Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Today’s Activities
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 back on, connect to the internet again, and turn it off again to allow more updates to load. I did this about 12 times, each time loading updates, till finally it stopped wanting to load things. All together, I ended up with about 70 updates – yeah, it’s been a while…
Two: Last weekend, Rob had me order myself some boots & shoes for my trip from a website that he uses – using his membership for the cheaper price, and using his rewards certificate for an extra $10.00 off. The package arrived a few days later – and I absolutely LOVE the shoes! The boots, however, did not fit. So today, I packaged them back up and took it to the UPS store to return them for an exchange. I’ll try the next size up and hope that fits better. If not, perhaps I’m just not meant to wear those particular boots.
Three: I have my furniture all moved in and arranged in the new craft room but there are still needs a few things left to be done: one piece of trim still needs to be nailed down, he needs to install my closet doors, and he needs to put up the blinds on the window. The table and all 5 chairs need his attention, too – mostly just tightening up the fastenings and making sure they won’t wiggle free and/or break on me. Today at lunch I stopped off at the store and got two power strips so I can plug everything in and get it all going. Tonight I’ll have to get the tea cabinet organized. Then I think I’ll be set!
Anybody want to come play with me?
As an added bonus: I have a date with my niece to look forward to this weekend. She and I are going to go pick raspberries at my friend Rikki’s house. Katy wants to make jam, and I just love to pick berries. Plus, we’ll get to meet Rikki’s new baby daughter, Adina.
Splish, Splash
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 and crevices.
I say “pressure washed” but honestly, the garden hose doesn’t have nearly the pressure you’d expect from a Pressure Wash… let’s just say he used a fairly strong stream of water to get all the dirt and whatnot loose from my shingles.
While he was up there with the hose in hand, he went ahead and washed my windows for me even! It had been more than a few years since that had happened, so the difference is very noticeable.
He also attended to my rain gutters, cleaning them out and making sure they’ll work properly. He even took care of my neighbor’s gutters since he could see that they needed attention too.
All the mud, moss, and junk that had been up on the roof ended up on my driveway, the boardwalk leading to my front door, and on the neighbor’s car, too. So we had to clean all that off once the roof was done.
All in all, it was quite a day’s worth of work, but the results look so good it was definitely worth it.
The bad news: we determined that I really do need a new roof. I should get it this year, even – but since I’m going to Peru this year, it will have to wait for next year.
Unless I can get a screaming good deal… know anybody who can replace my roof really inexpensively?
Burn Baby Burn
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 stop in Willow to pick up the burn permit at the Fire Department. I don’t understand the whole “burn permit” concept: I thought it would mean filling out an application and turning it in to an actual person. At the very least, they might want to know who we were and where we intended to burn. But all it was was a piece of paper with some rules on it. No form to fill out. No human being attached to it anywhere. Absolutely no one to check in with or talk to about our intentions.
Very strange.
At least we got the paper required in case somebody happened by who cared. No one did, by the way.
Our first task, according to the rules, was to rake out the area where we intended to burn, making sure we had a fire brake of several feet worth of dirt and non-combustibles. The fire itself was to be no wider than 10 feet around and no higher than 4 feet high – so we piled up some of the wood, doused it with lighter fluid, and set it on fire.
It wouldn’t burn. We ended up using an entire can of lighter fluid on it, and it just wouldn’t burn!
Honestly, we were a bit stumped (no pun intended). How were we supposed to get the darned fire going when the wood was so wet you could have used it as a sponge during your bath? Maybe if we got some charcoal briquettes to start the fire? Or maybe cut up some of the dryer deadfall lying around? A trip into town and roughly an hour’s worth of work down the hill and finally, we got our fire going.
My, what a fire it was too! Of course, it got bigger than 10 feet around and 4 feet high. At one point it was so hot Rob singed his hair just adding more logs to the fire! We burned for 4-5 hours but only got about half the pile taken care of, so we’ll have to go back again to finish up.
Putting the fire out was interesting, too. It was so big, and burned so hot, I made Rob stop putting more logs on about an hour before we thought we’d want to leave – but that still wasn’t enough time for it to burn out. We raked the coals around to cool them off, then dumped 3 very large containers of water on it (I don’t know how big the container was, but I couldn’t lift it – I know that!), and finally – with a little help from the weather – it was finally safe to leave.
On our way home we stopped in at the Sheep Creek Lodge and had a really tasty pizza for dinner, along with a drink of some really good Alaskan made vodka (birch flavored even!).
And yes, he slept the whole way home while I drove again. But at least I now have a very impressive colorful bruise to show for my weekend!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Again with the Roller-Coaster!
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 continued on up, but at a more leisurely pace with a gain of 126 points.
