Sitka, Snow, and Frozen Pipes

Kathy flew to Sitka this morning, for a two-week stint at the SEARHC Clinic there.  It was a beautiful sunny day today, and she had a nice flight in a little Cessna.  It's a one hour flight, much better than flying to Ketchikan, then transferring to Alaska Airlines, and flying to Sitka.  She is staying in an apartment, so doesn't have to eat restaurant food every day.  There is at least one theatre there, too, so she'll get to go to a movie!  


 

View this afternoon of the mountains from the Klawock-Hollis Highway

She'll be handling walk-in clients for them.  They are down three people, so have a big backlog.  This trip came at a good time:  we are both needing some time off the island.  Even though it's work-related, it's definitely a change of scenery, and a much larger town, so will be a good change.


So, I get complete control of the TV remote, for two weeks!  Ha!  I probably won't be using it much, as I've got three good books to read. 

I was sent home from work right after Kathy left, due to frozen water pipes.  It got down to 21 degrees overnight, and was cold all weekend.

My job is going well.  There is a Tribal Council meeting tomorrow night, and we should get more direction after that meeting.   

The shoreline freezes overnight, then the tide goes out and the ice breaks up, and creates a beautiful example of natural art.

The juncos are our best birdseed customers, coming around soon after we put it out.  There are a few other little birds, but we haven't seen a jay for a long time.  The cold and snow doesn't bother the ravens at all.  They are ever-present, flying, congregating, jabbering.  Canada geese are still here, too, some having never left.  I saw some this weekend standing on the ice.  It looked like they were a little bewildered.  We still see the occasional bald eagle, too.  


I don't remember if I wrote about the ridiculous 'normal' cost of a crown that Cigna Insurance tried to foist on us, $250!  I appealed this, and after two months, they finally changed it to the full cost of what our dentist was charging, of which they paid half.  This meant an increase of $300 in their share.  On top of that, they allowed the dentist to re-bill for several other clients, who also got rebates, pretty cool.  All was fine, until Cigna sent us an 'Explanation of Benefits' for Kathy's crown, and guess what, they said the 'normal' and covered cost was $250!  So, another call, and the Customer Service Supervisor I'd been working with was a little embarrassed, as she should be.  I wish I had the contact information for someone higher up in the company:  this is ridiculous.  


That's all I can think of to write.  Between the weather and the scenery, there really isn't much else going on.  I'm sure by the end of the month, the bears will be out of hybernation, maybe the herring will have returned, and there will be lots going on!