Hello again

I'm not sure if anybody even reads this anymore---hopefully it will make it worth my while if I start posting a little more regularly---like more than once in the last 6 months!

This one will be a short entry as I am, just like the last year, pressed for time. Business is crazier than ever thanks to the incredibly low interest rates. Word to the wise: If you are a homeowner and can refinance, CHECK INTO IT! Even if you think you have a great rate when you bought a couple years ago, chances are if you've purchased in the last four years or so there's a good possibility you could save quite a bit in your monthly payment because rates are as low as 4.5% for a 30 year fixed rate. And I'm not even in the mortgage business anymore; considered me an informed third party. :)

In any case, the house is coming down home stretch, and for those that want pictures you will just have to wait until I chisel off the layer of sawdust, mud, paint, etc. that accumulats on EVERYTHING in the house daily since we are still finishing up the two bedrooms in the existing part of the house. But, I can tell you it looks better than Jake and I ever imagined it would and absolutely can't wait to move in full time and quit working on the house!

In a couple weeks I will post pictures and update y'all on what has been happening in our lives for the last 6 months. Eating McDonalds, working on the house and doing appraisals is the short story so let's see if more thinking won't give me more exciting news...

Rain Rain Go Away

AGH! This last summer has appropriately been named "A Bummer of a Summer", but this is getting ridiculous. I can count on one hand how many times the temperatures flirted with the 70s, but that's not even what's gotten my undies in a twirl. I CANNOT STAND THE RAIN ANY LONGER!
If you could choose the worst possible summer to try to build a house, I would nominate this one. It has been a never ending game of waiting until the rain stops for a few hours, running home from the office, changing into grungy clothes and rushing through the siding, roofing, or painting on the outside until the rain begins again. The other night I was so desperate when we finally had a clear day that lasted into the night I used my Dad's incredibly bright utility lamp and painted half the trim on my house well into the dark hours just because it wasn't raining. Nothing like painting by flashlight to brighten your spirits.
In any case, for a status report on the house, the siding is on with the exception of the cedar shake accents we are using on the top of the cables (you can tell where the accent siding will be in the picture where plywood remains), the exterior paint has been finished (even though the picture below is pre-paint) and the front door has been trimmed out. The front door is my favorite part of the outside of this house, and it looks fantastic with base color and trim painted on it. Once I finish painting the actual door, I'll post more pictures next week. For now, here is a before and somewhat recent picture on the progress. If any of you know where I can match the original purple siding with the pink accent trim, I would greatly appreciate it. I think that will be the most missed feature from the original house.
So, it's on to the roof to finish the outside and then we'll be done with our fight with mother nature (this year). In the meantime, be sure to do any anti-rain dances you might know of and send the clear skies up our way...

BEFORE

AS OF LAST WEEK

Can't Stop 'Till I Get Enough

Lately I have been quite the political junkie. What very little time I do have is spent tuning into Foxnews and CNN. I know what you are thinking, "Bonnie, why in the world would you watch CNN, who is very apparently left-wing liberal, and watch Foxnews, a channel that all but runs pro-McCain ads through their oh-so-Republican shows and news reports?

The answer is simple. I love drama... and this election fills that vice for me daily. I don't know what else you can say about it. Between the surprise VP pick (who happens to be my govenor), the outrage it's gotten from so many democrats, particularly the self-proclaimed feminists, the attack ads (coming from both parties), the whining about the opponent's attack ads, the VMA award controversy with that weird dude with the weird hair that they allowed to host, The View with Whoopie and Barbara in all of their glory vs. Cindy McCain, I COULD GO ON FOR HOURS!!! Who needs Grey's Anatomy or The Hills when you have the 2008 Presidential Election?

It's not enough for me to see one side of this fight, either. I have to see the latest accusation, and after watching hours and hours of the breaking news story that is surely going to bury the candidate, I tune to the other channel and watch hours of closely reported arguments against the accusation.

I hated my political science class in college, but the recent events that keep my glued to the boob tube have got me rethinking my major. I can't imagine where I could get this much excitement in accounting!!

Anniversary? Who has the Time?

Long time no talk, Internet! I am making this brief and isolated post because today is my 4 year anniversary. Unfortunately, for the first time in a couple weeks, Jake actually has work to do at the business (It's slowed considerably). So even though we were going to take a day off and have a fun day to ourselves, we're working instead.

