tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75422232012-01-30T11:40:29.407-09:00A blog about Margaret, Kolin, Owen, Spencer, & Wyatt in AlaskaMegnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-62743941046833072592012-01-08T11:58:00.007-09:002012-01-08T12:23:58.226-09:00

For all of you that are worried about the imminent collapse of the ice shelves and destruction of the human planet by warming, rest assured, there are at least some places in this world, Bethel being one of them, that are experiencing record-breaking low temperatures (low of -32 today). I'm about at the end of my limit with over two weeks of temperatures like these.The one thing I feel truely

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-33715556194366808102012-01-02T09:44:00.000-09:002012-01-02T09:44:38.865-09:00

For all of you frustrated by the cold of winter, here's our current weather forecast (from Weather Underground). Current Tempp: -28 F:  Partly sunny. Areas of blowing snow in the morning. Highs 20 below to 25 below. Northwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Wind chills 40 below to 55 below in the morning. And for a little historical data.  Over the last week.  The average daily low temp was 28 below, the

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-12331589031965450162011-12-31T15:25:00.000-09:002011-12-31T15:25:50.228-09:00

No Xmas card again this year-- so here at least is a family portrait from Keplers.  I always thought of willows as brush, but they're actually taller in reality and could almost pass for trees. This year has been a good one. Spencer is enjoying kindergarten and is taking to counting, reading short words, and even seems to have a knack for the Yup'ik language. Owen is as energetic and creative as

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-5370800698094634712011-11-04T10:06:00.000-08:002012-01-02T10:22:09.011-09:00

While the boys and I were capsizing sailboats in New England this summer, Kolin was hard at work on our new addition.  Here's a picture of it from the outside, inside pictures to follow.  The porch will be a project for this coming summer, but this photo gives you the idea.  As it was, the entryway room to our dome was a 14 x 14 foot space that contained our washer-dryer, our pantry shelves, a

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-81504769089491250372011-10-30T10:54:00.006-08:002011-10-30T11:37:18.050-08:00

It has been a busy week with 2 Halloween carnivals, 2 Halloween parties, and 2 Halloween costumes to for the events.Owen decided to go as "Chooper," a character from his imaginary "Galaxy of Mexucon." Chooper is half boy half dragon. The people who owned our house before us left some tent poles behind. We had been using them to make bed tents to keep out the summer, midnight sun, but one of

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-47276305662010419752011-10-25T10:24:00.002-08:002012-01-02T10:56:23.749-09:00

Shortly after we signed the contract on this house a little over 3 years ago, but before we had actually moved to Bethel, we received a phone call from the the sellers.  There was some stammering and then a confession that a leak that they thought was fixed wasn't.  The culprit, the chimney stove pipe. After moving in and gathering visual data on the situation, the Kolin realized that the stove

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-49198218069646633012011-09-17T18:32:00.000-08:002011-10-22T20:18:48.709-08:00

September marked my first village trip since Wyatt was born. It also marked Wyatt's first (and only) village trip.  Village trips are bitter sweet for me.  I love to see where my patients come from and I LOVE meeting the health aids I work with by telephone every day, but when I leave, the boys tend to decompensate.  It's a huge stress for our family. Taking Wyatt was a strategic move.  I was

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-59650600186915923532011-09-05T16:57:00.002-08:002011-10-15T17:12:46.328-08:00

Chris in the Green boat Somehow we ended up with two boats in our yard this summer.  One of them is half ours, and the other one isn't ours at all.  Chris and Kolin took the boat that's not ours (for sale actually if anyone's interested) and headed out during the short moose hunting season.  While moose were a common sight when we lived in the bustling city of Anchorage, moose in this area of

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-10637026749610252652011-09-01T16:34:00.001-08:002011-10-15T16:39:14.841-08:00

 We recently invested in a backyard portable fire pit from Amazon.  Owen and Eliana were all about eating s'mores and hot dogs, but had an issue with the smoke.  To make things more tolerable they spent about an hour making smoke-shielding masks.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-44677384496567780142011-08-25T16:21:00.001-08:002011-10-15T16:33:46.786-08:00

Once you have a boat for subsistence purposes, you need a net to make such fishing dreams a reality.  We were lucky enough to be able to borrow a net for much of the summer, but as the Silver Salmon season approached, we needed one of our own.   The problem with these large nets is that they're quite expensive.  To save costs, Kolin and our boat partner (Chris) decided to buy the fixings and

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-81011301300290318452011-08-20T16:39:00.002-08:002011-10-15T16:45:44.179-08:00

Kolin and the boys made one last day trip to Flat to winterize the house, play in old stone forts, and gather some stones for our new wood-stove surround.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-31878853875861184352011-08-13T13:30:00.001-08:002011-10-13T14:44:26.620-08:00

 From the funhouse mirrors at the airport Although we were sad to leave Grammy and Granddaddy after 5 weeks of fun, the play area next to our gate at Logan airport helped soften the blow.  These days  (I'm writing this post in October and backdating it) Spencer is wearing "active life explorer" outfits almost exclusively.  Active life explorer is a Wii game that involves treasure

