HAPPY NEW YEAR

For those of us that work in the Federal Government, the New Year started last Thursday. As a Housing Chief, I spend many hours with Engineers and Contracting folks to get projects awarded to make living conditions better for Service Members. During the last month, the hours are long, tensions run high and we go nuts making sure the details for negotiations are available. Then there are the moments of laughter wrought from frustration, tables full of pot luck food – some still warm after hours of work, and then good feelings when the Boss tells us “you’ve done a great job.” There were some long days in September!

I guess I should start back in mid August where I left off on the last blog. I had a chance to go with 3 colleagues (2 men, 2 women) on a river fishing trip. I had never fished on the Kenai River before – actually no rivers in Alaska. The Kenai is glacial fed and very pristine. The day was warm, sunny and the river was smooth like glass. We started out meeting friends in Girdwood at the Double Musky. For non-Alaskans, it is one of the best local fish/steak houses in the area. No reservations – just stand in line and there is always a line! We stayed overnight in Soldotna. We were to meet the boat captain at 7:00 AM. The girls were packed, ready and down to breakfast by 6. The guys meanwhile were running way behind. We managed to get to the boat by 8:30. Only one of the four of us had any experience river fishing for Silver Salmon. So the Captain took us to a shallow side river to practice. We all got nibbles, but no real catches. There is a 2 Silver limit on the Kenai and we had 5 permits between us. We had decided when we set out that we would get 10 and split them even…hopefully everyone would catch at least one. The Captain found the “perfect hole.” In less than two hours we had caught our limit; the girls out did the boys 7 to 3! We had the boat for the rest of the day, so we motored up to Skilak Lake, beached the boat and had lunch. The Kenai has a catch and release for trout. We spent several hours catching everything from 6 to 18 inches. We docked by 4 PM and headed back to Anchorage.

We never seem to have only one thing going on at a time. The day I was fishing, Fred was doing an Airport run. My aunt and uncle – Tom and Lynette – came up for a dream trip! Tom had been stationed in the area with the Corps of Engineers in the 60’s. They had lived for a few months on Fort Richardson and then for nearly two years in Anchorage. They took a cruise early in the summer to see Southeast Alaska – glaciers, totem poles and Juneau. Once here they toured Whittier and Prince William Sound; Portage Glacier, Girdwood, Alyeska and the Wildlife Center; Denali and the wildlife adventure; Fairbanks, North Pole and University of Fairbanks Museum; Delta Junction, a typical Alaskan Roadhouse, Matanuska Glacier and Valdez; Anchorage – with all of its tourist adventures; and then we headed with them to Seward to fish and walk to Exit Glacier; and then they headed to Soldotna and Homer. Can you believe it – all that in two weeks?

They scheduled their flight back on 4 September. I had (planned) foot surgery on the 2nd. As luck would have it, Fred had to be out of town for the day. So Tom and Lynette kindly helped out. This turned out to be a bigger task than just bringing me home. The doctor told them that I should be ready to leave about 2:30. So punctual they were. I was in recovery, getting my dose of antibiotics. Always one for excitement – I had a drug reaction! So the folks took care of that and I rested for a couple of hours. Next I was getting up to show that I could walk on crutches and the doctor said that he wanted me to have some more pain meds before they removed the IV – another reaction, but one considered mild. They kept me there until 7:30 and Tom just helped me to the car. Fred kept a close eye on me the next day – all was good. Tom and Lynette shopped and Tom fixed up the lower level bathroom to make it easy for me to stay on one level. Bless his heart – he had just done this for Lynette because she had some back surgery the prior year. They left early the next day. Despite the last two days, there trip was wonderful and I was glad we got to spend some time together.

I had planned with my boss that I would be off a week, due to the surgery, and then be able to work part time. I signed the contract to work at home and attend special meetings only at the office. I was preparing to go back to work on the 14th when I discovered my foot had swollen overnight. Another doctor appointment and by the end of the day I was hospitalized with a staph infection. God truly answers the prayers of the faithful. I spent a week there – unfortunately with another drug reaction in the process – but came home by Friday. I went back to work the next Monday. Still recovering, I will be back for another checkup tomorrow. I knew that this type of surgery would require 6 to 8 weeks on crutches. All is going great and I hope to be “limping without my sticks” by Wednesday.

Fred has spent most of the summer enlarging – actually rebuilding – our deck with a friend (Randy). The deck is off the kitchen/family room and was large enough for the grill. We had a table out there as well, but it was too crowded once more than a couple of people were out there. We also wanted a low maintenance deck. So we designed a large deck with staircase and used Trex to build it. The slope of the back yard allows enough room for us to park four wheelers or snow machines under the deck. What started out as a three week project, took us about 2 months. We all had our day jobs and worked on the weekends and evenings. But there were days off when we went to Scotland and Randy took days to go fishing with his kids. The deck was finished by the end of August. Jessica “gave” or “talked dear old Dad” into taking one of her puppies in June. We are the proud owners of a Great Pyrenees / Lab mix. She is an energetic puppy and a good companion to Fred! He has his moments as she runs off , he chases; playfully attacks the neighbors dogs, but pushes too hard against Mom when she has the baby in her arms; and finding ways to slip her collar when no one is looking. She is really a good dog, just busy being a puppy. Now she has taken over the deck as her favorite play area.

We have been working on the yard / driveway area, again! Fred has had tons of dirt hauled in to widen and extend the driveway. He has made an area to park our trailers and camper; crated better drainage; and closed off an old builder’s road. The latter was being used by snow machiners and four wheelers for access to the trails. They were causing damage to our (and neighbor’s) property and septic systems. We think we have the problem solved. Next year, we will work on creating a back yard.

The weather is Alaska went from glorious summer to short fall – one week and the leaves turned colors and fell off the trees. It’s now a rainy weather and hovering near the freezing temps. Black ice is a problem. Fred has the snow tires on both cars. Termination dust hit Arctic Valley early in September. (For non-Alaskans reading this story – that is snow on the mountain tops that signal the “termination” of summer.) Bear Mountain, seen from our front windows, has a light covering.

Happy 1st birthday to Dale; to Mom Kassy (although not her 1st); to Jeremy in Afghanistan; and for their anniversary as well! Gee, I had better write again in another week so I don’t miss all my other October grandbabies birthdays!