Debacled

Bragg-ing

2011-10-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

Went to Fort Bragg a few weekends ago with Jessie Rae and Reid, my Olympic team. Little did we know that the town was in the middle of a full on manhunt for a 2x murderer. We did not get murdered and had a fantastic time. Pretended we were an earth conscious bicycle gang during coastal clean-up day. I was very grateful for Reid's ick stick when I found a sleeve, ripped off and abandoned in a private cove. I once dated an oyster farmer who joked about being stuck out on the flats at low tide with no TP. The ripped off sleeve was his favorite solution.Ran from a snake while picking berries. Reid may or may not have seen it and failed to give notice. He was just jealous that I picked twice as many berries as he and the missus put together.

Visited the North Coast Brewery. I felt their beer selection was one of the best I've seen at any brewery. And they have heavenly waffle fries with garlic sauce. Their abbey style Belgian, "Brother Thelonius" is delicious and Old Rasputin, Old Stock, Red Seal Ale, Pranqster and Scrimshaw are also very tasty. I got the sampler, ok. They're mini glasses, don't judge.

Ate a ton of delicious food raised and cooked by the members of Portuguese communities between Rio Vista and Fort Bragg. The gathering was for a festa and to celebrate my friends' engagement. Someday I'll actually make it to one of the festas but this time I just lazed around the campfire, ate goat, drank homemade wine and wished I spoke Portuguese. I do know "dê-me dois beijos" which means "Give me two kisses." Jessie taught me to say it to an old man at an SF restaurant. And I got two kisses.

Home Sweet Home

2011-10-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Joined a hiking club. Met some good, fun people from the club and from work. I like where I live, alot. Like my students and my coworkers. Still love being a speech therapist but feeling the need for some inspiration. Hopefully I'll get that at our annual conference next month in San Diego. Work has been taxing, tiring and trying but really I just need to kick it in gear.
Here are the long ago promised photos of my cute little cottage. Decorations, curtains, basically everything you see by Older sister.
Love my Wedgewood stove and vintage sink. Still love my Alaskan brewery pint glass collection.
Love my bargain living room. Love my couch and extra storage coffee table. Everything bought second hand for $145. Top that.
Love my Formica table and the pink chairs Sister just happened to have sitting at her house. Don't love the ladder but getting used to it. Love the butcher block with drawers in the kitchen.
Love all the windows. Love that my dresser from my SF apartment makes a nice entry with more storage. And that it was free. Love Hieronymus Bosch painting in my old art book.
Love my Ball Jars as a solution for food storage. Love my tobacco tin as spice storage. Love my antique yellow fruit bowl. Love how my handmade by The Sister curtains let the light in. Love the view from that window. Deer, ravens, blue jays and squirrels like to hang out there. LOVE the stackable washer and dryer on the back porch.Love my split personality home. My pink alarm clock and my "side table." Don't really love the air mattress but a rug under and a memory foam topper were a big help.Love that my down comforter was retired and has been camping all through Alaska but made the perfect comeback in my tiny bedroom.
Love the view out the back row of windows. Love thinking that I'll have a fire with family around it at some point. But most of all, love that the beach is two blocks away and the sibs are two hours away.

But, don't go getting any ideas. I'm here for a good time, not a long time.

Transformer

2011-08-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

Problem...

Solved.A whole wall of closet space easily accessed and hidden. Perfect. Yes, that's my fishing pole and bear mace up top. Girl's gotta be prepared.

Beach Hut

2011-08-15T20:08:00.001-07:00

Here's another reason, in my long list of fantastic finds, that I think I have fabulous Craigslist luck. Never saw this place, signed an agreement by fax, wired the deposit money and then wondered if my head would clear the sleeping loft. Turns out it does, but not the shower head. What's new.
I love my new tiny cottage. It's a very short walk to Asilomar beach and a little bit of a longer walk to downtown Pacific Grove. I've spent the last two afternoons laying in the sun on soft, soft sand, reading my nerd book to my heart's content. Soon I'll post interior pictures.

Slacker

2011-08-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, there are many things I didn't post on in the past month and to be honest, the future of this blog is hanging by a thread. But, I'll try to give it some attention for now. Where did we leave off? The brother came to AK, the parents came to AK, everyone had a great time and caught some fish. I had a magical summer and then it was time to say goodbye to AK and AK friends. That was rough.
Then I drove about 3,500 miles by myself in only 5 driving days. My ass may never recover. Here are the only photos I took. Next post: 100 reasons why my new place is awesome.

My friend, Blackbear. Somewhere in British Columbia.

Cousin dubbed this the "Rape Inn" when he saw the photo. Slept in my car and just used the shower house. No locking door and a black widow on the pipe. That's lodging in The Yukon.

Pioneer Plaza in Portland. Apparently, I could've driven to Times Square instead.

Juneau Falls

2011-07-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

Pretty purple Lupine in bloom.

A glimpse of a lake below.

An eagle's nest high above.

Marty and I set out on this hike with the misinformation that Juneau Falls was a 5.5 mile round trip hike. Turns out it's actually 4.5 miles one way but, it was an easy walk with little elevation gain and some nice views. Nothing spectacular but definitely enjoyable. Juneau Falls is on the 38 mile Resurrection Pass Trail which travels between Cooper Landing and Hope. Like many hikes here, it was hard to tell when we'd hit the destination. "Juneau Falls" was not the waterfall I was expecting and we actually kept going for a while to make sure. Saw a great bear paw print past the falls but forgot to take a picture. The dogs loved the trail and we felt awesome when we learned we'd actually done 9 miles instead of 5. I would have liked to have taken backpacking gear and done the whole thing but the Moose Pass Solstice Festival awaited and time is of the essence this summer.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Click on the map to plot our travels and see how much driving you do in AK to get anywhere fun. Don't forget to notice the picture of the entire state in the lower right and note how big the Peninsula is comparatively.

We're headed to Girdwood today for their annual North Forest Fair and hopefully to hike the Winner Creek trail. I read an article that mentions a hand cart which traverses a gorge. Have to do it! Also picking up the brother from the airport in Anchorage tonight (!!) so I think I'll try to hold out until we pick him up and are headed back South. That way we can add extra weight to the cart and really test it.
The big 4th of July celebration and Mount Marathon Race are in Seward the next day so we're prepared to camp out somewhere near Moose Pass and head out in the morning. If all goes well, we'll get The Harding Ice Field Trail and some Independence Day celebrating in before heading back home on Monday or Tuesday. Wonder if brother is going to like the idea of sleeping on the ground for his first 2 nights of vacation?

Skyline Trail

2011-07-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jade, came to visit at the beginning of June. We did quite a few hikes together and Skyline was the biggest beast of them all. It's a bit confusing because the trail head signage as well as trail guides say it's a 1 mile hike. However, the trail continues up past that mile to then traverse the ridgeline of the Mystery Mountains and eventually meets up with the Fuller Lakes Trail. Apparently, the "top" of Skyline trail is a view point a mile up but if you keep going, you come to a meadow type area with amazing views, wildflowers, and a cache box with a journal that hikers sign in to and also leave goodies in. We went approximately two miles (Jade was wearing a pedometer) but never reached that alpine saddle. A fellow hiker had told us of the cache box on the way up and I had wanted to get to it, but in the end, not knowing about the view, I decided two miles of nearly straight up hiking was good enough. Now I feel like I might have to do this bitch again, so I can get to the real top and not feel cheated.
The trail is at mile 61 of the Sterling Highway. It begins at an elevation of 450 ft and has a gain of 1800 feet in 1 mile. It is strenuous and one section in particular of wide, steep, loose dirt takes lots of careful navigating. Sliding down that hill would probably mean a trip to the ER. In all, the trail is more effort than I usually like to expend but the views, even at the fake top, and the feeling of accomplishment are worth all the cursing and complaining it takes to get there.

Not even close to the top and we started at approximately the same elevation as the lake.

A sample of the terrain, we had just come over that lip of rock you can see. Jade actually bloodied a finger at one point.

View along the way.

Jade waiting patiently for me to drag my wheezing carcass up another few feet. The man behind helps illustrate the angle. And that was an easy part

Yay! We're doing it!

Another viewpoint.

Another example of the terrain.

