Hitchhiking, Picking Up Mema, Roasting Vince

Whew! What a day. We have made a commitment as a family to not drive if we have an alternative. DeeJay rode his bike to work for the first time (and wiped out at Yukon. I'll post a picture of his battered face tomorrow). The kids and I hitchhiked into town. Luckily Valda picked us up. (I'm kidding...it was pre-arranged) She dropped us at the stop sign at Lake Street and the two kids and I had a wonderful time on our day of stroll around. We window shopped and visited friends, tried on shoes and played in the park.

We ended up at Mindy's because Maddy and Ziza were selling muffins and lemonade. It was a perfect ending place to our stroll around; sweets, friends, kids, visiting. Mindy and I got a bit distracted by each other and when her husband came home he found Aiden, Rio, and Marina with a gallon plastic jar mixing strong tang and imitation crab meat together. It was obvious who was up to the trouble because of the hands that almost looked like they were wearing haz-mat gloves. I wish I had a picture of that.

Vince came and picked us up and we were off to his going away party. Or was that a quitting party?

Anyway, I dropped them over there and then went to pick up Mema at the airport!

Mema and Maya Meet

And brought her back to the party so that she could watch Vince get roasted.

The friends got Vince together a new wardrobe for his new job. (He will not be wearing scrubs to work anymore.) His transformation into his father is coming closer to completion!

Valda's roast was hilarious. The following snippet will give you a good idea of how well she did, hitting his Achilles Heel.

Then my mom got up and gave him a few good zings. Everyone laughed when she told the story of how we went to Hong Kong and spent a day walking around a rural island eating great Chinese food and when we returned to Kowloon he insisted on having Italian Food...Italian Food? In Hong Kong? I was hoping everyone else would get up and throw Vince a few rounds, but...after those two what else was there to say?

Nights like this remind us of how we love the people in our lives. We are so blessed! On the way home he said, "I have to leave that job, but I hate leaving those friends." Thanks everyone!

Maya is Home!

The Five Amigos.

"I don't remember being prepped for this at that prep school I was at..." Maya Wise

Glorious Day! Rejoice! Maya is home! Matt and Irene are still married! The boys love having a new sister. The Grandma's are stoked and I've got a new baby in my life! I also got a fantastic new Louis V. handbag! I am so thrilled. Yes, with handbag, but mostly with the baby .....

Maya could tell right away that I love eating and gave me a fruit snack.

The New Chick-zilla!

Maya will have Priscilla in the palm of her hand very quickly. I know this because she started crying when Grandma was leaving. These are two sentimental girls.

Jazz Dance Camp

This week we have been participating in Jazz Dance Camp! Joselyn is a talented dancer and has won the heart of Mr. Falcom Greear! I think it is a mutual love. I also think that next year we will have not only voice lessons, but dance lessons! Marina likes it, but she is not as totally into it as Falcom is.

Sadly, I was not able to capture the moment on film where Joselyn said, "Remember everyone! I want to see your jazz-hands!" All the kids stopped dancing when the music stopped, and all showed their fabulous jazz-hands! I am still giggling to myself about that...

Fun at the WW

These are not peace signs, but rather 'twos' for the amount of weight I gained this week.

I love WW. Even though I gained two pounds again.
Leanne is helping me get re motivated to journal. We even pinkie swore that we would do it.


Mindy joined up this week.

Wondering how I could have gained two pounds again? Well, let me show you...

Take a look at this delicious salad I got at Two Sisters! You know, they have started selling pizzas and other nice deserts in the evenings. I didn't photograph the pizza I ate or the pieces of desert I had. Yes, I purposefully ate fries with that burger.
Can you see the croissant?
Great, I had the dressing on the side! What about the bacon and cheese on the sandwich?
Can you see the pecan bar poking out? Yea, I ate that!

Halfway through the meeting, N.V. said, "It's a slow process. How many years did it take to put on that weight? Give yourself time." Such kind helpful words. And then she gave our friend Lynn awards for meeting her goals. That was awsome and inspiring. Since then I have been journaling. We'll see how Monday goes!

Spa Day

Mindy and I started the day at Two Sisters for coffee and croissants. On the way in we noticed a really good looking young man. We both mentioned that summer must be here, as the really cute people were coming back to town. When we got inside the Cafe' we ran into S.O. who introduced us to that same good looking young man. She told us that he is her 'couch surfer'. When we asked how we could get one for ourselves she told us that there is a website, http://www.couchsurfing.com/, and you can invite people who are traveling to crash out at your pad. Yes, you get to see their pictures before you accept them. Mindy and I think we know how she keeps her marriage spicy! Mindy quickly picked up her cell phone and got said cute guy to go sailing with her husband.

