News from Alaska

It has been a while since I have updated everyone on what is going on up in the great state of Alaska. It has been an adjustment. I have been missing Mickey and Nickey more than I thought I would. Linda, the primary teacher, caught me in one of my weak moments and thought I should have some company at the cabin. The next day she brought me a cat. It seems the cat was scheduled to see doctor Winchester . So I saved him. Shadow is a two year old male black and white cat. He has been hiding under my bathroom floor. He comes out to eat only when I’m in bed. Last night I left a light on. When he came out to eat, I said hi. He just sat and looked at me. May be I will be able to hold him by the end of March.

I see Minnesota is getting a huge storm. It has only snowed once sense I arrived in Grayling. The temperature has been at twenty below zero for the past week. When I got up this morning, my water was frozen. I had to turn on the water pipe heat tapes just to thaw it out. Within a couple of hours it was flowing again. At least the sewer is staying warm as the cat has made a home next to the pipes under the bathroom floor. Well there is something to be said for him hiding all the time.

I have become accustom to the cabin. Even though I don’t have flooring and the lights are bulbs suspended from the ceiling, I have been able to make it home. I purchased a half a cord of wood yesterday for $100. It’s an outrageous price, but what can you do. I will pay one of my students to cut and chop it. I have one station that comes in on the TV. I guess this is the television station I read about. Evidently the station decides which networks to broadcast. For example; the six o’clock new is NBC. Evening programming can be from NBC or CBS or ABC or PBS. I guess who ever runs the station gets to pick the programming. What ever they like is what we can watch. Sometimes we get David Letterman, other times its Jay Leno. Never can tell. Its hit and miss. Very strange.

Now here is one that will amaze everyone. My cabin is about a quarter of a mile from the school. Each morning I bundle up and walk, yes that was walk, the quarter of a mile. I have learned that snow pants are necessary in the morning as the temperature are typically twenty-five to thirty below. However, in the evening it is warm enough to go without them. I took a ride on a snow machine. The snow is packed in waves. It feels like I am in a boat going through a the wake of many boats. Up and down, just like being on the water.

The children here are great. Kids are kids no matter where you go. Two of the middle school students, Tonya and Willie, spend close to four hours a day with me. We have been talking about college and preparing for their future. It is unbelievable, but no one has ever talked to these kids about college. I asked one of my fourth graders what she wanted to study in college. Her answer floored me. She said, “I’m not going to go to college, I’m going to say home and drink like my mom”. I couldn’t believe what I had heard. Most of the village is unemployed. Even though the town is damp (no alcohol may be sold) there is plenty of drinking going on. It’s a sad situation.

I have asked for a transfer to the school district hub in McGrath next year. I love the children and staff where I am teaching, however I believe McGrath would be better for my family. There are no fifth graders in Grayling. That means Nick would be the only sixth grader next year. McGrath put in a very small skating rink at the school this year and would be interested in putting up a larger one next year. I think this is something Mickey and Nickey would enjoy being part of. Of course there is always the services in McGrath to consider. They have a couple of restaurants, a bed and breakfast, two stores, and an up scaled coffee shop. I hope the utility costs are less as my bills here are out of this world. According to Priscilla, the Special Education Director, the children in McGrath would also be a better influence. So, it looks like I will be moving over.

I hope that everyone is well. I miss all of you.