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-14074246181494009252011-07-31T11:26:00.000-08:002011-08-05T11:44:39.784-08:00

Cousin's Unite!  Owen and Spencer had a blast hanging out with their cousins Wylie and Gavin in Cape Cod.  Other then general cousin hanging out, favorite activies included eating "mud and worms"... burrying Gavin in the sand under the house...chasing "Fizzle Crabs" [fiddler crabs] into their burrows... viewing humback snouts on a fabulous whale watch...sporting "mohoffs" in the tub after

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-74791166651342788502011-06-12T18:43:00.000-08:002011-06-12T18:43:09.571-08:00

Owen, Spencer, Wyatt and I have been going to the local skate park daily to practice bicycle riding on about the only paved surface in town.  Spencer initially started by coasting down some of the shorter stunt ramps.  Owen initially started with some help from mom.  After just a few short days, both boys are both starting on their own, learning how to "stand-up pedal," and are able to ride to

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-72328190414652749292011-06-04T13:46:00.000-08:002011-06-04T13:46:07.181-08:00

 Being that we have no movie theater in Bethel, Owen and Spencer have gotten creative.  The kids' theater this weekend consists of chairs, sofas, and an area for sleeping babies up front.  Owen even made tickets for the occasion.  Ironically, there is no movie at this movie theater. 

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-34825273613032121992011-05-30T22:46:00.000-08:002011-05-30T22:46:44.760-08:00

Owen had a special day yesterday.  He got his picture on the side of a truck, he got to go for a boat ride, and he learned how to ride his bike.  His favorite part of the day was learning how to ride his bike.  Interestingly, his 4-year-old brother learned how to ride his bike a week ago.  Here are some pictures of our Kuskokwim boat ride and picnic on the tundra with our friends Eliana and

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-37884921303170777422011-05-29T15:55:00.000-08:002011-05-29T15:55:56.068-08:00

So I was sitting inside reading today a book on Yupik grammar when I heard a knock on my door.  A friend of mine stopped by to tell me that she really thought I should come down to the river and take a look at the barge that just came in.  She said that there was a Northern Air Cargo truck with a picture on it that might interest me. So a while back, while I was at work, I received a call

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-75659300328268319922011-05-21T22:34:00.002-08:002011-05-30T23:10:12.285-08:00

Favorite activities include rolling, banging things together, laughing, playing with brothers and dogs, eating chereos, nursing, sleeping, nursing while sleeping, and sucking on index fingers.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-64598055620370711272011-05-20T19:44:00.000-08:002011-05-20T19:44:47.160-08:00

The school year is drawing to a close.  The boys have 2 more days of school left and then "summer" begins.  Spring finally arrived, and the migratory birds and ducks are returning to the Kuskokwim Delta.  My patients have been coming in this week complaining of sore muscles from plucking the feathers from ducks, cranes and geese.  I visited Spencer at school last week.  Here is a shot of him and

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-32102029656360623062011-05-08T17:27:00.001-08:002011-05-15T17:52:40.507-08:00

I had my best mother's day this year.  Thank you to my family.  Kolin made crepes for breakfast with two different fillings, bananna and chicken mushroom. Owen wrote me a beautiful poem that reminds me how special he is.  It goes: I love you more than a jar of olivs. I love you more than the Glixy of MEXUCON (the Galaxy of Mexucon-- one of his fantasy worlds). I love you more than exploring. I

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-54133543877107132652011-05-05T12:52:00.000-08:002011-05-05T12:52:30.947-08:00

It seems that spring has arrived in Bethel.  It is a sunny 47 degrees outside--40's feels like 70's when you get used to months of sub-freezing temperatures.  The snow has melted and my cabbage seedlings are sprouted in trays on the kitchen counter and eager for warmer tempertures to arrive.  The river is still technically frozen, but upriver it has started to "break up."  I had some crazy

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-79511059344407820722011-04-17T13:08:00.000-08:002011-04-17T13:08:13.473-08:00

Taking a stab at single parenting this week.  Kolin is in Cordova currently at a student council meeting and I am here with the kids.  The conference ended yesterday, but because of some blunders in the travel department, Kolin is not due to come home 'till tomorrow night.  I took some vacation days last week on behalf of the occasion, but tomorrow I have work and there is no school, so things

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-7360029875561032402011-03-27T21:56:00.001-08:002011-04-02T22:22:07.916-08:00

Being able to walk to and from work is something I really appreciate.  Nothing beats not having wait for a cold car to warm up on a cold winter's day.  This post is in honor of my walk to work.  On this particular day, March 27th, while many of you were probably enjoying daffodils, I was enjoying crisp morning air, snow flakes and frosty delights. Duncan's Chain on our porch Just a house

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-49975679602236960092011-03-26T22:31:00.003-08:002011-04-03T09:35:45.103-08:00

We've been having some pretty beautiful weather recently.  The sun is bright and high in the sky and the snow has not yet turned into mud.  What's more, the hoar frost has been out several mornings recently.   We finally got a sled this year (they're very expensive here).  We thought it was stolen while we were vacationing for Christmas, but then Spencer discovered it peaking out of a ditch