This is Mindy mid-crack up

After loading up on stimulants we went to the Day Spa for side-by-side massages given to us by Karen S. Lovely building. Lovely entrance. Kind people who laughed heartily at the story of the last side by side massage I had, in Bali, (just a snippet: farm animals, father-in-law, ect). We filled out the questionnaire (Mindy was much more detailed than I). Out came my masseuse. "Hi, I'll be your masseuse today...if you will come with me." Out came Mindy's totally good looking young guy. "Hi, I'll be your masseuse today."

We looked at each other but were able to hold it back. Then we went to the darling cabin with the massage tables. My nice masseuse said, "Alana, if you will undress to your comfort level and lay face down under this blanket." and then Mindy's said to her, "Mindy, if you will undress to your comfort level and lay face up under this blanket. We will be back in a few minutes." Both practitioners left and Mindy and I totally lost it. We started laughing so hard we were crying. I am quite sure they could hear us laughing over the sound of the sea.

Was this a birthday joke gift from Karen? Is it because she wrote that she wanted deep tissue massage on her questionnaire? Whichever, she was getting the hot babe. And, to her credit, she buckled down and did it Alaskagirl style, where as I am way more modest mouse.

It was a wonderful massage; hot rocks, oils, ect. I will say that I kept wondering if Mindy was fully relaxed or if she was spending her time wondering how she could answer his questions without seeming sexual. For Instance; him: Does this feel good? she squeaked out a: yes.

We left that wonderful retreat and went out to the newly tourist saturated Homer Spit for some shopping with a gift certificate Mindy's husband gave her over a year ago. Because she had lost it and found it a couple of times already, (in fact leaving it on the counter as we were preparing to leave), the owner agreed to pin it to her wall so that it would not get lost again. Check out who gave her this nice gift...

We realized that we spend a lot of time fighting for accommodations for our children, isn't it reasonable to work accommodations into our lives. I am hoping this strategy will work with a Blackbeary Bog gift certificate I have been loosing and finding for almost a year now! We'll see.

And then to Land's End for Lunch and Cocktails. It was difficult getting a shot of Mindy with her drink that did not look to phallic. Then she said, "Isn't that the point of having a drink like this?" Hadn't thought of it that way. We were visited at the restaurant by the beautiful Brothers Wise. (They can not escape me!)

Then it was off for Pedicures! We came prepared with these goodies:

Did you know they have a whole section at the Grog Shop of non-alcoholic wine? Interesting discovery.

Yes. Getting a pedicure was the fantastic experience that every one told us it would be.

First you sit in this chair and soak your feet for a long time while Kimberly works on the nails and shaves the dead skin. This is a movie of the tissue removal.

Many loyal readers may recall Suzanne's and my trip to the dermatologist and his prescribing me 'Uric Acid'. Well, all that has paid off because Kimberly was able to shave off at least a quarter cup of skin from my feet.

You readers are in luck! Mindy has the shots of the floor covered in my dead skin on her camera so you won't be able to see that. (Kimberly said it was not the worst she'd ever seen, but I don't believe her.) But you will get to see the outcome:

We learned several things about the art of nail care. Here is my short list:

• Nail polish comes in very fun names. Mindy chose Red like Roses. I chose Reggae to Riches.


• When I apologized to Kimberly for not being able to get my previous polish off completely (with my home remover and a tampon since I ran out of cotton balls) she said that was just fine because she doesn't just have acetone, she has 'kick-acetone'.


• Mindy's diamond file is not broken...it's just full of dead skin. She needs to wash it!


• If you have a skin razor at home it is imperative that you get a new blade after every use!

I learned that there are things that a pedicurist can say to someone with really trashed feet to make the client feel good. One of those things is: "Are you a dancer?"

And the final outcome? Totally beautiful toes!

Thank you Irene and Karen for one of the best days that we have had all year. It was fantastic!!

Bunny Goes to Lunch!

Can anyone fully appreciate true joy until they have been able to lunch at Two Sisters Bakery with a new bunny in a delightful pet carrier? The bunny (as yet unnamed) came with us on our veggie truck deliveries. Marina got to show off her new bunny to everyone she came in contact with. She didn't want to leave town because there must be someone who hadn't seen her carrying her bunny around in a purse.

I'm waiting from the calls from PETA and Homer Animal Friends.

Bunnies!

Marina slept at Mema's until 9:45. It was such a peaceful morning. At 10am Dad came over from work to deliver a very special box. It was a box full of bunnies!

One of the women Vince works with had hundreds in her yard and was rounding them up. Now we are in possession of three cute little bunnies. Yes, I am pragmatic about the reality of these bunnies. For me, having my farmer man raise these bunnies is much better than little lambs. (after writing that we got a call from a place in Soldotna who are selling lambs. Damn,)

Marina is ecstatic!

Regular Tuesday on a Camping Trip

Every year, Otter Beach School goes camping at Johnson Lake. For the past four years I have been accompanying them. It's a sweet and sour camping trip. It's sweet, because Johnson Lake is so nice this time of year, without people, there is tons of nature. The loons and Arctic terns in the lake are beautiful. The eagles sit in trees right above camp. The kids are safe in that environment and are enthralled by the small things like frog eggs. The sun was shining and all adults were lured to nap in the sun.

