It’s a fantastically beautiful day in Anchorage!
I left Oklahoma City way early in the morning today. I’m always so sad to leave home, but I just keep telling myself this is the right thing to do.
Usually, I fly OKC-Dallas-Seattle-Anchorage. However, a new flight from OKC to Chicago was added since I last lived in Alaska, so I chose that one. Then I took the Chicago to Anchorage flight, and I realized why this choice has not always been offered. It is a SUPER LONG flight! Six hours is a long time to be in a plane and stay on the same continent. Luckily I had my new Quiet-Comfort Bose headphones, and it was silent the whole time! Seriously, if you travel often on planes, this is the way to go. You can’t hear a thing.
The guy sitting next to me on the plane to ANC was the VP of Alaskan Operations for BP. I have no idea why he was flying coach. He didn’t know a thing about Alaska either; he told another girl she should drive from Anchorage to Dillingham because the landscape is beautiful. Someone needs to tell him that there is NO ROAD from Anchorage to Dillingham.
Mary Ellen and her daughter picked me up at the Anchorage airport. She worked with me in Gambell, and will also be at Atqasuk teaching with me. She’s an older lady, but we get along famously.
Our most important item of business was to find a set of cats. We both wanted a kitten to take with us to the village. One of the hardest parts about living away from home is not having a live-in furry friend. We were looking for a kitten about 3 months old with all their shots. After taking a caffeine break, we set out on the hunt.
Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a 3 month old cat in Alaska? This is not cat country. We looked at Animal Control, on Craigslist, the SPCA, and finally Petsmart. I finally found the PERFECT cat at Petsmart. And then, the adoption process began. I had to fill out a two page application. They wanted to meet any human that would live with or around the cat. They needed to call two references (my mom and my vet in Yukon, Oklahoma). They also called the plant manager for Meade River School, and checked out my employer reference in Barrow.
It’s not looking good for me and the cat.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
A.A.Milne
Too bad you're not in Bulgaria-- there are thousands of stray dogs and cats. They're all so cute as cute as kittens and puppies, so it's sad that most of them are carried off to be drowned :(
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