I' ve Got the Booyah Blues

Yep, I 've got the booyah blues. The Grande Golden Days parade was last weekend which for us is a major highlight of the summer. But the parade this year lacked an important factor that clouded the event. Left me a bit lonely. For six years the Mills family have witnessed the parade, always sitting in the same location, across from St. Matthews. Why St. Matthews? Because of the three B's: BOOYAH, bakesale and bathrooms. The first year Hannah was little. We had never experienced the parade before since when we were childless we were always doing fieldwork in the summer and couldn't partake in Fairbanks summer cultural events.

One summer I invited Lynne and little Caleb (she might have been pregnant with Caleb I can't remember) to the parade. Lynne fully appreciated the the entire scene. I have difficulty describing why we love the parade. It is the same thing every year: endless fire trucks, the old cars, bagpipes, giant rubber ducky, politicians, church floats, old tractors and Fairbanks-Morse generators, boys scouts, 4-H, girl scouts, and golden retriever rescue. The procession is long, lasting two hours. Seems if you are not watching the parade, you are in the parade. We certainly recognized several acquaintances marching along.

(Here are Lynne and Ev watching the festivities. Lynne has come every year to watch the parade sitting in the same location and eating booyah).

The event is more complex then just the parade; let us not forget the booyah. Booyah is a fundraising event for St. Matthews. The congregation donates food and volunteers chop the ingredients for hours. The night before the parade the booyah chefs get the big pot of stew cooking over a huge propane burner in the front yard of the church. The booyah is monitored all night long by a group of men who obviously have a high standing in the congregation. Before the parade I head over to the Booyah tent, hand over my donation and get my steaming cup of stew and pilot bread (a large round cracker for those reading in the lower-48). Back at our seats. My husband always raises his cup of stew and bellows BOO-YAAAAAAAAAAH! Lynne and myself always raise our cups and respond BOO-YAAAAAAH! This is tradition.

The years have passed and more and more families sit at the same location. Now, part of my tradition is getting there early to stake out our seating area.

Here we are at 9am. Hannah is writing our names on the sidewalk to reserve space. The Haas family's Grandma Jo and Grandpa John are on the scene to help stake a claim. I wonder who that lady is across the street and speculate at what time did she arrive? It is 9am and the parade will not pass by until 10:30. This is one of the few activities that Robin is eager to help load the car up and get going. Usually, on the way to any activity he complains (in a harmless way) of "Why do we have to leave so early?" The answer is "two children one of whom walks very slowly and stops to pick up rocks." Oops, I am digressing.

Here comes the parade with the fire trucks leading the way. Six other families sit with us to watch. Two of the families had three generations present.

Ev sits next to her buddy. They collected and ate too much candy. The parade was long, over two hours with 105 entries. The weather forecast was for rain but it held off and the sun actually came out between the clouds. We ate the booyah and watched the parade. The third part of the tradition is that I always say the same things. Always...

1. What if there is a fire? All the fire trucks are here in the parade.

2. Bagpipes are my favorite.

3. Kids, when the American flag passes by, stand up and take your hat off.

4. Next year we are going to dress up in Golden Day outfits (This never actually happens)

5. BOOYAH!!!!

My husband, family and friends put up with me saying the same thing every year, they are very kind.

So why is the parade so special? I mean, when viewed individually the little activities that make up this day are ordinary. In review, the Golden Days Parade involves:

1. Specific paraphernalia: the correct seating location, the specific folding chairs, the candy bags.

2. Getting there early to sit in the same location every year.

3. Eating the same booyah.

4. Saying the same phrases.

5. Being with the same people.

All together it makes up a special ritual. A very important RITUAL. And dare I say it....perhaps the parade can compare to tailgating at a Buffalo Bills game? Not the same, but maybe in the same league?

If the Golden Days parade is so special then why in the world do I have the Booyah Blues? The answer is that my dear husband was in the field and missed the parade. The disappointment was palatable to me. Lynne mentioned how it just wasn't the same..... no one to yell BOO-YAAAH!! , too, as you raise your cup. Love you Robin!

