW that’s going up and down this time, not me. Have you been watching? It’s been quite the ride, let me tell you. I don’t even want to know how much I’ve lost lately. Monday it plummeted 634 points. Tuesday it came back up 429 points. Wednesday it sunk again, down 519 points. Thursday saw it swing back up again, 423 points. Today it

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-78504725070307881712011-08-12T12:12:00.001-08:002011-08-12T14:41:56.902-08:00

Lamp:      Install 5 or 6 bulbs Table:      Clean up excess glue      Tighten up fastenings      Sand and/or resurface table top Chairs:      Fix supports      Tighten up fastenings Glass Cabinet:      Install1 light bulb      Clean up glass      Arrange tea accessories      Set up Mrs. Tea Radio:      Make sure it’s working Shelving:      Arrange monthly kits Cubbies:      Determine

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-1033902633195280872011-08-12T09:41:00.002-08:002011-08-12T09:41:23.185-08:00

It was such a nice sunny day yesterday I figured it would be the perfect time to get the second coat of stain on the garage door. I had worked on it last year, sanding off the old stuff and applying the first coat. Over the winter that got soaked in, so it really needed another. It’s a fairly easy job, and only took an hour or so. The hardest part was getting the weather stripping off prior to

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-63417744618195940572011-08-12T09:28:00.000-08:002011-08-12T09:28:48.991-08:00

I made a huge leap of progress on my craft room last night! I’m so excited about it… Rob came over last night (rather late, I might add) and helped me bring up all the furniture out of the garage and into the spare room. The table barely fit thru the door, but with some rather ingenious maneuvering he got it in. I have it set up with one flap down (against the wall) and the extra leaf put in,

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-863929655908733582011-08-08T11:49:00.000-08:002011-08-08T11:49:43.104-08:00

That’s actually my favorite line from that old movie “Splash” starring Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks. The dentist who is trying to get proof that mermaids actually do exist has just been stabbed in the leg with the Novocain needle and is wobbling around with his arm in a cast and I think his neck in a brace even. Anyway, it’s a cute line. In my case, it would be more descriptive to say “What a

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-39435949007216585642011-08-04T11:25:00.000-08:002011-08-04T11:25:52.075-08:00

Well, not really – although, to be honest, I’ve been thinking about doing just that. What I mean on this posting, however, is that I’ve changed the name of my blog. Did you notice? I have felt for quite some time that “Blog of a Zoo Volunteer” just didn’t accurately describe my blog – but it’s taken me this long to figure out how to change it. Hopefully it won’t mess up all of my followers (

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-24036251329185532722011-08-03T11:15:00.000-08:002011-08-03T11:15:24.806-08:00

One of the more negative side effects of switching jobs is that – once again – I have to go through the probational period before my new insurance kicks in. Thankfully, it’s only two months due to Treeline’s very generous offer of extending my old coverage by one month. Still, two months without insurance can be… shall we say - a nuisance? Case in point: my daily medication prescription is very

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-84201934641728905572011-08-02T10:47:00.000-08:002011-08-02T10:47:17.617-08:00

Once again, my big brother has saved the day! Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit. But really, he saved me well over $2,000.00 – and to me that pretty much counts as “saving the day” He gave me 50,000 Alaskan Airline Miles so that I won’t have to pay for my ticket to Peru! I did pay for the transfer fees, but that was considerably less (like maybe a fifth of the cost) than what a

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-91327579110147264712011-08-02T10:46:00.000-08:002011-08-02T10:46:26.283-08:00

As part of the preparations for my up-coming trip to Peru, I have decided to take Spanish lessons. I registered just last night; I’m so excited! It’s an immersion program, as taught by Somos Amigos - I don’t know what that means just yet, but I’m sure it has some significance. I’m starting out in the Beginner’s class which meets each Wednesday night, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, September 14 thru

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-9118405748782251582011-07-27T15:31:00.000-08:002011-07-27T15:31:27.067-08:00

