Cargo

I want to share a little about our Wasilla to Sitka moving process given a humorous/depressing discovery (depending on your perspective) made not long ago. I worked with the packers to get out of Wasilla and leave our home there. Andy opened up our new one in Sitka and worked with movers to get all our stuff. Yes, the State of Alaska pays and arranges for the official move.

Andy came upon damage. Some pretty major damage:

• new grill (used only on the 4th of July) is all busted up, lopsided but probably useable in some fashion
• stand-alone freezer looks like someone dropped bowling balls on top of it. Still works. Cause of damage to both items, above, was due to grill being stacked ON TOP of freezer.
• arm rest of leather couch drops down. Couch was stacked upright on the arm rest for the journey. Terrible container loading, admitted the company.
• small crack in a mirror, pieces chipped off a vase and a cheap plastic tub was shredded.
• New, still in the box, end table and coffee table suffered ends smashed in from something en route. Really angered us as those pieces were never even assembled.

BUT IT'S ALL STUFF, RIGHT? Just items. Disapointed? YES. Life-threatening? NO (unless our grill was the only means of providing nourishment!). SO WE GET OVER IT and start the claims process.

That's until I made the before-mentioned humorous/depressing discovery. Much of our food from Wasilla made the move. Those provisions should not have gone but the man named "Gentle" packed them up for me. Flour, cereal, lasagna noodles, enchilada sauce, champagne, etc. Well, "Gentle" must have been better than the other movers because Andy and I made tacos for dinner awhile back.

Those Alaskan-made taco shells came from Wasilla packed in the zip-lock bag I put them in. They arrived all the way to South East AK in perfect, unbroken condition. However, a large box containing pieces of brand new furniture suffered a much different fate:C'est La Vie. I guess this where the UnderDog won. All in all, our settlement price to make everything go away was accepted. That's good and will compensate for some new purchases. The tacos tasted great thanks to the shells remaining intact. It's just stuff. The moving company is AAA Moving & Storage.

*Amy

So...Sitka

It's been mentioned briefly here before and it's pretty much the old/new news: Sitka is our new home! Yes, beautiful, friendly, Southeast rainforesty, watery, fishy, artistic, historic, island Sitka!

Congrats to Andy on receiving the competitive promotion to Corporal at the AST Academy! He is an instructor to the new Trooper recruits. He has a corner office, lots of new gear to play with, cool responsibilities and will get paid to work out. It's a dream career goal for him. He's already been there for a week and yesterday was his badge pining. I wish I could have been there, but another to month to go for the reunion. Now, he's off to Florida for training--just the first of many he'll do.

We went to the town of 8,000 people two weeks before the wedding for housing. That already feels like a lifetime ago. We started out for rentals but came away with an offer on a little two-level home in a new hillside development. Land is limited in Sitka so lots are dwindling and big yards are rare. We are officially owners of 309 Eliason Loop as of yesterday!

Here's our view--as seen from the porch on an uncharacteristically sunny, dry day!!

During our weekend we took advantage of the sunshine and walked about---exploring the harbor, Totem Park, downtown shops and our neighborhood.We found some creatures along Totem park trails, whose entrance is a mile or so from the new home. Andy is proud of his photo of the most common living thing we found time and time again:Almost stepped on a few! We paused in a clearing that is home to an old and beautiful totem pole. While walking from the path we heard a thunderous clap and breaking of branches. Andy saw better than I, but we both witnessed an eagle with a 7-ft wing span, rise from the trees just ahead of us! What an amazing encounter! We took it as a good sign. Eagles are plentiful in Southeast, but that was extra cool. Not long later, just off the trail, Andy's expert eyes found something most unusual...It was so glistening fresh, without bugs, that we theorized the eagle dropped this salmon head on its sudden spooked, flight. Don't know what it all means, but magical anyhow.

So our blog is titled "Amy and Andy in Alaska." Soon our posts will bring you to Southeast Alaska. Can't wait to share the adventure!! Tell Andy to get back on the blog, too!

Way to Go, Corporal Gorn!

Celebration!

Yeah! We're finally married!! Even if that means Andy is living in Sitka and I'm currently in Anchorage. Nothing like living apart as newlyweds. haha

We're sifting through many, many photos but our photographer kindly posted a small sampling on her website that you're welcome to peruse. Melissa is a wonderful woman, and talented at that. I'm so glad I found her on Facebook of all places!

http://melissashelby.com/2010/07/married-amy-andy/

So there's more to share and explain about WHY Sitka. Keep tuned to the blog.