According to the papers, this was “The wildest week on Wall Street since the financial crisis in 2008”
“The blue-chip index had four 400-point swings in a row for the first time in its 115-year history.”
Whew!
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 continued on up, but at a more leisurely pace with a gain of 126 points.
According to the papers, this was “The wildest week on Wall Street since the financial crisis in 2008”
“The blue-chip index had four 400-point swings in a row for the first time in its 115-year history.”
Whew!
My To-do List
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 sturdiness
Arrange supplies
Digital Picture Frame:
Load photographs
Hang on wall
Closet:
Install doors
Paint doors
Trim:
Finish installing
Touch up with paint
Window:
Install shades
Room:
Vacuum
Arrange accessories
Garage:
Install weather stripping around door
Sweep floor
Rearrange shelving
Break down boxes for recycling
Dining Rm:
Rearrange shelving
Bring in 2 bookshelves (from stairs)
Bedroom:
Arrange bedding in dresser
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 sturdiness
Arrange supplies
Digital Picture Frame:
Load photographs
Hang on wall
Closet:
Install doors
Paint doors
Trim:
Finish installing
Touch up with paint
Window:
Install shades
Room:
Vacuum
Arrange accessories
Garage:
Install weather stripping around door
Sweep floor
Rearrange shelving
Break down boxes for recycling
Dining Rm:
Rearrange shelving
Bring in 2 bookshelves (from stairs)
Bedroom:
Arrange bedding in dresser
The Second Helping
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 painting – it’s screwed in with like a million screws, and I don’t have the power tools like Rob does, so had to make due with a good ol’ hand powered screw driver.
The door really soaked up the stain, too. Rob says I should do it each year, but that each year it will need less and less.
I also need to do the walkway and entry way, but that needs Rob’s air compressor to blow away all the debris so I can get a good layer down without dust in it.
When I look at pictures from before and compare them to now – wow… it really needed attention, and looks so good now.
It’s a fairly easy job, and only took an hour or so. The hardest part was getting the weather stripping off prior to painting – it’s screwed in with like a million screws, and I don’t have the power tools like Rob does, so had to make due with a good ol’ hand powered screw driver.
The door really soaked up the stain, too. Rob says I should do it each year, but that each year it will need less and less.
I also need to do the walkway and entry way, but that needs Rob’s air compressor to blow away all the debris so I can get a good layer down without dust in it.
When I look at pictures from before and compare them to now – wow… it really needed attention, and looks so good now.
Oh So Close!
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, so that I can set all 5 antique chairs around it. Both the table and all the chairs still need some attention, but they are at least usable if I’m careful with them.
Next to be put in place was the glass cabinet that used to set next to Stan’s chair out at the farm. It needs a light bulb and a good cleaning, but is otherwise good to go. I’m thinking I will put my tea pots and china cups in there, and if I can figure out how to fit it in I may even bring up my Mrs. Teapot (by the makers of Mr. Coffee) so I can serve tea while crafting with friends and family!
I put the antique-looking radio/cd/casset/record player on top of the glass cabinet. Mother says it had been Grandma Dorothy’s, but she had never even taken it out of the box. Do you think it will be safe enough to place my Mrs. Teapot on top of the radio? Or should I scoot it over and make room on the cabinet itself? I’ll have to think on that a bit.
The craft cubbies got moved up next. Down in the dining room I had them set up in a stair-type format, but that arrangement won’t work up in the craft room – so they are now just two cubbies high and 4 cubbies wide, forming a nice low “shelf” under the window. I put my Goldfish Plant on the shelf, and will have other nick-knacks and supplies as needed up there. Of course, I shall have to leave room for the most important adornment: my girls will love sitting up there to look out the window!
Mother had also given me a tall shelf unit from the Amish Treeforms place out in Wasilla which now resides next to the cubbies. It’s a beautiful piece, and will hold all the monthly kits that I have. That’s tonight’s chore: get everything in place, organized and cleaned up – both in the craft room and in the dining room. I may even clean out the garage a bit.
The finishing touches included hanging up the clock and placing the lamp on the table. We talked about installing the digital picture frame on the wall, but I may get my sister Heather to do that for me. She has one herself, so would know how to load it up and get it going. Rob has a flat screen monitor he’s going to loan me (thank you Trey!) which can be hooked up to the cable outlet, and he still needs to install the window blinds and closet doors.
Oh, and I have plans for getting my artist friend Lorna to pain the closet doors! I’m thinking a nice garden scene, with fireweed and what not would look just wonderful.
So, now the real question is: Does anybody want to come over and play with me? We can have a Craft Day together!
Monday, August 08, 2011
What a Week I’m Having!
