Home To You

 Home To You

I love the feeling of coming home to you. I also love the feeling of you coming home to me. Regardless of who comes to who, there is an unspoken peace of mind knowing I am coming home to my best friend. All the judgement, disappointment, stress and busyness of the world fades away when I walk in the door. But it’s equally exciting when we have something fun, encouraging or uplifting to share coming home. No matter how tired or distracted you are, you always take the time to listen. I like that. I also like that feeling that there is always a hug and a kiss on the way. It’s a place where we added our unique touch, settled in and made it our own. Somedays it’s simply comforting knowing that I’m coming home to our routine and there is no thinking involved. We can just be. And then there are those days I’m so grateful for when you surprise me with things like a full dinner, a favorite drink or even some spontaneous time under the sheets. No matter where I am you are the destination I long for at day’s end. This world tries so hard to keep us busy and away from the things and people that are most important in our lives, but no matter how hard it tries to keep me away, the absolute best part of my day is that I get to come home, to you.

Train Chips - Old Barn

Train Chips - Old Barn 

My dad loved trains. He and my mom would take me to see them before I could even walk. It was something they really loved to do together. Sadly she passed away when I was very young, but he and I would still go down to the tracks quite often. He would take me to collect and save these pennies he would call train chips, that would someday take us on a special train, to see her again in Heaven.

For years I remember he used to take me down by the trains and we’d put a penny on the track. We’d go back the next day and look for it. I thought it was like finding a piece of gold. I would have to do a bit of searching, but we always found our pennies. I would pick up the copper-looking, metal chip and study it with wonder.

I remember him telling me how a lot of people wanted to get rid of pennies. He thought differently though. My dad believed they were magic. He believed everyone and everything had the potential to be great. I remember sitting on a park bench with him one day and he said, “You just have to find the right ingredients and qualities to bring out the greatness in anyone or anything.” He was more right than you’ll ever know. He would discover something no one would ever believe was possible.

A young Robert of 27 years, sits at a workbench in the daylight of the barn. Train chips are dumped from an old, Folgers coffee can into a jar over a workbench. Robert holds up the jar of train chips, checks the level and puts a cover on them. He places them on a shelf with other jars of train chips. He records his progress and writes on a four by six index card. Various bottles of mysterious liquids sit on the bench in front of him that read; compassion, love, kindness, empathy, grace, patience, helpfulness, unselfishness, acceptance.

Robert spins to the left in his chair and looks at a wall full of diagrams and notes. He turns back to his workbench and pages through a thick book. He reaches for an eye dropper and grabs the bottle marked love, extracting a small amount of the liquid. He squeezes the liquid from the eye dropper into a flask filled with another liquid. Robert stirs the mixed liquids.

To the right of the workbench is a series of planters positioned under heat lamps. He carefully pulls train chips from a jar and places them strategically into the dirt of the planter. He covers them with more dirt. Using the liquid from the flask, Robert meticulously waters the buried train chips.

Robert organizes his shelves, notes, books and work area and grabs his coat to leave for the day. He stands in the doorway of the barn, staring at the planters, studying their silence. He closes and locks the barn door.

The next day, Robert returns to the barn. The sun had yet to illuminate the barn so only the light of the planters lit the space. Robert rushes to the planters and a look of disbelief fills his face.

He grabs an object from one of the planters and puts his other hand to his mouth with great surprise. Robert brushes off a dirty, twenty-dollar bill. He turns over each shoulder to see if anyone is looking.

My dad knew he had created something amazing. Something miraculous. He knew what he wanted to do and then did what he thought he had to do. He took a chance with his discovery and secretly met with two men who he thought might be able to support his dream of helping others.

Robert sat in the booth of a coffee shop, button-down shirt and khakis nervously staring across the table. Across from him sat two men, dressed in suits. One wore a weathered, serious face and the other an abundance of confidence and slicked-back hair. Robert showed them a train chip and then the dirty, twenty-dollar bill. He handed them the bill along with a counterfeit detector pen to check the validity of the bill. It worked and the men were instantly impressed and interested. The meeting ended with two firm handshakes and an agreement of future partnership.

My dad spent his entire life working a 9-to-5 job as an insurance salesman, trying to figure out the big idea that would get him out of his cubical and allow him to help countless others. His wondrous discovery of the secret formula to turn train chips into money was his ticket out.

My dad knew nothing of greed. He simply wanted to better the lives of others. Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same as he did. I would come to find that the two men had different plans for his discovery. A late evening phone call told my dad that he would be producing money for an organization that was well known for its shady and unethical practices.

Robert sits alone at his workbench with the formula, a stack of money and a jar of train chips. He stared for a long time and pensively thought of the possible ramifications of his cooperation with the two men and the organization they represented. It pained him beyond words.

But how do you take something that is so amazing, so wonderful, and so life-changing and keep it a secret? You can’t. But my father knew he had to. He had every intention of doing good and he couldn’t find it in his heart to take what he had beautifully created and use it for the malevolent and immoral.

Robert sits at the same table and with deep distress and discomfort, motions and explains to the men that he cannot help them. The two men stand and surround him. The weathered man points and the slick-haired man grabs Robert by the shirt, pinning him against the booth. In no uncertain terms, they explained to Robert that he had a small window to change his mind and do what they needed him to do. In as quick a moment, Robert was released and the men excited the coffee shop. Robert remained in shock and fear.

I’ll never forget the fateful day that was to follow. While I was only five, I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad and I returned home to a door that was cracked open. The apartment was ransacked and turned upside-down. He was afraid for us. I know he did what he had to do to keep us safe. After that day, we moved away and never returned. My dad realized the secret was too great and too dangerous for anyone to handle. Sadly, he hid it from the world.

Robert knew what he had to do and made his way to the secluded barn as quickly as possible. Robert slams down a tote on the workbench and quickly gathers the sealed bottles of liquid, arranging them into the tote. He turns to the wall of papers and notes, pulls them down and stacks them together alongside the bottles. He then grabs the multiple stacks of twenty-dollar bills that are neatly rubber-banded and organizes them into the tote with haste. The cover is quickly and aggressively put on and Robert exits the barn.

Robert walks in the darkness, a headlamp lights his way. He struggles to carry the tote and a shovel. His light illuminates a hole that he digs arduously into, as the tote sits patiently to be buried. Robert gets to his knees and lowers the tote into the hole. He stands and wastes no time refilling the hole as quickly as he can. Sweat runs freely down Robert’s dirtied face and hands as he gives one long, last look to the hole of the secret he hides from the world.

