10 things to look forward to on ice

In 16 days I hope to be headed to Antarctica again and there are plenty of things to look forward to. Here are 10 of those items I anticipate with great delight:

1. Seeing Laura when she comes off the South Pole.

2. Seeing the good friends I met last year again (and making some new ones, too).

3. Sunday morning brunch.

4. The mountains.

5. Quiet.

6. Traveling there and back.

7. The lack of American consumerism (especially at Christmas).

8. Working in support of the National Science Foundation.

9. Sending mail from Antarctica and receiving the packages I sent to myself (or finding I have mail from you).

10. Hopefully, some good wildlife again this season.

10 things i will miss in a month

I like lists! Again, in no particular order, 10 things I will miss next month when I get to Antarctica:

1. Fresh, soft Washington peaches, pears, and nectarines (or an abundance of fresh fruit availability in general).

2. The plush carpet at Uncle Jerry and Aunt Faye's house.

3. Rain.

4. My cell phone, wireless internet, and free online phone calls to mom and dad.

5. Vegetated hills and mountains.

6. Christmas with any family (not even Laura will be with me this year)!

7. My car.

8. Starbucks and real milk in my mochas (as opposed to dry milk).

9. Cooking for myself.

10. Night sky.

a tribute to the common cow

I was thinking yesterday, while I was making my famous (to me) cheese and tomato sandwich that I eat a lot of cheese. I do love cheese quite a lot, and in my estimation, I've had at least 12 pounds of the stuff since arriving in Washington; not that I eat a terrible amount, but I usually have a few slices a day. Can you imagine that put in front of you? Twelve pounds of cheese. That is utterly terrifying.

So, this is my tribute to cows for the work they do. I can't begin to think of a life as a female cow; getting shoved in line looking at Nanny's fanny twice a day for an hour, or more, waiting to get hooked up to a pump that sucks the milk right out of her so that a typical grocery shopper will take it for granted that milk, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, hundreds of varieties of cheese products, and other unassuming milk-fortified goods are at arms length on any given food store shelf. Not only does she give up her milk, but she is a surrogate mother to future milk-production and our beef cattle industry. (Incidentally, the cow pictured is named Andrea).

So, "thank you" to the common cow.

In blackberry picking news, I had my first casualties; a few thorns to the fingers while I was pulling out a branch that was prohibiting my reach to the very best berries. Was it worth it? Absolutely; there is nothing like going where no other blackberry picker has gone this summer!

I will soon be black-berried out, though. In addition to the 12 pounds of cheese, I estimate I've eaten three pounds of free blackberries so far this summer (and that has been in the last five days). They are great fresh, over vanilla yogurt, or in the cobbler that I'm still grazing off of. Today I made blackberry pancakes for lunch.

blackberry bushes

The great part of blackberry season is that all sorts of berries are in various stages of ripening, so there are always some fruity morsels to pick off the vines. The unfortunate part of blackberry season are the thorny vines and when I finally spot the juiciest plumpest morsel, it is inevitably just barely out of reach!

I feel as though I am doing a service to the community in two ways by picking these tasty treats: First, blackberries are a non-native Washington plant, so by picking their fruit, I am preventing those seeds from spreading, and second, I am saving a few cars from ending up with juicy purple bird poop all over their windshields and rooftops. So, today, after running some errands, I took a small bag up the hill to the trail behind the apartment complex and found some ripe blackberries begging to be picked.

Aunt Faye made some tremendous blackberry cobbler the other day, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. Hers turned out much better, but mine was quite delightful as well; and it always feels good to indulge in something I worked to make, even if I have scratches on my legs and arms and a potential stomach ache from eating more fresh berries than I should!

saturday of re-uniting

In addition to my class reunion, I also spent some additional time with my friend Jenny, and her boyfriend, Donovan for breakfast. They are from Montana and Colorado, but were in town for the weekend and I was thrilled that we worked out some details to meet on Seattle's Capitol Hill for breakfast. We ate at Coastal Kitchen for a wonderful late breakfast and lovely conversation. Jen was one of my good friends in Antarctica. We tended to talk about our fun(ny) Ice relationships together. I am glad to see that she and Donovan were having such a nice time together on this Washington trip! My breakfast was amazing: Coconut-Mango Griddle Cakes with Vanilla Butter and Caramel Sauce!

After spending some time with them, I had in mind to take the rest of the day quite leisurely until my cocktail party reunion that evening. I went to the Metropolitan Market by Seattle Center and the Space Needle to pick up a grocery lunch, wandered around the park, listened to the light notes coming from the musical fountain there.

