It's All Good in Antigua Part 2

This is no long-awaited sequel, but I thought December would be a nice time to offer up more on our tropical honeymoon five months ago. Thing is, it doesn't feel like winter in Sitka. No snow, near 50-degrees and some sunny days. No snow flying past the window, slush in my boots, or a poofy jacket to heft loaded with scarves and mittens. I guess I don't need a mental vacation from winter to remember warmer places, but c'mon...the free drinks alone give cause for reflectin'!

Andy did extensive research for where we should spend our newlywed indulgent getaway. Resort or no? All-inclusive or not? Typical age-range? NO KIDS. Big enough for variety, but not thousands of guests. Where in the warmer hemisphere? Again, we recommend The Sandals resort chain if that's your thang. Here's some pics from the lovely grounds.

We liked to poke fun at the poor dolphins spotted with bird poo! Just outside our door the gardens were incredibly lush.We were set in just a wee bit from the beach. Our lil' building looked just like this one below, which I snapped while coming in from snorkeling.
A lovely part of our room was the bar area. Hunter and Lincoln, or liquor fairies, always kept it stocked. Honeymooners get a trophy if they consume everything, including the bottles of booze, during their stay. We wanted to make our butlers proud and contemplated the feat. Then we realized it's impossible because it all gets restocked and replenished as soon as you feel the buzz!We also left the resort twice for excursions. Every Sunday night an island party bumps at Shirley's Point. It's a gorgeous cliff-top setting for visitors and neighbors to BBQ, jam out and walk along trails filled with cacti (in the Carribbean??). We went with a couple from NY and the sunset was lovely. Behind Andy along the peninsula is an estate that belongs to...Eric Clapton. He's been known to show up and play on Sundays at Shirley's Point. Total gimmick sale-hope I bought into!Highlight of the excursion was the legit steel-band reggae machine pumping out music. There was about a dozen people working drums of all sizes.Wanna hear a sample? I just loved watching the local guy who danced in front of the band the entire night.

Then another group came on and Andy had his cheesy reggae fill. Me? Lapped it up all the time. I mean this guy has PASSION for his pop song. The video is crap to watch because people kept walking in front of me, but there are moments you hear and see the talent.

We heard excellent live music throughout the trip. A reggae performance of Prince that would bring you to your knees. Unfortunately, nearly all song selections everywhere on the island were behind the times. We revisited the music scene from several years ago. The most current tune we heard was Black Eyed Peas "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night." We heard it so much, in stereo or performed, that it's basically ruined for us.

So as we gear up for our next travel adventure to Nome, Alaska along the frozen Bering Sea, we'll remember our special time by the pool as a newly married couple. I wonder if G2 will act as our Butler and stock a special orange cooler wherever we go on the snowy tundra??? Probably not, so these last images will have to do!

ALET #1002

As we wind-down Thanksgiving weekend, we are grateful for how much Andy has enjoyed teaching at his first Alaska Law Enforcement Training. It's basically a semester of intensive learning and para-military techniques to provide Alaska its latest crop of Trooper recruits, certified Police Officers, Airport Police, etc.

Corporal Gorn taught sessions on Taser, Defensive Tactics, Traffic, Field Sobriety Testing, some Driving, Pepperball basics, Criminal Justice overview, and other throwdown courses while commanding a squadron of cadets like all the Corporals do. He's been a hard worker! And thankfully, he's really enjoyed the change in his Trooper career. I'm really proud of him, especially when he wakes at 4:30am to lead or participate in 5am P.T.! This transition to Sitka has been going really well, and now Andy has nearly one Academy under his belt. Learning curve nearly over. I attended his first ALET graduation as a Corporal (and not the recruit!) a few weeks ago. Then, after graduation, newly minted law enforcement grads returned to their spots across the state while the Troopers remain for 3 more weeks of learning. Just one more week of this work to go.

The graduation ceremony was attended by honored guests and proud families. The opening was kicked off by an impressive appearance of ALET class #1002 as they marched in and chanted: "There's a story that must be told/about the Blue about the Gold...sacrifice the price they pay...Nothing in this world is free, law men's life is made for me." A great show of solidarity.

I sat across the room from the Academy Corporals; Andy is at the far right among his comrades.

Lieutenant Governor Craig Campbell served as the guest speaker and he complimented Department of Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters.Each Corporal presented an award to the ALET class. Andy gave the Physical Fitness plaque to an impressive 50-year old recruit. Have to turn up your volume for this video; audio not so good.