Ever since that night we packed up and moved, we never again stopped to watch the trains or search for the treasures we called train chips. Nor did we talk about them. That is, until the day I received the tearful news. My father called and said he needed me to come see him. He was told he had terminal cancer and it had spread vehemently throughout his body. But that was not all. He had something else he had to share with me.

I sat by my father’s bedside and he was holding a box. A sparkle had returned to his eye and he shared with me the story of his amazing findings. He told me of his dream, his discovery, the events surrounding the men and our inevitable move. He could not apologize enough as he tearfully shared the story with me. He spoke of his regret for the lost years he wished he had back with my mom and me as a young boy. I knew immediately he had been holding it deep in his heart for countless years.

He showed me the round, copper piece of metal that we called a train chip and I was taken back to the tracks like it was yesterday. Then he handed me a picture of him, my mom and me when I was just two years old. Tears silently rolled from my eyes. My dad explained to me how I eased his pain from losing my mom, and it helped him to see that I was more important than anything in this world.

I’ll never forget what he told me next. He said, “David, from the moment you were born, your mother and I knew you were going to make this world a better place. I’m proud of the man you’ve become. Please, take the secret of the train chips, help those in need and help others to see their potential and greatness. You’re the best thing to ever happen to us, and I love you.

My dad handed me the box and held my hands tightly, mustering the best smile he could. I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. I looked in his eyes, paused and said, “I will Dad. I promise. And I love you too.”

I was happy to be able to give my dad one last moment of joy before he passed away. I think he finally found that train to Heaven to be with my mom. We spent a day at a nearby train track and watched trains pass. I sat next to my father in his wheelchair as he quietly and joyfully watched the trains pass.

David stands in the woods with a map and a shovel. He looks around then down. He folds and puts the map away. His shovel pierces the ground and he begins digging.

A young mother holds and gently bounces her baby. She focuses her attention to her baby. David walks with a brown backpack. He quietly walks by the mother’s stroller, which is out of her sight and away from her attention. David pulls out a stack of bills, rubber-banded and with a 3 x 5 card attached to it. The card reads, “Hope this helps!”, with a smiley-face next to the words. David secretly places the stack of bills into the mother’s stroller and walks away smiling.

A short while later, the mother comes back to the stroller with her baby and sees the money and card. She is shocked. She pulls it out, looking around the park and no one can be seen nearby. She begins to cry.

David stops and takes off his backpack. He takes out a pen and a small journal, and pages through it. He checks off, young mother. Next on the list are homeless person and church pastor. The list continues; elderly couple, food pantry, veteran, pet rescue. David closes up the journal and puts it back into his backpack. He smiles and continues on his way.

Doomsday Diary - Waves of Orange

Doomsday Diary - Waves of Orange

Doomsday Diary

Waves of Orange

It was now eight months after the annihilation of the major six continents. Costa Rica was one of the few countries spared the worst of the radiation that was making its way south from Mexico and north from Columbia and Venezuela. For reasons unknown, the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean were keeping Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama safe from the ongoing and lingering winds that were wiping out most of the populations that remained north and south. Unbeknownst to those lucky enough to have remained in Central America, the rest of the world as they knew it, was gone forever.

David, a 52-year-old, third grade teacher from Milwaukee, Wisconsin was on his summer break, where he planned to meet whom he believed to be the love of his life, Nati, a beautiful Tica from Pozos, Costa Rica who lived just fifteen minutes from San Jose where David first arrived eight months earlier. It was an OKCupid, online match made in heaven, so he thought, but a month before leaving, Nati ghosted David and he never heard from her again. Heartbroken, but not defeated David’s two children helped him plan a two-month solo retreat in Costa Rica to heal his wounds and search for the emotional healing that his heart needed. Milwaukee was unfortunately wiped from the map, included with the leveling from nukes in and around the Chicagoland area. It was the last he would ever see their smiling faces and experience the love, laughs and joy they shared as a family.

Ironically at the time he arrived, it was just three months from the launch of his recently completed manuscript, Moments - Love and Relationships. A book where David poured out his heart and soul to help all couples find deeper connections through small moments in their relationships. He had longed for those connections with Nati, but was never to find those moments with her a part of his life. The day before the nukes impacted, David had just spoken to Doris McIntosh his publishing manager, receiving the good news that the book was ready to go to press. David was elated. It was the first book he had ever written and was on his mind for as long as he could remember. Sadly, it would never meet the eyes, hearts and souls of those he hoped to inspire.

Apinya, a 42-year-old single mother of two, and a fashion boutique owner from Bangkok, Thailand was on vacation with her three sisters in Playa Hermosa, a small surf town south of Jaco, Costa Rica. Apinya had never left Thailand and the trip was a life-long dream of she and her sisters that had finally come to fruition after years of patience and devotion to family and her children. The passing of their mother the year prior was the sad, but freeing opportunity that the sisters could finally feel the peace and humble desire to travel together as they had talked and dreamed of for countless years.

Ironically, of the three sisters, Apinya was the most hesitant to go, only due to the love and devotion she had to her two children. For years Apinya had longed to find love again that could share in her daily life and love her and her children as a family once again. Despite her loneliness, she was a wonderful mother who adored and treasured the lives and activities of her teenage daughter and son, who had just turned twenty-one the day before she left for Costa Rica. The day the nukes impacted Bangkok, Apinya was on the beach with her sisters and missed a video call from her two children. The missed call is a regret she would painfully live with for the rest of her life. Sadly, their faces would never again see her eyes, feel the love for them in her heart, or know the depth of commitment her soul held for them.

David’s travels had taken him to his most recent stay, an Airbnb in the small surf town of Playa Hermosa. When the announcement of the nukes came to Costa Ricans, David’s only logical realization was that he would remain in Playa Hermosa, as the cataclysmic events were unfolding in a world that would be changed forever. Nico and Shari, the young surfing couple and his hosts, were more than understanding and accommodating as David had been one of their nicest and best renters as long as they could remember. Their empathy and sadness for David’s loss was more than enough to open their home to him for an indefinite period of time.

The hotels in Playa Hermosa were equally as accommodating to the foreign guests who were displaced from their catastrophic losses, and whom could potentially become permanent residents of Costa Rica. Apinya and her sisters had been guests at the Surf Inn Hermosa for just a week and the sporadic news that did come out, left only warnings and word of desolation from around the world.

Talk of an apocalyptic world had always been just that, talk. Found only in movies, books and short stories. But it happened. It actually happened and those whom remained were tasked with the reality of starting over in grand vacuity. Few to no loved ones, no possessions, nowhere to go and a future so ambiguous that each new day was manifesting a new life.

