Late Spring Schedule

My ‘down’ time in Alaska is about to come to an end. Not that I’ve been quiet and still exactly – plenty of adventuring and chaos to attend to in my ‘slower’ portion of life. Dogs are often the forefront, walking, training, hiking and of course just caring for them. As many dog owners can attest to, it’s the morning your running late that someone has gotten sick on the rug and ‘couldn’t hold it’. Messes aplenty. Particularly when one Beagle who already has the world’s most sensitive stomach gets a hold of a Curry dish that was left out when no one was in the room.

I leave for DC to pickup my car in a few days. River will be staying with her Alaska family for safe keeping. Once I retrieve my car and visit with my Aunt Cathie and family, I’ll head to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, to see Shaun, my Aunt Terry and of course my Cousin Lucy along with many other family members. I will also be seeing one of my favorite friends before she heads back to St. Croy with her husband! I haven’t seen Carmen in a few years and am beyond excited that it worked out for me to leave for the East Coast early.

The following weekend I will be in New York State – South Salem for my 4th WildernessFusion class. I am both looking forward to and anxious about class – seeing as how we are turning in homework this time. By this point we are well into June – and I head back to Maryland for the rest of the week before departing to Alaska so I can prepare (all 24 hours) before my wonderful friends and Earth Sister Carl and Tracy arrive! I love having people visit and sharing some of the things I love about Alaska with them. I will have a little over 2 weeks to try to pack in as much as possible with Tracy and her homebody husband Carl.

By the time Tracy and Carl depart back to Maine, it will be July – damn this Summer isn’t even here yet and I’m already saying its half over! I have some dog stuff to take care of, a diving course to get through so I can get certified when I go to Guam (which may be as soon as this October!!!) and a few possible trips in the works. Hopefully my best friend Lorien will visit me at some point later this Summer and maybe even a Brother if I can get one of their asses up here.

The timeline is:

May 28th – Depart Alaska to DCA. I’ll arrive VERY late in the evening/early Thurs in OC.

May 29th – June 6th — Maryland.

June 6th – 9th — NY State for WildernessFusion Class.

June 10th – 15th — Maryland & hopefully will see Dad & everyone if they visit OC during this time.

June 16th – Back in Alaska!

June 18th – Tracy & Carl Arrive!!!

July 3rd – Tracy & Carl back to Maine.

I’m sure I’ll have to update a thing or two between now and July – but if you’re in the area and want to try to meet up with me – send me an email/text.

Early Spring Sunset

Here’s to a busy Spring and an even busy Summer! ~ J

 

Spring Post

Another Spring has come and soon will be gone. The Summer Solstice just around the corner. Since being back in Alaska, I’ve immersed myself with work, dogs, books, yoga and my ‘Alaska’ life – which still doesn’t have much of a routine but is a bit slower than being on the road. I still manage trips and adventures around Alaska – hikes with dogs, road trip to Valdez, Motor-home trip with the Gardners to Seward along with all the dogs in tow, kayaking, hiking, plotting out the best way to get a picture – I’m usually up to something. Outings around town – I occasionally catch a movie, hit up a local bar or just enjoy our rather tasty Sushi here in Anchorage. The middle of April I arrived to snow in the higher elevations and still in the shade at sea level. Now just over a month later the buds on the trees have long since turned into leaves and wildflower season is just around the corner. Time doesn’t stand still for anything, least of all my ‘to do list’ and blog! The more I find what life has to show me, the harder I find it to juggle keeping this thing updated. Sporadic internet and an outdated laptop don’t help either – but mostly its just my slacking.

I watched Mother’s Day come and go this year without much comment. I did reflected some about Happier Mother’s Day’s past, I noticed more how much I no longer sit in this place of society that most people in my life do. Particularly friends close in age – heck many still have more than one grandparent! Its strange and rather sobering to sit on the outside with the many so-called ‘holidays’ we have. Kathy (who lost her Mother just over a year ago now) and I mostly grumbled at the overly cheerful people at the store and inquired to our men and friends in life whether or not they had spoken to their Mothers/Grandmothers. Basically at the end of the day, I felt like I should keep most of my pain and grief brought to the surface, to myself, and hope that those who had people to celebrate did so with much happiness.

River has been my constant companion as always, often accented by a Beagle, Pete the Border Collie or even a friend’s dog. Her winter coat is officially too long and hot for the ‘heat of Alaska’ which hasn’t reached over 70 degrees yet – but that is swimming weather! I’m helping her with the shedding by brushing her out – something she seems to have mixed emotions about but takes with ease all the same. Since the Bunny population is in its natural decline this year, the Birds of Prey are spotted even more often and rather hungry, I error on the side of caution with my little Weasel of a Dachshund and limit her freedom off leash; something she is not thrilled about and I get lectured on in her own way.

I head back to the East Coast in less than two weeks to visit Shaun & family and to attend my 4th and final (for year one) WildernessFusion class – which is hard to believe I committed to taking almost year ago. It both feels like forever and just yesterday (as much of my life is wont to) that I standing on the that particular ledge of choice on. The classes have given me some rather major life changing tools and even more life changing people. I will be attending year two – hopefully as will many (all?) of my amazing classmates. River will be staying in Alaska with the Gardners since it is now getting quite hot in Maryland – and she is not a fan of the ticks (frankly neither am I). I’ll post the actual dates and schedule of the upcoming summer soon (and maybe even a post about fun trips??).

As you may have noticed from FB or even this post, I still don’t sleep regularly or much – unless I’m sick – then I sleep like the dead. Yet other than some random annoying allergy-rash that has appeared on my face I’ve been pretty good health wise. Clearly I am one of the few who can somehow ‘live’ on chronic sleep deprived hours. I’m not convinced this is actually a good thing. My memory still is rather holely and soon as I am stressed suffers noticeably. I’m still the queen of long baths (ideally Epsom Salt ones) and enduring back and hip pain. Thankfully I have my own bathroom complete with a nice bathtub in my room at the Gardners house that I can monopolize for hours (half the night sometimes). While my life of sleep deprived pain can be a bummer – I don’t find myself that upset about much (not that I ever did to the point that many people have/do) of it anymore. Other than the random insensitive remarks made about my ‘slacker sleep schedule’ and how I’m too ‘young’ to have real pain – I’ve found some measure of peace with how things currently are (which yep – suck but that’s what is real for now) and instead focus on a sunset or an owl calling to its mate under the full moon.

I hope that as the Spring season turns to Summer, you get out, outside of your house/apartment. outside of your city/town and firsthand experience life in its eon long natural state. Alaska and Seattle are pretty much the only places this Pale Redhead actually gets excited when the Sun is out – but excited I am. And you should be too. Regardless of where you are in life, there is something out there worth seeing, you just have be willing to go look.
Every step is just part of the Journey ~ J