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 Weekend I Had!” but that didn’t really fit the movie reference.
Saturday morning, I was supposed to give the Discovery Tour at the zoo, but just couldn’t face dealing with tourists so was not looking forward to it. Thankfully, just as I got to the parking lot, I got a call from Rob who invited me to join them for a late breakfast.
After helping Rob cook biscuits and gravy for 4, we gathered up a few of the neighbor’s kids and headed out to the go-carts. The kids had a great time racing around the tracks while Rob and I had fun watching them from the sidelines. Boy, it was expensive, though! It’s only $5.00 a ride – but each ride is only about 10 minutes long, and there were 4 kids. They each went 3 times, so that was $60.00 for about half an hour’s entertainment.
But then it got REAL fun! We dropped the neighbor kids off back at their house and took off for a hike on one of my favorite trails: South Fork Eagle River! It was raining, so the parking lot actually had a few spaces open, and there weren’t that many people on the trail itself. I had forgotten to bring my rain coat, but since I tend to overheat when I hike anyway I was just fine with the waffle-weave Henley I had on and was able to give my button-down shirt to Trey, who was shivering in his t-shirt.
I had such a good time up there! My head was feeling good, my legs had just the right amount of burn to them, and the rain was just a light continuous misting. It was awesome!
We even made it all the way to the bridge finally! I’ve been on the trail numerous times over the past few years, but have never actually made it that far before. Although, truth be told, just the kids and I made it – Rob and his friend Dustin took a side trip up the mountain to see how far they could get in that direction.
On the way home, we all stopped off at a Japanese restaurant for some sushi and saki (okay, the kids did NOT get any of the saki – just Rob and I) then we stopped off at Freddy’s to get some movies and ice cream.
To end our day we all plopped down on various chairs & couches, ate our ice cream, and watched “The Adjustment Bureau” starring Matt Damon.
On Sunday, I got another phone call from Rob inviting me over for breakfast – this time we had sourdough pancakes with pecans and caramel cooked into them. Yum! The sourdough starter he uses is taken from my Mother’s starter, which is taken from my Sister’s starter, which is apparently taken from somebody else’s starter, and so on – and is supposedly a very old sourdough starter.
While they were getting things ready for the day, I borrowed Rob’s computer and downloaded the latest software update for my Kindle (my computer at home didn’t want to do it, for some strange reason) and even managed to buy some more gear (boots and shoes) for my Peruvian Expedition!
Once everybody was showered and organized and all that, we took off for downtown. Rob and Trey and the neighbor’s boy walked down to the Delany Park Strip to see the car show (over 300 cars expected to be entered this year!) while I took off to the 5th Avenue Mall with Sierra and the neighbor’s girl for some shopping. Two hours later, we regrouped in the Town Square Park to compare stories and make plans for the rest of the day.
This is where I threw in the towel. I really don’t enjoy shopping so had been rather worn out after two hours of it, and I knew that Rob really needed to spend these last few days with his kids by himself (no tag-alongs needed) – so I went home and they took off for dinner somewhere.
At home, I got laundry done, cooked up a batch of soup for my lunches, snuggled with my girls for a bit, and relaxed with a glass of wine and a so-so movie before going to bed for the night.
All in all, it really was a great weekend.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
I Changed My Name
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 (to whom I am dumbfoundedly grateful – I have no idea why you follow me but appreciate the sentiment, and your comments too).
Le me know if there are any complications as a result – I’ll do what I can to fix them.
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 (to whom I am dumbfoundedly grateful – I have no idea why you follow me but appreciate the sentiment, and your comments too).
Le me know if there are any complications as a result – I’ll do what I can to fix them.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Pharmaceutical Scam
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 close to running out - I probably have a couple week's worth left. As most of you know, the price of drugs can be astronomical without insurance, so I prepared myself for the sticker shock that I just knew was going to hit me when I refilled it.
I found myself at the grocery store the other day, so stopped by the pharmacy to ask exactly how much it was going to cost so that I could start saving up for it. I must say, I was stunned at her reply.
Care to take a guess?
I take a pill and a half each day, so a 3-month supply is 135 pills. With the old insurance’s 3-tier drug program, I paid just $10.00 a month – or $30.00 for the entire bottle.
The cost without insurance for the same amount of pills was…
Wait for it…
FIFTEEN DOLLARS!
That’s right = $15.00!
I don’t even know what to say about that. I’m happy, of course. But come on: it’s actually LESS without insurance than what I’d been paying all along?
I suppose the lesson for everybody to take home here is = Check your prescriptions! You might actually be able to pay less by not using your insurance coverage!