David’s solace was found in journal writing and the two-hour, morning walks he would take along Playa Hermosa. Even after eight months, it was hard for him to comprehend the uninterrupted, majesty of the ocean, the waves and how nature continued to live its life as if anything apocalyptic had ever come to pass. He was humbled by its beauty and peacefulness, and it brought a sense of security and normalcy that he desperately needed.

Apinya’s solace was found in the comfort and conversation of her sisters and the two-hour evening walks they would take along Playa Hermosa. Even after eight months, it was hard for her to comprehend the loss of her children, and how nature and the ocean continued to live its life as if anything cataclysmic had ever come to pass. She was humbled by its beauty and peacefulness, and it brought a sense of peace and hope that she desperately needed.

One morning, Apinya’s older sister Achara suggested a means of prayer in hopes for a brighter future albeit, was possible at all. A recent trip to the supermarket provided beautiful, succulent oranges. Achara recommended that she and her sisters write down prayers, hopes, dreams and wishes for the future, and place them inside an orange to be surrendered to the ocean and the God they still believed in, and hoped had not forsaken them. Apinya and her younger sister Aom both agreed that it was a lovely and beautiful idea in spite of the darkness that surrounded their thoughts and future.

Each sat down with the slip of paper Achara had torn and measured to fit into the orange, and wrote what they hoped would bring some semblance of peace, hope and reassurance to their lives. A hole was bore into each orange, enough to securely hold each note and protect it from the thrashing and dominance of the ocean waves. The notes were rolled, kissed and after a reassuring smile was shared by the sisters, were placed into each of the oranges.

However, for Apinya, the note was not enough. Her prayers were deep, detailed and woven with intent. She believed that if God was still a part of this earth, that he would show his love in miraculous ways, even through the simplicity of an orange in the limitlessness of the ocean. She gently removed a necklace holding a small, heart-shaped locket. She opened the necklace and inside was a picture of her on one side and her two children on the other. She wept quietly and sealed the locket with a kiss. Slowly, she wrapped the chain around the locket and softly pushed it deep into the orange, alongside her note. She kissed the orange and held it to her heart.

Later that evening, on their walk along the beach, Achara, Apinya and Aom shared a final prayer and to the best of their abilities launched the oranges into the ocean. Their prayers, hopes, dreams and wishes disappeared into the crashing waves and they were now left to fate and a world that was recreating itself in a future unknown. The sisters hugged, cried and smiled with simple hope and faith.

David’s next fateful morning began as it always had with a glass of orange juice and three, egg tortillas. His walk to the beach was hopeful, but without expectation as each day was simply one of hope, faith and the unknown.

And then it appeared. An orange object that pounded on the shore with a high-tide, breaking wave. It rolled and rolled until it was drawn back into the new waves and appeared again. It was an orange. He picked it up, examined it and there was something unusual about it. There was a small hole bore into the top.

David gently pulled the orange into two halves and a note revealed itself within the orange. He was bewildered and amazed. The note was clearly saturated and he placed it carefully into his pocket with excitement. David’s walk took him further down the beach and with no words to describe his wonder, a second orange appeared rolling upon the shore with the newest waves. It couldn’t be, but it was. He made his way, cooperated with the crashing waves and grabbed a second orange. Inside, another note. What were the odds?

If there were still such a thing as luck in an apocalyptic world, David had found a small fragment that was reaching out to anyone and anything. The next half-hour of David’s walk was filled with contentment and peace. He needed it. He needed something to look forward to. His return walk was quiet until the unthinkable appeared. On the beach, resting peacefully, no waves harassing it, sat a third orange. With great trepidation and disbelief, he reached down and picked up the orange.

This orange was different. It appeared more damaged and the hole at the top was slightly larger and weathered. David thought it couldn’t possibly be a third note. He was wrong. Within the orange was a note, but it was complemented with a beautiful, gold, heart-shaped locket. With the utmost tenderness, he opened the locket. Inside was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and a second picture of two very beautiful children, that without hesitation he knew had to be her own. Suddenly, the apocalypse was gone, the world stopped, the waves became silent and David was lost in the beauty of the woman who smiled at him through the heart-shaped photo.

A wave crashed and David was brought back to a lucid state of mind. He placed the waterlogged note into his pocked with the others and secured the locket around his neck. He softly touched it to his chest, and smiled with a contentment that could not be put into words. David once again had hope and faith for a better world.

Apinya needed some time to herself that fateful morning. She walked down and sat on the beach just out of reach of the morning waves. With her legs comfortably pulled to her chest, she pondered the note she had written and sent to the ocean with her locket. Her secret prayers and dreams to find love and happiness once again, in an annihilated and austere world were in the hands of God and the vastness of the ocean in front of her.

A man slowly approached her from the shoreline. He stopped near to her and stared with awe and a contentedness that could not be described. Tears delicately rolled from her eyes. A heart-shaped locket hung from his neck.

 

The Costa Rican Adventure - Volume 21 - Observations - Becoming A Digital Nomad

The Costa Rican Adventure - Volume 21 - Observations - Becoming A Digital Nomad

It has been almost two months now since I decided to sell everything I own and move to Costa Rica with just two suitcases. It was quite liberating actually. Mostly because I learned to appreciate living with next to nothing, just the necessities I guess you could say. And when I write this, I understand that not everyone can just sell everything they own, pack up and move to another country. The circumstances in my life just happened to be ideal for such a move and I felt that it was worth the risk and opportunity. So far, so good.

I have found at this point in my life, that routine and structure are the two best ingredients for keeping things simple and predictable. When they say "pura vida" here it means "simple life" and that is exactly what I am trying to maintain. We have all experienced our share of stressful years and events in our lives and it's a cathartic feeling when you can finally start to see some light of peace in your life. For me it goes back to what I talked about in some earlier blogs relating to age and stage. Every age and stage has a different set of experiences, good and bad that either allow us to find that semblance of peace in our lives, or experience more of the obstacles and lessons that are going to help us to get there in later months or years. I don't want to talk about regrets, because all of my experiences in fifty-two years have made me the person I am. But I would say that one of my most sincere hopes is that I can help people in my life and those that I meet to reach that stage of peace and happiness much sooner than I did. Life is meant to be enjoyed and it truly is a lot easier than I think we all make it out to be. Nuff said. :)

I mentioned in the title about becoming a digital nomad. A lot of people ask me what I am doing now and the simplest answer is that I am now a full-time writer. If I had to elaborate more I am now what is considered a digital nomad. It is a steadily increasing field with the effects of the pandemic being that many people are choosing not to return to their places of employment and are instead working from home or anywhere in the world for that matter. The simple definition of a digital nomad is that it is a person who is location-independent and uses technology to perform their job living a nomadic lifestyle. Essentially you need a computer and a good wifi connection and you're all set. My ending up in Costa Rica was the product of another story which you can read about in an earlier blog. I'm happy here and it seems to be a very good fit for me right now.

