Alaskan Adventure - July 29, 2014 - Central Mission Assembly of God

Today was a beautiful day in Fairbanks and much was accomplished.

The foam insulation is almost complete on the building. 

Glenn worked on the plumbing and supervised some young men from the Mission putting in the insulation in the walls.

Al had to move a small building over a few feet so that the insulation could be finished on one end of the building.  

    Small building was moved a few feet so that scissors lift could get between the buildings.

They needed that fork lift yesterday for all the sheetrock but it was put to great use today.

Ron needed the electrical pole set and the forklift was handy to do that job.  But first, a fence had to be removed. 

   Ron Brown

    Glenn Pitt

    Team work.

   The forklift was used to move the pole and set the pole.

See the story in pictures.

Picking up the augur to put on forklift.

    

    Moving to the position for the pole. 

     

     Digging the hole for the pole.

   

    Glenn roped the pole and the forklift was used to pick it up and set it in place.

     Big task completed. 

The ladies made kimchi for a fund raiser for the church.  Orders were taken prior to today.

These ladies are amazing.  They have taken real good care of us and have feed us well.

Good ending of a busy day with wonderful friends.

Alaskan Facts:

Juneau has no road access to the rest of the state! It is the only capital city in the United States accessible only by boat or plane. It is also the largest U.S. city covering 3,108 square miles.

      Juneau

     Juneau

Alaskan Adventure - July 28, 2014 - Central Mission Assembly of God Church

Today the sheetrock was delivered.....

......two weeks too early....so the guys had to stop what they were doing to unload.  Home Depot here in Fairbanks didn't use a lift truck nor do they unload, so it was up to our guys to tackle the task.

They were beat to say the least at the end of the day!   Sheetrock for a three story building is a lot of sheetrock to be unloaded one at a time.  They were thankful that we still had the scissors lift truck.

Before that fiasco, they had to maneuver the scissors lift in between the new building and a small existing building.

 

They were working on the siding before the sheetrock was delivered and I think 

In this picture they are backing the lift out to use for the sheetrock. 

 

But all is good.  The building is coming right along and it looks like good weather the rest of the week.

On Monday evenings, Joyce and Ginger meet with a quilting club at First Assembly. They make children blankets to give to the remote villages as a missions project.  I'm not too much into quilting (ask my daughter) but yesterday I went along too.  Who knows maybe someday?  Carmen, don't laugh...( she knows I probably won't). 

    

Yes, you see Ron Brown in the pic.  He is the official seam ripper.

Alaskan Facts:

What is the only bird that grows feathers on their feet for the winter? 

Answer.  Willow Ptaemigan

Ptarmigan are arctic grouse. The willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) changes color from light brown in summer to snow white in winter for effective camouflage from predators. Another distinctive feature is its feathered toes. In winter months the willow ptarmigan eats mosses and lichens, willow buds and twigs, a little birch; seeds and berries when available. In summer their diet expands to vegetable matter and occasionally caterpillars or beetles.

Ptarmigan are sociable in winter and usually feed and roost in the snow close together. In spring flocks of several thousand sometimes appear en route to their breeding grounds. These huge flocks rapidly disperse as summer areas are reached and cocks demand elbow room for their share of the tundra.

Alaskan Adventure - July 26, 2014 - FreeTime Saturday

On Saturday we try to get out and do fun things with the guys.

We first started out going to the Great Alaskan Bowl Company where they make wooden bowls out of Alaskan birch logs.  It is quite interesting.  But, wow, expensive. 

Next we went to the Alaskan Fur Company

Also expensive.

   Love the tassels Al.

Since we were near by, we thought we would check out where we go to catch the dinner cruise.  

    The Discovery Dining Hall food was very good. 

    Our trip is on Aug 2, 2014

   Soaking up the sunshine while the ladies shop the huge gift shop.

We then went downtown to experience the Ice Museum.  After a video of how they get the ice to carve, we all took turns on the ice slide.

   Al was first.

    Me

    Super fun!

Attached is a video of Joyce going down the ice slide.  It might be best to read the whole blog and then come back to the video.  The link takes you to YouTube and it may not take you back to the blog.

http://youtu.be/71_Fz3TQQzE

  Just click on the link.  You may have to wait for it to load but her laugh is worth the wait.  I checked it out and the link does work.

Here are more pictures of us at the Ice Museum

    "Hurry Glenn, take the picture we are freezing"!

  The guys on the ice snow mobile

After fun playing around the ice sculptures, we were given a demonstration on ice sculpturing.

At the museum, we were told of sand sculpturing so we ventured to check it out.

   Some were still working on their art.  Judging is on Sunday.

We had a fun filled day.

Sunday was sunshiny but cool.  We had a good service and the choir did a wonderful job.