Fuller Lakes Trail

2011-06-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Last summer my obsession was fishing. This summer I seem to be turning more towards hiking and have decided to share the trails I tackle on my blog. I recently joined up with the Kenai Peninsula Outdoor Club after finding their card in a coffee shop. This is a great group of people of all interests and skill levels that keep updated through a Meet Up website. Fuller Lakes Trail is the first outing I did with them.
This is a 2.9 mile hike one way with a 1440 ft. elevation gain. It was wet and muddy the day we went. We only went to the lower lake at mile 2 but that was still 1300 ft in elevation gain.
This is a nice hike but has been my least favorite so far this summer. The trail moves through vegetation and tree cover and you don't see much diversity in surroundings or get many good views. I just felt it was somewhat visually boring. This could have been due to the time of year (1st week in June) and the lack of wild flowers and berries. The lower lake was a nice resting and picnic spot. One member of the party opted to stay to fish for Arctic Grayling and camp out for the night.
The upper lake (1 mile from the lower) is said to be a good spot for Dolly Varden Trout and views of the Kenai Moutains. Maybe next time. Remember when looking at these pictures that is was a rainy and kinda gray day.

Mud on a flat trail is fine but at the steep parts it gets a little iffy. Thankful for my manly hiking boots.

The view from a break in the trees (finally). Skilak Lake in the background.

)

My regular hiking partners.

Misty Mountain hop

Portrait of a Lady

2011-06-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

My favorite student art ever.

Apparently this is what I look like to a preschooler. When his teacher gave it to me, she said,"Hey, at least they're high and perky."

Busy Bee

2011-06-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

Ta-DAH!!!

Best part of the day! The "widgin." My adult Peter Pan hideaway fantasy come true.

Imagine the rowdy pirate parties.
The hike. The two streaks in the water are otters.
Beach Treasures
Beautiful table where we ate a delicious lunch feast. Still would have preferred the pirate table.

I have 10 minutes before work and have promised myself I would get something new up here. I've been very busy with summer and apologize for my negligence. We have about 22 hours of daylight right now and with a job (ok, partime job), dogs, flowers, guests, friends, etc, I'm burning them all.
My friend Jade was here to visit and started me out on a summer of local trail hiking. I'm going to post more about her visit and the trails later (I swear!) but for now, I started the story of Tutka Bay a long time ago and should follow up.
So... the city of Homer has an annual Shorebird Festival. One of the outings available through the festival was a Cooking Adventure. I'm all for anything related to food so I signed up. We took a water taxi out to Tutka Bay were there is a beautiful lodge. The owner is a very successful chef and was offering a short cooking class, a prepared lunch and a group hike. It was a beautiful day with great company. Not sure how many times I've said this but one of the things I love about Alaska is that I meet the most adventurous, accomplished women here. Here are some pictures of our day...
HA! Just kidding. The pictures are not loaded to my profile so I'll have to go searching for them later. Just one of the reasons this blog has become a little neglected.
To be continued.

What would you do if I sang out of tune?

2011-06-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have not been inspired to do this blog thing. My reader (singular) tells me it's time to post new material so I'll give an update.
I've accepted a job in Monterey, Ca beginning August 8. I have many mixed emotions about this which could be a contributing factor for this writer's block.
Alaska has been my home for 2 years and my friends here have become family. The thought of leaving is hard. On the other hand, it will be unbelievably nice to be close to my immediate family again.
Everyone tells me that Alaska gets in your blood. That once you've lived here, you'll always come back. I believe that to be true and there's already the option to come back next summer and pet sit for theses same labs. But, life has a crazy way of throwing out twists and turns and sometimes it's near impossible to get back to that one sweet spot. Lucky for me it always seems to work out, thanks to the friends who find me along the way.
Anyhow, turns out I'll be making the drive down the ALCAN because the job starts much earlier than anticipated and the ferry is no longer an option. Although everyone and their mother seems to be overly concerned about this, I don't mind. It's going to be long and boring but with a pace set that many people would not want to endure. You can help me out by giving me music and audiobook suggestions. 10-12 hours a day in the car leaves a lot of time for sing alongs.

Scavenger Hunt

2011-06-01T22:46:00.001-07:00

I'm back at my favorite house with my favorite boys for the summer. Two weeks ago we took a walk along the river and found some treasures.

What remained of the ice

and what was left in it's retreat. My guys sharing a moose leg

Until Keetah found his own.

And Sabaka found something fishier. The riverbank was covered with various moose parts and fish carcasses. Today, they and the ice are washed away.

Taking The Waters

2011-05-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

This image "borrowed" from the Facebook page of my friend and property owner, Debbie Boyle. Taken two days before we jumped in.

I had the best Saturday night! Friend Marianne is house sitting for the weekend at our friend's place with this sauna. We started the fire, made dinner, willed her little one to sleep and then she introduced me to the magic of sauna. Three rounds of serious sweating in 180 degrees, broken up by plunges into the icy lake. Let me remind you that it was 45 degrees out and other lakes in the area still have ice on them. Every time we ran into the lake, I screamed loud enough to wake all of Nikiski, or maybe just the one neighbor within miles.
When we were done, neither of us could stop talking about how wonderfully refreshed we felt. The baby was still sleeping like an angel and we were soon to follow. By the time I go home at 11, the sun was just going down and I fell into bed and slept until 8:30. Welcome back, summer! It's going to be a good one.

Alaskan Chateaus

2011-05-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

A long time ago I said I'd post pictures of some true Alaskan type properties. These are two from Homer, more on Homer later. I meant to get a bunch of pictures to illustrate the independent, artsy nature of the community, but got sidetracked by my amazing day trip to Tutka Bay.
I went on the trip to Tutka Bay Lodge as part of the Homer Shorebird Festival to have a cooking class/lunch/tour/hike with the owner, Kirsten Dixon. I came across the event online and didn't realize it was a big deal until I met a baker at Bishop's beach (seriously) who was very excited for me. She confessed to having once stalked Kirsten in the Anchorage Costco but never worked up the courage to talk with her. Again, more on this trip later. I'm just waiting for one of the women from the trip to email me her photos because she had a fancy camera with it's own designated backpack so I'm sure they'll be better that mine.
Ok, back to the shacks. Don't get me started on the F'ed up priorities of today's Americans. Debt up to the eyeballs, worship of material things, more possessions than they can ever use, things replacing relationships, walls and technology replacing experience, no connection to nature, the worst nutritional choices possible... like I said, don't get me started. So, although these homes are unconventional, I admire them for the fact that they A)probably don't carry a mortgage and B) were probably built by hand.
I already sound like a raging, stinky hippie right now so I might as well go ahead and confess my obsession with all forms of residences that are: mobile, tiny, space and budget conscious, cheap, self sustaining, etc. My one requirement is a shower. Foregoing the right to shower is like one step away from patchouli, earth dancing and dreads on white people. Not ok.

This is really all it would take for me...

She's Crafty

2011-05-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

When Kell's Bells and I were in Juneau, I sorta made her buy a roll of bus tokens after a recommendation from our friends at the Triangle Club. Way more tokens than we could ever use on our short trip. I joked with her that I would either sell them to my other friends outside the liquor store (the ones that came to my aid when I smashed my face) or make jewelry.
Here's my handiwork. The plan was to give it to Kelly but to be honest, I really didn't want to hand it over. Unfortunately, this was the only coin shaped that way in the whole roll. So, if you're out there, riding the bus in Juneau, I'll trade you 5 shiny new tokens for one of these older, prettier ones.

Question

2011-05-02T23:29:00.001-07:00

It was the truck that originally caught my eye but that's a good question, Neighbor.

Survey Says....

2011-04-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Beach Ice

2011-04-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

That's the last of it. Spring is here and we're getting some much needed Vitamin D. Today we have 16 hours and 57 minutes of visible light and tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 29 seconds longer. 4 more weeks of school and then it's time to fish, walk dogs, camp, hike and cook. It's a rough life.

Ever Feel Like

2011-04-18T19:38:00.001-07:00

someone's just trying to sell you some junk?
Shoulda used the zoom on that one, sorry. It says, "Thank you God, for your son. Bronco for sale." God not included.

