Laker Highlights

Spirit Camp 2010

This year Spirit Camp is down at the Ekada's six mile camp. Here are a few scenes from Tuesday. A peek in a tent at someone's teddy, a forgotten bowl of mac & cheese, Karina and Dots hangin' out, Shawn fishing and the "Tent City"

Spirit Camp 2010

Camping in the rain = no fun. Sitting under a dripping tarp, bored. A smokey fire struggling to burn wet wood. Mud clinging to soggy shoes. A leaky tent awaits with a damp sleeping bag.

But yesterday was better; when the sun was blazing in a cloudless sky and there was swimming at the island.

Looking around the camp you'd see kids digging holes in the sand, Conrad dominating the net, fish drying in the sun and the Grandmas tanning fish skin.

The world's toughest job?... 6-11-10

That would be parenting.

Think about it. You start out with a baby that knows nothing...about anything. Helpless, unable to communicate (well, crying does send a message, but it's communication on the most basic level) illiterate, no social skills, etc.

The job as a parent is to...

-protect
-nurture
-teach
-and basically anything else that goes into transforming an infant into a functional, productive human being.

That task is huge. It usually takes, what? Twenty years or more?

And what makes it even more challenging is that nearly anyone can become a parent. There are no entrance exams to pass, no certification required, nothing. If the human body is adequately functioning (and nearly all are) parenting is a distinct possibility (Well, there are a few things that must happen, one in particular, but we'll skip that part).

Most parents start out untrained, inexperienced and hoping to learn as they go. Imagine how that would work out for, say, pilots or doctors. Weird, huh?

So if you are a parent (or hope to be one some day) get all the help you can. Read, talk to other parents, learn from good ones, observe, adapt, etc.

Here are a few links you can check out; a good place to start.

-About.com
-AllAboutParenting
-Healthyplace

Don't get discouraged and don't give up; just take it one day, one moment at a time. Remember, this is YOUR KID we're talking about. What could be more important?

May is the month for...

Bikes! Yep, that's right. May is national bicycle month.

Bicycling is great exercise. It strengthens the legs, burns calories and gives a good cardio workout. Plus it's a great way to get outdoors and see the world.

So dust off the two-wheeler, oil up the chain, pump up the tires and start pedaling...but not right now. You may want to wait until it stops raining : )

The Cook-out

Friday we had a cook-out at the Rec., sponsored by the Nulato Life Project and the Nulato Wellness Team.

Grilled burgers and hot dogs, chips, beautiful weather, chillin' in the Rec., hanging out with people in the community, etc. It was a fun afternoon.

We served about 50-60 people of all ages.

We'll do it again next month. The photo was taken last year; I was too busy cooking to pull the camera out of my pocket.

Break-up; 5-7-10

We can expect the ice to move any day now, with break-up to follow. That means it's time to get prepared. Be ready!

While the threat of flooding is relatively low this year (thin ice and not much snow) we should still be ready. Anything can happen. Here are some things you can do now, just in case. Be ready!

-Be ready to haul / store water. If the wellhead goes under, the water supply will be threatened. Find your buckets, water jugs, barrels or water ever you use to haul water and keep them handy. Be ready!

-Be ready with a honey bucket / outhouse. If the water goes out, flushing the pot will go with it. Some toilets will work using the "bucket flush" method, some won't. Are you prepared to deal with human waste? Be ready!

-Be ready and store some gas. The fuel depot is easily flooded. If that happens it could also suffer damage that would shut it down. Don't get caught without an adequate supply of fuel for the truck, 4-wheeler and boat. Get the gas now and store it in an approved container in a safe place (not in the house or on your porch). Be ready!

-Be ready with an adequate supply of food. Even a moderate flood will put the bridge under water, cutting off access to the airstrip. Local stores can run low on supplies quickly, so now is the time to make sure you are prepared. Be ready!

-Be ready around the house / smokehouse. If you live downtown, be prepared for high water. Pick up around the house, move stuff to high ground, etc. Even if you live back town, you may need to move things around the summer house or smokehouse. Check it out now. Be ready!

-Be ready to stay informed. Do you have a radio to listen to KIYU? A vhf? Do you know where you can get accurate information? During any emergency, rumors and stories spread quickly; some true, some not. Know where to go for updates and other info. Be ready!

-Be ready to help others. People living in low lying areas along the river may need help if the water gets high. If they do, they will need help quickly, so be prepared. Be ready!

Hopefully it will be an easy break-up, but you never know. Be ready!