Then I headed to Bellevue to reacquaint myself with the city I frequented during my junior and senior high school years. While I felt like I recognized the area, I lost myself in the remodeling and new buildings around the area. I wandered through the mall, and the huge art fair going on reminding myself all the while that it was ok not to rush. This was the first day I had to relax and not accomplish anything in a long time! My city exploration took me also to the newer Lincoln Center in Bellevue, they have this beautiful Chihuly Glass Chandelier hanging in the entrance. I am enchanted by Dale Chihuly's work!

I wandered some more and found myself at my favorite and my first Starbucks at NE 8th in Bellevue. I sat, read, and wrote a bit there while the world went by.

Eventually, I picked up and settle in at the park to read and people-watch before heading over to the class reunion. It was a fun day to explore and roam as I pleased!

fruit of the trail

For quite some time now I have been picking thimble berries (what I formerly classified as salmon berries). They are a very sweet, soft berry that grow wild around this area of Northwest Washington. The last two days, I have also had the pleasure of picking wild blackberries which are beyond plentiful here; particularly in my neighborhood!

Besides nature's berries, I have been taking advantage of the trails around my apartment for my running and leisurely hikes. It is great to run up and down the hills here with nothing in my path but wispy overgrown branches, a couple of toppled tree trunks, and the occasional little-robin-redbreast. The air is much quieter and I can hear my lungs working as I chug up the forest hills. Today, I found, on my favorite track, that if I push to the top of one particularly difficult section and head around the next turn, there is a nice gentle downward straight-stretch beyond! I had a quiet sense of accomplishment when I finally reach the top of the hill. On my walk back down, I saw the white top of Mount Baker in the sun. I smiled because I'm in Washington again. I like it.

Next week, I'll be hitting the trails for some serious mountain climbing fun. I, with my dad, brother, and uncle, will be attempting to summit Mt. Hood in Oregon. It's the first mountain I'll be climbing since Mt. Pugh in high school and I'm looking forward to the challenging climb up the volcano.

good things

I received the most curious package in the mail the other day; all the way from New Zealand. It was from two of my most favorite Kiwi friends, Jeremy and Kirrin. They had promised me the "tried and true" recipe for my favorite dessert, pavlova, since I've had a difficult time whipping it up. I didn't expect they would send the entire Edmonds Cookery Book! They even went through and marked their favorite, or most challenging recipes in addition to noting the page pavlova is on! This little gift had me nearly tearing up, I was laughing so hard when I got it.

This morning was an a.m. of accomplishment. It started with a dentist appointment and a prayer that went something like this: "Dear Lord, I don't know if it's possible to not have a crown, but I really don't want one and can't afford it right now." Well, God was merciful. And, at the end of the appointment I had to offer another little prayer of "thanks" since this dentist is quite confident that I can do a small filling to fix the problem. Make a few small fillings in as many teeth, but those are covered by insurance. The dentist can also fit me in on Thursday morning since I'm in a rush for this work to be done.

Then I went to REI to buy some wind pants for my hiking excursion next week (and for Antarctica). The kind on display did not fit me well, but I found some on the sale rack. To make a long story short; by some sort of snafu, I got a $150 pair of wind pants for $20!

Now, the good things are important because they balance coming home to a keeping track of Antarctica paperwork. My HR paperwork should be finished. And, I'm nearly done with my medical and dental qualifications! My friend, Lucas, likened it to a puzzle; although, trying to get all the pieces in the same place at the same time is the trick! Then I still have to put them together!

sweet tooth splurge

Lest you think, with all the fresh food that I don't splurge a bit, I have to tell you that I had not one, but two triple venti non-fat cinnamon dolce lattes this morning to get me going on my 4:30am shift. I have actually had so many cinnamon dolce lattes on my breaks at work while I'm reading, Endurance (a highly recommended read about Shackleton's misadventures in Antarctica) that I think about his crew when I have the drink. I also think about the drink when I read the book. It's amazing how the mind makes associations like that!

Regarding the book, I have to say, I can only read it during the day. Being stuck in Antarctica (no matter how harrowing or mundane the escape) is no laughing matter. The huts, as incredible as they are to visit on The Ice, give me the creeps a bit when I smell the seal blubber on the floor and see how many rations and beds, and such were just abandoned by people (some of whom perished on their journeys from these abodes).

Besides my Starbucks sweets, I figure with all the upcoming dental work, I can't be doing much more damage! I'm also indulging in two amazing snacks that stray from my typically healthy diet this week: Reese's Pieces and the always tasty Nilla Wafers with Rainbow Chip frosting! They were starring me down in the grocery isle.

