Last Friday Andy left very early to build a cabin for G2, along with a whole Wisconsin crew. That means he's camping for about 10 days in Council, 70 miles from Nome. Needless to say we're unable to communicate. Before he returns I'm off to New York for a week to become a youth development trainer. By the time we're together, August will be nearly over! I'm sure G3 will have some awesome photos and tales for the blog when he returns from the "man trip."
While he's away, it's obviously quiet at home, but the weather is glorious. So I got the new four-wheeler muddy, spent an entire day picking blueberries & hiking with a co-worker, walking & jogging to the Creek featured in the blog post below, got new tires for the RAV4, finally had an eye exam, and other random tasks like cleaning the house (blech). Whew! Time is actually cruising by.
One funny story to share while the Trooper is away...we had a security system installed. I guess it was a good deal, yadda, yadda and I'm using it for the first time while I'm in Anchorage every day, and then at night while I'm sleeping. Andy warned me that if I enable the system while at home then I MUST remember not to exit. Well, what did I do last night? I came home after 14 1/2 hrs. away (so I was tired) and enabled the alarm to hit the hay. Then I decided to give my flowers in the back some water. Watering flowers, pruning petals, then SCREAM! ALARM SCREAMING! I run inside and have less than 30 seconds to disable. I fail. All of a sudden a voice emerges out of the control panel from some far away command center.
"What's going on? Is everything okay (yes, the flowers have plenty of water now)? What's your password?"
Password?! What password? "I know the numerical code for the control panel, does that help?" Apparently not. "Is Andy Gorn there?"
"No he isn't, but my name should be on the list."
Command center turns off so I go about sleeping, still a little rattled. Then the Security System calls my cell phone and we go over the same story. It's recommended to get this mysterious password I need from Andy as soon as possible. I attempt explaining that there are places on this planet, in Alaska, where phones don't work and he's there. We hang up and I finally get to bed, though late, and I'm racking my brain if Andy ever told me a password.
Just as I'm falling asleep the doorbell rings. WHAT?! That never happens and I'm all alone! I decide to ignore, but hear someone walking around and I wonder if the Command Center landed on my property. Reluctantly I put on my eyeglasses, grab the can of mace from under the bed and peer out a window. I spy a Trooper vehicle, just like Andy's, trying to hide behind some trees. So I open the front door and call out. A Trooper I do not recognize pops out and says he was told an alarm went off and the woman on the phone gave the wrong password. Ugh. He's staring at Andy's cruiser parked out front, and I say, "do you know Trooper Gorn?" This guy said he just called Dispatch to figure out which Trooper lives at this residence.
I sheepishly explain my stupidity and have to "prove" my identity as he writes down my name and date of birth. This guy has never worked on the same shift as Andy so when I invite him inside (keep in mind I'm in my PJs), he says, "Oh this is where Gorn lives, huh?" I tell him I only opened the door because I saw his hidden Trooper car; I think that's when I embarrassed him. He notes that the doors are not busted into and even checks out the bedroom to see that I was sleeping when he showed up.
Who lives with and is engaged to a Trooper, who has NEVER had the police respond to anywhere she lived, and gets a Trooper to show up while her Trooper is away? Most of all, what a stupid call for this nice guy to make! He took it well and now Andy will laugh at me; if only I could call him to share.
Of course, long past my bed time I laid in bed and the password popped into my mind as I remembered the moment he told me (and I laughed because it's an inside joke). Ah, not sure I'll use the system anymore, but at least I can prove I'm not the intruder!
*Amy
The Alaska State Fair's claim to fame is its GIANT vegetables, most of which are grown right in the Valley. We toured around a barn that appeared to be on STEROIDS! The cabbage, below, on the far left is 90 lbs. The farmer claims he will bring in two more that are 50% bigger. If so, it could be world-record cabbage.
Upon seeing the giant mushrooms entered for ribbons, I concluded that we'll submit our own for competition next year. In our yard we have as big if not bigger toxic shrooms. What a claim to fame that'd be! One of my favorite moments was watching a solo alpaca chew it's cud with the intensity of having ADD.
The people-watching alone is always a bonus at a State Fair. Andy & I sure enjoyed this end of summer tradition. Now we just need to unclog our arteries. And thanks to the Brown's for the parking on their nearby driveway!
