AK on the GO

I love when Friday appears and brings all sorts of interesting things along with it. This week seems to be “skating days” , and our weather, too, is a definite thumbs-up with temps in the 20’s and 30’s, perfect for getting outside and enjoying our blade-related activities this weekend.  We also have a spring-themed presentation and a crafty class going on, so read carefully and pick your fun!

My favorite event takes place tomorrow. The Muni’s Parks and Rec department is sponsoring a Victorian Skate at Cuddy Park from 3-7 p.m., complete with fuzzy muffs, bowler hats, and long dresses to complete the picture. No kidding. A theme duplicating the 1840’s-90’s will showcase snack choices, too, with not only hot chocolate to warm up by, but also the quintessential roasted chesnut. Yum.  A horse-drawn sleigh will round out the experience as sedate skaters glide and whirl around the skating pond. If you have little girls who wish they could skate every day in a dress, this event is for you. Cost for the event is $5/family, mostly to cover costs of refreshments, and why not? It’s sure to be a real treat to witness life so long ago.

Don’t forget to head down to Westchester for another day in the Family Skate Series at the Lagoon, with the wishful idea of “Day at the Beach” the featured concept for the afternoon. This FREE event will have some sunshine-related music, warm drinks, and lots of skating fun. I dare you to show up in your bermudas,  and ask you to take a photo if you do.

Want to stay inside for a bit? (not too long, now). Try the Alaska Botanical Garden’s  class titled “Planning Your Kitchen Garden“, guaranteed to be an interesting look at growing your family’s food right here in Alaska. I have a friend whose son is working on a merit badge for Boy Scouts, and the family garden fits right in with his plans for a raised garden bed. Cool! The class will be held at the UAA Consortium Library, Room #307 from 2:30-4 p.m. Cost is $5 for AK Botanical members/$10 for everyone else. I think it sounds like fun to plan a family garden, especially when everyone eats the profits!

Last, we have a wonderful opportunity for those hands-on older kids and their parents. Eagle River Nature Center  is hosting a class on how to create a birch bark basket. Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Center. $10 per person, and please, leave the small ones at home. This is suitable for kids ages 13 and up, and adults. What a great skill and a great time learning in a beautiful environment like ERNC.

Tons of stuff, tons of fun. Trouble is, what do we do first?

Last Sunday the New York Times published an article about airline security and TSA and the rigamarole surrounding the schlepping of gear and people through the endless maze of presumed safety.

We all know, however, when kids are added to the mix all is not sweetness and light when it comes to the disrobing and probing of our little ones, despite TSA’s insistence that they will treat our children appropriately. At any rate, TSA has produced a video series for parents traveling with kids that is intended to offer, if nothing else, a sense of faith in the agent waiting at the desk or in front of the metal detector. Like, how to respond when a little one throws a fit because shoes have to come off and the stuffed animal must be x-rayed for explosives and the baby needs a diaper change RIGHT NOW.

Four videos demonstrate how, when, and where to put the mountains of stuff at the checkpoint, what passengers are allowed to bring, and why not to offer a snippy comeback to the question “May I look in this bag, ma’am?” Another video called ‘Kids-to-Kids’ features school-aged children voicing over a demonstration of how to go through a checkpoint, presumably to reduce the numbers of time-outs on the other side or lost kids due to the resulting chaos.

At only 2 minutes or so per segment, I’m thinking TSA could have gone much, much further with these vids. Or maybe I heard one too many times during the show “If you have a question, do not hesitate to ask your TSO professional.” Uh huh. Anyhow, look for yourself and let us know what you think.

Better yet, tell us how you survive the TSA. Hey, maybe I’ve come up with a new sticker for kids, instead of the silly “Jr. TSA” one they now offer kids. “I made it through with my own shoes!” sounds better, don’t you think?