Dear Diary

2011-04-13T21:56:00.001-07:00

April 6th- Pretty disgruntled when I saw the view out the front window... In all the ugliness of Breakup, I was just starting to believe in Spring again. (The link is to a blog post by Jeff King, owner of Jeff's King's Budget Charters, and Jetty Dog) April 7- Disappointing news from Montana, fingers crossed that it's temporary. April 10- Proved how old and boring I am when I went home from a friend's bday party in Anchorage at 10:00 because of back pain. There was a live band and plenty of beer and great company. And one big party pooper with one big back ache. Went shopping in the big city. Discovered I've gained two pant sizes. WTF? April 11- Talked about the benefits of fasting and pinkie swore to get more active. Ok, no pinkie swearing but what else do you talk about in a diary? April 13- Been on two long walks this week and one long "diet." I'm so lucky this crackhead neighborhood is by the beach! What a difference 6 days makes... Sunshine, (brown) grass and dirty, melting ice! Spring at last!

I Can See Clearly Now

2011-04-03T13:31:00.001-07:00

It'll come as no surprise that I lost my glasses, again. This time I'm pretty sure they're gone for good. So, I decided to actually use some of those benefits I pay for every month ( which reminds me of my current tax debacle but that's a whole other story) and get some new ones.
After much consideration and texting of pictures to the big, bossy sister, I decided on these beautys:

But in the end she talked me out of them. Here are the real winners:

Giants colors!!! Got tickets to a game for my trip in May for my college roommate's wedding. The second couple I know to have met at a game who are now getting married. Now I'll be able to see the field.

Preschool Visitor

2011-04-03T13:17:00.001-07:00

I moose learn to be a good friend too!

More Juneau

2011-04-03T13:01:00.001-07:00

It's tough to make myself post without having a real computer but I'll suffer through for my three devoted fans. The following are a sampling from the native art collection at the Alaskan State Museum in Juneau. It was an impressive exhibit so enjoy.

The Ratbeast

2011-03-26T22:40:00.001-07:00

Four pounds of deaf and half blind bones with sparse fur. One second it looks like a sad little Ewok, the next your brain can't help but picture evil little old ladies scuttling about in horror films.

I'm so cute and innocent.

I would never devise plots to drive you slowly insane.

Or secretly think of eating your face.

I haven't figured out why this app distorts my pics or how to fix it but for now, we'll just live with it.

Views of Juneau

2011-03-20T11:48:00.001-07:00

More of the Alaskan Brewery

The view from our rooftop spa at the Silverbow. I loved this hotel. Free breakfast and good coffee from their bakery every morning, local art exhibits and movies played in a back room and very friendly staff.

The Govenor's mansion.

A walk along the wharf in gorgeous weather.

A mural on the wharf.

Russian Orthodox church

I love this town but with no roads out, I think I'd get claustrophobic pretty quick. However, even with many attractions closed for the season, Juneau was the perfect choice for spring break.

I <3 Juneau

2011-03-19T13:21:00.001-07:00

Bear eating my head at the state Capitol building.

Rode the bus to a stop on a highway and then walked 1.5 miles to the Mendenhall Glacier down a very wet road. My boots were still soaked a day later. Had to document Kelly's pit stop on the way but I missed the part where she sank knee deep in the snow. Why rent a car when you can have an adventure with a dear friend?

The Mendenhall Glacier

More glacier

Waited an hour for the bus at the glacier stop make it to the Alaskan Brewery where the samples flow freely and the employees offer rides so tourists don't have to wait for the bus again.

Instead we got picked up by Joseph. A nice guy with a case of Labatt Blue under his seat and an aversion to seatbelts. He gave us a tour of Douglass and offered to take us home to meet his wife. Thanks, maybe next time. I love meeting the locals.

Went to dinner at The Hanger and were surprised by a full bagpipe band. Best St. Patrick's Day ever. More later but now I have to find the hostel and I have a date with the most ominous set of stairs I've ever seen.

Ice Alaska 2011

2011-03-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

I just downloaded a new app to my iPhone to help me be a more mobile blogger so we'll see how it goes. Here are photos of Ice Alaska 2011 in Fairbanks. It seemed much warmer this year and we hit the festival at the tail end so there was a lot of damage but some of the carvings held up. Here are my favorites.

The gang headed through the ice maze. No fair when you can just look over the top!

Kelly and I have been in Juneau now since early Wednesday morning. Despite bad news from her family and a dreaded trip to California looming, she's been a trooper and we've had a fantastic trip. She flies out this afternoon and I stay until Sunday so I'll post all about it a bit later.

Fairbanks

2011-03-14T10:55:00.001-07:00

Got in to Fairbanks on Friday night and had a bit too much cheer in all the excitement. Woke up on Saturday with the need for a long soak in hot water so we hit the Chena Hot Springs. After coffee and excedrine of course. We were hoping it would be colder for the full experience but it was a warm 20 above and still felt magical.

Where's Waldo? I'm in there but a little hard to spot.

After the hot springs we attempted to recapture our youth and ventured out to a hip hop show. Let's just say that the local opening acts were entertaining but the headliner has seen better days. It was no "Gangsta Paradise" at the Blue Loon in Fairbanks Saturday night. More like a contest to see who could get sloppier, the crowd or the performer. "Oh how the mighty have fallen" was the quote from Kelly. But the race to total disgrace left us with some prime people watching and since we weren't partaking, we got to see it all reeeal clear. Way too clear.

Sunday was the famous Pump House breakfast buffet. All you can eat, freshly prepared food and bottomless mimosas. Now that is true happiness my friends.

Tonight is the ice carving festival and dinner with more of Kelly's friends. Wednesday morning we leave for Juneau. Today it's me, a couch, a pup, a some Dr. Mario. So far verything I've ever wanted in a spring break.

Heavy

2011-03-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this song but when I went to get it from Youtube I learned an unfortunate fact. It's on the twilight soundtrack and I detest Twilight. But, I still like this song. I just bought the album and haven't had time to listen to it all yet but there's a cover of everybody's favorite song, Addicted To Love, that I think is pretty good. Give a listen, see what you think.

It's All Good

2011-03-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be cold in my little home in Deutschland this week but all I needed was a new bedmate. We've been snug as a couple of bugs in a rug and actually had to shed a few layers. I never knew 20 degrees cold be so warm. Tomorrow afternoon I leave the Haus der Kasch for Fairbanks and then on to Juneau. I'll miss this little guy and the cutest baby in the world that happens to reside here but good lord, I am ready for some spring break.

2011-03-06T16:15:00.000-08:00

Jetty's owners got home today and brought me some vanilla from Mexico. Can't wait to make something delicious with it but I kinda need a kitchen first.
Dogsitting duties are done for a few months now. It's nice to not have to worry about anyone but also sad to loose my winter friend. I wonder what my mental health status would've been without this little gal the last few long months of winter.
This week I get a real baby to play with. Not much different, right? Feed once or twice and leave in the house with a blankie most of the day. Can't be that hard.

Beach, Again

2011-02-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

A little bonus, since you waited so long. Tubes are still dysfunctional at the house. I move from there in a week and spend a month as a nomad, which is slightly different than a gypsy. A week in Nikiski, a week in Fairbanks, 4 days in Juneau, and a week in Soldotna. After that I've rented (Rent? who does that!!) a house in Kenai for 2 months. No tubes there either so get used to some sporadic posting. Sorry, Friends.

Drunk dial from my Rio Vista, CA family last night from the annual Crab Feed Fundraiser. Love those guys! I promised that next year, I will once again be in attendance. That statement causes so much excitement and sadness, you have no idea.

Winter Beach Scenes

2011-02-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Winters here are beautiful and quiet but also long, dark and isolating. Makes one a bit restless. About 2 weeks ago I was agitated and ready to jump ship. But, the sun is back and with it, happier moods. I have plans to travel to Fairbanks and Juneau for Spring Break.

With travel plans and scenes like this, my restless soul is content again.

Poopytime

2011-02-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

The interent at the house has stopped working. I am overwhelmed by my job. Spring is nowhere in site. I have beautiful pictures to share but they won't upload at work.

I think I'm going to have a fling with the Captain tonight and make it a three way with Ginger. The dog won't mind. She's been needing some new company too.

