5.21.2009

life in the slow lane

Windy in Willow today. I've come down from Fairbanks for a month or so to take care of the house and dogs while my mom and dad vacation in Norway. They bought a Volvo from Sweden (included round-trip airfare, hotel, free shipping to AK, and was $5000 cheaper than getting it at the dealer in Anchorage!!) and are driving it around Scandinavia, visiting family and friends, seeing the sights. They'll be touring Tromsø to Copenhagen, Finland in the middle. 

I'm on a vacation of my own. I fill in the spaces between chore time with walks, planting nasturtiums and carrots, reading, House, treadmill, cleaning, catching up and Jim Brown, who is taking less and less time to manage now that he got his cast off. A low maintenance dog now, he's spending most of his time outside lounging against the drag tire in the yard. He's so much happier outside than in the garage and at pretty low risk for a re-break when he's sleeping all day. 
As are most Alaskans this May, I'm enjoying the sunny weather. Leaning against the house's hot black stone siding, listening to NPR and dreaming of more productive ways to spend my time here. I have to stick around Willow to keep with the feeding schedule but that certainly doesn't cut down on my options. Willow is a centre for outdoor recreation. I'm planning on hauling the kayak to Nancy Lake, some day hikes in the mountains (Hatcher Pass) and some day hikes in the swamps (backyard). 

I have a loose daily schedule now, puppy feeding and cleaning at home mid-morning, dog lot, feeding and watering at Grandma's in the evening, a change from my flexible stay-up-til-whenever-and-study schedule of the past few months.  

The little puppies have started fighting; their squabbles, the highway and the wind make up the soundtrack in Willow today. Burgers and eggplant for dinner.

5.08.2009

one more paper


and then i'm done for spring of 2009 and will be able to write something more reflective and insightful than a small update not so cleverly disguised as one more procrastination before the final event. photo: good 'ol Al Smith of the First Byrd Expedition