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-4649004572940347452011-03-25T22:23:00.001-08:002011-04-02T22:48:33.453-08:00

 Owen shows mom his chicken-feather fans The novelty is wearing off a bit, the year of my 4th Camai.  I did not feel compelled to take pictures of everything.  With that said, here are a couple picture of Owen and his Northern Lights Kuspuk.  We made Owen's dance fans a few months ago when he decided one night that he wanted to put on Camai in our living room.  Although those silly chickens

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-84983993711385547082011-03-19T19:21:00.000-08:002011-03-19T19:21:22.747-08:00

This week marked Owen's 7th birthday among other things ((carcinoma in-situ (as opposed to invasive carcinoma) and caribou craziness).  On his birthday, I told Owen what a wonderful day I had 7 years ago that morning, and he said, "Why?  What happened?" -- not quite putting everything together.  Last year's sock-puppet party went pretty well, and I really fell that probably every party could be a

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-77574083965368101442011-03-12T12:08:00.000-09:002011-03-12T12:08:50.102-09:00

I'd say that life has been a little rough around the edges recently.  That's either an understatement or an overstement depending on the day.  It depends on how work goes, how much I sleep, and what sort of a mood the boys are in.  Just a few thoughts and memories to share today. I love the way kids speak.  Spencer (4) comes to me today and says.  "I've got a hole on my foot.  There's something

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-7035077306423938432011-03-06T10:58:00.001-09:002011-03-11T21:29:10.005-09:00

The Boys were all off on spring break this week.  This means that although I was working, things were much more relaxed around the house.  For one, I got to sleep in until 7 and sneak out of the house without dealing with getting little ones up and ready school.  It will be a great day when all of the kids dress and get up without much assistance.  Spencer has been practicing his photography this

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-6513386175087362462011-02-21T09:59:00.000-09:002011-02-21T09:59:57.392-09:00

As mentioned previously, one of the conditions of buying a snow machine, was that it be used to procure food.  If you don't want to know where food comes from, this post is not for you.  Kolin's a great storyteller, but I'm home from work on behalf of President's Day.  In brief, Kolin headed up the Kwethluk river with a friend from school.  After a lot of frustration, no caribou, a lost wallet

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-20389015742938340932011-02-13T11:59:00.001-09:002011-02-13T12:42:49.408-09:00

Kolin got a late-night call the other day that the perfect snow machine had come up for sale.  A snow machine is "Alaska speak" for snowmobile - it is not a big snow blower.  He "conferred with his boss" as he puts it and after little (no) debate we are now snow machine owners. This is Spencer on our 10-year-old Polaris.  I told Kolin he could go on it (leave me with the kids) so long as he has a

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-64270421929080901432011-02-06T16:20:00.000-09:002011-02-06T16:20:18.658-09:00

What do these two things have in common?  They are things that are found in Bethel.  That's about it.  I will start with the aluminum cans.  Recycling in Bethel leads me to the topic of trash in Alaska.  One of my first trips out here I remember seeing an Alaskan throw a Styrofoam cup into the woods.  I made a comment and the response was "Alaska is big."  It shocked me at the time.  But when

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-23938669375026082302011-01-23T14:33:00.021-09:002011-01-30T09:09:04.269-09:00

It's on days like these that I am thankful for a warm, tight house and "quiet time" with the family. I woke up this morning, or rather several times this morning to the thump thump thump of wind gusts hitting our house. As someone I work with once put it, having a house in Bethel is kind of like having a house in some other part of the country and driving it down the freeway. Winds have been

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-23231972859138247612011-01-09T12:01:00.002-09:002011-01-19T14:22:27.253-09:00

We are back from a Christmas trip that included visits to aunties, cousins, and grandparents in Connecticut, Maine, and Washington state.  Contrary to emails I sent out (or rather an email hijacker sent out), I was never in London and never needed money to settle my hotel bills.  Actually, I have been in London, but that was many years ago and I have no great desire to go back.  Here's this years

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-63486216920179135972011-01-06T23:10:00.001-09:002011-01-30T09:12:02.175-09:00

After the Christmas festivities, we rented another car and headed up to Maine to visit my parents and the Lighthouse.  A blizzard followed us as we drove up from Connecticut.  It shut down Newark airport for several days, but gave us nothing more than flurries on the drive.  After a dinner with my parents, we settled in at the lighthouse for a good sleep.  We woke up to a winter wonderland,

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-45628412923042718042010-12-29T22:40:00.001-09:002011-01-29T23:08:58.103-09:00

Haven't been "home for Christmas" in 6 years, so this year, we decided to make a whirlwind trip to New England, Washington state and back. After a nightmarish 4 hour layover in Anchorage on December 23rd (I am not a fan of Continental airlines) and an easy layover in Seattle, we arrived in Newark and drove up to my sister's in Connecticut without much hassle.  Though as an aside, I am not big fan

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-55395182078991897062010-12-19T11:15:00.003-09:002010-12-19T12:26:31.408-09:00

