I’m here. I haven’t forgotten my blog and my blog friends. I am just busy.
My dear cousin Deborah has been visiting with her “boyfriend”. The quotation marks are because it’s difficult to know what to call that sort of arrangement when you get past 60. “Partner” sounds like a business arrangement, “significant other” is a pretentious mouthful, “friend” could mean anything, so I’m left with “boyfriend” which has a teen-agerish ring.
He, Charlie, retired recently from being a physics professor. I had not met him before, because until he retired they lived on different continents, and although they were frequently together on one continent or the other I just never happened to visit Deborah when he was around. More about their visit in my next post.
As soon as Deborah and Charlie left Jerry and I started moving the furniture out of my middle daughter’s sadly foreclosed house here on the island. She and her fiancée have gone back to school (divinity school – and that’s another story) and can no longer afford the big payments. Before the economic downturn they were able to sustain the payments by renting it out as a vacation home, but that market has dried up.
Jerry and I are preparing to head north to Alaska in less than 2 weeks. You might wonder at the rationality of going north into winter just as spring is springing here. It’s a compromise. Jerry longs for Alaska and I HATE mosquitoes. So spring and fall are the times we go. Last summer we spent the whole summer there. Every time we went out we were surrounded by clouds of mosquitoes. Besides, it rained far too often. Here on the island the summer weather is perfect – sunny, cool, and mostly mosquito free.
I am not sure how I will get on line in Alaska. We will be there for 2 months, so I will have to find a way even if it’s expensive. Last year we were able to get connected when we went to the Washeteria to do our laundry. That facility in run by the Native Council, and it has recently changed from one group to another that is less friendly to the community at large. We may have to buy our own dish and service subscription.
I am working on a long post; this one is just to let you know I’m alive.
Ah – I’d wondered what happened to you!
Do you have a cell phone? If so, you may be able to get internet service through it (Beloved and I both have Blackberries for that reason).
I had a problem with the term “boyfriend” in my 30s, but you’re right – what are you left with?
Sadly there is no cell phone service where we go in Alaska. In fact there isn’t much of anything. That has it’s advantages though. I got a lot of painting done last summer. Thanks for not fortetting me.
I’ve missed you too. I personally don’t mind ‘partner’ – it’s what my 28 year old grandson and his girlfriend use – but whatever works! And I totally understand the pluses and minuses of no cell phone coverage, as we don’t have any either here in the Santa Cruz mountains. Fortunately we do have internet coverage over the landlines. It will be interesting to hear what happens at the Washeteria!
I love the north, I envy you your trip there! I hope you find internet access, I look forward to hearing all about it.
Hey, Old Woman, it’s fiancé, not fiancée, unless Jsson has gone back to being Jenny.
I used to annoy a lot of Brits by referring to their “Honey”. Try it. You might like it.
This thing puts in its very own typos. I’m sure you spelled out Jason not Jsson. As I wrote Fiance, not Fiancee, I blame the machine.
“Jerry and I are preparing to head “north to Alaska”….
Envious to say the least, but those words immediately conjured up visions of John Wayne and Stewart Granger….not to mention Johnny Horton. With less than two weeks to go I would probably drive someone crazy walkin’ around the house singing ‘North To Alaska’!! 🙂
Nancy and Anne: I’m looking forward to writing about whatever adventures we have on our trip. It’s so nice to think that I can “report” to people who are interested.
Alan: I spent some time looking at your blog, and I must say it is one of the best designed I have seen. Your photos are magnificent. Re less than 2 weeks to go, I’m excited, but it makes me nervous. We have so much to do.
I’m with you, I hate mosquitos. Unfortunately, Canada is home to more mosquito breeds than any place on the planet, including Alaska. I think it was Anita Roddick, of the Body Shop, who said “If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.” Having spent many nights roasting under a blanket over my head, after hearing the high-pitched whine of the little buggers (thanks to the cat clawing holes in the window-screens) I know exactly what she means!
Glad you’re back, Old Woman. I missed you.
PS: I guess Companion might have some negative connotations?
I never thought of Companion. It does ring a little of a rich old lady and her poor relation, though.
BTW — One of the few advantages to being old is that often you can’t hear that high pitched whine. And since they always get you anyhow, you might as well sleep through it.
Gute Reise!