Case in point: my daily medication prescription is very close to running out - I probably have a couple week's worth left. As most of you know, the price of drugs can be astronomical without insurance, so I prepared myself for the sticker shock that I just knew was going to hit me when I refilled it.
I found myself at the grocery store the other day, so stopped by the pharmacy to ask exactly how much it was going to cost so that I could start saving up for it. I must say, I was stunned at her reply.
Care to take a guess?
I take a pill and a half each day, so a 3-month supply is 135 pills. With the old insurance’s 3-tier drug program, I paid just $10.00 a month – or $30.00 for the entire bottle.
The cost without insurance for the same amount of pills was…
Wait for it…
FIFTEEN DOLLARS!
That’s right = $15.00!
I don’t even know what to say about that. I’m happy, of course. But come on: it’s actually LESS without insurance than what I’d been paying all along?
I suppose the lesson for everybody to take home here is = Check your prescriptions! You might actually be able to pay less by not using your insurance coverage!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Getting a Ticket
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 round-trip ticket would cost, so I’m still way ahead of the game.
Now all I have to do is figure out exactly when I need to be in Iquitos, get the flights all figured out, and somehow get them to actually let me use the miles. I’m thinking I’ll just go to the airport and talk to a real person at the ticket counter. That is so much easier than trying to deal with it all myself, even if it will cost me an extra fee.
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 round-trip ticket would cost, so I’m still way ahead of the game.
Now all I have to do is figure out exactly when I need to be in Iquitos, get the flights all figured out, and somehow get them to actually let me use the miles. I’m thinking I’ll just go to the airport and talk to a real person at the ticket counter. That is so much easier than trying to deal with it all myself, even if it will cost me an extra fee.
Me no hablo Espanol
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 December 7, with the week of Thanksgiving off.
The class cost $250.00 with an extra $35.00 for the book. I’ll have to go find a Spanish-English dictionary (they recommended the Oxford Dictionary) for the class as well. Hopefully Title Wave has a used one I can buy.
I didn’t think that was too bad a price: add it all up and divide it by the number of classes and it comes out to about $25.00 a night, or $12.30 an hour.
I used to speak Spanish back in my younger days, so realistically it shouldn’t be that difficult to find it again. That was a very long time ago, however – so don’t expect any miracles, please.
But even a little bit will help, I’m thinking.
And wouldn’t you know it – the teacher of the class is from Peru and has been to Iquitos numerous times! I totally plan to ask as many questions as I can think of during our time together.
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 December 7, with the week of Thanksgiving off.
The class cost $250.00 with an extra $35.00 for the book. I’ll have to go find a Spanish-English dictionary (they recommended the Oxford Dictionary) for the class as well. Hopefully Title Wave has a used one I can buy.
I didn’t think that was too bad a price: add it all up and divide it by the number of classes and it comes out to about $25.00 a night, or $12.30 an hour.
I used to speak Spanish back in my younger days, so realistically it shouldn’t be that difficult to find it again. That was a very long time ago, however – so don’t expect any miracles, please.
But even a little bit will help, I’m thinking.
And wouldn’t you know it – the teacher of the class is from Peru and has been to Iquitos numerous times! I totally plan to ask as many questions as I can think of during our time together.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Gearing Up
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 having just such an item, so I went ahead and bought two of them (one pink and one green).
A trip to REI got me the mosquito repellant, sun screen, and electrolyte replacement tablets I’ll need. The head-netting, rain poncho, water purifying tablets, and compass/thermometer/whistle were purchased from the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Last but by no means least, a set of 42 colored pencils (8 of them in metallic colors) from Michael’s Craft Store will go nicely with the two Amazonian Coloring Books I purchased from Title Wave.
So much for the small stuff. I have several more expensive items to purchase, as well.
I need a pair of knee-high rubber boots, a pair of deck shoes, and at least two pair of light-weight pants (perhaps even the bug-resistant ones) = all of which I think I can get from REI, or maybe Sports Authority.
My digital camera is at least 6 years old: I’m thinking perhaps I should get a new one for this trip. I also saw that REI has a dry-bag specifically made for cameras = you put it in the bag and just take your pictures right thru the plastic. I might have to get me one of those. They also have a dry-bag specifically made for my Kindle that I might just have to have as well.
And of course, there’s still the ticket to get. As I watch, the prices keep going up and up and up… but I’m actually waiting to see if my brother can transfer some mileage to my account. That will save me loads of money, and is worth the wait.
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 having just such an item, so I went ahead and bought two of them (one pink and one green).
A trip to REI got me the mosquito repellant, sun screen, and electrolyte replacement tablets I’ll need. The head-netting, rain poncho, water purifying tablets, and compass/thermometer/whistle were purchased from the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Last but by no means least, a set of 42 colored pencils (8 of them in metallic colors) from Michael’s Craft Store will go nicely with the two Amazonian Coloring Books I purchased from Title Wave.
