Busy Week

For a while I've been excited for this weekend for a long time.  I thought it would be a good chance to relax and catch up on my sleep.  It didn't turn out to be that way.  ON Wednesday the school district had a dinner for all the staff.  There was a talent show.  Among the acts was a native Inpuiat dancing group.  They were descendants of the original settlers of Point Barrow.  Here's a few pictures from it. 

 On Thursday I was in charge of organizing the branch Thanksgiving dinner.  We did it potluck styles and I delegated the cooking of the turkey

s.  I turned out pretty good.  Friday we had a desert and games night at the ward.  Following that I went to the school and spent the night there for a fundraiser for the Jr. Class of which I am a sponsor.  Saturday I went to the annual craft fair here in Barrow.  There is a lot of cool stuff to buy if you have the money and the place to put it.  I spent way to much on a fossilized walrus ivory bracelet.  But, hey, who else will you ever meet that has one.  I can't show the rest, it's  all for Christmas.  It may not be something yo

u'd see advertised on T.V. or for sell in the mall , but I can guarantee you, no one else will buy the same gifts that I did for Christmas.

Wild Life

Being up here in Barrow has allowed me to see a variety of animals that most people only have the chance to see when they go to the zoo.  Since arriving in Barrow, I've had the chance to see 14 polar bears, two dead whales, lots of snowy owls, two arctic fox, and many other things.  Yesterday I saw nine polar bears in the space of an hour.  I went hour looking for polar bears with John Tidwell, a member of my branch who photographs polar bears and takes tourists out looking for polar bears for a living.  I went out because the stake Relief Society President and her second counselor were in town and had never seen a polar bear.  I guess one plus of my new calling is a get to accompany them on trips like this.  Anyways, here's a picture that I took of a mom and her cub as we were about 20 yards from them.  We watched the two play for half an hour.  It was a neat experience.

P.S. I'm buying myself a new camera from Christmas.