Roxy squared

For about a month this summer, I had my friends dog Roxy with me because he had a difficult time getting her a flight to the Lower 48.  Since I was planning a visit to see him in Vermont anyway, I offered to just bring her along with me because the airline that I was flying with is much more pet friendly.  Our first summer stop was in NC where my friend Chirsty also has a dog named Roxy.  Roxy and Roxy really got along quite well.  I think this little piece of heaven in NC was a nice transition for Roxy coming from Alaska to the big wide world of the Lower 48.  We ended up calling the brown one Roxy and the black one Box-o-Rox just so they wouldnt get confused.  I think the nickname stuck.

Number 31: Lay on a beach or sleep in a hammock

How about both?

 This hammock is where summer started and ended for me.  Each morning while in NC, I spent a little time there with a good book and some coffee.  It's a great place to be...I feel like my soul gets recharged here.

On the summer solstice, I went to the Jersey Shore for the first time in my life.  I got my yearly sunburn.   We flew kites.  A crab pinched my foot.  Twice.  It was good.

P.S. I hope your not weirded out by my feet pictures.  I dont have a thing for feet.  I think they're pretty gross actually, but there's something about bare feet that just make me feel like it really is summer.  You know, the whole toes in the sand, footloose and fancy free kinda feeling?  Yeah, I thought you'd understand :)

Biltmore

The Biltmore mansion is dubbed America's largest home.  This is because it is still lived in by the family and is the largest privately owned home. You can tour part of the amazing mansion and most of the estate. George Vanderbilt II built the house as a summer getaway near Asheville, NC.  The property originally stood on 125,000 acres of land.  85,000 acres were sold the US government by Edith Vanderbilt after George died to create a national park.  The estate is a National Historic Landmark.  It was built from 1889-1895.  The house was opened to the public in 1930 by George's daughter Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil either at the request of the city of Asheville to spark tourism or because the estate was broke or maybe a little of both.

Some of the features...
250 rooms in the mansion
175,000 sq. ft.
8,000 acre estate
original furnishings and artwork
7 story tall dining room
winery
bowling alley in the mansion
indoor pool  in the mansion
early 1900's gym and workout facility
a working farm
2 story library with over 10,000 books
75 acres of formal gardens
Dürer's Rhinoceros
elevator
fire alarm and intercom systems
43 bathroom and 34 bedrooms
65 firplaces


It's a very interesting place to visit and I would recommend it if you are every near Asheville.

Perfect summer treat!

If you're looking for a refreshing summer treat, I would highly suggest stopping at a farmers market for some local strawberries and picking up a bottle of Moscato on your way home.  You can combine them in one glass or eat/drink them separately.  Either way, it makes for a very good way to spend an evening.  Add a good friend to make it even better!

Number 18: Go 1 week computer free

Instead of this...

 I did this...

And it was hard.

Really.

My new car!!!

Since moving to Alaska, I usually spend my summer's traveling around the Lower 48 visiting friends.  My friends have been good to me and let me borrow theirs often, but not having a car has been a hassle.  So this year, I decided it was time to get one.  I spent weeks searching.  I drove about 15 cars and probably looked at about 30.   I spent a whole week of my summer basically car shopping as a full time job.  Thanks to my friend Christy for letting me use her car to run around searching for my own car. 

Then I found this one.  It's an 04 Ford Escape with 101,000 miles on it.  It was owned by a urologist (boring doctor) who was very anal particular about keeping up on the regularly scheduled maintenance, keeping it clean, and in good working order.   That works out well for me anyhow.  I love the roof racks and have already had paddleboards and a canoe up there this summer.  I also love that it is 4WD, which is specifically what I was looking for.  I love that it is clean and that it has a good amount of cargo space.  The only things I dont really care for are the leather seats, but I guess that will give it good resale value if I ever want to sell it in the future.

So far I've already put about 4,000 miles on it and it has ran beautifully all the way.  I'm very happy with it and glad that I took the time to shop around before buying, even if it took a week of my summer.    I've got one more major trip planned for the summer, then we'll part ways until next year.  Hope all of you are having a great summer too!

Goodbye Nan

I've been trying to write this post for awhile, but there are no words to say what that I feel.  My grandmother was the most important person in my life and I loved her dearly.  I'm really glad that we had the chance to spend time fulfilling one of our dreams with a trip to Paris before Alzheimer's fully took over.  Jola Coplin died Tuesday, May 29th.  Goodbye, Nan.

The View From My Window

The view from my living room window at midnight.  Words arent really necessary.

Class of 2012

I will admit...the Class of 2012 was a little bit special to me.  There were 50 graduates this year.  Out of the 50, I counted only 4 that I had not had as students.  This was my first group of 8th graders from my first year here.  Many of them I had taught in multiple classes throughout their time at BRHS.  One of them caught my carpet on fire in my classroom (who puts carpet in a science room anyway?), one of them was the only student I've ever known about to write very nasty things about me online,one of them motivated me to push for and finally persuade my principal to let me teach a few new science electives, one of them moved here from Vegas the same year as me, one of them just may have known more about science then me, one of them stayed up late with me on a band trip talking about our mothers, one of them I busted coming to school smelling like pot, a couple of them rebuilt my snow machine engine for me in shop class, several of them took every class that I've taught, several of them were part of the Boy Scout troop that I taught an Environmental Science badge to, serval of them almost didnt make it, but pulled through. Over the years, I had good times and struggles with this group, but through the good and the bad, they made it!

It was a very nice ceremony with lots of smiling faces and ping pong balls.  Yes...ping pong balls.  As each student went up to receive their diploma, they each carried a ping pong ball in their hand which the handed off to the principal as she shook their hands.  I dont think BRHS will be the same without this group of kids, but I wish them all the best as they head out to their next new adventure.

Number 4: Attend a city council meeting

 This birthday goal has been on my list for 3 years running and I finally did it!!!  I dont know why I waited so long.  The city hall building is literally right across the street from my house.  Tonight I actually went to support a cause though, not just to watch.  I was there supporting the Bethel Friends of Canines organization that I've been involved with lately.

 While we were there, the city recognized a couple of Boy Scouts that had earned their Eagle Scout designation, they discussed alcohol restrictions at council sponsored events, and a new ordinance for the regulation of mines for mercury. There were a few interesting topics on the agenda and there were alot of people who spoke during the 'people to be heard' section.

Although I've listened to the city council meetings on the radio many times, I really enjoyed attending in person.  Maybe I'll do it again sometime!