ALASKA CHAT for JULY! - Page 2

[Icequeen_in_ak]

P, she doesn't have anything earth shattering that needs to be done right now. She's about 6 months late on her annual allergy testing though (been putting it off because it's so damn expensive and we have to pay for it out of pocket).

As sad as it is... at least it's encouraging to know that I'm not the only one getting stiffed by the DKC office. I've got half a mind to call the ombudsman's office and complain about the way they appear to NEVER return phone calls to anyone.

[mckittre]

I had to go back and forth with the kidcare office 4 or 5 times before they felt satisfied with my income documentation, but since then, they've been great. (Everyone here travels for prenatal exams, giving birth, etc... and they're always quick about doing travel and such)

[an_aurora]

It will be interesting to see if our application gets processed any faster after DS is born!

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by onyxravnos

this is where my WIC checks come in. support local food and not have to worry that it's costing me an arm and a leg.

Unfortunately that is part of the problem! WIC checks are a set amount and you cannot get change, so it is easier for the vendor to just charge exactly what the check amount is for. ie: $5 bunch of carrots. $5 bag of potatoes. cucumbers $1 each.
But you gotta love WIC, we spent ours at the farmer's market every year we got them!

I about pooped myself when I saw Toms running $6 per pound! Holy Heck! Are they even organic?

But we did score some of those D E L I C I O U S vanilla rolls and an Almond Cake from the Honey Bakery when we were there. Finally finished the cake tonight with dinner. Ah, I will miss you lovely almond cake! I wonder if she delivers?

We had a great time in Fairbanks on Solstice! It rained LOTS and we were in a tent trailer but it was still awesome and my DD was in the Midnight Sun run. I think someday I will have to get brave and just do it. I see most people walk anyway. Maybe next year we can remember to have her dress up!

How are the housing prices in Fairbanks? Still about the same as it was 2 years ago?

[dislocator3972]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

How are the housing prices in Fairbanks? Still about the same as it was 2 years ago?

I have no idea how they were 2 years ago, but rental unit seem pretty pricey to me. At least in comparison to where we were.

And here every single landlord asked several times how many people were going to be living in the unit. All of them seemed very concerned that we would try to cram more people in than were allowed. So maybe that happens a lot??

[georgia]

Hi, I'm sorry, but we are not hosting News and Current events or Politics in FYT.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...6#post13041436

Thank you for your cooperation

[an_aurora]

I am loving the heat for once. I worked last night and slept all day, and I woke up a hot sticky sweaty mess, but it's so gorgeous outside :. The kids went "swimming" at the river and came home nekkid and very tired.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

I'm still adjusting to the much cooler temps of the valley during the summers. I REALLY miss the Fairbanks heat. Summer just doesn't feel like summer without the weeks in the 80s and those occasional 90-100s. But I will NOT complain about the weather we've had here this year, how ever chilly it may still feel. It's a million times better than last summer!

[vivalamama]

Happy Almost 4th everyone!

Anyone in Anchorage going to see the parade? I'm trying to convince DH to do something fun... all he's focused on is going fishing on sunday.

and in other news, I was just at the library and saw the signs about how they will be closed on weekends and mondays for the rest of the summer due to budget cuts!? I know I usually live under a rock, but I was really surprised by that. That really stinks.

anyway. hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

[1stimestar]

Wow weekends? Why not Mon.-Wed. instead? What about those who can only get there on the weekends?

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by CKinAK

Happy Almost 4th everyone!

Anyone in Anchorage going to see the parade? I'm trying to convince DH to do something fun... all he's focused on is going fishing on sunday.

and in other news, I was just at the library and saw the signs about how they will be closed on weekends and mondays for the rest of the summer due to budget cuts!? I know I usually live under a rock, but I was really surprised by that. That really stinks.

anyway. hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

Well, we are going to be IN the parade, does that count?

See you there, waving from the White 55 Chevy KLEBS truck!


About the library...............

What? are you serious? that is like the stupidest thing ever. Dont more people have time off during the weekEND to go to the library?

They already dont even open up until 10am. which blows nearly 2 hours out of the water for me in the mornings after I drop off the kids at school.

[~PurityLake~]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

What? are you serious? that is like the stupidest thing ever. Don't more people have time off during the weekEND to go to the library?

They already don't even open up until 10am.

Yeah, that sounds really stupid. But for me, I can't imagine waking up early enough to be at the library before 10 am. Heck, I'm not often out of bed before 10 am.

It's weird that just yesterday I was thinking perhaps it's overdue for me to take the girls to the local library again for a day out. I had no idea there were budget cuts affecting the local libraries. I just am so shocked at how terribly managed public services seem to be these days. Quality road maintenance, extracurricular programs at the public schools, public transportation, bike lanes (or lack thereof), recycling curbside pickups, public libraries, .... etc... these are all things I had in abundance in Oregon when I was a tween-teen. They were the norm for me. Summer reading programs, trips to the local swimming pools for 75 c for two hours free swim to stave off summer heat, putting out our cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminum and newspapers once a week, picking berries.... well, now I'm just getting nostalgic. But I feel so many important things I had while growing up are nearly nonexistent these days and it makes me sad for my daughters.