So much for the small stuff. I have several more expensive items to purchase, as well.
I need a pair of knee-high rubber boots, a pair of deck shoes, and at least two pair of light-weight pants (perhaps even the bug-resistant ones) = all of which I think I can get from REI, or maybe Sports Authority.
My digital camera is at least 6 years old: I’m thinking perhaps I should get a new one for this trip. I also saw that REI has a dry-bag specifically made for cameras = you put it in the bag and just take your pictures right thru the plastic. I might have to get me one of those. They also have a dry-bag specifically made for my Kindle that I might just have to have as well.
And of course, there’s still the ticket to get. As I watch, the prices keep going up and up and up… but I’m actually waiting to see if my brother can transfer some mileage to my account. That will save me loads of money, and is worth the wait.
Another Great Book
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 provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl’s lifetime). She watched him turn from a helpless fluff ball into an avid communicator with whom she developed a language all their own. Eventually he became a gorgeous, gold-and-white macho adult with a heart-shaped face who preened in the mirror and objected to visits by any other males to “his” house. O’Brien also brings us inside Caltech’s prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animals they loved. As O’Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes astonishing discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term, “The Way of the Owl” to describe his noble behavior. When O’Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.”
Even if you have no interest in owls, you should read this book. It is “a thoroughly engaging, heart-warming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty.”
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 provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl’s lifetime). She watched him turn from a helpless fluff ball into an avid communicator with whom she developed a language all their own. Eventually he became a gorgeous, gold-and-white macho adult with a heart-shaped face who preened in the mirror and objected to visits by any other males to “his” house. O’Brien also brings us inside Caltech’s prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animals they loved. As O’Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes astonishing discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term, “The Way of the Owl” to describe his noble behavior. When O’Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.”
Even if you have no interest in owls, you should read this book. It is “a thoroughly engaging, heart-warming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty.”
Friday, July 22, 2011
You Simply Must Read This Book!
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. In the middle of June, on Max’s thirteenth birthday, his father, an eccentric watchmaker and inventor of dazzling if completely impractical devices, gathered the family in the living room to announce that this would be their last day in the lofty apartment perched high above the oldest part of the city, a place that had been their home ever since Max could remember. A deathly silence fell upon the members of the Carver family. They looked at each other, and then at the watchmaker. He had that smile on his face they all knew so well, the one that always meant he had bad news or another of his crazy ideas.
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. In the middle of June, on Max’s thirteenth birthday, his father, an eccentric watchmaker and inventor of dazzling if completely impractical devices, gathered the family in the living room to announce that this would be their last day in the lofty apartment perched high above the oldest part of the city, a place that had been their home ever since Max could remember. A deathly silence fell upon the members of the Carver family. They looked at each other, and then at the watchmaker. He had that smile on his face they all knew so well, the one that always meant he had bad news or another of his crazy ideas.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Expedition #4 = Fund Raising Event
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 tributary. A more detailed description of the work being done is included at the end of this post for those who are interested. If you want even more information, I’d be happy to talk to you.
One major hurdle is – of course – the costs involved. The expedition is just under $4,000.00 – airfare to and from Peru is roughly $2,000.00 – there will also be costs for hotels, taxis, and food along the way. All together, I’m looking at something like $7,000.00.
With that in mind, I have set up an Expedition Fund thru Earthwatch with the goal of raising the $4,000.00 needed for the expedition. Friends and family members can make donations (minimum $25.00 per donation) if they wish. Heck, complete strangers can make donations if they feel so inclined! Any and all donations will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!
To make your donation: simply log on the Earthwatch website at www. earthwatch .org (no spaces) and hover over the tab labeled Expeditions; click on “set up an Expedition Fund.” In the middle of that page, click on “Login or Find a Fund” and enter my name in the search bar to the right of the page. It sounds complicated - but really, it’s not.
What you get: Not only will you get the personal satisfaction of being a part of the Earthwatch Mission (to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education in order to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment), you will also get to deduct your contribution from this year’s taxes!
What I get: Not only will I get to participate in actual scientific field research, I will also collect fodder for my Travelogue and my Blog as well as adding another presentation to my collection of public talks I can give!
------------------------
As an Earthwatch volunteer, I’ll help collect data on ungulates, macaws, wading birds, large-bodied primates, caimans, dolphins, giant river otters, manatees, river turtles, game birds, large cats, other large mammals and large fish. I’ll help research staff to sight animals, determine animal group sizes and composition, determine distance parameters, record information on datasheets, and weigh and measure animals. I’ll also have the opportunity to explore wildlife use and community-based conservation plans in local indigenous villages.