The sour, it is cold and every year I leave there sleep deprived. In years past, I've had kids wake me up shivering so hard I thought their teeth would break. I've had one kid refuse a pull up and then wake the others up with the wet. It's painful even for the adults because you know that regardless of how little you drink before bed, the atmosphere inside a tent forces middle of the night longings to pee. But who wants to get up in the night when it is 30 degrees out to pee? Certainly not me.

This year I was not able to sleep over at the camp, ("It's a small job ~veggie box delivery~ but it's my job! Sorry I can't stay!") and I was better for it. Sleep deprivation has become the fast way to send me to the loony bin. I wondered how it would be taking Marina away from all that shivering. But I was willing to risk it.

Marina and I arrived Tuesday morning. We lead a group in fairy house building. Then I helped kids prepare lunch. Then I had a very funny coffee with Theresa (Mystique's mom). I am dying to hear about her time as a crab boat cook when she was 19! Not a story for small children's ears, I'm sure. Then I was back to fairy house building.

You know how some boys make a gun out of anything they can find? Mine makes fashion girls.

Tip for camp leaders (Dee, are you reading?): Fairy house building was a total smash. Each kid ended up making something fabulous for the fairies. We used natural and man made items and the kids were so creative that the meadow at Johnson Lake is now full of fairy hospitals, fairy art museums, fairy stages, hot tubs, apartments, mansions, even an old folks home. It was great.

After fairy house building was dinner preparation and eating.

This is the fairy theater where the young fairies perform the Nutcracker.

Then a virtual campfire with songs and skits. Then Marina informed me that she would rather not stay at the camp, that she would prefer sleeping at Mema's Shack! Hallelujah! I love this girl! I was tired when we left the camp at 10pm, but having an entire uninterrupted nights sleep made up for it. Sunset, 10:20 on the road back to Homer. Mt. Illiamna in the distance. (I am quite positive I spelled Illiamna wrong.)

Regular Monday without Suzanne!

Yesterday, when we got home from buying two 'new to us' beds, driving around town like the Kampets, we turned up our road to my super healthy neighbor Terri on her way to a long walk. As I got my daily exercise points unloading mattresses, she was out enjoying nature. You can imagine my surprise when I listened to my messages and there was a message from her! "Alana! We must have coffee! Call Me!"

I got so excited! My hip healthy neighbor wanted to have coffee with me! I picked up the phone to call her and right then, from my peripheral vision, I picked up a sight. It was a sight that I had been trying to exist within and yet avoid for a few days. I wanted to deal with it, but could never get a handle on how to start dealing with it. This sight, (that I had been only slightly in denial about), was the sight of a totally out of control mess!

After this crazy emotional week and this house getting totally out of hand, the stars were finally aligning to motivate me to tame this beast! What were those stars you ask? Vince taking the kids on the school camping trip was a huge help and Terri wanting to come over for a hang out, well, let's just say... it's really not the best way to start a new neighborly coffee clatch, bringing someone cool into your mess! It's a hot mess, but mess none the less!


Today, I spent the whole day getting my life back...

This was the downstairs bathroom.... before....


and.............................after...

Entryway before .......... and............................after

Well, I guess this kitchen was almost a health code violation..............................................................................................but not any more.

No, this recycling center is not working.................................................................but now?

And this sink! From those windows we usually look out onto God's creation, but I think this afternoon God was looking in on me, shining that miraculous light.... on cleanness! Now that I can see this table, I am reminded of all the humorous times spent sitting around it. Like that time Falcom picked up a fly from the floor and threw it into Mike M's salad while we were entertaining his 90 year old father and Supreme Court Judge Brother. Ah! The memories

Yea, I even tried to vacuum and then remembered there is a reason I hadn't vacuumed in a while, the belt is broken. See...I wasn't just avoiding it!

Will I be able to get the rest of the family to help me with upkeep? We will see. Does my heart feel lighter? Yes. Is it weird to put the family mess into the universe for the world to see? Perhaps it will guilt me into doing a better job enforcing clean up committees. We will see.


And then off to the WW without Suzanne. Can you imagine a week without Suzanne? It didn't have the same intense humor, but I felt well loved. Again, as always! I lost 1.8 of the pounds I gained last week and this week I received a 16 week celebratory charm! I've been on this road for 16 weeks now. Imagine that! This is my friend Gabe holding my charm...

Exciting news on the blogging front, Lynne started her own fabulous blog! Please access it at

http://baydweller.blogspot.com/

Between me, Irene and Lynne we must have the grooviest community in the state. I mean really!

So tonight, I leave DeeJay alone and go sleep at Mema's shack where I will meet Vince and Marina. I will take Marina with me in the morning to Johnson Lake where I will get to have my final Otter Beach camping experience. Until Wednesday...