*Amy (soon to make it official) Gorn

Friends

Now that I'm nearly settled in Wasilla and all my "pieces" are getting in order, I'm also getting a bit restless for other key life items. I just need some patience and good things will come. What I struggle with during times I'm alone is a lack of quality friends...or friends at all. 

Don't get me wrong, I have dear friends down here. But they're in Anchorage. Jodi and I still marvel that after knowing each other for many years that we can now meet for lunch during the week. Other former Nomeites are relocated to South Central. That's great. And of course being with Andy is amazing and fun. But he works different hours than me and when he's unavailable, I don't have someone to grab and go to live music playing at the local book store. Going alone isn't always fun. I know I was spoiled when I lived with Nikki and we weaved our life's activities and company! 

I fully realize that friends will come in time, and I'm striving to meet people in social settings, but sometimes I flat-out feel a bit lonely. Good news is that being in Wasilla means I see people I normally wouldn't, or I can visit with Nome friends traveling through. Such was the case earlier this month:

This is Heather and we were freshmen year roommates in college (MN)! We saw each other for the first time in over six years during the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University-Alaska Alum dinner this month. Great story...I had moved to Nome in 2002 and about six months later I was given a message to call Heather at a 907-area code phone number. I called right away and said, "Heather! Where in Alaska are you??" She and her husband, Dylan, had just moved to Dillingham in the Southwest. At the time she began working at rural radio station, KDLG, as I was in my first year at KNOM. We marveled at our paths that led to the same college with the same degrees and then in Alaska doing a similar thing. It wasn't planned. Well, many years later, they're still in Dillingham teaching and I just moved from Nome. 

Did I mention that my former Nome roommate, Nikki, roomed with my first-year college roommate for six weeks one summer in Fairbanks? Yep! It was for their Masters in Education program. Nikki has seen more of Heather over the years than me! Anyway, she has a great laugh and a better spirit and I'm glad for the chance to reconnect...in person.

I have kindred spirits (an Anne of Green Gables reference) all over Alaska, but none in the neighborhood or across town...for now.

*Amy

Employed!

Breaking news! I have a job! It took one month from leaving Nome and going on two Lower 48 trips, but I'll be working again as of Monday afternoon.

I am the Youth Program Coordinator for RurAL CAP, based in Anchorage. It's a brand-new position for the state's largest private, non-profit organization, Rural Alaska Community Action Program. It's a different line of work for me, but one that also strives to benefit the people of Alaska's smallest communities.

I'll be working with ten AmeriCorps sites that benefit the local youth. In facilitating these programs, coordinating their training and managing their volunteer involvement, I'll get to make site visits throughout a program's calendar year. Who knows where my Alaskan travels will continue to take me?? There are other responsibilities to the job, which is based in RurAL CAP's Community Development Division. 

I believe it's a great fit considering I came to Alaska as a two-year AmeriCorps member, have rural travel & knowledge under my belt and experience with youth in my three years part-time at Nome's Youth Facility.

I found the job posting just before the Midwest vacation and actually held a phone interview while enjoying Michigan's UP. This week when I returned to Alaska, I met with the interviewers in person. That's the reason I dressed up the other day:

Andy got back into work after a long hiatus too. He only partially dressed up to drop in at his Trooper post. What a poser!So I gotta make the Valley to City commute. Without traffic it's 45 mins. one-way. Compare that to the three minutes I biked to work in Nome. Luckily, the job is downtown with easy access in and out of the city for my straight shot home. I may look into a Ride Share program too. My cousins wisely suggested audio books!

Soon I will be a contributing member to society again. I'll let you know how it goes!

Btw-when I make a paycheck again I'll become a contributor to KNOM, in addition to a friend of the mission. Consider doing the same!

*Amy

Lucky Duck

Mom and I are safely in Wasilla and Andy is at work for the day. He has some special assignments right now that have to do with the Palin-VP announcement. His schedule will be topsy-turvy for awhile. I am blessed with an incredible goodbye at Nome's one-room terminal last night. My Alaskan family showed up and I was touched beyond words. Even Bob, my boss at the Youth Facility, brought most of the residents to say farewell. Given the great crowd and their super sense of humor, I could ward off many of the tears I could feel building. 

Of course there's always some excitement to keep things interesting.