Now that I have officially committed to the Amazon Riverboat Exploration trip (I put my deposit down just last week!) I am starting on the fun stuff: Gearing Up! While grocery shopping at Fred Meyers the other day I browsed thru the travel-sized sundries and found a few items I will need to take with me. I even found hand-held battery-operated mini-fans on sale! Earthwatch actually suggests

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-63220988204599726142011-07-27T15:29:00.000-08:002011-07-27T15:29:59.619-08:00

I am reading yet another great book: Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl      By Stacey O’Brien “On Valentines Day 1985, biologist Stacey O’Brien adopted Wesley, a baby barn owl with an injured wing who could not have survived in the wild. Over the next nineteen years, O’Brien studied Wesley’s strange habits with both a tender heart and a scientist’s eye – and

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-49370126754541777482011-07-22T11:10:00.000-08:002011-07-22T11:10:21.341-08:00

I am reading the best book right now! This is definitely my new Favorite Author – I’ve read two others of his, and loved them all equally. The Prince of the Mist      by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Here is the opening paragraph: Max would never forget that faraway summer when, almost by chance, he discovered magic. It was 1943, and the winds of war were dragging the world relentlessly toward the abyss.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-63742257162391776782011-07-21T11:44:00.000-08:002011-07-21T11:44:00.893-08:00

So – I’m planning another Earthwatch Expedition (my 4th) and am asking for help getting there. I will be heading off to Peru in February of 2012 for the Amazon Riverboat Exploration program where I will work with a team of biologists and other volunteers to collect information about the wildlife populations in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, along the Samiria River – a major Amazon

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-58176191097409160472011-07-10T04:08:00.000-08:002011-07-10T04:08:39.214-08:00

Everybody keeps telling me I should treat myself to something extra special now that I have this wonderful new job, so I took their advice yesterday. I got my eyebrow re-pierced!This time I got a titanium piece rather than the surgical steel type I had the first time. Plus, it’s a different shape: more of a “bone” than a “ring”. And it got placed deeper into the brow, underneath and around the

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-15473704673651565412011-07-10T04:01:00.002-08:002011-07-10T20:35:55.569-08:00

The first week of work went quite well, despite that first day. I so hate “first days” - almost as much as I hate new jobs. Honestly, I thought I was going to throw up! But amazingly enough, I fit in there. I feel right at home already, and am getting along with everybody. Boy, that makes it sound like it’s a big office with lots of people, doesn’t it? There’s not: there are only 5 people, me

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-59294296404277099782011-07-04T19:14:00.000-08:002011-07-04T19:14:47.701-08:00

So, for the first time in something like 2 and a half years, I’m going to turn my alarm clock on for tomorrow morning. I haven’t needed it for so long because I’ve either been on unemployment and so did not need to get up in the morning, or I had a job that didn’t start until later in the morning and I could just wake up naturally. Now –YAY! – I have a job that requires me to get up on time.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-70984439734274459302011-07-01T11:06:00.000-08:002011-07-01T11:06:31.676-08:00

Summer in AlaskaAs always, summer is a busy time. You only have about 3 months to make up for the past 9 months of darkness, so you tend to pack everything you can think of into your days – leaving barely any time at all for the more mundane things, like updating one’s blog or keeping one’s house clean. So, once again, you’re getting the update all in one fell swoop. Life is GoodWhen I compare

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-53139525584767290182011-06-22T17:22:00.000-08:002011-06-22T17:22:56.397-08:00

I got a job!!!!! It's with GDM Architects; a smallish architectural firm here in Anchorage. I applied to them back in November, so was quite surprised to get their call last week asking for an updated resume. Tuesday morning I went in for a brief face-to-face with the guy; he said that he'd get back with me for an actual sit-down interview later on in the week. Not two hours later, however, he

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-52506477890712781102011-06-13T10:42:00.000-08:002011-06-13T10:42:50.607-08:00

