Fairbanks' acting Police Chief Brad Johnson announced that Sgt. Allen Brandt has died following complications from surgery in a brief, emotional press conference this afternoon [Friday].

"Fairbanks lost a hero today," Johnson said, with Fairbanks city Mayor Jim Matherly standing somberly next to him. "I'm sorry to have to let you know that earlier this afternoon, Sgt. Allen Brandt lost the fight. He had surgery yesterday and suffered complications afterward which continued to deteriorate throughout the day and from which he was unable to recover.

That's so sad!! He survived the shooting but died after surgery..wow :(

The Northern Lights were pretty awesome on Friday (I like to think they were in memory of the police officer). They started off dim but kept getting brighter. Around midnight they started dancing like crazy..it always amazes me how fast they can move! Beautiful <3

( Day 5-Handwrite your best friend’s name )

Today's trivia: The average human body contains enough carbon to make 900 pencils

Mom told me that Snowy died this morning. :( He wasn't doing well at all when I left on Sunday, and mom said he just got worse after I left. He had gotten super skinny and feeble and looked so uncomfortable, so I figured his time was almost up. This morning dad put Snowy on a footstool and he died peacefully (hopefully, dad said he wasn't groaning or anything) soon after. He was such a sweet kitty and I'm so happy we had a great 20 years together. I still remember getting him at a soccer game as a kid..he was so cute! I'm sad that he's gone, but it was for the best..it was hard seeing him so uncomfortable. :( He'll always have a special place in my heart <3

( 15. A habit you have that other people bug you over )

Today's trivia: Pirates wore earrings because they believed that earrings helped to improve their eyesight

The cat I was sponsoring, Casper, passed away yesterday. :( He had spinal cancer and was found paralyzed. He was brought to Tabby's Place and they said he only had a few weeks to live and he'd never walk again. With love and medicine, Casper beat the odds and walked again and lived longer than expected (he was brought there in February 2014). I had never met Casper, but I still felt a bond with him. I had found Tabby's Place (they're a cage-free sanctuary for special needs cats, cats rescued from hopeless situations, etc) on Google when looking for cats to sponsor and loved what they do..they're definitely full of love (when I first became Casper's sponsor, they sent me an email, a personal letter and a picture of him thanking me for being a sponsor!). Too bad they're all the way in New Jersey..I'd love to visit them! I will sponsor another cat that needs help of course, but I'll never forget Casper. I'm gonna post his obituary here, because it's beautiful and just want a record of it

( casper's obituary )

You rock Tabby's Place!!

( 15:A song that is a cover by another artist? )

Today's trivia: Clocks, handkerchiefs, straw sandals and flowers are all associated with death and funerals in China. Deemed inappropriate and morbid, you’ll risk damaging a relationship if you present these gifts – for any occasion - to someone in China

Yeah!!

Today I found out Jimmy Gaydos, who was on Ultimate Survival Alaska and who came into the bookstore sometimes was shot and killed yesterday afternoon. I am shocked and sad..I just saw him last week or the week before. He was so interesting and nice..I can't believe someone would do that. :( :( I'll miss seeing him in the bookstore..

( Day 2: A television show that you hate )

Today's trivia: The leaf blower was invented in the late 1950s as a tool to spread pesticides

1. What do you usually do on Fridays? Work, go over to my parents' house, maybe travel somewhere..
2. Who are you usually with on Friday nights? Family
3. Do you get dressed up when you go out? No
4. What time do you go to bed after the night's over? 11 or 12 something
5. Do you wish you could be doing something else today? Eh, it's too rainy to travel somewhere

My neighbor Ethel died on Wednesday. :( She was in poor health..she was on oxygen and stuff. I'll miss her (and her cat haha)..she was so nice!

( Day 07 - A song that reminds you of the past summer )

Pumpkin has been gone two weeks now..I don't like giving up hope, but if anyone knew their way around outside, it was her. She would have come home by now. I hope her death wasn't too painful :(

I finished my earthquake essay. If anyone would like to read it, I'll post it here!

( essay )

Grandma died yesterday. She hadn't been doing well so it wasn't unexpected, but still sad. At least it was at home in her bed and she's not suffering anymore. I feel guilty about not seeing her before though..

Dana's coming to visit in July! We may have to do things on our own since mom has to work. Taking the train to Denali would be cool..

( Day 92 - Something weird in your house )

Yesterday we had Pat over at mom's house (she would have been alone on New Years if we hadn't). Before dinner we watched Wall-e..she thought it was cute hehe. We had a post roast for dinner..Pat loved it haha. Mom made a fire in the woodstove and we sat by that for awhile..then dad set off the rest of the fireworks. Yaay haha. Then it was time to go..I think Pat really appreciated being able to come over

One of the people in the apartment building died in the past few days. I had just talked to her the day before she went into the hospital and she seemed fine. Then she went to the hospital and they said they didn't think she was going to live..then she went into a coma and passed away. Apparently she had cancer. That's just..wow

( 02. A map of your state )

Would you rather have to change your little brother's diapers or clean your grandmother's false teeth? Clean the false teeth

Today's trivia: James Madison, 5 feet, 4 inches tall, was the shortest US president

( and an article )

RIP

Would you rather drink 8 cups of month old, dirty aquarium water or squeeze the dirty liquid from a gross, used sponge into your mouth? Eww..the sponge

Today's trivia: According to a survey, over 10 percent of Americans have picked someone else's nose (EW EW EW..wth??)

Before I talk about the hike..grandma died early this morning. I'm thinking it was peacefully in her sleep cause she was basically just sleeping before she died. Hopefully she's in a better place now. Well..yesterday we drove to Gulkana Glacier. The whole week I was obsessing over the weather..it said rain and stuff but mom had checked the weather at work and was confident it would get better in the afternoon as soon as we got to the glacier haha. It was raining and cloudy when we drove there but mom was still confident. We met up with Carol and it was misting on us and a cloud was coming over the glacier but the mist didn't last long. Basically the whole way we walked on glacial moraines. Let me tell you..they were rocky the WHOLE way and I got tired of walking on rocks after a minute haha. We had to cross a suspension bridge over a creek to get to the glacier. That bridge was FUN haha. Everyone else was like "OMG THIS IS SCARY" and I was like "THIS IS AWESOME!" haha. We got to the glacier..and it became sunny..like almost exactly mom said it would. And when we left there were clouds all around..except where we were..that gave me CHILLS. Whoaaa. We weren't able to walk on the glacier cause the ice bridge to get to it had melted. I was like "what?!" cause I was coming thinking we'd be able to walk on it. But there really wasn't any way to get on it without killing yourself. The creeks were TOO rushing and wide, the rocks on the glacial silt were too unstable to climb on (as I found out haha), and even if you did get across the creeks the terminal moraines were too steep and possibly unstable to walk on. Oh well. We sat on the rocks for a bit until a falling rock threatened to hit us..it might have if it didn't hit another rock and stop. We decided to leave then. :P We walked back in the warmth, got dinner at Delta Junction and drove home. Mom saw 5 moose and I saw 4! Wow haha

( pics! )

Today's trivia: In medieval England jurors weren't fed until they reached a decision