A Near, Near Death Experience

2011-02-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

Funny, she doesn't look all that big here

Coming up the trail tonight from an early walk with the dog, we had a bit of a close call when a mama and baby moose were on their way down. Luckily I saw them coming down at a curve in the path before we met head on. They were next to a small cluster of trees where the owners have parked their boats about 20 f off the path in a clearing for the winter. I called the dog to me and she thankfully minded beautifully. We quickly crossed the clearing to put the boats between ourselves and the moose. There they stood, behind the trees. There we stood behind the boats, watching each other for what felt like an eternity. In an effort to show good faith I began to move up and away from them. First loosing the cover of the more substantial boat and then the second. I realized the next big pile of snow was actually a small car but did not feel comforted when comparing it's size to the moose. So, we kept moving, this time behind another small cluster of trees. There we stood for another eternity while I cursed myself for leaving the cover of the boat and watched Mama's ears closely. "Ears forward is a curious moose, ears back is a pissed of moose" is what I've been told. She watched us intently and was not to be deterred but her ears stayed forward. I couldn't stand there all night so we took a chance and broke from the trees for the full exposure of the path. Once there we were fully committed and trudged through the snow at a quick trot, hoping she would loose interest. Made it home alive with only wet pants to the knees from standing in the snow and a crappy picture to show for a near, near death experience. Now I'm off the have a drink and calm my nerves. Jetty gets extra treats tonight for being a good girl and not getting us stomped. The End.

Howl

2011-01-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

Solitary

2011-01-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Being at this house has been really peaceful. Everyday I walk the dog down to the frozen river and soak in the silence and solitude. Tonight there were four moose grazing across the river and I watched them for a bit before they spooked and lumbered back into the trees. I take pictures, trying to capture the way the light changes the color of the snow from white to pink to blue. None of them convey what I'd like to - the silence, the stillness, the contentment.
The sun is returning at about 5 minutes per day. It's still dark in the mornings but I can go walking in visible light until 6:30PM. That time when the light is just hanging on and the snow and sky turn almost purple is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I'm still counting down the days to summer but it's nice in the quiet and the cold too.
On a side note, I did also realize that only two people in this country know where I am right now. Peace and solitude for sure.

Weekend Warrior

2011-01-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

My productivity this weekend astounds me. Saturday I took things to storage, cleaned out my car, went to the dump and snow blew (that doesn't sound right) a path around the house. I felt pretty damn accomplished and proud of myself for man handling that snow thrower so I headed off to Nikiski to hang out with friends. We went on a beach walk in snow that was at times up to our knees, got a growler of Chocolate Cherry Stout and a pig of Dolly Varden Nut Brown at Kassik's Brewery and then went back to their cabin to make pizzas. The dough took a litle longer than expected but that just meant another glass of beer and more time to hold their cute kid. Here's my handy work on the snow thrower. My Montanan manfriend says I'm becoming less of a Sally Cali everyday. Yay me!

Back yard.

Front yard.

Today has been a more domestic kind of day, grocery shopping, laundry and a pot of sweet potato chili. At some point I'll get to work but for now i think I can find more housework to justify my procrastination. And eat some bomb ass chili. That doesn't quite sound right either.

Adventures in Babysitting

2011-01-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

Last year at this time I was in Anchorage for the Beer and Barley Wine Festival. This year I have a house and a dog to look after and we're sticking close to home.

Dogs don't care that it's -20 degrees, they still want to go out. Here's the walk we take down to the river:

The path downThe river view. I'm hoping to fish here this summer.

Look out for fresh piles of this...You might find yourself in the company of this.The path back up with Jetty in the lead, as always.

Back To The Grind

2011-01-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to complain. I'm not going to be Deborah Downer. I'm not going to cry about how hard it was to come back or how much I miss things. I'm not. But I will tell you about the exciting winter life I've returned to.
Been watching Deadwood. It does nothing towards civilizing my vocabulary but it's good entertainment. Tried to read some Herman Melville and gave up after two chapters. Much rather watch Deadwood than wade through that crap. Listening to Citizen Cope. Also listening to one cute but spoiled dog snore in my ear all night. Told you... exciting, right?
I actually am happy to come back to my quiet, boring life. Just wish there was a way it could overlap with my busy, exciting one. Had a friend over for dinner last night, might go snowshoeing tomorrow. Party, party all the time.

If I only had a dollar

2011-01-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

The Albany Bulb

2010-12-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

Part dog park, part tent community, part art walk, the Albany Bulb has no shortage of personality. If you're ever in the Berkeley area, stop by for the views of SF and the GG bridge as well amazing art. I wanted to interview one or some of the inhabitants we encountered on our stroll about their lifestyle but it wasn't meant to be. Maybe next time.

Finally!

2010-12-26T10:04:00.001-08:00

A year is too long. We're not so photogenic but we're still total awesomeness. It's good to be home.

Suburban Wildlife

2010-12-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

It's good to be home. Things have been pretty busy here. I'm occasionally a fill-in chauffeur for a family member's chemo/radiation appointments (I like to call them cancer party play dates), got three cavities filled and am running last minute shopping errands for the Anonymom and Little Sister.
Went for a walk with my nephews and youngest niece on the Nature Trail and let my niece command the camera. Here are the results:

Bambi!

Pig's Lake

Nephew #1

Sister Sassypants, Niece #3

Nephew #2

Nephew #3

Tonight is Chile Relleno and movie night with my sisters. We're not complete until the brother gets here tomorrow but it's a good start. Like I said, it's good to be home.

All My Bags Are Packed

2010-12-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

I'm ready to go. My flight off the peninsula is in about 20 hrs. I have butterflies, a dry throat, pounding heart, wiggly toes and a wandering, uncontrollable mind - the need to be on the move. I just want to be on my way, knowing that I'm getting closer and closer to home. who knows why I thought one more day of work would be a good thing? I've already tried to move my flight to tonight but it was a no go. So far the plan is to get the the airport about 3 hours early and see if I can speed this up already. At this point I might just start walking.
Watched Amelie last night and I LOVE it. Dropped and spilled my sourdough starter this morning. Am a totally mindless, distracted and ineffective therapist today but the kids are so sweet. Three Christmas gifts so far and a little boy who begs me everytime I see him, to take him back to Speech. It will be hard to leave them in May.

4 More Days

2010-12-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

4 more days until I'm home! I can't believe it's been a year since I've seen my family and that's how I know it's time to give up Alaska. For now.
Found a place to stay when I get back from winter vacation. It's another house sitting gig right on the river with one 9 yr old lab and very nice owners. I'll be there 'til the first week in March. That means in 1 out of 14 months I will have paid rent by the end of this adventure. I am a very lucky girl. Woman. Person.
I'd like to show you the stars on a clear, Alaskan night. You really wouldn't believe how awesome it is. But, here's a moon to howl at instead.

Frost

2010-12-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

On Such A Winter's Day

2010-11-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dentist = Breakdown

2010-11-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

I'm sure there are some people out there that're very familiar with this equation for other reasons but I hadn't experienced it until today. Here's the story:
Went to the bank to finally deposit the 2 paychecks that I've already lost twice. After the bank I made it to my dentist appointment. The one I scheduled all by myself and was 15 minutes early for (who am I?). But things went quickly south when the results came in from Dr. J. A root canal and 2 crowns. WTF, mates? I know I haven't been in awhile but do I have scurvy or something?
Then the front desk lady wrinkled her nose at my out of state cell number. Then she wrinkled her face at my company name. "I haven't heard of that before." Of course the no street address thing was a problem. I started hearing foreign languages as she described the process of getting a referral for the root canal. Something about going somewhere else by China Sea Buffet (food?! I know that!) and then coming back for the crowns while in the meantime holding on to my own x-rays. Flags were raising in my brain. Bells and whistles were going off. 'Do NOT let that woman give you a small envelope of something important' is what my brain was saying. Nodding and smiling is what my face was doing. Then came the insurance mess.
Did you know that a medical card is not a dental card is not a prescription card is not a vision card? But where is the treasure chest for getting myself to the dentist? Things... not. making. sense. Did someone say Chinese food?
My flight instinct wins out over that "figure it out" one every time. Unfortunately, the dentist shares a parking lot with a care home and two taxis loading old folks with wheelchairs in the rain and ice were blocking my exit. I won't go into details but it wasn't pretty. Just don't honk at me when I'm feeling stupid.
Couldn't get this chart out of my head after that.

The post is called "Why I'll Never Be an Adult" from the blog Hyperbole and a Half (their are people out there whose blogs are followed by more than their mother?). While there are many more reasons while I'll never be an adult, I'm sure that a dentist appointment causing the phrase "I can't do this" to be stuck in my head on repeat for an hour is one of them.

I just wanted to get my damn teeth cleaned but that didn't even happen. DebDeb so confused...SYSTEM FAILURE.

