Brrrrrrrrr...........Happy New Year!

WOW!  I think the honeymoon is over!!  It's -10 degrees here--that's cold!!  I'm still house sitting up on Government Hill.  Yesterday, Lucy (the dog) and I decided it was too cold to go for a walk so we hibernated.  I really wanted to get out because it was sunny and I knew I would be able to see Denali.  Also, I keep hearing jets from the air force base flying over--maybe the Thunderbirds??  I finally did get out about 3:30 and sure enough with Denali and Mt. Susitna as the backdrop, the fighter jets were out messing around--very cool!

I've done some fun things over break--Christmas day I went on a hike in Palmer up Lazy Mountain--Well I can tell you--it was not a hike for lazy people--wow!  It was snowing like crazy for the drive up ( 50 minutes from Anchorage) and during the hike--but at least the temp was good--around 20 degrees.  I've also read 4 books and went to 2 movies--loved Benjamin Buttons!

I move back to the B & B tomorrow--it's been great fun and very relaxing staying here.  I'm also headed to a pre-fireworks gathering tomorrow evening--it's Alaska's 50th birthday in 2009, so many activities are planned throughout the year. 

Happy 2009--It's going to be a great one!

Merry Christmas!

Hi All-

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday!

I spent today X-skiing with the Adventure Group on trails at the University.  I thought we only going 3.5 miles...we did--each way!  Oh my--was I dead!!  I think that was the farthest I have ever skied!!  It was flat and tons of work--but the sun was out :)  I did see a moose though--

I got home and had to take a nap!!

Speaking of home--I'm house and dog sitting.  I'm up at what's called Government Hill--Elmendorf Air Force base and Fort Richardson are up here.  It's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Anchorage.  The houses are cute and all different.  Bronwyn (who owns the house) is in Mexico with family.  I received an email last night from her--she finally made it after two says in the Seattle airport.  Lucy (dog) is here with me--she's a mix, but definitely has some Husky in her.  She took off on me the first day I was here--great--I tried my usual "cookie" but she would have none of that!  I went back to the house, got a pocketful of cheese and proceeded to search for her--all the while thinking "great"--Bronwyn's the head of the English Dept. at my school--everyone will hate me if I lose her dog!!  Well, I captured Lucy sniffing through a fence at a couple of dogs--Whew-that was a close one!!  :)

I loved to tell you that the excitement stopped there-but I can't!  The very same night, I was getting ready for bed--I had just bathed, flannel PJs, warm footies--you get the idea--and I go to lock the Arctic entree door (mudroom) well--I shut the door so Lucy would not escape again and..............I locked myself out of the house!  Okay--picture this footies, my cars locked can't even get my ski boots, PJs, and of course a "darling" hairdo--as only I can style--you get the picture!  Thank goodness I actually read the note Bronwyn left me so I remembered that the neighbors to the left (????) in the brown house had a key---I found some gardening shoes 2 sizes to small and trudged  to the neighbors--which way????--I did pick the right house--but wait--it gets even better!  The nice couple invite me in--the house smells like cigs and old fried food--but they were very nice and looked for the key--what no key--YIKES!  So Steve calls the locksmith who arrives an hour later after I inhaled many second-hand cigs.  So that was my Duhhhhhh--dunderhead experience--so far!  I imagine Steve and Tami will have a good laugh about the "kooky" house sitter from Michigan for many Christmases to come!! I did have to change my PJs before bed to get the smell off! :)

Can you take one more story???  I was driving through town and all the sudden the traffic stops--the roads were a bit slippery--there he is, that damn moose in the middle of the road!

I'm suppose to hike up a mountain in Palmer (near Wasilla) tomorrow (if I can move)--we shall see--I hate heights!  Maybe I'll see what Sarah and family are up to for Christmas--I can't believe she didn't invite me!

So there you have it--it's all true--I never could have made it up!

I'm on my third novel--love break time!!

Have a wonderful Holiday!

XOXO

The Sun!

The sun was out today--or should I say--I was outside when the sun was out today!! I went X- skiing with a new friend I met last ski--her name is Kris--easy for me to remember! We had breakfast at a cool little cafe--then off to ski. It was a beautiful day 25 degrees and sunny!! On my way home I headed up to Flattop (very brave of me) to see if I could see Denali (Mt. McKinley)--well there it was in all it's splendor! Mt.Foraker is right next to Denali--also a very large mountain. Across the Cook Inlet is Mt. Susitna or The Sleeping Lady and she was finally visible today too. The last Mt. has a great folklore attached to it--much like the Sleeping Bear legend!

Tomorrow it's back to Flattop to build snowcaves and drink hot toddies--ought to be a blast!

Below are some sites to see what I'm talking about--I hope they work!

Catch ya later--


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Foraker.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_McKinley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Susitna

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flattop_Mountain_(Anchorage,_Alaska)

School's Out...

almost! One more day--work day that is--no students--Yes! I get to mark report cards--yes, we have to bubble them in can you believe it!

I went X skiing again with the group on Tuesday night. Well, 3 of us (all women) were left in the dust to fend for ourselves. It was dark, but one of the gals had a headlamp--I've got to get one! So we could find our way--it was fun. The trail was right in the middle of town--all groomed for skiing. Many people were skijorers--that's where they harness their dogs and go---and they go fast!!!!! It looks pretty cool-but I would be frightened!!!

On another note-- after school today my team went out for drinks and snacks at a fancy place downtown. It was happy hour and the prices were right and the view was awesome--for about 10 minutes--then it was dark--LOL!

My dance card is filling up so I won't be too lonely over break--besides, I'm dog sitting Lucy!

I'll keep you posted!

