Diabetes Questionnaire

Hello!

This request may sound unusual (or maybe not unusual at all) but please take some time to answer these interview type questions about me when I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I am working on a project and YOUR feedback would be wonderful! If you don't feel comfortable answering the questions or if they do not apply to you please feel free to leave them blank :)

Any additional thoughts/comments/worries would also be greatly welcomed!!

Interview questions:

1. How do you know Kate Petraborg?

2. What did you think was happening to her in 1990? Could you tell she needed help/that something was seriously wrong?

3. Had you ever heard of Diabetes before she was diagnosed, what did you think Diabetes was?

4.What did you do to help?

5.What scared you the most about her situation?

6. How do you think her parents/friends felt?

7. How do you think it affected her younger brother?

8. Do you think being diagnosed at age 7 was difficult or easier for her to accept than if she learned she had it at an older/younger age?

9. How do you think Diabetes affects her daily life?

10. Do you think living with Diabetes has changed her outlook on life?

11.Do you think she has control over the disease now?

12. Have you ever tried to stop eating sugar? I dare you to try it for 4 days! ;)

Thank you so much for your support (in 1990 AND now!!)


this is just something I recently sent out so by no means do I expect any readers to reply, but of course comments and ideas are always welcome ;)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Alaskan Antics

FINALLY!

This week has been so SO busy, housesitting, family in town, rolling black outs, work has been crazier than usual (blame it on the full moon coming up) Now, you have waited so patiently, (as have I) to see this darn dress that has been causing me so much frustration, a friend actually ended up calling a relative up North and sending some fringe here to Sitka!

So, here it is without delay(and without the fringe in front):

and here is the completely finished product just in time for dancing at the Alaska Day ball:

It still requires a few more adjustments, and I need to learn to be more patient with our local crafts store(though the guys at the hardware store are surely gonna miss me)but Im glad the skirt is finished, so next year, I can design and make the top!! Sigh.

Will I ever have time to learn Norwegian?!

Happy Alaska Day!!!

Alaskan update

Soooo, just a little update to the peeps following this Alaskan episode in hilarious endeavors....because , really, what would you be doing online if not to follow my frustrations?

I mean- ahem- Im a bit frazzled with my results so far. It looks... okay. And I was on a roll the first couple days, had some pretty good ideas (some that I had to undo thanks to "expert" advice from a wonderful sewfully skilled friend)

But now Im....... stuck. Our local crafts store has run out of the ball fringe I decided to use to embellish my dress. I got rude(really, imagine that, me?) when they told me it would take 3 weeks to get more ball fringe in...!!

I left the store, pondered my options, since I had already put on the other half of the fringe onto the back of the skirt so therefore came to the conclusion that I NEED this damn fringe. I then tromp back to the store, buy white ball fringe and a box of black dye. (If you didnt guess I need black)

Fun with dye..... and hours later, I rinse the material and...

it didnt work!!!!!

I now have a pretty gray color though.....

The material was not as much cotton as I hoped it would be, this science experiment was truly a synthetic flop.

So off I frolic (can you tell im having too much fun) to our hardware store, and proceed to buy what I hope will turn my fringe black?

I reach the counter and the man asks me if I have found everything I was looking for today?

"Erm, kinda" I say with an enormous sigh that results in me deftly explaining to him my ordeal, by the time I leave the store I have 4 male clerks laughing at my antics (dont worry Im laughing as well as I have just bought black craft paint.....sigh) and rush home between the raindrops so I can spray it outside before another down pour begins (it is October and wet out here as is usual)

Sigh

T minus 6 days to get this dress in wearable order! Sorry no pictures as my computer is being difficult (or maybe Its me being difficult?!) and plus I cant spoil the end results!

Off to the sweat factory for me again at the moment!! Ta ta for now!

Alaskan Accessories

So I've been busy lately (maybe you could tell as I have not been blogging as much as I'd like) I even thought things were starting to slow down, but boy, was I wrong. Cuz then remembered that Alaska Day is coming up!!!!!

So I went to our lovely local thrift store -the White Elephant- today and bought this questionable piece for $3.00:

"Why?" you ask me, well because I'm going to turn it into something worth wearing. There goes the time I thought I could use by curling up with a book and actually relaxing. Now I will be ripping, cutting, pinning, sewing, cursing and most likely poking myself with safety pins! All for the love of Alaska.

Really, if you have never been to an Alaska Day festival, particularly Sitka....do I need to state you have been missing out?!

I can see I've got a fair bit of thinking to do.....

And some possible frustrations....
There IS potential there yes?Okay time to stop typing and see what I can do with this baby!Do you think it matches my eyes? Tune back in for the final results.......

3 week rosemary garlic flat bread

3 weeks....

For 3 weekends I have been attempting to make fresh bread, the first weekend I got my ingredients together; then had a quick trip out of town for a unexpected funeral. Funerals are no fun. Then when we got back into town we proceeded to unload a freezer and dump dirt on a helpful passerbys head as he was helping 2 damsels in distress. (us, if you hadnt of already guessed)

The second week I realized that because I did not refridgerate my rosemary, it decided to get moldy on me.... Not to worry though, because the same friend that helped me dump dirt on the guys head was growing rosemary in their garden! What is better than using fresh herbs from a local garden?! Then the weather got so nice on me (really what a drag it was ;) that I could not stay inside and bake- NO I had to go out hiking!! Every. Single. Day. Nope, no time for bread baking that weekend.

Finally, the third and this last weekend, SUCCESS! Ooh there is barely anything nicer than the smell of fresh baked bread straight outta the oven.

The conclusion of the long wait: Um....GULP! Eaten basically all in one sitting.

3 weeks=2 loaves=gone in 1 day!

