hyhygwd (Michael typed that)

The hike on Tuesday was breath-taking in two ways: 1) it was so beautiful to see those huge, green, snow-topped mountains and gushing streams from melted snow, and 2) it was so steep that I had to stop for a breath about every 1/8th mile. I actually drank from a fresh mountain stream and knew that it was untouched by human pollution because the only people who go up that mountain are park workers who maintain the trail or serious hikers who work so hard to get up there away from civilization and pollution that there's no way they would mess it up. I was on all fours at times, just to make sure I didn't slip and plummet to my death, and for one part I had to hold on to a rope someone had previously secured and scale across the narrow, rocky path. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The air was so fresh. The water so pure. The plants so wild and green.

Some bird that resembled a pheasant and a duck (but wasn't either of those) blocked the path and made warning noises at me and walked around threateningly. I'm sure she felt I was entirely too close to her nest and she didn't want me to come a step further. I think I finally convinced her that I wasn't after her babies when I got past her and further down the path.

Last night, Michael drove the boat out just after sunset. It was a crisp, cool night and the soft breeze felt so refreshing on my face. The mountains at dusk resemble huge dark beasts gaurding the channel from trespassers and protecting those inside the big bowl--such as my own small self. Again--one of the best experiences in my life.

Love to you all,
Melissa

Tuesday

I haven't showered since Saturday night now. This is Tuesday afternoon. The wierd part is that I don't really feel all that dirty. That's probably a bad sign that I'm getting way too accustomed to being unclean. I'll shower tonight at the Alaskan where I can just rent a shower for $4.20. The guy that works there says there's no time limit on the showers, so I can even shave my legs! Haven't done that in quite a while.

I'm hiking up Mt. Juneau this afternoon. Hopefully I'll see a bear or a mountain goat. I'm quite excited. Yesterday at the docks I was, like, four feet away from a juvenile bald eagle. He was mottled brown, but I could tell that he was developing the white head and tail. He sat on a fence with his back facing me and his beak pointed straight at me. It looked like he had a broken neck. He was huge, and not scared at all, but just checking me out. It was so cool.

Work is getting better on some days and pretty bad on others. I hate closing on Saturday nights because we stay open 2 hours longer than usual and I don't get out until, like, 11pm. But today and yesterday I got to do catering, which is great because I don't have to listen to customers and have them repeat what they're saying 5 times, I can just read a list of stuff to make and make it without interruption. Today I made this beautiful 20 pound salad, lovingly decorated with rings of tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and croutons.

Times up on the library computer.

Love to all.

-Melissa

Life on the boat

I've been sleeping on Michael's boat for three nights now. I've come to like the swaying at night when the tides rise and fall and waking up to the crisp morning fog and a fish's view of the mountains. Michael has no clock, so sometimes he wakes me up thinking it's really late and sometimes I wake him up thinking it's really late. Yesterday he woke me up at 15 till 10 when I had to be at work at noon and said, "aren't you going to be late?".

This morning I woke him up at 15 till 6 thinking it was actually 6pm and I had lost the entire day and missed work. I hollered, "Michael, Michael!" and he threw open the doors of his cabin like his room was on fire and looked at me like, "Are you being attacked by a bear?!"

"Is it 6pm? The clock says 6! Did I miss a whole day? I missed work!
Oh, sorry." I saw the mixture of sleep and panic in his eyes.

"It's 6am!" He grumpily yelled back at me.

"Oh, sorry. I lost track of time." And I retreated back into my hole and left him to recover from so rude an awakening.

The problem was that I had woken up and gone back to sleep in the daylight about 5 times that morning. Daytime starts at around 4am now and the rain had made me damp and cold so I kept waking up and trying to sleep again. I thought I had been in there all day. Public apology: Sorry bro!

On the subject of being cold at night in this boat: Grandma Bev bought us a propane heater, but we have to buy propane tanks to fuel it. Mini propane tanks last about a night and a half. We just don't have the money or a car to run to the store every night to buy a tank. So, I went to the Salvation Army today and spent $5 on some thermal clothing and a rain jacket. Also, my friend Jason from work is going to loan me a blanket to use as long as I'm here, so I should be all set. I will need to do something about the rain leaking in on my pillow. I'll tell Michael about it tonight.

