One last plea

A few months ago I started collecting donations from Internet angels to augment my savings in order to help my son go on a trip of a lifetime. In March, my son and his high school choir are going to go to Spain and France to sing in several cities and old cathedrals. The trip has been finalized, and barring anything else going wrong, all things are a go.

[One Hitch: the Choir Teacher happens to be sick, but is still hoping to get a doctors note saying she’s good to go. The kids each have signed a promise to practice on their own daily using CDs that will be provided, as well as extra practices after school until they leave. They are quite a determined bunch, these kids! So, no crisis, just info.]

To date, I’ve made $2050 in payments on this trip, with $300 of that from donations from you wonderful folks. Another $280 has been donated toward the final payment, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

On January 31st, the final payment is due: $1375.
That means I still have $1095 still to raise.

So this is the last plea for help. My son has looked forward to this trip since the end of last year when he heard where they were going. He will have the chance to see amazing things, and the memories of singing in cathedrals that most of us only see in pictures on the web. This is a once in a lifetime trip. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that final payment is made – including beg all of you to spread the word, and help me make his dream come true.

We have had a rough year and a half since Kevin died, and my super sensitive boy deserves a chance to do something amazing like this.

Every little bit helps. There’s the paypal button as well as the chipin button on the sidebar. Please, I’m begging you. Pass the word on to your own readers, and help me send my son to Europe with his choir. He deserves this, and if I had the money to just write a check, I would in a heartbeat. Since I don’t, I’m begging for help.

Help me find my angels, please.

You know you’re Alaskan when…

The Girl: Do I haaaaaaaave to wear the big heavy coat again? I wanna wear my Softball coat!
Me: Alright, go ahead. It’s warmer today.
The Girl: Yay! Promise I’ll wear a hat since my hair is still wet.
Me: Deal.

Then, after she’s gone, I check the temperature outside. It’s a positively balmy -1F.

BWAHAHAHAH.

Warmer indeed. Practically t-shirt weather after the past two days. It may have been absolutely frigid outside yesterday, but at least it made for pretty pictures…

Update: 11 PM

That sound you hear? is the oh so lovely sound of hot water running through my pipes. Yay!

The sound we heard a few seconds before it started to flow scared the holy hell outa me and The Boy. We *heard* the ice breakaway with a loud THUDBANGBANGTHUD then the open faucet in the bathtub started spewing water while we ran to make sure we hadn’t burst anything in the garage (it doesn’t seem so) or under the house (er. don’t *think* so)

We have full pressure hot water in all faucets now, so I think we’re good. The boy and I will check it more thoroughly tomorrow in daylight. Until then, I’m keeping the water going at a trickle.

Current Conditions:

Observed at:	Kenai, Alaska
Elevation:	95 ft / 29 m

-26 °F / -32 °C Clear

Still have heat – but no hot water. Pipes are frozen.

I hate winter.

haaaaaaaaaaaaate it.

Anyone wanna take bets on if the car will start? Almost didn’t yesterday…

Edited to add:

You think I’m kidding about how cold it is in here? House holds zero heat. It’s old and cheap and beat up. This is the duct taped covered/closed cat door on the door that goes from my kitchen to my garage:

Yes. That’s ice. Along the bottom. Of my INSIDE DOOR.

And one of our windows:

That would be the ice covered handle on the window in my girls room. And the second one? That’s what happens when two wound up hyper kittens decide to chase a fly UP the ice covered window!

I’m cold. *shivah*

PS: car started. Barely. It didn’t want too – can’t say as I blame it. heh. three minutes of holding the key on to get it to finally turn over fast enough to start.

winter bites.