The Gathering Place, A place to blether

[CelticRoz]

Hey Rindy! You know? I have never been able to get the photos to work in this forum. I keep having a javascript error which is way beyond my comprehension. If you want to down size a pic, I have a site for you that may be helpful. will send it to you.

Hope to talk to you this weekend!

[Rindy]

ok I am willing to do anything almost at this point...thank you


thanks
Mary

[gettin-away]

Hey all....I know I haven't posted much since my daughter flew to Alaska. Though I lurk through here almost daily I haven't stopped long enough to post anything.

My daughter arrived in Bethel and after only one week she was realizing just how far away she was. Cost of living is VERY, VERY expensive so she is counting her pennies. She's been careful enough she bought a kitten for company. Now she has someone to come home to at night. She is teaching 7th and 8th grade children who are at a low 3rd grade learning level. Most are Fetal Alcohol Syndrome kids. There are no water or sewer lines to the house she rents so a truck comes by weekly. She has found out in a pinch she can make her water stretch two weeks. Many of the locals live on whale, walrus and seal meat. Also bear, moose, caribou and salmon are available. Over 90% of the residents are Native Alaskan (Yup'ik....pronounced you pick). The whale is way out of her budget and the walrus meat is called "hairy potatoes" by the locals because of its appearance. She said she won't be eating any of that. Most meat in the store is costly and very close to the expiration date on packages and she said it looks bad. Recently she went to the store just after fresh stew meat was put on the shelf. But Reindeer Stew didn't sound that good to her. There are some roads around town (about 20 miles worth) but none of them are paved. It's rained almost daily since she has arrived so the roads are mud and ruts. She has fallen numerous times and most of her clothes are muddy. A few weeks ago there was a major storm over her area. The winds were so high that no planes could land at the airport for several days. That meant no mail, no supplies, no way in or out.

As for me.....I'm a nervous wreck!!

gettin-away

[Rindy]

Hi gettin-away! I am so glad you finally wrote.. I am so sorry your daughter is going through all of this. She is going to be fine- hard for a mom to go through. This is what you call getting back to basic-we all tend to take certain things for granted until we lose them.. Then we realized how valuable they really are to us..
I don't think I would like the "hairy potatoes either" Are you keeping yourself busy so you don't think about it so much? I think that is the key to keep sane..
I hope you will stop in here and write more often let us know how you are doing and how she is doing.Ok? I have missed talking to you..I will be praying for you.

Have a good evening everyone....

Slainte

[maggiemahone1]

All I can say gettin-away, you must be really proud of your daughter to go give up all of the advantages she had to all the disadvantages she's goin thru, to teach those disadvanteged children! I know it must be tuff knowing what she's having to deal with, she'll come out a much stronger person than what she was when she left you.

Instead of eating what the locals do maybe she needs to stock up on beans and peanut butter for her protein.

for gettin-away's daughter!

maggiemahone1

[j Padraig moore]

gettin-away : I am sure you are really proud of your daughter. I am sure impressed with what she is doing.
How long will she be there?

On my own personal note: my oldest son informed us yesterday that he will no longer play college football after this season. Actually I am proud of him and for all that he has accomplished. I know it was a hard decision. He is looking forward to being a "plain old college student". We are happy for him.

[MDF3530]

Hey all!!!

Another Sunday, another chance to talk to you fine folks (courtesy of my parents' broadband internet access) ...

I didn't get to see that "Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre" exhibition I told you all about. It closed on Columbus Day ...

I've been watching the baseball playoffs. My beloved White Sox need to win one more game in order to make it to the World Series for the first time since 1959. The last time they won the World Series was 1917, when Charlie Comiskey (the original owner) was still alive and well. They could've won it two years later, but several players took money from gamblers to take a dive. Ever since then, we've been saddled with the Curse of the Black Sox.

I thought I'd share with you a picture of my new church, Saint Fabian in Bridgeview, Illinois.



www.saint-fabian.org

[gettin-away]

Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes for my daughter.

maggie....I plan on sending her peanut butter, cheese and crackers to suppliment the protien. She is planning on trying some local dishes (maybe)!!

