Sadness & excitement

Well, it seems I've been paroled from life on the rock...I will be leaving Dutch Harbor probably in December of this year to move to ANOTHER rock....Bainbridge Island, WA ...

Doctor appt. yesterday went really well....I'm pretty healthy, but SOMETHING that lurks on my beautiful island wreaks havoc on my lungs, and I need to be closer to medical treatment. 3 medevacs in 2 years is enough.

I'm am soooo sad to leave my friends, my sister, my dog and all my patrons. I worked at that library for 11 years and it is so strange to think I won't be going back.

I will count on everyone continuing their blogs so that I can still "taste" the life out there. It was a fun run, that's for sure.....and with airline miles, and all, I can still visit.

I'll still be posting..just wanted to update ya'll.

Cheers! (PS Check back later, I'm going to drive over to the Palin house and snap some photos if I can get close enough)....LOL I feel like the paparazzi!

BOO~HALLOWEEN

Hey everyone!

For the locals, I had ordered 2 halloween costumes hoping my husband would be in town, and that we'd win $300 like we did at the Sports Bar last year. Well, I won't be back until this Friday or Saturday and Scott won't be in town until the 2nd or 3rd of November...if anyone needs costumes, let me know. I have the woman's costume, men's costume, mens and womens wigs, makeup, accessories...EVERYTHING to make you up to look like beautiful, scary, sexy VAMPIRES!!!!

They are really beautiful and will fit most sizes. Comment me and we'll go from there.

See ya'll in a few days!
Boo!

Update

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to touch base and let everyone know that I am still alive...feeling a bit better, and just wanting to figure out what is wrong, accept it, then treat it and get on with life.

Waiting on tests, drs appts., and treatment options. Thanks for all the warm thoughts, prayers and positive thinking.

I really miss Dutch, and hope to be back soon....

Hope crab fishing is going well, and that we will all soon have FRESH king crab legs in our belly's and that all of our boys come home safe and sound and a little richer for their efforts.

Have a great week everyone and thanks again for your prayers and good thoughts.

Cheers! Lauri

Fisherman's Halloween? Hey, Kodiak, you're going the WRONG way! Bella's first blogged photo...

CD is BACK...lookin' all tan, AND she brought her new baby in to see me. She is ADORABLE as you can see. Her name is Bella. A little sweetheart...

As I was driving back to work from lunch, I saw what I THINK is the Kodiak (according to some, a new Deadliest Catch boat), BUT HEY you are going the wrong way, Kodiak! I couldn't see that far, so if this IS NOT the Kodiak, my bad and never mind LMAO.... (It IS the Kodiak and it WAS going the wrong way )....???

I watch Dancing With The Stars every week...and during the rehearsals, they showed Chuck Liddell wearing a t-shirt that looked like a Unisea Bar shirt...it said "the beatings will continue until morale improves"...so, ironically at the Grand during what was supposed to be Fisherman's Halloween, I saw this guy wearing a Chuck Liddell shirt...okay, well I thought it was funnily ironic...

The ONLY ghoul that showed up while I was there...can you guess who this is? The cute one COVERED in black, that is????

Fisherman's Halloween was a bust....they (DC fishermen) were supposed to show up at 7PM-ish...we were there at 7-ish and were getting ready to leave at 9:45pm....when a girl who works for OP swooshed over to our table and said "the Time Bandit guys are on their way in, and we need you to sign this waiver IN CASE you get caught on camera"...I said no way, we are out of here....Tawnja turned to someone sitting next to her and said "if they want this on camera, they are going to have to pay me"....LMAO Needless to say, we left...CB didn't even wait for the festivities (if, in fact, there were any?) So, that's the scoop....

Cheers!

You scare me!

I don't want to start a big, fat political fight...just thought this was interesting...came to me in an e-mail. So, FYI everyone....(written by the former head of Proctor and Gamble)

http://snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp

Also, tonight is the Deadliest Catch Halloween at the Grand Aleutian....Since it's happening early, I will be attending, if the rumors I have heard turn out to be true...this will be a riot! Can't wait! I'll bring my camera for sure.....

