Hello, yea it’s been a while (wait, that’s from a song isn’t it?):
Let’s see, almost four weeks ago I had what I call pneumonia (lost 9 pounds in less than a week so I guess some good came from it). Then Patty was sick for almost a week. The next week it rained almost everyday except the day I went out and caught herring. Then we went to Anchorage from May 29 through June 5th spending the whole time working on the new house, not that it needed any repair although the new roof we had put on looks really good. Since returning from Anchorage we have only been down the beach twice. On one trip we crossed Sadie creek which is about 5 miles outside of town and did a little fishing (didn’t catch anything though). Another evening we just made a loop then spent some time on an overlook taking pictures of the newly arrived flowers and enjoying the fragrance of the tundra which I am told is from something called Labrador tea. The mosquitoes have made their grand appearance and you just make sure you don’t stand still anywhere for long or you make sure you stand facing the wind. Yep, it is total daylight now 24 hours round the clock but the good news is that during the night, the sun shines from the other side of town so we just have to contend with the daylight, not sun streaming in. OK, that about sums up everything since the last email. Bye.
Not a chance.
The transition from winter to summer is so rapid as to be astounding. As I posted on the website, it almost seems that I could look out and see old man winter glaring over his shoulder as he reluctantly leaves town admonishing he won't be gone long. In just over four weeks all the ice has left the water and most of it is gone from the tundra. When we left for Anchorage the tundra was partially ice bound and brown in color. Or return just 10 days later most of the snow was gone and the tundra was green. On the two rides we made we were able to see numerous flowering plants in full bloom and soon the tundra will be alive with color. The down side is the mosquitoes also arrived while we were on vacation. The only good thing about them is they are actually bigger than we are used to and way more sluggish so they are easier to kill. That doesn't mean that you just stand still and swat them. If you do, it won't be for long believe me. The beach is the best place because the constant wind coming in from the sea keeps them out on the tundra (for the most part) The good news is that they will be gone in another couple of weeks. The days as of late have been foggy in the mornings and clear in the evenings. Last week we actually had two days where the temp got up to 77 degrees which is a record for this time of year. (Heck, the highest recorded temp is not much higher than that, around 80 I think.) It makes for beautiful outdoor activities if you use sense and a lot of mosquito spray. The down side is no building here has air-conditioning so indoors at work or at home can be a bit warm. You can't just say "wait for the sun to go down and it will cool off", it won't go down until sometime in August. Who would ever dream I would be living in the arctic and complaining about it being to hot? One other unique thing I must mention is that you have to keep an eye on the clock here so you know when to go to bed. Ah heck, what is a circadian rhythm anyway and who needs it?
So we have done the two rides and watched the waterfowl, the surf, the blooming tundra, oh, and the tourists in and around town. As I write at 8pm Tuesday evening, a glance out of my bedroom window reveals the back bays with a slight ripple to the surface, many boats anchored serenely to the shore, blue skies dotted with tufts of white with the occasional seagull passing by, all contrasted with a backdrop of green tundra sporting a few patches of stubborn snow to add flavor to it all. The windows are open and we have a fan in the bedroom that creates a gentle, cool breeze. This evening we have heard the occasional light plane and even a couple of float planes taking off. They buzz around at all altitudes and in all different directions here because there are no firm flight rules. All have traded their skis for huge balloon "tundra tires". On occasion lately we have heard and watched as a snowmachine rider skims across the waters of the back lagoon. I guess he is practicing for the July 4th races. (Yes, snowmachines being run on water like personal watercraft. The only difference is if you fall off this one, it does not idle down and circle. It sinks-period.) On the way into the building this evening after work the man in charge of running the hospital was on his way out the door (he lives right across the hall from us) with a spider crab in each hand. He was holding them about chest high and the legs reached almost to the ground, they were fresh believe me. I asked him who was buttering him up to which he responded "everyone".
Life is good.
As I mentioned we spent 10 days in Anchorage Patty and I. Cathy passed through on the last Saturday we were there coming back from a visit to New Orleans with her 6' 3" Eskimo boyfriend. Patty and I worked our buns off feathering a nest we have no plans on populating anytime soon. We bought and hung three ceiling fans; put together three bookcases, planted untold plants in pots and some in the ground. Patty got to cut the little grass there and play in the garden too. We unpacked a lot of the stuff that we brought up in the trailer and had stored in Anchorage. That was the hard part in a way, unpacking not only our life's collections but a lot of things from my grandmother who just passed away, my mother and father, and Patty's grandmothers and her family. It was tuff trying to decide what to take out and display and what to put back in boxes thereby sentencing my kids to deal with after our demise. In the end I feel we made the right choices as the house is now a home (for Christy and her roommate anyway). We stored the rest in an area set up in the garage that is accessible by ladder from the staircase which included Patty's china. (A china cabinet is for the next trip down; I still have to pay for the roof). We did get in our usual trips to the grocery, Sam's, and Costco, packing a bunch of goodies in our suitcases including a fully packed ice chest-that and any box or container are commonly referred to as Alaska suitcases. The fun part is when we get back home and unpack. It's kind of like Christmas or an Easter egg hunt as we come across some goodie or another we forgot we bought, and at the end comparing the treasures each of us has unearthed.
Well, that's simple and to the point. With the arrival of summer I just have not had much of an urge to sit and write. We have been here now for 15 months and occasionally the urge to move on comes over me. I have done a bit of research and I kind of like Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians although Patty balks at the fact that the airfare out of there is about twice what it is here. No we are not going anywhere anytime soon however. After all, Christy and Shawn are coming for the July 4th celebration and Patty's sister Suzy and her husband Tim are coming up at the beginning of August. After a couple of days here we are all going down to Anchorage and then driving up to spend some time in Denali. It will be fun sharing our way of life with folks in person. Hope they are ready for some adventure.
Carlo
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Last updated:
08/29/05