Who Am I?
I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice
president with less than two years in the governor’s
office.
Did you guess?
Well, on September 19th, actually, it will be 30 years that we have lived in Alaska! In all that time I have yet to see a bear. Not that I really wanted to see one up close and personal like too many have done this summer (it’s been a bad summer for bear maulings in SouthCentral Alaska) – but I’ve been a titch jealous of folks who have seen blackies and brownies and lived to tell the tale.
Many years ago while I was driving Lessa to Anchorage for something (who know what? We were ALWAYS driving back and forth to Anc. for school stuff – games, etc.) we THINK we saw a blackie poke his nose across a guard rail along the roadside just as we came up on it – and then it wisely decided to go back into the brush . . . we think.
But today? Today was perfect. Hubby moose and I had driven with the Pup (Lessa’s youngest) to Cooper Landing to watch a friend of mine compete in a rowing race on Kenai Lake. As we were driving home near Russian River I spotted something in the road ahead . . . .
Bear, bear, Bear, BEAR!!!! I said over and over excitedly as I patted hubby moose’s thigh to get his attention. Get my camera for me! I continued as I slowed the car down to a stop – this guy was in the middle of the road and going nowhere fast:
As I snapped that picture, s/he stopped, turned, and started toward me, looking at me!
Turned again and headed back across the road in the way it had come from originally:
It was so exciting to see . . . and was the subject of our conversation the rest of the way home. The Pup and I fussed about who would get to tell her mama – Grandpa told her that neither of us would get to as he didn’t have any bars . . . and then we were finally able to call her Mama – first Grandpa talked to her and told her that Nana had something she wanted to tell her (the Pup was all “NOOOOOOOOOOO, **I** want to tell her) and he handed me the phone. Then I said, well I want to tell you, but the Pup wants to tell you first, so (BIG SIGH HERE) here she is . . . and, oh, the squeals of excitement as she told the story.
You gotta love it.
One other thing I’d like to share . . . a bit of wisdom from 9 year old Pup . . . after she had climbed up into a tree to visit with another little girl watching the rowing races . . .
One thing I know for sure . . . don’t ever try to climb trees while wearing heels!
Works for me, Pup, works for me! (she’s the blondie)
these “ladies” (guys in truly awful wigs!) carried their shell to the water while singing “I feel pretty, oh so pretty . . .” Classic!
It was sure chilly in the pool this morning.
musta been . . . . (more…)
During a recent “click here – click there” session I ran across someone, and I can’t remember who that was, who had a list of books she wanted to read. Among them was The Shack. The cover looked familiar – and, I remembered that it was among the books my boss had brought to the office to share. (My boss is great that way – she buys and reads a LOT of books – and then brings them to share with the staff.) The next day I looked at the stack on the counter and found it – just like it was waiting for me . . . The Shack by William P. Young.
The rest of the staff know me . . . if the books sit there for long, eventually ALL of them make their way into my bag and home with me. I read voraciously, too, but can’t afford to buy as many as my boss. (that’s one of the reasons I am thankful she shares so graciously with all of us.) After I finish the books I take them back so someone else can share them.
Because of the type work we do (a shelter for victims of domestic violence/sexual assault) many of the books my boss brings carry a similar theme – women who rise above and overcome diversity.
Not so this book. I don’t give away plots and I don’t ever read the end before the beginning (some in my family do that to see if they will like the book . . . shudder), so I am not going to do that here.
I’m also not very good at giving reviews of books (or movies, or blogs, etc.) so I’m not going to do that here, either.
What I WILL do is this . . . tell you that this book brought me to tears – it made me smile – and it made me think about things differently.
It is NOT the Bible. It is NOT the Word of God. But it made me think.
and it changed me – if only a little bit.
I’d love to hear what you thought of the book after you read it.
I would be really remiss if I did not at least mention the fact that Governor Sarah Palin has been announced as Senator McCain’s Vice-Presidential running mate for the November election. I know that everyone and their brother is already talking about it, but, I’m an Alaskan, dagnabbit, so I MUST talk about it.
😉
It is so much fun to note that Sarah is a frugal spender, too. See the dress that Piper (youngest daughter) is weaing in this Associate Press photo? Yup . . . we purchased the very same dress a few weeks ago for one of our granddaughters for school. At the local Fred Meyer (a part of the Kroger family for those of you back east) store. On sale (at least we got it on sale – not sure about Piper’s). It’s worthy to note that Sarah didn’t buy it at a hoity-toity store – she is counting her pennies just like the rest of us peons. And, that, to me, is very telling.
And, I just got off the phone with my uncle in Ohio – figured as he is a long standing republican committee member that he had gone to yesterday’s hoo-hah in Dayton. Turns out he had tickets, but he gave them to someone else – who was ecstatic to be in the crowd to see all this happening. The best thing he said during our conversation was this: “I really like her. She won’t go to DC and get Potomac Fever.” Amen, Uncle George! may it be so.
For the naysayers . . . that’s life, get over it, get over your bad selves, and do the right thing – at least get out and vote in November. If you don’t like the McCain ballot, then vote for another. I’m just sayin’. I never tell anyone how to vote – I just remind them TO VOTE!
I talk a little more about all this over at the knitting blog, but I’d like to give a link here to an article that was written back in June . . . prophecy, perhaps? (in that it was written in JUNE, folks).
You see, even though a lot is being made by the press about this all being so sudden and such, it was announced quite awhile ago that Sarah was on the short list – and, for those in my own state who forget – she said she would strongly consider it.
Others have said something about her being able to keep a secret for so long . . . People! She was 7 1/2 months pregnant with her youngest before anyone other than her immediate family knew! And she was making daily appearances as Governor for heaven’s sake.
All I can add is that this will make it a VERY interesting election. Go, Sarah!!!
I couldn’t help myself . . . I HAD to change the graphic. Snerk! What with all the talk about her being a heartbeat away and all that.
😉