Cornelia Marie & Fierce Allegiance

I was driving past the Fuel Dock and saw the Cornelia Marie docked there as well as the Fierce Allegiance...I think the Fierce was in the first couple of seasons of DC....she's a really pretty boat.

As I was snapping these pics, Vanessa (Freddie's wife) was driving by, stopped and asked what I was doing...LOL I told her since CB hasn't been blogging lately, I better feed a few pics to his fans, that I am NOT a groupie...she just laughed...so enjoy! She also said they are filming like crazy, so the boys are pretty busy!

Tonight is the Batchelorette auction at the Harbor View Inn (formerly known as the Sports Bar)...I would LOVE to go...but 9PM is pretty late for me to just be going out....I'm usually headed to bed around that time, but you never know, I could be talked into it!

Eleven Years already!

This photo is NOT of today's rainbow....I think this was taken in Oct. 2008 by my sister. The rock pictured here is called "Arch Rock"...I think CB mentioned and showed this in his blog at one time and wondered what it was called.....

I know that I have been neglecting my blog...really just nothing to talk about. I hope one or more of the bloggers snaps a few photos of the gorgeous rainbow arced over Dutch Harbor this afternoon...it is sooooo windy and rainy out, and I was just focusing on getting into my truck without the door being ripped off, that I forgot to take my camera to lunch/dinner with me. It is spectacular!

Town should be filling up with crabbers soon, maybe things will liven up a bit and there'll be something interesting to write about (or at least some fun, maybe incriminating photos to post?)....then again, I guess I need to get out more, to find out what is going on in town.

I'm just patiently waiting for my husband to come home...he left the 31st of August and won't be home again until mid to late October. Very lonely....At least Sherrie, Jan, & the dogs are here (and Tawnja is in town :), they are very good company.

Oh yeah, and today is the 11th anniversary of my landing in Dutch Harbor! 10-6-1998, I came for one year (at the most!) and it's been 11!!!! I love it here :)

Have a great week everyone! Cheers....Lauri

Banned Books Week 9-26 to 10-3-2009

It's that time again....Banned Books week! Here is a sampling of the books that are on this years' list....

Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"...is not on the list for this year, but has been challenged and/or banned in previous years.

"Wicked" by Gregory Maguire There are concerns about the sexual content on a few pages of the book. "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult has been pulled from classrooms in Michigan...as it is "too racy for middle school students".

The entire "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer due to sexual content.

Here are a few of the titles from the 2008-2009 list of banned books.

Okay, this is a bit much...."The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss was challenged in a California Unified School district because the book "criminalizes the foresting industry"...And "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen (the edition with illustrations of bare-breasted mermaids was challenged in Texas School District because it was "pornographic" and contained "satanic pictures").

Okay, that was just a taste of the books on display here at the Unalaska Public Library....Visit your local library, check out a banned/challenged book, and make up your own mind. That's what America is all about!!!

Deadliest Catch Contest???

Not one to spread rumors...BUT I heard from a good source that Original Productions held a contest...winners would receive a trip to Dutch Harbor, and the opportunity to go on a crab boat...Apparently (this is from a news story told on Flash! Unalaska), the winners were flown here to Dutch, and given $8,000.....bad news...there aren't any crab boats in town AND Original Productions hadn't arranged any accomodations for the winners.....more bad news, the Grand Aleutian Hotel was full due to the Alaska Museum and History convention taking place that same weekend.....the "winners" luckily had packed a tent and were all about camping, bummer is...their bags didn't make the flight with them, ..some of the locals in town put them up at Amaknak camp (not luxurious digs, I might add)......and took them hiking and out to the local "pubs"...

I went onto the local news site (kucb.org) but didn't find anything about this posted yet. From the same source, I was told that they did enjoy their stay here, in spite of Original Productions lack of planning.....

Nipple Rock

Gorgeous streams of sunshine......

Bird Rocks.....

Everywhere I've ever lived, be it California, Washington, or Colorado, there has always been a "Nipple Rock"...(that's what I name it anyway) and Alaska has one also.....This is visible from the Dutch Harbor Post Office and is a fine specimen....really lives up to it's name, doncha think?

