Monthly Archives:April 2011

Today’s A-Z Challenge letter is J.

Totally not where I was going to go – not what I was going to write – but just as I opened up this pane I thought of the old routine/song (?) Here Come da Judge, Here Come da Judge . . .

and a post was born.

You see, Wednesday I go to court – it’s work related, folks. I go once a month to testify if needed on compliance issues of clients who are supposed to be in a program I co-facilitate. They’ve been court ordered to attend – for one reason or another they have never come – and now they are in non-compliance and facing the Judge and some consequences.

I’ve been doing this for just about four years now (May) and I am becoming a bit jaded with the system. Most of the clients have public defenders. Most of the public defenders do not believe in this program. So, they do their dead level best to either drag the whole thing out – OR – get it thrown out – OR – get the little darlins reassigned back into the program.

Did I mention I am getting jaded? Yeah, thought so.

But I clean up good – dress fit for judgment – paste a smile on my face and offer my best testimony possible. Then I leave with files of people reassigned, but who never (almost to the last one) NEVER intend following through on the court order.

Because they know some nice PD is gonna do his/her dead level best somewhere down the line to show the program co-facilitator up on the stand – attempt to make her look the fool – all for the sake of the poor fella who dinna do no harm (other than breaking his partner’s arm-nose-teeth-leg, etc.) God love him. Cut him some slack – and, for the love of all that’s holy do NOT charge him to go to the classes!!!

Yup – jaded.

/rant in the form of the letter j. Y’all have a good one.

And, stay clear of the law . . . especially in MY courtroom.
🙂

Today’s A-Z Challenge letter is I.

I live in a land of Indigenous Peoples – Inupiat, Yupik, Athabaskan, Tlingit, and many more.

Alaskan’s Native peoples are many and varied – having a full, rich heritage. Much of it has been lost – languages and traditions tamped down by (not so) well-meaning white explorers and missionaries. I will grant that many had good intentions – but so many more did not.

As I am not Alaska Native I cannot go into all of the ins and outs of what happened, simply because I did not live it. But I work among a diverse population of delightful people.

I have been blessed to be invited to join circles – a drum circle and a talking circle. There is something cleansing about each and I can certainly understand why they are such an integral part of Alaska Native culture.

I noticed while watching a local show last night that I am (finally after some 33 years living here) beginning to sense what region Alaska Natives might come from. Shapes of faces – shapes of eyes – variations in color of skin – all of these give clues to which tribe a person calls his/her own.

I am a wanderer – my ancestors came to America from Ireland – my family settled in Ohio – my hubby and I brought our girls to Alaska. We are nomads in this land.

And I am grateful – oh, so grateful – to be blessed to live in this place.

Thank you, Alaska.

Saturday’s letter is H! A to Z home

There’s no place like home. It can mean many things to different people.

Alaska is my chosen home – I have lived here more than half my life. Hubby-moose and I have built a home here for ourselves and our two daughters. Over the years our home was opened to those who needed a place to stay – one night or several years – and to the friends of our daughters. Now it is open to grandkids and their friends.

I have a little saying I use when people talk about coming to our home. If you are coming to see my house – make an appointment. If you are coming to see ME – come anytime. Yeah, I’m not much of a housekeeper. There are many more important things – like the aformentioned grandkids.

My larger home is ALASKA and I love to show her off to friends and family. I also just love to SEE her in her glory.

Today I drove to Seward with a daughter and granddaughter for the last swim meet of the year. We enjoyed watching the Pup excel in her chosen events – even though the coveted JO times were not met. She bested previous times and is planning to improve over the summer before next year’s season starts.

On our way back home to Kenai we stopped several places along the way to snap some pictures while stretching those muscles that had been cramped on folding chairs for several hours.

I’d like to share a bit of HOME with you tonight. I am such an Alaskan Homebody.
🙂

Click for larger view.

Today’s letter is G! A to Z home

My baby girls are no longer babies. It’s a fact I must face – each time they do or say something so absolutely brilliant that it brings tears to my eyes.

They are all growed up now. 🙂

I always wanted girls and was so thrilled when God blessed me with two. I dressed them in ruffles and frills and made little sunbonnets for them. I made most of their clothes up to the time they were pre-teens.

We grew up together – cried together – loved together.

And the day came when I had to let them go – out into the world – to become adults and to find their own ways in the world.

I’m ever so proud of both of them – in different ways because each is an individual.

I don’t love one more than the other. I just love them differently.

So, today I tip my hat to my girls – thank you for being who you are.