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I finally left for my vacation.  After 9 hours of flights and airports and weird smells, I arrived in Dallas, where my uncle picked me up (an hour later).  We arrived at his house this morning early.  He went back to bed and I was up for about an hour winding down.  Finally, I went to bed.  I had told him I needed to go to a few places while in town,but he is not here.  His car, the one I was told I could use, is not here.  My cousins, who I haven’t seen in a year, have not been here at all.  WHAT IS GOING ON?

I guess I expected fanfare and am just angry that it never happened.  Why should they want to see me???  So, I am stuck here at my uncle’s house.  I have no idea when I am leaving, since he is not available like he said he was.  I have no deodorant or toothpaste because I needed to get them when I arrived and I have no way of getting to a store.  And the phone keeps ringing… my uncle called while I was typing… my cousin apparently took the car that had been left for me.  He should not have done that, but we don’t know where he is right now.

I am tired and a little cranky, but it will all be fine.  Stan did just suggest that I drive up to IKEA in the morning and told me where to find some food here.

I can’t wait to see my family.

Featured Image Art: William Morris, “Strawberry Thief”

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We are here! Experiencing life in Alaska by way of vacation. Of course it is beautiful up here – that is pretty much common knowledge, but I didn’t expect such kind people. We arrived in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, searched the entire city of Anchorage for a hotel room (to no avail) and finally drove to Palmer and stayed in a motel there. That is where we are staying anyway. Palmer is the town where my dad grew up and we have been fortunate to be allowed to stay with one of his friends, Peter-Ann. She is so incredibly generous and I felt bad for being so quiet yesterday – I was just so tired.

Life does seem a little more laid back, especially out here in Palmer. I don’t know/don’t think it will be the same in Anchorage. I think we plan on going out there today to look for jobs and just see the town. I would be happy to find a job here, but the problem with small towns is that they rarely need more people. That won’t stop me from trying. All in all, I have found the experience so far very surreal. To look on a map, I am so far away from everything I am used to, but even here I feel at home. Being in Alaska doesn’t mean being in a foreign country – I guess that makes me sound a little ignorant, but somehow I always imagined it differently. But I do like it so far.

Jet lag being what it is, I am still a little tired – that was a long day of travel by anyone’s standards. We left Tulsa at 9:00a.m. for Dallas and then flew to Anchorage with a stop in Seattle. 6 hours of driving and 8 hours of flying… yikes. But the first leg of the flight was fun! It was Alaska Airlines inaugural flight from Dallas to Seattle. There was a buffet and Native Alaskan dancers at the gate in Dallas, a champagne toast, cake, and certificates on the plane. The crew was great and you could really tell that they love their airline. We did however get stuck with a motley crew of passengers around us. From the guy with part of an ear missing (which didn’t bother me for about 6 hours, but by that 8th hour I never wanted to see him or his ear again) to the woman with the back problem (she was 2 rows in front of us, but spent the ENTIRE flight from Dallas to Seattle turned around talking to a woman she didn’t know in a seat in front of us). It was interesting – and exhausting. The small kids directly behind us were the most quiet and well-behaved passengers around us.

So, I still don’t know if I want to live here permanently. I do tend to get a little homesick, but hope I will get used to the area in the next few weeks. I still feel like I need to be here. BUT I NEED A JOB TOO. I need to call my aunt. I haven’t heard from her in nearly 5 years so it will be weird to talk to her. She lives in Anchorage.

Life is going pretty well. I don’t yet know where I will be 2 months from now, but I know I will enjoy getting there. And I suddenly have an interest in Minnesota (IF Alaska doesn’t pan out like I wanted it to). The possibilities seem endless. I will write more soon and will include pictures as I get them.

Featured Image Art: detail of vintage postcard; Katie Sevigny, “Bird on Fire”

Featured Image Art: vintage postcard from Palmer, AK