In Shackleton's Wake by Arved Fuchs (Oct 1-3). Recreating Shackleton's lifeboat voyage after Endurance sank does not sound like my idea of fun D:

Antarctic Night: One Man's Story of 28,224 Hours at the Bottom of the World by Jack Bursey (Oct 4-6)

Follow the River by Paul Greci (Oct 7-8). Rowing a canoe through a forest fire?? Intense!

Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond by Robin George Andrews (Oct 9-15). Fascinating! So many cool facts, like Jupiter's moon Io has over 400 volcanoes and is the most volcanically active object in the solar system. Some volcanoes can shoot sulfur dioxide plumes 300 miles into space!!

Where the Irises Bloom by Will Lowrey (Oct 16). A kitten's mom gets killed and is alone on the streets until she meets a homeless man who stutters, and they bond. The ending was pretty sad, but hopeful too

The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton's Endurance by Mensun Bound (Oct 17-27). I remember when the Endurance was found in 2022 (exciting!), so of course I had to read the book about how it was found lol. The author also mentioned Stephen Scott-Fawcett, who runs the Ernest Shackleton Appreciation Society group on Facebook! I thought that was cool, since I'm a part of that group too lol

The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku (Oct 29-30). His revenge on the Nazis was to live a happy life. I have a fridge magnet that says "be happy, it really annoys your enemies!," so that's how I try to live too! Anger and hate just destroys you. I'm always amazed at how anyone could have survived those awful concentration camps D:

I've been really tired all this week because I didn't get to rest after traveling, and it's dark so late now. Today has been the first day this week I've felt more myself. Denise came in to work today and I went to eat lunch, then went to a staff meeting, which Denise seemed fine with when I asked if it was ok. One of my coworkers might adopt a puppy, and brought him to work for everyone to see! After the meeting, of course we had to pet the puppy and show him some love! (He loved licking me and Vicki's hands hehe.) Denise came in the room and I thought she was going to pet the puppy, but she came to me and very nastily said how she'd been waiting for me to relieve her and that she had a ton of work to do. I would have been fine with "hey Heather, would you mind taking over the register while I work in the back?" It's not my fault how long the staff meetings are, and of course I had to say hi to the puppy, so I was pretty upset. Vicki said I was fine and didn't do anything wrong..I had her permission to be there, and she's my supervisor, not Denise. I actually had to wait for Denise to relieve ME for lunch because she's ALWAYS late for work, and I didn't yell at her! Me and Vicki went back to where Denise was and I don't know what came over me, but I just..lost it. I told her I didn't appreciate being yelled at, she started yelling at me about how it makes her super angry when I'm late in relieving her or something, and we've had conversations about it. Uhh..really? I do remember one time everyone was eating lunch in the classroom and she looked at me and made the motion to eat faster, so I could relieve her. I physically CANNOT eat fast without choking, and I've TOLD her that, but she was still annoyed, so now I feel guilty whenever I eat lunch and someone else is at the register. As Denise relieved me today, I told her someone left their drink on the counter, because I knew she'd ask me, but she just gave me this weird annoyed look as if to say "why are you telling me this??" and a second later was like "oh, yeah, I probably would have asked you." I've been dealing with these "looks" and her seeming inability not to get annoyed about EVERYTHING (when she tells me something is her pet peeve, I want to say "what ISN'T your pet peeve??) for YEARS and I'm SO TIRED of it. She's even yelled at customers, once when I was in the back helping unload books, and they posted a review online saying how awful me and Denise were to her. I was MORTIFIED. Probably one reason I just couldn't take it anymore and couldn't control my anger. She was actually yelling loud today it echoed in the building, and I was shaking from everything. Lucie and Shelby also came back and were trying to control us, but I couldn't stop trying to defend myself! Finally Lucie told Denise to go home, and said something about me having to stop too, and I finally got control of myself and apologized. Lucie said she wanted to have a talk with us in her office, first Vicki, while I hid in a classroom and started crying. I was worried I'd be in huge trouble. I almost NEVER react that way to something, especially in public. That's probably the only time any of my current coworkers have seen me act that way. I'm known for being calm and polite, not "yelly" and combative! Lucie then called me to her office, where I apologized profusely and I said I could have handled that WAY better. Lucie and Vicki made it clear I wasn't in trouble, but next time just let one of them handle a situation like that..they're the managers, not me! They said that's their burden to carry, not mine. I just kept apologizing because I was so embarrassed I had acted that way. I said being tired from traveling didn't help, which they understood. I love how calm and comforting Vicki is in situations like this, one reason she's an amazing manager. She said they're going to have a talk with Denise on Tuesday..maybe there's something going on with her that she hasn't told anyone about. I'll also have to talk with her, to hopefully mend the hurt from today. Neither of us acted appropriately, but Vicki said we're only human, and now I know how to act better in the future. So embarrassing! Vicki is positive things will work out next week, when emotions aren't going crazy. Things must improve!

