Thursday, June 11, 2009

Well woke up to this beautiful summer fog that is floating in the bay, it’s dry out and super calm, the water looks like glass in the harbor. A light layer of dew on the lawn, getting my pups feet all wet! They ran out and did their thing, and then we put them away and went down to town. Temps didn’t get too high, stayed in the mid 40’s all day… Wish we were getting the hot weather the rest of the state has been getting (70+!!)

This morning was pretty busy, people trying to come up to get cash, but I told them that if my mom makes it home we’ll have cash, but until then I have just enough to keep the store running. But that didn’t stop loads of people from coming up and trying to cash their checks! I got the charge slips entered into the charge book, then I had to work on some files in QuickBooks, by the time I finished it was already lunch time!

I got us a can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup to have over toast for lunch. I gave the rest of the fried salmon steaks to my neighbor (the store manager) Eva! She was happy with what I gave her!

After lunch I heard that my hubby and father-in-law were going to run out to Akun Head to check for sea gull eggs. I almost threw a fit like a little kid because I WANT TO GO!!!! I figured my mom should be on the next plane and that the weather was clearing up pretty good… and people are coming for cash I don’t have right now… so I figured I can run away from work for a couple hours and go with them. Luckily I did go with them because my hubby wouldn’t have been able to pick all the eggs off that rock by his self, especially with a bandaged up thumb (he almost cut the whole tip of his thumb off doing dishes!) We ended up with about 64 eggs in his bucket and 68 in mine (well one broke on the ride home). I took a dozen eggs for myself and gave the rest out. We ended up taking home the bucket with 67 in it. The ride out was sloppy and kind of wet – beating us up going right into the swells! The ride back was incredibly smooth! It took us about 2 hours 15 mins round trip to run out, harvest the eggs, and then get back home! I took some pictures (I hope blogger lets me post them!) I hope everyone likes them. I don’t go out in the skiff dressed up, trying to look good for the sea gulls! I go out dressed for the worst weather: decked out in full rain gear (grundens!), Extratuf boots, 2 pairs of sweat pants under my rain gear, 2 shirts (a short sleeve and long sleeve), a thick sweater and my jacket, then my rain jacket. I put my PFD (personal floatation device, or life jacket) above my sweater but under my coat. It makes for a great wind break too!! It’s always nice to go dressed appropriately when going out because it’s not like there is somewhere to go into and warm up, not in an open aluminum skiff! So we make sure to dress warm!

I ended up getting back to the office just after 3:20PM, nothing much happening. I went to the store and got everything I needed to get to make custard pies tonight! I also got us Hamburger Helper: Cheeseburger mac for dinner. I also ordered all the party supplies that my older sis would need to throw my godchild/niece a slamming birthday party. I got her EVERYTHING that they need to have a great time with those kids! My godchild is going to be 2 this year! (ALREADY!!!) I got them everything that I could think of: piñata with 2 orders of piñata fillers (toys and candy), cake toppers, invitations, thank you cards, plates, cups, forks, spoons, napkins, streamers, ribbons, candles, balloons, 2 table clothes, a table center piece, and 16 gift boxes for the kids to go home with, along with some other small things, like the cone hats, and “blow-outs”. All I know is that I spent about 200 in supplies so I hope she has a great birthday party. I know my sister usually doesn’t like to spend that kind of money on simple party supplies… but I want my godchild’s party to be the bomb-dot-com!!! You know!! I want her party to be the one kids talk about!! Plus I always say it’s important to have great pictures from your kids birthday party’s because those are memories they can cherish forever!! And to have the table looking great and everything! Most of my early b-day pictures are that way, makes me smile knowing how hard my parents worked to have a great party for such a young kid! I’m happy to be able to help her have a great time on her special day!

Well I’m happy that I got to go out sea gull egg picking. These are the first eggs of the year… hopefully go back out before Sunday if the weather permits, and harvest them again! They are like chickens and will keep lying, but sometimes the weather doesn’t let us get out there and all the eggs get chicks growing in them and we just let nature do its course and we don’t get any eggs! The Northern sides get eggs first, then a couple weeks later the birds on the South sides of the island will start to lay, so if we miss picking the rocks of Akun Head, then we can go to some of the islands on the South side and go pick eggs. It’s just easier on the rock I think, a little more dangerous and slippery, but faster than trying to find nests in the grass! I can’t wait to actually get out and go jiggin for halibut! I want to get my handline wet darn it!! I actually have to make a new handle for my handline and maybe get some new line…….

I’m going to make those pies tonight, hopefully they cool and we get to eat on some before we go to sleep! Oh, around 5 we got a plane in and my mom finally made it home! Yay! We also got these 5 Japanese tourists, who are going to kayak back to Dutch Harbor, who came in and are staying at the hotel for the night. They plan on making the trip back sometime tomorrow in their collapsible kayaks (they were able to compact them and bring them over on the Goose! Then they plan on putting them back together and probably taking off tomorrow) Oh and on another good note, the café is finally going to be open tomorrow for the summer season!! Yay, I don’t have to cook lunch tomorrow, I’ve been craving a French Dip for a while now!! LOL!!! Hoping the Red salmon start to run good here soon so I can start drying some fish! Best to do it when it’s not that foggy and when it’s sunny so that it can dry faster instead of going sour or growing this nasty white mold! I can’t wait to get started!! Just need fish!!

Well until tomorrow, TTFN!

PIX:

My father-in-law Demetri behind my hubby and I
(all bundled up ready for any ocean spray!!)

Lost Harbor on Akun Island

This is a picture of what we call Akun Head -

just some of the rocks we go to pick sea gull eggs!
"Flat rock" on the right, the "big rock" in the back on the left.

Coming up on the "big" rock that
we've always gone to since I can remember!

Getting close to it so we can climb on...

Sea gull nests on the rock
(the 2 little piles of grass on the rock)

Sea gull eggs in a nest

Starting a layer of eggs in the bucket,
by the time we were done the buckets were full!
We use a little nesting grass from each nest
as use for padding so the eggs don't break...