I also flaked on Sunday and when asked if I would hold a basketball practice for our upcoming young women's basketball season instead of mutual, I agreed not realizing that Thursday was the 14th...as in August 14th...as in my anniversary. So much for that romantic evening we've both been waiting for! (And by we both I mean me because Jake is still realizing that I'm cootie free)

In any case, I wish I could provide a very cute picture from our wedding or even a nice snapshot of Jake and I lately to post with this, but I can't. My wedding pictures didn't turn out that cute and I don't have any digital pictures anyway...plus my scanner is broken. As for recent pictures, unless you want to see a great shot of me complete with a caulking or nail gun and Jake carrying siding or shingles, we haven't done anything remotely Kodak-moment-worthy in a while. So, all you get is my dedicatory post to my spectacularly wonderful husband.

In four years of spending almost every day together, I have learned just a few things about Jake. He loves to learn how to do or make just about anything he's never done before. Things I have never even thought to notice, Jake pays close attention to, and then proudly points out what he's discovered. For instance, conversations that begin with 'Do you know what that extra piece of metal on that tractor does?' or 'Could you find your way out of the woods without a
compass on a cloudy day?' are all too common in our house. In Jake's mind, life is a puzzle. And to solve it you must pay close attention to everything around you at all times. Always ask why or how and you'll never stop learning. Though sometimes this gets exhausting and confusing for me, I appreciate all the knowledge I've gained--now if I could only remember it!

Jake is a perfect gentleman: if I'm carrying something heavy and he has an extra finger he might be able to balance my load with, he insists I let him carry it. If I'm too cold wearing two sweatshirts, he'll give me his jacket, even it if means he's left with a t-shirt. In my dating years, I found it annoying when a guy would make me wait to let him open doors, or never allowed me to get dirty by walking in the mud. Jake's found the happy medium between chivalry and smothering me with good manners, and I love him all the more for it. I knew he was a keeper when we were first dating and a friend noticed him wipe off a dirty seat on the train with his hand before I sat down. He doesn't do it because he wants all to see his generous and selfless nature, he simply thinks there are ways to act and doesn't think twice about it. His mama raised him right!

Since the beginning of the year, Jake and I have tackled the challenge of beginning a new business together. At first it was incredibly hard to let him take the reigns in the business and allow him to run it the way he wanted to. My control-freak tendencies caused their fair share of arguments, and it was stressful. However, I realized that the reason it was so hard to step back is because in our marriage, we are equal companions. From day one, we've always looked to each other for support, advice, and help with life's trials. As the world throws all variations of obstacles at us, we hurdle them together, hand in hand. Cliche? Yes. But it's this equality between us that has allowed us to grow together, work together, and enjoy life together.

Jake is a wonderful husband, a kind and generous man, and I am grateful every day that I was lucky enough at 19 (yes, 19) to realize I needed him in my life.

Four years down, and all eternity to go.

Belated Happy Birthday

Just wanted to say a quick Happy Birthday to my Mom (last Friday). I really meant to write this when it was actually on her birthday...and then I was tempted to cheat and just change the post date to make it look like I was on time...but I'm trying this new honesty-in-everything life strategy. I hear it's important.

In any case, Mom, I know you only get on this blog because it's the easiest way to navigate to Jonathan and Leah's blog where you can see pictures of your favorite grand baby, but just in case you stop to read this I LOVE YOU and want you to know that you are (and always have been) a huge example to me. I want to grow up and be the woman you are, minus the constant chatting on your cell phone. But without that cell phone ringing at the most inopportune times you wouldn't be who you are. Even though I acted horrified I was secretly proud that I had the loudest cheering mother in the stands at all my basketball games, and was even happy to show off your sweet dance moves at all the high school dances you chaperoned.

I know you hate Alaska but after living so far away from you guys for two years it's been a blast to have you right down the road. Hope you get acclimatized to the cold weather soon and quit wearing sweatshirts in 70 degree weather. This is the best it's going to get.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Think You Have it Bad?

The other night Jake and I, along with my father decided to take an all night 'suicide' fishing trip down to the Russian River for the Red Salmon run. Why an all night fishing trip, you ask? Because there are too many damn tourists on the Russian in daylight that claim to be serious experienced anglers but who in actuality just spent way too much money at Cabela's to complete their "Alaskan Outdoors man Outfit" and drive me to the point of insanity that many a time I've had to talk myself out of whipping my pole just so as to catch the guy's ear next to me for his failed attempts to squeeze me out of the fishing hole by standing thisclose when there's a whole 100 yards of empty shoreline.

How's that for a vent?

In any case, we prefer to fish at night to avoid the appropriately named 'combat fishing'.