Raddichio

2010-11-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

You can't always get what you want

2010-11-21T12:08:00.000-08:00

But sometimes, you get what you need. Kidding about being bitter. How could I be? Happy Sunday, Friends.

Population: 1

2010-11-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

Abandoned dwelling in my 'hood. Ms. Havisham has left the building.

My Friday night activities consisted of checking the pump house to make sure the light bulb is still on, thus making the insulated little shed warm enough for the water pump to keep working. All good there. Checked the level of the holding tank and had a few moments of dread when the dipstick slammed into something solid, making me think I got a tank full of frozen shitwater and no way to get rid of it. Once I finally got enough light down the tube I found an obstruction in the pipe. Searched the property for something I'd be willing to sacrifice (raw sewage and all) to push it back and found nothing. Finally was able to angle the dipstick past the protruding piece of metal with numb fingertips in 9 degrees and discovered I was worried about nothing. Except that's where I got into trouble over the summer, got a little too comfortable after that first dipstick. Insert proof of emergency pumping picture here:
Then walked the dogs to the river and watched the ice flow by for a bit. Got home with a frozen ass which seems to lack a blood supply but continues to grow. Quite the mystery, yet now I find myself parked in front of the tubes with a can of whipped cream and a tall, hot buttered rum. Mystery solved. It's a nonstop party here, let me tell you. Is 8 o'clock too early to go to bed?

Peaceful

2010-11-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

A late Sunday morning walk in my quiet neighborhood.

Thankful

2010-11-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Heavy Equipment

2010-11-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

After getting home from Anchorage on Sunday I stopped by the Roper's and got a lesson on using the snow blower. They were so cute, they made sure to get a picture of my "first time" and this was already in my work inbox this morning. I'm so lucky to continually find such good people around me. But I won't be so lucky if we keep getting snow like we have been over the last 24 hrs with this driveway as my responsibility for the next 3 wks.. I took two passes at it with this sucker, shoveled a little and woke up with arms like noodles. I'm starting to see why women get married.

Suggestions

2010-11-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

What I've been reading:
It's a fictional account of women in biblical times told through the eyes of the character, Dinah. Apparently some people are all fired up about it because of ridiculous religous notions but it's much less about any story from the bible and much more about sisterhood and the hardships inherent to being a woman. You men out there should really still give it a shot, you might learn something.

What I've been listening to:

Can't get enough, actually. See what you think.

And what I've been learning:
I went to a class in Anchorage this weekend about young children with hearing loss whose families had decided to go the route of cochlear implantation. The presenter was from a school in Bay Area but the scool has sites in many states. Their goals as stated on their website are: teaching deaf children to listen, think and talk through intensive speech/language therapy and the development of listening skills." Here's their site if you're interested but mostly I'm happy to have attended a useful continuing education class that will really help me with a few of my students and to adapt best practices in this area. The school offers training camps (for free!!) which I will most definitely be applying to. I'll take any additional knowledge that could help me.

So I also learned to use a snow blower today but that can wait for another time. Good night. It's only quarter to 8 but with the time change and darkness, it feels like 11 already.

Plagerizing

2010-11-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Click here to find out how roadkill finds it's way to Alaska's tables. Thanks Marianne!

Back to the Future!

2010-10-31T15:04:00.001-07:00

Quick, to the Delorian! Ok, so I just wanted to say Delorian. And post another picture of a moose. Looking ahead-- I need to find a place to live for Jan. to early March. I need to figure out where I'm going for Spring Break. Hawaii for some sunshine or Denver to see if I'd like to live there someday (for awhile). From April to the beginning of Aug. I'll be back at my first and favorite house sitting place, The Roper's. And then it's on to greener pastures. California, Colorado, Oregon, where or where should I go next? Leaning towards Cali for awhile so I can be back with the sibs. Breaking up is hard to do.

Bachelor(ette) Paradise

2010-10-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Main house, halibut boat and the marsh land where moose,bear and bald eagles like to hang out.
The summertime living room.
The far one is where I am now.

House sitting here until Dec.14th when I leave for CALIFORNIA! Back in September I stayed in the main house while the owner (Joe) went on a moose hunt. Now I'm in Jimmy 2, one of the cozy cabins. It's an awesome property and all of Joe's friends come and go as they please. Someday when I grow up, that's exactly the kind of home I want. If you ever come to Alaska and want a fishing or hunting guide (Uncle Mike!), call the Fish Magnet.

McMansion

2010-10-31T14:23:00.001-07:00

To contrast the bachelor paradise, here's some shots of the suburban McMansion, complete with big screen tv, indoor spa, luxury kitchen and the "ratbeast" -- an annoying, 15 year old, blind 4lb toy poodle. I'll be back here for a bit March, might bring some doggie prozac with me.

There's No Place Like Homer

2010-10-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

The view from the top of town looking down at "The Spit".

Kids are gone update

2010-10-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Not much to tell. Watch the movie Wristcutters, A Love Story. Avoid the movie Crazy Heart. Predictable and I don't want to watch Maggie Gylenhardtospell get it on with an old, sweaty alcoholic. Ick factor x 100. Read American Gods, read Gang Leader for a Day, both are worth it but American Gods is by far my favorite book that I've read lately. Now on to Ham and Rye and The Red Tent. Hibernation can be a good thing.
The new place is working out fine except for the internet issue which is killing me. Trying to figure out how to make it through all the condiments that've collected there. 7 bottles of mustard. 6 bottles of salad dressing. It's really not fitting in with my minimalist attitude. That's all there is to tell.

Lunch Break Update

2010-10-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Still without the tubes. Manfriend is gone :( Winter is here. My family needs me and I'm too far away :( Time to hibernate.

The Life of a Gypsy

2010-10-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

I moved again. Let me take a minute to count them up....... 8. I have moved 8 times since May. More like bounced. Because you can't really call taking a laundry basket and a bathroom box "moving." My belongings are being whittled away and I have really changed my consumer habits in the quest to de-clutter. Most days I'm really proud of the fact that I can live with so little. Some days though it's a teensy depressing to think of my life in the back of a car. It's good for my tendency to loose things though!
So now I'm in a cabin at the Bachelor Paradise until mid-December when I go home for Christmas. I don't know yet where I'll be living when I get back in January until April but in April I go back to my favorite house until I leave Alaska. Let's start brainstorming on my next adventure, shall we?!
So the point of this post is to let you know that the internet at the new place isn't working. Hopefully it won't be a permanent thing because I can't live without the tubes for 3 months but be patient and I'll figure it out.

Just another Saturday

2010-10-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Some opportunities are unique to Alaska. Like shooting a machine gun without experience, a permit, ID check, etc. This Saturday we went out to the gun range where the radio station and a local gun shop were putting on a "shoot an automatic weapon" event. I got to shoot an AR-15. First the guy asked me if I had ever shot one before. Somehow I missed that experience in all my years of suburban living in California. Then he asked if I had ever shot a rifle. Yeah. So he handed a machine gun to me and started to walk away. You might want to stick a little closer, dude.
I got a few single shots in and then clicked over to automatic. Shot a few times before I got intimidated by the large crowd watching me and handed it over. Next time, I'll force myself to go longer but at least I can say I did it.
I know you worry that I'm turning into a huge redneck up here but if opportunity knocks I gotta answer, right?

Best Birthday Present

2010-10-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

Little Sister got together with the rest of the Crazies and made me a scrapbook for my birthday.
They made an almost lifesize cardboard me and took it around to my favorite haunts in the old 'hood.
The Tedda Hughes boutique and my beloved apartment.
Lunch with the sisters at Aquatic Park
Tommy's Joint with the sibs, eating my fave, bbq brisket.
Hanging with my BFF, having more of my favorite snacks.
Watching a movie with Little Sister, just like when we were roommates.
Partyin hardy with the fam and my bro for my 31st birthday, couldn't get any better when you're actually 3,500 miles away. I laughed and cried at the same time for a good 20 minutes when I first looked at it. Can't wait for winter break to get home and do it all for real!

I Always Feel Like....

2010-09-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

somebody's watchin' me. And, The Tao of Pooh ..... house sitting adventures in Alaska.

It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”
"Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about."
"Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it."
When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.

Hello?

2010-09-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Is it me you're looking for?

I'll post very soon. Need to tell you about the most awesomest birthday present and the places I've been staying. The photo above is only a slight preview.