Guess I better start planning my next 3 weeks of bread making now! Also better triple the recipe.... cuz it was already doubled and 2 loaves were not enough! And you can make your own dip with olive oil, leftover garlic and rosemary for a yummy mediteranean style sauce!Here is the recipe from Beard on Bread by James Beard:

Pizza Caccia Nanza or Rosemary garlic flat bread

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees approx)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 T rosemary
3 T olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the flour, salt, yeast and water in a mixing bowl. Blend well, then turn dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead well, for about 15 minutes, and shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the dough onto board and knead once more. Put it back into bowl and let rise again for about an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured board. Roll in 1/2 inch thickness. Rub the surface of baking sheet with oil. Transfer the round of dough to a baking sheet. Make indentations over the surface of the dough and insert a sliver of garlic and a bit of rosemary into each indentation. Pour the olive oil over the round and rub gently with the hands. Sprinkle with pepper and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Waterfront Property

I am NOT a fan of the water.

Living near it is wonderful. Being on it is...okay. Being in it is.....Gah!! There must be some misunderstood fear about the water for me. So do I let a small detail like that stop me? Nope. In fact here I go on a 3 day 2 night kayak trip. Nothing but a thin plastic like substance someone once upon a time dubbed "kayak" between me and the restless water for 48+ hours. My own exclusive waterfront property for the next few days of paddling back towards Sitka, about 18 nautical miles and towards dry stable land. For sure the farthest Ive been so far in a kayak.

No limits kayak expedition is for those with diabetes. We are even being so brave to bring a spontaneous Marylander to film the duration of the trek! I met the filmmaker yesterday, and we leave bright and early tomorrow morning. We are sitting outside on the deck of the guides house and setting up equipment for my pre trip interview. Gulp. I was told only recently that we would be filming a short documentary type film, and I would be one of 3 diabetics on this journey. Double gulp. Im no mathematician but my head is swimming with variables of how much I would generally be filmed. Gulp, scrunch the eyebrows together, and slowly EXHALE.

Thats okay, I just will not let myself go thinking about who will be watching this footage. Oops, except, here I go thinking about it. So instead I try to focus on preparing. Preparation of clothes, preparation of mental status for the weather forecast, prep on what food I need to bring for potential hypoglycemic episodes. Prep on feeling better about my swinging blood sugars! I have not been feeling too well. Stress, being too busy, and pushing myself far too much.

I can NOT miss this trip! So here I go, pushing myself again.

I never wish for diabetes to have control over my life. Or to hold me back, it may be a tough road but I will not allow it to hold me back! Now the trick is to keep this positive stream of thoughts filtering through my brain throughout the trek. Through the rain, and the wind, rough seas, the tiredness, potential blisters, and mainly the wet/clammy/cold of southeast Alaska. Luckily I am a local, I know I can deal. So now how to prep the filmmaker.....did I mention she was from Maryland?!!

Day 1:

We arrive on this chilly morning toting what we need to survive in the wilds of Alaska. Messy hair, slurping coffee, some of us talking too much(I am not a morning person)growl....and load all of our gear and kayaks into the boat that is waiting patiently to take us out to our drop off point.

But, we all begin to be bubbly with excitement and although it had been pouring not too long ago,

it seems like the weather is even giving us a little break to start off our journey. For the time being anyhow....

The boat drops us off at the Tom Young memorial cabin. The cabin is a pan abode style with a second floor loft with sleeping quarters. Easy camping to start off with. The next couple of days will be the Alaskan way, involving a bit more roughing it. We finally unload all of our equipment, and with a slight panic of: I cant locate my backpack with my diabetic supplies, did it get left on the boat that just left? Nope, phew- here it is. Then I take a look around at all this gear... how in the world are we going to fit ALL this stuff into the seemingly small holds of the kayaks!

As we finish moving everything up the beach to the cabin its drizzling. Not just a light refreshing rain either, no; a true southeast Alaska soul drenching drizzle. We huddle around the camera gear on the table inside the cabin. We must all be thinking nearly the same thing.....
is the weather going to cooperate
throughout this trip?!

Already the rain begins to cease, and through the window suddenly we witness a spray of water. A lone humpback whale has surfaced almost directly in front of the cabin.

The filmmaker grabs her camera to see if she can get a shot. As we all stand outside watching the whale spouting near the shore line, all of the sudden it lunges and opens its mouth and plunges back down into the water! I have never seen a whale "lunge feeding" If this is how the paddle is beginning, I think things might just go alright.

That is until the guide requests the filmmaker to enter the water and participate in a "wet exit" shiver, I don't want to let the filmmaker know until afterward how severely I abhor "wet exits" (*see top paragraph) but fortunately did mine in the pool last year. I did not want to deter her at all, but she fared very well. We even got it on video *grin* maybe we will have to put it in the outtakes!

Day 2:

The next morning the guide demonstrates how to make the most of the hold in the front and the back of a kayak....I'm glad I'm not the only one currently having a tough time packing..... how DO you get a good sized cooking pot to use its space wisely? And what is this nerf football doing along with us on our journey??

Finally with a few adjustments we get underway.

Through fields of kelp,
And some silly songs about seaweed and otters, which with regular intervals pop their fuzzy little heads up from between the rifts, register human

presence and slip with less than a splash back into
the safety of the underwater forest.

We make good time paddling and stop at Frosty Reef for some well deserved lunch. (And a little snooze) and surprisingly a few bars of cell phone service!

We set out again shortly after testing blood sugars, repacking kayaks, and taking care of nature calls. And paddle off toward a cove called Kanga Bay to locate a fresh water source to fill up our canteens and bottles. My muscles are faring pretty well, considering the repetitive movements.

but, not much later than this thought produced itself:

I feel my muscles beginning
to protest with the constant paddling
motion now, a meditative exercise
that is bearable. Except is it
bearable? Its starting to get hard
now. In fact, the sea is looking a tad
wild, and I am struggling against the
swells. And all the sudden I realize,
exactly why I have lost my strength so
quickly. Sea sickness. Yep, nausea,
limp limbs, eyeballs so tired I could
flip them into the water and they
would drop like a lead cannon, sinking...
all.. the way.. down... to the bottom...

