Lynn’s Blog
Adventures and musings in the Last FrontierArchive for November, 2006
A Very Cold Willow
Much of the Thanksgiving weekend we were in Willow at the cabin. We’ve had an exceptionally cold November and it continues with little snow to give relief. Continuous bitter cold makes folks like us scoff and sneer at all this global warming talk. In fact, deep down we wish it were true.
John’s pals, Jonathan and Daniel, joined us. Their folks are in San Diego for the week and were so thoughtful they called us from their hotel overlooking the jacuzzi and beach and surfers. Our thermometer read -15 degrees, theirs 80.
So, the boys made brief dashes outside to play then back inside for food, hot chocolate and continuous games of Risk, spoons, and bologna. They were a great help Saturday afternoon when we cut, split and stacked firewood until the mixed gas ran out. The lake is frozen at least a foot thick but very little snow, mostly frost. Not enough for riding snowmachines.
A very relaxing stay with plenty of time sitting, gazing at the fire, snoozing and reading. We are really looking forward to the Holidays when we can spend the week after Christmas there. It’s usually nonstop visitors and plenty of food and snowmachines and a bonfire.
Thanksgiving in Anchorage
It was a stay-at-home Thanksgiving Day this year. We have so much for which to be thankful. I could begin a numbered list of all that I am grateful for but it would go on and on and on and on. How can one possibly count so many blessings? Just start with the next breath and the next heartbeat. Paul wrote to the Colossians that Jesus created all things and in Him all things hold together (1:15-17). All things from the most minute to the grandest. I’m thankful to know that.
An 18-lb turkey was the main attraction for dinner; we blessed it and consumed it. Our friend, Brian, joined us for dinner. He is one of Kevin’s co-workers at the Railroad and always has great stories of his family and friends in New Jersey, some infamous and some notorious. Very fun.
In Anchorage the main event of Thanksgiving week is the Great Alaska Shootout at the Sullivan Arena. Anyone with a passing interest in basketball has been to the Shootout to watch some of the best college players in the nation, well, shoot it out. The whole clan headed to the arena. Brian passed; he doesn’t have a passing interest in basketball. Our extra ticket went to another friend, Lauren, stationed here at Elmendorf AFB. She is a Cincinnati native and needed to see a Shootout game before her change of station in January.
We watched Hawaii beat Hofstra and Marshall narrowly lose to Cal. Both were very, very close games and very exciting. Cal went on to become Shootout champs.
Antec Customer Support Guy, Jeff Smith
A while back we purchased a notebook cooler for our aging HP notebook. For the uninitiated, this is a fan device on which the laptop rests that keeps the computer from getting too hot. It’s powered with a seemingly simple USB cord that plugs into the computer. This device worked wonderfully until our 12-year old son used it for a day. Somehow, who knows how, the USB cord was broken.
We shopped for a replacement at Frigid North and CompUSA without success. Online, at Antec’s website I found the cord for 5 bucks, clicked it into my shopping cart and on to the check out. Alaska is a shipping ‘fine print’ state. You know, like Hawaii, Guam and APO this is a very special place. The delivery charge for our little cord was $48. Yep, that’s right, $48 for UPS delivery. All I could do was call Antec and beg for mercy. Jeff Smith answered my call and when I explained my situation he offered to drop it in the regular mail the next day. He declined my offer to pay for the cord and asked me to feel free to contact Antec if we have any other problems. We received the cord in the mail yesterday.
So, here’s a SHOUT OUT for Jeff Smith and Antec!
