Extra Special Times This Year

I have been blessed to have some very special times this year, surrounded by very stressful ones such as: being away from Kathy for months, managing multiple repairs and repair companies working on our house, and otherwise getting ready to sell it, packing up last possessions we had left at our house and shipping them to Maine, and otherwise preparing to make yet another long distance move, this time to Maine.  One was staying with my Dad for five weeks while our house in San Diego was being worked on.  I originally intended to live in our house while the repairs were being made, but all of the repair people convinced me that noise and smells and general disruption would not be pleasant, and they could all get their work done quicker if the house was empty.  Dad offered up his empty second bedroom, and so I stayed with him instead, and it worked out great.  

Right off the bat, he introduced me to one of his favorite steak places, which was a great way to start my visit.  It turned out he had several good places to get a steak.  Oh, there was the Chinese restaurant he liked, too, which was also very good.  It's been a long, long time since we spent any time together.  I still haven't figured out though, why I, a very infrequent beer drinker, spring for the better ones, while Dad, who can't have a dinner without a beer, sticks to Budweiser.  One of life's little mysteries.

I learned Dad's routine, reading the newspaper every morning (I picked up this habit from him early in life, actually, and despite the instant news updates available online, I still like to read a newspaper every day.  I hadn't been able to for the last year and a half, and really missed it.), repairing Village residents watches, driving other residents of the Village to their doctor or hair appointments, and the airport.  I even made some money when he accidentally double-booked and recruited me to drive.  I ate lunch with him and his friends at the dining hall several times, which was nice.  I went with him several times to his friends apartment for their afternoon cocktail.  He loves watching old movies and the occasional newer one (Shawshank Redemption, for example), war movies, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, and wildlife shows (he's been doing that all my life, no doubt a primary reason why I love nature. Thank God it wasn't baseball season:  Dad is a huge baseball fan, while I would almost rather watch paint dry. :-/  I remember him religiously watching games every Saturday when I was young, with Peewee Reese and Dizzy Dean calling the plays, and the Hamms Beer bear commercials/cartons.).  Another official village duty he has is feeding the koi at Lake George, as they call the little pond at the Village.  We also talked about issues around the Village.  It worked out great.  

The other wonderful opportunity that came my way was spending eight weeks living with Kelli and Jared and Henry.  How cool is that, living with your only granchild, being there every morning when he wakes up!  I was right there, so easy to take him to the library, on walks around town, to the Waterville Y Bouncy House, and other places, besides playing trains and reading to him, whenever he or I wanted!  We also roamed the MCI campus where they live, playing in the grass, looking for squirrels, watching for bugs, and looking and listening for birds (Caw caw!).  I'm not sure Jared and Kelli would describe it as wonderful, having to share their three bedroom apartment with another adult, but I had fun, and ready whenever they needed to go to a meeting, or a movie, or just out to dinner by themselves.  To live with my grandson, for weeks, how many of us get to enjoy that much time with our grandchildren?  It was an opportunity not to be missed, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

I've actually been lucky more than once since Henry was born.  Being out of work had its benefits:  even when we all lived in San Diego, I could come down on a moments notice to watch him, read to him, play with him, or take him the the zoo, which he always loved.

Yesterday was Faith and Brady's 10th wedding anniversary:  congratulations to them!  It's nearly impossible to believe it's been ten years since they were married.  They have both achieved much success in that time, and have much to look forward in the years to come.  We are very proud of them.  Keep up the good work you two.

Out of the Rain Forest, Still Living Rural

Four months since my last post is too long, especially considering all that has changed in our lives.  Here is a quick update:

We sold our house in San Diego, very successfully, thanks to our Realtor.  We sold it for $32k more than his initial estimate, and $52k more than the average home sold for in our zip code in the same month.  Wow, talk about exceeding expectations!

On April 24th, Kathy packed up the few remaining items still with her in Alaska, including the dogs, took a three hour ferry to Ketchikan, spent the night, then caught an Alaska Marine Highway ferry the next evening, and spent 36 hours sailing to Bellingham WA.  She then drove to Sea-Tac Airport, where Brady had arrived that morning, picked him up, and they drove across the US, ending in Boston.  They drove 3,051 miles in five days, without incident, not counting the one speeding ticket.

I took a bus from Augusta with Jared, and we met Kathy and Brady at the very cool, pet-friendly Liberty Hotel in Boston.  Jared was there on business.  The next day, we said goodbye to Brady, then stayed on for the weekend, to celebrate our getting back together after three looooong months, her birthday, and our 37th anniversary, phew!  We had a great time in Boston.  We even found the church steps where we spent a night, 38 years ago.

