Congratulations Winners!

By now you all saw the winner is Jeff King! I tried to watch the end of the race on television this morning and I guess I just kept flipping to the wrong stations because I didn't see ONE thing about the Iditarod Race Finish!

How disappointing! I wanted to see that.

Anyway, Jeff King, Doug Swingley, Paul Gebhardt and DeeDee ---great job mushers!

To the ones still on the trail---keep hangin' on to those dogs and that handlebar!

What a grueling race! Looking at Jeff King's frozen face makes me wonder why anyone would want to do this? Their desires to keep on racing in Alaska's bitter cold bewilders me. Same with those that want to climb Denali Mt! BRRRRRRRRRR!

According to ADN, Martin Buser continues on in 26th! Come on in Buser! We love ya!

Now that the race is getting over I want to share this story that Doug sent to me.

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastors visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing.

In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor got up, took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday."

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

What a great story!

Big Window Into Your Soul

Looks like the mushers are well into the end of the race now. Looks like it will be a race between Jeff King, Doug Swingley, DeeDee Jonrowe and Paul Gebhardt. They definitely have set the pace for the race this year.

Martin Buser continues to run well behind the leading teams in 26th position. He is running eleven dogs now. ADN continues to provide very good coverage with lots to read. I enjoyed listening to their AM Audio this morning. Buser and others spoke about wha it is like to continue on racing with sleep deprivation and fatigue which the mushers will battle until the end of the race. Martin Buser said pushing yourself beyond exhaustion can be very revealing and frightening.

"It's [exhaustion, hallucinations] a big window into your soul, I think. People that don't like what they are seeing they don't run the Iditarod from year to year." Martin Buser

Jonrowe says she is just trying to maintain the position she is at right now.

Scratches remain at eleven.

Three dogs have died.

It's blowing and cold here. Yuck! I am happy to have a lot of wood and a warm fire in the stove.

"I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." Psalms 4:8

...and that's not referring to Safety on the Iditarod Trail. :-)

That Lost & Found Handlebar!

Driving home from church today we saw a dog sled truck go by and I felt like hollering to him, "Hey you are not supposed to be back here yet!" But I see there have been numerous scratches. There were a lot of rookies in the Iditarod race this year. 83 started the race.

When I walk my little dog to go potty and stand in the freezing wind I think about those brave sledders and am awed by their stamina. I have no desire what - so - ever to be out there flying through the snow! I applaud all of them, even the ones that had to scratch for one reason or another. Eleven so far have scratched from the race. God bless them all.

So, what's up with that Buser? Come on Buser, go, go, go! I tried to find the picture I have of my daughters Karla and Kim with Buser, but didn't find it. They were at a ball.. fancy gowns and all! They had a lot of fun. I believe they were raising funds for the Iditarod Race. If I ever find it I will post it.

Buser lost the handlebar on his sled in the crash but managed to jury-rig a repair and push on. Hours later, fatigued Iditarod rookie Bryan Bearss pulled into Cripple packing the handlebar for Buser's sled. "Yeah I saw that stump," Bearss said. "There was (debris) scattered all over the place. It looked like a sled junk yard."

"I've got (the handlebar) somewhere tucked inside my sled." ADN

Sounds like some troubles on the trail.

Not sure what this all means for Martin's chances to win. Never know, he still could surprise us! I bet he is still sporting that same winning smile!!

Many of the drivers have rested out their mandatory 24 hrs. I was happy to see Buser has his 24 and 8, just one mandatory 8 left for White Mountain.

I think the end of the race will be coming up really quick!

Two-Sided Tooth Fairy Bag

This is a fun project I have been working on.

I thought it might be fun to create something to make Dad & Mom's job easier.

When my girls were young one of them asked me, "Mom, what does the toothfairy do with all the teeth she takes?"

Good question!

As the years passed and each one had to have teeth changed into money, the story was embellished until I finally was telling my five children this:

OH! Don't you know that the Toothfairy is very fashionable so she goes around looking for the prettiest, shiniest, whitest teeth for her dresses?

After a long night of hunting for little, loose teeth she loves to take colorful ribbons, attach the teeth on to them then sew them on to her gowns. She does not like ugly ol' rotten teeth (my sneaky attempt at making brushing teeth very important) and if you try to give her one she won't even bother with it.

Some night if you ever happen to wake up (which is very rare, she is so very good at being carefully quiet *big wink*) and catch her checking around your pillow for your nice lookin' tooth --- it maybe be because she woke you up with all those noisy teeth clicking around on her gown!

This is the bag I have designed, beaded and just finished ---last night! One side has a picture of the Tooth Fairy and the other a picture of a girl and boy holding up loose teeth and sporting a missing-toothed smile. It's meant to hold loose teeth which can then can be hung up in a very accessible spot ---thus making it easier on our beautiful *ah-hem* Tooth Fairy! *winkety wink wink wink!"

Now, where is Buser at?

Happy Birthday to you, Jen!