I focus on the guide, calling out: Just a little farther now! We just need to make it over to that island over there! I look across the aggressive bay, my head is swirling with the effort. But I hunker down and just think about my arms. Paddling, one arm, then the other. Then, to my dismay, I hear the guide again: We are going to pick up the pace so we can make it in front of this troller. I look to my right. Sure enough, there it is, barreling towards us through the choppy water. In my nauseated state I wasn't even aware of it's approach. I honestly think to myself, can I make this?! Well I'm not going to sit out here in this rocky sea and wait to hurl. Push, strain, pull, groan, wipe the spray from my face. And push on again. Finally, in what feels like ages, we get past the danger point of the boat and see the sweet relief of one of the Taigud Islands, also known as "Strawberry Island."

Except, no edible strawberries grow here, just the reminiscent trailings of a lonely plant that somehow rooted and survived and multiplied upon the grassy hillside of the mass of land of which we are now setting up camp to spend the night.

The clouds have rolled in and fat raindrops are making their way into our business, of setting up tents, unpacking kayaks, and finally with a heavy plop, sitting ourselves down to our make shift kitchen for some hearty chili our guide has so smartly stowed away. Really, does his kayak hold more than all of our kayaks put together? He is a packing master I tell you. A campfire later and my eyelashes are fighting with gravity. I wander to the tent I am sharing with the filmmaker, and slither into my inviting sleeping bag and after a few moments of chattering and reflecting on our day, I close my eyes. Despite what the weather may be doing currently outside our tent, or the terrible seasickness earlier, with all this clean fresh air, and the calmness of being out in the wilderness, I know I'm gonna sleep great tonight.

Day 3:
The weather has officially gone from bad to worse, which has been known to happen in southeast Alaska. I'm not surprised, but it is a let down. A let down that we have come this far to what, get stranded on an island that doesn't even have any edible strawberries!?

We cook breakfast in our kitchen (hey I'm beginning to like this set up) especially when the guide has packed the ultimate meal variations, I will never, NEVER whine again about having too much gear when you get to sleep in an awesome tent, to wake up, wander into the woods pick fresh blueberries(still looking for those strawberries) and eat pancakes for breakfast!!!

We finish up breakfast and huddle together to make the decision of what our next move is going to be. Option #1. Gear up and fight for the next 8 miles against what looks to be 5 foot swells. (Uh please tell me someone remembered the anti nausea medicine?) Option #2. Make a call to our boat to make a run out to save us. Although the guide was ready for some ocean surfing- the remainder of us sadly yet unanimously voted to make a call. About 2 hours later, through whitecaps and sideways rain, the boat sidles up to the beach. We clamber as gracefully as our stiff joints allow, as fast as we can onto the deck, kayaks and all.

The ride back to town is the wettest, coldest part so far of the entire journey!! Wet, shivering and ready to get back to warm, dry, fluffy things we normally take for granted, we truly feel satisfied with our adventure, but.....

boy am I glad to be off the water!
When are we going again?!

(This kayak trip was taken July of 2009, and written in the winter of 2009/2010. Sometimes patience on a perspective is all that a good story needs! No Limits really is planning another trek for this coming July 16-19 so stay tuned!!)

(And if you are diabetic dont hesitate to sign up!!!)

With a little help

What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
I get by with a little help from my friends!!

These boys are just howling to get out there and camp!

Tis the season, or so I've been told....

and on another note,
I really really REALLY need to learn how to upload videos on here,
I've got some lovely footage of these boys really howling!
Maybe not exactly Beatles quality- but they are working up to it!

Lion jelly

Introducing the new and improved

(but mainly low sugar diabetic friendly)

LION JELLY!!!

RAWRRR! Warning..... if you have read my last post and decided to try this dandelion jelly recipe out, please note that if you consider yourself a "green thumb" reconsider, because every single digit will now become yellow. Yes I said yellow, and not to mention a very very sticky mess.

I had some lovely helpers the other day out picking these dandelions. The toughest part is that at this time of the year the dandelions are seeding into those wispy, billowing seeds that blow all over the place with a single breath. So there we were deep into dandelion territory, we were lucky to get out alive if ya ask me...

So after gathering 2 half filled bags worth it was off to home to separate the blossoms from the bitter stems. If my fingers were not yellow before, well..... even lava soap does not do the yellow dandelion pigment justice!(good thing I read the sap was good for warts, cuz I surely will not grow any on my hands!) It was tedious work but once I had 3 cups of blossoms I heaved a huge sigh of relief! Dandelions wilt pretty quick once you pluck them so just be sure to separate as soon as possible because they close up as they die and thats just more work than you need to do....

unless you like doing things the hard way of course....My new favorite pectin to use is: Pomonas Universal Pectin. It really does use less sugar (some pectins just say you can use less, but this brand is absolute magic!!) it is pectin powder that you mix with calcium water and you can buy it locally in Sitka at Simple Pleasures and at Evergreen health food store. Since this was all a huge experiment, I was not positive how this recipe was going to turn out because simmering dandelions dont exactly have the greatest aroma..... and since I have gotten away with adding less sugar to fruits and berries in recipes, I had high hopes this dandelion recipe would at least be edible...... However.... Lion jelly is delicious! If you dont believe me you should really attempt to make your own, you could ask me to help you, but Im not sharing mine so go pick some dandelions and call me!

Rawwrrrr......

Dandelion delight!

I am a type of cook in the kitchen that will just about try anything once. Using ingredients from the local area is high on my interests. Some things, like attempting salmonberry jam: is fantasticly extraordinary and I will keep on producing this phenomenal treat into a tradition.