Macaw censuses will be conducted at points along the river and lakes accessed by an auxiliary boat.
Ungulate, primate and game bird censuses will be conducted by walking along forest trails.
Dolphin censuses will be conducted from an auxiliary boat floating slowly on the river or lakes.
Fish censuses will be done by fishing in the rivers and channels using auxiliary boats and canoes.
Caiman censuses will be conducted using the auxiliary boats in the lakes, rivers, and channels.
Giant River Otter and Manatee censuses: If these species are sighted during any of the terrestrial or aquatic surveys, they will be observed and information will be recorded.
Ungulates
Ungulates, including the white-lipped and collared peccary, red and grey brocket deer and lowland tapir, are the most important bush meat animals for the local indigenous people. Understanding their populations is essential to developing sustainable use strategies through community-based wildlife management.
Dolphins
Dolphins are an excellent way to determine the health of the river, since they are the area’s top predators of fish. Decreases in dolphin populations indicate over-fishing, while increases indicate recovery. Long-term monitoring of the dolphin population will be used to evaluate the multi-year health of the river ecosystem.
Macaws
Macaws indicate the health of the forest ecosystem as they feed on fruits and will only stay in an area if the forest is healthy and productive. If the macaws decrease this indicates a deterioration of the forest ecosystem, while an increase indicates ecosystem recovery.
Primates
Common species are the red howler monkey, brown capuchin monkey, squirrel monkey, tamarins, woolly monkey, saki monkey, white capuchin monkey and the rare spider monkey and red uakari monkey. Primate populations are good indicators for conservation, since they are very vulnerable to hunting and forest degradation.
Game Birds
Common species include the curassow, spix’s guan and piping guan. Game birds have been over-harvested in the past in many areas of Loreto for the bush meat trade. Their populations are recovering in some of the protected areas, and population studies need to determine their rate of recovery and the sustainability of their hunting using sustainable use models.
Caimans
Three species occur along the larger rivers and lakes in Loreto: the black caiman, common caiman, and smooth-fronted caiman. These animals were once killed for their skins to make shoes, handbags, belts, and other items. They are recovering along many rivers of Loreto and are again relatively common.
Giant River Otter and Manatees
The giant river otter was extensively over-hunted during the professional pelt period from 1940 to 1970. Currently, giant river otter populations are recovering in the Samaria and Yavari River basins. The manatee is a rare and endangered species that requires conservation action. They are not recovering as rapidly as the giant river otter and are vulnerable to local extinction.
Fish
Fish are one of the most important resources for local people and their sustainable use is linked both to the health of the ecosystem and the socio-economic wellbeing of indigenous communities. The abundance, diversity and age structure of large fish species, such as the paiche fish, will be monitored to determine the impact of local fisheries.
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 tributary. A more detailed description of the work being done is included at the end of this post for those who are interested. If you want even more information, I’d be happy to talk to you.
One major hurdle is – of course – the costs involved. The expedition is just under $4,000.00 – airfare to and from Peru is roughly $2,000.00 – there will also be costs for hotels, taxis, and food along the way. All together, I’m looking at something like $7,000.00.
With that in mind, I have set up an Expedition Fund thru Earthwatch with the goal of raising the $4,000.00 needed for the expedition. Friends and family members can make donations (minimum $25.00 per donation) if they wish. Heck, complete strangers can make donations if they feel so inclined! Any and all donations will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!
To make your donation: simply log on the Earthwatch website at www. earthwatch .org (no spaces) and hover over the tab labeled Expeditions; click on “set up an Expedition Fund.” In the middle of that page, click on “Login or Find a Fund” and enter my name in the search bar to the right of the page. It sounds complicated - but really, it’s not.
What you get: Not only will you get the personal satisfaction of being a part of the Earthwatch Mission (to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education in order to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment), you will also get to deduct your contribution from this year’s taxes!
What I get: Not only will I get to participate in actual scientific field research, I will also collect fodder for my Travelogue and my Blog as well as adding another presentation to my collection of public talks I can give!
------------------------
As an Earthwatch volunteer, I’ll help collect data on ungulates, macaws, wading birds, large-bodied primates, caimans, dolphins, giant river otters, manatees, river turtles, game birds, large cats, other large mammals and large fish. I’ll help research staff to sight animals, determine animal group sizes and composition, determine distance parameters, record information on datasheets, and weigh and measure animals. I’ll also have the opportunity to explore wildlife use and community-based conservation plans in local indigenous villages.
Macaw censuses will be conducted at points along the river and lakes accessed by an auxiliary boat.
Ungulate, primate and game bird censuses will be conducted by walking along forest trails.
