Kaitlyn's most recently completed afghan
This has been a very relaxing week. We didn't have to go to school at all this week. Tim and I have gone to bed as early or as late as we have wanted and have not set the alarm clock once. We have avoided the school like the plague. We have spent most of our time in our apartment with the exception of our daily trip to town. The principal left us the keys to the school vehicle with the request that we check the school mail. In exchange for the use of a vehicle, we can check the mail! It's been so nice not to have to bundle up in 3 or 4 layers to go check the post office box. This week it has finally been getting cold too. Yesterday it was -18 F. That translates into really-cold-when-you're-on-a-4-wheeler.
I have been loving the time each day that I have had to do normal day to day home maker type things. I actually have been making some meals for Tim this week, keeping the kitchen clean, and the house sort of clean. I told Tim the other day that I was feeling very domestic. :) I love that feeling. I have also had the chance to work on some personal projects. I finished a quilt I had been working on. I did the mending: 4 months worth of mending. I finished a book. I've done some crocheting and a lot of digital "scrapbooking". (I am putting all of our blog posts together with all of our pictures and getting a book printed.)
I have been loving the time each day that I have had to do normal day to day home maker type things. I actually have been making some meals for Tim this week, keeping the kitchen clean, and the house sort of clean. I told Tim the other day that I was feeling very domestic. :) I love that feeling. I have also had the chance to work on some personal projects. I finished a quilt I had been working on. I did the mending: 4 months worth of mending. I finished a book. I've done some crocheting and a lot of digital "scrapbooking". (I am putting all of our blog posts together with all of our pictures and getting a book printed.)
The sun at noon on winter solstice
Wednesday this week was the Winter Solstice: the shortest day of the year. From here on out, our days will be getting longer. We will gain a little bit of sunlight each day. I took the liberty of taking a picture of the sun on the horizon at noon on winter solstice. We don't live far enough north to experience 24 hours of darkness, but it is kind of crazy to see how low the sun is on the horizon even at noon.
There are two other couples and another single teacher that decided to stay in Togiak over the holidays, so we haven't been hurting for company. Tuesday night we had pizza night with the Lee family. Michael teaches middle school science, Delorie teaches 2nd grade, and their sons Charlie and Tristen are both in high school. Their family is great company and the boys keep me laughing all the time. Friday night we had a movie party at our apartment with the Greg and Corey Cejka (two high school teachers) and Billy (elementary special ed teacher). We have also become self-appointed dog-sitters for our neighbor Evelyn. Technically, Billy is taking care of Buster, but Tim and I realized a couple days ago that the poor dog is just sitting alone in that apartment all day long and we're just across the hall hanging out in our apartment. So that past few days we've just been bringing Buster over to our apartment during the day. Billy still comes up and feeds and walks him. This is definitely the way to have a dog.
There are two other couples and another single teacher that decided to stay in Togiak over the holidays, so we haven't been hurting for company. Tuesday night we had pizza night with the Lee family. Michael teaches middle school science, Delorie teaches 2nd grade, and their sons Charlie and Tristen are both in high school. Their family is great company and the boys keep me laughing all the time. Friday night we had a movie party at our apartment with the Greg and Corey Cejka (two high school teachers) and Billy (elementary special ed teacher). We have also become self-appointed dog-sitters for our neighbor Evelyn. Technically, Billy is taking care of Buster, but Tim and I realized a couple days ago that the poor dog is just sitting alone in that apartment all day long and we're just across the hall hanging out in our apartment. So that past few days we've just been bringing Buster over to our apartment during the day. Billy still comes up and feeds and walks him. This is definitely the way to have a dog.
Christmas morning
For Christmas Eve, the Cejkas, Billy, Tim and I were invited to the Lee's home. They have a tradition of eating breakfast food for Christmas Eve dinner. Tim and I made his famous biscuits and gravy and enjoyed way too much food at their house. After dinner, we all headed to the Moravian church for the Christmas pageant. I was shocked to how many people were there. We were 10 minutes early, which is like an hour early on village time, and the place was already packed. A lot of our students had parts in the pageant. I was really glad we went. It was really hard to hear and see, but it was fun to do something as part of the community.
Today was Tim and my first Christmas with just the two of us Opening presents goes MUCH faster when there's only two of you. Tim surprised me with a handmade set of ivory crochet hooks made by a local carver. I tried to surprise him with a handmade seal skin hat made by a local skin sewer . . . uh, not a stinky sewer but one who sews. He's hard to surprise though.
Today was Tim and my first Christmas with just the two of us Opening presents goes MUCH faster when there's only two of you. Tim surprised me with a handmade set of ivory crochet hooks made by a local carver. I tried to surprise him with a handmade seal skin hat made by a local skin sewer . . . uh, not a stinky sewer but one who sews. He's hard to surprise though.
Sporting our fur hats and ivory crochet hooks
Our neighbor, Billy, joined us for church today. We only had one meeting because of the holiday. Tim and I were both able to be part of the program. The primary president had put the whole program together and members of the branch just filled in roles. It was like a grown up version of the primary program. I liked it. It was way less scary then giving a talk.
For Christmas dinner we were invited over to the Parker's home. Fanny is the 5th grade teacher and a local native. She is the school's Yup'ik teacher and also the one who has been teaching me how to sew kuspuqs. It was, as far as I understand, a pretty typical Yup'ik afternoon. She never told us when to arrive but just invited us over for Christmas. We came at about 2:30 pm with rolls and salad ready to be eaten. She was just starting to cook and we jumped in to help. After the food was made we ate and visited. Throughout the next few hours several other visitors would stop by, eat, visit, and leave. There wasn't ever an expectation to arrive or leave at a certain time and the food was just there to be eaten whenever anyone would like.
For Christmas dinner we were invited over to the Parker's home. Fanny is the 5th grade teacher and a local native. She is the school's Yup'ik teacher and also the one who has been teaching me how to sew kuspuqs. It was, as far as I understand, a pretty typical Yup'ik afternoon. She never told us when to arrive but just invited us over for Christmas. We came at about 2:30 pm with rolls and salad ready to be eaten. She was just starting to cook and we jumped in to help. After the food was made we ate and visited. Throughout the next few hours several other visitors would stop by, eat, visit, and leave. There wasn't ever an expectation to arrive or leave at a certain time and the food was just there to be eaten whenever anyone would like.
