Girls with skills

"You should learn to crochet or knit so you can make us cool scarves and hats."  That's what my husband said to me this week.  And I could actually respond, "I know how to crochet."  I grew up crocheting.  It's one of the skills my mother taught me.  What else is there to do during a long, cold Alaskan winter?  Alaska girls got skills!  Now-a-days not many girls learn to sew or knit or do all those "domestic" things.  Women want to be "empowered".  Not curtail to our grandmother's generation.  But I have to say, those skills come in very handy!  So today I'm thankful for the domestic skills my mama taught me.  When all the other girls have to take their trousers to a seamstress to be hemmed, I feel very empowered!

Alaskan Roots

When it's cold outside and I don't feel good and it's the weekend and I need to run a quick errand, I don't care what I look like.  The sleeping-bag coat covers up my sweats and pajama top.  A hat takes care of the hair I haven't washed.  The boots and no make-up... well, let's just hope I don't run into anyone I know.  I walked out the door on Sunday afternoon looking pretty OK for an Alaskan going to town.  I didn't think it was a big deal until Will said, "I'm glad I'm not going with you."  I guess I didn't look very European in my get-up.  What can I say?  When it's cold outside, the Alaskan in me comes out.  That is one thing I miss about Alaska - it really does NOT matter what you wear or look like when you walk out the door.  On a Sunday afternoon, it's exactly what I needed - a bit of home.

Alaskan Summer Clothing - good for fishing, shopping, and walking around town.

Color coordinated!

My hair is actually done here - there's a hair clip.  Ya, I was that kid, along with every other kid in my class.

"Home"

Where is home?  We had this conversation at the faculty lunch table this week, laughing at the irony of the word "home" for expats.

Home is Budapest.
Home is "back home" where our families live.
Home is where our community is.
Home is where we once lived.
Home can be said for two different places in the same sentence.
Home can be our permanent address where we have never actually lived.
Or the state on our driver's license.
Home is where there are people who love us.

This summer we're going "back home" to visit family.  "Home" meaning the U.S.  I'm not even making it up to Alaska this time and still it's called "home".  Then we're coming "home" to Budapest, where we live and work and go about our regular routines.

Home.
It's a funny word.