Kathy and I then drove to Pittsfield ME, where Henry was very glad to see his Nona!  We stayed the month of May in a bed and breakfast, which was located just steps away from the MCI campus where Jared and Kelli live and work.

Last but not least, we found a place to rent, and moved into a brand new place right on a Big Indian Pond, out in the boonies, but only 25 minutes from Kelli and Jared and Henry.  It's a beautiful place, lots of wood trim inside, fully furnished, too.  We have an amazing view, the birds are singing nearly from dawn to dusk, including loons!  We are still adjusting to rural life, even more rural than our home in Alaska, but with so much more urban amenities within driving distance.

Now, we are searching for jobs, besides enjoying Henry, and Kelli and Jared.  Henry has already stayed overnight with us twice, which is lots of fun.

Chasing Henry

It's been way too long since my last post.  The gap reflects my, and our, increasing unhappiness at living in a very small and remote village, in a rain forest, and the overwhelming distance from Henry, and Kelli and Jared.  Every time we left the island and flew south, it was harder to fly back:  the warmth, the sun, the restaurants, even simply the hussle and bussle of the city, felt normal, and so our very quiet, incredibly scenic, log-house home in Klawock became less and less fun.

So, we set about doing something to correct the situation.  Kathy got really close to getting a great job offer in Maine in November, but it fell through.  That's when we decided to just take the leap, that it is too difficult to get new jobs from 3,000 miles away, so we would just move, and the rest would fall into place.  

Living Room and Entrance

At the same time, with the housing market picking up finally and quickly, and so we decided the time was right to sell our house in San Diego. We contacted a San Diego neighbor who happens to be a Realtor, and boy, did we make the right first step:  he, and his wife, have been tremendously helpful.  I've never sold a house before, but it sure seems to me like they have gone way beyond the normal duties of an agent to help us.  We couldn't be happier with all of the support and help Kerry has provided, every step of the way.  We highly recommend him, whether you are buying or selling:  Electric Car Real Estate Guy

This was Henry's Room, now painted over, sadly.

This coming week is the big week, when we are finally ready to put the house on the market.  Kerry had several suggestions on things we could do to make the house more attractive to potential buyers, so we spent the last three weeks having it painted inside and out, including the kitchen cabinets, and having the carpet in the last four carpeted rooms pulled up, and all of the beautiful hardwood floors refinished.  We also had some landscaping done.  The house has now been nothing short of transformed!  It will go on the market this Friday, and Saturday and Sunday will be the first open house events.  We can hardly wait to see how prospective buyers react.  

Next, move to Maine.  I fly there next Tuesday, and will be staying with Kelli and Jared and Henry for a couple of weeks, re-connecting with my precious grandson, getting my bearings in yet another new place, and looking for a job.  Oh, and looking for a place to rent, too.  I'm hoping to find a solid fixer-upper that we can purchase at a bargain price, and then have it repaired and remodeled to our liking.  I'm still trying to convince Kathy this is a good idea.  

Kathy has remained in Klawock, bringing in the needed paycheck and health insurance, and providing for her clients, while continuing to gain the required hours she needs before she can apply for her license.  She is booked on an April 23rd ferry to Bellingham WA, but I'm going to do everything I can to get her 'released from the Rock' sooner.    

Sun! Warmth! Life! Phoenix!!

Uh oh, wonder if anyone is still reading my blog:  it's been over a month since I last posted?  How did that happen?  Geez.

Kathy flew back from a short week in Anchorage on Saturday.  She gave several presentations to a group of Mental Health professionals.  Of course I should know more details than that, but I don't, bad husband!  It was her first trip to Anchorage.  All went well, and she felt she got her information across to her audience, so was a successful trip, and good addition to her resume.  She had fun, too, going shopping with other presenters at real malls!  As you might expect, her dogs were very glad to see her back.  They feel like they have been sentenced to Dog Prison when I take care of them.  Not that I cut back their diets to stale bread and water, but I, well, don't exactly lavish attention on them, and Kathy does.  Some day I'm going to have my very own Cielo dog, Cielo being a wonderfully calm chihuahua who belongs to Faiths' Aunt.  Faith's Mom has a good chihuahua, too, but for some reason I have lots of trouble remember her name.  Anyway, sometime I'll have one of my own.

So Kathy arrived home on Saturday afternoon, and I flew out Monday morning, bound for the 13th Annual National Tribal Transportation Conference, held this year in Phoenix.  This is a great opportunity for me to learn more about tribal transportation, the new MAP-21 federal highway bill, and network with other tribal transportation professionals and learn about their challenges and solutions, almost as important as the first two objectives.

