Being new at the blog, I am trying to get things connected. Some of you asked for some pictures of Sitka, well follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannysfault
20 April 2007
16 April 2007
Catch up time
Wow, lots of things have happened since I last contacted everyone. I stopped the mass emails because of issues that some of you had reading them. I never did find out what the problem was.
Last winter we traveled from Michigan to Annapolis to Katrina relief to the south west to San Diego, up the coast, a month as campground hosts in Washington, then up here. It has been a fun journey so far. Alaska is an amazing place and we love it here in our new home state.
Family Issues. Eric made it home from Iraq last November to be with Matt, the newest member of our family, the day after he was born. Babies don't wait! Amanda got married to Julius Cavira, a soldier, a real surprise, who is now deployed to Baghdad. The announcement last week by the Pentagon that soldiers would now be spending 12 months at home and 15 months in Iraq has been taken very hard in our family. Eric has decided that his family comes first. He is considering submitted his paperwork to leave the Army. He would be out about Jan 08. Amanda and Julius have a longer go at it. Julius recently re-enlisted. What that means to Amanda and him is that during their first 3 ½ years of marriage they will only be together for 12 months. This system is broke! It is time for a timetable in Iraq. These people have been fighting for 1400 years.
My sisters are both doing well as are Jude's brothers. Jude's mom is fine and living near Tom's family. She spends lots of time there with the great grand kids. They are traveling up here on a cruise at the end of May. Too bad the ship does not make a stop here in Sitka.
School: The job up here has been horrible. The problem is that the standards here are low and there are no consequences for ones actions. Classes are supposed to start at 8:45. I usually don’t take attendance for another 10 minutes because there are very few people in class. The whole program is a joke in the way that the kids can basically do anything they want. I have been hanging on since before Thanksgiving. 28 more days of school.
I have decided that this teaching business is tough. I was glad I took another teaching position After working at the same place for 33 years was my success with kids because of skill or tradition. Here I have had the opportunity to to realize that even though that the job sucks, I love to work and relate with the kids.
Sitka: What a beautiful city. About 8800 people when the cruise ships are not in. That number goes up by 2000-5000 per day when the cruise ships come in. They are a mixed blessing; they come loaded with money and tourists. We live near the center of town where I walk 3 blocks in one direction to the ocean and school (the school is right at one of the harbors) and 3 blocks in the other direction to the base of a mountain. If we go the other way it is 7 miles to the end of the road in either direction. Since August we have put just over 1100 miles on the truck.
The wildlife is neat. The bald eagles are in around here right now. It is not uncommon to see a dozen or so in the harbor sitting in the boat's rigging. We have sea lions and whales. The gift I got Jude for Valentines Day would bring tears to your eyes, Bear Spray. The brown bears (grizzly) should be coming out again any day now.
Retirement: OK, this time it is for real. We are headed back up to Anchorage this summer to do some more salmon fishing. We will be there until about the 4th July, then head back to Bruce Mines. In the fall we will be headed down south the Sunday after the Michigan/Ohio State game. Where south, we are not sure yet but we are going to what ever Bowl Game Michigan is in next year. This past season was the first year we have not been to a single game. It was also the first time we had to be ready to watch M football at 8AM most weeks (AK time is 4 hours behind Eastern time.) Where we are at next spring will depend on lots of things. Ever since we sold the house in May 04, we have be making plans one day at at time as things come at us. Any planning we do gets changed. We like it that way!!
Last winter we traveled from Michigan to Annapolis to Katrina relief to the south west to San Diego, up the coast, a month as campground hosts in Washington, then up here. It has been a fun journey so far. Alaska is an amazing place and we love it here in our new home state.
Family Issues. Eric made it home from Iraq last November to be with Matt, the newest member of our family, the day after he was born. Babies don't wait! Amanda got married to Julius Cavira, a soldier, a real surprise, who is now deployed to Baghdad. The announcement last week by the Pentagon that soldiers would now be spending 12 months at home and 15 months in Iraq has been taken very hard in our family. Eric has decided that his family comes first. He is considering submitted his paperwork to leave the Army. He would be out about Jan 08. Amanda and Julius have a longer go at it. Julius recently re-enlisted. What that means to Amanda and him is that during their first 3 ½ years of marriage they will only be together for 12 months. This system is broke! It is time for a timetable in Iraq. These people have been fighting for 1400 years.
My sisters are both doing well as are Jude's brothers. Jude's mom is fine and living near Tom's family. She spends lots of time there with the great grand kids. They are traveling up here on a cruise at the end of May. Too bad the ship does not make a stop here in Sitka.
School: The job up here has been horrible. The problem is that the standards here are low and there are no consequences for ones actions. Classes are supposed to start at 8:45. I usually don’t take attendance for another 10 minutes because there are very few people in class. The whole program is a joke in the way that the kids can basically do anything they want. I have been hanging on since before Thanksgiving. 28 more days of school.
I have decided that this teaching business is tough. I was glad I took another teaching position After working at the same place for 33 years was my success with kids because of skill or tradition. Here I have had the opportunity to to realize that even though that the job sucks, I love to work and relate with the kids.
Sitka: What a beautiful city. About 8800 people when the cruise ships are not in. That number goes up by 2000-5000 per day when the cruise ships come in. They are a mixed blessing; they come loaded with money and tourists. We live near the center of town where I walk 3 blocks in one direction to the ocean and school (the school is right at one of the harbors) and 3 blocks in the other direction to the base of a mountain. If we go the other way it is 7 miles to the end of the road in either direction. Since August we have put just over 1100 miles on the truck.
The wildlife is neat. The bald eagles are in around here right now. It is not uncommon to see a dozen or so in the harbor sitting in the boat's rigging. We have sea lions and whales. The gift I got Jude for Valentines Day would bring tears to your eyes, Bear Spray. The brown bears (grizzly) should be coming out again any day now.
Retirement: OK, this time it is for real. We are headed back up to Anchorage this summer to do some more salmon fishing. We will be there until about the 4th July, then head back to Bruce Mines. In the fall we will be headed down south the Sunday after the Michigan/Ohio State game. Where south, we are not sure yet but we are going to what ever Bowl Game Michigan is in next year. This past season was the first year we have not been to a single game. It was also the first time we had to be ready to watch M football at 8AM most weeks (AK time is 4 hours behind Eastern time.) Where we are at next spring will depend on lots of things. Ever since we sold the house in May 04, we have be making plans one day at at time as things come at us. Any planning we do gets changed. We like it that way!!
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