Other things, like rose hip fruit leather and devlis club tea....not so wonderful (unless messy, bitter, thorny fun is what you consider a good time) but what to do with dandelions? Those pesky "weeds" that sprout up in the cracks and crannys of every sidewalk, planter bed, and under hard to reach decks.

As a child I remember collecting these vibrant yellow flowers into a bouquet and presenting them to the nearest lucky recipient. Or getting into dandelion wars and flicking the heads off at anyone and everyone.

Here is a recipe I will be testing out this weekend:

Dandelion Jelly Recipe #420372

1¾ hours | 1 hour prep
SERVES 20 , 2 jars

4 cups yellow parts dandelion flowers
3 cups boiling water
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (6 ounce) package dry pectin

Pull the yellow blossoms apart from the green parts. Get lots and lots of blossoms. While you are collecting them, you can freeze what you already have. Make sure there are no green parts since the green parts have a bitter flavor. I pack the blossoms into a 4 cup measure. More blossoms mean more flavor for the jelly. Bring the water to a boil and fill the water with dandelion blossom shreds.

Simmer over very gentle heat about 10 minutes.

Pour the water and blossoms through a strainer. Press the blossoms as dry as possible to extract the maximum amount of water.

Add more blossoms to the strained water and simmer for about 10 minutes. Continue simmering and straining until all the blossoms are used up.

Add more water to make up 3 cups. You lose some water because it is caught in the blossoms.
Strain the water very well. I use a coffee filter.

Combine water with lemon juice, sugar and pectin. Bring to roiling boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil hard for one minute. Skim.

Pour into hot jars and seal. I haven't used food coloring but I have seen this jelly lightly tinted and it looks prettier.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com
Share your experience with others, and post your comments on the recipe. Type 420372 in the Search box at the top of Recipezaar, to get back to this recipe easily.

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/dandelion-jelly-420372

According to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, a serving of uncooked dandelion leaves contains 280 percent of an adult's daily requirement of beta carotene as well as more than half the requirement of vitamin C. Dandelions are also rich in vitamin A.

Dandelions are also used as herbal remedies. The white sap from the stem and root is used as a topical remedy for warts. The whole plant is used as a diuretic and liver stimulant.

I will get back to you and tell you how mine turns out!!

What are you creating these days in your kitchen?!

Bring on the spring

Allergies affect so many people on a day to day basis. Many do not even know they are affected, and I can sneeze why; allergens are minuscule terrors that float unseen on the breeze.

I wake up some mornings in the spring time with symptoms that make me think I may be coming down with a cold. I rub my eyes, and blow my nose- but my symptoms never develop into anything. Sometimes for weeks before I realize I can solve this blundering idioc haze with a little blue pill called Benedryl. But I dont like solving anything via pill, isnt there a better naturopathic solution?

I read somewhere recently that honey is a natural allergen reducer. As is goldenseal and grape seed extract, but you must get it in a pure form. Of course eating correctly in the first place helps a great deal, there are many foods which produce nutrients that block the histamines that affect our nasal passages.

If pollen or weed allergies affects you there are also foods you should avoid including: cucumber, banana, chamomile and ANY herbal supplements containing echinacea. As they can make your allergy symptoms worse(says webmd.com) Okay I am done ranting about health problems for now!

I am lucky that I only get seasonal allergies, and they really are not that horrible (sniff, sniff, ACHOO) but as many allergies are caused by dirt, mold and animal dander, the best way to begin preventing allergies is to have a clean home. And isnt that exactly what spring cleaning is for?!! Spring is here- YAY FOR SPRING TIME!!

On another note, I went to a potluck this weekend and someone stole my shoes!!! Okay it was probably not their fault since I had the exact same brand of shoes and it was a party with alcohol involved, but really, cant you tell if you are wearing YOUR shoes or not? They were the exact same size, but mine were a heck of a lot dirtier and older than the ones that were left behind (which I wore home, how else was I supposed to get around) So morally, if my shoes are the older gross pair, should I try to track down whoever now has my smelly/dirty old pair? There were a lot of people (about 40) at the party and most of whom I didnt really know. Now I feel kinda bad and for the next few weeks Im sure I am going to be checking everybodys footwear.

Get outside and enjoy your spring!!

The greasy details of: Greece!!

I am home!

First thing I do when I walk through my door, ditch the bags on the floor and head straight for my hairbrush (I travel light and havent brushed my hair in 3 weeks!) Then turn my heat up because brrrr!! Its a lot colder here than 8898 kilometers away (5585 miles).

So everyone now asks me: "What was the best part about your trip?"


And I have to say- the food. The Mediterranean food is phenomenal. Nothing is processed, nothing has added chemicals and preservatives (well some of the packaged foods do but they are not pushed as a part of a normal diet as in the way of the United States), no added hormones in the milk, yogurt and cheeses, the grocery stores dont have to label anything "organic" because most of it IS organic! They produce their own wines, traditional greek ouzo, bread, various vegetables and yummy fresh fruit, honey, and of course the olives! Olives fresh, olive tapenade(a topping for bread), olives on pizza, olives with wine, olives to accompany everything and anything and especially the much anticipated olive oil, as fresh as you can get it.

There is a special way of life here- a way of life I could definatly get used to!! Instead the presence of the place most on my mind continues to be Alaska. Where we ship all our produce and goods in, makes me question myself to why I DO love it so much here. (Especially while visiting a pretty much self sufficient country.)

Greeks dont know entirely what Diabetes is. Not so strange if you think about it, they eat enough non processed foods(see above paragraphs) so explaining this auto immune disease to them was a little bit like just rambling on about green eggs and ham. They nod their heads and say they understand.....but I just dont think they see the same types of health related problems there. Which made me a bit worried about my bloodsugars (especially the first week I was there, terrible jetlag) adjusting to the time change (example when it was day time in Greece, it was night time in Alaska) so getting onto an eating, exercise pattern was a bit difficult for me and I could feel it in the rollercoastering sugar levels for sure.