The last two months have been a lot of fun and full of many new experiences, routines and observations. I've fallen into a pretty regular routine, which as I mentioned before offers just the right amount of simplicity, predictability and structure. Every day I will get up early and go for a 3.5 mile (5.6 kilometer) walk into La Fortuna. I live on the edge of town, which is still considered La Fortuna, but it is about a mile or so into the heart of town. I walk seven days a week. Very proud that I haven't missed a day since I've been back. The fun part is that I am meeting a lot of new people along the way. I started out waving every morning to the regulars that I would see and pass by on my route. Anyone from restaurant cleaners, tour guide reps, store owners, restaurant cooks, street vendors, park sitters, school security guards, property security guards to the other regulars on a walk or on their way to work for the day. Slowly but surely it was fun to stop and introduce myself in my ever-growing Spanglish. People are super nice and are very understanding when it comes to the language barrier. Those who know Spanish are very helpful and patient and those who know as little English as I know Spanish will do their best to communicate through our Spanglish and hand gestures. I've made some good friends and it's nice to have the familiarity of friendly faces in the places you go. My parents were always the friendly, over the fence neighbors and that is a trait I have always loved no matter where I have lived.

I've extended those new friendships and relationships into an afternoon and evening routine too. Three days out of the week I will do a working lunch. I found a few restaurants that I really like and I will take my computer, eat lunch and write/work for another four or five hours. I've been fortunate to meet some really nice people in the restaurant business as well and they take very good care of me, as I try to do for them. Every once in a while they will pile on a handful more of papas (French fries) or slip me an extra pop (soda, Coca-Cola). The wifi is perfect for writing and internet, I can do some people watching for future characters in my screenplays and stories and I get a healthy, delicious meal. The rest of the days I have a comfortable, little desk set up in my efficiency/Airbnb and settle in there for five or six hours. Two nights a week I am the number two fan (behind his girlfriend Mary) of my very good friend, Jimmy Loop. Jimmy is an extremely talented performer and very well known in La Fortuna and the surrounding cities in Costa Rica. He plays at two open-air restaurants in La Fortuna. I bring my computer, sit in the back and write to some good Latin American music (and eat and drink a little too). And that has been my routine for the last two months. 

I also mentioned some experiences and observations that have come along in the last couple of months as well. This will be random, but interesting nonetheless (I hope). In my walks I have come across several unique animals. One was a venomous, Central American Coral Snake who slithered across the dirt road several feet (safely) in front of me. This snake is similar to the North American Coral Snake and I was taught a saying that helps you to remember the difference. Both have black, yellow and red colors, so the saying goes, 'red touches yellow - kill a fellow' and 'red touches black - safe for Jack'. Either way, I loath snakes so there is never a problem for me to keep away from them. Another animal that made me mess my pants (not actually, but could have) was an armadillo. I was walking to the local grocery store down a darker, dirt road one night and it shot out of the bushes right in front of me. I apologized emphatically (lo siento, lo siento - I'm sorry, I'm sorry) to the neighbors after screaming out, "wholly shit" about as loud as I could. The last creatures I come across daily are the little ground dragons as I like to call them. They are ground lizards, of which there are about 600 iguanid species, so I'm not exactly sure what they are. But I walk along several sidewalks that are surrounded by tall grass and they just zip right in front of you every day. A little startling, but you get used to it after a while.

Another interesting creature I have hanging around me, on my apartment and often in my apartment are the little, transparent-like geckos. They make a loud bird-like chirp to call to each other and they devour an amazing amount of mosquitos and cockroaches. And believe me, I have experienced some world-record cockroaches in just about every place I have stayed in Costa Rica, so I am a big fan of the cute, little gray lizards. Although I have to say, I wish they would be just as hungry for the sugar ants as they were for the mosquitos and cockroaches. The sugar ant is an anomaly I still have yet to conquer and figure out. They are this tiny, tiny little ants that will find the most minute, most obscure pieces of food and sugar that you could possibly imagine. A drip of juice, a crumb, a tiny morsel of food, it doesn't matter. They find it and tell every last relative on the ant ancestory.com website. Pretty amazing actually. So I've gone through a couple cans of insect repellent and I'm sure there are more to come. I guess the upside is that I have become even more meticulous about cleaning and keeping things in good order as I was before. 

One other observation that is unavoidable is the rain I have experienced here. I did live in Shelton, Washington for a year of my life and had experienced consistent rain, but that was quite a bit different. That was consistent overcast skies with a light tinkly rain. In Costa Rica (and we are in our winter and rainy season right now), it rains every day. However, what you experience is a consistent pattern much different than what I described from Washington. Here you have beautiful, mostly sunny skies for the first half of the day, then in the afternoon storm clouds will roll in and you get dumped on. And when I say dumped on...I literally mean dumped on. It is a downpour and torrential rain like nothing I have ever seen before. But honestly, it is very peaceful and therapeutic in its own way. It has a calming affect and is actually pretty neat to watch. If I had one caveat it would be that I could do without the lightning that is produced by these storms. Oh my gosh. I had a horrible storm experience with friends on a Wisconsin River, canoeing trip one year and I don't think I ever recovered from that. Needless to say I am still a little jumpy at any lightning. It's a minor detail that can obviously be overlooked from all the beauty here.

That's about it for now. I'll finish by saying that not a day goes by here that I don't remind myself of everything I am grateful for, how lucky I am to be where I am and all the good people I know and have in my life. If you came to visit and read this, I'm grateful for you too.

Until next time...stay tuned!

The Costa Rica Adventure - Volume 20 - Learning Curve

 

The Costa Rican Adventure - Volume 20 - UFO's - Dogs - And the Learning Curve

It has been a little over two weeks since I've been back in Costa Rica and I finally feel settled in. In the latest, late breaking news I will no longer be moving to Thailand in December. More deep thinking and figuring out what will be the best option for me, I decided that I am going to live and stay permanently in Costa Rica. There were many factors, but the greatest of which were an unfamiliarity with the country, the fact that Covid is in a very bad condition there right now and most importantly that I would have zero, family or friend support while in Thailand. In my travels to Costa Rica this summer, I made some very good friends and feel very comfortable with my surroundings. While there is a bit of a language barrier, which I will talk more about later, I can at least speak a fair amount of Spanish and communicate comfortably. Going to Thailand would have been extremely difficult in that respect as well. I knew that if I decided not to go to Thailand and stay in Costa Rica that it was a very welcomed fallback plan.