Rindy....I'll try to be better with my updates. I am keeping very busy. I'm still involved in another forum that's for Michigan Geocachers. I am writing a small feature section in a Michigan nature magazine and next month is Prematurity Awareness Month so I've been writing politicians and news people hoping to bring attention to it.

j Padraig moore....She has a one year contract with the school but if she can't handle it they will let her go. They've already lost several teachers since school started.
I hope all the best for your son. Sometimes it feels so good to just be "plain".

Talking to my daughter this morning and she was excited. She had a breakthrough with one of her students and she didn't realize it until she was talking with other teachers at an inservice yesterday. Seems she has a new student who just moved to the "big" town from one of the small villages. His English was poor and as Mandy talked to him she asked if he could understand her English. He said it was hard. She asked him to help her with learning Yup'ik and she would help him with English. Working to help her has helped him understand the school work for his other classes. She is the only teacher this student has had a conversation with.

Also at the inservice teachers came from many of the small villages. They told Mandy she was sooooo lucky living where she did. They were most excited to have flush toilets for the day. And they couldn't imagine three grocery stores to choose from!!!

gettin-away

[CelticRoz]

Hey everyone! So sorry I have been away this week. I have had one heck of a time with my back this week. Was grumpy with my doctor this week and he didn't like it, but too bad! I am the one hurting, not him! LOL. Anyway, it feels better today and thought I would take advantage of it!

gettin-away! I have been wondering about Mandy and how she has been doing up in Alaska. I am so sorry to hear she has fallen so many times. That is how I do in snow and ice too....I constantly fall on my bum! sounds like good things are happening but will need some adjusting in a new life there. I have moved many times in my life and I have found it always takes about a year to adjust and you either going to like it after then or not. So, be patient and in a year you will find out. How are you doing? Are you gettin-away much these days?

Rindy! I sent you an email with that photo reduction site. I also am looking very forward to my ghillies and will let you know as soon as I get them. I bet they will look awesome with jeans!

Mike! where the heck have you been? I have been worried about you! Did you have computer problems? My hubby has become a computer hog as of lately... I tried to get on here Friday night and he was like no way...I got stuff to do on here! Well! I never!

Hey Maggie! How are things with you?

Hey JP! Hmmm...son changing plans on you, eh?

SB! A week from tomorrow you will be here! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And for a whole week! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Y'all? SB and I used to live only a few miles from each other and then I moved back to AZ and she and I have not seen each other for 7 years! It will be like having to get reaquainted again!

Well y'all take care and speak to you soon!

[Rindy]

Hi everyone..

Hope your evening is going well..my day has went really well. Fast, but weekends always do.

Mike- I hope your Sox win.. Its good to see you..

JP and gettin away- you both must be so proud of your son and daughter..
Sounds like Mandy is going fine..learning to help someone speak a different language would be very hard to do. How interesting..

CR- Thank you for the link I am sure I will use it.. I don't know why I have such a time with that- I just can't seem to resize them.. We did put up a new CAD picture in the featured artist.
I hope your back settles down..darn it..you and SB have a wonderful visit..ok

Have a good evening everyone..

Slainte

[gwenlee]

Hi everyone. I hope everyone is fine. I attended the games at Stone Mountain and had a wonderful time. I got to meet SB and her family. They are a wonderful family. CR you have been blessed with such a good friend. I went to the Clan tent after dancing and was told a lady had stopped by looking for me and left a message she would be back at 2 PM. I was so excited. We ended up seeing each other at the SCD dance stage. We both had our Donnachaidh shirts on. I tried to get SB to dance but wasn't successful.

My youngest daughter led a raid on the Lindsey Clan. They were looking for a cow, but found a bunny instead. They left a ransom note and took the little bunny back to our tent, wrapped him in a cow print cloth and put a Donnachaidh name tag on him with a note that said he had been rescued by the Donnachaidhs. Later the Lindseys paid the ransom (before the deadline of 2 PM).