Denise's Open House

Denise had a Holiday Open House yesterday. It was very nice and I met a ton of interesting people. About 90 people came through--some B & B owners, small business owners and even an ASD School Board member! It was very fun and probably the most social I've been since I got here.

I've added a picture of Denise and Andrew (who lives at the B & B too) so you can visualize them as I tell my tales!! LOL!

I finally got paid today--Thank god they didn't think I was volunteering!! LOL!!

I'm skiing again tomorrow :)

Now you know...

what I'm doing...write and tell me what YOU'RE doing--please!!!!!
stephaniecarey60@gmail.com

Full Moon Snowshoeing

I went snowshoeing after work last night with the Outdoor Group. There were about 8 of us-two X-country skiers and the rest snowshoed. There were a couple of trails but mostly we forged our own!! The snow was really deep in places and I lost my shoe a couple of times. I did pretty good keeping up with the "big boys"! The group is very fun and everyone looks out for one another.
I'm finding that most people here work for an oil company of some sort or another. This town has big bucks!
After the snowshoe we went out for a beer-cute little Bistro-live music-good food. Most of the dining establishments serve Alaskan brewed beer--all sorts of flavors--very good too, if I do say so! LOL! Anyway, we sat with a gal who's family lives in TC--yep--her mom manages Chateau Chantel and her ex- brother-in-law is Gerry Ruskowski!! (someone at West tell Gerry)Her name is Erin and she is going to TC for Christmas--In addition to that one, one of the guys with us found out that he is her neighbor--2 houses away!!
Amazing isn't it!

Drop me a note................

SNOW!

Hi All,
We finally got some fresh snow--about 3-5 inches. Of course since they don't plow the roads we have new snow over a nice ice layer, making for very slippery driving!

I joined a group called the Meet-Up Outdoor Adventure Group--yep me! They do all sorts of outdoor stuff--downhill, X country, snowshoe, hiking, etc.--you get it! Well,
I actually went to a Meet-Up to X ski. What a blast!! It was Tuesday at 6pm--snowing like crazy, dark and I didn't know where the hell I was going--or with who--but I went anyway--I'm so proud of myself!!!!! There were 4 of us-1 skate skier, 1 really good skier, me and a total novice. The trail was lit in most spots, but for a while it was dark--I'll have you know I only fell once and didn't even sit on my skis to go down the really big hills--yep, the hills were better when I couldn't see the bottom!!! LOL! No moose sitings either--bummer! Get this though, out of the 3 other skiers-- one has a daughter in my class--small town!!

Tomorrow they have a full moon bonfire get together with their dogs--don't think I'm going--too much grading :(

Speaking of grading--I gave my first test on Tuesday over the Trojan war--I have many short essays to grade :(

I had 2 meetings today--so I had a half-day sub--she sent 2 of my heathens to the office!! :) They have 2 morning detentions and have to do work all day Friday--it's team reward day!
By they way my team is called the Serpentine Team--all of the teams are named for Alaskan Glaciers--I think it's really named for the little snakes in my classes!

Then I had a mentor meeting--( have a mentor-Toni from my school) it was all the way across town--on one of those highways that all of the sudden stop--not real easy, to stop that is, in the icysnow. Icysnow one of the million words Eskimos have for snow--LOL!
Anyhow, I got paid $50 big ones for going and my mentor invited me over for dinner next week--SCORE! She is from Seward and has 3 kids 1, 3 and 10 yrs. YIKES! But--she has a husband from Seward...I had to tell her the Seward Chad story--get this--he use to be a charter fishing captain. Now he teaches captaining!! She said he's a Chad--soon to see!

Hey, even more news--I'm house and dog sitting for a teacher at school. She goes to Mexico every Christmas and asked me if I wanted to stay at her house--bonus-- she has a dog--but would board her if I didn't like dogs--ha ha! She lives close to downtown Anchorage--should be fun to see another part of town.

Denise (B & B lady) has a "BIG" open house this Sunday--should be a treat!

That's all for now--miss you all!

PS-Katie finished up her 1st semester at WMU--Yeah!

The sunrise is at 9:55 and sets at 3:46--can you believe it!! I barely notice because I'm so busy planning!! They tell me-those Alaskans--that in February it gets lighter faster...but then again they say a lot of things!!!!!

I met two teachers from Kansas City -they invited me to dinner and had drinks at their house before. They have been teaching 30 years (math) and 19 (accounting) and moved for the adventure!! They find Anchorage in a time warp 1970ish..........but they are from a large city. Both are making more money here with only a step 6--interesting! They have a really nice home and are getting adjusted. They moved here in the summer so had time to explore before school started.

Most people are from somewhere else--thought they would try it here for a few years and never left.

Freezing rain today--YUCK!

MOOSE GOES TO SCHOOL!

The Principal at my school came over the loud speaker today about 3pm--(students are released at 2:45) and said "There's a moose on the west side of the building, right by the buses--please be advised when you go out", now, I sure haven't heard that one before!!!!!!!

Of course I had to go look..............he was big!

LOL!

No Snowdays in Alaska!

So, I hear TC had a snow day on Monday--Wimps!!! We got over a foot and a half on Saturday and Sunday--well...we went to school!!! The roads are sooooooo bad here--I swear, (truly-- I had some choice words!!) I slid the entire way to school on Monday!! By the the way--thanks to all of you who wrote and told me about your snow day!!!

I'm becoming the "Detention Queen" at Mears! I gave about 30 lunch detentions for work completion--boy, did they manage to get their assignments done fast when I told them they would be having lunch with me!!

I also have given 10 morning detentions (in the ISS room--not with me)--for the more serious slackers!! I had to call all of their parents first--what a treat!!! Remember that mean ole' English teacher you had in school--well.....................

I'm getting a little homesick--miss you all!!

XOXO