With that said, I have spent the last two and a half weeks getting used to what I call a learning curve. It's simply establishing routines, getting comfortable with my surroundings and seeing exactly what it is going to take for me to survive and live a functional life here. Not a dysfunctional one, lol. A regular day here is an early morning walk, about 6.5 km (about 4 miles) into downtown La Fortuna (I live on the edge of town), a quick stop at Maxi Pali (a Walmart subsidiary in Costa Rica) for food or basics, then into my tiny little office for about 6-8 hours of writing and miscellaneous freelance duties (many times I'll find a quiet place outside to write). Nighttime I visit with new friends here at the other four Airbnb units, write some more, or go take in some food and live, local music from my friend Jimmy Loop, who is an amazing musician and local talent. Like I said, just trying to establish a routine and get used to my surroundings. Since we are located relatively near the equator, you can consistently plan your day with sunlight to be from 6 am to 6 pm everyday. Very different from either the unique winter months of minimal hours of daylight or the summer months of twenty-two hours of daylight I had experienced in Alaska. 

Another funny thing about my walks now is the newness of what I am watching out for. When I was in Mountain Village, I sometimes carried a gun and/or bear spray on my walks. The common warning was to watch out for moose and bear that could be anywhere along the trails or single road up to the airport. Now my walks involve watching for Pumas, Jaguars and venomous snakes. Just like the bear and moose, you're not likely to run into a Puma or a Jaguar, but you need to be aware. And the snakes...God help me. If I came face to face with a snake, there is a really good chance I am going to shit my pants, and then run. Not a good combination, but the reality of things is, Costa Rica is a jungle climate and they are everywhere here. On a brighter note, there are some of the most beautiful birds and creatures on earth here and it is so amazing to see and listen to. And...I should mention they have some of the most beautiful flowers and plants you will ever see too. I've tried to take a picture of every new flower I see on my walks and I keep discovering new ones all the time. Flower lovers would be in heaven here.

Continuing with the appreciation of beauty, I am very lucky to be able to look at a beautiful volcano and mountain everyday on my walks and days in La Fortuna. There is the active, Arenal Volcano and right next to it is the mountain that I don't know the name of right now, better known as the Sleeping Indian. I'll have to do some research on that. If you look closely, the mountain does look like an actual sleeping man. And so I don't offend anyone by mentioning its given name, feel free to refer to the mountain as looking like an Asexual-non-gender-non-racial-ageless Mountain. Nonetheless they are both very beautiful and just have you in awe everyday looking at them. I was also very fortunate while in Mountain Village, Alaska, that everyday I could wake up and see both the Azachorok Mountain and the Yukon River. Our village was located right on the river and you could see for miles. It was so beautiful. If I had to give some additional props to Mountain Village, like Costa Rica, it has some of the most amazing and beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the world.

The people here have been really great to me, however a hurdle I will need to get over is the language barrier. I did study Spanish earlier this spring for a good two months before I came down for the summer, but I have a long way to go. For anyone who has ever spoken a second language you will understand this. I can understand a lot of what people are saying to me in Spanish (unless they talk fast, which many people do), I can read Spanish words and sentences very well, but when it comes to putting together the words I want to say to people, I have a hard time with that. I'm sorry I didn't pay more attention in your class in High School Mrs. Noble. You were a great Spanish teacher. I was thinking too much about girls and baseball at that time. I'm sorry. 

But I have to say, I am getting better everyday and the learning curve as I mentioned is improving. Fortunately I have my 73-year-old, American friend Bob, who is the owner of the property and a real hoot (very funny). He comes to stay and check on his place once in a while. Bob used to work in Alaska as a plumber and pipe fitter for many years, so we both have a lot of Alaska stories to share with each other over a few cervezas (beers). One great thing I also have going for me is the new friendship I have with Enrique, the groundskeeper of the Airbnbs where I live. Originally from Venezuela, Enrique manages the five units and we are helping each other with the sharing and teaching of our native languages. He's a great guy, we have a lot of laughs and stories to share, and he too is looking to improve his second language of English. Along with Jorge, the daily maintenance guy and carpenter of the Airbnb, we are all helping to bridge the communication gaps slowly but surely.

As I mentioned earlier I have found the people here to be extremely kind and welcoming. Not just because La Fortuna is known to be a tourist town, but because I have experienced the same kindness from the other areas I have visited as well. There is a common and often used saying down here, "pura vida", which means "simple life". Many, many people say it as a common "goodbye" or even interchange it with "thank you". Honestly, I felt the same sense of 'pura vida' back in Mountain Village. It was a simple, predicable way of life and people in both places really embrace it. I am truly hoping to do the same with my life here. 

Traveling here has also allowed me to meet a great variety of people from other countries. Amazing, unique stories and ways of life that you never knew existed in the world. I've met some really wonderful people from Germany, Switzerland, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Netherlands, England, Brazil and Columbia to name a few. I try to avoid conversations about Covid and the pandemic and when you peel away that layer of stale conversation, you find out and learn some really interesting things about the world and cultures around us. Surprisingly there are many 'gringos' or 'expats' that live down here and what is interesting about them are the unique and often surprising stories of what drew them to Costa Rica and Central America.

One thing I do miss a little bit, I have to admit, is the closeness I had with the families and kids of Mountain Village. Honestly I couldn't walk out of my house in Mountain without hearing, "Hi Mr. Matt, hi Mr. Matt!" The same rang true at the post office or lone grocery store we had, the AC, "Hey Mr. Matt, hey Mr. Matt." It was a nice connection I had with everyone and there was a sense of peace and security knowing everyone (almost everyone) in the village. No..."Hola Senior Matt, hola Senior Matt", here. It's okay. It is definitely a wonderful memory I will always have of the kids and families in Mountain. They sure were wonderful to me.