I had such a good weekend! I’m quite worn out from it (I’m so old) - but it’s a happy kind of worn out. On Saturday, I got to visit the Farmer’s Market just down the road from my house. It’s still early in the season, so there really wasn’t much to choose from. I did pick up a bunch of parsnips for this week’s soup pot, though; that should be interesting. I’ve never tried parsnips before: have

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-59664498117379197792011-06-07T11:20:00.000-08:002011-06-07T11:20:20.074-08:00

I got to see the baby squirrel playing this morning! The mother has been helping herself to my bird feeder all spring, eating 4 entire cakes of suit all by herself. It gets expensive replacing them all the time, but seeing the little one playing this morning made it all worthwhile. Do squirrels have more than one baby at a time? And where do they nest: in a hole in the tree? I know which

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-37418754261291410482011-06-06T17:46:00.000-08:002011-06-06T17:46:33.882-08:00

Djuna and Her IV: I’m getting much better at this and was able to give Junie her fluids almost by myself last night. Rob only had to step in to help once, holding the bag up for me so I could see the markings on it. I’ll adjust things a bit in my procedure so that he won’t have to next time. Junie and I were both much more comfortable with it, and the whole thing barely took 10 minutes. She

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-35202398237998112672011-05-23T11:07:00.000-08:002011-05-23T11:07:37.202-08:00

I was sitting on the couch relaxing after eating a stack of sourdough pancakes (with cranberries!) for breakfast, when he came up to me with the watering can in hand. He was doing the weekly plant-watering chore, and since there was a plant right beside the couch I thought nothing of it. He watered me! He SAYS he just intended to “pretend” to water me, but I have my doubts. He actually poured

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-9036979827118120422011-05-23T11:06:00.000-08:002011-05-23T11:06:17.728-08:00

The first hike of the season snuck up on me this year. I usually send out an announcement a week prior so that people can get their schedules arranged around the hike, then send out a reminder on Friday to ensure they all remember. This time, however, it was Friday night – almost Saturday morning, truth be told – when I looked at my schedule and realized what day it was. We had a poor turnout as

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-75320888448035798062011-05-23T11:05:00.000-08:002011-05-23T11:05:00.694-08:00

Djuna had to go to the vet’s once again this weekend, this time to teach me how to give her subcutaneous fluids. I had been thinking this would mean simply giving her a shot once a week, but is actually a bit more involved than that. It’s an actual IV bag with a drip line and everything. Thankfully I don’t have to worry about hitting a vein or anything like that. I just poke it in her skin and

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-22614402081859664232011-05-23T11:04:00.001-08:002011-05-23T17:44:17.291-08:00

Happy Birthday to Me! It’s a bit late: my actual birthday was on the 15th but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a chance to update my blog since then. Anyway, I am proud to announce that I am 46 years old this year. I worked very hard to get here, so I am not about to short-change myself by claiming that I’m younger than I am. Most people are a bit surprised by that, but that’s how I feel. This

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-78175620755773484322011-05-09T17:51:00.000-08:002011-05-09T17:51:07.437-08:00

I found the best way to get the yard work done: have a garage sale! Oh, and invite your Mother, sister-in-law, and boyfriend, too. My sister-in-law raked the yard while Mother stuffed all the leaves into sacks, then Mother weeded the garden. Meanwhile, Rob was out back raking up all those weeds! I tell you: my yard looks totally awesome now, and all I had to do was man the garage sale. I think

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-57856953085481471092011-05-09T17:50:00.001-08:002011-05-09T17:52:51.126-08:00

I hope you all had a good Mother’s Day this year. I’m almost embarrassed to say that my mother worked at my garage sale for her special day. I swear she said she didn’t mind, but I still feel bad about that. I did take her out to dinner, at least. Rob and I took her to probably THE BEST Italian restaurant in town: Pizza Olympia. They are 3 generations of extremely good cooks offering up

