Last Friday began at a meeting with our Reclaiming Futures coaches. On my way into the meeting I learned that Alaska’s governor, Sarah Palin, had been selected as John McCain’s running mate. What a way to steal the news from Barack Obama’s nomination speech. One of our coaches, Tom Begich, is a lifelong resident of Alaska, and his brother Mark is currently the mayor of Anchorage and is running as the Democratic candidate to take over Stevens senate seat. Needless to say, as I sat next to Tom in our meeting I watched his inbox fill up with messages from all over the country with people asking him, “WTF!?!”
What I had forgotten was that Craig’s uncle Dan taught and coached at Wasilla High School. Craig read an article today about Sarah Palin where they mention her parents by name and he came to realize his uncle is good friends with her father. Which should be no surprise since it is a small Alaskan town-now-suburb.
Anyway, Friday night we went to see Tom play a show at the Nine Muses Acoustic Cafe. Craig brought his video camera and recorded two songs before his battery died.
Saturday was a near perfect day of hanging out and just catching up. Craig worked with a singular focus on the stairway to the basement. I spent my time grocery shopping, working on computer projects and cleaning up my office. Plus, Craig’s stimulus check-purchased Bikes at Work trailer (made in Iowa) was delivered.
Saturday night we used the bogo personal pizza coupon Laura gave me for Hammy’s Pizza that was set to expire the next day. As Craig said after we first had Hammy’s the night we got back from Hawaii, “we’re dating a new pizza place.” They don’t deliver to our place until after midnight, but they aren’t so far away that it isn’t worth going to them.
While we ate our pizza we used Hulu to watch Friday night’s episodes of The Daily Show with John Stewart and the Colbert Report. Truly, the best recap of both the Palin nomination and the end of the Democratic National Convention that I could have hoped to see.
On Sunday we got up early and drove 200 miles south on I-5 to attend a reunion of Craig’s extended family. It was a crisp day that reminded us that our summer like days will now be fewer and further between.
His parents, aunt and uncle and cousins were all there. Unfortunately circumstances beyond her control caused Teresa to have to cancel her trip up.
While we were there Craig lured Bonzi down the slide. Craig and I had just finished the fantastic BBQ and when Bonzi got to the bottom of the slide he realized that he was no longer being held back by his leash and bounded across the field at top speed, not stopping until he reached the table where all the food was laid out.
On Monday Craig assembled his bike trailer:
And that evening we had a small group of friends over for a Labor Day BBQ, followed by an outdoor showing of Over the Edge. In the end, there were only seven of us left for the movie and we were all wearing sweaters, jackets and down blankets.
Tomorrow Craig and I are headed north to Marysville and then Lopez Island. At least I’m a bit more prepared for it being cool out.