A Sunny Saturday, A Great Start to October, and Just ONE WEEK TO GO!

Saturday, October 1, 2011       It’s October, it’s Saturday, it’s only one week until we move into our own place, with our own kitchen, our own things, new clothes to wear!  Wow, what a treat that is going to be, at long last.

The day dawned bright and sunny, too, not a cloud in the sky.  We are hoping this means we will have better weather when Kelli and Jared and Henry arrive, in just 12 short days.  I told Kelli that Henry looks big in the pictures she sends us, and she said he is, that he has grown quite a bit in the last two months. 

Quinlan and I do a fast walk down to The Breadbox Bakery, in search of cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven, more oatmeal cookies, and fresh bread.  I catch them before the cinnamon rolls have been iced, so get to talk with the owner while she adds the icing.  She and her husband were just the third homeowners on Pt. St. Nick Road.  There was no electricity, no water, no phone.  They got by on two generators, one small for lights, the second one larger, for the clothes washer and dryer.  Her husband has been in Alaska since before statehood!  They have raised at least two boys here, and seen many, many changes.  Her husband and one son are on the other side of the island, near Hollis, working the start of the shrimping season.  Her son Eli handles my purchase.  They have operated the bakery only since February of this year.  It’s organic, home-based, and has delicious baked goods, all of which we are happy to support!

This shows the creek outside our door, with high tide.  Notice the fish pens are all floating.

The inlet at low tide.  Notice the fish pens are only half floating.

 Quinlan and I do another fast walk home.  It’s about 0.8 mile, a gorgeous day, and I certainly need the exercise.  We met only one dog on the way out, at Kathy’s manager’s house, which is right next door to The Bread Box.  There are normally dogs at about every fourth house, who come out to see who is walking down ‘their’ road.  On the way back, we run into the three neighbor dogs from The Castles, all good friends of Quinlan’s now. 

The cinnamon rolls are a delicious breakfast, fresh and still warm from the oven! 

Next on the agenda is the Harvest Festival, at the Craig Middle School.  We are anxious to see some local crafts, and enjoy a new island event.  It’s not to be though, as it’s really a little school fair, with face-painting, cookie decorating, and a few other tables, and a hayride, pulled by a little tractor.  This reminds me that there is no farming on the island, due to poor soil, I understand.  There are new horses on the island, Icelandic ones that don't get hoof-rot.  Maybe they can be brought over to this festival next year to make the hayride a little more authentic.

We order some Christmas gift bags, and leave.  Kathy has the shopping bug, so we cross the street and visit some places we haven’t been to yet, a sad second hand store, and a new grocery store with better prices than the two AC stores.  We will definitely be back when we need more dogfood.

We decide to have lunch at Kim’s Corner in Klawock, so head, what is it, north?  I'm still having trouble with my directions.  The ocean is a deep, deep blue when the sky is clear like today.  We can see the tops of the mountains, all of them, which is an uncommon sight, as usually they are covered in clouds. 

We visit the store next, and pick up some DVDs:  our TV connection isn’t going to be fixed before Tuesday probably, so for the first time in maybe 15 years, we rent movies!  The last time must have been from The Wherehouse, and how long has it been since they folded up?

People on the island don't lock the cars, every apparently.  One guy at the diner told us his keys were in the ignition of his truck!  He explained "it's an island, where are they going to go?"  He said his laptop and his rifle were in the old truck, too!  Crazy!  They do lock their homes though.  The owner of Kim's told us this started about five years ago for her, when she was awakened by the sound of people talking inside her house, and strangers lounging in her living room.  A friend of hers found strangers cooking in their kitchens!  This was when drug use got significantly worse, meth and crack being drugs of choice.  Now, there is even some heroin on the island, and the usual prescription drugs being abused.

Not connected to drugs, but before I forget, for an excellent article on the Alaska Permanent Fund, the most successful and well-run government program I've ever heard of, click here.