While he's actually wearing a Class A tunic, we had to get a picture together!

I'm so thankful for a hard working and respectable husband, who comes home safely every day!

Just to take a looky-look back in time, here's AAG1 at the start of his law enforcement career. Graduating ALET #36 in 2006. Getting the badge pinned by G1.

And a big THANK YOU to all officers and military who work to ensure our safety, protection and well being.

*Amy

Down the Rabbit Hole--Si?

Where has time gone? I read about good friends whose new babies are growing and developing so quickly. Yes, time is tricky when you hope it goes slowly. I thought time would feel slower once moving to a small town after a busy year of wedding planning and trips. Instead, we've taken many trips and October was a happy blur. Thought I'd share a few highlights as we contemplate this week what we're grateful for, which includes happy moments and visits with friends.

• Trip to Colorado. We stayed a few nights with Megan and Zach in Denver as part of Andy's work trip to Greeley. We learned (and Andy dominated!) a new Midwest card game, took in the simple loveliness of a farmer's market, and went hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park while the aspen trees turned fall colors!!

Megan and Zach in the National Park!

Clearly Alaskans attract the animals! haha

ELK spotted asap in the park, and many of them too.

• Amy's time to Anchorage with friends included "Mamma Mia!" and girl time in Girdwood at Alyeska. Reunion with Beth (Soldotna) and Nikki (Nome) from 2008.

• Halloween. We purchased coveted and quickly sold-out tickets for KCAW's Stardust Ball. It was like falling down Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole. The most amazing, creative, scary, odd costumes I've ever seen. All adult ages got into the fun. Including a woman with a long cape (horned collar) carrying a staff with a crystal ball and a fake raven with wings extended mounted atop the crystal ball. We were over-dressed and ordinary. The only person to comment on us was an older woman questioning our costumes in Spanish. Apparently, if you go as two forgotten Chilean miners you should know their language too. Si? The live band from Seattle and lip sync contest let us forget how uncreative we really were in those costumes compared to other party-goers. Seeing Andy wear a black-haired wig that I pulled into a ponytail made it worth the while.

One miner became more pale than the other. Si?

This miner was cleared to remove his Oakleys and get back to driving among society.

Our fit and fun partners to the Stardust Ball.

Time goes quickly...si? From Halloween now to Thanksgiving. The days are darker and shorter, even in Sitka where the sun sets before 3:30pm. Maybe the holiday season will take its sweet time and allow us to savour? Maybe we should just plan on enjoying every minute before it's 2011 all of a sudden!

*Amy

Farewell and Thank You

Kelly, Tom, Amy and Lynette (with award) seated at the Gabriel Awards in St. Louis, 2003.

KNOM won, again, "Radio Station of the Year."

Halloween night Andy and I gave out a fair amount of candy despite horribly windy weather. Monday morning I was thinking about our next blog post. By mid-morning, my friend in Nome had texted me to say that the backbone of my Alaska family died unexpectedly in his sleep on his 63rd birthday. I screamed out and began sobbing in my home office, and so began a difficult week for Tom Busch's family, of course, but also the KNOM family, Western Alaska and many more throughout the country.

Fortunately, I flew to Anchorage for the weekend to attend his funeral service, and was honored to serve as a reader in his service. It was a weekend of personal and collective grief, wonderful memories, KNOM reunions and overall healing.

It's been said many times over since Tom (KNOM Radio's founder) passed, but he shaped and altered the lives for so many young people as they journeyed to Nome, Alaska to serve at a far-out radio station. He's a life-changer: God works through him and his wife, Florence. I want to share with you a bit of what I wrote for KNOM as they assemble a tribute to Tom.

I first met Florence, then Tom, at St. Ben's during volunteer fairs of my Junior and Senior years. While I courted KNOM during the month of March senior year, he sent me that year's infamous Iditarod diary--in progress. Here's a college senior opening at 70+ page document late at night, about a sport of which she had no knowledge! I could have ran away screaming, but his obvious love and excitement told me this Nome, Alaska could possibly change my life. When I flew into Anchorage for the first time, Tom was at my gate waiting to greet me. He had just flown in from Fairbanks and we sat waiting for Florence's plane to arrive (she was coming from Fairbanks too, just later). Two years later it was Tom who made an incredible offer for me to stay at KNOM as paid staff, and so set the next four years of my life too.