[roadfamily6now]

yeah, I am confused as well. We pay pretty dang high property taxes here in Anchorage and yet I am not seeing much for my money. There are so many things that desperately need improvement and are not getting fixed and yet there are roads that have been paved over 3 times in the 12 months I have lived here!

I have been totally out of the loop since school got out. I dont listen to the radio anymore and dont watch local TV news. I learned about Sarah's quitting this afternoon from a Surrogate message board (which by the way the comments are freaken hilarious!) And of course I just heard about the library right here!

I read in the paper this winter that Alaska Waste was starting curb side recycling for an extra $6 a month but since the price for recyclables has gone down so much, I dont know if they are still doing that. Anyone know if Alaska Waste has started to ship out their recyclables yet or are they still waiting for the prices to rise? (See, I told you I was out of the loop) We still recycle and bring our stuff to town every weekend.

[Pinoikoi]

Well I am not paying much attention to anything right now. I was in the ER from 11:00 to 5:00. I have "fetal demise" once again. They told me I should miscarry this weekend.. Just about the same thing as what happened in 2001, only I am a few weeks earlier this time, and I had brown spotting this time which prompted me to the ER..

They wouldn't give me any pain killers. The nurse was spouting crap about people abusing them, so they "don't do that anymore" blah blah blah "you can get some from your regular doctor", blah blah blah.. um, no, they closed at 4 and won't open again until MONDAY! When I got home and told dp that they sent me home with NOTHING, he got pretty ticked off and started the phone calls... he is not someone to be messed with when it comes to his kids or his wife.

I am not a big fan of pain killers- don't get me wrong, I only took a couple back in 2001, but still I like to have them around when I labor a miscarriage so I have the freakin option.

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

We pay pretty dang high property taxes here in Anchorage and yet I am not seeing much for my money. There are so many things that desperately need improvement and are not getting fixed and yet there are roads that have been paved over 3 times in the 12 months I have lived here!

I don't know what the city pays for road stuff, but I do know that one of the reasons we have higher taxes in Anchorage is because we have so many school options. We have a lot of charter schools compared to cities of comparable size, and the last time the district was at the table with the teachers union, the numbers I saw then indicated that charter schools cost a lot to run compared to the "regular" schools.. I am not really sure WHY they cost more per student, but that was the way it looked to me (although I can see where it costs more to maintain and heat 100 small buildings versus fewer large buildings, but I think there was more to it than that).. and I am willing to pay more to give my kids options that fit them, kwim? I will pay extra in my taxes for that. I think in most other cities of comparable size, parents look at private schools (and tuition) to get those kinds of benefits. But then I really firmly believe in finding the right system for kids, I don't think all kids are cut out of the same cloth as it were.. I have been asked before where my kids go to school, and I respond with "which kid?" because even within our own household I think my kids have different needs that are best met in different places.. I really like that option, but I think if my kids weren't school age (and I didn't have grandkids yet- let's assume) then I might feel differently when I saw my tax bill..

[georgia]

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[BusyMommy]

Pinokoi I am so very sorry for you & your family.

Yeah, the library stinks. We've been going on Tuesdays, though, so this won't affect us until school starts back up.

And, yeah, our taxes are high but I am satisfied that we have a lot of services & options. Hoping our new folks aren't successful at bringing in sales tax, though!

So, non-political, I found it interesting that Sarah runs decent marathons. I wonder if she'll do Humpy's next month now that she's no longer Gov. Seriously, that would be a trip to run next to her. I just can't take her seriously. I wonder what music she has on her iPod. Does she wear a spandex skirt?


Happy 4th!

[spruce]

Pinoikoi

Take good care of yourself.

love, penelope

[1stimestar]

Lol I'm right there with ya Ice Queen. Oh well.

Pinoikoi, I am so terribly sorry for your news. If it doesn't happen this weekend, do call your regular doctor. Maybe he can call you something in.

[salmontree]

Thanks for the tip Penelope. I think I will try looking through old paperwork for a contact number. I'm tired of the waiting and wondering.

Pinoikoi, I'm sorry for your loss.

[spruce]

An honest question to *georgia* (mod)....is it political discussion to talk about our property taxes and the possibility of sales taxes in certain areas? Are we outside the lines talking about political things like Denali Kid Care, medicaid, and so forth? Just wondering what is and is not political when it pertains to a specialised community. I do understand you're under pressure from the powers that be, but we'd like some better groundwork for our special circumstances. Not many people (in the USA, esp) live as rurally or under as severe or "different" circumstances as we do.

thanks.

love, penelope