Things have been quiet around here lately...This weekend will change all of that. We have N.E.I.T (Noorvik Elder's Invitational Tournament). I think there are about 9 teams (boys and girls) here. Lots of kids and lots of people machining in to watch. Speaking of machines, two Saturdays ago I few to Kotz to pick up my machine. I had to leave it there when I got back from break to do it being too cold to ride. I got in around 5 and it wouldn't start. We took off the battery, warmed it up, put a hair dryer under the hood and let it sit for a good while. She finally started. My plan was to follow Ruth's son, Quinn, back to their homestead (~20 mi) from Kotz on Saturday night, then follow Ruth and her dog team back to Noorvik....and that is the way it happened. It was fun spending the night out at Ruth's camp. It was "rustic" out there and reminded me quite a bit like being back in Africa...except much much colder. Not that this is important, but the water we drank was out of the river behind their house and it is probably the best water I have ever drank next to the water at my grandparent's cabin...Following her back was fun, to say the least, but long. We left around 1:00 p.m. and got in around 6:30 p.m. If I knew the way it would probably have been 1 1/2- 2 hours...but following a dog team that only goes 10-15 mph....it takes a bit. Even though it was long, I still enjoyed it. I was able to see moose many times along the way, rabbits all around, and the scenery was great.
Donated Caribou for the tournament this weekend
Ruth's Homestead
My Rig
Her Dog Lot...notice the creepy eye-shine from their houses...
Like the title says, it has been a long time since I have posted. Quite a bit has happened since then. I flew to Kiana with the Middle School Volleyball Team and spent 3 night there playing games. We came in last (4th) but the girls improved much during the time there. The village is beautiful. I wouldn't mind if I got transferred there...only because of the scenery. It was amazing. That was the beginning of November. One our flight back from Kiana we saw a herd of Caribou....well over 300...on their migration to their wintering grounds. I wish I would have had my camera with! I also with I could have hunted because 5 Caribou would have feed myself, and many others, for quite a while. But next year will have to do. The rest of November was pretty quiet until Basketball started at the end of the month. The boys and girls that wanted to play had to pull up their grades...but that waited til the end of December, of course. When December rolled around, the light was fading quite fast. The funny thing is that you lost light in the morning it seemed. I haven't felt any of the S.A.D. that some people feel. I like the dark til 12:30 p.m. It allows me to sleep in on the weekends! In March, the light will start fading around 11:00 p.m. Now that is not what I look forward to because it will be a living nightmare trying to sleep. I also bought a snowmobile. I love it! It was a great purchase. It took a while to get here though. Too long. It was suck in Kotz during the "storm of the century" and the planes were backlogged so I had to wait. It is not as bad as my friend Sam's. Her's seemed to take over a month to get here, and when it did, the mechanics forgot to attach the fan causing it to overheat. She is not happy, to say the least. I haven't completely broken it in yet. That is due to the fact that it is AGAIN still sitting in Kotz. On the Friday I was going to fly out to leave for break, a blizzard came in so the planes weren't flying. SO I followed Darren and Nikki into Kotz. When I got back from break it was WAY too cold for me to ride back with the gear that I had. So finally tomorrow I will be flying into Kotz after our in-service to pick it up and ride back with another teacher, Ruth, to her homestead. We'll spend the night there and come back here on Sunday. I am looking forward to this trip. I am just hoping the weather stays nice. Today in school, there was a Moose and her calf right outside the building about 15 yards away. Then, later in the day, they came back and the calf being harassed by some dogs. It was fun to watch the dogs get charged and run away thinking it was a game. The mother was nowhere to be seen...I think if she were, the dogs would not be alive at the moment.
The mountains in Kiana
Sunrise at 11:30 a.m. from Angie's window
Sunrise at 11:30 a.m. from Angie's window
Tommy (left) and Elmer (right) cleaning the fish tank