Alaskan Tobacco Festival

2010-09-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

I do not support regular tobacco consumption. I'm a speech pathologist for crap's sake. But, I can get behind the occasional drink and cigar. As I've pointed out many times, there's not much to do around here and a cigar pairing event sounded quite cultured considering the normal options (like squirrel shooting). So, we decided to check it out. The cigar reps and bartender were friendly, the food was decent and free and the fashion was (as always) eyebrow raising. We got to smoke flavored tobacco from giant hookahs, try a couple different cigars and get advice on the best beverages to pair them with. Might have gone a little overboard though since I think there's still 4 or 5 cigars still floating around here somewhere. We're so cool.

Halibut Trip

2010-09-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

Here's what a halibut boat out on the Cook Inlet looks like. Looks pretty calm, right? Not so much. I had my head in the trash can the whole trip and I NEVER get motion sick.

As the boat rocked, I feared for my life. The railing went to about lower thigh on me. Just high enough to be completely ineffective. This little shorty could even put a foot up and still be confident she wouldn't go overboard. I could barely keep my hands on the pole and off the railing.

The guys working hard at getting a fish on so I could reel it in and say I caught a halibut. Thank you.

End of the trip. The conditions were so rough we had to go in early and take whatever we got. Keepers are usually around 60 lbs and I've met people who have caught 2 and 3 hundred pounders. Actually, these little guys produced a lot more meat than I imagined. Who's coming over for a fish fry?
I was so exhausted from the week with the girls and getting up at an ungodly hour to get to the boat, my shirt is totally on backwards and I didn't have a clue. Too busy heaving I guess.

The Visit 3: Further from Home

2010-08-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Family outing to Russian Falls, probably the only day with blue skies.

Nova's fantastic rack

A little heads up at Alyeska, no biggieAll of us posing at Exit Glacier. Let's see, can we guess who spent a winter in Alaska?

The bar in Moose Pass. Where I fall out of my chair completely sober
and my friends laugh at me. What else would they do?
And they have interesting reminders above the bar.

More Russian Falls...

More Glaciers...

And the best of all.... "You're TALL!" I swear I'm standing up hill!

I don't have photos of the debauchery that was our 4th of July in Homer and that is a damn shame (maybe not) but we were all over the place and had a great time. Someday I'll post about the Portage mishap, still haven't talked about the halibut trip or the Alaska Tobacco Fest. Soon.

PO Box 843 is Empty

2010-08-24T20:18:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am still working on the last installment of the friends visit. Posting that many pictures is painful. However, I have something to address in the meantime. On my birthday (Aug. 2nd for those of you who might have forgotten) I got all the requisite family birthday calls and was assured more than once that my package was in the mail. Here it is August 24th and I'm still staring into the depressing depths of an empty mailbox. Day after day, empty and mocking. Just wanted to throw that out there. Like you have lives or other things on your minds or something...

Shout out to The Brother, for keepin it real and not getting my hopes up in the first place.

Detox

2010-08-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Last night while silver fishing I told my friend I was going to start a detox diet today. This morning I was taking the last bite of my sweet and salty "granola bar" before I even realized I was eating it.

I eat pretty healthily regularly and I definitely don't want to loose weight but I would like to cut out all the processed crap and see if I feel any better. More energy, blah,blah,blah.

I know I have been a terrible blogger lately but I'm staying at a place with much faster tubes now so things should get better. (click here to understand the tubes reference Thank you, Ted!) Also, this morning I was inspired by this blog to be more positive and take another look at the simple things. Plus, Anonymom says I curse too much so I'll try to detox here as well and be more ladylike but we all know that's never been my thing.

Visit 2: Close to Home

2010-08-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Cute, independent "Enchanted Forrest" Tea Shop that big sister would die over.

Or maybe I've been in Alaska too long?

They had hats and tea for "ladies and pirates".
My split personalities like the tea.

Pull Tabs!! Alaska's (and Washington's) answer to gambling. Really not fun at all, except when you're with J-Lo and Nova.

Training the dogs with their "bird". It's covered in duck piss and they go ape shit for it.

Hip waders were a fascinating novelty for the girls. We do look hot in them.

This Mama and her three babies were hanging out in the neighborhood. Made dog walking interesting.

These (and much more) are all in the house and kinda freaked the girls out a bit. Not sure what the origin of the Deborah the Zeborah joke was, all I know is that the zebra photo shoot was made mandatory.

Next post- The Visit 3: Further From Home, Out in Nature and
How Not to End a Perfect Vacation.

Happy Birthday To Me

2010-08-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

1 year old (i think) covered in chocolate frosting and earning my nickname. I don't think I've ever liked a big fuss for my birthday, too much attention. I'm not sure, Anonamom or the sibs could prove me wrong. But here are the last few of my way bitchin' birthdays:
29 in Yosemite with family. For years I spent Aug. 2 in Maine and this year it felt good to be with my family. (But I heart my Maine family too!) There had been a big fire but it cleared just for my birthday.30- had a huge party (aka-big fuss! but it was ok because I didn't have to organize it AND I was leaving for a long time) Packed up the car and left for Alaska, celebrated Aug.2 in Oregon with my birthdaymate.

Today I am 31. I didn't plan or announce and still, my birthday turned out perfectly. Sunshine for the first time in weeks, fishing for salmon, gathering fireweed for jelly and lunch with my lady friends. Tomorrow I get to celebrate all over again with dinner and cake made just for me and later in the week, probably a fancy going-out dinner. I may be far from home but my birthday is still being celebrated by good friends and is still a reminder of another awesome year. People think birthdays after 29 are scary but when you actually like your life the only thing to say is still:

Visit 1

2010-08-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

I can't post anything because the internet is so fucking slow that I get halfway through it and need to be somewhere. So, here are some photos from the first day. There are more and text to go with them but I'm meeting some friends to gather fireweed for jelly and possibly go fishing.

Now that I'm done whining and gathering fireweed, I will elaborate. I was going to try to do a day to day narrative of all the stuff we did but I really can't keep the days straight. I know the first day we had breakfast at Snow City and walked on the Coastal Trail in Anchorage. Then we had an epic REI visit where I bought my new Aethos 70 Osprey BadAss Backpack. Then...

We rode the tram to the top of the Alyeska ski range where you can see something like 7 glaciers and can actually pay $295 to paraglide down. None of us had that kind of money but....
J-lo has that kind of balls. She really wanted to and ended up regretting not doing it but she was in Peru weeks later probably happy to have the 300 bucks.

You can see these pools from the tram. They were left after the glacier moved through and are up to 30ft deep. Really makes me wonder what could be living in there.

This sign is posted and the end of the tram were all the skiers would gather and it cracks me up.

There was also a little museum/visitor center up there with some gold panning exhibit. After Alyeska we went into the town of Girdwood were they were having the North Forrest Fair. It was a hippie paradise with all handcrafted goods, two entertainment stages, local beer and delicious food, all tucked into a lush green forrest. Very cool but kind of a hippie overload. Then...
We drove to lovely Hope were we saw the sights (there's about 2) and had some really good food and pie at Tito's. I'm not really sure why I love Hope but I still love it.Maybe it's the scenery. Ok, off to go fishing again.

Teaser

2010-07-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Someday I'll get around to posting pictures from my friends' visit but for now, here we are at Exit Glacier in Seward. Many more to follow when I find the time. Thought I'd do a long post yesterday but I ended up going fishing and then I had to filet my three sockeye salmon, freeze them, take the guts to the dump, fix up the eggs for Silver fishing, it was a long day. So maybe tomorrow.

Inappropriate Humor

2010-07-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Found this on a free book cart. So wrong, so funny. Or is it just me?

Update not with Norm McDonald

2010-07-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

The visit was awesome and exhausting. I'm still recovering. I think we got to just about every attraction on the peninsula and then when my guests went home, I went halibut fishing. Remember the girl who could go on any boat/vehicle/roller coaster and never get sick? Gone. But I'll tell you about that later.

I turned over my camera for the week and the girls and guy got some great photos. I'll post them when I can but for now I'm at a house with no wireless babysitting a big, whiny, german shepard. This gig ends on Sunday though and I still haven't found a place to live. So far my best option is hostel hoping but I have my fingers crossed that the owners of the old apartment have a cabin open. Chances are slim to none during the fishing high season though. That's ok, I like bunk beds.