Now that I've justified that point, I'll move on with my story. It was about midnight and we were geared up ready for the mile hike along the trail of the river that brings us to our favorite fishing hot spot. As we were descending down the stairway to the trail I was thinking aloud how I enjoy running across the occasional brown bear, but only if they are across the river and not paying any attention to many numbered anglers around them (or at the very least paying attention to me...as previously mentioned they are free to lick their chops at John Smith visiting from Florida who's standing too close to the guy next to him and snagging his line every cast).
After a couple minutes of expressing my fears of one day of rounding a corner and finding a bear in my path, I concluded that it would be one of the scariest encounters I've ever had and left it there for the boys to ponder.

No sooner had we cleared our first corner did I stop dead in my tracks, as there was a brown bear standing twenty yards up the trail. I pointed this little obstacle out to Dad and Jake, and we stood there for a minute deciding how to proceed. Within a couple seconds of us noticing the brown bear (for the rest of the story to avoid the over use of the words "brown bear" I've named him Snoopy), his head turned our direction and he proceeded to start moseying his bear paws down the trail towards us. This was enough for me to fish my bear mace out of my holster, and all three of us start searching off the trail to make sure we weren't going to run into a blazing mad mama bear pissed that we were yelling at Snoopy to get out of our way.

As Snoopy continued in our direction, we were trying to look out for a bigger sow, arm ourselves with mace (and in Jake's case his 44 Mag...I know, I have a hardcore honey...) and back off the trail without losing eye contact with Snoopy. It's funny, living in Alaska you always get all sorts of advice from random places on how to avoid bears and how to react to any encounters with them. It also adds to the complicaty of things because different kinds of bears deserve different reactions i.e. black bears vs. brown bears. What I managed to remember with brown bears is that you're not supposed to run away, but at the same time it's advised that you 'stand your ground' while making your way back off the trail and out of sight. Hearing that when you're not actually in the situation makes perfect sense. But tell me, when you're standing in front of a friggin' brown bear that is obviously not intimidated by your cries and whoops to go away, HOW IN THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BACK OFF SLOWLY WHILE STANDING YOUR GROUND??? The short answer? You can't. And trying so only confuses and scares you even more.

After coming to this conclusion I finally just turned and walked slowing behind my Dad, while Jake was keeping his eye on the bear behind me. As I was in the middle of my 'please God don't let a small brown bear eat my face off' prayer, I caught something in the corner of my eye, and once I turned my head I realized Snoopy had picked up speed and was now running right at us. I let out a hair-raising scream and then started yelling, and as Jake aimed his pistol and I fidgeted with my mace (all the while yelling at the top of my lungs) Snoopy finally stopped. Standing no more than 10 ft. in front of us, suddenly realizing we were armed with weapons that would at the very least send him whaling back into the woods, he turned and started walking away from us, still on the trail.

All three of us let out a huge sigh of relief as we nervously giggled at how close Snoopy had gotten to us. In the meantime of us standing there in disbelief that we had gotten chased by a brown bear, four more anglers met us on the trail trying to pass us by and continue towards the river. We warned them about our encounter and after talking to them for a minute we decided safety in numbers was our policy for the evening.

Aside from following Snoopy back down the trail for another 100 yards or so (giving him a lot of room), and the once instance in which my incredibly near-sighted father mistook Snoopy for a man in waders, the rest of the trip was uneventful.

Moral of the story? No matter how prepared you think you might be for a situation to arise, when it finally does you will come to the realization that no amount of preparation compensates for the fact a five hundred pound bear is standing in your trail. Hopefully you have the luck I did and get to retain all of your limbs.

Goodbye Gurneys

Jake, Jeremy & Sheina with their catch off the Russian River
Sheina was a little excited to be fishing
Another one of Jake's catches---What a cute angler he makes!
One of my halibut of the day---though Jake did all the dirty work

Top 12 fish off the charter, the Gurneys had 4 make it on the rack!!
Poor sea-sick Jake taking a nap...and trying not to vomit again
The Gurney Gals
The gang at the look-out point in Homer, AK
Posing for a picture on the beach right below our campsite

Last night we dropped off the in-laws (Jake's parents, brother, and sister-in-law) at the airport. Dennis and Jeremy had been here since May 9th, Laraine had been here since May 17th and Sheina flew up for the last week of their trip. They came when our little house was standing ready to be remodeled and left a brand new framed addition in the footstep of the old garage. Much work still needs to be done but it's amazing how much progress they made in just 6 weeks up here...we will forever be grateful for their time and effort.

All day we've been walking around in sort of a daze, because already we're noticing that it's a little lonely when we don't have a big party going round the clock. We were especially busy these last couple weeks when the work was coming to a close and it was time to play in the beautiful weather we've gotten these last couple weeks. Enjoy the pictures; I just wanted to share a few of the many we took.