Ask and Ye Shall Receive

So ya know how I said the next month will be crazily busy and jam-packed? A friend from back home once wrote to me that "writing is a form of prayer," and I've carried that thought with me this past year. Well, apparently someone upstairs heard my concerns and granted us a bit of respite - following are some of the recent events, or lack thereof, in the village:

• One of the tournaments we were supposed to host got moved to the next village upriver because we are co-oping with that team. So that freed up this weekend. Don't worry, the village filled that in with their annual potlatch, a time of much Eskimo dancing, feasting, first dances, and gift-giving. As I remember last year, it also brought the community together a bit as well. We could use that once again. 

• The tutoring position is going pretty seamlessly; I have great student interest and support from the parents and the district. A student of mine stopped by for extra work after school today, a Friday, and I will see her tomorrow at tutoring. Her drive amazes me.

• Academic Decathlon ended up being cancelled due to bad weather; because there were only eight students competing, they all get to go to the state meet in Anchorage next week. (Each team consists of ten members.) My student also gets to go as an alternate. Guess who got tapped to chaperon that trip? Initially, I did not want to be gone right at the start of tutoring, but thought that a few days staying in the Anchorage Hilton with basically the same group of outstanding kids from last year would be a healing thing for me. With so many things going on and some squirrelly kids in the classroom, I'm glad for a bit of a break in the city. Plus, it will give me a chance to grab some things for the science fair we will be holding soon!

• With an in-service day on Monday, I will only be teaching one day next week due to my Academic Decathlon responsibilities. 

• I've been wanting to ski, and we have been blessed with lots of powdery snow! I haven't had a chance yet to get out and enjoy it, but hopefully this weekend I will get to do just that - following are a few of shots of the recent snowfall. More is expected over the next few days:

View from my classroom, about 4:00 pm.

The currently out-of-commission playground.

The drifts in front of teacher housing are popular for sledding and playing
King of the Mountain.

A neighbor dog. Her name is Scrappy or Sparky, not sure. She lives with the
school counselor.

Fish caught from the nets of Howie, my neighbor; they're lush. 

All said and done, I'm glad for the break and how the month is shaping up; it's much better than how it began. We needed a break from hosting activities. Two of the last three times we have hosted, the teams have ended up getting weathered in, which means we are still responsible for keeping them somewhat entertained. It also means that our classrooms are occupied until they leave. [Sigh.] What can you do?

Hope this finds you warm and enjoying February! My next post will likely detail the upcoming Academic Decathlon trip. 

Toodles!