What's That White Stuff Coming From the Sky????

Oh yes my friends, it started snowing last night and hasn't stopped. Today marked my first day walking to work in the snow. I was pleased to find that my hiking boots are water/snow proof. I have two kinds of snow boots....one for -40 degree weather, but I just wasn't ready to bust them out, yet.

People here have been chuckling at my furry earmuffs. Now, I found out that the women here only have their ears pierced once. And they wear beautiful beaded dangling earrings. The kids rub my earlobes & feel my earrings quite often. So to me, it makes sense that the most pierced up woman in the village would be wearing earmuffs. It just makes sense....and the fur part is just cool. I own that look!! People have told me that once the temp hits -30 I'll have to take my earrings out....and for some reason I am totally against that. I've given up the vegetarian, I'm sure the fur is murder part is gonna go too, and I've started dressing down for work, but I just can't give up my earrings!! I only take them out to clean them....I betcha I can totally keep wearing them. I have made it my personal mission to keep my earrings in all winter, without freezing my ears.

I took the kids outside for a quick recess in the snow. I was hoping being outside would recharge them & give them a chance to chill out. It worked. They made snowballs, snow angels, and swung on the swings. A couple of my boys were showing me how to make snowballs.... :) And we had fun & all of us felt better when we came back in. My first snow recess!!

People think it's funny that I'm not used to snow. But they aren't used to wind here & it's been really windy. So I see your snow Akiak, & raise you some wind!! People were saying "Man, this wind is crazy!" And I didn't even notice the wind being that bad.

I've also come to the realization that I am somewhat quirky. I think the quirkiness will be what keeps me going here, but I find myself doing some weird things. Like today my stapler jammed....so I took it apart after pounding it on the table didn't work. Have you ever taken apart a stapler? Actually, it's rather easy. The trick is putting it back together. Which I did....after a while. And that didn't really fix the stapler anyways....but I tried. I can now relate to that stapler guy from Office Space...if you have a good stapler - hold on to that baby!!!

I'm hoping to go to Bethel this weekend on a boat. A coworker read my blog and is trying to help me out. I do love the people out here. I am having a lot of fun in Akiak.

I just found out that there's a free skin sewing class two times a week. They teach you how to sew furs & skins & provide all the materials. I'm so gonna check it out! And I no longer feel bad about that kind of stuff.....a PETA person wouldn't last two weeks out in the bush. By the way, I totally ate hamburger today.

I saw an eagle flying....I found out later it was a bald eagle. Yay!! C'mon moose & bear!! I hear foxes run wild in the villages during winter.....hope so!!