My Birthday, Part II

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday. I was over a week late, but with the excitement of the last week, I decided to put it off until a day I could truly enjoy it.



The day started with the completion of a slumber party with Aunia. Because none of the children had a descent night sleep, I decided to deliver Marina to my mother first. The two had been working at "garbage day pickup" for the week. Marina and my mother continued their community service, while I let Falcom spend a few hours at Aunia's house. Aunia lives near Two Sisters Bakery and the beach. It was my hope that the kids would play at the beach all day, but their constant bickering caused me to decide that I really didn't care what they did as long as they were not near me on 'my birthday, part II'.

As the door shut behind me I realized the sun had come out. Aunia's place is on the beach and facing to the inlet. There was a breeze, and the smell of the sea was poignant and cleansing. I was suddenly transported back to my early Homer days, working at the Driftwood Hotel. There were times when I would step out the back door into the bright sun, with that same poignant breeze brushing my face.

With this attitude in my heart, I went to Two Sisters and had this delicious Roulaud. This delight is full of pastrami, blue cheese, walnuts, scallions...How could I resist it? In those early days in Homer I spent plenty of my free time in Two Sisters, drinking coffee and eating delicious things and writing...pages and pages of letters that went out all over the world.

Last week at my nail tech job I had a fun thoughtful conversation with a woman who moved here around the same time I did. We talked about how life was for us before kids and mortgages, but more about how life was for us in Homer before ACS could put a phone line at every house and cabin. It was a time before cell phones and Internet. The trees were alive. Conversations were about where we were going to work during the winter or where we were going to travel to. We hauled water and left messages for one another on the local radio station.

My friend and I wondered at that moment if young people have as good of a time now when they move here as we did. Now that there is no cannery, camping on the spit is not free, cell phones are everywhere, we are all super connected through facebook, and all the old cabins that we rented for a couple hundred dollars a month have been converted to bed and breakfast establishments (that the owners get a couple of hundred dollars a night for now).

After leaving the beach, I went to the salon to do my nails for my party. While sitting there listening to the patrons and their conversations, I realized that it is not that we had a better time than people do now. The difference is that those days were the end of the Authentic Regional Experience. It was not just for us, but atmospheres of communities across the country. Regionalism had already been eroded by WalMart and Applebees and chain stores of all types. Homer was isolated just enough to be skipped by big corporations and it's uniqueness was still intact. (Random photo taken during that time in our lives. Published to keep the readers visual interest. Please notice two things...the grey sky and the the hair reversal of the couple...)

I remember meeting a woman and enjoying conversations with her. Then I went North on a road trip with Danny. We had pitched our tent along side the highway and that morning we were woken up by this woman's voice, "Alana! I met a guy the other night who is a helicopter pilot at a remote lodge and he is taking me out there to work. We were flying over when I saw your tent pitched! He's so into me he had no problem stopping so I could tell you all about this new development! He is kind of SNAG-gy, but I still kind of like him. (SNAG = Sensitive New Age Guy)" Helicopter parked in a clearing, blades slowly spinning, cars passing us on the highway...

I don't think that kind of moment happens so commonly in our state anymore.

Suzanne thought I was being a little snobbish when I asked her if she thinks young people were having as much fun here in Homer these days as we did 15 years ago and she said, "Of course! People are still drinking and laughing and hooking up!" but then when she thought about what I meant she thinks I may be right.

I will have to reflect on the Authenticity of Saipan Next week.

After finishing my fingers I went to the Trash Collection Center at the Chamber of Commerce to see how Marina and Mema had done at their trash picking. 5 and a half bags collected! Good work women! They wouldn't find out until later if they won a prize for their efforts.

I stopped by Pic-and-pay. Talk about an Authentic Experience! This is the thrift shop attached to the Catholic Church, it is open only Saturdays from 10-3. It is cheap and always has wonderful items, but they are picked over by 10.15 as there is a long line of regulars who snake along the building by 9.45 each Saturday. Going into the tiny building at 2.30 was a sight!
It was empty of people and the true goodies, but look what I found! An outfit of sublime craziness for my party!Marina called. She and Mema came in 3rd place at garbage pick up and won $50! Way to go!Our friend Joanna is renting the house Vince and I lived in during Homers more authentic time. She offered to hold the party at the house because she lives alone, her road is not in the middle of breakup, and it would be easy! She had parked her car at the top of the drive so that people would not drive down and trash the place, but Suzanne and I both knew that it was my birthday and I could not be expected to walk.
Just walking in the door in our party clothes was like stepping back through a portal. The above picture was taken in 1997 or 1998? I can't remember. This is my friend Emily.
And here we are again, in 2010...

The Party? How was it? Was it the full blown dress up crazy performing extravaganza that these events often are?

No. There were several people absent due to work and illness, but did that stop us from laughing our heads off? No.

The only gals who thought to prepare a performance were Zinovia and Anna who sang Russian Wedding Songs for the crowd. (watch video).
I told the story of being called by "DeeJay's Girlfriend Melina" who lives in Florida and who wants to know if DeeJay is cheating on her. "DeeJay told me 'bout you." she said, "Oh really, and what by chance did he say?" "Just dat yous invlid. Is so nicee he take care you unall."

All the women who neglected to dress up or create a talent, showered me with luxurious gifts.

I am truly blessed in this life! Thank you everyone for helping me through this life and for coming out to enjoy a little birthday fun. My stomach hurts today from laughing!