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-52319395355548551922011-05-09T17:49:00.000-08:002011-05-09T17:49:26.705-08:00

My garage sale went rather well this weekend. I want to send out a HUGE thank you to my mother and sister-in-law for helping out. I doubt I could have done it at all without them. We set up around 9:00 Saturday morning so that by 10:00 we were ready for our first customer. Heather brought 3 tables to add to the 3 I had, and Mother brought change to seed the money box with as well as tons of

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-41115439920371907462011-05-09T17:48:00.000-08:002011-05-09T17:48:28.633-08:00

I got my first mosquito bite of the year! Not many places would see that as being at all noteworthy, but I actually saw an article in the Fairbanks newspaper talking about just such a thing! I guess they were hard up for news that day. Regardless, I always make note of it, simply because it means that summer is actually here – FINALLY!

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-28157047598955337892011-05-04T12:33:00.000-08:002011-05-04T12:33:27.953-08:00

Let’s say you work for Company X. During the course of an average day at work you run thru 30 to 40 pieces of paper, well over half of which get thrown away after a few marks are made on them.  Company X has a recycling program so you don’t feel quite so bad about wasting so much paper, but you just recently started to save it all to take home and use in your home printer. After all, work

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-45917338564874758562011-05-03T16:49:00.000-08:002011-05-03T16:49:54.497-08:00

I thought I’d take the time to update you all on the renovations taking place in my house, even though I really don’t have much to report. Motivation seems to have stalled out, on both Rob’s and my part. We did go shopping again a while ago, so now I have on hand pretty much everything I need to be working on it. The only thing we haven’t bought yet is the molding & ceiling materials; Rob thinks

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-18165464910729523762011-05-03T16:48:00.000-08:002011-05-03T16:48:08.388-08:00

My first official bike ride of the season was supposed to have taken place this past weekend. Rob came and picked me up Friday after work and we headed off down the road. He had to stop and get gas, however, so we pulled in to the Huffman gas station - which just so happens to be conveniently located right next to a bike shop that he’s been wanting to check out, so of course we had to go in.Rob

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-14348807052599913812011-05-03T16:46:00.000-08:002011-05-03T16:46:16.875-08:00

Djuna had another doctor’s appointment early Monday morning, this time for a sonogram to determine what’s going on with her kidneys. The results were both good and bad, as is usually the case. There were several people in the room: Dr. Trout the specialist, Dr. VerSteeg her regular doctor, a vet tech whose name I didn’t catch, and myself. Of course, Djuna was the star of the show: there were

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-45818301142306725582011-04-28T15:05:00.000-08:002011-04-28T15:05:49.339-08:00

Got my bike all fixed up for the season! Rob got me a basket for it: it’s a cute little white wire mesh one that attaches to the front handlebars. It’s removable, even, so I can take it grocery shopping with me. I plan on stringing some colorful ribbons on it, with bows and streamers. Because, you know, that’s what you do with a white wire mesh basket on your bicycle. The same day he

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-10018951084174758732011-04-27T09:41:00.001-08:002011-04-27T11:14:20.223-08:00

Lorna picked me up Saturday morning at 9:00 and we hit the road running! I so needed this – to just get away from “life” and have no agenda. It was perfect. The weather was certainly less than perfect, although I do love a good rain storm. That’s what we had: a good rainstorm. The windshield wipers could barely keep up with it along the coast between Anchorage and Portage. The wind was blowing

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-4895305906451063842011-04-27T09:00:00.001-08:002011-04-27T11:16:50.954-08:00

I found myself with some time on my hands so stopped in at The Hole look, where I got my piercing and tattoo done. I told the lady at the counter that it seemed as though my piercing was moving and I was wondering what was going on. She immediately said, “Take it out. Now. Your body is rejecting it.” I was stunned. I had no idea that could even happen, and for her to be so bold and blunt like

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-16361647608515937302011-04-27T08:58:00.003-08:002011-04-27T11:18:26.536-08:00