Dolphin censuses will be conducted from an auxiliary boat floating slowly on the river or lakes.
Fish censuses will be done by fishing in the rivers and channels using auxiliary boats and canoes.
Caiman censuses will be conducted using the auxiliary boats in the lakes, rivers, and channels.
Giant River Otter and Manatee censuses: If these species are sighted during any of the terrestrial or aquatic surveys, they will be observed and information will be recorded.
Ungulates
Ungulates, including the white-lipped and collared peccary, red and grey brocket deer and lowland tapir, are the most important bush meat animals for the local indigenous people. Understanding their populations is essential to developing sustainable use strategies through community-based wildlife management.
Dolphins
Dolphins are an excellent way to determine the health of the river, since they are the area’s top predators of fish. Decreases in dolphin populations indicate over-fishing, while increases indicate recovery. Long-term monitoring of the dolphin population will be used to evaluate the multi-year health of the river ecosystem.
Macaws
Macaws indicate the health of the forest ecosystem as they feed on fruits and will only stay in an area if the forest is healthy and productive. If the macaws decrease this indicates a deterioration of the forest ecosystem, while an increase indicates ecosystem recovery.
Primates
Common species are the red howler monkey, brown capuchin monkey, squirrel monkey, tamarins, woolly monkey, saki monkey, white capuchin monkey and the rare spider monkey and red uakari monkey. Primate populations are good indicators for conservation, since they are very vulnerable to hunting and forest degradation.
Game Birds
Common species include the curassow, spix’s guan and piping guan. Game birds have been over-harvested in the past in many areas of Loreto for the bush meat trade. Their populations are recovering in some of the protected areas, and population studies need to determine their rate of recovery and the sustainability of their hunting using sustainable use models.
Caimans
Three species occur along the larger rivers and lakes in Loreto: the black caiman, common caiman, and smooth-fronted caiman. These animals were once killed for their skins to make shoes, handbags, belts, and other items. They are recovering along many rivers of Loreto and are again relatively common.
Giant River Otter and Manatees
The giant river otter was extensively over-hunted during the professional pelt period from 1940 to 1970. Currently, giant river otter populations are recovering in the Samaria and Yavari River basins. The manatee is a rare and endangered species that requires conservation action. They are not recovering as rapidly as the giant river otter and are vulnerable to local extinction.
Fish
Fish are one of the most important resources for local people and their sustainable use is linked both to the health of the ecosystem and the socio-economic wellbeing of indigenous communities. The abundance, diversity and age structure of large fish species, such as the paiche fish, will be monitored to determine the impact of local fisheries.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Let's Try This Again
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 old scar tissue.Hopefully these changes will help ensure that it stays in there this time! As you may recall, my last one was rejected and was eventually pushed out. This one will, hopefully, STAY PUT!
And it’s a beautiful shade of green! No one has said anything yet, but I’m just positive that it complements my eyes and makes them look greener – especially now that I’ve died my hair a nice fiery red!Okay, that’s enough vanity… but really, I’m quite excited about it.
The New Job
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 included! GDM used to be the largest architectural firm in Anchorage, back in the day, with over 35 employees and two offices (briefly there were actually three: one here, one in Fairbanks, and one in Juneau). Now, however, they’ve been reduced to just 6: three architects, two drafters, a bookkeeper, and their front desk lady.
Okay… I can’t count. That made seven total, so you can make the adjustments.
I’m just plain exhausted, because even though I’m fitting in it’s still a new job and is therefore quite mentally taxing. Not to mention the fact that I’ve been continuing to help out at Treeline! 9 hours work at GDM followed by 3 hours work at Treeline makes for some very long days.
I felt so bad about leaving them in their busiest time (honestly, I applied for this job way back in November – their slowest time!) I offered to continue coming in till they found my replacement. Then of course, I had to volunteer to help TRAIN the replacement and make sure the workload didn’t get too overwhelming for him.
I do believe I can safely hand the reigns off now, however. Brandon seems to be working out, and will eventually get up to speed on things. I’ll go back in on Monday just to check up on him; answer any remaining questions he might have, and ensure that things are going well. But then, I’ll just be”on call” as an emergency back-up only.
Whew! And I was complaining earlier about not getting the hours I needed!
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 included! GDM used to be the largest architectural firm in Anchorage, back in the day, with over 35 employees and two offices (briefly there were actually three: one here, one in Fairbanks, and one in Juneau). Now, however, they’ve been reduced to just 6: three architects, two drafters, a bookkeeper, and their front desk lady.
Okay… I can’t count. That made seven total, so you can make the adjustments.
