My interwebs are not cooperating. Must be because my neighbor who lets me on her network is in town.  Thank the coffee gods for the mana from heaven and early morning texts from friends wondering why anyone would drink Folgers?

Coffee and more balance.

Out last night getting some local live music in my ears... the fave Bisbee piano mistress and human jukebox Amy from Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl. First time inside the Bisbee ROyale since they opened 5 or so weeks ago. It's nice in there. Hope they kick ass with that.

Off to work in produce this morning and am so relieved about my van getting back home I can't even begin to tell you! I am waaaaay too attached to that hulking piece of metal.

My home roasting of coffee neighbor is in from CA this holiday weekend. I know she's gonna grill me on if I used the beans and such she gave me just prior to going to AK... and of course I have been just settling back in and haven't even looked at it. Better get on that..

Oh fresh organic produce... I love you.

Go... just get that shit done.

See this?

This is a double thumbs up from a cop in the BPD after jump starting my van that was towed on Friday and has been impounded since.

I could grumble, but I won't. It was a pain in the ass... and upsetting, Cranky neighbors were the people who alerted the cops to a few different vehicles that they then dealt with by towing and impounding.

Here is the rest of the story:
The truth is, I was the one who let the registration and insurance lapse. It would have just gotten tagged for towing if all of that had been current. Thanks to The Mother Unit for a gift of some cash, the van is now home and parked exactly where it always is (except when they tow my broke ass van..) and exactly where belongs. In front of my house.

A costly trauma... but one that in the end had a smiling cop, (a Sgt. even!) helping me along my way. Thanks for the jump!

Oh my day....

Ok. I got a wee break and am literally just busting the best moves I can at the new job. I have a couple more hours on the clock yet then I have to tapdance around the
BPD and my van.

Holy crap that's dark!

The bountiful day

Ummm... Wow!  This produce is basically as good as anywhere, it's organic, and slightly blemished so guess who got the rejects? Me! 

What a fucking gift this job is already! All those dark greens are going right into the juicer. There is dinner.

Grateful as hell right now. Next, it's off to the post office in hopes my money from my brief tour with Rachael Sage is there... The coffers are dry, but the spirits are high. 

Just watched a movie for the second time.

It was so sweet the first time, had to watch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel again.

Perfect ending to my last day of being unemployed.

The Kitty.

The Maneki-neko (招き猫?, literally "Beckoning Cat"; also known as Welcoming Cat, Lucky Cat, Money Cat, or Fortune Cat) is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman), usually made of ceramic, which is believed to bring good luck to the owner. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw.

Nope. Not turning into a cat person (sorry KK) but I got an email this morning indicating I get to start a new job this next week. It's not many hours, but dammit... anything is good right now. And It's something I don't have to sell my fragile soul to do. So if it all goes according to the plan now being laid out, I am going to work at a natural foods co-op 20 miles outside of Bisbee.

Yes, I can get behind that.

Hoisting a glass of poor man's kombucha (bragg's apple cider vinegar and sweetener) to the heavens and toasting a change in my attitude and in the job doldrums.

Kinda looks like rain and kinda looks like my town. 

Back to Bisbee today, bunch of less than happy stuff to deal with but I am determined to find my grace in how to deal with it.

Can't believe I am doing this...
But this is the first time in 5 weeks this guy won't get the shit scared outta him when I grind coffee at KK's. And that has left a mark not only on my funny bone, but on my heart.

So here is to my pal Archer. And to my pal KK, who I am sure is loving this moment.

Pleasantly suprised it was not over 100 degrees. In fact, it's even almost nice out!

Up at the crack... Out the door by 5 am... Flew outta Juneau... Sitting in Seattle with the masses. The temperature will only climb from here on.

The annual harvest feast. 

Our incoming flt on the float plane last week and a pic of the Mendenhall Glacier..

Oh my.

The 1905 school song from Juneau Douglas High School.

Surely a point of pride for some.

And definitely a source of humiliation for all of those at the school under the age of 50.

Oh Juneau... You have entertained me so. I have got KK's cats all hopped up on catnip and now it must be time to drink more coffee and plan out the last day.

Ain't no sunshine when ...

Sun is noticeably absent from the sky. It's kinda cool out and there is some preliminary packing to do to get ready to depart The Great North. There was a nice breakfast out this morning at a greasy spoon called Donna's and some good time spent with The K of K . Very aware of my gratitude for her care and feeding of my less than stellar self. In the time that I have been up here some of the steps we have taken have made a big difference in my sads.

I got fatter... But I got happier. So I can take that as a fair trade. Fat can be dealt with when I get back. The sads were only escalating till we applied some extra added measures
(medication) to the mix. I guess it takes what it takes, and I am lucky to have been able to take this route at this time.

So gratitude is back on the front burner. That there is a good gauge of progress.

Wind it down.

Last day of sun here in Juneau for my trip.

My farmer's tan is stellar, headspace continues to improve, and now this:

For KK...

both snagged from boingboing this morning..

Oh the happiness!

All is right with the world in Auke Bay.