What is the price of gas where you live? Here in Anchorage, Alaska it’s averaging around $4.11 per gallon, but on my recent road trip we stopped in Sterling to fill up and paid $4.65. It’s a wonder we’re all still even taking road trips, isn’t it? Oh, and what kind of gas mileage do you get? I drive a 2001 Nissan Sentra and average around 30-35 miles per gallon.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-3146661550746325752011-04-20T10:59:00.000-08:002011-04-20T10:59:11.900-08:00

I was standing at the door last night, talking to the missionaries, when Djuna made her mad dash out the door. I was shocked: she’s never done anything like that before! She slipped though our legs and made it all the way down the steps. She didn’t even slow down; she just made a bee-line down to the bottom, then turned around and ran right back up the steps and into the house again. I had just

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-76890448127470867712011-04-19T10:24:00.002-08:002011-04-19T10:24:50.162-08:00

Well, she’s definitely feeling better. This morning she was racing around the house, showing off how fast she can run. The antibiotics they gave her on Saturday really made a difference, thank goodness. Her doctor called first thing Monday morning to check up on her. Looks like my little June Bug has a fan at the vet’s office! I reported that although she was still very sleepy, she was being

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-46781090057627755002011-04-16T17:39:00.000-08:002011-04-16T17:39:18.613-08:00

I took her in to the vet's on Friday because she has been very lethargic and won’t wake up even when I come home from work. When I do get her up, she just wants to be held so she can sleep in my arms. She tried to jump up into my lap once and didn’t make it. The vet weighed her (5lb 4oz), checked her heart (good), poked around at her tummy (all good), cleaned out her ears (gunky black tar, as

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-39554772239057642192011-04-15T11:31:00.000-08:002011-04-15T11:31:11.681-08:00

Back when I had a roommate, it was our agreement that each would only eat the food we ourselves bought. Apparently she had a hard time with that concept: she kept eating my food! Eventually I just stopped buying food altogether because I didn’t want to pay for her meals (petty, I know… but that was just the tip of the iceberg with her). Now that she’s gone, I am really enjoying food again.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-78783976467937143052011-04-11T10:28:00.000-08:002011-04-11T10:28:03.144-08:00

Rob and I spent the weekend out in Palmer detailing the Nissan so it can be sold. That’s hard work! I can’t believe how exhausted I am - and I have some very strange bruises to show for it, too. But we did get a most excellent meal out of the deal: Mother made meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, biscuits, and a wonderful Portobello mushroom side dish especially for me. I ate so much I was barely

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-7114138037915720882011-04-08T08:24:00.000-08:002011-04-08T08:24:59.273-08:00

Read any good books lately? Post a comment and let me know, please. I love to hear what people are reading – who knows, I just might find my next favorite book! I’m reading At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson which is a really good book. Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors; I’ll read pretty much anything he’s written. Here’s the review by Amazon.com for the book:

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-27421519067006561032011-04-07T12:50:00.000-08:002011-04-07T12:50:26.351-08:00

Wow, the winds are really blowing today. There’s a High Wind Warning in effect with winds up to 75mph possible. The weather service described it as "a dynamic and dangerous storm" that has moved into the Central Bering Sea. The power was down earlier this morning – about 5,200 people were without for a couple hours. Oddly enough, it was right here in this area where I work (and live) and yet

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-736247136595783152011-04-06T16:56:00.000-08:002011-04-06T16:56:48.299-08:00

Spring is just around the corner: you can feel it in the air, despite the new coating of snow we’ve accumulated these past few days. People are getting antsy and restless, eager to get outside and start DOING STUFF. Like hiking! And bicycling! And camping! The Family Hiking Series for 2011 has been set. If anybody is interested in going hiking with us this year, just let me know. I’ll add you to

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-10251282935461444402011-04-06T16:54:00.001-08:002011-04-07T08:03:30.958-08:00