Entertainment: I went to a Misfits concert thursday night. The Misfits, for those who don't know, were a founding band in the catagory of music that doesn't sound like music at first -- you know: major guiter distortion that makes the melody almost unrecognizable. So for the first third of the concert I was wondering if I should think of leaving early. The middle of the concert, I was able to hear and follow the lead vocals and the drums, and then by the end of the concert I was rockin' out with everybody else. I figured out what everybody else there knew--it's not anger that makes the musicians create sounds that pound in your ears and thump through your chest, it's a kind of energy that can only be felt when you fall into the huge pit of sound and let your mind zone out of sharp conciousness. I was not on drugs; I can zone out just fine without them, but I can see why many people who take drugs choose to listen to this music.

P.S.: Don't do drugs, kids. You don't need them.

So anyway, add that to my list of experiences in Juneau Alaska.

One more thing: I love living on the boat with my brother because we actually get a chance to just talk and learn about each other. Last night I bought him a beer at the local pub and
1. learned we both like "King of the Hill"
2. saw his blueprints for the changes he's making to the boat
3. found out that I can save as much here with my 40 hour/week job as I could in Arkansas with my 28 hour/week job.

On that last fact, I actually asked Michael to stop counting expenses and hours for me about 5 minutes into the conversation, but he was persistant in following through to the end my theoretical financial arrangements, accounting for food, transportation, lodging, and entertainment in each town. That's the math person in him, I guess. He wants so much for my life to work out alright. I have a great brother.

I'm going to try to find a bank now so I can actually start saving.

Love to you all.
-Melissa

Bottle Blonde. I just dyed my hair this morning. 

A sailer in his element-- a very messy boat cabin 

Grandma on the way back from the tour. Happy traveller! 

The Lodge at Bartlet Cove. The buildings are connected only by these elevated wooden walkways. 

A whale blows at the surface on Grandma's tour 

Seeing sea lions on Grandma Bev's tour on the way to Bartlet Cove. 

Grandma and Michael having a drink and lunch at The Imperial Bar and Grill 

Goldcreek-- the spot where they first discovered gold in Juneau 

Playin' horseshoes with my bro in the big backyard of the Salmon Bake restaurant. 

Juneau-- Cruiseville, U.S.A. 

Veiw in Sitka from the spot where Alaska was officially handed over to the U.S. 

Organ player at the concert in the State Office Building 

I found a place to stay here. Well, actually Grandma Bev did. She asked everyone she met, I think, if they had an extra room I could rent, until she found a lady who did. Her name is Tina Seer and she works at the front desk here at the Prospector at night. She and her husband have a two-bedroom apartment with one bath, so we will have to share a bathroom, but I'll get me a little shower caddy and keep my stuff out of the way. It's much better than using friends' showers or paying $5 to use the one at The Alaskan Hotel.

Tina Seer has two children in their 20's and she's been a foster mom for several more. She says there're young people all over town who call her mom, so at least she knows what it's like to live with young people. The only rules are no alcohol, no overnight friends, keep my stuff in the bathroom tidy, and buy my own food and snacks. I can deal with that--working so much at the Silverbow, I'm getting accustomed to just eating there anyway.

I'm officially out of training at the Silverbow now and can take home my share of the tips, which so far has averaged $11.50 a day for three days. Not great, but hey, it's cash. I'll be able to do catering really soon. I'm excited about that. I really want to cater a wedding or a barmitzfa. That would be super-fun.

I saw a play last night, Columbinus, and it was amazing. Really powerful. It was about the events and people at Columbine High School. It kinda helps me understand how things could have happened there like they did. Shout out to Karl Miller, a lead in the play from Washington, D.C. Your troupe is superb.

Veiw Karl's Alaskan Adventure at

www.tundratastic.blogspot.com

and get another visitor's perspective.

Today is Memorial Day and I have off, so I'm gonna go socialize with Grandma.

Days eight and nine

Wow. I guess it's a good sign that I've been forgetting to blog because that means I've settled in to the town and I've gotten busy with my job.