Five aM IN A HOSTEL with a weird Computer

2010-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Picked up the girls from the airport last night. I love airports. I just love watching people and the airport, especially the arrivals gate, is the very best place for it. It feels so weird to have actual people that I actually know here and I can't wait to show them everything. So far we met up with one of my Anchorage friends to see some bluegrassy type live music and a bunch of white hippie epileptics seize painfully on the dance floor. So, so WHITE.
Anyhow, now we're at a hostel and I (of course) couldn't sleep and have been up for an hour now. I'll be watching The Smurfs in the common room with strangers for ages waiting for normal sleepers to wake up. Then we can begin our tour at Snow City Cafe, the only place to have breakfast if you're ever in Anchorage.
I probably won't be posting much over the next few days. Nothing new, right? But, I will be taking lots of photos and writing posts in my head to transfer to the world wide webs when I get a chance. On the agenda: a craft beer festival in Girdwood, lunch in Hope, hike to a glacier and hike the Russian Falls... and that's just today.

Laziness

2010-06-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing has happened except for a few killer migraines and more time with my canine boys. Sorry to disappoint but I'll have visitors next week so things should perk up. For now it's just maximum cuddle time with my furry beasts.
Two suggestions though- If you haven't seen the movie Babel, watch it and also pick up the book Bottomfeeder by Taras Grescoe. It's a terrifying account of how we're overfishing our oceans and what consequences we'll see. Really scary but all that talk about seafood makes me want to eat more seafood! And go to Portugal.

King Fisherperson

2010-06-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

I got lucky and the neighbor who's a river guide, took me out fishing for Kings this morning. I didn't get one but a guy on the boat did. 43 inches and 35 lbs, definitely the biggest fish I've ever seen in person. After he got that one we never saw another and didn't see any other boats pull one in either. The river had been closed to Kings for awhile because of the poor run and then opened back up just to spinner fishing. Tomorrow morning it's back on bait though so the guys are expecting better luck. I'll get one someday but in the meantime, I want to get out on a halibut charter. In a couple weeks it'll be Reds and then Silvers, just wish I had a freezer to put some in when I do catch them. Being homeless leaves a lot of loose ends, you know?

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

2010-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

I love this place that I'm house sitting. Love the deck, the spa, the grill, the perfect little size (1bdrm, 1bth with a sleeping loft), the neighbors, the wooded neighborhood so close to the river. Love the dogs, the roses, watching the veggies come in. Love almost everything. Except the cat that yells at me all the time, and the water situation.
The house is on a holding tank which means it's not connected to the city sewer. All the water and waste that leaves the house goes into a tank underground that's pumped out by a big truck when needed. Since the owners told me they can last 55 days without needing to be pumped, I naturally have a need to out-do them. So now I'm paranoid about my water usage and maybe a little militant. Sometimes. Sometimes I just want to wash my hands with HOT water, damn it. And anyone who's ever lived with me knows how much I like hot showers. On Facebook there's a group called "I stand aimlessly in the shower for ages just to be warm" or some shit. That's totally me, I've been known to take a beer and snacks in there. Thankfully, I can hop in the spa whenever I want. It's my saving grace. Particularly when getting home from a weekend of camping with an inch of dirt under my fingernails and so much grime caked into my skin that it looks like I might actually have a tan.
I think I can relax though. I've been here 23 days, have 28 to go and haven't even come close to hitting the halfway mark on the holding tank. How do I know? Because I checked it, kinda like checking the oil in your car. If you want to be all Independent Woman like, sometimes you gotta dipstick a bunch of raw sewage. I can deal with that, I'm just going to use some pretty scented soap afterwards.

Pretty Alaskan Pictures

2010-06-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Seems my last post was particularly disturbing to one young fan so I'll return now to pretty Alaskan pictures. Saturday I did a short hike with my friend Sue on Hidden Creek Trail to Skilak Lake (Anonymomous and Anonydadous might remember Skilak Lake from their winter backroading experience). Later I met another friend, Ben for some car camping. Then on Sunday Ben and I did a short "backpacking" trip into Lower Russian River. I'll call it my first backpacking trip because I did carry everything in and stay overnight but really, the trail was only three miles long and has gravel laid the entire way since it's ADA accessible. Cheating? Probably. We were going to do another trail but the weather was ify and we didn't feel like spending the night on top of a cold, rainy mountain. So here are the pictures, enjoy.

Saturday
First brown bear sighting from the car. Just the way I like it.

P.s. The sibs say I'm fat. Jealous bastards.

Sunday

Directions on the bear locker say to camp at least 100 yds from
your food yet they installed it too close so close to the tent sites you can't possibly do that. The brown edge is the locker, the yellow blurb is my tent. 100 yds? I think not.

ADA accessible cabin I was tempted to stay in instead of my tent with the two dogs and the possibility of bears lurking around.

The Cat Has Bonded

2010-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

She's started bringing me little presents. Thankfully she's kept them out of the bedroom so far but the owners say she likes to wake you up by standing next to your face with wiggling things in her mouth. These ones weren't wiggling so much anymore...

You're welcome.

Hopeless

2010-06-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

I drove 1.5 hours to Hope and was about 1.5 hours late. When I got to the meeting spot I found four cars full of unhappy campers upset about the lack of fishing there.
A)Who are you people and B) How did you come to have a say in my trip?
When word get's out about a camping trip, it's gets hard to keep the guest list down. Unfortunately the original friend and I had planned on low-impact trail camping and everyone else did not. But, because they had the food, I followed. All the way down the Sterling Highway where I had just come from.
Everything turned out great though. We found a good spot on the beach and got some fishing for Kings in. Even though nothing was biting, the weather was gorgeous and I even got a sunburn. So Hope remains on my Alaskan To Do list but sleeping in a tent by the ocean with 22 hours of daylight does not. It's a beached Keetah. The older, wiser, and slightly grumpier lab.
And Sabaka, my new shadow.
Time of actual sunset, 11:16
Lick the grill? Me? Uhhhhhhhhhhh, what was your question?

Spoon me, I'm cold!

Twilight today lasts until 12:47 and starts again at 3:19 with sunrise at 4:48.
I know what your question is and the answer is Lunesta.

Hope

2010-05-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

No, I am not going to talk about Obama. Around here you just stay as far away from politics as possible.
I'm going camping near the town of Hope. Got my dogs and a bunch of friends with all the stuff I'm lacking. I did buy a doggie backpack so they can take turns carrying their own food. I'll be back with pictures on Monday. In the meantime, I sliced my finger while washing a butcher knife last night and I've heard that women aren't supposed to go camping at certain times of the month so I'm really hoping I don't become a bear magnet. A bunch of soldier types with weapons should keep me safe enough. I just really hope the dogs are ok. No way to find our but to do it. I hope you'll be reading a new post about Hope by Tuesday at the latest.

So Long, Roger

2010-05-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Goodbye, my little moneypit

The bank decided that even though they'd like to finance me for a huge home loan that I can't really afford, they don't want to give me an unsecured loan to make repairs on a home that I can afford. Whatever. I kinda feel like I just got out of a relationship and can breath easier. Unrestricted. Now that I don't have to save my money for the house, I think I'm going to buy some backpacking equipment.
I move into new digs on Monday. A co-worker and her husband will be gone for 6 weeks and I'll be house sitting. Their house is the perfect size and their dogs are adorable. 2 black labs that'll be my main men for awhile. All I have to do now is pack.

Updates on a few other things:
Getting my veggie box is still like Christmas. So far I've had to figure out what mizuna is, made a rhubarb pie and experienced Ataulfo mangoes.
Arugula,Mizuna salad with grapefruit, radish and a lime vinaigrette. Forgot to take a picture of the pie before I ate it. Which is how I've gained 15 pounds. More on that phenomenon later.

And not buying products made in China has been easy, simply because I don't buy anything. I did buy a shirt but when I got it home and actually put it on, I realized it was not only butt ugly but a product of China as well. Took it back immediately. More for the sin of poofy, angle cut sleeves, I'll admit. It would be a much harder endeavor if I was actually trying to supply a real household. Seems like every product out there has that little "Made in China" sticker.

Had another job interview yesterday. Part-time fill in work for a private therapy company. I had a killer migraine and was trying not to ralph the whole time but I feel like I could really learn a lot from the owner and her team. I'm going to see how it works out. I'm getting very concerned about the impact all this working will have on my summertime activities.

Halibut Cove

2010-05-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have a crush.