I wore a medic alert but was even more worried that if I was found unconscious, how would a situation like that be handled? Luckily nothing serious happened. Its a risk I choose to take to be able to travel. I am a prepared traveler. And I would not have it any other way.

The constant sunshine aided my hair into turning 2 shades lighter! Plus I got a fantastic head start on my summer tan. I think I forgot what rain was, it rained ONLY once for about 20 minutes while I was there, and it soaked up so fast into the thirsty ground that it seemed like it never even happened.

Each individual island has its very own pace, beauty, and charm. I only got to visit 5, but once I got going on the proverbial "island hopping" experience I knew I could easily adapt to more of this lifestyle. I saw 5 out of 227 inhabited islands, it just wasnt enough!! Plus the other 1,400 or so uninhabited ones are still out there waiting patiently.....

One thing that really surprised me about this country that thrives near its radiant ocean; is the litter. There is too much litter here. And not enough effort going into stopping the litter from collecting in the cities or on (and IN) the beautiful beaches.

The ferry tickets were by far the most expensive part of my entire trip. Okay not including my international plane ticket. But thanks to couchsurfing.org and the option of cheaper backpacking hostels and decently priced fresh local food, I am so thrilled to report that I spent less than $2,000.00 on my entire trip. Thats right my ENTIRE trip. And that IS including airfare there! You can be a budget conscious traveler too if you want to!

Not only was this was my first time to Europe, but also my first time traveling alone. I met so many wonderful people throughout this trip, made new friends and represented Alaska, oh yeah! I was thinking it was going to be a challenge for me. But it was a challenge I fully embraced and can positively say I WOULD do it over again!

I will never be able to say the quote "its all greek to me" in the same way ever again, because woot woot Ive been there!! Its a completely alternate way of life, to the diet they live on, the crazy driving skills it takes to survive on the roads, the architecture and expressive art that has survived hundreds of years, their proud culture, and the attitudes that are essentially: greek.

Yassas!!

To see ALL the photos from this trip go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/sitkakoala/Greece201002#

Athens 4/7/2010

Getting back to the city center was a chore, the metro is under construction at points so the service gets interrupted, you take a bus, then get back on the metro to reach the port/or city. The way to the port was no problem (we just followed the crowds and ran into a fantastic random person who kindly showed us the way) Getting back I couldnt find where or which bus I had to take I had to rely on a strangers help.

A stranger that spoke very very very little English!! But he took me from the metro to the bus stop and on to the next metro, then proceeded to tell me where to get off on my stop. By this point I knew where I was but didnt want to make him feel like he wasnt doing a great deed (because he really was!!)

I found myself back at Athens backpackers, hoping there was a bed available. There was. I didnt make many reservations the entire trip. I tried doing a day trip down to gorgeous cape Sounion, and the locations of Poseidons Temple, but the bus was so tricky to figure out (no obvious signs) that once I found out where it stopped (from a wonderful kiosk agent) I waited about 2 minutes and watched it go whizzing by.....I may not have explained earlier- as its a skill I am learning still, but you MUST flag down buses if you want to board. I just ironically watched this one go whirring by. The next one didnt come for another hour. Ohwell. Maybe I will come back.

Instead I go walking about 4 miles to ALL the big museums, I head back and just as I am thinking to myself on how comfortable with the city and my directions I suddenly realize: Im lost. In the flea markets nontheless. Yep, there I go feeling all overly confident. Luckily the greatest thing about this place, is that if you can find the Acropolis high up on its hill overlooking the city, you can easily find yourself again.

Next I visit the National Botanical gardens. So refreshing compared to the constant energy of the city rumble. Except, a guy sits down and asks me where Im from. I am not in a mood today for this. I tell him I am not interested (plus he barely speaks my language) finally he gets my drift and leaves. I pack up my book and decide to head back to the backpackers. Here approaches this other guy. He asks my name. I tell him it doesnt matter. He asks me if I like fish. Really? Fish?! I say no and I have to go. He follows me. He follows me all the way to the exit of the park, asking my name the entire time. Are guys really this desperate here? I later find out the worst place to go in the city alone: the botanical gardens. Why dont the guide books have this type of crucial information!!!!!!!!!!!

The bars are not so appealing this evening, so a couple I had as roommates and I went on a quest for beers and headed back to our room, on the way the guy at the desk was soooo nice to give us the key to the rooftop bar (which was not yet open for the year) so we went up, took some pictures of the Acropolis at night and had a grand ol time!

Tomorrow is my flight towards home! Im just getting used to the flow of things and the culture and already Im heading home?!

Yes, home to my beautiful Sitka. Soon I will be on my way!!

Mykonos 4/6/2010

Hello Mykonos, I had heard this was one of the top ten places to visit while in Greece; except, through opinions of travelers that had been there first hand- I got quite a different idea of what to expect. The island of Mykonos in the summer is wonderful, exotic, and yes very romantic.

However- it happens to be spring while I am here, and as I had heard, Mykonos is not hopping, friendly or overly exciting at this time. Thats okay, I still plan on seeing it, I just now know what to expect and only have 2 nights planned here.

This entry is posted so late for a reason. The reason being I met a man in Mykonos. Not the kind of man you would think I should meet on a romantic island while in Greece. This man was a tad crazy. So I post late so my friends and family know although I may have been in potential danger (although I dont think he was entirely dangerous, maybe just a bit lonely in Mykonos) that I didnt want them to worry about the remainder of my trip.

I went to the beach with a group of people and about 20 minutes into plopping myself down into the warm golden granules of sand with my book, 2 men approached the group, we will call them man A and man B, who told everybody there was dancing and music going on at one of the bars in town later that evening (about 13 kilometers away) the only problem with this was the buses were not on an evening schedule yet- so there was no cheap way (unless a group took a taxi) to get to and from the bar.

