I am attempting to post this using dial-up. Who uses dial-up anymore? That is a rhetorical question, Mom, don't answer that. Dial-up is a little like watching an episode of the Flintstones. Small rodents and even birds work dutifully to make "modern" conveniences a reality. I think that may be why my mother has a parrot and two parakeets. It is all starting to make sense. Some how they are engaged in the process of connecting us to Gore's world wide web.
Eloise and I traveled back to Spokane for the holidays. We arrived at 11:59 pm on Monday the 7th. When I left Deering that morning the weather was balmy. No I am not being sarcastic. It was in the low 30s. It was totally strange. I rode to the airstrip on the sled being pulled by the snow machine (the term snowmobile will henceforth be replaced by snow machine or snow-go). When we arrived in Spokane the weather was brisk. It was single digits, hovering closer to zero than 10. I amaaq-ed Eloise and drug my bulky luggage to my mom's car.
It was such a unique feeling to see the lights of downtown as we coasted down the Sunset hill. I am not sure how this works or if it will remain, but returning to gross population (I use that term for size, not disgust) is a little like seeing oil and water in the same container. Oil and water are so different and cannot truly combine, but they can coexist in the same sphere. That is how I felt returning to Spokane. In my heart I have room for Deering and Spokane without defiling either. They can be there without ruining the other. They are equal and autonomous within me. I can appreciate cars and a city skyline all the while feel great affinity for the wild and unpopulated vastness of Arctic Alaska. I always thought that to love one meant to hate the other. For some that may be the case. I am glad to be one who can enjoy both realms.
I am pretty proud that the "delights" of city life are not alluring to me. I have had one Starbucks coffee and I prefer to eat a home cooked meal instead of going out (maybe that is because I have a 1 year old and dining out it naturally unappealing to her). I haven't gone "hog-wild". I guess that makes me well suited for life in Deering. I happily sacrifice the seeming pleasures of city life in complete and whole-hearted acceptance of village existence.
I confess that all the daylight here in Spokane has kept me from sleeping in much. When the sky starts to glow ever so slightly and go from black to blue, I just can't sleep. In Deering when the sky bends toward the shy sun, it is nearer to lunch than breakfast. After two weeks I am getting beyond that. Thank goodness!
I have been keeping a secret from some folks. When a woman says that people just automatically assume she is pregnant. I am NOT in the family way. The day before I left Deering, Paul decided to cash in our abundance of airline miles to come home for Christmas. We planned on surprising his family. I shared that with many people. I think that I told others to satisfy that burning desire to spill the beans to his family. I was able to keep it a secret from them at least. What I didn't know is that Paul decided to surprise me. I was expecting him in the middle of the night on the 24th and he showed up on the 20th after flying all night and driving across the state. It was a delightful surprise!!! I made such a scene that Eloise was pretty concerned about the whole thing and I woke up my sister from a nap. She came running down the stairs thinking there was something wrong with the baby. All was well...It was just a happy reunion after being separated for two weeks.
We are looking forward to spending Christmas with our families. We have seen many friends and family members. I do miss Deering. I was looking forward to experiencing the season with the wonderful people of Alaska. Amidst the festivities and family time, we miss those we have grown to admire and love in our new home!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
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