My flight down went very well.  From Ketchikan to Seattle, we were well above the cloud cover and in the life-affirming sunshine.  From Seattle on down, it was clearer.  The pilot pointed out Mt. Rainier, beautiful as ever, and Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Adams.  I was able to sleep  for a while, which is always a nice way to pass the time.  Next, we passed over part of the Grand Canyon, another treat. 

I'm not sure I've ever landed in Phoenix.  I know I haven't been here in decades.  I was hoping the rental agencies were located at the airport, but, alas, no, they are a ten minutes busride away.  It's a huge complex, looks like an airport terminal itself!  Here, unfortunately, is where I hit a wall (racing tie-in, get it?):  my car was not ready, nor were the cars of several other, very unhappy travelers.  NASCAR had just held a race at Phoenix International Raceway this past weekend, and apparently people were slow about getting their rental cars returned.  I had a reservation, and it took me 50 minutes to get a car.  Plus, they didn't have the one I reserved, so, damn the bad luck, they asked if I would mind using a Mercedes Benz E350 instead.  Hmm, let me think, NO!  :-)  Not too shabby a car, not at all.

So, I'm in my third timezone of the trip, and it's dark, and I have a strange car, and I have to get to my accomodations.  I'd printed out Google directions while waiting for my car, so had that, but I was barely down the road when it felt like I was off track.  I decided to fiddle with the GPS unit.  Thankfully, it worked, and I drove right to the resort, then end of a long day. 

The place I'm staying, also not too shabby.  It's a little village spread out across and built into a hillside, very nice.  I'll post some pictures later this week.

Today I had time to visit the Northern Mountains Park Visitor Center, just across the road from my resort.  The Center was closed, darn it, but while I was absorbing this fact, I was sure I heard a quail call.  Keep in mind this is nothing but desert, with what few plants  there are spread way out, offering little cover.  I waited and listened, and heard more birdcalls I could't identify, but I really wanted to see a quail, so headed down the walkway toward where I thought the sound came from.  Sure enough, there was a large covey of plumb quail somehow hidden, and disturbed by my getting close, they flew to another scrub bush about 20 feet away, and gave me a great look at them as they did.  Quail!  Wow, an actual bird!  Life in the desert!  Then, while absorbing this good tidings from nature, I saw another bird, very close, a cactus wren!  These are very, very skittish in San Diego, and rare, and here were two practically at me feet!  Wait, another movemnt in the bushes: a roadrunner creeps out into full view, not 15 feet from me!  Wow, this is amazing:  I would rarely see this many birds in such a short time and space in our POW Rain Forest, and here I was in the desert, surrounded!  This little trip had been a very good decision, despite the Center being closed.  Ahhhhh, nature.....

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movies.  FIFTY YEARS, can you believe it?!  I remember going to see Doctor No, the first bond movie, with my Mom and Dad when I was 10 years old.  Where did the time go?

That's enough catch-up for today.  Oh, on the homefront, winter is arriving fast, temperatures having dropped ten degrees, then risen, then dropped again.  Our green 'wall' of bushes have dropped all their leaves, so no wall between us and the little street, for a couple of months.  The rain has returned; the dogs will have to be content with long walks every couple of days now, instead religiously every day.  But, we've endured one whole winter here, we will do fine for this one.  And then it will be spring, in our second year.  I'm sure it's just around the corner.  :-)

Henry and Michael

I took two cans of salmon south to Dad when I flew to San Diego last weekend.  I already heard second hand that he opened one and found it delicious.  We went back to the Wildfish BBQ for dinner the other evening, just three blocks from our house, and I had to buy a couple more cans, this time a sockeye and a king salmon.

In talking to the owner, I found out she has the little restaurant and cannery for sale, and has for quite a while.  She told me the Log Cabin RV Park and Cabins, just across the street, have also been for sale for a while.  I know that there are two businesses in Craig that have also been for sale for up to two years.  This speaks volumes about the shape of the economy on Prince of Wales Island.  Sport and commercial fishing are not getting any better either.  The new Vo-Tech Center is about to begin construction, but it’s impact on employment will not likely be significant. 

The owner of Wildfish told me there had been a bear about recently.  We knew this already:  it had been at our house three nights last week!  Each time it riles up Lakota, which wakes us up with her growling and barking.  The first time was when the trash was out.  The bear knocked down the trashcan, hoping it would spill, which it didn’t happen, so he moved on.  The next night, he or she came back, sniffed around where the trashcan had been, then ambled off, but of course, not before Lakota got all riled up.  (Update:  I had to chase it away from our trashcan twice last night!  It figured out how to get the top off, despite the bungy cord.  It wouldn't leave the first time, and the dogs were going crazy trying to get out of the house!  Finally it ran off.  An hour later, it was back, and popped the top again.)

