Alaska or Bust Part IV (finale)

By the time our Nissan Sentra rolled in front of Aunt Joan's house (Ruthanna's aunt and uncle's), we were beyond any measure of exhaustion. Aunt Joan and Uncle Vance had a shop with a small one bedroom apartment located right above it somewhere in the sprawling metropolis of Anchorage (note: sarcasm). They lovingly handed us the keys to their RV parked in their front yard and we happily accepted. The RV was like living in the lap of luxury after days and days of car camping and endless driving. Did I mention we were exhausted?

By the time we reached Anchorage, any plans for further Alaskan travel and exploration were quickly out the window.

We were quick to assimilate in to the Anchorage nightlife scene. We frequented Humpy's the local alehouse-music venue. We went to Simon and Seafort's for some happy hour beverages. Aunt Joan gave us some local historical tours. We yawned.

We couldn't get over how many little espresso shacks scattered the city and how hairy the men were. Who cares that they were 3:1 to the women...they weren't all that bow chicka wow wow worthy.

We managed to trek over to Seward for the 4th of July. Little did we know, we would be there with the rest of the state of Alaska. Overnight, Seward grows from a town of 2,500 to 40,000. It was next to impossible to find a place to camp.

By this time in our journey we were growing weary of our tent and the only thing left for our evening meals was mustard on oyster crackers.

We did manage a whale watching venture...and I do remember an amazing bakery with homemade pastries....how could one forget after oyster crackers and mustard?

We went to sleep at dusk (midnight) and awoke at dawn (5 a.m.). It truly was a pretty incredible daylight experience.

There are many blurry details from this point to the end. Ruthanna got a phone call. Her sister eloped. The family was throwing an emergency last-minute reception. She ended up catching the next flight out of Anchorage.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I was mortified. This meant 2 drivers instead of 3 for our return venture. Not only that, but a very funny friend was leaving our road trip.

Jill and I pulled out of Anchorage early in the morning to make our first day back a full one. I slept while she drove. Nearly five hours in to our first day out, I awoke to see something odd outside the car window.

Jill, is that the Alaskan Pipeline? She wasn't sure. I was. And I was sure of something else, too. We didn't see it on our drive IN to Anchorage. We had just spent 5 hours driving in the WRONG direction.

Talk about making a long road trip even longer.

We somehow managed to make it make to Greeley, CO unscathed. I'm pretty sure there was at least one encounter with a bear outside our tent. Luckily, we didn't have to meet face to face. Jill and I just held on for dear life and cursed each other for whoever it was who left the toothpaste in the tent pocket. Surely, the bear was sniffing out lunch.

Perhaps there wasn't a climax to the story. But one thing is certain, three friends dreamed up a plan and conquered it and for that it will never be forgotten.

Another interruption to my almost complete Alaska Story!

Today was an odd day.
I had my formal observation from my principal. My student that bounces off the wall? The PRINCIPAL sent him to the principal's office. How often does THAT happen? It was actually very good for me to have them there...to see my reality.

The observation exhausted me. I always get so stressed out! I way over plan and try to be super teacher...

Then I didn't have lunch and was too cold to go anywhere...couldn't succumb to school lunch (again) this week. So I had a handful of nuts and hot chocolate. Oh boy!

This all lead to a mini-meltdown in a (very.) less than ideal location: the school library.

After school I decided that I would stop by the book sale happening in our school library...I have stumbled upon a couple of blogs lately that have the "Twelve days of Books" on the 12 days before Christmas, there is a book on the mantle each day... I couldn't resist. I bought 8 books! (new post on those one of these days!) --I'm planning on getting 4 more at the used bookstore down the street--

ANYWAY...
This wonderful parent that has two children who are adopted that attend our school stopped me and said, "Bridget, how's everything with the adoption?" I started to give her my canned response. The one I use on everyone who asks this question. It's safe. Short. Giving the information that they want to hear...something to the extent of...who knows, maybe the extra wait is a good thing....maybe it means extra humanitarian aid, more education for women, maybe more families are staying together, which of course is good....
Her eyes. They stopped me.
She said, Yes, but it's so hard.
And right then and there with children and parents surrounding me, I started to cry.
I stuttered...I don't know what's wrong, usually I can tell people the news of the extended wait times and be "o.k." And then it hit me. It's just...You understand.
And she did. She hugged me. I do understand, Bridget. And it's so hard.
I couldn't stop crying. I had to excuse myself mid-sentence and return to the bookshelves without a proper good bye.

