Hi,
This is Sunday the 28th of December and as predicted the wind has picked up daily since Christmas. Right now at 12:49 PM the wind is a steady 41 mph with gusts to 49 per the weather channel, but I think it is higher. The snow is blowing and although it has scoured our snowmachines clean on the back side of the building, Cathy's 4 wheeler which is parked in the front of the building is covered again. Looking out of the window presents a vision of horizontal white hurling past. The building rocks sometimes gently and sometimes alarmingly in the gale. I have heard the Alaska Air morning and afternoon jets however which supports the claim they are the best pilots in the world (or maybe the most reckless). The only good is that as long as it is overcast or stormy the temps climb above zero. Right now the outside temp is 11 above zero. I think this is just a ruse by Mother Nature though because the wind chill hurls the danger lever much higher than if it was colder and clear with no wind. The snow drifts onto the roads and into driveways and it is hard to judge how deep it is or how hard it might be. It can sucker an unsuspecting 4 wheeler or an even bigger vehicles into it's grasp with ease. Today is a good day to stay in and enjoy the show in warmth before tackling the new week again tomorrow.
Christmas has come and gone here in the Arctic and lo and behold it was a white one, my first ever. The day dawned (around noon of course) clear, calm, and cold (as low as 23 below that day with a high of 19 below). Santa was good to us all as we had smiles all around. We had an open house that day with plenty of golden turkey with homemade gravy, homemade pumpkin and pecan pies, baked ham, fresh buns, homemade cranberry sauce, pralines, jambalaya instead of oyster dressing as there were no oysters to be found, and a host of different types of confections. People drifted in and out throughout the day bringing their own favorites and a good feed was had by all. Most did not stay for a long period as all had calls to take and make to those lesser mortals who do not share our sense of adventure and think of this as gods country...............NOT. Even cleanup wasn't too bad with Stuart, a friend of Cathy's pitching in. All in all a good first Christmas spent away from what used to be home.
Christmas eve I was off and Patty and Cathy got off at noon. We spent the evening cleaning and preparing goodies for the big day. About two weeks ago Patty leaked to the dietitician that Cathy had some talent with the clarinet. Our daughter was promptly drafted, grumbling the whole time, (although I believe secretly she was pleased to be playing again) to play at midnight mass at the local Catholic church. That night although tired, we got up and went to midnight mass which started at 9pm per Cathy, but really began at 9:30 with caroling followed by mass at ten. The ride to the church was in 11 below zero temp with the sky above clear and the stars really shining bright. Just outside there is a small scaffold the top of which hangs a simple bell. Entry into the church is through a set of doors into a room where people shed their winter cover and hang them on simple wooden hooks. I immediately felt a sense of peace and welcome upon walking inside. After hanging our coats I noted above the entryway a piece of whale baleen with the name of the church etched into it. Above this hung a simple handmade wooden cross that looked to be made from the local willow and varnished. The church is a humble affair not adorned with the finery I am used to but it felt good, like a warm, comfortable, well used blanket. The pews were simple wooden slatted affairs adorned with small bouquets of artificial poinsettias. The altar was made of wood, not fancy wood, but beautiful just the same. It was adorned with the usual candles on it and behind it and surrounding it were the ever-present poinsettias, these the real thing. On the wall behind and above it all was the crucifix which itself was surrounded by local furs and an arch made of two pieces of whale baleen. There were a number of Christmas trees all festooned with the usual lights and decorations. The most striking feature to my eyes was the nativity on the left of the altar. The figures of Mary and Joseph had fur adorned hoods and cloaks while the Christ child was swathed in fur and lying in a tiny basket sled. The animals surrounding were caribou, moose, an eagle, and seals. The figures were handmade dolls in imitation of locals dressed in their finest furs and Russian trappers. There was even a model of a local kayak covered in dried hide made from seal stomach as is the real thing. Each window, although not true stained glass with the lead dividers and glazing of the more expensive churches, was hand painted with a raised stained glass look. Some were traditional scenes while others were distinctively Inupiat. The priest made all feel welcome and the mass was less formal than in other places I have been. We sang Christmas carols before and during mass many of which had one verse in English and the next in Inupiat. Although it was written in a small booklet it is a difficult language to verbalize to those unaccustomed to it but we did our best (it probably didn't sound any worse than our regular singing). Sitting there during the service a feeling came over me that my parents were there with me. It felt as if they were alongside watching the proceedings on the eve of this most holy day. I almost felt as if I was being allowed to share this experience my mother and father. Tears came to my eyes making it hard to see the words I was supposed to be reading. Here I was, sitting here among these people in this amazing land. To say I was moved and in awe is a massive understatement. How did we come to be here? How in the world did we, middle class folks from the deep south, land on a path that led us to this place? A lot of factors lead up to this, not the least of which were my mom and dad. Needless to say I enjoyed the service and the closeness of those surrounding me. After mass there were snacks and refreshments served in another area. Present there was one of the Techs that I work with who had just returned from a medevac flight to Anchorage. She told me she had just told her two young daughters she had seen Santa in flight but it would be a while before he reached their home as he had all the villages to visit first. The kids were beaming and could not wait to go home. The parking lot outside had the usual cars and trucks but it also had just as many 4 wheelers and snowmachines, some with sleds. I arrived at home with a sense of peace, and my sleep was undisturbed that night.
Carlo
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Last updated:
08/29/05