Pen Air, Clouds, Rocks, Ballyhoo

Love these clouds....some are smooth and silky looking, while the others are all ruffled up! My dad was a test pilot in the Air Force (SR-71) and said that the clouds that look like little flying saucers are the most dangerous to fly through as they are like that due to the wind....

More clouds LOL

I found some of my favorite rocks in a box at my sister's house....she has warned my husband that all of his belongings are now out in the hallway, to make room for my rocks! LOL - he shouldn't laugh, it COULD happen! Look at the designs on them...mother nature is incredible!

Some rocks with colors in the middle of them...

More clouds....do you see a pattern going on here?

Sorry this one is so dark...this cloud formation looked like a submarine...I tried to capture it, but alas, I failed...

More of my favorite rocks.....I LOVE heart shaped rocks....the BIG one I found out the Shaishnikoff place out at Captain's Bay (it's okay because Ernie S. was with me)....I was beyond happy finding it.....

And more....I don't know what the story with the "alien" faced rock is...that's how I found it...and the ones with stripes and writing on them, I assume they were dinner ware on Navy ships???

More pretty fluffy clouds. Looks like a bird flying.....

Berries and fall colored leaf.

Looking down at the fuel dock.....you can see the Cornelia Marie docked here often during crab season....

View of the spit from the "signs" road on Ballyhoo.

Hello Grand Aleutian Hotel!

Airport

Pen Air taking off (I'm surprised this picture turned out this well).....

Taxi-ing for take-off (My photos always post backwards LOL)

Looks like Ballyhoo Mountain is wearing a hat!

Rest in Peace, Captain :(

Captain Leon from the Alaska Victory passed away last night due to a heart attack...he was at home in Alabama. He was only 67 years old.

He will be missed.....please say a prayer for his family.

I believe he lived in Mississippi......not Alabama...regardless, We will miss him!

Scenery, Angry Cloud, Moldy Schrooms, Galene & Kris, Dutch Harbor Diamonds

Moldy, mass of mushrooms....at least that's what I THINK these are...however, I don't recall seeing them before they turned into moldy ones.

Another clump of them.

It's Elaine along with Hoover and Cali...Eider ran down to greet them....I walked and then turned around and went back up to the balls with them.

The clouds were spectacular, they change so fast...it's hard to keep up with them :)

Chris Knutsen & Galene....Galene was just here visiting, Chris is the owner/captain of the F/V Aleutian Spray...he has been coming to Dutch since 1963!!!! He has seen it all, and is one of the funniest people I know. He tells stories that literally have you laughing so hard, you cry. Love him to pieces!

This cloud looks ANGRY! I thought of Mj in MD when I took this one....spooky!

I am a total Rockhound...I can't go 5 feet without having a pocket full of rocks....so I found these on Ballyhoo last night....the big one looks like a piece of brick, but it has rounded edges and deep scratches across it....the little one is real fun to rub....my thumb fits perfectly in that dark spot....I have no idea what kind of rock it is or what causes the dark coloring in the middle....I don't really care, I just am happy with them....LOL

When I got married, I was wearing old clothes, I borrowed a butterfly clip thingy from Mary, that was also blue...so there is my something old, something borrowed and something blue...I didn't have anything new...so my sister, Sherrie handed me a box with this bracelet in it....I LOVE it....it is made by a local woman here named Lori Lane...her business name is "Dutch Harbor Diamonds" and she made this with beach glass that she and/or her family collected.....so I thought I would plug her business (if anyone is interested in seeing more of her items, let me know by commenting and I'll take more pics of her other creations)...I have received alot of compliments on this bracelet whenever I wear it...so I thought I'd share with all of you.

Isn't it beautiful?

Another view from Ballyhoo, looking at the bridge to the other side and beyond.

More clouds....

Beautiful view from Ballyhoo, ever changing scenery from the same place....

Mushrooms on the way up....

The mountains are changing from deep, dark velvety green to a rust color, I guess that means fall is rapidly approaching...sigh!

Here is an up close look at the colors changing....

These are some miscellaneous photos from the last few days....My internet connection from home is soooo slow, I don't even put myself through the frustration of trying to blog from there....so I take a break from work and although it's not FAST, it's better than dial-up...

Cheers!