Day 65.... I am such a slacker :(

I can't beleive what a SLACKER I have become. I started this blog, with the wonderful idea of posting on a daily basis ...my thoughts...my feelings...my plans...ambitions, dreams. But...it seems I am on here less and less. One of my co-worker/fiiends said to me today, they thought our trip was "up in the air", not sure...wavering.
Well, that sort of told me that I am not being good enough about Blogging. I guess I don't fully understand, or fully appreciate what Blogging really is. So, I think I need to step it up a bit... be a bit more reliable and regular, especially if I want anyone to actually follow my blog. Perhaps it would seem more exciting if I knew others enjoyed reading this, or if I knew people looked forward to hearing the latest news or plans. But, although I see the statistics of my blog... how many views it receives in a a day, how many followers etc... no one ever posts a comment so I really never know if what I am doing is even being read.
Our friend Bill called up the other night and we chatted awhile. His first question was..."well...are you still coming next summer" ?? I told him .. OF COURSE WE ARE. So we talked about the place, the plan. We made the definete decision to house sit for him the following winter. He is planning on leaving for the south in September and eventually returning to his cabin in March . So that means, we can park the 5th wheel, move into the cabin in september and stay all winter. It will be an experience that I wouldn't miss for the world. I don't believe that one can take in the full Alaska experience, without spending the "SEASON'S". All of them. So, we closed our eyes, took a deep breath and decided to jump right in, with both feet and commit to the whole thing. I think Bill was pleased. So now...it is set. Now we can ad that to our plans as well.
I purchased a new toy to take with us when we go. I bought a new camera...a Nikon D3100, with a couple of lenses. I am very excited to have a new camera to use when we leave. I just need to know now, that I have lots of sd cards to record our journey and all the subsequent adventures we encounter.
So...YEP...it is still on, Possitively, Definetely ON.  And, I am going to try to be a bit more regular on here.

Day 55... Happy Fathers Day weekend

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's out there. I am sure there are lot's of BBQ's, Picnic's, Camp-outs and fun day events planned for all. Of course, our weather doesn't sound too promising, but, somehow it always manages to work out anyhow. If all else fails, we have our blue tarps....and most of us here in the Pacific Northwest are true "Blue Tarp Campers".

We are pretty adapt at camping and picnicking in all types of weather. If you stay home in this area, because the weather report isn't good, you will never do anything or go anywhere. So, we pack up our tents, our picnic baskets, BBQ's and blue tarps and head out regardless. And we always have a good time. When our girls were kids, we camped in a tent and the first thing we would do each trip, was string up the tarp. It didn't matter how sunny it was , or what the weather report said. The tarp went up !! Other  NON-Local campers would point and laugh at us as we spent a good 1/2 hr securing our giant blue tarps and we would just smile and wave. Almost every time, by the next day, we would be sitting dry and comfy under our tarps while all the other campers were frantically struggling to put up their tarps in the rain that had, of course, arrived. Just take a drive thru any campground on the peninsula and look for the blue tarps... that is where you will find all the locals.
We have advanced a little now, of course, having the 5th wheel. We can sit inside and watch the rain and stay dry, but I still love that good old blue tarp. I know we will always have one on hand. We are going to camp this Fathers Day at Old Fort Townsend Campground and you can bet we will have that tarp up because , of course, the weather man is calling for rain.
One thing has definitely changed since the girls were young... and that is the cost of camping. I reserved a spot for us to go this weekend, and was shocked when , for just two nights, my credit card was charged $57.50. YIKES. I then read the entire web site and realized that amount included a reservation fee of $8.50. Wow, just to talk to a women on the phone for maybe 3 minutes, who never really answered a single question of mine...just rushed me thru the process, and before I realized it, I had reserved and paid for my "spot". OK, well, $57.50 later, at least I am guaranteed a place to park for the weekend. Now, it turns out, and my girls who will be joining us on Saturday, also have to pay $10 each for their extra vehicles... even tho one of them will be staying over, and one only for the day. That means that for us to go and spend a couple of days in one of our state campgrounds with our kids it costs us $77.50. ..... Before the fuel to get there and the food. It used to be, that one could pack up a cooler and supplies and head out for the weekend camping with the family and at most, it might cost $12 a night and that was at the "better" campgrounds. It is no wonder that when you drive thru the campgrounds now, mostly what you see are big fancy motor homes, giant 5th wheels and trailers and gray haired retired couples..... Because....they are the only ones that can afford to camp. (Yes, it's true, we are gray haired and have a 5th wheel too, but remember, we are not retired.. and our 5th wheel is not new nor is it giant ).  It's such a shame, because it is the one thing that , if you loved the outdoors, it was something that everyone could afford to do with their families. All you needed was a bit of firewood and a bunch of hot dogs...and you were set for a good time.
Now on top of the cost, there is also the fact that unless you reserve.. you more than likely can't camp in your own neighborhood if you work. By the time you get off for the day and head out to find a spot ... the campground will be full. It is one more sign of how populated and popular we have become here. At least in Alaska we can still find places, lot's of them, where it is like it used to be. Places where you can still enjoy the outdoors without planning for a month in advance, paying half your paycheck for a weekend and where you can still be ... by yourself.
I guess it is just a sign of the times, and I guess I have "ranted" enough. Back to  a HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all, no matter what you are doing for the weekend... Have fun !!