On Sunday she took a cow from Clan Hamilton, who were the honored Clan of the games. She wrote another ransom note asking for a Bridie pie, and cider to be delivered by the Honored Guest the Duke of the Hamiltons or his representative by 3 PM. She told them if they didn't think we were serious then to ask Clan Lindsey. So they asked the members of Clan Lindsey and found out that we Donnachaidhs have been stealing cattle from the Lindseys for many years. I was told the Dukes son went back to the Hamiltons and told them that our differences was with Clan Lindsey so why were the Hamiltons being brought into it? The answer was easy the Hamiltons had cows, we rather have beef than rabbit. The Hamiltons then not only got there cow back but captured the rustlers, and took them back to their tent to meet the Duke and Duchess. They had to register as cattle thieves. During the Clan march the Hamiltons took their little cow with them (they were fearful of another raid). Later on we found a hangmans noose on our banner. Chey took the noose back, everyone had a good laugh and then she and another raider got their picture made with the Duke and Duchess.

I know the people that are the State commissioner for Clan Hamilton and they said the cattle raid made their day. She said the Duke had just made a comment about the games being too serious. And they got a good laugh and thought the kids were great. Oh by the way the cow was a stuffed Highland Cow.

Gettin-away-as you know by now living in Alaska is a big adjustment. And very expensive. But it sounds like your daughter will do fine. I enjoy reading the updates. She is a very special girl.

SB and CR let us know how your visit goes and you two stay out of trouble.

TTFN

[ghost]

Hello!

Seems like everyone is busy, busy, busy! Sounds exciting.

I've been catching up on the news...Congratulations Rindy on your promotion!

Well it looks like I'm due to receive my little dose of bad luck, somebody loves me...This weekend has been different, to put it mildly. A fire broke out in one of the appartments on the main level, looks like I'll be dropping a lot of my school courses and may not graduate and now during lunch, I cracked a molar...I've been scraping by this year. As far as dental insurance, I think I'm covered. Although my last visit was 5 years ago and it was for a cleaning. So if you have some luck to spare, could you please send some my way?

Take care everyone
ttyl

[stoirmeil]

Oh, poor kid. The luck is a little thin, huh? Maybe you're getting a half-year's worth at once, and now it will be smooth. I'm sorry about the course work. Do you have an advisor to see? It would still be good to talk it through with one. And I'm really sorry about the tooth. I hope it goes with the minimum amount of pain possible, to your tooth and to your pocket.


gettin-away -- the name of that tribe where you daughter is sounded familiar to me and I couldn't figure out why, so I checked it out. Erik Erikson, the great developmental psychologist, did some work that was sort of like psych anthropology among them way back in the 40s, and his son Kai carried on the work. You can find some of the essays in any collection of his work -- Mandy might find them interesting. I hope she really comes tolove the place, too -- I often think how much I'd like some time in Alaska, but then I think how hardy you have to be. But all I've ever heard is that it is breathtaking and grand.

[gettin-away]

I don't have the words to tell you all how proud I am of Mandy. Even with all the obstacles she has proven herself time and again. She has now outlasted some of the new teachers she started with this year. Right now she is fighting a cold...she is susceptible to respiratory illness do to time spent on a ventlator at birth.

stoirmeil...thanks for the information on Erik Erikson. I've done some searches and I am interested in finding out more. This is something my daughter will like to look into.

CR...I have done some gettin-away. Right after Mandy arrived in Alaska I went to Canada for a weeklong tent camping trip, just to clear my head. One month ago I also went on a wilderness canoe trip with two of my brothers. 6 days over 40 miles in with a canoe and a tent. I'll post some pictures soon.

gettin-away

[Rindy]

Hi Everyone... sounds like all of you have been really busy...I had a busy 10 hour drive today helping a friend move so if I don't make a lot of sense tonight- you know why.. lol

Gwenlee it sounds like you had such a good time. The cattle raid sounded really funny.. Glad your back safe and sound..

Eventide- thank you on the promotion. I hope to do a good job.. I love it here. People like yourself make it a pleasure to be here.

I hope your luck gets better. I am glad you weren't injured in the fire how scary.
Sorry to hear your having to drop some of your classes.. And your tooth broke..
Hang in there...
Good luck is being sent your way!!! I hope you keep us informed of what is going on...

Hi Stoirmeil and Gettin-away..hope your having a good evening.. its good to see you both here..

Have a wonderful night hope to see you here tomorrow..

Slainte