We made it home from Cripple River Gold Camp after 36 hours of travel.  It took 36 hours to get there, too, but who's counting...

The terminal at Nome is kinda small, and the folks are super friendly.  Thought I'd just show you a picture to demonstrate how small it really is.

Bill and I took about an hour to get settled into our digs, and then we took a well deserved nap..

Bill worked the beach helping the participants set up and take down the beach boxes, while I worked in the kitchen.  

Got a good picture of a muskox on one of my trips to Nome.  Since there was no internet access in camp, I had to make the 12 mile trip along the beach on my day off so that I could access the internet for bill paying.  

A lot of things are different at camp since the last time we were there (2009), but as soon as I got off the truck, I felt as if I had never left.  A lot of the old friends were still there, and a lot of new ones too.  

Because the long time camp cook was not there this season, things in the kitchen were sometimes a bit confusing and even tense.  I simply kept my head down and did what I was told, and everything turned out good.  I made some of the desserts, prepped veggies, did meat and cheese trays, served meals on the serving line, and had a blast.  There was another person who was brought in the same time I was, and we had everybody laughing.  Don't know who was goofier, Victor or me.  

Bill had a good time on the beach, too.  His boss, Norm, was glad to have the experienced help.  We have both been told that we will be welcome back next year,  have filled out our applications, and turned them in.

I hope to write more about some of our experiences in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

'Til later...

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Last night we had a farewell spaghetti feed for Maggie, Kaili and Elizabeth.  They headed for home early (for the girls) this morning. 










We were treated to a spectacular sunset to the West while being treated to a double rainbow to the East.










I got a snapshot of Kaili, Hailey, and Elizabeth before they went their separate ways.

Bill and I enjoyed the visit with the Canadian contingent, and hopefully all of them will be able to come next time.

Next week we will be leaving for cripple River Gold Camp.  I plan to send blogs and pictures of our adventures.  If I miss days, it will be because the weather isn't cooperating.  Last I heard, it was still internet by satellite, so when it's really overcast or stormy reception is iffy.

'Til later...

Haven't posted many blogs lately, but when we get to Nome and the Cripple River Camp I hope to do a daily post.  That won't be until July 17, so don't start looking too hard yet.

Tonight the full moon is supposed to be closer than any other time this year, so I wandered out with my camera.  It had risen too far in the sky for me to get any trees or hills for a reference point but I convinced Bill to pose for me.  Interesting...of course, I can't figure out how to turn the picture' so you'll have to just turn your screen.

Well, that's all 'til later...

This last month has been a little hectic.  Maggie has been down for the last 5 weeks to help with Doris, and we've finally managed to get her into an assisted living apartment in San Luis Obispo.  She has had several spells where she passes out and then falls to the floor...for that reason we all decided that she wasn't safe to be home alone anymore.  The place that she chose is really nice, and I'm sure that she will be well cared for.

I put Maggie on the train to go home yesterday, and today she should be seeing her Canadian family again.

I spent the afternoon making tripods for the string beans I'll be planting soon.

Last weekend we went to the gold show in Turlock and met with Kevin.  We get to go to the camp at Nome this summer.  I can't begin to tell you how excited I am!!  There is no way that we could manage to do the full 10 weeks because of the animals and gardens, but if we pay our own airfare, we can work up there for the last 5 weeks.  I'm having a lot of trouble not getting the suitcases down and starting to pack.  We are scheduled from July 17, through August 28(?). 

Hope everybody has a fun Easter.

'Til later...

March 4, 2013

 

Speaking of which...today and yesterday I've been on a diet of "no seeds, nuts, or foods with skins".  Tonight I have to take two laxative tablets and then be on a clear food diet tomorrow.  I can spend one day with iced tea, soda, jello, and water, but then I have to drink a gallon of poison tomorrow night so that I can stay up all night sitting on the pot.  Wednesday morning I'm headed off to the clinic to have my bowels photographed from the inside.  Ah...colonoscopy, I love you...

Til later...

I took this picture last spring and sent it to the local newspaper.  They publish pictures that folks send in about three or four times a week. 

 

I titled it: "Life imitating art".  I've been published!!!  Darn this new blog...can't figure out how to turn my picture clockwise.  Lie down on your left side to view the picture.  Sorry, anyway, 'til later...

 

 

 

 

My dream

This is my first attempt at a crocheted oval rag rug.  Good enough to wipe our feet on when we come in the door.  Finally found something to use up the old sheets and towels.

I have a recurring dream about something that has troubled me for at least three years.  For four summers Bill and I went to a gold prospecting camp in Alaska.  It was pretty primitive, and cost us a bit of time and money, but we enjoyed ourselves (totally).  We had to pay close to a thousand dollars each, and pay for our own airfare, and we were there for seven weeks.  That meant finding someone to stay with our dogs and garden, but we managed.

We worked to make the paying participants as comfortable as possible, and help them find gold.  Bill worked on the beach, and I cleaned the washrooms and cabins.  In my free time I took pictures of wildflowers, and animals that wandered past.  (Fox, muskox, moose, cariboo, and rarely a bear.)  The facilities were primitive, but we loved it!

Then...out of the blue, we got a letter saying that our services were no longer needed.  They had changed how they were running the camp, and they didn't need as many workers anymore...we didn't make the cut.

I cried for months, but figured that maybe the next summer we would get to go back.  I wrote and asked for work applications, and never heard a thing.  Friends who were still going up there had no idea why we hadn't been selected, and told us that there had been no bad things said about us.

I have requested an explanation from the directors of the camp several times: Did we do something wrong?  Were there complaints from anyone?  Can we do anything to correct things? I have never received an answer.  It's almost like talking to a brick wall.

One of my friends from the camp notified me that she missed us and asked us to try to apply again.  She sent me a copy of the application that she had received, and said to fill it out and send it in. 

In my dream, I  am   confronting the camp manager and asking him why we can't work there anymore, and he ignores me.  It is as if I'm invisible, and aren't there. Sometimes we are at the camp, but sometimes were at a meeting in a convention center.  I always wake up frustrated and angry.  Not having answers to my questions and not knowing WHY.

I'm sure that we won't be going to the camp again this summer, because there is a reason we haven't been asked back...I just don't know what it is.

'Til later....

Family History

 

 Remember back last September when I was complaining about the work I had ahead of me with the family pictures?

This weekend my three cousins, two sisters-in-laws and sister all joined me to get it all sorted. 

We divided them into the Sheffer side (my Mother's) and the Lund side (my Dad's).  We scanned them into my computer and everybody got to take a thumb drive home with them.  It took us three days to get it accomplished, but it was very rewarding.

Claire brought all the notes that her brother (now deceased) had made while doing the geneology for the Sheffer family.  Included was a journal from our great-great grandfather when he was doing missionary work for the Mormon Church.  He traveled all around California and helped found the town of Port Townsend, Washington.  What a great find.

It sounded like we were having a religous experience with all the "OH MY GOD"s we were exclaiming.  Poor Jan kept appealing to the heavens whenever she came upon an old photo with no name:  "Please tell me who you are!!"

Altogether, we had a blast!

'Til later...