Three more nights until we go home for Christmas.  We haven't been home (as in New England) for Christmas since Owen was 9 months old.  I CAN'T WAIT!!  We are going to spend XMAS at Auntie Anne's house and Auntie Kate and her family will be over for Xmas dinner.  Then we are heading up to Maine for a few days with my parents before flying to Washington to spend a week with Kolin's parents.  The

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-64495103415108561672010-12-15T23:44:00.002-09:002011-01-30T11:23:10.883-09:00

 December blessed us with hoar frost.  I will never tire of it. Kolin went on a brief trip with his friend Matt to the village of Napakiak via the Kuskokwim ice road.  Matt went there several days earlier for work and, while there, his snow machine broke down.  So he and Kolin borrowed another snow machine and went up to retrieve the first one.  The primary problem was ice in the fuel filter,

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-90295982588592357702010-11-27T12:49:00.000-09:002010-11-27T12:49:55.072-09:00

I've been back at work for 2 weeks. It has been going relatively well.  My new schedule with Wednesdays off has been like a dream, and Thanksgiving this week helped to soften the blow as well.  I've been thinking back to residency and returning to 80 hour work weeks with 30 hour call shifts when Spencer was a baby.  Don't know how we made it through that, but at least it's behind us.  Next week

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-57865722277645170642010-11-14T16:55:00.000-09:002010-11-14T16:55:15.553-09:00

Well, 12 weeks has come and gone, and I am returning to work tomorrow.  I'm pretty depressed about abandoning my baby for work, but don't really feel that I can abandon my career.  Our society is pretty messed up.  I really feel that a mother's rightful place is with her baby, but I am a total hypocrite.  However I am going back part time- 32 hour work weeks, instead of 40.  It's going to be

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-77103332149471788322010-10-31T21:47:00.000-08:002010-10-31T21:47:13.319-08:00

 2 weeks to go until I head back to work, boo!  Speaking of "Boo", Owen and Spence had a nice Halloween.  Most weekends we get a call from Grammy  Spencer.  Here's Spence talking to Grammy this morning in a pink mask that he made at school. Owen decided to be a Viking this year, inspired by the movie "How to Train a Dragon."  Per Owen, his home-made costume didn't go over well at school among all

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-66760097520057288372010-10-24T11:11:00.001-08:002010-11-03T14:52:20.639-08:00

Per Spencer, only three of the kids in this photo are "made out of kids."  The others are made out of cardboard.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-25988715858901954752010-10-23T14:08:00.000-08:002010-10-23T14:08:15.469-08:00

The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday (40 degrees) and the sun was brightly shining.  Kolin and Owen had the day off from school in honor of late nights spent at parent-teacher conferences this week.  Given such blessings, we decided to hit the skies and spend the afternoon in Flat.  Although there's no snow in Bethel, there was an inch or two in Flat.  The air was quiet and still.  You

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-9849661864392592592010-10-21T09:04:00.002-08:002010-11-27T13:05:57.534-09:00

Wyatt is now 2 months old.  We have 3 1/2 weeks together until I head back to work.  Time is flying.  In addition to being available to his every whim, I've been focusing on getting things in order around the house and doing some continuing medical eduction stuff (CME).  If I keep on track, I can extend my family med re-certification exam interval from 7 to 10 years.  I did a bunch of tedious CME

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-39598521341791857462010-10-09T15:55:00.001-08:002010-10-14T12:46:41.660-08:00

 Not quite laughing, but this smile will do.In Bethel, it is probably more politically correct to wear beaver fur than to not wear beaver fur.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-26875996761942348052010-10-07T09:19:00.001-08:002010-10-09T15:59:18.844-08:00

Well I am 6 weeks into my maternity leave.  After 2 weeks here and 4 weeks visitiing family in Washington, Maine and Connecticut with Wyatt and Spence, I am back home in Bethel.  We all survived the separation.  I am currently working on my housewife skills.  Trying to keep the house in order, the baby happy, dry, and fed, and have a dinner on the table when Kolin gets home.  It's going OK, but

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-63697522708215165522010-09-12T11:41:00.001-08:002010-09-17T12:01:38.642-08:00

Congrats to Owen who lost his 2 front teeth.  Unfortunately, I have the camera with me on vacation, so Kolin had to settle for the webcam.  Quality might not be great, but the character is all there!

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-21111743349403161292010-09-10T12:46:00.006-08:002010-09-18T03:48:53.408-08:00

Two weeks and one day after leaving the womb, Wyatt embarked on his first journey across the continent. Though some may question my judgment, there is no vacation like maternity leave and the countdown to work has started ticking. While not the youngest flier in our family (Spence flew from Anchorage to Talkeetna at 10 days old for pizza infused breast milk), he is the youngest transcontinental

Megnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-30339141872995406662010-08-28T12:36:00.000-08:002010-08-28T12:36:53.594-08:00

Wyatt at 1 week looks about like he did at 1 day, but here are some pictures anyway.  His activities this week include eating, eating some more, sleeping, sleeping some more, peeing, peeing some more, losing his umbilical cord stump, looking around, looking around some more, and fussing whenever he's not close enough to mom.  He knows his days and nights and has been giving me about 3 hours of