A few hours before leaving I found out that I'm the Grand Winner of the annual Labor Day Duck Race! I bought five raffle tickets, picking 5 numbers for 5 ducks. We watched 3,000 ducks float in the River and my number, 392, was the picked duck! Here's the email floating around Nome today:

"The Rotary Duck Race Winners are as follows:

1st Place $1,500  Amy Flaherty

2nd Place $750 Richard Beneville

3rd Place Ella Lathim

Wild Duck KICY

It took the ducks quite a bit of time to make their way down the finish line. Some ducks went upstream and others hung around socializing.

All winners have been notified. Thanks to all of the Rotarian who made the event a success. Congrats to the winners!"

Thanks, lgt for help picking the best duck at the finish line! My KNOM boss, Ric, presented me the check AT the airport--how nuts is that? Well, it pays for my car to fly down to Anchorage. So I received Good byes AND Congratulations--even on the airplane itself by people who heard! Ha.

Andy picked us up and at home he had flowers and other thoughtful items waiting. Then the real surprise...if you read the last blog post, as Andy did, you'll appreciate that he had 54 clothes hangers in the closet for me! WOW! 

It's all bittersweet excitement.

Moving along, today Mom and I get my bridesmaid dress altered for my brother's wedding.

*Amy

Without Some Wheels

ETD412 flew out of Nome on Friday. My Toyota RAV4 began its life in Anchorage (or thereabouts) and according to Tom & Flo (previous owners), drove to Fairbanks and back. Then it came to Nome by airplane. That was ten years ago and now in 2008 the RAV returns to Anchorage. In this time it only racked up 22,000 miles, so the car and I continue our 4-year plus journey together. This is Mom with the RAV the last time I saw the vehicle in Nome, at the cargo hangar:It made sense to ship it rather than sell it. The back haul rates from the Bush are pretty good, even with a fuel surcharge tax. It's half the price to fly rather than barge. I had to run the gas tank down to a 1/4 mile of gas or less and we inspected the car for damage. 

Then I decided to mentally revisit some of my Nome-car adventures. We traveled the roads of the Seward Peninsula pretty good:When I first bought the car it was given a special Lebanese blessing for protection! My friend Katie officiated the process for protection and Carol provided unrelated music on her accordion. So far so good!

Next week the car will return to the same highway that heads up toward Fairbanks. My big concern is for its safety upon arriving in the hometown of a Vice President candidate (Wasilla) with an Obama sticker taped in the back window!

Mom has graciously been joining me for my errands and cooking dinners. We also went to a Contra (square-like) dance my last night at the detention center and tomorrow night there is a goodbye party for me and others at a Roadhouse out of town. I've had many wonderful goodbye tokens.

*Amy

ps-kudos to Andy for so easily accepting (it seems) my invasion of things! I haven't received any grief for that Kaboom! in the spare room. Not only will we integrate our stuff but I come with lots of hair--that stuff gets everywhere!

Encouraging Words

Some beautiful messages came across my path recently. I wanted to share, because they may touch you too.

Interestingly, KNOM is airing a wonderful "spot" (inspirational message) about transitions. My co-worker, David, actually wrote it with certain people in mind.

Here's a prayer for moments of transition~

Dear Lord,

Help me to remember that the end of one journey is always the beginning of another.

Help me to realize that hellos and goodbyes are cut from the same cloth.

And help me to understand that no matter what may change in my life, hope and infinite possibilities always remain.

For strength as I move on in new directions, I pray. Amen.

(property of KNOM Radio)

My friend Katie sent me a poem about transitions written by ee cummings.

in time of daffodils(who know

the goal of living is to grow)

forgetting why,remember how

in time of lilacs who proclaim

the aim of waking is to dream,

remember so(forgetting seem)

in time of roses(who amaze

our now and here with paradise)

forgetting if,remember yes

in time of all sweet things beyond

whatever mind may comprehend,

remember seek(forgetting find)

and in a mystery to be

(when time from time shall set us free)

forgetting me,remember me

That's a big dose of nourishment.

*Amy

A Healthy Health Care Plan

Presently facing unemployment brings about a consideration I've never had before: health care and insurance.

Thanks to my current job I will be covered for all of September, through my two trips (YEAH! THANKS KNOM!). However, October will soon arrive and I may not have a new job immediately lined up.

This is where I solicit suggestions for temporary, month-by-month or small contractual time periods, HEALTH CARE PLANS.

To be honest, I'm kind of scared. Recently I watched Michael Moore's documentary, "Sicko." It put major (and some unfounded) fear in me. Probably not the best viewing choice given my circumstances.

I realize, though, that I have just over a month before I'm uninsured. Anyone have solid recommendations or suggestions for what to do or what to pursue?