2005 with the RAV4 in front of KNOM; Tom & Flo's last day in Nome.

Many people know my car: the maroon RAV4 that's old with ridiculously low mileage. I bought it from Tom and Florence when they were ready to leave Nome after 30 years and move to Anchorage. I didn't know how to drive a stick shift so Tom gave me driving lessons at Nome Beltz High School and around town. He could have just tried to sell the car to anyone, but enthusiastically spurred this learning idea. What patience and great skill to teach a new way of driving to a 24-year old! Then, this summer we left the RAV4 at their Anchorage home while Andy & I honeymooned for nearly two weeks. He happily dropped us off at the airport, and then brought the RAV4 to the airport when we arrived (Flo followed in their vehicle). To see him drive the car again, more than 5 years later, was a hoot and he declared how he forget the RAV4 was fun to drive!I

Mostly, though, every weekday morning for 3 years Tom greeted me when he first walked through the door at work. He started his work day as happy as could be, refreshed and ready to visit while I worked the morning show. His wide-eyed, cheerful self would smile and enter Studio A, ready to launch into some story or thoughts. Mostly it started in response or comment to something I shared during the morning show. A story he thought of based on something I talked about on the radio. Or, maybe he read something on the Internet the night before and wanted me to know. Perhaps the night sky's stars were in a certain alignment and I should go look, or here's a Cinematography magazine you may want to read, he saw a movie the night before and was considering the actors' performances. Maybe he remembered a story that led to a talk about marriage, mortality, faith and trying times, parenthood. He seemed just at ease contemplating the mysteries of life as he was discussing story arcs from the season of Northern Exposure I was borrowing from him and Florence. Every weekday morning for 3 years I listened and learned from him in those one-on-one moments. What a gift. What an opportunity to share from my young life and have someone take my thoughts, trials, and interests seriously. He would always light up and stop his work to listen to my reflections and experiences when I returned from every village trip. He would delight in my details and recollections, and ultimately have a memory and story of his own to share in return.

At his beautiful and touching service last Saturday, it was said how he never spoke sarcastically and approached everything in life positively and full of learning. Hard to believe someone can actually do that, but he did, every moment. Perhaps we can try to be more like Tom too. I'm going to try. Mentors plant seeds, even after they're gone I guess.

If you want to check out the growing list of tributes and stories, click here to see KNOM's compilation, and to read more about Tom's incredible life. If you feel moved to go a step further, consider making a donation to KNOM radio in Nome in Tom's memory.

Thanks for letting me share. Continued prayers for Florence, Steve and Kate and all those touched by Tom's gifts & saddened by his too soon departure.

*Amy

It's All Good in Antigua part 1

It's already been 3 months since our honeymoon, and yet, it's only been 3 months since our honeymoon. The post-wedding trip feels like another world away.

We loved our long time spent on Antigua (an-TEE-guh) , a British island in the south Caribbean. We bought into the all-inclusive resort set-up and after experiencing how awesome it is, we'd recommend The Sandals resort chain without hesitation. No need for a wallet; food and drinks everywhere without any money exchanged. It was a freaky, freeing feeling. And we flew first-class!! It was a lot of travel so that made the journey and time spent flying very enjoyable.

We got a butler with our honeymoon room. Two in fact: Lincoln and Hunter. They split shifts. Did we need a butler? NO. Could we have managed ourselves? YES. Did we like the special treatment? YOU BET. Benefits to having a butler include:

• a carry cooler to take with you everywhere (the envy of all non-butler guests)
• dinner reservations pre-made every night and tables with best views
• you want a cheese plate to go with your wine while you get ready for the night? Call Hunter and you'll have a delivery in no time!
• round-the-clock room service, not that we ever needed it!
• breakfast set-up at the room every morning
• surprises like romantic baths, Kenny G music and candles! Can we say CHEESY?

Oft' heard statements made by the Gorns:

• this food is SOOO good
• what drink should I get this time?
• I'm sooooo full
• did you remember the room key?
• you call Hunter on the cell phone, I don't want to!
• It's really hot
• we didn't need a butler, did we?
• those people are so skinny! They probably don't eat cheese and pizza
• I'm never going back home
• you really got stung by that jelly fish?? (okay, only said once by Amy to Andy)

We weren't complete sloths, but it got close. Through Sandals we went snorkeling, kayaking (Andy's main workout as we paddled into this warm wind and rain across the bay and he did most of the work), couples massage, work out (just barely), zip-lining in a rain-forest on the Island, and went to a locals spot for a weekly steel-drum band reggae show. Mostly, though, it was the tough decision of deciding to go to the pool or beach, and what to wear to dinner.