September 25, 2012

“Henry's started watching a TV show called Super Why. It's a group of characters with special powers: Word Power, Spelling Power, Alphabet Power, Power to Read, and, the viewer with the Power to Help. They solve problems by consulting books, changing fairy tales into lessons. Throughout, they ask questions of the viewer. Henry loves it. He puts his hand in when they join in the beginning. He says his name when they ask: "Henry Oscar CaMannell!" He yells out letters when they ask, "What letter is this?" and he points out "Super letters" when they float onto the screen. He repeats lines and jumps up and down when they solve the problem. 

In the mornings I watch him giddy to learn, spinning on his tippy-toes and clapping. "Hip hip horray," he squeals. “

Kelli and Brady and Friends, Genesee Gardens Apt, 1981

Brady's Third Birthday, with cousins Jenny and Tim and Kristin, 1981

What would you do, if your daughter was writing blog posts like the one above, and you were living 3,000 miles away from this precious new being that is Henry?  What would you do, if you were nearly obnoxious dropping hints for a grandchild, finally got the most precious gift in the universe, and then found yourself moving 2500 miles away from him just eight months into his life?  What would you do, if you ended up missing both of his first two birthdays?  What would you do? 

Lately there has been a sun-faded maroon ~1990 Ford Tempo running around Klawock.  It’s a virtual clone of the car my brother-in-law drove for years, and so I think of him, and miss him, every time I see it.  When we moved back to San Diego with toddler Brady, and no jobs, Michael agreed to move in with us and share the rent, which was a Godsend, the only way we could live in a decent place.  We found a large apartment next to Juvenile Hall, in a nice apartment complex, with a lawn right outside our door.  It was close to our families, close to the freeways, very convenient.  Several years later, we found a large house in Allied Gardens, and Michael moved with us, again making it possible for us to have a nice house to rent.  Without Michael's help, we would have been forced to live in a not-so-nice part of town, in a not-so-nice place.  

Michael was probably the most intelligent person I've ever known.  He was the most degreed, too.  He was kind and thoughtful, and loved animals.  As kind and intelligent as he was, he never really found a way to share those special gifts with the world, beyond his family and friends, too.     

He passed away about two and a half years ago, five days after his mother died.  I think of him every time I see that faded maroon Tempo, remember the great political discussions we had, fun reviewing movies, the occasional sports talk (he knew a lot more about sports than I'll ever know), the way he loved our kids, and dogs, and books and reading, and newspapers.  I miss you, we miss you, Michael. 

I Had a Dream

I had a dream, a weekend long one.  It began with an incident-free Cessna flight off the island to Ketchikan International, which is not sure thing, weather being what it is across the Dixon Strait.  My flight to Seattle and transfer to a plane for San Diego went without a hitch, too.  The sun shone the entire trip from Seattle south (It continues to surprise me how much I miss sunshine.)  

Once in San Diego, I walked out into the warm sun, now getting to feel it as well as see it.   Ahhhh, how nice it felt.  My luggage in hand, I wait on the curb for someone to pick me up, and here comes Brady driving a white Mustang convertible with the top down!  What a perfect car for a weekend in San Diego! 

Coming home, over Gravina Island, site of the infamous proposed  "Bridge to Nowhere," which would have connected this Island and the Ketchikan Airport to the City of Ketchikan.

It was a quick trip from the airport to our Courtyard Marriott at Liberty Station.  Kelli was there already, having flown in from Maine in the morning.  This was her first trip away from Henry.  Fortunately (?), she had stopped nursing just two weeks ago, so this was not a big issue.  His Mom and Dad explained that she was visiting California, with Bumpie (me), Uncle Beadie (Brady) and Aunt Faith, and he seemed fine with this explanation, the whole weekend (don't ask what happened when she got home!)  Also, there was a surprise waiting for me in our hotel room, besides niece Kristin:  amazingly, Mitt Rmoney had already arrived, and was taking a nap in my bed!  

It was so great to see Kelli and Brady.  Our third floor room was really nice, with a view out over the channel and a huge green grassy park.  

The wedding of Mary and Jay was beautiful!  There were over 200 family and friends, and the air remained tranquil as they said their vows on Sunset Cliffs.  I love weddings, especially outdoor ones.  The only thing missing was my lovely bride, who did not make the trip south with me, unfortunately.  Mary and Jay were radiant, as were all the parents.   They were married by Jay's pastor from Minnesota, a fun connection to his life growing up.