If there are two things not lacking in La Fortuna it is dogs and bugs. Again, we are located within the tropical jungles of Central America so in essence we are sharing space with the bugs and animals. The first two weeks I got back here, there was some little, microscopic bug that got to my ankles and feet and had a feeding frenzy. Wholly shit! Talk about itching and scratching! Fortunately it is not uncommon and nothing a little bug spray and lotion couldn't help, but it was definitely Bugs 1 - Mateo 0. And dogs? Whoa! I used to think there were a lot of dogs per person in Mountain Village, but you can't throw a stick without rustling up a dog here. They are everywhere. And I have to say, while unusual, I have yet to meet an angry, aggressive or threatening dog. Each one has been docile, kept to itself or area and pretty much mind their own business. Equally unique is that I have yet to see a dog on a leash or tied up anywhere. Not one. Pretty amazing compared to what I am used to seeing and have experienced in the United States.

As far as the weather goes, between Mountain Village, Alaska and La Fortuna, Costa Rica, you could not be more opposite. Obviously they are in two very different parts of the world. One much further in the cooler northern hemisphere and the other is very near to the warm, tropical areas around the equator. You can pretty much set your clock by the weather here. We are in the rainy season right now so there is a lot of rain. A lot! You usually get the majority of the day with sunny or partly-sunny skies and by mid-afternoon, the clouds will roll in and you will get a rain shower. However, many times when it rains, we get torrential downpours. And I mean...downpours! Imagine the heaviest rainstorm you have ever witnessed in your life, and multiply that by two or three. But the neat thing is, it is one of the most peaceful and therapeutic things you can possibly experience. Minus the occasional thunder and lightning, it is really beautiful to sit and watch. Very rarely you will get a rain that lasts for several hours, but once it stops, it clears up and you end up with a beautiful and pleasant night to finish your day. It is also one of the major reasons why Costa Rica is so beautifully lush and green. Definitely something to appreciate and never take for granted while you are here.

Now I'm sure many of you are wondering about the UFO reference I made in the headline. Well as the legends and stories go, there is a very strong contingency of people who believe that there are UFOs that visit and spend time around the Arenal Volcano and the crater lake on top of the Sleeping Indian Mountain. I have heard multiple stories from people since I have been here, saw a photo someone took and heard a first hand account from a woman who saw one above the mountain. Not to stop there, very similar to the stories of the 'little people' seen in remote, Western Alaska, there are similar stories of 'the little gray people' here in Costa Rica. You might be poo-pooing what I'm telling you, but...when you hear enough different people tell the same stories, you have to give chance a little more credit. Needless to say, my eyes are always open to the skies here and you will be the second to know if I ever see one, or them.    

That's all for now. Always much more to tell. Please know that not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings and realize how lucky I am to be here. I do miss my kids, grandkids, family and friends very much, but I'm also grateful for Facetime and plentiful amounts of WhatsApp-texting. Sending hugs and warm wishes to friends, families and acquaintances back in the U.S. If you're here for the first time, thanks for reading and I hope to have you back here again soon to read of more adventures.

Until next time...stay tuned!

The Costa Rica Adventure - Volume 19 - New Beginnings

The Costa Rican Adventure - Volume 19 - New Beginnings

(Pictured: Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna, Costa Rica) Well, a new adventure begins and this time it's Costa Rica, only 5,228 miles away from my last home in Mountain Village, Alaska. I spent two months here this summer doing a lot of writing and decompressing, trying to figure out what my future would look like. Halfway through the summer I made a very difficult decision. I decided to retire from my teaching job in Mountain village and move to Thailand to pursue a freelance writing career. There are other reasons and incentives why I chose Thailand, but that life-share and blog is for another day. Regardless, it was a very difficult decision and at its heart was bittersweet. 

I really loved living in Mountain Village. It was a simple life, predictable, I had a good job that I really enjoyed, I loved the families, friends and kids, and it was a beautiful part of the world that had so many of the outdoor activities that I really enjoyed doing. But, there was a thread of restlessness that was calling me to do something I had been wanting to do for a long time. I have always had a passion for writing and creating; books, stories, screenplays, and photography. Life is short and I just felt I didn't want any more time to pass me by without giving it a fair chance. Why Costa Rica, many have asked, you could write from anywhere? Good point. But as events and life played itself out, Costa Rica became my first choice.

The story behind the story is that in January of 2021 I met someone online from Costa Rica. Things progressed well. Well enough that I rented an Airbnb five minutes from her house in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, a suburb of their largest city, San Jose. About a month prior to my leaving, I never heard from her again and I had some new decisions to make. And I'm sure there is a screenplay in there somewhere, lol. I already had the Airbnb rented and wasn't going to waste that investment, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get away and do some writing. So I said, screw that mess, I'm going to go and have a good time. So I planned some travel throughout the country and was going to make a summer of it. I left on May 18th and returned to Wisconsin to visit with my kids and grandkids on July 17th. Following my visit in Wisconsin, I returned to Alaska and over the course of seven days, packed and sold everything I owned, down to, two large suitcases. It was quite a freeing process getting rid of so many things that I thought I needed, but didn't really need. 

I arrived back in Mountain Village knowing that I was against the clock, and needing to be out of my apartment immediately with a new teacher coming in. I have to say that despite the time crunch, I could not have asked for a better close or a better week of time than I was given in those seven days. The outpouring of kindness, love and support of the village was more than I could have ever asked for. Fortunately I thought ahead and began listing my things for sale while I as still in Wisconsin, before coming back to Mountain. The saying is funny, but couldn't be more true, "one man's junk is another man's treasure". Believe it or not, I sold everything I owned from a four-wheeler, to pots and pans, and even a toilet paper, holder-stand, to which I threw in three, soft, supple rolls of toilet paper. I had some wonderful goodbyes and conversations and the kindness of everyone was beyond words. I get choked up just reflecting on those relationships and friendships that I was truly fortunate to be a part of. I tried to stop and visit with as many people as I could, but needing to sell, pack up and clean took much of my time.    

I will miss Mountain very much. I had a wonderful two years there and I can honestly say they were two of the best years of my life and two of the best years of teaching I have ever had. I will forever be grateful to the families for their kindness and welcoming me into their homes and doing so many nice things for me in the two years that I was there. I also made some wonderful friendships, I had some great experiences in the outdoors and it was definitely a place I felt good calling home. Ironically, I spent several months planning to build a fish camp down the Yukon River on a quiet slough called Patsy's. I designed, planned and budgeted with every intention of making that my summer home for years to come. A humble canvas tent, built on a platform, right next to the slough with one of the most beautiful views in the world. It wasn't to be.