I sat staring at books I knew I wasn't going to buy simply to let the red eyes disappear before having to face the librarian and retired teachers at the cashier station.

It's just...they wouldn't understand....

Alaska or Bust Part III

We drove the Alaskan highway for what felt like 30 days. I think it might have been closer to 5. Mind you, we started at 5 a.m. and stopped at 9 p.m. It is a complete blur. I have no idea what was British Columbia versus the Yukon Territory. I must admit complete disclosure and also state that by the time we reached Alaska, the magnitude of the destination reached was greater than the beauty of the scenery around us. And in all truthiness (yes, Stephen Colbert says it's a word), the Canadian Rockies were just as, if not more spectacular then the three of Alaska's 39 mountain ranges, the Chugach, Kenai, and Alaska, seen from downtown Anchorage. I'm not saying they weren't spectacular. Of course they were. But when you are immersed in to utter beauty for days and hours on end, it's hard to see (or think) that one thing is more beautiful than another...it is all part of the beautiful landscape.... In my humble opinion.

We set up our tent off the road whenever the driving became too much to bear.

We ate potatoes, ramen, chocolate pop-tarts, and by now, week-old, rock hard bagels.

It was disgusting.

At one gas station along the Alaskan Highway, *you actually have to calculate your mileage and gas-intake carefully as they are few and far between*, I actually paid $7 for a small tray of carrots and celery stalks. I feasted and felt the nutrients escape me as soon as they entered. Not nearly enough to soak through and do much of any good.

Our "vid" was only brought out a few more times before we reached Anchorage.

One of the last times was crossing the border from Canada in to Alaska. Immigration was a check point in the middle of no where. In the middle of ABSOLUTE no where.

We went inside to show our documentation and were immediately hassled. Our car was searched, we were questioned. I take that back. We were interrogated. We were asked to do inappropriate things. "Lift your shirt to show me your waist line. We need to make sure you do not have any weapons." Being barked at by 6 men in uniform with guns strapped to them in the middle of no where...there is little room to ask the whys. We were in our 20s. Three college girls. They asked me to lift my dress to my thighs, again, to see if there were weapons strapped to my legs. We were the most innocent, unassuming travelers, naive, and scared. Shitless.

They took our driver's licenses and asked my friend Jill why she had been in Amsterdam the year before. Asked me why I had been in Guatemala. Obviously all pointing to one thing: Where are your drugs?

We didn't even have proper FOOD, let alone anything illegal. Unless of course you were to count our mace which thankfully we hadn't had to use....yet.....

We were escorted out. We drove off.

Ruthanna videotapes me giving the account. My eyes look up to the ceiling of the car. I am smirking, acting silly in a pretending to be pissed off kind of way. All the while the three of us leave the checkpoint with muted laughter and an innocence that was no longer so light and free.

Thankfully we left without much of a true disturbance. Nonetheless, we were very quick to see the injustice that can come with power. The helplessness you are forced to feel when someone else holds a gun.

That moment changed me.

It took away a small chip of my youth.

We drove along...listening to our mixed tape and the crunching of gravel beneath our still tread bearing tires.

We were just a little bit less naive.

overheard today

Will return to the Alaska tale when my sore throat, body cramps, and fever go away.

Overheard today in the Shaughnessy house by a certain two year old:

Elia's bath? No, mama's bath. Elia's bath? No, mama's bath. It's too hot for you. Blow on it, mommy?


Do you want to touch mama's bra, daddy? (seriously. This one came out of LEFT field...other than the fact that she's been obsessed with my bras lately!) Luke laughed so hard I think he almost started rolling on the ground. Now that she knows she's going to get so much attention from that one, I can't wait to see who she uses it on next.



Mama, can we eat the BIG cutie (i.e. an orange).


Upon hearing me whimper on the couch: Mama, whatsa matter? Me- I don't feel well, honey. Can I kiss it? Me: yes, please do. (she proceeds to remove all hair away from my ear lobe, take off my earrings, and kiss my ear!


I'm SO glad I have comic relief when I'm feeling sooooo crappy.

Alaska or Bust Part II

I can and will continue my story...but I have to interrupt the previously scheduled story to interject a little side-note.

So, we traveled to Alaska the summer of 1997. It doesn't really seem that long ago, does it? It was. It was a long, long time ago.

So long, the camcorder that we brought with us was the size of a backpack (yes, I just said "camcorder" and yes, it had the shoulder pad). You loaded a regular-sized VHS tape in it. When you looked through the viewfinder, it was black and white. THAT long ago.

