Bath mats

So Erin, Fernando and I all went into anchorage to get groceries. We went to target and I walked out with bath mats, toilet rugs and candles. Picked up some knitting needles at Micheals and some things for my costume. Petco happened to be right next door so I had to get kitty something. 

It's beautiful out today. Clear as a bell and sunny. 

 

I worked on my costume for a few hours today, I think it will be fun. I don't know where I will wear it or who I'll go out with, but I'm not gonna sit around and mope on my favorite holiday, friends or no friends. 

Erin and I went to chair 5 today, she's not the most outgoing person in the world, but nice to have a girlfriend. I was hoping there would be stuff going on, just an older crowd. I miss the chaos of home and living in a college town, I just gotta stick it out this next month, things will get better. 

Looking for friends

So it's pretty hard to not just break down and cry. I'm not depressed, which is a miracle, but I'm so dang homesick. I miss Marquette and my friends and the community. I miss walking from house to house or hopping on my bike at 1am to catch the last hour at the bars. I really miss the river and Lake Superior and feeling like I belong.

I went running in the rain today. Pretty sloppy out but I had to get out. The houses here are absolutely amazing, big A frame log homes with huge windows and beautiful porches. I'm curious to who these people are and what they do. I ran up to the day lodge and got a feel for where some of the chair lifts are and the Sitzmark. I stopped and talked with a lady at the local art gallery and went to Jack Sprat to meet the owner, who was friends with my friend from Michigan. He didn't remember my friend, but he offered me a job.

My hip was giving me some trouble so I don't know how much running I'll be able to do, gonna need another activity to keep me sane.

The generator was on when I got home but Andy had his laptop plugged in so I took some candles and took a romantic shower by myself. The bathroom is falling apart, but the shower has two shower heads at each end that both work, could be interesting?

I warmed up some left over rice and beans that were left over in the house and from my NOLS trip. There is so much stuff in the house I made it a rule I had to put a serious dent in the food I already have before doing any grocery shopping. Half my calories are coming from beer so I'm not about to starve.

I'm trying really hard to make friends, it's just that everyone is about, 10 years older than me. I miss the college town and having all different types of people. Here i feel everyone is somewhat the same, all just loving life and the outdoors but pretty hippy, not sure if thats the right word and I don't have a great sense of the things going around me. I did meet a guy who used to live in my room. He stopped by to pick up a phone case and we ended up talking. He is a commercial fisherman and x ski bum. He spent the day hiking and jumping off a mountain with some sort of wings, anyway, he asked me out to dinner but I had already made plans with Emily. We ended up all going to the silver tip for drinks and met up with two more people.

Went into Anchorage to finish up some testing for work. The lady doing my tests told me just about her entire life story, getting pregnant young, her ex boyfriends, her momma, baby daddies, how she hates Alaska and wants to get out but not to Michigan because it's ugly (she saw 8 mile) Anyway, I passed and start training Saturday. I train through Halloween. I'm almost relieved that I have to work cause I just don't have the energy to get dressed up and go out with a bunch of people I don't know. I do have a pretty good idea though, just not sure if I can make it work up here.

Back to Alaska

So Nutt Nutt and I are at the Minneapolis airport. He is laying next to me giving himself a bath. He is doing great on the leash, refuses to go to the bathroom but has no problem eating. I think I'll call him Earl.

So Mr. Earl Nut Nut made friends with just about everyone at the airport, even security came over to play with him for a bit, sure did make the four hour Minneapolis layover go by quick. 

Lucked out with and empty seat next me me. Nut didn't like takeoff and escaped his carrier, but laid down in the empty seat and stayed there the whole trip once the fasten seatbelt sign came on. Thank goodness the guy next to me was a cat lover, I'd doze off and Nut would be on his lap. When we got to the airport all the flight attendants petted him goodbye, even the captain gave him a quick snuggle. 

My friend from Princess picked kitty and I up, 1 am Alaska time, 5 am Michigan time, we were both pretty beat. Good to all hang out back at her apartment for a bit before passing out. Nut doesn't really understand how to use a small litter box, he would go and then just scratch at the air and the wall and everything but the litter. 

So the house I'll be living at doesn't have power right now. Looks like we are using lanterns and the wood stove. Still not sure what room I have or what rent is but whatever, I move in tomorrow.