I moved into my new home on Saturday. Pictures are under the photo album titled “New House”. Smores and I should be very comfy, especially after all the luxuries of home arrive in my car, sometime next week. It’s a warm day - must be in the 60’s. The school gets uncomortably warm by afternoon and the kids are drowsy in this last hour of the day. After school I’ll walk to the post office in the hopes of mail from home or a new Netflix.
August 23, 2007
I arrived on the night flight exactly one week ago. It’s good to finally be here and good to be welcomed back. I truly feel appreciated and it’s wonderful to see the kids again, and to get a big hug from the little ones. It is bittersweet not to be houseparent to the 8 and 15 year olds, as I had really bonded with them, but it’s better for them to live with their family and that’s the arrangement this year. It is also bittersweet in that I am here without the company of three wonderful and talented women with whom I shared this great experience last year. I am on my own in a new way this year.
Tomorrow I move into my own place: a cozy, furnished, one bedroom duplex. I like the place where I’ve been staying so it’s a hard decision to stick to my original plan of living alone. I’ve got it pretty good here. My housemates leave before I wake up, giving me the place to myself in the mornings. There are other perks as well, so if I find that I don’t like living alone or it’s just too expensive, hopefully I can reverse my decision. I have a great landlord – the town vet! It will be nice to know who to call if Smores has any problems here. I’ll be living in a part of town called “Alligator Acres” and I suspect the name is due to the low lying terrain. In exchange for more than its fair share of skeeters and spring thaw flooding - look at the view we get!
The weather has been wonderful - 40’s over night and 60’s is the afternoons. Just enough wind to keep the worst of the mosquitoes at bay. Warm enough to tempt me outside for a walk. Last night I took a walk along the river to the Front Street Cafe, my favorite place to order almond chicken. Once again I was mesmorized by the endless sky and stunning cloud formations. This is the Bethel of my memories, not the bugs or the mud or the dust. The sight of lens shaped clouds stretching away as far as the eye can see, layer upon layer. The wind rippling across the river. The tundra under my feet - fragrant and colorful, or the baby soft powdery dirt smelling of damp river bottoms with every step.
Love to all,
Vikki and Smores
Hello friends and family -
Finally I know my future - I’ll be returning to Bethel for the 07-08 school year. As soon as things settle - look for more photos. I am way behind from posting spring pictures, including a memorable trip up the Kuskokwim river and my first flight in a single engine airplace. Look for them around the end of August.
Thanks for hanging in here! Vikki