Today is thursday. I worked from 6:30am to 2:30am and just got home. Tonight I'll see Star Wars III with some people from the Silverbow, so I guess that means I'm making friends.

Grandma Bev left this morning to go on a boat tour called "Glacial Bay Tours". She'll return this evening and tell me all about her adventures.

Yesterday, I spent about 1 1/2 hours after work at this cute little new and used bookstore called Rainy Day Books. I met a guy who works there previously, so I wanted to check it out. It's pretty neat and they have a wide variety. I talked to a young Polish man also visiting the bookstore and he told me that I don't sound like Americans he's met from the other states. I guess that means I have a southern accent.

Grandma and I had dinner at the Red Dog Saloon again. There was a different entertainer there this time--a guitar player--though he played many of the same sing-alongs as the piano player. Thier food is so good and it's such a fun place. I get a kick out of watching the cruisers react to the entertainer. They hee-haw over every stupid joke. I was probably the same when we first went.

The sad thing is that both entertainers have a distinct air of boredness about them. I guess they get tired of the same thing every day but with new people.

I thought I might need an evening job eventually, so I picked up an application. Don't know if they hire part time. We'll see.

I just realized that I smell like sour cream cheese. I'm going to hop in the shower now.

Day six

Sunday

In the morning, I headed off to work at the Silverbow for my first day of training. I was running a little late, literally; I was afraid of being late so I ran to work. I tried really hard to slow my breath and look relaxed when I got there--easier said than done--but Summer didn't say anything and introduced me to Anne who trained me, and to Abe. Abe seems to do most of the expresso making. Another girl named Liz is little and cute with great style, but she seems to do the least work. Even during the busiest time of day, Anne had to call her several times away from peeling carrots to help with customers. Anne is very knowledgable and courteous, even when customers are super rude like I saw some act yesterday.

I got off work at noon just as Michael was starting. He went with Jill, the owner, to buy flowers to plant in the garden (using the term loosely--I haven't seen any garden in Juneau yet).

All this time, Grandma Bev had been piddling around downtown, so she was gone when I got back. I took a nap. She returned with a Hematite ring for me and two sets of amber earrings, one for me and one for her.

The ring was a little small for my ring finger, so we went back downtown to exchange it and had pizza sitting on the dock watching floater planes take off and land. There were a few men playing bluegrass (minus the banjo), so we listened to them awhile. They were just a few buddies getting together to play, but they were really very good and I couldn't help but wish Jason was here with his banjo to join in. He plays so well.

Grandma and I got a couple pictures of a cruise ship with the mountains in the background. With all the cruise ships here, we hadn't gotten a picture of one yet.

Now to begin our Monday!

Day Five

Saturday

Went last night to have a drink with Michael. We went to a place called "The Alaskan" where I met some of Michael's friends and acquaintances. A blues/jazz band was playing--they were pretty good--and we played pool two on two with some kids I met there. Michael and I took the long way home, talking along the way.

This morning we got up at 6:30 to catch a bus and a plane to Sitka. It's a beautiful town snuggled in mountains and seashore. Lots and lots of little islands dot the coastline.

We went up to the site where the ceremony took place to officially transfer Alaska from Russia to the US. It was also the site of an old Russian mansion, but that was burned down long ago.

It's funny, during the land trading ceremony, the Russians were supposed to lower their flag and the US raise thiers and there would be a gun salute and a cannon salute. When the Russians tried to lower thier flag, it got stuck, so they hoisted up a soldier to get it down, but the soldier lost his grip and the flag floated down and landed on the salute rifles, then it landed on the ground. The audience was shocked and didn't know what to do, but they raised the US flag anyway and fired the cannons to complete the ceremony. I can just imagine how funny it would be to have that big important official ceremony and something go so drastically wrong like that.

Legally, that hill and the surrounding area (the town of Sitka, I guess) was the only land that the Natives actually sold to Russia. Russia got the little land area by the sea in exchange for a big engraved medallion, so technically, that could be the only piece of land the US actually legally obtained.

We also toured the house of Bishop Innocent of Moscow, the first known missionary to learn the Aleutian language and then translate the Bible into that language. Before him, the language was only oral, but he invented a way to write it. Of course, he converted lots of Natives as well.

Those are the hightlights, folks.