After having her flight cancelled from Sun Valley... Being bussed to Boise... Getting a flight to Seattle and finally to Juneau, KK was reunited with her cats and people by about 10:15 pm. The travel day sounded exhausting. Wildfires wreaked havoc on flights up there. Yikes.

But the presence of the Cat Lady of Auke Bay back in her abode has the cats much less focused on me, and back to chasing shrews and birds and sleeping on top of their cat queen. While I await her entrance into the room of coffee, it' a moment to gather thoughts of gratitude for how well I have been taken care of up here and for friendship. In isolating myself so harshly while I sank deeper into the sads, I just got really lonely. That certainly didn't help anything.

So this time has been good for me. To have someone to check in with, have a few people to cook for, and to just try and contribute where I can.

Good stuff.

This the reaction most cats have when attempting to get too close to me... But this cat won't give up. He misses KK.

And today The Cat Lady of Auke Bay returns!

In honor of her return from a bike trip that had the tour going off the rails so to avoid wildfires, I present this video... Welcome home, KK.

The Cat Lady of Auke Bay.

The house here is so much less animated without the Mistress of Cats. They long for her. They even scrape the bottom of the barrel and try to befriend me. And that is an act of sheer desperation.

Here is Archer attempting to be close while I was sitting out on the deck the other day... he just up and took over the empty chair and cried out in agony every once in a while in his obvious longing for his Crazy Cat Lady Mistress...

Anyhow... where I'm going with all of this is that KK's biking to all the hot springs in Idaho trip is done today and she flies back tomorrow. The cats will rejoice for sure.

The 25 hour tour.

Yesterday the day started with this:



A small vid of some of the scenery on the way to the camp of men.

Then it was a trip to the job site: where you can see the equipment and the small landing deck. Note the log steps and walkways.



The Gumby green dome is what they call The Butt Hut. This is also where they have a small black bear who visits them pretty much daily.

Then I cooked for the men.

And the next morning... I cooked again.

Then up to the job site to look at the scope of it all .This vid is showing the avalanche destruction from a couple years ago... and you can see the small round clearing in the mid right of the screen on the hill where they are working to put in a diverter.




And when all was said and done... we left via:



My first time in a float plane. It was cool!

Now back at Casa De KK in Auke Bay. Do I get to go cook again? I have no idea.. That was a trial run for me and for them. They flew in a guy this morning who had already been promised the job. So, if nothing else, it was a good adventure! Grateful to JAG for even getting me a tryout.

This morning.

The view... from atop the helicopter platform which is only about 12X20. Up on the side of a steep mountain where they are putting in snow diverters.

There was a huge avalanche a few years ago and it wiped out several power lines. That is why those guys are up in the middle of nowhere... drilling etc, so they can put in giant v-shaped diverters so the future avalanches won't take down the power grid again.

JAG (KK's husband) on the right, piloting the helicopter and the crew boss.

Multiple helicopter platforms in precarious places.

Equipment, men, steepness and no way in hell I am going down there to get a closer look...

Two words.

Bear Poop.

Stunning!

There is not much else like a helicopter ride first thing in the morning.. in Alaska.. Holy crap!

No... I didn't get the job. But I am flyin up to a mtn where there is a drilling camp to see about a job. The pay would be pretty good, and it would be an extra few weeks here if it's a go.  Here's to the possibility.

Now there's something ya don't see every day in Juneau!

HOLY CRAP!! THE GLOWING ORB!!

Juneau is not a sunny place, but it's striking when the orb makes an appearance. It's also not cruel and deadly hot like it is in AZ right now. So I actually sat out in the sun and hoped for skin re-coloration. Vitamin D, good for me inside and out. Just what the doctor ordered. Actually my health care provider would be asking if I was wearing my sunscreen. And while she knows the answer, I know she cares enough to ask.

I flee AZ often, and even more so in the summer months. When I was touring full-time it was often more miserable out there than AZ with high heat indexes and off the charts humidity. Which strangely made me appreciate the hot dry heat a bit more. Here in Juneau is just right on those one or two super sunny days where it's warm and kinda perfect. I know that summer is basically over for them up here in about 4 weeks. And while they may get some nice days after that, it's more likely they are gearing up for the inevitable loooooong winter. I don't think they have much in a way of seasons. There's cold, grey, foggy, rain, and snow in the not summer then there's cool(not quite cold), grey, and some sunny days in between the fog and rain for the summer tourist season.

A nice warm sunny day like that does wonders for someone like me. I love to listen to music and gaze off at the happenings around me while I ponder. My thoughts went to what's next, what to let go of, how to fill myself up with good joo joo, etc.

And yesterday I got to think about how rough this last several months has been for me. I certainly didn't go to enough AA meetings, and I have virtually no recovery community in Bisbee.. but I did make it to my 25th AA birthday today. So if I ever say I did nothing of value, call me on that and say I lived to see another year sober. Then you can tell me to STFU.

?

No real explanation.

What does it all mean?

What do The Cat Hoards of Auke Bay do when their "Cat Lady Queen" is gone?

They walk around wondering where she is... and they yowl in agony at her disappearance. They also flock to the nearest human that is awake.

That would be me.

Funny.

The Nurse Leaveth.