Laura, if you are having food-fantasies at the South Pole, I'd be more than happy to bring any tempting snack with me for you on your return to McMurdo this fall (with some of those fresh peppers if I can find them in Christchurch).

working on the tan

Today was my second day outside in the beautiful Western Washington sunshine. The day was absolutely perfect for a lovely lunchtime outing at Birch Bay. So, Uncle Jerry, Aunt Faye, Jen, Aaron, and the boys all packed up coolers, toys, and towels, and headed for the beach.

Those old memories of setting foot in sinking muddy sand came back quite quickly as we walked over the flat mud at low tide. I remember being quite scared of the seaweed and what might be hiding underneath those green feathery ribbons of sea grass. I found it still a bit disconcerting to have it wrapped around my toes and ankles.

My favorite line of the day came when I told Jorren his boat was floating away. His answer over his shoulder, as he ran towards the (apparently much more exciting) rising tide and waves was, "Don't worry! You'll be able to catch it!"

After slopping through the tide flat back towards the cars, we drove into the State Park at Birch Bay and set up sandwiches and such for lunch. Though, crab may have sounded somewhat enticing, we did not catch and cook this guy.

I've had great excuses to get out and enjoy the beautiful forest and ocean the last couple days. Tomorrow, I'm back to work.

talk of ice on a warm summer's day

Who knew four people could talk about so many things "McMurdo" in one afternoon! My friend, Elizabeth, who lives in Bellingham and also spent time in Antarctica last fall called me up to tell me that our mutual friends, Ben and Krista, were in town (from Massachusetts and Wisconsin, respectfully).

Within a few minutes, I was packed and ready for a big bike ride with them down to Larabee State Park. We took our picnic lunches and chatted nearly all the way. Much information was exchanged and stories were told about our 4 months down there.

I had a fantastic time catching up with the three under beautiful skies and kind temperatures. It was wonderful to chat with them and learn about what they intend to do next in life. I'm so glad I was able to spend the afternoon out with them!

To cap off our day, we had a picnic/potluck outside. We talked and talked until I knew I really had to get home to put away some of the 1/2 completed projects I abandoned to join them on the bike ride earlier! I love being around beautiful people accented by an amazing outdoor kind of day!

the salsa

It's summer, and I cannot get enough fresh fruits and veggies; perhaps somewhat due to my true appreciation for such edibles after spending time in a place where they are nearly a delicacy (and knowing I'm headed back there).

My salsa turned out quite well. It's the kind of stuff that you compliment with a chip (not vis a versa). If anyone wants to share, I'd be more than happy to whip up another batch sometime. This bowl is all but gone!

2/3 medium walla walla sweet onion
4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
3 peppers (red, yellow, green in this case)
1 lime
cilantro to taste
a dash of salt & pepper to taste
tabasco sauce for some added heat

great day!

Today was a great day. It was perfect timing after my bad Thursday when I went to the dentist and found out there is a little (I mean a lot) of work to be done to my pearly whites.

I accomplished a few organizational tasks in the morning, talked to my parents for a bit, and called Phil for his birthday (Happy Birthday, again, Phil).

Then I remembered that there was a volunteer opportunity for Starbucks employees to help out with a salmon luncheon and dinner, so when the sun peaked through the clouds, I hustled on my bike down to Boundary Bay to assist in some setup and such for the luncheon. The organization, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), raises funds for salmon restoration, kids programs, and planing trees once a year at this event. I thought it was mildly ironic that an organization which tries to restore salmon to streams and rivers served up their prized fish for their fundraiser, but they do also promote healthy fishing practices.

After helping out for a couple hours, I ran up to the Farmer's Market for a bit, enjoyed 1/2 my bag of kettle corn, and then ran home for a break and to catch up on a few things.

I returned later in the afternoon and volunteered again to serve salmon for the big dinner. Not only did they sell out of tickets, but they kept selling dinners at a discount since we were running out of the side dishes. It was a record turnout. I spent such a fun evening with a few other Starbucks employees, serving up pasta salad, fresh (real fresh) White King Salmon Steaks, and super fresh strawberry/raspberry cobbler for dessert.

Perhaps the best part of the evening that each volunteer was allowed to indulge in the dinner as well. Amazing! Nothing quite so good as fresh food outdoors in the sun!

surprise visitors

I had a couple of surprise visitors the last few days. First, my brother, Matt, and his friend, Juliet stopped by on their way back to Alaska. They are both working as researchers on the fishing boats up there and have taken a short contract beginning this week. I had a nice time with them. We had tremendously good Greek food on Tuesday evening at Cafe Akroteri. We also made a point to occupy some time at the REI store within walking distance of my apartment.