*Amy

(ps- weather in Nome has been GLORIOUS. Thank goodness after all the rain and gloom we endured these last few months. How nice to ride a bike to work in a t-shirt and no jacket!)

Helping Hands

THANK YOU, GREATLY:

Judy, Jodi, Georgia, Tom, Pauline, Liz, Eric, Mom, and most of all, ANDY.

All these wonderful people have used their hands, time and Alaska Airlines tickets to bring down my stuff via checked bags for FREE. Most often Andy tracked them down on the other side, collected bags & boxes and is storing them at the house until I'm down. I have counted 15 AK Air trips helping me move from Nome to Wasilla--that includes Mom and myself on the last flight out!! This means I will use the Post Office only twice, maybe three times to send a few personal items via snail mail. What a savings! Again, it took willingness, creativity, strong arms and carts at the airport to make this happen. Thank you!

The latest round of these shipments happened Saturday morning. This is the usual scene at the terminal:

I'm labeling boxes to check under Pauline's name (she was traveling to Anchorage for just a day and had no bags), and Andy would collect them in the airport because he was on the same flight...of course, loaded with more of my things and his own. He actually checked some precious cargo too that I'll let him share. After Andy somehow loads two large duffle bags, 3 boxes, his heavy precious cargo and a plant...he drives today to Tom's house near the airport to collect six more boxes of my things. At some point he'll have to bring ALL that from the truck into the house. 

What's in some of these boxes? Two bridesmaid dresses to wear next month, wine glasses, a coffee grinder, fishing gear, clothes, hanging pictures, Pampered Chef supplies, and on and on.

Whew! THANK YOU, ANDY!

We did poorly capturing pictures while Andy was in town. But he and I did go blueberry picking. A nice Friday night, less than an hour of time, a little kneeling on tundra, and VOILA! Berries! Future jars of jam right here:

Some loot, producing a few stains on my pants:

Well, here's to moving within Alaska pound for pound...out like a whimper, rather than a bang! 

Made possible through the kind hearts of good friends.

*Amy

Other Farewells

Amy, Beth & Nikki finish a breakfast at the Polar Cub Cafe (note the NO SMOKING sign above Nikki--yeah!).

I'm not the only one saying goodbye to Nome (or preparing to...). At least 4 other 20-somethings I know (all friends) are leaving this month and next. There's always some comfort when you're "not the only one." Strength in numbers, you know? The good news is that most of us will be in the Anchorage area, or on the road system, so we can create our very own Nome sub-group (although others already exist). Today I said goodbye to Beth. She taught high school math for the last two years here and is now headed to Soldotna on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula. 

A great group of gals solidified once Beth and some other teacher friends fired up our town during teacher inservice 2006! Beth came from MN where she graduated from Duluth--we connected fairly early on. She will be missed by us but I expect we'll plan fun journeys for occasional visits. Wasilla to Soldotna is surely a 3-4 hour long drive. But, heck, it's not a snowmachine or dog-sled trip (though that would be exciting).

It seems an Exodus has begun and my turn is not too far away.

(by the way, omelet breakfasts at the Polar are a-okay!)

*Amy

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

That's a reference to Andy's favorite soap opera. Yes, he has a fave!

That's how I felt when I recently realized I'm under a month in moving from Nome...been watching that hour glass since I overturned it in May when I announced I'm Wasilla-bound. I'm now about 29 days from the last flight out, providing four weekends of play. The weather this summer is a bust so the outdoor list I created to git-r-done may not take a huge hit by the time I'm gone from Northwest Alaska. The list is mostly of things to do again or finally for the first time. The list for what fun and adventures to find with Andy on the road system has yet to be created; I'm sure it will be immense! 

The bulk of my things are already in Southcentral, through the kindness of others and the three-bag checked rule on Alaska Airlines. I'm slightly increasing the company's fuel/cargo expense by each box I send out with kind passengers! More on those helpful individuals later. As those sands fall short on Nome I look forward to some berry picking beginning the next few weeks. Blueberries WILL be part of my precious cargo as I leave.

Travel plans: 

• Mom, Cathy, arrives in Nome Tuesday, Aug. 26th.
  
• Mom and I leave Nome Monday, Sept. 1st (Labor Day) on #153 (last plane of the day)
• In Wasilla for two days (with ANDY!)
• Mom and I leave Anchorage Thursday, Sept. 4th. She heads back home and me to Grand Junction, CO for Megan's wedding
• Andy & I in Minnesota/Wisconsin Sept. 16th-30th

*Amy