Mother and I came up with the great idea of hiring a contractor to re-carpet and re-paint my spare room, so I called around and had one come over to give me an estimate. The man was very nice and had a lot of information to share with me about my ideas. We took measurements, talked paint & carpet colors, and came up with two plans of attack: Plan A (my preferred design) and Plan B (in case the

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-15722498986435658902011-03-22T09:35:00.000-08:002011-03-22T09:35:02.166-08:00

Devons are heat seekers. Ask anybody who shares a home with one; they most certainly will agree. It could be because they barely have any hair at all or it could just be they love to be toasty warm. Regardless, they will find the sweet spot and take full advantage of even the tiniest puddle of sunshine. For me, it all started with of the Alien: what little hair he had was across his back,

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-36984838993533293332011-03-20T09:19:00.002-08:002011-03-21T08:57:38.115-08:00

ME: Hello! ROB: Hey, got a question for you. Who should we call for an injured bird? ME: What’s going on? ROB: Well, one of the guys here at work says there is an injured owl in the parking garage. He says it’s been there for several days now. It’s up on the 7th floor, and it just sits there staring at him. We wanted to call somebody to come get it, but don’t know who to call. ME: Hmmm, I think

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-12318017874233458942011-03-14T16:20:00.000-08:002011-03-14T16:20:39.779-08:00

My good friend Lorna gave me a bottle of wine from the Bear Creek Winery for Valentine’s Day this year: their special edition of Chocolate Raspberry Wine. To celebrate my new-found freedom of NO MORE ROOMMATE, I decided to open it and have a glass the other day. To no real surprise, I discovered that my bottle opener had been taken. I will give her the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-84252069638559012482011-03-14T16:16:00.000-08:002011-03-14T16:16:56.398-08:00

And yet – looking back at it – I honestly can’t see that I did all that much. My body feels like I got run over by a Mack Truck, however, so I know I did something. I hadn’t slept well at all Friday night, so after working at the Zoo for two hours on Saturday I tried to lay down for a nap. My girls were quite happy to join me, and even Tommy came and sat near the couch where I lay – as close as

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-44349592572908401712011-03-14T16:14:00.000-08:002011-03-14T16:14:46.939-08:00

This Saturday was The Alaska Zoo’s IditaZoo program, in celebration of the more universally known Iditarod Race. I got to work my 2-hour shift at the “Nome” Checkpoint station, near the porcupine exhibit. “Nome” is the last stop in the Iditarod race, so at the zoo this was the last stop in our game of trivia. Each player gathered stamps on their map from all the checkpoints, and then got to

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-26136062745613518672011-03-06T09:45:00.000-09:002011-03-06T09:45:14.852-09:00

Plan A was that Rob and my brother were to go ice climbing while Heather and I spent the day doing crafts. However, since things rarely go as planned, we had to switch over to Plan B: the 4 of us go out hiking up at Hatcher's Pass. I have to admit that I was not very thrilled at the thought of going hiking. I am in full hibernation mode it seems, and the thought of hiking out in the freezing

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-54644007685814147162011-03-02T08:58:00.000-09:002011-03-02T08:58:22.293-09:00

I have such wonderful friends! I am so very thankful for each and every one of you – just wanted you all to know that. This past week, I got to spend some time with a few of them: Rikki and I had lunch at the Perfect Cup on Sunday. I met Rikki several years ago at one of the first Architectural Conventions I went to. She was a vendor selling Autodesk products, and I was working the

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9907813.post-22006155510520017732011-02-28T21:22:00.000-09:002011-02-28T21:22:40.289-09:00

This weekend was the start of the annual Fur Rendezvous, a celebration of the miners and trappers that colonized this area. Back in the day, this was when they all gathered together to sell their furs and socialize a bit. Nowadays they have such events as The Running of the Caribou, the Out House Races, Dog Sled Races, Snowshoe Softball, Ice Sculpture Contests, and various Arts & Crafts shows

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270182328436811335noreply@blogger.com0