If I had a regret about Costa Rica, it would be that I didn't write about the adventure and time there. There were so many interesting things and people I did and met along the way. I saved two lives, found mysterious oranges with hidden notes in the ocean, had a long car ride with a drug, dealing taxi driver who is now my protector and friend for life, had great talks with multiple people from around the world and so much more. But...I have spent way too much of my life worrying about what other people think and I let that influence me again. I was worried what my friends and families in Mountain would think if I was taking a trip to an exotic country for two months. It was because of that I decided not to write about my time here so I wasn't giving the appearance of flaunting my money or have anyone see me in a light that I humbly didn't want to project. I just felt some humility went a long way and it was better just to enjoy the experience and keep it to myself. The regret lies in the simple fact that I wish I had shared what was a wonderful and amazing two months that people might have enjoyed hearing and learning about. The upside is that I did journal the entire trip and those experiences can still be written about. But...they will have to wait for another day. Life has a funny way of calling us in different directions and I think I was born with a nomadic gene in my blood. It would be a different fork in the road that would lead me elsewhere. 

So I decided that elsewhere would be to return to Costa Rica, which I am now calling home. I will be working hard to make La Fortuna, Costa Rica my new home and place of inspirational writing. It will be a fun ride and adventure, and I am excited to share it with you.

That's all for now. Until next time...stay tuned!

The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 18 - End of Another Chapter - Bring On Summer

 

The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 18 - End of Another Chapter - Bring On Summer

It's been a while since I've written and as always there is so much that gets packed in to a short amount of time. I wish I could say that 2020 didn't follow me into 2021, but it did. We had finally returned to school in March after a very long 'code red' in our village and I was so excited to see my students and to be back in the classroom with them again. We went back to a 'yellow schedule' and were able to have half days with a morning and afternoon group. It was a lot of fun again and we were even hoping to finish the year on a 'green schedule' and be back to normal, if you could call it that with the whole class together. Then...wham! Out of nowhere we got hit with 21 cases in one week. Nine of which were students and sadly we had to close down the school again, returning to remote learning.

The good news is, tests were given and we returned to a 'yellow schedule' two weeks later. But...as fortune would have it, three days after there was a water main break in the middle of our school parking lot and the water had to be shut off. There was no water at school and for a multitude of houses, which included teacher housing. School closed Wednesday again and after four and a half days, we finally had running water by Sunday afternoon. Last year we were without water for almost a week. Fortunately I planned ahead and filled up three of my large totes with water, and was set for the four days. I can't tell you how many times I instinctively went to turn on the water, forgetting that it was shut off. Creature of habit I guess.

My puppy Yukon continues to grow bigger and develop his personality. I learned a valuable lesson not to put my sweatshirt in his kennel when I was away, as he proceeded to eat the entire middle of the sweatshirt. It used to say 'Wisconsin' in large, bold letters and that is no more. Despite his unusual snacking habits, he is a very good dog. There haven't been any accidents in the house and he is a great companion and very loving. We have been spending many hang-outs on the small front porch that faces the Yukon River. We get a lot of sun there from the afternoon on. I sit in a comfortable chair and Yukon sniffs, explores and rests on the straw-like grass down below. He'll saunter up every once in a while to say hi or see if I have a treat for him. It is always a well-enjoyed break for some fresh air.

When I said bring on the summer, it could not be more genuinely spoken. Obviously you get used to the winters here with the cold and more than usual snow, but Mother Nature decided to let us have it over the course of two months. March and April were unbelievable as I counted seven snowstorms over the course of one and a half months. I had to laugh and laugh as I see posts from friends and family back in the Lower-48, enjoying warm temperature and activities, while I am shoveling the six-foot drifts blocking my back door to get out. Don't get me wrong, I love snow, I really do. But we got a lot of it in a very short amount of time. At one point, I could walk on the natural pile of snow outside my front window and my head would be above the edge of the roof. It was pretty surreal I have to say. One of the winters I will remember forever.

As far as my health goes, I can happily and humbly say that I am in as good of a place as I have been in two years. I love my moose meat and salmon, but I'll be the first to admit that the pandemic took its toll on my eating habits. I didn't miss any of the ten meals I was eating everyday and my body took on the shape of a Beluga Whale. I was a tub-of-goo again and I could really feel the effects it was having on my health and body. Not to mention the four-plus cans of Pepsi I was consuming every day. Soda or pop as we like to call it here, has always been my greatest weakness and nemesis. I think it's the carbonation I am addicted to more so than the sugars or caffeine. I've had countless offers of advice to cut back, but I'm a cold-turkey type of person and have to stop completely. So on March 1st, I flipped the switch and quit again. In addition I decided to revamp my diet, cutting back on a few meals, late night eating and mixed in some intermittent fasting. I'm proud to say I've dropped 35 pounds and feel as good as I've felt in a long, long time. One addition and help are my daily walks to our airport, which are about a 3-mile roundtrip. The gravel road is a nice walk and you always see a familiar face or two driving by on a four-wheeler. And it doesn't hurt either that the views are amazing.

Last summer I decided to make Mountain Village my permanent home and stayed here for the summer. It was honestly one of the best summers of my life, which was evident in some of my previous blogs. Over the holidays I had the chance to visit my two kids and grandkids and had a wonderful time seeing them again. While I would love to repeat my amazing summer adventures on the river and in Mountain, I decided to make a couple stops outside of Mountain this year. I decided to return to Wisconsin in July to spend more time with my kids, grandkids and family, which I am really looking forward to again. However, I wanted to make a return to my love of writing and decided to take a detour prior to Wisconsin. Those of my friends and family who know me well, know that I can be very spontaneous in my decision making. So I decided to rent a tiny apartment in Costa Rica and will be traveling there to visit and write for two months. I am torn by the fact that I was really looking forward to making a regular fish camp down river on the Yukon this summer, but I have been very inspired to work on a couple writing projects and have always wanted to see Costa Rica. And so it is.

Speaking of writing, I just finished a manuscript for a book that I had always wanted to write and I was finally inspired to get it down on paper, or computer, lol. So at the same time I committed to quitting the pop, I set out the goal to write a few chapters every day. And I did! A month and half later I had a finished manuscript and...just (literally), got the news on Sunday night from Page Publishing, a company in Pennsylvania that is going to publish it. They are a very reputable company and I am very excited. It's called Moments and in a nutshell, it is about relationships. It has small, one-page chapters on all the possible moments I could think of, that couples share in a relationship, and the importance of those moments to have a healthy relationship. Each opposing page has two random compliments that a couple might share with one another. It's deep, emotional and I hope will inspire some good conversation for all couples, regardless of age or interest. I just miss writing and film so much and wanted to get back to one of the things I have always loved to do in my free time. I'll be excited to share good news in the months to come.

