Out of the mist, a fantasy fulfilled (partially at least)

Waiting for that tap, tap, tapping.

Out of the blue a friend called today. I was so glad to see it was someone who had lived like I do for a while because I had a story. I knew he would understand. I asked him what in his thought processes out there alone was the greatest fantasy. Without hesitation his response was “a woman coming to the door.”

I laughed and then said, “That’s what happened to me last night.”

Explanation: As I was watching a DVD McGyver episode (wishing I had been pondering a tome of forgotten yore) there came a tapping, tapping at my door. No, it wasn’t a raven, but it was a vision I had dreamed of for years.

In the drizzling rain stood a gorgeous young woman, water dripping off her hat, her two dogs milling about around her legs. Not only gorgeous, she was obviously Alaskan, dressed in a full suit of Helly Hanson rain gear and muddied from her shoulders to her XTRATuff boots.

She asked if I could give her a ride home, telling me she lived only three miles down the road. My first thought was, “I’d drive you to Florida if that’s where home is.”

What I said was, “sure,” hoping she couldn’t see my heart trying beat its way out of my chest. She told me her four-wheeler broke down about four miles along the trail that leads to the East Pole. She had hiked the four miles of muddy, puddled, slippery wet trail to reach the trail head where I have been high-centered for about a month

I quickly grabbed some outside clothes and a drop cloth to protect my back seat from her muddy dogs. I was so flabbergasted I almost drove off with my generator still running in the bed of the truck and still connected to the trailer by the power supply cord. Fortunately I realized it and stopped before it came up tight and did some damage.

On the road I believe we told about half our life stories including a bear encounter from each of us. We reached her house in short order, long before we could have reached Florida. Incidentally I had us married by the time we drove through Montana.

Out of the car at her house she actually hugged me, something I returned probably with enough enthusiasm to scare her. Still she told me her name, I told her mine and the she said good night before heading into her house with the dogs. Halfway back to my trailer I realized I had done nothing to memorize her name and it has been lost to me. I do remember where she lives, but I have no intention of making her any more nervous about me than she already might be. I am hoping to catch her when she and her father come past on the way to rescue her machine.

Meanwhile I have that moment of fantasy realized burned into my brain.

And it doesn't take too much imagination to go this way: Only three more miles along that trail and two months back in time this could have had an awesome big production number at the end of the story. And of course, there's the reality of that hug to cherish, the first in how long? Years?

Firewood and Revery

An Iditarod friend is ailing

Sad to report Gail died overnight May 22-23

I am sure there are many people who have known Gail Somerville through her Iditarod volunteer work and through her teaching and through her many other activities around Anchorage over the past five decades. This post is to advise all of her medical emergency. Last Wednesday I received the following message. It is from Bonnie Moore, Gail's daughter-in-law:

"Gail is at Providence. She passed out at our house last night while eating dinner. They did tests and found fluid buildup around her lungs and thought that was putting pressure on her heart. A procedure is scheduled but not sure when. She had been suffering from heart issues for the previous six months to a year. I'll keep you updated when we find out more info. Later that night, this followed: "The CT scan showed torn aorta, she's going into surgery soon tonight."

Eventually they decided against surgery and then Friday, this was the story:" Eric (her son) and I are meeting with the dr team this afternoon so we'll have more info later today. Her dementia is really progressed and is worse in the hospital, not wanting to eat, falling asleep a lot etc..

This came through Saturday: "We decided to go the medication route vs surgery route with Gail's care. She has several conditions that raise the risks for surgery and it would definitely progress her dementia which is not a good thing. She is in the Progressive Care Unit since her blood pressure is improving and we will be talking with the discharge team and social services to start looking at getting things set up for her after she leaves the hospital."

Then Sunday: "Our plan is to have Gail stay at her cabin near Palmer after she is discharged while we work on her house in Anchorage. Deborah (Aman) is coming from Florida ( to take care of her there) and then we'll be looking into hiring a PCA.

"Good news! It sounds like there is a possibility of Gail being discharged from the hospital as early as tomorrow.(May 17)" 
"As we find out more I'll let you know."
"Gail's niece Annette has volunteered to host Zoom get togethers on days that she is not teaching. We're still working on a schedule so thank you for your patience as we figure that out. We did a test run this evening and it worked out well. Gail was happy to see familiar faces and laugh about good memories.
I'm humbled and thankful for everyone's kind words, suggestions, and offers of help. It has made this past week easier and much less stressful for our family. As more plans are made we will keep you all in the loop. — Bonnie Moore

This is a link to Bonnie's Facebook page for news and to leave a message for Gail. It's a private group but Bonnie is pretty quick at accepting people.

A painless retirement

   

Re-tired

 Over the years I’ve written a few posts criticizing one business or another. This week I thought it only right to point out a positive experience with a business I had never dealt with before. Due to my own ignorance, I damaged all four tires on my travel trailer. It has been parked near Talkeetna for about a month waiting on repair shop and insurance to get repairs organized. I finally decided to do something myself to get moving, literally. The name Diversified Tire had come up in communications with all the parties so I called them and tried to make an appointment. Someone there told me it was first come, first served. Because of the distance, about 75 miles, I dreaded that, but I set out Monday morning hoping to get it done in one day. I even considered making a hotel reservation as a backup. I shouldn’t have worried.
    I hadn’t realized I was driving into the mayhem of a few days before the deadline when winter studs had to be taken off all vehicles. (May 15 around here because of the extended winter we experienced.)
    When I arrived I noticed all the bays where workers changed tires plus one outdoors station for larger vehicles were filled and the waiting line stretched almost out the door.
    The first thing I noticed was the four guys checking people seemed to be outgoing, friendly and moved efficiently. If one guy stepped away from his station, another took his place and picked up right where the first one left off.
    In short order my turn came up. They recalled my phone call, prepared the proper paperwork and told me I could unhitch from the trailer and go do what I needed to do. You don’t waste a trip to town and I had a pretty good list of stops. The guy said it would be three to four hours and he would call or text me when it was ready. That was a relief, no waiting room time.
    So, I went about my business and returned about four hours later, planning to wait. I had settled into waiting mode in my parked truck and 15 minutes later the call came through. My trailer was ready. I went in and paid — the cost was exactly the estimate told to me in the earlier phone call.
    In and out and I went to hook up and head back. Now, if you have ever hitched a heavy trailer to a towing vehicle you know it is not a quick task. Several connections have to be made, some of them difficult for a single person. I found my trailer in the yard and started the process. During this operation (and mind you this was toward the end of the day) three different guys came by to ask how I was doing and did I need any help. All of them friendly, almost cheerful and accommodating. Mostly I didn’t but the third guy came over when I was in the most difficult part of the process and stuck with me until it was done, both of us working together to get it done and when it was, he walked off wishing me a safe trip.
    I started picking up the few tools we used and inspected all the way around to make sure I hadn’t forgotten something. At that point a fourth guy came over and explained to me how I need to torque the lug nuts on the wheels because of their aluminum construction after about 50 miles, even down to how much torque — 120 pounds. I’m not sure these old muscles can generate that much force. That done, he too, wished me a safe trip and started to walk off. I stopped him to tell him I really appreciated the way they work and the ways they helped me.
    He smiled and said, “like us on Facebook.” I hope this suffices.
    Oh yeah laughed as I passed the hotel I didn’t make a reservation for and made it back in time for the evening news.

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