The group was not overly excited about going dancing, I had a spark of interest but also didnt want to go alone, so figured I would just stay near the beach and backpacker place I was staying at and recuperate from my last island shenanigans. But gave my temporary Greek number to man A in case I changed my mind. Slowly the group dwindled down until I realized, hey, Im sitting all alone on this parcel of beach with man A.

Where did man B go? Ah who knows. I chatted with man A for a while, he didnt know a ton of English but we were communicating alright. Then all of the sudden he covered my feet up with sand! Strange I thought, I wouldnt go to a beach and cover some strangers feet with sand.

Then I came to my next realization: man A probably thinks I am interested because I gave him my number!

So I decide to make it clear to him: "hey man A, you are really nice but Im just not interested" (or something along the lines of that) which brought us into some unusual discussions about dating, where I lived, where he lived, somehow to the topic that if we got married we could have a house in Mykonos AND in Alaska! Whoa- hang on a second here man A- IM NOT THINKING ANYTHING ALONG THE LINES OF MARRIAGE!!!!!!

But why not? He says directly. I tell him that I need to know someone before trusting them and making a decision like that and it just was not logical. He then became very very very (very) interested in visiting Alaska. Um...... what have I gotten myself into here!

At this point in this current story as I am telling it, I usually get interrupted by my listeners- "Was he at least good looking?" He was good looking, but that is SO not the point! The point is, I think I need to get off this beach- ASAP! Then he takes my hand and tells me I have the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen. To which I giggle because this seriously was not just said to me- right?! It was wrong to giggle, because he took it as a positive move and so he leans down to kiss the top of my hand, then sprawls himself across my lap and looks up at me.

Ok, I am totally weirded out now, does he think he is a puppy dog? "Um I have a problem with this, you cannot lay on my lap." Oh, sorry, he gets up but inches closer to my right side and covers my feet up with sand again. I make a move to stand up, its time to leave. His reaction was to grab my legs so I couldnt get up. I sit back on the sand to get my grounding and decide once and for all I have had enough of this. He doesnt realize how strong I am until I push him back until he falls over and I tell him that was completely unacceptable and I have to go NOW!

He stands and gives me a hug and holds my hand and asks about the dancing again. At this point I know if I tell him no or maybe, he may not let me off this beach! I say he can call me and he says "little goodbye, not big goodbye, just little goodbye right?!" I say yes, little goodbye and saunter off down the beach as calmly as I can, thinking, even if I saw you again, theres going to be no mixed signals about what in the h e double l just happened, I need to go analyze this thoroughly!

I fall asleep back at my room and my phone ringing about 4 times wakes me up so I decide I am staying in for the night and I turn it off. The next morning I find I cant turn phone on without a code from Vodaphone (which is somewhere in bag, but I was in no hurry to find it) so go to breakfast and finally turn phone on and go into town. He calls 28 times in 8 hours. I turn phone off again for the rest of the night. The next morning I am waiting for the ferry. He calls another 20 something times through out the day. And a scattering of times over the next few days. Really, Im sorry for standing you up, I just really did not feel the same about someone I just met and hardly know.

I now just hope he wasnt so desperate to show up in Alaska (luckily I did NOT give him my town name) Im still not so sure if I should be more worried than I am! But like I said earlier, I dont think he was entirely dangerous, maybe just a bit lonely. We all have bouts of that right?!

Lesson learned from this: Unless you are prepared for intense interest, dont be TOO friendly (or friendly at all) with Greek men!!

Goodbye Mykonos!
Time to head back to Athens!

Naxos, Greece 4/4/2010

Christos Anesti!

This is what they yell and welcome you with right after the church service on the night before Easter. Then the fireworks go off- directly overhead!

I am couchsurfing with a guy here in Naxos. And 2 of his friends from near Athens. Boys. Greek boys. Greeks are actually very respectful. But, they also make it very clear about what they want and are thinking. Especially if they feel comfortable around you... the next couple of days are going to be some trouble, I can already tell! More later on that.

2 of the guys know very basic English (and I know NO Greek!!) So misunderstandings are prevailant. Okay, sorry, basic English, I promise.... me cavewoman..... seriously, am I asking for trouble?!!!!

Sunday is Easter, and everyone has no work. Its a family oriented holiday with barbeques, wine, visitors from Alaska, okay so thats not so normal, but Im just trying to fit in!!! And I am sooooo full!!!! They keep feeding me and feeding me and I feel I am bursting!

And the food is so wonderful! Lamb on the barbeque, homemade wines, slightly grilled pita bread, greek salad which is: fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onions, with olive oil and feta cheese, (and yes, I am eating and actually enjoying the tomatoes! For those of you that know me to avoid tomatoes at any cost) Sliced oven baked potatoes(kind of like fries) red dyed eggs, a kind of egg salad with yogurt, tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, and garlic dip) and way too many sweet things to name.

Sunshine, good food, happy people (I just wish I spoke the same language) Sigh, but honestly I am almost ready for home- I seriously need some regular sleep!!

Im sure I am forgetting to tell you lots but my time on the internet is almost over!

Ios, Greece 4/1/2010

Oh Joy, it feels like I am back in highschool.....this flashback is being spurred on by the zaniness of what exactly is Ios, Greece. No other island attracts more under 25 year olds. Um....oops. No wonder I dont exactly feel like I belong. I get along with mostly everyone, exept a few of the 20 something girls that have a problem with me being here, maybe its because I am getting along so well with the dudes?

Ugh, I dont miss high school one bit.

My brother would love it here, in fact if he were to experience the great atmosphere and meet the awesome people who call this island home, I could see him getting a job bartending we would lose him here forever.