Yesterday afternoon, I also reacquainted myself with Toby. He was a friend of mine when we lived in Washington and went to a fair number of youth group retreats together. We scheduled a lunch and chatted about the various parts of the world we've each visited. It's quite amazing how two people from the same place can have such different life experiences! He deploys back to Baghdad at the end of this week as a Captain in the Army.

strawberries

Today I went to work at 4:30am. I had a horrible night of sleep, and finished my 5 hour shift incredibly sleepy. However, every customer who came in was in chipper spirits because, after a week long stretch of gray days, the sun popped out today! It's amazing weather outside.

So, rather than just quickly crawling under the covers for a morning of sleep, I drove up to Lynden, took in the mountains all the way, and stopped at the Bjornstad U-Pick Strawberry field on the Pole Road.

The novelty of picking strawberries as an adult is much more poignant than when mom dragged, us, four kids, out on a hot morning to "help" her. I picked three pounds for $1.10/lb. It doesn't get much better than that!

Hearing the gentle pop when I picked the perfect ripe ones off the plant was music to my ears. Although my hands are a slightly pinker hue, tossing a few berries in my mouth on the car ride home made it all worthwhile! There's something so refreshing about tasting the fruits of my labors--even if the strawberries were still a little dusty. It's part of the fun!

yumm

Summer is upon us in a yummy sort of way!

good sunday

The clouds are quite ominous today (I even saw some lightning), but I had a nice day. I got a lot done. What I thought was going to be a lonely, tired afternoon turned out to be quite fun and relaxing for me!

My big project in this new apartment is to unpack, inventory, and then repack all my belongings again before I leave for Antarctica. Hopefully, in the process, I can scratch a few more objects of in-affection from my collection. Happily, I made it through three more repacked boxes today; making the grand total, four, boxes full of kitchen utensils, pots, pans, picture frames, and blankets I won't use this summer. Phew.

I also went to a great church service this morning, got the jewelry making boxes out to craft a new necklace and bracelet, or two, I watched the end of a movie, and put some clothes away, had corn on the cob for lunch, and my favorite unhealthy breakfast-for-dinner of Grandma Rushies Pancakes (pictured).

And, I still have the evening to go yet. I'm donning my awesome Antarctic sweatpants and a comfortable bright pink tank top; definitely casual stay-at-home apparel. Maybe I can read, or crochet, journal, watch another movie, or...

I wish I had motivation like this all the time!

ski-to-sea parade

This morning we packed up a lunch, lawn chairs, and too-few layers to watch the Ski to Sea Parade downtown Bellingham. The Ski to Sea race runs from the slopes of Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. It's "an 85 mile relay race of seven venues (cross country skiing, downhill skiing, running, biking, canoeing, mountain biking, and kayaking). I'm already formulating a crew in my head for a team in next year's competition!

The weather, not as warm as we anticipated for the parade, held off on sunshine until the parade was over. It didn't rain either.

We did have quite a lovely time watching the different groups move through; seeing the fire trucks, the horses, and high school bands. A local bank branch even served up hot dogs with chips and pop for anyone who was hungry. I watched plenty of people too; some in the parade who were tired and ready to finish the last few steps of their route, and others waltzed their children a 1/2 block down the street so they could be part of the festivities, too, or other families gathered around with blankets and a coolers on the sidewalks like we were.

playing tourist in seattle

The weather outlook was positive on Sunday evening, so I arranged a stay with my friend, Susan, in Seattle on Monday night. I can't remember the last time I saw Susan. It must have been at least nine years ago. She was actually in my sister's class in high school, but we played a little volleyball together and have managed to keep in touch over the years. Between the two of us (especially Susan), we have covered a good portion of the world! I had a marvelous time catching up with her for a few brief hours. She is a wonderful and very beautiful person.

I spent the morning wandering around Seattle. I found the flagship R.E.I. store there and wandered for a bit before heading down to Pikes Place Market for a few hours. I wish I had more time to spend wandering through the eccentric shops, fruit stands, and fish vendors. The atmosphere is best described as "colorful."

After a lunch at The Market with Susan, I took a trip across Lake Washington to my high school for a quick peak into the classrooms on campus and brief "hellos" to a few former teachers. I am astounded and impressed that so many familiar faces are still there. I know many of the teachers I had were dedicated to their students and to serving God in their place in my school.

I met up with Massie from Antarctica in Bellevue for an afternoon jaunt through a park. It is refreshing to have such new friends and new perspectives on life and I appreciate being able to keep in touch with a few people who have the same strange Antarctic experience!