(St. Matthews)

Not Picture Perfect

Last week we visited the botanical garden on UAF campus. Look at my lovely girls in this beautiful picture; they look like angels. That clear blue sky, nice delphinium backdrop, two smiling sisters...joy and harmony (can you hear the choir of angels??). The picture is deceptive. Oh yes, the botanical garden visit was wrought with bad weather, whining, and temper tantrums. We decided to bike since the gardens are not far, about a mile and a half from our home. By the time we got to the Geist Rd intersection is was cold, windy, and pelting rain. We turned around which made Hannah have a verbal temper tantrum (She HATED me) We drove to the garden. The rain stopped but it was still cold and windy. Not July weather at all. Evelyn was grumpy and hungry during her entire visit. The gardens were lovely but I need to plan another trip when the girls are in a better mood.
In between trying to return to the picnic table where our lunch bag was located Evelyn enjoys the flowers. She tried to pick those flowers but Hannah and I just kept on repeating "We only look at the flowers, do not touch them"
Ev if wondering why mom's garden doesn't look like this. Hannah was surprised that tomatoes where growing directly in the ground. I swelled with pride that she is absorbing some gardening techniques from our garden. In Fairbanks, the soil temperature is too cold to plant tomatoes in the ground, they need pots and/or greenhouse. Our toms are in our greenhouse. The botanical garden is experimenting with new tomato hybrids and soil warming techniques.
The rocky water garden spurred arguments between the girls on where to sit.

Mighty Hornets

Some pictures of Hannah's soccer team: The Hornets. This is a U8 team so the girls are first and second graders. We are very lucky to have a dedicated coach. So far the season is 6 and 1. Eventhough the team name is Hornets we often just call them Yellow when we are shouting (or cheering) at them. Seems to us that this year the kids have a better attention span, or more focus. Less talking and less grass picking this year. Still, we have the funny moments. In the picture above Hannah and her teammate are focused looking up at the ball yet another teammate is just standing....
One major breakthrough this year is the concept of passing to a teamate. Let me say it again....passing to a teamate. This is a huge concept. We only have one more game and the season is over. No tournament this year! Soccer association decided that tournament is for age 10 and up. Makes ya wonder what happended last year that made them decide to change the rules.

Chena Lakes...Finally

Yep, it took until July 11, but we finally made it to Chena Lakes. The weather was a bit iffy, but we decided to just go for it. So what if it rains or the temperatures are a bit cool.
The day turned out to be terrific. Evie played and played at the waters edge. Hannah swam with pals.

Evie enjoyed the food brought by other moms. Apparently I need to go to the store and buy some 'good' food. Luckily other kids found my fare interesting. We hope to go again soon.

Adventure Day

During Robin's last trip Hannah and I decided we needed to have an adventure day when Dad returned. Why wait for Dad? Well, someone has to take care of Ev because she can't come with us on "Adventure Day". Poor Ev!


So off we go to Angel Rocks, with a friend, some of her family and two black labs. The girls each brought a barbie.

The weather was iffy when we arrived: thunder and lightning. But it passed. At one point a moose blocked the path but we just waited him out and continued on.

By the time we reached the top the weather was fine. We had such a good time that I think "Adventure Day" will become a tradition every time Robin returns from a trip.

Eclectic Parade in Ester

Happy Fourth of July. After a morning family bike ride, Robin and Hannah headed off to Ester for the Fourth of July Parade. Ev and I stayed home, Ev is recovering from a stomach virus and is not yet 100 percent her merry self. Poor Eve. Back to Uncle Sam......he is holding a small Alaska State Flag, which reminded me to mention how we are celebrating our 50 years of Statehood.

Robin and Hannah know how to view a parade. Chairs, shades (Hannah is wearing her high School Musical sun glasses), and food. The Ester parade is known for being eclectic, liberal and alternative. There are no 'real' floats, you know the type, the flat beds pulled by diesel trucks. The parade begins with kids cycling on their decorated bikes. Of course we have the bag pipers ....

The interior farmers reminding us to eat local...

The bad white dog, we have no idea about this bad dog but I liked his flag.
However, along with the expected political criticism, goat driven carts, the 'bad white dog', the 'eat local food group' there is of course the mandatory:


Fire Truck.

Thank you Robin for remembering to take pictures so we could have the Ester parade experience.