Typical

Unlike 3 weeks ago when I went to Bethel for an uncommon 3 day, 2 night leisurely stay. Today I went to Bethel just for the day (10:10am-5:00pm).

Thursday ~
*Prep. for a sub & write sub plans. I Still hate doing this!
*Pack a light backpack to be entertained just in case I am detained anywhere.

Friday ~
*Wake up later than a typical school day.
*Watch an episode of 'Starting Over' while having breakfast.

*Freak out when it's 9:15 & I haven't heard anything from the agent. I Know that the plane leaves Bethel at 9!
*Call agent & get on his nerves the moment I say 'hi.'

*Freak out at 9:30. I just talked to the new agent & he refused to pick me up until he heard from the airline. All the while he was saying to expect the plane at 10 or 10:30, which I just knew was wrong. 10am appointment at the chiropractor's. (I know I'm more patient than this!)
*Call airline in Bethel to be told that the plane left at 9:27. Whew! But, they don't have my name listed on the flight & the flight is full. What?!

*Freak out at 9:40 when I hear a plane overhead. I was hoping that if it was Yute I could hop on, but I didn't have a ride to the airport. Just as I started to call Bethel to see if it was them, the Hageland agent beeps in saying he's going to pick me up.
*Stopped being a freak.

*Picked up to ride a sled behind a snow machine. It's been warm at 30-40 degrees all week, so we have a lot of melt action. Aka deep slush on the river on top of a layer of ice on top of flowing river beneath.
*Drenched by the time I get to the airport a mile away. Very glad I have a good coat & wore the snow pants. Tomatoe plants are seriously tramatized from being taken out of the hydroponics unit, bumped about on the sled & now they're in for a plane ride.

*10:20
Arrived at my chiropractor's appointment 20 minutes late & he could care less. I loved my first session! All the cracking is cool. He even hooked me up to send some sticky electric pads to relax my muscles. There was also this table that had rollers go down my spine to stretch the vertebrae a bit. To boot my insurance pays 90%, so my bill will be around $20.
*11:30
Off to drop off my precious tomatoe plants that I grew from seeds. The tallest one is about 2 feet. I gave them to Sara's dad because I'm not taking them with me for the summer.

*I see Sara's mom at her house & she tells me they are having Yup'ik foods at the LKSD district office. Then, she hands me a dish & tells me to take it down to the car, I'll go have lunch with them before my dentist appointment.
*Upon arrival at the D.O. I see a few people that I haven't been able to talk to of haven't seen for a while. Ate food, chatted a lot with a some people (new & old), ordered an NYO shirt.

*12:55
Jump after looking at the clock because I'm due at the dentist's office at 1. I've been trying to see this man since September, at least! But, at this point I have one other person I have to say hello to & I have to call a cab. Yes, I called to tell him I was going to be late.
*1:15
Arrive at Dr. White's office. "Ready kiddo?" I had a filling replaced & bought one of those crazy big toothbrushes that massage your gums while you brush.

*2:30ish
Cabbed it to the Bethel Family Clinic. I had to get a form signed saying I had a physical a month ago. Otherwise, LKSD was going to send out the dogs after me. Done.
*3:00ish
Cabbed it to the YKHC (hospital) business building to get a receipt from an ER visit. Last time I went to the ER my insurance paid for my plane tickets. So, I'm going to try to get another $80 out of my insurance company.

*Walked across the street to the main hospital to go to the release of information office. They have what I need, but they have to mail it to me.
*Cabbed it to the craft store that is going out of business because of their $3000/ rent not inculding utilities (the lavish life in Bethel). There I bought some beeds & lovely ivory & muskox horn earings shaped like Uluqs.

*3:30
Walked to the ajacent grocery store to pick up some milk, grapes, lettuce, & goodies to bring back as little presents.
*4:15
Back at the airport to go home. I saw a couple from Quinhagak there, so we were able to chat until 5 when I left.

*5:30ish
I find out that we're having a staff appreciation pizza party. Put away milk, etc. & trudge up to the school hoping that I don't loose my shoe when I sink into the soft snow past my knees. Walk flat, walk flat I keep telling myself.
*Shop online for camping gear after our sware'. I begin this virtual expedition at school & then I relocated to Jenny's apartment. I still didn't buy anything until Sat., errrr, early Sun. am.

*7:45
Go home to unload my backpack some & start the snow machine to go over to Sara's in Akiuk, one of our neighboring villages 2.5 miles away. Luckily Eric was there to start it for me. I still have not mastered that blasted pull start! We followed Eric over.
*8:00
Funny how driving a snow machine over deep slush in places can feel like a jet ski. Basically I tried to keep the speedometer at 30 over the sludge. Once we (Christina was on the machine with me) hit some dryer snow boy did the speed pick up quickly! That was fun! At this point in the year, I'm pretty comfortable after hearing that the ice hasn't broken through yet. The ice shelf is actually still thick enough because it's just been slowly melting & rising. Once it gets thin, then it will start opening up the river at the surface again.

*Played a mad game of Settler's of Catan. We changed the rules a bit, on of which was that the winner had to play All of their pieces first. This was a three hour game. Chocolate banana bread (Sara's specialty), red grapes, & hot tea were our treats for the evening.

Saturday ~
*1:30am
Drove back to Nunap, which was a bit more unpredictable due to not being able to see as far ahead.
*Watched another recorded episode of 'Starting Over' with Christina while she started some laundry.

*Watched some actual music videos on vh1. KT Tunstall rocks!!!
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