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-54840087232016887122010-08-23T15:33:00.001-08:002010-08-24T10:30:21.175-08:00

Just a few pictures.  By early afternoon on the 21st, the boys COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER and came for a visit.  They think their little brother is "SO CUTE!!"  They don't yet realize that he's competition.  Spence didn't seem to care that we didn't name the baby Eliza. Owen didn't seem to care that the baby wasn't a girl.  They both just glowed. All set hit to the road on the afternoon of the 22nd

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-89476198211173292772010-08-21T11:16:00.001-08:002010-08-24T11:07:33.309-08:00

After experiencing somewhat of a roller coaster ride during the latter half of my pregnancy, I was getting pretty antsy as the days leading up to my due date passed, and the days after my due date began to slip by as well.  But being that I was essentially declared normal during my trip to Anchorage, there was no reason to induce me for another few days, and I'm not really excited about

Megnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-23666861264584363762010-08-19T13:20:00.002-08:002010-08-23T13:27:40.547-08:00

The day before my due date. 2 days after my due date, with a friend from work and her bump.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-76049795990572569372010-08-16T15:49:00.000-08:002010-08-16T15:49:14.786-08:00

Another rainy day in Bethel.  I love rain, especially the sound of it on the roof, which is particularly rare when your roof is insulated with 12 inches of foam.  And for those of you who are eagerly awaiting news of something other than a baby snail, did you you know that less than 5% of babies are born on their due date?  I jokes (an Alaska bush expression).

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-88707077435892725792010-08-15T13:53:00.000-08:002010-08-15T13:53:04.703-08:00

Yes, there are snails in Bethel, albeit smaller than any I've ever seen.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-91926381123234369552010-08-05T13:59:00.004-08:002010-08-15T15:04:55.029-08:00

Although the true purpose our visit to Anchorage was not known upon leaving Bethel, it soon became apparent that it was about relaxing and visiting with family... and seeing some Arctic Thunder.When I left Bethel, it seemed like a sure thing that kepler kid #3 was going to be evicted early, but within 48 hours, the plan had entirely changed to one of waiting and seeing.  Unfortunatey, or perhaps

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-15265122085433632482010-07-29T12:47:00.000-08:002010-07-29T12:47:53.489-08:00

1 week ago, I went to have an ultrasound done to make sure the baby is not too big. I am trying not to be my own doctor, but I gather this is standard at 36 weeks if you have gestational diabetes. I was not expecting any issues, but at this ultrasound appointment, the baby measured about 5-6 weeks behind schedule, putting it in the second percentile for weight (and thus qualifying it as a

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-29858167254601275272010-07-17T21:11:00.002-08:002010-07-17T21:30:58.147-08:00

Well, Eliza (Or Wyatt), I thought I'd share some pictures with you (and your relatives who have been requesting "baby bump" photos- though these might be too graphic).  This is your big brother Spencer.  He has been hugging you for months, and playing with you and kissing you and talking to you. I'm sure you know his voice well.  He loves you more than anything.  He says you're going to get a "

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-54467035262037280552010-07-10T19:34:00.002-08:002010-07-10T19:39:29.520-08:00

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-37272009386698557142010-07-10T10:42:00.000-08:002010-07-10T10:42:26.891-08:00

After more than a year away from her youngest child, the Adventurous Grammy Spencer decided to take the long flight to Bethel, Alaska from Maine.  She arose before dawn one morning, drove from Maine to Boston, and just a few layovers later (and after many hours), she was greeted by grandson Owen with a cheerful "Wakaa!"  (Yu'pik for "Hi!") I tried to get her to write this installment of "Kepler

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-26141155045474447332010-06-20T09:39:00.001-08:002010-06-20T09:40:40.379-08:00

Me and my Daddy 1977

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-24634781508865407712010-06-19T19:13:00.007-08:002010-07-17T21:43:01.175-08:00

Today I have decided to resurrect the old blog which has been essentially dormant for several months. Life here has been plugging along day by day, week by week. I am now nearly 32 weeks. Now just a few weeks to go, and as all true blue Arcadians know, 7 weeks can pass in a flash. After several weeks of feeling... not so good (a euphemism)... I am feeling better. I am now on the first diet I

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-88981423379038193182010-06-06T09:46:00.002-08:002010-06-20T12:07:44.740-08:00

Just a couple things for the remembrance book. Although Owen has started to go to bed easily over the last several months despite the increasing sunlight, he did recently invent some new Alaskan sleepware. Owen and Eliana by the garden.  Eliana is modeling a "helmet" that Owen made (from a box, red cellophane for red vision, and a whiffleball to top it off) and her "mosquito cape" (a bandanna)

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-32017176624150019472010-06-01T19:54:00.003-08:002010-06-20T22:34:56.585-08:00

Now that we are upwardly mobile, we can take off at the drop of a hat, literally, provided the weather cooperates. With Kolin's childhood home in the abandoned town of Flat only an hour away, we have both a destination and a place to stay. Kolin and his cousin Jason made the trek from Washington state though Canada and into Alaska with the plane and my new Ikea sink in May. First good weekend

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-71282145600327520442010-05-26T21:51:00.000-08:002010-06-01T21:59:44.224-08:00

By Gabriel Camanario, the "Seattle Sketcher" of the Seattle TimesNot far from High Flying Coffee is Paul Allen's Flying Heritage Collection, where I went Wednesday morning for a sneak peek at the museum's latest wartime artifact, a World War II tank that will be unveiled during a Memorial Day event on Monday. Mark Kepler, manager of aircraft maintenance, didn't expect to be driving tanks when

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-49218843113678395262010-05-02T21:35:00.000-08:002010-06-19T21:38:57.871-08:00

Just when you thought spring was here.