Phillip, the friend I met in Santorini, is here. Too funny, and fun to hang out with. I swear he never sleeps, I cannot say the same. I have not been getting enough sleep but I am getting by.....at a snails pace some days. (or more like a slug lol)

The ferry schedules here are erratic- dictionary definition of that: a big hassel when they get canceled. Which is often. And because it is almost the Easter holiday, they are packed to the gills. Blah, next step, locate a beach where there is no one nearby, this shouldnt be too difficult a task. Then maybe read some of my book that I brought and at this point is just dead weight being carried around......

Stay tuned!

Santorini 3/29/2010

OMG another EPIC day in Santorini! Began with trying to take a tour to the volcano but the seas were rough and it ended up being canceled. Had to trek back up 512 meter long "steps" Could have taken a donkey up, but felt I needed some exercise with 2 traveling companions I met up with for the day, they felt likewise, but then we almost got crushed by the donkeys when they came back down......

Had souvlaki for lunch (Greek fast food in a pita), hit 3 museums(which are free on sundays) and hopped the bus to Ia, the northern most town of the island. We timed it so we could watch the sun set, but what we didnt realize....was that today was the time change.....and the last bus goes back-er- kinda now....Except, wait a second, here enters Phillip. Hello Phillip! Phillip is from California and has rented a 4 wheeler for the past 2 days and is now offering me a ride back to Fira via his ATV. Really? Sorry people I came up here with- I cant pass this offer up!

I watch the sun set over the northern most point on the island with a fun group of people. Then had an amazing cliff hugging ride directly back to the place I am staying. (Sorry dad, was very safe I assure you)

What in the world will tomorrow bring?!
I miss everyone (I really really do!)

Santorini 3/28/2010

Hello hello!

So yesterday I was on a bus with the gal I was traveling with, and we were leaving Paros (beautiful place) and we are sitting there, looking at an older gentleman in a suit, neat, tidy, nice old fashioned hat, and nothing less than: ray ban sunglasses. Modern Greece for sure!! I almost expected him to pull out a cell phone as well.

A local (Yiannis, from couchsurfing) gave me a lift in his car from the ferry landing, found me a cheap room and said he would come back to get me in an hour.... I should have known he was trading in his wheels- I just had the most beautiful moped ride of my life on the Island of Santorini!!! Wish I could post pictures.....but alas, the cord for the camera is in Sitka!

Healthy, happy and safe!

More soon!

3/25/2010 Paros Island, cyclades

So I met up and followed a gal from Athen to the island of Paros, in the cyclades islands. Here we are encountering the REAL Greece! Real Greek coffee, real Greek feta(ohmygawd you havent tried feta until you have tried Greek FETA!!!!) and pasta with octopus......mmmm a traditional Greek recipe none the less.

Today is Greek national holiday, independence day for Greece. So everyone is free of work, worries, and ready to party!

A bit windy here today, but the sun does not mind, its still up there blazing away (plus the wind is warm so I kinda like it) They think its chilly- and since I am from Alaska I must be able to deal with it better, and about the proposal, dont get me started: no its not the REAL Sitka.... hehe but at least because of that movie we are now on the map!!

Getting ready to go to a local village for some festivities so I gotta go!!

Athens 3/22/2010

Plane ride are usually full of stress, anxiety, cramped spaces and endless awakeness(cuz Im not one to follow the crowd and sleep on flights. HOWEVER the plane rides were great, I had no anxiety, got to get up and stretch a bit (I was on an aisle seat) and I was in the back of the jet (less bumpy) Was unable to sleep (at all) but, I got caught up on all of my movie watching. Will not have to watch any movies for the next 4 months!

Directions in Athens are terrible, not all streets are marked the same they are on maps, there are 2 to 3 spelling to everything. Ive been asked for directions twice- do I really look like I live here, REALLY?- and was even smacked on the back of the head on the metro the first time by an older lady because I didnt realize she was speaking to me. I must be arrogant because it actually made me laugh strangely enough, must have been jet lag, after all it is 3am Alaska time......

Today in Athen I met up with another traveler and we are having such a blast, getting sunburned, eating gyros, and early tomorrow morning, heading off to the island of Paros together.

Got a SIM card for my phone, and it seems to be working, but I still need to buy credit(minutes) at one of the kiosks before I can use it, and I will not know its really working until I try it. Its not extremely expensive, believe it or not, then again maybe I will have to buy a lot of credit......so if you get a weird international text message- dont worry its probably just me!

More soon,
Kate

Seattle 3/19/2010

Friday March 19, 2010

Okay, so we are going to try something here, and by we I mean me. Instead of sending out copy and past emails to everyone who is wondering exactly where I am, how I am doing, and what I am eating: this is where you will find it.

One thing before we begin though.....I WILL NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS EVERYDAY. Or even every week. It really does depend on holiday/store hours/and island internet availability.

Okay, now that that is said, I spent the last 2 days in Seattle with Terri, riding busses, eating yummy indian food, attempting to find a reasonably priced phone plan that will not cost me an arm and a leg- I would like to come back to Alaska with BOTH my arms and my legs thank you (tee hee, Ive used that line 3 times at 4 different ATT stores and its been a hit every time!) Why 4 ATT stores you ask? Well because in order to get my phone unlocked I have to go to the "corporate" store and show them photo ID. Since we have already confirmed I am no good at riding busses, I am quite pleased to say I found 3 of those locations fairly easily. (Terri took me to the last, and final, corporate office) Mission completed, phone is unlocked, but now I have to find a SIM card in Greece on one of their many unpronounceable local networks. So no phone for a few days, unless its an emergency, and that will probably cost a toe or two.

Tomorrow at 10:45am I arrive at the Seattle international corridor to be herded like livestock through customs. Do you think they will quench our thirst after this long tedious drive- darn there they go confinsgating all my liquids.

More soon,

Kate

Not all those who wander are lost?

Why does it take 2 wrong boardings, 1 missed stop, accidental quizzical gaze crossings with strangers (who then in turn glare back, clearly sending the absolute message that unwanted friendliness must DIE!!!) just to come to the already known conclusion that I am no good at traveling on buses. Period. I was not born with this particular talent and it appears to be one not easily learned by me. J.R.R. Tolkien must have been better at bus riding.

