What's she up to?

Two nights ago I was upstairs loading some music on my MP3 player for our trip over to Homer to see my parents the next day and I realized that it had gotten pretty quiet downstairs. Usually Quin is running around the living room and since the upstairs is kind of loft like I can hear her easily and keep track of what she is doing. Her lack of noise was a bit suspicious, so I went downstairs to see what she was up to and this is what I found.

She had somehow managed to pull herself up onto our bed (which she had never managed before), she pulled the covers up over her and was "reading" my book! She sat like that for quite sometime, actually. I don't know what she was getting from it, as I can say that I am past the picture book stage and it was just all letters. I found it very endearing.

The Longest Day

It is gray here today on Solstice, so we haven't seen much of that lovely northern sunlight. Phil took this picture of your house a few nights ago (when it was clear), just after midnight. He didn't use a flash, but he did use a long exposure. We wanted to show everyone what it is like in Alaska at night.

When I lived for a year in Fort Yukon (9 miles above the Arctic Circle) it didn't get dark at all in the summer months (but it also didn't get very light in the winter months). Currently we are listed at having 22 hours and 37 minutes of visible daylight. Unfortunately from today on it is all down hill. Tomorrow we lose two seconds of daylight and then that number will pick up and we'll start slowly returning to night. I think the Celts had it right, following Solstices and Equinox for marking the cycles of the year.

hApPiNeSs iS...

Seeing double

Yes, you are seeing double. Last week we went to Anchorage and Phil bought a new car, new to him that is The car is the exact same as mine, which he has long since coveted for it's "kick a**" moon roof. So now we have two 2003 Subaru Forester XS cars, both originally bought in June. Phil's car has about 10K more miles than mine and mine has leather seats, but otherwise they are identical, right down to mirror image dents on the front panels.

Nana, Quin and Mama (that's me!) making cookies on Memorial Day

Our first hike in the Chugach National Forest

Phil introducing Quin to all the different types of plants.

So little time, so much to do!

My summers used to be so free; now each day is time incremented.

• Up at 8:00
• Breakfast between 8:30-9:00.
• Free play time and book reading
• 10:30-12:00 some sort of activity out of the house
• Lunch between 12:00-1:00.
• Nap Time! Usually until 2:30 or 3:00
• Wake up snack
• Play time or some other out of house activity until ~5:00
• Dinner between 5:30-6:30
• Play time until about 7:45 (some day baths at 7:30)
• Book time until around 8:30
• Bed time by 9:00

Then repeat.... For someone so used to her own time, this is a big change. I hardly have time to write or read or do any of those other solitary things.

We have been busy these past few days.

Sunday afternoon Baba (Phil), Quin and I went for a~1 mile hike on Resurrection River Trail. Baba taught Quin about all the plants--there was a lot to look at. Quin was great. She didn't whine once or asked to be carried (even with the bugs and a few rain drops).

Monday morning Quin and I went to a play group field trip to the Post office. We got to go behind the scenes and follow our postcard get canceled, sorted and then Quin herself delivered it to our box. I especially thought it was interesting. In the afternoon Quin and I went to my school parking lot so she could ride her tricycle around. She just about has the strength to keep it going--it helps when the pavement is smooth and there is just a slight slope. In the evening Baba put together the bike carrier cart and attached it to my bike and then Quin and I went for a bike ride. She really liked it. We went about 4 miles. I have to say that the extra 25 pounds of carrier and extra 25 pounds of Quin make a difference going up hill!

Tuesday Quin and I went swimming at Tot Time at the pool. There was hardly anyone there, so we had lots of space. Quin is not at all interested in getting her face in the water. We have to work on that. We'll probably go swimming again tomorrow (Thursday).

Today we went to the library and read some books. Then we went shopping for a possible Father's day present for Phil for his first Father's day.

Right now Quin is napping. I have set my kitchen timer for 30 minutes so I don't spend too much time on the computer and miss my quiet, alone Naomi time. Since I only have 7 minutes left, I am and done writing for now. I'll try to get more pictures on soon (when I have time!)

The Forbidden City

Day one in China (April 30) started with a 2.5 hour walking tour of the Forbidden City (Beijing). George (in the picture with Phil) was our own personal guide in Beijing. He was awesome and if we can we'll try to use hime again when we next go to China. All he Beijing tourists sites were very busy while we were there as it was a week long National holiday, a time when a lot of people from the more rural area come to the city at this time to do just as we were doing and see the cultural wonders, old and new.

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Check out this web site for more info: The Forbidden City

"The Forbidden City, situated in the very heart of Beijing, was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The construction of the grand palace started in the fourth year of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1406), and ended in 1420. In ancient times, the emperor claimed to be the son of Heaven, and therefore Heaven’s supreme power was bestowed upon him. The emperors’ residence on earth was built as a replica of the Purple Palace where God was thought to live in Heaven. Such a divine place was certainly forbidden to ordinary people and that is why the Forbidden City is so named.

The Forbidden City covers an area of about 72 hectares with a total floor space of approximately 150, 000 square meters. It consists of 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings and 8,704 rooms. To represent the supreme power of the emperor given from God, and the place where he lived being the center of the world, all the gates, palace and other structures of the Forbidden City were arranged about the south-north central axis of Beijing."

from http://www.chinahighlights.com/beijing/attraction/forbidden-city.htm

20 years on

Pictures From Tienanmen Square, April 30th, 2009

Can you spot me in the red shirt?

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Tienanmen Square confrontation between protesters and the government. When we were at the square there were so many people out enjoying the beautiful day. It is hard to believe that most Chinese (especially those born after the event) know nothing about the killings that took place on June 3rd and 4th, 1989. This week in an effort to cut off information, the Chinese government shut off access to Twitter, Facebook, My Space and Hotmail. Satellite feeds are blacked out if Tienanmen Square is mentioned and people who speak openly about the event are "taken away" for a while.

Hopefully one day the government will be more than one-party rule and hopefully they will one day allow truth and information to be openly spread and people to freely express their views.

Still, with how friendly the Chinese were, how accommodating and kind the people personally were, I believe the country has come a long way in the past twenty years and and I am glad to be connected with China.

Our first hours with Quin, May 4th, 2009

I know the picture of mama is not flattering, but Quin's smile is worth it

Baba and Quin getting to know each other with the help of stickers!

(me) In Nanning by a lily pond at Minority Park a few hours before we met Shan Shan.