Couple hours and the nursey one is off to Ida Ho!

Despair.

KK leaves for several days this evening. She is off on a bike trip in Idaho. I will make up scenarios to quell my despair in her absence.

My sadness is immeasurable.

I feel a suntan coming on.

Two words...

Salmon Derby.

And by that, I mean there is an annual contest in Juneau this weekend where several hundred (or more?) people come to Juneau to try to catch a salmon that was tagged and is worth $10,000. One fish.. in the ocean... out of skabillions. But work a big chunk of change. Sounds simple. But...

"Juneau area anglers spent an average of 40-rod hours per king salmon last week in the Juneau area. Last year at this time it required 45-rod hours per fish, and the five-year running average is 32-rod hours per salmon. Anglers are currently having luck harvesting fish in the areas around Gastineau Channel, and both the North and South Gastineau Terminal Harvest Areas."

Good luck fishing people. You'll need it. And no, they don't always find the fish with the big money tag on it.

And just because I am not watching Olympics coverage, doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good Synchronized Swimming photo:

Fog burnin off, sucker holes, and homemade soup in the works. 

A TED Talk for folk like me.

TED Talks are amazing. I found this one and it has so many incredible points of fabulousness. If you have about 20 minutes, give it your ear... and your heart.

Fuh...fuh... FOG!

I am lost in the fog...

Mega thick, no visibility, and kinda cool... if you don't live in it.

Go figure! It's raining in Juneau!

Lots of rain and I keep saying that it'll burn off. But today, it won't. Nope. Not gonna happen.

We had a morning filled with coffee and doing a wikipedia search on harbour porpoises. Seeing what they eat... there have been quite a few very close in feeding going on 2 days. Fun! You know what else is fun??

Tossing a raw chicken carcass onto the beach when you know that one of the very resident bald eagles is watching. The result? It waited about 10 seconds, flew down and without stopping snatched it and flew back to his spot on the pier close to the house. Majestic, gargantuan,and soooo freakin' cool!

And no... I did NOT take the pic below...

I set that particular morsel aside just for him. Made me happy he liked it. As the temporary resident chef of the house I throw a bunch of leftovers and scraps out there... but the raw meat makes those particular winged creatures the most happy.

Happy is good.

We gots whales.

So we saw about 3 or 4 killer whales just out past the closest island. I was alerted to them as KK saw a bunch of whale watching boats clumping very close to the house.

Obviously this is a pic I grabbed from the interwebs...

And though this too is a stolen pic... it kinda was like this... but with a bunch of boats following them and crowding them.Oh... and greyer and kinda drizzly out.

photo credit WalleyeLJ on photobucket

And.. there has been a black bear on the beach. I haven't personally seen it yet, but I will.

from a cancelled trip to other parts of Alaska to this..

Let's go here...

How often do you get to see something like this?

And to get there via this:

Well... look out Petersberg Alaska.. we're comin' in! Stretching my cankle in preparation for a day of who the hell even knows? That is my only trepidation. May the cankle gods shine on me today. I have sacrificed 3 cups of coffee to my gullet to honor them.

***7:06 am update...
scratch all that weather has cancelled the flight.

The panorama shot off the back deck. Sunny and 65. 

Hooray!

and our gal finished at 1:39:32!

Shoe transition area...

She is outta the lake!

Triathalon day. KK is kinda totally (maybe) ready?

Lots of happenings in AK.

While monitoring the Blue Mussel Aesthetics twitter page I learned of a missing plane not far from here... and noticed that Coastal Helicopters was in on helping in the search. KK's husband works there so it's a connection at least. Upon his arrival home the sad news that the pilot (who was the only one onboard) hit the mountain and did not survive. Ugh!

Sadness for sure.

And then the report this morning from KK that she spotted a small bear on the beach last night. And this bear was actually brazen enough to wander onto the deck. Ok... the wilds of Alaska are packed with a full spectrum of experience.

So there!

Me? I'm trying to put a DIY website together for KK's business. I kinda fumble through each small action. And it's frustrating... but I do feel like it would be a good contribution so I continue trudge on through the webby muck I am creating/deleting/fucking up/re-doing. It's a learning curve for sure.

Don't get me wrong... I know they appreciate my cooking and tidying up of the kitchen.. but I can do more.

Drizzle and fizzle.

It"s moist out there. Drizzly Juneau weather.

As my hopes for an easy employment stint fade, I am left to ponder my actual willingness to go get whatever job I can up here to fill the coffers. Based on my kinda off head space, I'd say it might not be a good idea, but then again... what the hell do I know really?

I know I have a great friend in KK.

Gardening in Auke Bay.

Bundle up, put on your wellies, and make sure that the outer layer is waterproof.

It's time for gardening in Juneau!

KK only has so much time off... so it's a good thing she doesn't mind the rain. And that alone is kinda weird since she is from AZ where the sun shines 350 days a year.
She donned the required gear, and set out to put everything new into it's place in the ground. She harvested a few peas, which were delicious... and though the beets were mostly delicious looking beet greens with no beets attached to the end, those greens were beautiful... I have a feeling I will be eating them for lunch.