First cabin

Last time we went up to Alaska, we enjoyed my sister's hospitality. We were travelling around the state and we stayed at their home in Anchorage and on Amber Lake. This cabin is on their property about three hours north of Anchorage. The family of six stayed in this cabin while they built the large two-story, three bedroom that is on the hill overlooking this cabin. Now it contains water toys and floats. But I was thinking it also contains the early foundation of afamily that has lived through a lot in the far north state of Alaska.

Happy flight attendant

Alaska Airlines has the "best" flight attendants! Our last trip to Alaska was really comfortable, largely due to friendly flight staff. Here, a 12-year veteran of the airways shows my wife a quilt mitten she is working on with curved needles. Must have something to do with security.

Grandparents

When I say the word grandparents, in my head, my image is of those older folks in Minnesota. The ones who cooked the food when we were growing up. For three kids in Iowa and eleven (11!) in Alaska, this photo is what they will know as Grandparents. My sister, Mary and her husband David Alborn, have now quickly moved into double digits for grand-babies. And she is 9 years younger then me! It must be that Alaska weather.

Forest Service

Today I received the letter that I asked for. Actually, I did not really ask for it--I kind of over-reacted and forced them to send it. The We-Have-Accepted-Your-Decline-E-mail! Hindsight tells me that it was a dumb thing to do. I got hired for an entry level GS-7 position in Cordova, AK. My original information had me making around $22/hour. Live able wage. Great Federal benefits. Increased retirement base. Increased TSP. Back in the saddle for sick, leave, annual leave, all that Government stuff. Bot NOOOOOOOOOOOO, I first had to get past the hit that my USPS retirement was to be deducted from my Forest Service wages. Down to less than $10 an hour. Can anyone live in Alaska for under $10/hour?

Talkeetna

It is a challenge to describe Talkeetna. We went once on a rainy day and once on a sunny day. The mood remained the same--like the 60's--or Free Spirits Everywhere. We ate great pizza, and fresh blackberry pie, and creamy hot chocolate. We bought T-shirts and talked to people from five states and learned about the motorcycle trip from Ohio. The town square had an open-air (what else?) concert with a travelling guitar player from Seattle. In this photo my sister Mary, a mother of four and grandmother of 11, gives me a great smile as she poses for me behind one of the many colorful moose props. The kids were long-haired and barefoot. The older folks had wine and a song-in-their hearts. It is ultra-cool. We will go again.

Start

Just made the final blazing hoop on my quest for adventure. My years of government service has taught me to be patient and work through the large amount of paperwork when getting hired. I appreciate the USAjobs website for it's organization. I was able to pinpoint an area and a direction that I have always being thinking about. I have just been accepted for a 6-month seasonal assignment with the Forest Service in Cordova, Alaska.