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-83156222942833091732010-04-30T21:12:00.006-08:002010-05-04T22:37:06.792-08:00

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-56465217873989003752010-04-19T21:45:00.001-08:002010-06-19T22:33:58.890-08:00

So there's some unwritten code in Alaska, that at some point you need to go to Hawaii. In fact many people go there every winter to break up the darkness. You can fly to Hawaii from Alaska for cheaper than you can fly to many places in the lower 48; Alaska Airlines even flies there direct. Although I am not an Alaskan, I decided I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So for Kolin's birthday

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-42309208008516698892010-03-29T06:32:00.000-08:002010-04-03T12:17:07.598-08:00

This year marked our third Camai Dance Festival in Bethel. Since I've blogged about this twice before, I'll keep it short. Camai (pronounced Cham-Eye) means "warm welcome" in Yupik. It features native dance from around Alaska with some dancing from around the world. The Yukon Kuskokwim Delta was overtaken by missionaries of different Christian denominations early in the early 1900's. Some

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-38490409388720923492010-03-26T16:03:00.000-08:002010-04-03T10:39:57.817-08:00

I went on my second trip to Emmonak to spend 4 days at the sub-regional clinic seeing patients.  The first time I went was in late December.  At that time, I saw daylight the afternoon I came and the afternoon I left.  March in Emmonak was a different story with over 12 hours of daylight and more mild temperatures.  We left Bethel in the late morning on a Cessna Grand Caravan for the

Keplerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11726765463129247475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-91059042665720095282010-03-20T19:35:00.000-08:002010-03-20T19:35:06.983-08:00

Owen's first official birthday party is behind us and it went well.  Owen has been asking for a while to make sock puppets, so with that thought, we put our odd socks and a felt collection I had for a project long forgotten to good use.  I invited Owen's whole kindergarten class (and 3 friends from his after-school program) thinking that Owen isn't that popular and the whole class would likely

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-78903488007316949642010-03-16T20:29:00.000-08:002010-03-16T20:29:27.655-08:00

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-55385542464946276782010-03-14T12:35:00.001-08:002010-03-14T15:46:06.132-08:00

Owen has grown into a delightful child this year.  Well, he always has been a delightful child, but in the past, this was often overshadowed by his pure Energy.  While I still feel his energy could power a small nation if you could harness it, he is able to keep it in check more than in the past.  I'm not sure if it comes down to the fact that he's maturing or that he has a fantastic kindergarten

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-65180820872241808142010-03-06T04:47:00.000-09:002010-03-06T04:47:15.092-09:00

3 AM seems to be the time that either my bladder or stomach can't handle it that I'm sleeping anymore.  Tomorrow I have no work, so I'm just going to go with it I think, rather than grumble about it.   I lost inspiration to write, so this is the blog where I write just for the sake of writing something.  A little this and that about what's going on recently. The kids were out of school this week.

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-84745849608177086482010-02-21T10:40:00.000-09:002010-02-21T10:40:52.340-09:00

Our small little house came equipped with a sauna off the bathroom.  We were not sure that a sauna was a great idea in a dome home with little ventilation, so it has since become the utility room.  It is a great utility room - who else has cedar paneling in their utility room.  Kolin just finished installing what I dubbed our "house levitation unit."  It is also known as a HRV, or heat recovery

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-12746485535267178152010-02-15T10:18:00.013-09:002010-02-21T09:28:39.561-09:00

While Washington DC has been buried in snow, we have been experiencing a mild winter for western Alaska, and I can't complain really. Less wind, less general frigidity, and a little more time outside. It is 29 degrees outside today, very comfortable when letting the dog out - who for some reason still complains. The boys have been working on being a little more athletic. Owen and Spence both

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-67143467147420150092010-02-09T18:22:00.000-09:002010-02-09T18:22:14.998-09:00

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-39649222391900486682010-02-06T19:47:00.000-09:002010-02-06T19:47:41.072-09:00

One of the perks of living in a small town is that you can wake up one day and decide to enter your dog in a dog show.  At work yesterday, I learned that today was the Annual Bethel Dog Show.  So this morning, we dug the dog brush out of the closet, held poor Duncan down and untangled him a bit, and drove him to the Bethel Cultural Center to be in a dog show.  We signed him up for three

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-50452693196110697702010-01-30T13:21:00.003-09:002010-01-31T08:27:21.921-09:00