So, I brought this VHS tape that we called "the vid" to school with me today. We don't have a VHS player at home... I spent my lunch hour laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants. And I only got 1/2 way through it. It brought back so many memories. So many things I had long forgotten about. And it made me so homesick for my youth. I forgot how much I used to LAUGH. I was known in college for my "laugh-cry." All my friends would know exactly what this means. I am a very sensitive person. I used to laugh and then cry (sadness cry) and then there was the combination of both.

The infamous laugh-cry happened on day 4 of our road trip. It's on the "vid." And yes, it's embarrassing. But it's also hilarious. Prior to the laugh cry however, was much pure and simple laughter for laughter's sake.

In Wyoming, when we were stopped in traffic (yes, this happens in Wyoming once every century), my friend Jill opened the back door and the front door and squatted between them to pee. We were laughing so hard, I think I was even snorting. I was definitely crying.

Then we were in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho playing "parachute" with our tent while our sleeping bags dried inside the laundromat. We got the close up of the bumper sticker that read "Testicle Festival, Let's have a Ball" We couldn't stop laughing.

We parked the car every time we came to a new state or providence. We ran around the state sign screaming and laughing. It was an insane ritual. Full of, yes, more laughter.

I couldn't get over how much laughing there was on "the vid." I sat there watching in a simple smile stupor. Ruthanna, my other travel companion is indeed one of the funniest people alive. God, I miss them both. I miss those times.

After Yellowstone, after Chad and his dad (which is totally and most embarrassingly ON 'the vid'), we drove all day and most of the night and made it all the way to Seattle. We slept on Ruthanna's cousin's floor of her dorm room. We were dry. It was as simple and beautiful as that.

The next day we made the trip to Bellingham, WA. My aunt and uncle's home welcomed us with beds and showers and wine and salmon and gorgeous views of Puget Sound. We re-grouped.

My uncle convinced us that we couldn't drive the "Alaskan Highway" without a spare tire. So we stopped on the way out of town and bought...a TIRE. No rim. A TIRE. We strapped it on the roof of the Nissan Sentra and drove to Alaska (and back). No one ever saying a WORD to us. Until we came back to Bellingham and my UNCLE laughed so hard he cried upon seeing us and our TIRE. Needless to say, we amazingly never got a flat tire on our trip.

We said goodbye to Bellingham and hello to BC. For many, many, many days we said hello to BC. Do you KNOW how big British Columbia is? Hella big.

So big, it's another post altogether.

Alaska or Bust, Part I

the whole thing started when my friend Jill started dating a firefighter in Anchorage. we warned her, however that anyone who has N8 on his license plate, *may* be slightly a. conceited and b. lame

he proved to be both.

What at once was going to be a summer in Anchorage turned in to a really, really, really, really, really long road trip and then a really, really, really, really long return road trip.

We took off from Greeley, CO where the three of us were in college (University of Northern Colorado- Go Bears!). We were armed with a hand-made "Alaska or Bust" sign made with black sharpie on an 8 1/2 x 11 white piece of paper. In the trunk was 5 dozen bagels. Five DOZEN. I worked at Wildflour Bagel that summer... and I hoarded day-old bagels and then froze them for at least 3 weeks.

We were naive. Broke. And wonderful friends. We had all we needed. Oyster crackers, Mustard, a Stove, a Tent, and each other.

The first day out we made it to Yellowstone. That night it POURED rain. We had no tarp. Our tent was drenched. We (o.k., my two friends) slept in the car. We met a father and son from Virginia that night. We sat at their campfire and become fast friends. In fact, I become more than friends with the son. We hit it off instantly. He and I stayed up all night talking (o.k., we also kissed). That's as far as I'm going...my MOM reads my blog! (hi, mom!). We did meet one another a year later again, but he was dating someone else and alas, our lives went on.

The next morning as we packed our sopping wet tent, we realized, very quickly that we didn't have any coffee. We had 5 dozen bagels and no coffee.

We handed the father and son team a dozen bagels and they handed us some Folgers.

We departed Yellowstone wet and defeated, but caffeinated.

Kreativ Blogger Here (thanks, ya'll!)

I woke up this morning to a very nice surprise. Two of my lovely blog sisters gave me the kreativ blog award. This is where I humbly give thanks and blush and feel lots of warm fuzzy feelings inside. Thank you, Harmony. Thank you, Cindy. It may seem a bit silly, but you really did make my day!

