Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Oh My Aching Head

It's definitely spring... Alaska spring.  That Chinook which brought us a week of warm weather blew itself out and the temps dropped, but now it's warming up again slightly and we got some more snow. Rapidly shifting weather is a sure sign of spring. Figure we'll start seeing some real melt in a few more weeks. We'll need to make a trip in Fairbanks to stock up for Mud Season before Breakup makes the roads horrible... lucky for me that it's Gungnir's turn to go mwuahahahaha.  Of course, I shouldn't gloat since I'm going to have to go in to get our taxes done before deadline... man, will I be glad when all that nonsense is settled and there isn't anything seriously complicated with our tax situation anymore so I can easily do them myself again without assistance! With any luck, 2009 & 2010 will be the last complicated returns we have to file and after that Uncle Sugar won't be reaching quite as deeply in our pockets anymore.

Of course, the wonky weather is playing hell with our sinuses and we got the obligatory spring head cold. True to form, G-man got it hard and early since he's more prone to sinus issues; and I've got it milder and longer since my problem area is my gut (I normally get knocked down in the fall with tummy bugs instead). We're not laid up, just seriously dragging and lacking motivation.  I kinda wish that I could just get it bad so it would go away, cuz this lingering nonsense just makes me feel craptastic but not really bad enough to justify not working and huddling up in bed instead. Nothing like cutting trail and hauling firewood in the cold and wind when it feels like someone is kicking you repeatedly in the face with golf cleats! Blech! I forgot about this part of Alaska spring ;)

Brings to mind an episode of "Northern Exposure" when everyone is telling Doc Joel that he's going to get Glacier Fever and he says it's utter nonsense because there is no such ailment. And then he gets laid up sick and has to take their advice. I seriously think there is something to that. I've moved around so many times I've almost lost count, and getting used to Alaska comes with way more "acclimation illness" than any other place I've been. I think there is something else to contend with here besides getting used to different bugs and beasties in a new location and climate... like the land itself is testing your mettle and constitution. If you can survive and thrive your first year, then you're pretty much set LOL.

A friend in the village reminded us again that the true definition of a "Sourdough" is someone who's sour on Alaska but doesn't have enough dough to leave.  Well, I guess that means that we're not sourdoughs, even if we did make it through our first winter in a wall tent, cuz we still aren't sour on Alaska and have no plans to leave. Gladys, the village matron, says we must have been born Alaskans at heart since we aren't crippled by the cold and didn't come running for the warmth and convenience of the rental cabin even when it got down to -47F.  And I gotta admit, it feels good to get a vote of confidence from an old-timer. Seems we surprised everyone by lasting out here like we did and not coming into the village or running off to Fairbanks... hope no one lost any significant money on the betting pool, and that at least one person bet we'd make it :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cheez! I figured the only way you weren't going to make it was some total equipment failure or something like that. I certainly wouldn't have dreamed you'd lose your nerve. So: do I win the pool? [SMILE]

VIVA SPRING! Sager

Anonymous said...

Pool what pool? No one told me there was a pool. What were the odds? Is it too late to make a bet? Are the windows closed? I didn't even hear the warning bell... DARN!!!! ;->