A "gussuk" (white) doctor's perspective The word "subsistence" meant little to me before I moved to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and even less before I moved to Alaska.  It is such a big concept and it is so important.  I should have posted about it long ago. Subsistence out here means that you eat off the land; you eat local; you eat what you can catch.  What you can't catch, you don't eat.  But

Megnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-20520132531093132572010-01-30T08:05:00.001-09:002010-01-30T13:46:38.901-09:00

 ETA August 2010 - Keep fingers crossed.In other news, I have nothing to report from Alukanuk because I got mysteriously ill and had to shorten my trip.  I am now at home resting and hoping whatever it was doesn't come back.In other kid news, favorite recent Spencer quote "My tongue is 'Amazing' because there is always water in my mouth!"Owen's favorite dinosaur is the Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Can't

Megnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-75869979807882440372010-01-25T13:28:00.001-09:002010-01-25T17:37:50.200-09:00

I'm sitting at the Grant Aviation terminal, hoping to get to the village of Alakanuk soon. Wifi and an internet-equipped itouch means I can kill time by blogging.  I took a "Quayana Cab" from the hospital "Thank you cab" in English. I arrived at the terminal and went to the sign that said "Ayakatartuten" conveniently translated just below as "You are leaving." Just like at a regular airport, I

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-63643870098726579212010-01-23T14:17:00.004-09:002010-01-23T18:16:30.628-09:00

Could not for the life of me get this itinerary to load via email, so here it is for mom and Anne.  Totally flexible, but just a loose framework to ponder when deciding whether to come or not. This itinerary covers the highlights of “south-central Alaska.”  It is geared towards short segments with minimal driving.  It is geared towards being kid friendly and pregnant-lady friendly.  It is also

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-59575106404626436062010-01-17T08:23:00.001-09:002010-01-17T10:42:07.086-09:00

Brisk winds and cool temps meant the Akiak Dash didn't get off as planned. Being perennially clueless, we did not know this and showed up anyway. Glad we did, though, because those mushing in the Bogus Creek 150 mile race were finishing. Here's a picture of us at the finish line. Rumor has it the wind chill was 64 below zero, but I'm not sure it was much more than 50 below wind chill. We

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-76252072033233422032010-01-16T10:49:00.006-09:002010-01-16T15:54:51.164-09:00

Dogs in trailerI'm not generally in the habit of griping about the weather. I'm generally under the impression that as long as I have my "Resolute" parka, quilted overalls, Muck Boots, ice cleats, hat, and a decent pair of mittens, nothing can get me down. They shut the schools down when the wind chill is 50 degrees or more below zero. If the temperature is above 20 below zero, there is

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-29631779513828967122010-01-03T05:45:00.004-09:002010-01-03T09:39:57.266-09:00

Me and my mom - 1977

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-74068353966925271292010-01-01T09:22:00.003-09:002010-01-01T11:45:02.730-09:00

1. Continue having a happy, healthy family2. Write a book.3. Read more doctor stuff every day.4. Exercise most days.5. Get outside more.6. Eat more candy and snacks (specifically gummy coke bottles, fruit slices, blackberries and raspberries, heath bars, good and plenty's, red shoelaces, chex mix, cheddar popcorn, and those yummy fried vegetables... I'm sure I forgot something)7. Help

Megnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-32065287422699221332009-12-19T21:28:00.012-09:002009-12-20T19:22:12.961-09:00

For several years running, the Bethel Actors' Guild has put on a children's play. I wasn't sure if Owen was mature enough to handle it, but the attitude of the ladies running it was very laid back. They seemed eager to give every child who showed up for the audition a shot. I was worried about the audition, but it turned out all Owen had to do was stand there and look cute. The play was called

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-17321496359849987042009-12-19T08:54:00.013-09:002009-12-19T14:56:24.439-09:00

The early part of this week was occupied by a village trip to Emmonak. Emmonak is a large village (about 1000 Yupik Eskimos) on the delta of the Yukon River, just a few miles from the Bering Sea. Emmonak is a hub for several villages at the mouth of the Yukon including Alukanuk, Kotlik, and Nunam Iqua. Since it is a hub, there is a bit more going on there than one would expect - the airport has

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-78668697941465366282009-12-13T05:38:00.021-09:002010-01-17T17:56:30.051-09:00

With the sun rising after 10 and the sun setting before 5, there is not much (any) time for daytime recreation, except on weekends. I slipped on my Yak tracks on Saturday and went for a walk. Yak tracks are one of several options of the non-slipping variety available. They are invaluable in Bethel when there's a brief thaw, and the town turns into an ice-rink. And while the bright orange

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-31582461482557583892009-12-11T02:31:00.012-09:002009-12-12T18:53:34.096-09:00

Owen and Spence (and Kolin) had a fantastic time in Washington visiting G-Ma and Papa. Here's a quick picture of them just before they left. Owen spent a couple of days making novel airplanes out of spent balsa flyers. He then decided he needed a flying hat so he could fly. 2 favorite hats + 2 large safety pins + 2 propellers from broken balsa airplanes = 2 HAPPY boys. They were so excited

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-64948437238615918192009-11-28T20:12:00.004-09:002009-11-29T20:06:00.692-09:00