The days are growing longer here and it's exciting to see the bright early mornings and late, sunny nights again. We are starting to see the morning light about 5:30 am and it stays light to about 12:30 now. Hard for some of my Lower-48 friends and family to understand, but soon it will be light for almost the entire day. It is one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It's neat to see the village come alive later at night and to be able to visit with everyone again. I know many of my friends and families here in Mountain are just as ready to get on the river and start their summer adventures. The ice just broke on the Yukon River today, which is also a huge event for everyone here in Mountain.

There is always so much to share and I could cover many more topics, but that is the (moose) meat of my life right now. I am excited to see what this summer holds in store for me and when those chapters are written, you will be the second to know. :)

That's all for now. Until next time...stay tuned!

The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 17 - Reconnection - Residency - Fish Camp

 The Alaskan Adventure - Volume 17 - Reconnection - Residency - Fish Camp

 

Welcome 2021! Nice to have you here. Be nice! It's been very unusual here, I have to say and not exactly how I wanted to start the new year. Nothing bad, just not the 'normal' I had hoped we would return to here in Mountain Village. The Covid situation seems to take on a different identity here in Mountain compared to what I noticed when I was in the Lower-48 to visit my kids and family in December. Life in the Lower-48 is much more spread out and obviously much more populated and busy in general. Here we are close-knit, life is much more laid back and comfortably-simple in many, many ways. I'll be completely honest, that's how I like it, simple and predictable. The downside is that the close quarters of our village and others around us has lead to more and more positive cases of Covid, leading to longer closures of our school, village and community in general. 

That's where the 'reconnection' comes from and is something that I have longed for, for months now. Reconnection in the village with my students, my co-workers, friends and the friendly faces of the village that I was accustomed to seeing daily during the summer and early fall. Connection with my students and their families are limited to phone conversations and texts, and I miss them so, so much. Even to have had them on what we called a 'Yellow' schedule was wonderful, because I could at least see them for half a day and you got the best of what teaching is really all about. Happy faces, laughter, fun learning and a genuine connection with the kids. Gosh, I miss it so much. Unfortunately, the cases of Covid have continued to remain high in our village leaving us under a 'Red' schedule, keeping students at home and learning from afar. Code red also means isolation around the village with necessities only, like the post office and one allotted trip per family, per day to the local AC Grocery store. I treasure those trips when I can take them, because it allows me to reconnect with those friends and villagers who I used to see all the time, but now rarely see. Last year at this time, we had full days of school, high school basketball, hosting village-to-village basketball tournaments, movie nights, dances for the middle and high school kids, bingo, fiddlings (village music and dances), native dances, potlucks and so much more. That's all gone right now. But I have to laugh at times, because it took me a long time to get to know everyone, recognize faces and now...with only a set of eyes to see, it takes me right back to the, "Oh shoot! Who is that again?!" Lucky for me, I've gotten pretty good at voice recognition, identifying snow clothes, and am able to recognize people much more quickly. It's not always that way, but just feels so good to get out and see my friends and neighbors (everyone) again.

January 1st was a big day for me this year too, because it meant I was officially a 'resident' as it related to the first, full calendar year I had been here. My one year anniversary was actually August 1st of 2020, but the full calendar year allowed me some new benefits that will be greatly appreciated. Alaska has the PFD, the Permanent Fund Dividend, which is a dividend paid to Alaskan residents that have lived within the state for a full calendar year and intend to remain an Alaskan resident indefinitely. The annual payment allows for Alaskans to share in a portion of the state minerals revenue in the form of a dividend to benefit current and future generations. It's a nice perk to living here. Any additional monies are always appreciated and as my father used to tell me, whether I found a penny or got any amount of money no matter how small, "Matthew, it beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick." I'm laughing out loud. Corny saying, but I knew exactly what my dad was trying to teach me. When I have conversations with my own son and he tells me about some money he made, before I can even get out, "Well hey, it beats...", he says, "I know Dad, it beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick." We laugh hard!

In the house-restricted times that have taken over, aside from some fresh air, four-wheeler rides, I have tried to create something to look forward to in the upcoming spring and 'breaking of the river's ice'. That's where the fish camp comes into play. Almost every family in Mountain has a fish camp or has shared in the fish camp lifestyle. Whether passed down through generations, purchased or gifted, the fish camps are a regular part of the village lifestyle from May until the end of October. The river dictates how long that tradition goes into October as the ice flow from northern Alaska makes its way to the village down the Yukon and things shut down on the river for boating. Families grow closer, the culture of the Yupik people gets passed on and memories are made through fishing and traditions in those spring, summer and fall months. Last year I was very fortunate to visit a few fish camps of friends and a variety of villagers and I was 'hooked'. Bad pun, but it's true. I grew up in the summers on a small, humble lake in northern Wisconsin (Tug Lake, Irma, WI) on a 1 1/2 acre lot that my parents saved for and we camped and enjoyed the lake for our springs, summers and falls. After my parents both passed away in 2012, we sadly sold their lot and that ended 37 years of camping, family traditions and memories that I will treasure forever. When I had a chance to visit the fish camps here in Alaska, I fell in love with camping all over again. I decided last fall that I would start searching out a place where I might humbly pop up a tent and have a place to retreat to. Not to get away from Mountain, because if you read back on previous blogs, last summer 'in Mountain' was one of the most fun and peaceful summers I have ever had in my life. But...having a place of my own to camp, hang out, think about life, wrestle grizzly bears (just kidding), and experience water and nature again like I did with my parents, would be amazing. So much of my down time indoors has been researching, planning and getting excited about a summer of camping and new adventures. I have seen and experienced some of the most beautiful and peaceful nature that the Yukon River and Alaska could possible offer and I really want to continue to appreciate and experience more of that. Something to someday share with my kids and grandkids in some capacity. More on that part of the adventure to come. Last year the ice broke on the river in mid-May, so after that happens this year, and when it's safe from logs and branches flowing down the river...I'll launch my boat and see where a good place to camp calls to me.

Besides that, it's pretty peaceful here in Mountain right now. We have our snowy days, we have our bitter-cold, stay-in days and plenty of nice days to get out and sniff in some fresh, Alaskan winter. Manaqing for Pike will start soon and everyone is looking forward to that too. I still have yet to catch my first fish through the ice and I'm hoping to break that streak this year. Fingers crossed. I'm sure February and March will hold some new and exciting adventures and you will be the second to know about them.

That's all for now. Until next time...stay tuned!