( oct 29-nov 1 )

On Saturday, the bookstore made $8,626, our best sale yet! It seemed like there were 100 people in the building when we opened haha. It was pretty epic! We promote our merch (shirts, bags, etc) a lot more now, and that's one reason why we do so well now. Because I worked Saturday, I had today off, so I figured I'd pamper myself haha and get my hair cut!

Nice! I love choppy layers lol. There was drama though, when I got out of the car I saw a police officer trying to run on the slippery ice after someone..he was holding a taser and screaming "GET ON THE GROUND!!!" The guy finally listened and that's when at least 6 or so other police officers arrived..all that for one guy?? Crazy lol

Mom and I also saw The Wild Robot. I've been curious about the book it's based on, but thought I was too old to read a middle grade book. I was worried the movie would be too "kids-y," but it was SO good! The animation and use of color was GORGEOUS and it just had a great story. I definitely need to read the book now!

( oct 12-16 )

Today mom and I went to Hampton Court..nice place! Henry the 8th lived there, which I hadn't known. There were actors there portraying the king, Catherine Parr, etc..you'd be in a room and suddenly you'd be caught up in their drama! Like there was a group of us outside and the king and his assistant came up to us and were just talking, when his assistant suddenly whispered in his ear and he said he had to leave. Catherine came down the stairs calling for Henry, but he didn't stop for her..she told us to gather around her and she told us she was worried about the king's health and stuff. She left and her assistant told us to follow her to the Great Hall, where she told us someone connected to Catherine was beheaded, and she was worried that that connection would get Catherine in trouble..sure enough, she found a message that was a warrant for her arrest. She told us to follow her to another room, where Catherine was reading a "heretical" book, and her assistant freaked out, grabbed it out of her hands, and hid it under a stool, and told mom to sit on the stool. Catherine left to find Henry, and all of a sudden there was a pounding on the doors..the king's assistant came in and started looking for evidence that would show Catherine was a heretic. Two stools he searched didn't come up with anything, and he was about to leave when he saw the stool mom was sitting on. He told her to move, and mom was like "I'm not feeling well, I don't think I can!" and he was like "are you refusing my search?? Feeling unwell is no excuse! I'll take you to the Tower of London and have your head!" OMG lol poor mom. :P He eventually forced her to move, where the book was found, and yelled at mom some more about hiding heretical items LOL. He was going to find Catherine and arrest her, and told everyone in the room to follow him because he trusted none of us lol. In the other room was a balcony, where Catherine and Henry were talking..she was apologizing to him and saying the talk of being a heretic was untrue. The assistant appeared and Henry basically told him to get lost lol..he came back down to us very chagrined and embarrassed, and told us he made a mistake and that we could go back to our duties. The queen's assistant thanked us (especially mom) for our loyalty to the queen. Both of them came back down and said they had worked out their differences, and told us to have a good day. I thought it was really cool and fun that they do something like that! It makes the visit more "real" and special. As we left the weather got crazy and started snowing..guess we left just in time :P

We are definitely not going to be able to go to Scotland..the weather is just too crazy. Darn! I really want to go to Cambridge to see the Scott Polar Research Institute, but with the weather getting worse it might not happen. :( I'm kinda regretting the lazy days where we did nothing, but we can only do so much and need to recover. The most important thing was seeing Cherry's grave and the penguin egg, which I'm very grateful I got to see. Cambridge might have to wait till next time. We're not even sure we'll be able to fly out on Saturday. I definitely didn't expect the weather to be like this lol. Guess we'll have to see what happens..

There has been an insane about of drama with the nursing home business..Liz is freaking out and being nasty to us, grandma is freaking out, mom's sisters are freaking out, and mom is caught in the middle trying to calm everyone down. Ugh. It's exhausting! I hope it gets sorted out eventually..

( hampton court pics! )

Wow, today has been interesting! It's been so busy! Four planes have landed so far (other pilots have called mom too but they didn't land here) and people keep calling. Three out of the four pilots have come in to talk and get weather and stuff. We also baked them cookies and brownies..they loved that hehe. It's so cool they come in to visit. All of them have wanted to go to the Anchorange area but the weather is too bad for them to go direct there. They either have to go the long way around or stay the night in Tok. They also came from Canada (they have to land and go through customs). One of the pilots was really low on fuel and he was trying to beg someone to get fuel for him or hitchhike up the road. Mom said if he was here when she got off work she would drive him to Tok. His plane is still there so I don't know what's going to happen. Then this bigger plane landed..when they taxied an Alaska State Trooper car drove up and out came this handcuffed guy. I was spying on them with binoculars haha. The troopers were putting a backpack and stuff in an evidence bag. They were tying the guy's arms and legs together so he wouldn't attack anyone on the plane. So weird!! I know he was going to Tok when he took off but I'm not sure where after that..maybe Fairbanks. I wonder what was up with that..I hope it'll be in the news! Having a busier day definitely makes the day go by faster..way better than a boring slow day!