When I stepped out of work today to start my walk home it was warm. "Warm" in late November in Bethel means that when I walk home, I don't need my parka hood up. "Cold" means the hood goes up (which means my visibility goes down). My nose hairs start to get prickly around 10 degrees. "Very cold" (~20 below or less) means I have to keep my mittened hands in my insulated parka pockets, tighten

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-62209640072950821022009-11-14T08:10:00.006-09:002009-11-14T11:01:08.295-09:00

We bought a load of overpriced logs from upriver for our wood stove. We felt it would be worth it to use our wood stove on weekends. Kolin wanted to wait until the logs were frozen solid before cutting and chopping them up. I think he feels they split easier when they're frozen? He tuned up his father's old chainsaw and got to work. The boys gathered at the window. Watching Daddy saw up

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-70126761553129585682009-11-07T14:56:00.006-09:002009-11-08T08:14:12.638-09:00

Willow BranchMarsh GrassesRaspberry Leaves

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-9445240254893234552009-11-07T08:18:00.008-09:002009-11-07T09:10:38.386-09:00

It is 8AM on Saturday. I just let the dog out. Kolin's snoozing. Owen if flapping his arms in a bird costume on the Wii.It is 7 degrees outside. The humidity is 92%. Thus the weather is "Freezing fog." So One of the pleasures of cold livin' is having to unfreeze the dog tether clasp with your warm hand on a cold day so it will thaw/open. I will never miss this. This is a picture of me

Megnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-40336867562061614912009-11-01T11:41:00.011-09:002009-11-01T21:19:16.436-09:00

Not much is happening today in our little home in Bethel, the first of many such lazy Sundays for the new winter season. It's 12 degrees outside currently at 1 PM. We rose early (forgot about daylight savings) and Owen got right to running on Wii Fit while Kolin made breakfast. (I decided to buy a Wii to help blow off Owen's steam in the winter. (I'm generally anti-video game, but another

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-78893399261601951552009-10-25T12:37:00.011-08:002009-10-25T15:05:12.552-08:00

I fell into a bit of a funk, and as a result things that might seem interesting, like the lint from our dryer, did not. Anyway, Kolin tells me that I should just write something so that my blog "doesn't start to look like Anne's blog." (JOKE, LOVE YOU ANNE). Here goes... looks like this is going to be about the kids, so if you don't like reading posts about people's kids, go no further.October

Megnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-63461560093410282752009-10-10T04:44:00.013-08:002009-10-10T10:24:00.278-08:00

Photo from http://kyukonassignment.wordpress.com/We've lived on the Delta, the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta for just over a year now, and I've recorded very little about the land or it's inhabitants or history around there. Just seemed like too big of a task. For better or for worse, here I go... Since the land came first, I have decided to start with that. After my first ever trip to Alaska, I

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-12267214516650476942009-10-04T07:23:00.000-08:002009-10-04T09:49:55.737-08:00

I was waiting to post until the big project was done, but I'm not sure when that will be. It will not stop raining and as soon as the temperature drops again, snow is almost certainly in the picture. As part of our quest to make our house more energy efficient, Kolin has undertaken the seemingly impossible (and dangerous) job of installing new windows in our house. Kolin always seems able to

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-83416766909056216602009-10-01T09:57:00.002-08:002009-10-01T10:04:53.828-08:00

They are learning about "interviews" in Kindergarten this week. Owen was interviewed yesterday, and I just thought his responses were amusing. An Odd kid I think, especially in his last response.Favorite color: redFavorite movie: Wallace & Grommit: Case of the Ware RabbitFavorite book: H.A. Ray's White-Black the PenguinFavorite TV show: PBS' SuperWyand last of all...Favorite food: Oatmeal!!

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-47107296157940775212009-09-23T21:25:00.007-08:002009-09-23T21:36:16.025-08:00

So I think I've hit an all time low, because I am now blogging about potatoes. The native corporation here gives away seed potatoes every spring, and I now know why. You throw them in some dirt and end up with a bucket of potatoes, and these are not just any potatoes, but the sweetest most delicious potatoes I've ever had. We missed the seed potato give-away this year, but were fortunate enough

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-44836645206372118132009-09-19T14:39:00.011-08:002009-09-20T07:57:07.896-08:00

As I write this post, our house is shaking a bit more than usual. Our house is on stilts on soft ground, as is every other house in Bethel. This means that every time anyone walks up the stairs onto the porch, it shakes. Spencer is sleeping, Owen is as usual pretending to be some sort of super hero (his current super hero is the "Rain Saber" some sort of mystical creature that eats animals

Megnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542223.post-46727671633360618192009-09-17T11:30:00.002-08:002009-09-19T18:41:47.258-08:00

I was supposed to travel to Kotlik, one of "my" villages, on Monday but at the last minute, I was diverted to a village called Scammon Bay to do "damage control" for a H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak. There was a pretty severe outbreak in a village called Chevak (which shares the same plane as Scammon) recently, which apparently was how the decision came about to divert me to Scammon. My mission was to

Megnoreply@blogger.com3