It was great to see everyone I did get to see.  I had a nice long visit with my Dad, and a short conversation with my Mom, who was more lucid than she has been for a long time, a special treat.  I usually detest making long trips for short visits, but this was really nice, and seemed longer than a long weekend.    

View of our neighborhood.  We live just north of the white roof-hoofed cabin, about mid-photo on the left.  The water to the left is one of the arms of the Klawock Inlet, part of the Pacific Ocean.  About 500 yards to west/left, is the main part of Klawock.  

See the Klawock Log Sortyard, a deepwater port on Klawock Island.  Klawock proper is on the top part of the picture.  The Klawock Cooperative Association Cannery, docks, and buildings are at the top left.

Our car, which we ended up sharing, had MORE THAN TWO RADIO STATIONS!  I had forgotten the fun of having audio choices!  It does exist!

Most of main Klawock, with the Klawock Cannery under the red roofs on the water, and the dock just below.  This is where I worked until the Tribal Transportation Department moved the first of October.

Klawock Airport, the only landing strip on all of Prince of Wales Island, although there are several sea plane ports.  Along the west side is another arm of the Klawock Inlet, leading north into the Big Salt Lake.  We live about three miles south of this pictures.

Back home, and it still feels like it was a much longer break from the Island.  I'm so glad I went, so glad I got to see Brady and Faith and Kelli, and other family.  I will be re-living this trip for a long time, probably all through our Alaska fall and winter, at least.

Not Enough, and Too Much

We go for hikes in the forest, sunny, cloudy or drizzling, and see no squirrels, no frogs, no snakes, no butterflies, maybe a bird or two or three, maybe an insect or two, in a dense forest with running creeks, open areas, and muskeg.  There are sitka spruce and western hemlock and alder galore, and occasional alaska yellow cedar and western red cedar.  The underbrush is filled with ferns and devil's club, bunchberry and blueberry bushes.  It's a beautiful mosaic of many different textures, shades of green, browns and other colors, mushrooms and other fungus, a circus of botany.  How strange it is then, that in the official desert of San Diego, I often went for an hour walk from my house in the suburbs, and observed no less than eight, and often more, birds.  Squirrels, rabbits, and even occasional snakes and raccoons.  Strange that, in a place where a basic biologic need is so scarce there is so much wildlife, at the same time, in a temperate rainforest, there is so little. For me, this lack of wildlife, especially birds, leaves me wanting.  This forest is just not enough.

One of the many mushrooms popping up now.

Some of visitors, just passing through.  We even hear them honking overhead at night sometimes, maybe taking flight to avoid predators?

The scenery is drop-dead gorgeous, as I've written more than one and will probably again.  We often remark that this is most likely the most beautiful place we will ever live.  Glacier National park is a close second, and Bellingham, too, but they didn't have the surrounding water.  The scenery by itself, it's not enough.  

The people are friendly, which always makes a real and positive difference in ones happiness.  We love the habit people practice of waving to each other on the road, whether they recognize your car or not.  Really nice people are a treasure, but they alone are not enough.

The water everywhere, from the Klawock River just blocks away, running under the big Klawock River bridge right near Kathy's SEARHC, the many creeks, the big Klawock Lake, to the coastal waters all around us, the water is just beautiful, ever-changing, a fascinating magnet for the few birds and mammals who call the rainforest home, but it's just not enough.

Kathy bought a Barbie to entertain the kids who sometimes come with their parents to her counseling sessions.  A co-worker stitched a Tlingit regalia rob and hat, very cool


















She has other Alaska Native pieces around her office, too.  


Labor Day weekend behind us, and a Tuesday becomes a Monday:  no Internet, welcome back.  How can this be?  Oh, we didn't pay the bill?  Well, let's get on that, except the bookkeeper is out today, and the credit card holder is on leave.  Okay, well, time for Plan B.  Hey, our shuttle buses have arrived in Thorne Bay, an hours drive away, cool!  My co-worker Tom and I have to recruit a third person to drive us their and drive that car back, so he and I can drive the two buses back.  Success, adding someone who can be, well, trying.  Great, an hour in the car with this person.  

My expectations are far exceeded:  Tom and the third person trade fishing stories all the way over, very entertaining.  My favorite is the man who took his grandmother out on his boat fishing often, and she always caught a lot more fish than he did, and wouldn't tell him her secret.  25 years later, she revealed that it was Chanel No. 5!  I'm guessing it wasn't the real thing, still a funny story.