Day 52..... Still on game !!!

Well, I am feeling pretty bad. I have really slacked off on here... making it look like I am not on track, not staying on point. But ... I really am...at least in spirit.
The last couple of days I have had to make a few trips across town, and every time I make that drive... I am appalled at that dangerous traffic, the poor drivers...the unsafe, dangerous drivers...who really don't care anymore, about anyone else.
I am afraid, every time I drive thru this town. I am afraid every time I think about my grandsons learning to drive. Yesterday, in a matter of just about  a 1/4 of a mile, I had someone pull out directly in front of me, in busy traffic, with a california license plate, another person run a red light after all the rest of us had stoppped...and I saw one more car pull out of kentucky fried chicken, right in the path of a big truck. AAAARrrgghhhh. What is wrong with these people. Do they really believe they are invincible. When their car crashes into a big old truck... they must figure they will be just fine. I guess they forgot about all the innocent and ( guilty ) victims of car crashes. The ones who die...the ones who are forever affected by someone elses stupidy and arrogance. Today.. I went and picked up my grandson from his piano..and on the way home, less than a mile's distance... I was "followed" or perhaps "harassed" or " tailgated" by a little red Toyota pickup .... who thought it was totally acceptable to follow me at such a close distance..that I was convinced he would end up in my trunk if I even tapped my brakes. But....luckily, he took advantage of a temporary moment in traffic...a tiny little space...and he was able to whip around me...jump in front of someone else....then whip around them...and jump back in front of me. Wow....this guy was good.   "AND TOTALLY STUPID" give me a break. !!!!!! I want to live a few more years... !!!! And I want my girls and my grand kids to live a few more years !!!!
I am sick and tired of distracted... impatient.... arrogant...and ignorant drivers.
Get off the road and give the rest of us a chance to survive.
I can hardly wait to go back to the kenai peninsula, and have most of the road to myself again. There are far too many people here now...and sadly ....everyday I work I meet more people who have just moved here. Dammm ...stop coming here...this is exactly why we are leaving. Tooooo many Californians...tooo many Arizonians...too many ...everyone !!!

Day 45..... better late than never

This past 10 days has been a combination of relaxation, new sights, some excess "sorting"... and a challenge for me...deciding if I really want to work ...or NOT.
We went on a 4 day "get-a-way". We took the ferry over to Victoria and went 4 1/2 hours north to Campbell River, where we took a short little 10 minute ferry to Quadra Island. It was a Christmas gift from my Mother for our 25th wedding anniversary. We stayed in a resort called "Tsa-Kwa-Luten-Lodge". A beautiful place, laid back, no cell phone, no tv... just peace and quiet and beauty all around. It was a perfect way to spend our time and a we really enjoyed every moment.
After our trip, we came home and I was thrilled to see I still had ...basically another week off. The way the schedule worked out...I didn't have to rush back to the grind. Woohoo !!!!
Now.....here was the deal.... I had all these days off...what to do?????? So, the "SORTING" began again. This time I did kitchen cupboards, our bedroom closets, the hall closet and almost everything in between. I ended up with another 4 huge boxes for goodwill, plus 4 bags of cloths and blankets. I sent a few things home with the kids...and still have way too much stuff. But.... I am working on it. Soon, I will have only what I need...(Haha..we will see).
The really hard part about this time off...is it has made me realize how much I love the "OLD" life I used to have. The one where I was home, the one where I did what worked for me that particular day... the one where I planned out my week all by myself. I LOVED that life. I enjoy being able to go pick up my grandkids when needed, run them to piano lessons, meet the bus when needed... I love feeling that I can do whatever I want to do...everyday. And.... everything is different now. I am thrilled to work with the girls I work with. They are young, and fun and full of energy. But I am not. My old boss John, ( I miss you John ) ... he understood that. I felt like I belonged...and even thou it was hard some day to go to work , I felt like I was needed...like I belonged. Now...it doesn't feel that way anymore. I feel out of place...not sure where I belong. I don't feel the same energy . I wonder if I am really needed anymore. I know..that sounds silly, but hey, one cannot always control how they feel. I hope it changes, but..... if it doesn't, I can always keep reminding myself that it is only another year.
To top it off,  it was a very sad weekend..... I have felt for a long time that our little town is becoming too big. This weekend... I felt like crying. In one weekend...in our little town... we had 2 murders...a guy was beaten critically in a parking lot downtown, and we had 3 people arrested for a "home invasion" !!!!!!!!!
What is happening to our little corner of the world...where once the town shut down at 7 at night...where once you could let your kids play outside and ride their bikes, where we never locked our doors....where life was just simpler. I hate the changes here ... I hate the traffic...the hectic way of life. The fact that everyday I see an "ALMOST" accident... or an "ACTUAL" accident. My own daughter has been a victim on a car accident here in town. I feel so claustrophobic that sometimes I want to just lock my doors and never go anywhere.
But that is not being realistic. That is just a fantasy world. So.... I will buck up...straighten up.... suck it up...whatever it takes, and make it thru the year. And this time next year....woo hoo....Alaska...here I come  !!!!!!