Sorry

2010-05-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my pissy-ness last night. I'm lucky to have so many friends that I can't even find enough time to call them all.
I promise to post pictures from Halibut Cove soon but tonight I have another get together thingy (go ahead, freak out. He's totally a murderer perv rapist, just like all the rest!) AND I have to get my medicaid billing done for the year. Good thing it's light 'til 11pm.

CALM DOWN, PEOPLE!

2010-05-18T19:51:00.001-07:00

#1- Just because I feel ok (not great, just ok) about using the word "date" does not mean one bit more than that.
#2- The inspection did finally happen today. I love you all but I really can't abide saying the same thing 11 times so here it is. I do still want all of your opinions and advice, just maybe not in a long phone call format. I'm in a mood, I'm sorry.

The roof has issues, needs steroids and some metal. Much like my spine.
The inside is hideous but can be covered. The walls with drywall, the floor maybe with Gypcrete and some tile.
Insulation is a must. The attic space is at about R-11 and should be about R-45 and the crawl space has nothing. Roger dear, how did you survive?
Cabinetry is a lost cause. Like it would make me feel good to take a sledge hammer to it.
At least 3 new windows.
A new water heater.
Foundation is inventive but solid.
All this really starts to add up so I've talked to the old Stagecoach about a personal loan. Options folks, gotta explore the options.

I can tackle it, learn a lot, curse, cry and beat up inanimate objects or I can forget it and be safe. I'm not really sure. Figured I'd have a strong drink, a hot shower and a fitful night of sleep before I even pretend to think clearly. BTW, whiskey and cola tastes a lot like bad decisions. Well, that and whitewater rafting trips where I almost die.

I had a great day yesterday and will post about my field trip soon. I really do have the best job in the universe.

All I Need Is Just a Little Patience

2010-05-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

The inspection was rescheduled again because the electric company hadn't been out to turn on the power yet. The population of the entire peninsula is about 60,000 people. What in the hell could they be so damn busy with? I'll be on a field trip to Halibut Cove until 6pm Monday so the soonest we could get it done is Tuesday.
Stay tuned.

Come On Already!

2010-05-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Inspection tomorrow, FINALLY! I took my jack-of-all-trades friend out to the house yesterday. We entered through the unlocked front window and he helped me to look logically at a few things. It will be a huge project and though I want to say I'm up for it, I have to consider a lot of angles. I did find a bunch of receipts that Roger (my new roomate) had kept from the installation of the well and such so that was comforting. Still not making any decisions until after the inspection.
Date this weekend. I've had a lot of platonic get togethers lately and I never use the term "date" but somehow, this one is a little different.
Not sleeping a whole lot lately but with all the sunlight and the house and mens on my mind, I guess it's no wonder.
I'll keep you posted on the inspection. Posted. Ha.

Responsibility, Caution, Planning

2010-05-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

Some of you are wondering if you're on the right blog. It's true, these are things I've never been fond of or remotely good at. But, when making a large purchase (like a crackhouse) it's best to at least try. Or so I've heard.
So, the inspection appointment is made. I'm so nervous! I mean, I can tell it's a hovel but is it a complete disaster? If it's just a small scale disaster with some redeeming qualitites, I think we'll make a good pair.

Five Star

2010-05-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

I had a dream last night that I stayed at a fancy hotel and instead of plush robes, they provided Xtra Tuffs. I got to keep them when I checked out, no Xtra charge. Now that would be Alaskan luxury.

Craziness

2010-04-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

My offer has been accepted. My realtor, Fred, says we'll be closed by May 21. This is great timing because my current lease is up at the end of May and I'll be house sitting until July 12th. Although I'd love to move right in, it'll give me time to do some of the bigger improvements while living in comfort.
I want to skip straight to the pretty stuff like painting and carpet but some other things have to come first. Also, my bank account really needs time to recover from the $5,000 down payment.

I'm buying a house in Alaska. Holy Hell. Well, at least I'll have lots of blog material.

Never Say Goodbye

2010-04-29T22:20:00.001-07:00

Turns out there's a private lender who often works with the real estate company on properties that aren't financeable. He buys the place outright and then I buy it back from him at an interest rate slightly higher than I'd get from a traditional loan, all through the bank of course. He has already started the process of buying the property from my dead predecessor's estate and I signed papers tonight to then re-buy it. After getting a lot of advice, I did a few things first:

1. Checked with the county assessors office for the actual value of the property.
2. Made sure the title to the property is clear.
3. Checked that the family selling their dead uncle's property is all in agreement on the sale
4. Had an addendum added to the contract that the seller is responsible for making sure all utilities are functional before I take over. (If the pipes burst when the water goes back on or the well is bad, I'd be SOL)
5. Got $500 knocked off the sale price. Made sure the $500 "earnest money" deposit on the deal is fully refundable if it doesn't work out.
6. Made sure the paperwork will be in place by midnight tomorrow to still receive the 10% tax credit (Thank you, Obama! I don't care what my brother, uncle, or dad say about you).

There's still the chance the deal may not go through and there's still the chance that I'm making a horrible mistake but let's look at the positives, shall we.

1. My monthly payment will be less than half the rent for my current tiny apt.
2. The tax refund means I'll be getting almost my entire down payment back.
3. I can legitimately claim Alaska as my permanent tax address on future travel assignments and there's no income tax here.
4. The property is unzoned so no building permits required.
5. Public access to a big float plane lake across the road with good fishing (I'm told).
6. The property is assessed at a value much higher than what I'll pay for it.

I may be making a crazy move, but at least I made a list! Next move, call my handyman uncle and get some rough figures on the "vision".

The American Dream

2010-04-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

The shock of moving to Alaska comes from more than the wind chill. A "lower 48er" definitely needs time to get used to the building aesthetic up here. Many homes were built piece by piece by their occupants, Tyvek is a decorating statement and the main area is often an old single wide. Lots of people are living in dry cabins which means an outhouse with showers at the laundry mat. Some, hell a lot, of these places aren't even accessible by car most of the year. I've seen those listed as "drive, park and ride" because you drive to the nearest road, park your truck and ride your snowmobile in.
After a few months, you get used to it and begin to admire the do it yourself ingenuity of this population. And besides, my American Dream has never included 2.5 kids and a house that impresses the neighbors but one I can't pay for. So when I stumbled upon a cabin off a maintained road sitting on 1.64 acres with septic, gas, electric and phone already in place and a block from a huge lake for a hell of a price, I decided to go for it. With my very supportive friend and would-be "neighbor" (3 miles is a stones throw up here) behind me of course. I met with the realtor and began dreaming of bamboo flooring, recycled glass countertops and bathroom, a chicken coop and a small green house. How freakin' cool would that be?! Plus, I'm telling you, the price is Uh May Zing. I know it would be a bigger headache than I expected and I know there would be lots of time spent in tears but I think the payoff, even at the short time I expect to stay here, would be unbelievable. All this dreaming and scheming has taken up a lot of brain space over the last few days but today I met with the mortgage lender and he basically pissed on my parade. Turns out the property doesn't qualify for traditional financing and my only other option is one that includes a 40% down payment. Even with a kick ass job and no leeches (aka kids) roaming around, I'm sad to report that I don't have $15,000 sitting under my mattress. Now if you're smart, you're doing the math and realizing that this property is cheaper than most assholes in Southern CA spend on their cars. Chances are slim to none it could still work out but, the life lesson that I never seem to learn is: "Don't get your hopes up."
So. looks like my Alaskan/American dream is not yet going to materialize and I am sorely disappointed but I guess there's always tomorrow. Someday, I'll post pictures of some Alaskan chateaus and show you what I mean about the particular style up here.

Bona Fide

2010-04-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Redneck, that is.

I spent my Friday night shooting guns, timing friends shooting guns, learning the Bitch Slap 'n Shoot maneuver and having a beer at a smokey sports bar. All total awesomeness, I assure you.
But, sometimes even a "tomboy" really would like to be a woman. And treated like one. When does the dressing up and smelling nice commence around here? So far the definition of dressing up seems to be a shower and your cleanest polar fleece. Most days that's fine with me but tomorrow, I think I'll wear a skirt.

Update: I did not wear a skirt. I sat at home all day watching HGTV. Why? you ask? New post to follow. And don't worry, I really haven't gone all right wing redneck on you. Still the same ol' Dumborah and I really don't even eat much meat but I do believe in hunting for food and shooting for self protection. I present and close my case. Do not follow these links if you just ate or have a weak stomach.