This is our first morning and Andy's skin is already glistening from the heat. Hunter reserved for us great seating next to the pool and right by the swim-up bar. We'd get served by a roaming waitress AND the bar staff in the pool! We also had our cooler stocked from the unlimited supply of beer, wine, champagne and booze in our room. Hunter always made sure we were seated on the best lounge chairs, under an umbrella. There were times we'd go to the pool without notifying our butler, and then we'd be seated further away--rough life!That's Lincoln! At the butler reception. He used to be a DJ in Jamaica, and he had the social personality out of the two.Alaskans have a hard time staying in the direct tropical sunshine. That's why you'll always see us with a near-empty drinky-drink in our hands.Local drink of choice kept stocked in our cooler on the go. Our other butler, Hunter, was the one who paid attention to details and set-up romantic gestures like swan-formed towels and floral arrangements we'd discover returning to our room. It was sweet but mostly we giggled at the cliche!We changed our appearances by day and night. It was funny to see young couples water-logged after being outdoors all day, and then look around that night's restaurant selection and we'd all be transformed for a few hours.Here's Andy luvin' the Tex Mex at OK Corral while we watched the sun set. The open flame kitchen was in the middle of our seating area so we had two blasts of heat...Mother Nature and Food prep.And the sweat continued the next day when we left the Resort for zip-lining. You can't see the lines, but we played among those tree tops behind Andy in this photo. It was nice to see some of the Island and change the scenery, but we also had to exchange money (American dollars) for beverages...what a foreign concept!! There was a great crew of Brits doing the 9-line course with us. The workers said Andy and I were naturals at flying between trees. I can't wait to do this again someday. While I discovered a love for zip lining, I came upon my other love... hammocks sprinkled all over the Resort grounds!

This has been a TON of content for one blog post, so I'll end now and continue later with scenic pictures, our excursion to Shirley Point and video-oh of legit reggae.

*Amy

Where Are the Gorns?

It's been a lot like Swiss cheese around here! We're on the go here and there. Got some catching up to do (and that includes cleaning house). Andy's been the most MIA as he was in Los Angeles over his birthday last month, and he's in Dallas right now until Saturday. Lots of training for new Corporal Instructors!

The other week we went to Greeley, CO together for his pepperball training (for reals) and spent an awesome weekend with friends in Denver. A few days later I returned to Anchorage (already) for work and pleasure. We'll be sure to include more on all this right here--so keep tuned!

Right now, I'm working on my work grant's Quarterly Report and preparing to make Andy's delicious chili (for the first time) for a chili cook-off we're invited to on Saturday. Andy will fly in just in time to sample my cooking abilities with his recipe!

*Amy

Togiak & Aleknagik

Taking a trip down memory lane...well, just back to mid-August when summer still reigned the seasons. I took back-to-back site visits to two wonderful villages in Southwest AK. The trips to my Members were so positive, friendly and just a great time to see their homes and service. The fishing village of Togiak really reminded me of Nome in some ways....the open tundra and hills behind the community, and along the ocean with pockets of beach grass framing the other end. I felt very comfortable there...and in the physical sense too because I stayed in my own apartment at the Fish Processing Plant. Nice digs!

Doesn't that look like it could just be off the Nome Bypass Road? Then, along a beach walk during some down time, I found young girls playing in the sand, fishermen doing their gill-netting and lots of boats out on the water.In Aleknagik I attended and helped out with my Member's community Wellness Conference. What nice people and an incredibly beautiful place. I was picked up at the Dillingham airport, driven about 20 miles and then boated over part of Lake Aleknagik to the village. Can't beat the view from their landfill!It was strange that I had cell phone service there. But then, this is the community closest to the tragic Senator Ted Stevens plane crash, just a week after the accident. I think cell phone towers expanded coverage for the investigators. From what I've heard, cell phone coverage is pulled back again. Make of that what you will....

I had the pleasure to spend time with Earl Polk who shared with me such incredible stories. His reputation lived up! And boy, the food and coffee bestowed upon me---what a generous place!

Don't know when my next site visits will happen and most likely they could be around Southeast AK. Always new territory to discover, wonderful new people to meet and experiences to be had around the State!

*Amy