I sat in a bit of 405 traffic before sitting in line for the Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island. This was a last minute decision. I wanted to walk on the ferry from Seattle today and take a round trip on Puget Sound, but I ran out of time, so instead, I detoured my trip back north to Bellingham on The Island. While waiting, I indulged in (and burnt my tongue on) Ivars famous clam chowder. I can't believe I hated the stuff growing up! It was the perfect supper with some fruit and veggies I picked up.

The ferry ride is a true Washington experience. It has always been a treat to take a trip; whether for a family outing, a volleyball tournament, or field trip. Once you and your car are in queue for the boat, you are free to roam around for awhile before the boat docks. Then they load all the cars and people on the ferry. I even was able to load my car on the second level of parking! The warm weather allowed for people to be outside and enjoy the view and fresh salty air before returning to their cars drive off the onto the island.

Although the trail at Edey's Landing that Susan recommended was closed, I did find Deception Pass quite amazing at sunset. I took the quick hike down to the shore just as the sun had a particularly nice glow on everything this evening. This stretch of the island helps me recall so many little icons that represent our trips to grandma's house: the ice cream shops, fruit stands, oil refinery, bridge, naval base, windmill hotel, Pass Lake, and on and on!

I probably should have stuck around to watch the sun completely dip below the waters of Puget Sound, but the temperature cooled off quite quickly and I went on my way.

It was such a gorgeous day to be outside and take in God's great creative works and catch up with his important people who are my friends. I am glad I made the trip!

keeping busy

You may be wondering what I'm up to now that I'm not traveling or leaving an area any time soon. So am I. I am finding a number of things to keep busy with, though.

My "craft" boxes arrived today and so now I have a couple of cards to make and letters to send. Aunt Faye took me to the craft stores on Saturday and I loaded up on yarn and some paper for a new photo album (no lack of photos to use with the 3000+ I've managed to take with me the last six months)!

Speaking of craftiness: I learned how to crochet something besides hats. Now I'm on to scarves! This was a tremendous addition to the crocheting catalog in my head since I have yet to use a pattern or learn the precise definition of more than two stitches.

Uncle Jerry and Aunt Faye also took me out to a great restaurant called On Rice last week. It's a Thai place, and if you ever stop by to see me in the area, and you like Thai food, you'll have to remind me to bring you there.

No job yet, but I'm working towards something...I hope. Job searching is a job within itself. I have a few applications out and I am working on a couple more. The difficult part of the situation is that I'm leaving at the end of the summer. Even retail stores are looking for more permanent employees.

I am also reading. I still have yet to finish my first book since arriving (Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini), but I enjoy pulling up a seat and hunkering down for a 1/2 hour or an hour.

I slowly unpack boxes and pull out objects I might need for the summer. Then I repack the boxes with those things I won't need.

I hope to learn Spanish this summer and have my eye on some Spanish language discs, but they cost a lot more than I thought, so I'm sort of waiting to get a job before I invest in something that big! Or maybe I'll get a library membership and see if such tools are available to check out for a few weeks at a time.

I'm also searching out a place to rent this summer, and a storage space for my few boxes while I'm gone again this winter. I'll be making some phone calls tomorrow on rates and availability.

And, I got my Washington State Drivers' License today! Can you believe, they still have my information from 1998 in their system? That means, the information I submitted when I got my learner's permit is on my new license, too; including weight! After traveling and dropping so many pounds, I am actually nearer to that 15 year old physique than I might like!

the last supper

Today I spent some time with Meredith over a Cinnamon Dolce Latte. I enjoy talking with her about life and her plans for the future and college life! She will be studying in Russia next year!

I also spent one last piece of time with Emily (and Morgan) this afternoon. She is a fabulous friend and I enjoy talking over the cares of life with her. I always come away with a fresh perspective on things when I leave her!

I certainly did not expect much of a send off, but Dave and Mary arranged a good-bye dinner with their family this evening. Erin and Ryan were also able to join us at Red Robin (of course) for an evening out. Heather, Nate, Phil, Jen, and little Ashley all came out so I could have one last Banzai Burger in Illinois. It was pretty spectacular! I will most definitely miss my friends here.

Tomorrow, I finish packing, run a few last errands and head down I-88 towards Iowa. My tentative plan looks something like this:

Day 1: to Pella, Iowa.
Day 2: Pella to Orange City, Iowa.
Day 3: Orange City to Rapid City, South Dakota (I wanted to camp here, but I got a hotel since the campgrounds are not open for the summer yet).
Day 4: Rapid City to Bozeman, Montana.
Day 5: Bozeman to (hopefully) Seattle, Washington.
Day 6 or 7: Make my way up to Bellingham, Washington.