Dinner was a festive affair- all the plates matched and wine was shared all around. Jill brought appetizers, Leslie brought sweet potato casserole and Wendy brought bread. We all ate way too much but everyone stayed long enough to shoot some pool, watch Paul as an extra in White Fang, build with the kids blocks that were out and share stories. We all had a good time and there were lots of leftovers for everyone to take.
Leftover apple pie in the pi pan.
Black Friday, the day when retail store accounts get out of the red and into the black, was largely ignored by me. Some shopping fanatics get up at 5 around here to get bargains. If I were buying a large ticket item, it might have been worth it, but Paul and I worked around the house and read. In the late afternoon, we went out to a few stores and took advantage of some of the sales. Last night the Nanooks beat the Lake Superior Lakers in hockey, so that was fun.
Today, we had company from Hoonah over for lunch. I made turkey pie from leftovers (see recipe) and the house was still clean, so that was good. Glenda, Bob, Ashley and Joe were great company- they finally had to go, but I think we could have swapped stories for hours. Joe is studying spiders as a grad student. He says that there isn't much work being done up here on spiders yet so it seems like a great opportunity for him. He reassured me that there are absolutely no brown recluse spiders in Alaska. All these years I've been lifting up outhouse seats to check for the poisonous spiders, but they only live in the South. I'll sit easier now. Ashley will be getting her biology teaching certificate and Bob and Glenda might retire this year. Everyone is an adventurer in the group- the young people working for the Forest Service in Colorado and on Prince of Wales Island, and Glenda and Bob going boating around Hoonah and also bicycling through BC and Alaska.
I also scooted over to the fabric stores to buy some material for making a few gifts. I'll share the patterns after the holidays so I don't give it away. Let's just say that I'll be making some items for kids. If they hold still, I'll even include pictures.
The Holiday Bazaar at Pioneer Park was a bust. Although there were some good quality handmade items, lots of the tables were full of imported stuff or just plain junk. Some exceptions were the bird feeders, alpaca mittens (from family alpacas and hand knit), wild berry jams and jellies, some Native carvings and beadwork, carved birch bowls and local goat milk soaps and creams. The hand-blown glass ornaments and vases are always beautiful, but the Tupperware, plastic toys, mass produced jewelry, and standardized photos have got to go. But, that's just me. There are bazaars every weekend from now until Christmas. Most of the gifts we buy from Alaska we get from those. But I'm only going to my favorite bazaars from now on.
At Pioneer Park though, there was ice skating and the Santa train for the kids. The milder temps brought everyone out and the new LED lights are all out making the 4:00 pm twilight festive.
I'm thinking about doing an interview for NPR's Story Corps. They'll be coming to Fairbanks soon. I know many interesting people. Who should I interview?
Off to dinner and the Nanooks tonight. One parting thought though- on the trail journals, someone wrote this wonderful quote: Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when they get mad, you are a mile away and you have their shoes.
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