Category Archive:Alaska

It snowed!

November 10th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Family, Moose Nuggets / Comments Closed

Yup – the grands are all way too excited. After all, tomorrow is Saturday and they can play, play, play in the white stuff.

As for me? Well, it’s okay and all that – but when is spring? hahahaha

And, for your choosing pleasure – if you are a NaBloPoMo’er, that is –

nablopomo 

My stash of purply moose things is getting smaller, but I am happy to share what I have. So, I have sent an email off to Fussy and the folks over at NaBloPoMo telling them these are up for grabs however they would like to give them away.

I’m looking at this picture and smiling – the curve of the socks makes it look like my little purple moosie signature tag is smiling – too much fun.

I have the day off today – due to it being Veteran’s Day tomorrow. Received an envelope of information from my aunt yesterday – it has lots of family history in my grandmother’s handwriting – kind of cool to read. But it also has the funeral notice of my Uncle Bob who was killed during WWII in France. I knew about him, of course, but the article told me some things I didn’t know about him, too.

My grandmother also lost a brother to war – WWI. And, a great-great grandmother of mine on her side stood up to Morgan’s Raiders!

(more…)

Thursday Ramblings

November 9th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Moose Nuggets / 1 Comment »

Mercury crossed the sun yesterday – if you looked at it directly you cannot be reading this entry. 😯 Yup – you would have burnt your eyeballs. Nice shot of it in the paper this morning, though, so I got it second hand.

The interview I did this week was about a woman who just returned from a symposium on women with heart issues. She was one of 57 from around the country to be invited to attend. February, btw, is heart month. I will try to remind you all of that then as well.

The thing to remember for us women is that we have different symptoms than men – as Linda says in the interview,     

“I didn’t feel like an elephant was sitting on my chest, so I was sure it wasn’t a heart attack.”

Turns out she was wrong about that assumption and was, indeed, having a heart event. Blessedly, she caught it early enough and only required a single bypass – often you will hear of quadruple (or more) bypass surgeries. Interesting lady. We hope to have her at one of our staff meetings to discuss heart health.

btw – WHO INVITED THE COLD WEATHER? What? Oh, yes, I live in Alaska – I KNOW that, sillies! But, really, WHO asked for this cold snap? It certainly was NOT the moose! brrrrrr.

And, with that, I will leave you to have a wonderful day!

:moose:

New and Old

November 8th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Moose Nuggets / 1 Comment »

Alaska has elected its first woman governor! Congratulations to Sarah Palin.

Alaska has returned quirky, smirky, Don (Young) to Congress. (sigh!)

Just another day in Alaska politics.

A better than 2 million dollar campaign put on by “big oil” against an initiative succeeded as that iniative went down in flames.

An iniative that limits state legislative sessions to ninety days will end up costing us a lot of money in the long run (in governor-called special elections) was passed – surprisingly.

Not all of “my” candidates succeeded. And not all of my wishes on initiatives. The one judge who needed to be ousted for sure was. The others remain and that may or may not be a good thing.

Like I said – just another day in Alaska politics. We are nothing if not political animals up here. We likes our politicizers, we do. Yup – yup – yup.

How’d it turn out in your neck of the woods?

:moose:

Rest in Peace . . .

November 5th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Family / Comments Closed

Lance Corporal Michael H. Laskey of Soldotna died while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar provice. No additional details . . .

Today’s issue of the local newspaper is not online yet, but I will give you the link if you care to check later – Peninsula Clarion.

Mike was a member of the local unit of Young Marines. He and his unit, with his mother being the CO, volunteer each year at my agency’s largest awareness activity. Their help has been invaluable to us.

Two summers ago his then very pregnant wife, also a member of the unit, came along to help. My first sight of her that day was her bending down, then lying down on the ground, to look under her car. I was, gramma that I am, worried that she was either in labor or going to go into labor due to this exertion. She, just like I would have 30+ years ago, laughed off my worries.

Their little girl, Liberty Lynn, was born two months later. Daddy didn’t get to come home for her birth, but did get to come shortly afterwards for a short leave to meet her. His tour was over the following summer.

He signed up for another hitch in March. He called his Mom Wednesday to tell her he loved her. He was killed Thursday.

This is happening all over the United States. And, now it has happened in tiny Soldotna, Alaska. We all grieve with the family.

but let me quote what his mother Carol said to the reporter:

“He knew his chance of being killed over there was very possible, but he felt because he was doing something for his country, he would die for his country.”

“My son wanted to be a Marine. The day 9-11 hit he went and signed on the dotted line.”

Mike will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery at his request. He has asked not to be taken there in a hearse, but in his favorite conveyence – a beach-truck covered in mud. I trust he will get his wish.

And, in 2008 when my granddaughter and I visit Washington D.C. with her eighth grade class, we will look for his gravesite to leave a memorial there.

Rest in peace, Mike. I’m glad to have known you.

photos as promised

November 1st, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Family, Moose Nuggets / 1 Comment »

mcd3 

this is Lessa’s crew

the T crew and Nonny 

and, the Ladybug crew

and a grand time was had by all – I must remember to take the day off again next year. I was able to go to the elementary school fun parade without worrying about being late back from my lunch hour. Great stuff, I tell ya!

after coming by to pick up their goodies from us they all went to the Boys & Girls Club “Trunk or Treat” fun and then to the Elks Club (well, at least Lessa’s crew did) where The Boy won third prize in his division. Yay!

Back to work I go. See ya

 

<< Older Entries
Newer Entries >>