The distance between us

I really miss my family.

I've been feeling it a lot this week, that pang of realizing that the people I love and that care about me the most are not here with me. It hurts! I get teary-eyed every time I think about what they're doing or talk to them on the phone.

The longest I've ever gone without seeing my Mom is a month, when I was a kid spending a chunk of every summer with my family in Oregon. Tomorrow will officially mark my first full month in Alaska. This feeling is one I remember from those long summers in Salem Oregon, running around with the neighborhood kids, taking day trips to the coast, and pestering my loving Grandma and Grandpa. I would sit crying in the formal living room of their big house, on a stiff white couch with a floral pattern, the old pendulum wall clock clicking back and fourth in the background. "I m m miss my mom!" I'd gargle through my tears to my Grandma. The feeling was tamed with her offer of a bowl of ice cream or a game of rummikub and would return every few days until I went back home.

I wish a bowl of ice cream would get rid of this feeling today. It really hasn't sunken in that I'm not leaving, not going back home. I hate not being there to visit my mom after her surgery today, or being able to go out to dinner with everyone for Mother's Day. I sent my mom flowers, but I'd rather teleport myself for a hug. I'm missing caving trips and lunches with my sister. I feel out of tune with everything I used to be in tune with. I could walk into my mom's house and recognize what was new or had changed. I knew every detail about my sister's life. I'm finally feeling far, far away. I guess it's a price I have to pay for leaving, but it's one that would have been paid eventually, right?

Until it gets easier, I'll continue to mail postcards and packages, putting my heart into the contents and hoping it survives the distance.




The color of the water in streams running out of the mountains blows my mind! It's putt-putt golf pond colored, but real!!!!


Part of a trail called Flume trail. It will be stunning when the trees have their summer foliage.


A street leading to downtown, reminds me of San Francisco! The russian-looking building on the lower right is an old Russian Orthodox church.


Our little house! The basement is a 1 bedroom apartment. We had to call the JPD a few nights ago and report a noise violation because they were partying, drunk, banging on walls, our door, yelling and playing rap music that I could hear on the 3rd story. Luckily they're moving out on the 20th.


Exploring the woods behind our house!


This stream is one of many that flows down Mt. Juneau, and is right behind our house!


There's also a line to hang laundry from in the summer :)

We found out today that a mother bear and her three cubs are hanging around the woods behind our house!! While I was upstairs taking a nap, our downstairs neighbor's trash can was dragged from the carport (where we also park and keep our trash can) halfway into the woods. The neighbors found it. We forgot to put our can out for pickup this morning, and the skeleton from the Halibut we bought and filleted is in it because it doesn't fit in our freezer. Now we have to wait a week for the next pickup, with a hungry momma bear roaming around! Luckily our can is bear proof, but we're still worried. Also, no more walking to the gym at night. I have the feeling that my first bear encounter will be right in my own yard!


The bear's perspective :)


Who knew we'd see more Bald Eagles at the dump than anywhere else?! This guy was chomping on some piece of nastyness as we drove up to dump the last of our moving garbage today and flew away as soon as we got out of the car. He made sure to take his lunch with him.





We had lunch at the glacier today.
We're trying to squeeze as much fun into our days before we start work, which is Saturday for me., and Steph has a few interviews lined up, so it won't be too long before she is working too. A couple days ago we took a private sea kayaking class to learn the basics of what we need to know before going kayaking alone. We learned some really valuable things, and we improved SO much in just 4 hours. We learned how to paddle efficiently, and we also practiced a self rescue, which involved flipping our kayak over in the water and getting back inside. It was exhilarating to dump myself into the water, which actually wasn't as cold as I had expected. We need to get quite a bit of gear before we can go out alone, but we are really excited to kayak the waters here, especially the lake at the foot of the glacier. The beauty that surrounds this place is mind boggling, and seeing it from the water adds even more to the experience.