I’m just plain exhausted, because even though I’m fitting in it’s still a new job and is therefore quite mentally taxing. Not to mention the fact that I’ve been continuing to help out at Treeline! 9 hours work at GDM followed by 3 hours work at Treeline makes for some very long days.
I felt so bad about leaving them in their busiest time (honestly, I applied for this job way back in November – their slowest time!) I offered to continue coming in till they found my replacement. Then of course, I had to volunteer to help TRAIN the replacement and make sure the workload didn’t get too overwhelming for him.
I do believe I can safely hand the reigns off now, however. Brandon seems to be working out, and will eventually get up to speed on things. I’ll go back in on Monday just to check up on him; answer any remaining questions he might have, and ensure that things are going well. But then, I’ll just be”on call” as an emergency back-up only.
Whew! And I was complaining earlier about not getting the hours I needed!
Monday, July 04, 2011
Alarm Clock
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.
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.
Not sure what I think of that.
Friday, July 01, 2011
Summer Update
Summer in Alaska
As 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 Good
When I compare my mental state now to what it was a year ago, I am well pleased to report a stupendous improvement. Things truly are looking so much better now: my personal life is improved, my roommate is gone permanently, and my financial situation is going to be improving shortly. Heck, even my house is improving! About the only thing NOT improving is my cat, Djuna – more about her further on down this posting.Family Hikes
The family hikes haven’t been very well attended, but they’ve still been fun. We hiked one of my favorite trails last time: Winner Creek Trail, out in Girdwood. Such a beautiful place with towering cottonwood trees, tall white spruce, and even the occasional fuzzy hemlock, lush green ferns, lots of blueberry bushes, and this time we got to see a bear alongside the trail! This coming Sunday we will be hiking up in Eagle River on the Dew Mound Trail. I suspect I may be the only one going however, as the only feedback I’ve received on it so far has all be to say they will not be going. But that’s okay – I will hike it anyway. There are more hikes in the year that people will be able to go on.Seward with Rob & the Kids
I drove down to Seward last weekend to meet up with Rob and his kids for two nights of camping out. That was so much fun, even though it rained each night. On Saturday, Rob and Trey spent the day out on a halibut fishing charter while Sierra and I spent our day in town. We went to the SeaLife Center (my favorite place to visit in Seward), walked the docks, went hiking up Mt. Marathon, and watched a huge sea otter play in the waters near where they were cleaning fish. On Sunday, all four of us went out to Exit Glacier. We hiked up to the glacier itself and then spent an hour or so skipping rocks in the river. All in all, it was a great trip.My Best Friend
Kathryn is in town, up visiting from her home in New York. We got to spend a good 3 hours the other day catching up on all the news. It was such a nice day out that we went to Pt. Woranzof and walked about 4-5 miles back towards Kincaid Park. Thankfully, the mosquitoes weren’t as bad as the last time I’d done that trail so we didn’t have to run from them and could just enjoy the scenery and company. I really do miss her, and am very thankful she takes time out of her vacation to come see me. I will have to return the favor one of these days and go visit her in New York!My Craft Room
Work continues on the craft room – not nearly as quickly as I would like, but it does continue none the less. Rob and his kids were over just the other day to finish painting the walls. I really like the colors I chose! When you’re looking at color swatches that are an inch square it’s so hard to imagine what they’ll look like in your home, you know? Thankfully, they look great – and will look even better once the trim goes up. Then I can move in the furniture and get it all set up and in use. I plan to commemorate the Grand Opening of my craft room by finally learning how to use all my Quilling supplies! Thing and Djuna
As promised, here is an update on my girls. Djuna and I are getting used to the IV thing so that it’s actually going quite well. I am able to do the whole procedure on my own without any help from Rob – which is a good thing since he would not be able to come over each Sunday. Djuna doesn’t like it, of course, but she tolerates it and is showing signs of great improvement (her fur has turned thick and is even coming in on her belly). She will go back to the vet’s office soon for another blood/urine test to see how the kidneys are responding to all this fluid. Hopefully I can stop the IVs and just rely on the water fountain and canned foods. Disturbingly Thing was not feeling good last night, exhibiting some of the same symptoms that Djuna had. I’m fairly certain I’m just gun-shy and that she’s fine… but still, it would REALLY suck having both of them with kidney failure.Last Day – First Day
Today is my last day at Treeline Construction. That’s both sad and exciting, all at the same time. They really are a great company, and I’ve enjoyed my time with them. I got to meet some really nice people and learn a very interesting new program on the computer. But, my new job (which starts July 5th) will also be a good one too, I’m sure. I don’t know the people I’ll be working with but have heard good things about them from somebody I trust. I’m nervous, of course (who wouldn’t be), and really do hate new jobs… but it’s all good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)