Of Stolen Police Cars and Tundra Tea...

So, where do I start with this day?? It was slightly screwy early on. My junior high co-teacher announced at about 8:35 that she was going home, as she didn't feel well. Needless to say, that started the day out on an exciting footing. The last sub in the village who is apparently willing to work with this group got there a short time thereafter. The morning was lively, to say the least. My freshmen were not especially focused. They were nowhere in the vicinity of focused.

In the afternoon, I learned that I will be full time in the junior high after semester break. No government class for me. Oh, well. My math kids in fifth hour actually want me to be their teacher full time. Hmmmm...I don't know if it will take exactly that shape...I can finally get that "if you taught middle school, you'd drink, too" t-shirt I've been dreaming of...

In the evening, we had an invitation to dinner at Michelle Larson's. She was celebrating because both of her girls had passed the high school exam that they need to pass in order to graduate. Tacos, and some of the best dried fish strips that I have had since I got here. Man, that Michelle makes delicious fish strips.

After that, I needed to be formally introduced to the ASB (advisory school board). I have been working here since August, and we finally got this done. Adding to the humor is the fact that I know, have been in the home of, or actually worked with all but one of the members of the board. There is only one that I don't already know.

I was on the way home when I was reminded that we needed to go over to Earl and Krissy's house to pick up a couple of dishes that had been left there at an earlier date. They had been at Michelle's house earlier in the evening, and reminded us about the dishes. They are very nice. She teaches second grade, and he flies for the state troopers. At any rate, she and her daughter were putting up the Christmas tree, and we were commanded to come in and visit in the way that only an elementary school teacher can command.

After a little while, Earl came in, followed by Father Alexander. Father is the priest up in Kwethluk. However, most of his family live in Napaskiak, and he often stops by to visit. Father mentioned casually that someone had stolen a Bethel police vehicle, and was driving it wildly down the Kuskokwim, occasionally shooting the police weapons that were likely in the car. Now Father did not seem to regard this in quite the same vein that Earl did, and Earl definitely was not feeling casual about this. Earl got on the VHF and started announcing that people needed to get their heads under cover, lest any stray bullets head in their direction. Earl strikes me as a fella who likes to be where the action is, and it was not very long until he felt the need to get out there and lend the village police, the state troopers, and the Bethel police (whose car it was, after all) a helpful hand. Many phone calls began to go around the household between landlines and various cell phones in the house (yes, we have service, but no functioning data service for us Crackberry addicts).

In the middle of all of this, it was announced that tundra tea was ready. Tundra tea consists of various mosses, grasses, and other vegetation from the tundra. It is placed into a net, and boiled for an indeterminate time until it is ready. I don't know how long it takes.

Please understand that I am a coffee man until I die. I despise tea and all that it stands for. Hate the stuff. I had a cup because I was a guest and because it is important to accept proffered hospitality. Except for stinkheads-never gonna happen. Anyway, this tundra tea is great stuff! I had a second cup and would have happily taken more. Go figure.

So we hung around for a while longer, and finally decided to run the gauntlet of death. OK, it is a pretty short walk from their house back here. I did make one more heroic venture to the school because no one could get ahold of Eric, who had kids for basketball practice, and needed to be told that the guy had apparently shut off the lights on the police car, and could not currently be located, except for the occasional gunshot. The all clear finally came at about 10:45, and all is well as far as I can report.

Oh, yeah, and tomorrow there is a staff meeting!

P.S. Man, I love it here!!

P.P.S. OK, I got the tundra tea thing wrong. As I said, I am not a tea guy by any stretch of the imagination. It is actually brewed with a plant called labrador tea, which is a kind of heath or heather. My mistake, and I apologize to all. It was still delicious, and the best part is that we left the dishes behind in all of the excitement. Krissy and I agreed that it was a good thing, because we have another reason to visit.