But this cannot be MY fault!! I was raised in a small island town where we didnt have a community bus until 2005. And even then there are only 2 routes (if you get it wrong the first time, dont worry, just stay on the bus for a while- eventually it will head back the other direction and (about an hour or so) you will arrive "unscathed" at your destination.

City traveling, however, takes you down yin and yang street and sores and boils avenue, until you are utterly and disparagingly: lost. My point and the finale of my rant, Im not a city girl.

Good thing I was at least born to be a good wanderer.

Dear Diabetes

Dear Diabetes,

This March marks the 20th year we have been together. Wow. Who would have thought we would have made it this far. We have been through so much, some challenges, some pain, plenty of finger pricks, and doctor visits, but mostly a whole lot of learning on how we can be healthier by working with one another.

Sometimes I do feel like giving up and kicking you out to the curb. I admit you sometimes make it hard on me, especially when all I want is to consume an entire pound of chocolate. And through trail and error I see that a small piece of chocolate- and in moderation, is a good compromise for feeling good and having enough energy to understand why you chose me to be your host body.

I have learned that regularity in exercise is THE BEST medicine for most ailments. Although keeping a positive outlook helps a great deal as well.

You have helped me to pick out the best possible friends to surround me when I need a little extra compassion and help. And even in times of crises, they still stand by me.

You have helped me by truly appreciating my parents. Because even though other people also appreciate their parents, I know what mine have gone through for us. Often I think about what they had to witness their 7 year old going through 20 years ago, god they sure have been brave.

I want to thank you for enabling me to be a healthier, conscientious person. And to be able to teach those around me that living with Diabetes does not have to be a negative life sentence. And to keep educating me. Every. Single. Day.

Please keep teaching me, because I enjoy this life immensely.

Sincerely, Me.

How to solo: Greece

Its true, traveling solo has its challenges.

Some people have thoughts similar to "what can she be thinking" running through the pathways of their brains. But what I really dont understand, is that what happened to these same people, to give them such a strong comparison that traveling solo is a negative thing? That traveling alone is ultimately a dangerous decision?

For many, traveling alone is a frightening prospect. Im not saying that nothing bad can happen, by no means do I think I am untouchable. My belongings are just as susceptible to be stolen as the next person. But by knowing I have no one to watch out for me, I choose to be alert. Aware. And listen to my gut feelings in every moment of every situation. Tiring, you think. Yes, but by being alert, aware and conscious of my surroundings at all times is also called experiencing. And it helps to hone that same intuition into finding positive situations. Because they abound in traveling, and they make me smile.

Having a travel companion to share in the journey is rewarding, but by not having one will not cause my trip to come to a crashing halt. I began planning this trip with someone, but it just so happened to not work out. I then had a lot of decisions to make, including whether to call the trip off entirely. And safety was a gigantous concern, but in the end, my desire to break out of routine, explore, and see the world won out.

I have been asked if I think I will get lonely. Truthfully, I am not scared of being alone with myself. And although I am a bit more timid (compared to my brother) at meeting new people, I am looking at it as a new challenge, there are other travelers out there. I will be teaching myself how to reach out. And by no means do the people who know me think that I am shy (right?!)

My biggest hurdles will be the language barrier. But mainly the slightly masochistic men; I dont want to put them into a category here, but its tough since they tend to believe all American women to be promiscuous. Well, they havent met me yet. And I am practising my "you shouldnt judge a book by its cover" speech, do you think I will be able to portray that same sentiment in
Greek? I have had plenty of experience warding off unwanted attention. Ahem, I grew up in Alaska, who can be worse than some of the rascally fishermen who call this lovely land home (what would we do without them though) I really believe the Greek culture to be welcoming and extremely proud of their past and present.

Although, presently they are having some political/finacial conflicts, which may also be a hurdle, but once again I will be relying on my instincts and will distance myself from trouble so as not to get caught up in a riot!

This should be a new fantastic journey for myself, one that will prove that if I can handle situations away from home on my own, than I can handle almost anything.

Greece, I am here!

Love at first sight

Thats it, Im in love. Utterly without question. It happened the first time my eyes grazed over the white and black texture so pretty you just want to sink your fingers into the fur, wrap your arms around the neck and give a big bear hug.

To a Border Collie that is.

Every single one I have so far met I have fallen in love with.

Why Im so enamored with this breed may have something to do with the one my mom owned in the past. Sam, sweet, sweet Sammi. Smart, energetic, completely afraid of: noises, thunderstorms, most people, being in the back of the truck, the vet, to which all of the above she would hide in the bathtub.


But she sure was a great mouser. (Lets just say we never needed to have a cat on the property.)

My next dog is going to be a Border Collie. I had a dream recently confirming this. In my dream his name was Jasper. Unfortunately in current waking life, my housing situation does NOT allow dogs. Which is why my co-owned dog.... Ceaser, shares a roof with the dad. Not that dad is attached to this particular dog or anything.... say, dont you want another dog under that roof dad?

I encountered one today who was an aide on my route (well he thought he was extremely helpful) And, as I leaned down to tie my stubborn shoelaces into a double knot, I received 2 of the sloppiest/raspiest kisses Ive ever gotten from a dog, from my chin all the way to my hairline!

Sticky and wet, but I would accept another one, yup, definitely.

Goal for the next couple of years: buy a house where I can have as many loves of my life as I can handle. And heres to hoping they all get along!

No comments about men, Im talking doggies here dear readers!!

Have a beautiful drama free Valentines day, however you may end up spending your time. I'm going for a hike with my guy! (Ceaser of course)

Stop whining

Some days, this pin says it all:

Get your own at:
http://www.cafepress.com/+unless_your_pancreas_doesnt_35quot_button,411301912