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who awarded me the award, and link that person’s blog on my blog. (see names).

2. Identify seven things about myself.

3. Award seven bloggers with the “Kreativ Blogger Award,” post links to their blogs, and leave a comment on each of their blogs, to let them know of the honor.


Seven things about myself:

1. The first time I shaved my legs, I only shaved the front of my legs. For some reason, it didn't occur to me that the backside needed shaved, too. Weird. That'd be me.
2. I was a vegetarian for 10 years. I now claim steak as one of my favorite foods. However, I must admit, the taste of grilled chicken after 10 years was absolutely OUT OF THIS WORLD....if you're sick of chicken these days, try staying away from it for 10 years...when you go back, you'll think you've struck gold.
3. I lived in Madrid, Spain for a year when I was 16. My host family (for lack of better words) sucked. They didn't talk to me. Thus, I actually didn't really learn Spanish that year...bizarre, right? I learned when I lived in Mexico in college...lots of "Telefunken" (card game) and Manzanilla te with the lovely purple-haired Raquel (hostmum). She ROCKED.
4. Two of my college friends and I drove to Alaska in a Nissan Sentra. We had mixed tapes. We read romance novels outloud ever day at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (soap opera hour) while driving 18 hour days for MULTIPLE days in a row. We bartered bagels in yellowstone for coffee...well...this is a post in and of itself.
5. I met my husband via match.com We went out for thai iced tea. I liked him. Then we went bowling. I loved him.
6. I ran a preschool with my childhood friend in the basement of my home when we were 9 years old. We spent the entire summer preparing for the 2 week long preschool. We had neighborhood kids come...their parents paid $15 for 2 weeks. We "raked it in" and the parents LOVED us. I taught Spanish (even then I was fascinated!) my friend Sarah taught sign language. We had musical guests...treats...snip n' slide parties...outta control. As a parent, I would have LOVED me!
7. My brother, John is awesome. He lived in Peru in high school. My sister and I visited him and traveled with him for 3 weeks. It was the best sibling bonding we've ever had. We barfed together at Lake Titicaca (extreme altitude sickness) and we ate LOTS of french fries and chocolate cake. Would you have thought that Peru is the BEST place in the world to go for chocolate cake and french fries? Me either. But it is.
We also nearly died in Cusco on Dec. 31st, 1998 in a small irish bar during the infamous Prince song. That's another post, too.

Seven bloggers I adore:

1. Evelyn at Three Continent Family
What a beautiful person who deserves all the love in the world...in particular the love of two precious children who are about to come home. Finally. Evelyn has been beyond patient. She is ready. She is more than ready. And I am beyond thrilled for her.

2. Cloverlandfarm

Smart. Talented. Makes me HUNGER to live in NYC. Always interesting. Beautiful.

3. Courtney Rose at Dandies in the Sunshine

Courtney is amazing. She has so much to say. So much to LISTEN to. She is a new momma to a gorgeous son and now back to teaching first graders. She rocks. She has a warm, lovely soul. She lives in my state (yea!) and I can't wait to one day meet her. We're opening up a coffee shop together! :) I just love when Courtney blogs. I love to listen.

4. I just found Jo's blog The McGregor Journey and all I can say is, I'm an addict.

Creative. Fun. Interesting. I kinda sorta want to BE her. O.k. that sounds creepy. I'm not creepy, I promise. But the travel? The locations where you live? The trips to Austin for tats. I just think you're cool! :)

5. Rachel at If It Takes a Whole Life

Rachel is currently waiting to travel to bring home their own little Clementine. I have followed their journey and am awaiting the happiness to overfloweth. She is artsy and creative and has an adorable son!

6. Cathy at Cathytalks

Cathy has three gorgeous children. I love their thankful tree. I love how creative and dedicated she is. 30 days of not spending any money (except for groceries) and then going out and buying a COW (heifer international) with the money she's saved? Awesome. Need I say more?


7. Stephanie at Rodrigvitz Style

This blog is visually STUNNING. I am lucky to actually live in the same hometown as Stephanie. She is an AMAZING artist. I absolutely adore her work. Her house...oh...her house....she has opened it for various shows. When you walk in, you feel like you've entered in to Frida Kahlo's workspace (only LOTS happier). Creative beauty is literally EVERYWHERE. It is magical. Really. I own one of her market bags that I use almost daily. I (heart) oil cloth more than I could tell you. I want to live a life like Stephanie's my next time around!