Waqaa (Wah-kaa) "Hello"!
Another beautiful weekend and busy week here in #BethelAlaska. I am excited to recap some of the highlights with you.
I got my first care-package from #EricMyers this week. It was quite a large one - 46 pounds of goodies. Eric sent it 3-day priority and it actually got here in 3 days! Kudos to the #USPS.
In Bethel, everyone has a PO Box and has to go to the post office to pick up mail and packages. There is not mail delivery to any homes in Bethel. That probably accounts for why they have one of the biggest post offices I have ever seen.
In addition to the food supplies, Eric also shipped some of my cold weather clothing/boots and my traveling pillow. I don't sleep well without my little pillow with me. This pillow has traveled around the world with me, to include my deployment to Baghdad, Iraq in 2006.
Sadly, the pillow was naked...no pillow case. I cannot sleep on a pillow without a pillow case on it! That is just crazy. My survival skills kicked in and I came up with a solution:
Who Wore it Best!
I knew I didn't have a chance against Hugh Jackman...but my pillow beat us both out for the coveted honor of "who wore it best" with 43% of the vote.
Bethel Arts Scene
This weekend the #KuskokwimArtGuild held a fund raiser dinner and auction.
https://www.facebook.com/Kuskokwim-Art-Guild-123506434370374/
Although I did not attend the dinner, my roomie Sally and I went to the auction portion of the event. The artists each receive a piece of steel in the shape of a raven or salmon to decorate, and these art pieces are auctioned off.
One item sold for $5,000. - Wow!
These are some of the handmade items that were in the silent auction:
Happy Birthday Eula!
Our co-worker Eva invited my roomie and I over on Saturday to help celebrate her mother's 88th birthday. We were very excited to be asked and we got our first taste of some local cuisine. Eula is a very kind lady and full of spirit. I was honored to sit next to her during dinner and she told me many stories about growing up in Alaska.
During our conversation I learned that she is an avid seamstress (she has a Singer sewing machine that is over 100 years old) and she loves to read...It was like looking at myself in the mirror. When I grow up, I want to be just like Eula! I am not sure that I can rock the pixie haircut the way she does though.
For those of you wanting to learn more about the Agutak/Eskimo Ice Cream, here is a short video that will discuss the origins and the many different flavors of Agutak. I have no idea how Eva made her #Agutak, I just know it was delicious.
Many of you out there are probably wondering what my family is doing while I am working in Alaska. Here is a short update on the family:
#JamiePina, my adoring son, has sent me 3 text messages since I have been here.
First text: September 9th - "Hello mom, how have your first days been...got an A on my first test"
Second text: September 13th - "Hope you are doing well. I'm off to the movies gonna see the Predator". Later I texted to ask him how the movie was to which I received no reply.
Eric told me later that Jamie was still alive and I was able to stop obsessively worrying.
Third text: September 21st - "Mom there is 135 dollars in my account...I'm gonna withdraw it to give to Hailey [for dog sitting]".
He may not be a man of many words, but I can always count on him. Love and miss you Jamie! (I don't think he reads my blog so I can safely poke fun at him and express my Mom love without repercussions).
This brings us to Eric - my partner in crime and sweetheart! This is what I image he is doing without me:
Hmmm...maybe not...I'm sure he is just trying to cope with my absence...on vacation...in California!
Love and miss you Eric Myers...see you in two days!
I will be traveling quite a bit next week so I will probably not have a post next Sunday. I will pick this up again in two weeks!