Chuck begins his new job today! If it were me, my nerves would have me throwing up and breathing into a paper bag for several days prior and the morning of. Not Chuck. He's not that type. He is great with people. He's even great at public speaking! It makes me pukey just to watch him at speaking engagement.
Freckles and I are going to take it easy today and stay around the house and neighborhood...oh the life! Since I am temporarily without an entire house to clean and an etsy store to maintain, life has been simpler. Freckles has been growing increasingly independent and even spent a hour and a half yesterday playing with the little girls from next door. Of course, every time they got out of sight, I had to walk (or run) the span of two yards to be sure they didn't wander into the street or get sucked up by the river. But I am definitely not complaining about that...I LOVE that she had two sweet playmates to spend some time with.
I have big plans for a tricycle ride to my Dad's today. I don't know if I can make it that far with my 55 lb. 4 year old in tow and I don't know what we'll do if we find we have to abandon our excursion somewhere along the way, BUT we are going anyway.
Freckles and I have been sharing the same bed since we've been here and I've enjoyed sleeping with my baby, even if the little heifer steals all my covers every night. She doesn't take them because she is cold...the hot-natured thing kicks the blankets off of herself so I end of loosing mine too.
For the last few weeks, it's been in the 60-70 degree range around here and my little high maintenance darling has complained several times because of the heat. She doesn't know it yet, but she is well suited for Alaska. If we stay here, it’s only going to get hotter and hotter and hotter and she's only to get more and more and more uncomfortable. I remember her bad attitude last summer after the simplest June, July, or August task. Things like running from the house to the car or coming back to the hot car with a buggy full of groceries, would send her into beet-faced meltdown mode.
I know we need to prepare for Alaskan winters...they are serious business...but let me tell you, Alabama summers are no joke either. Mix the humid Alabama heat with a small angry child with blonde hair stuck to her hot, sticky face, and you might choose to just stay indoors the entire month of August.
I'd love to enjoy spring in Alabama then go to Alaska and enjoy spring-like weather in the summer. That way we can catch the best of both seasons. Today the plan is to be outside as much as possible so to enjoy an Alabama March to the fullest. The high today is 82!
My husband and I spent 13 years living in the southeast (GA, NC, FL) and the summers killed us. We didn't spend a lot of time outdoors in the summertime, unless it was very early in the day - before the sun came up and started the sauna going! I hated getting out of the shower and stepping outside and immediately being wet with sweat again.
ReplyDeleteHere in AK, we're outdoors as much as possible in the spring/summer/fall, but in the winter many of us go into hibernation. So it's kind of the opposite thing as life in the SE.
Some of us are more tolerant to cold than heat. That's me and my husband. And our dog too. She loves AK, as FL was just too hot for her and her thick coat.
It might take you a year or so to adjust, but you'll be OK. Once you have the correct winter gear, you'll find you can even enjoy the winter too. And in time, you'll become just like the rest of us.. when 30F means t-shirt weather. :P
Or you could just move to LA and enjoy the PERFECT weather almost EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR (not to mention live next door to your beloved sister, aunt, daughter {this means you too, Ma} and BFF). But OOOOOOOHHHHHnooooo! No, that would be too awesome, too comfortable, make too much sense! There would be too much happiness to bear!
ReplyDeleteI give up. Correction: I gave up. BUT I love ya'll anyway.
Very interesting Susan. Love to read your comments on Hayley's blog. I am Hayley's mom. I will miss them like nobody's business but I am also excited for them. Thank God for blogs. I've been reading some by people who have moved to Alaska and it doesn't seem that foreign to me anymore. I actually think they will love it thanks to some of you guys. BTW your photograpy is absolutely awesome. I also love the design of your blog and gallery.
ReplyDeleteThank you Estra. If Hayley were moving to the Fairbanks area, I'd love to show her around. I've been known to take new folks under my wing and do the 'welcome wagon' thing. *grin* I'm sure Hayley will be just fine in Delta. The gals there (Karla and Nicole) are wonderful ladies and I'm glad she's 'met' them through blogging.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love living here (and I really do!), there are times when I really miss my family a lot. We're so far away from the Lower 48 that it seems like another country sometimes. And airfares can be very pricey too. I think we all get a little homesick no matter where we live, when we can't have our family around us.
As long as Hayley looks at this as an adventure, and opens her eyes to what a beautiful place AK and the people are, she'll find that friends can stand in as family when you really need them.
I do hope to meet Hayley someday - whether she comes to Fairbanks for the day, or we manage to coordinate something when my husband and I are passing through Delta. (We go to Valdez a couple of times each summer, and love to take winter roadtrips to the Delta area)
It's true that blogging, and email, make staying in touch so much easier than the 'old days'. I'm thankful for it too.
Warm regards,
Susan
PS: I know what you mean about missing them. My grown children live in Madison WI and I only get to see them once a year. It's hard sometimes, but I know that they are happy there, and I am happy here - and that's what matters. In the meantime, we call, text, email, webcam, etc. I talk to them more than I do my husband sometimes! LOL
Thanks so much Susan. As you can see I have another daughter who moved from Alabama to LA 10 years ago. She does most of the traveling and is a little upset and feels like she will see us less now because her trips will have to be split to see all but yes I feel like I talk to her sometimes more than my husband also. I'm sure Hayley will get to Fairbanks pretty often. Photography is a passion of hers also. I'm sure she would love to meet you one day. She just has to sell her house here before she is able to join Chuck. That is the hardest thing even for me because I know how much they want to be together.
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