Currently: September

Currently living/working: We survived another summer of wrangling what seems like a 30-gallon bucket worth of income streams and logistics!!! From guiding to managing/cleaning investment properties to freelance writing/speaking gigs to passion projects, I love the diversity of our safety nets, but it is always admittedly exhausting. Now we’ll both make the shift to solely freelance writing/virtual presentations … and down time. 

Current mood: Blissfully settling into the well-deserved winter hibernation rhythm of life in Alaska where I get to wake up and say, “what do I want to prioritize today?” I psyched myself up for winter’s doldrums—the cold, the dark, the inactivity—and the mental readiness is working because I am genuinely pumped for it! Each passing week, the mountains wear new hats with the snow line creeping down toward us and the pending forecast for this week says winter is upon us. Also—for maybe the first time in our Alaska life—we actually completed our now-or-next year chores on our list. 

Currently proud of: The grand tally for Traverse Alaska guiding was 57 trips for Justin and 41 for me (shout out to the 2 other stellar guides Rob & Vicki pictured below—we had such camaraderie this year). How in the world I had the time and energy to guide 41 trips on top of managing/cleaning airbnbs, hosting friends/family, and basically orchestrating our whole life schedule is beyond me. Even Justin admits I must have been some kind of superhuman this summer! 

Current confession: I think the most trying part of my season was the astronomical number of loads of laundry I did as well as how many times I hauled trash and brush (aka, natural fuel around our log cabin) to our transfer station (they safely burn the deadfall). I wish I kept a count, but I suppose I lacked the headspace for one more thing to monitor. 

Current guilty pleasure: I feel like we always make big purchases in the fall when our wallets are overflowing from the summer’s bounty. Refilling our oil tank, as well as the yurt’s, is always one necessary purchase, but we also replaced our 10-year-old mattress that came with our cabin, bought used bikes and finally purchased studded tires to prep for our fifth winter in Alaska. Oh, and we saw Hamilton in Anchorage with our visiting friends earlier this month. Now I know what all the hype was about as we loved it!!!

Currently thankful for: Speaking of our new wheels, we finally have a mechanic—Denali Service Center—again in Denali Borough, after a few years without. It’s one of Justin’s poker buddies, Jason, and he rocks! Let this settle into your perspective: we used to have to drive 2 hours north for an oil change or any issues. 

Currently regretting: I’ve often lamented the challenge of infusing personal fun—like kayaking & backpacking—into our Alaska summers due to work commitments. Surprisingly, we did sleep in the backcountry 3 nights (Justin did a few more for work), which is a considerable improvement compared with previous summers. In comparison, we only went kayaking once and Justin played golf maybe a dozen times. 

Currently amazed by: Alaska’s land is dripped in richness all year round, but the autumn palette is the shortest hue to hold. Some years, I essentially miss it since it’s so fleeting. This September, the whole community has been been shouting praise for the prolonged fall. The peak week when the colors were booming was Sept. 13-23 and I’m so glad we had time to appreciate our surroundings. 

Currently not excited for: Any day now (probably tomorrow), we’ll have to discontinue use of our grey water drain from the cabin because it will freeze, and start showering in a bucket that we lug outside to empty. Jealous? 

Currently excited for: Our last set of visitors arrive this week—Justin’s mom and her friend! Justin’s mom got the short end of the stick as we bumped her visit to the shoulder season because of the ~20 days worth of visitors this summer/fall. Last time she visited was early March 2020 when it was -10 degrees and completely snow-covered. Hopefully the weather fares better for her visit, but someday, we want her to experience Alaska’s summer! Here are some snapshots of our September visitors—Justin’s first cousin once removed (Marti) and a friend of mine from my college days and beyond (Chris). 

Currently worried about: Justin has a colonoscopy in October. After ~20 colonoscopies in his life, he’s admittedly a pro, but it is still always a concern. His 2021 revealed he was in remission, and here’s hoping he still is! 

Currently reading: I basically will read any book about Alaska that is put in front of me, and that’s the case with The Stars, the Snow, the Fire: Twenty-Five Years in the Alaska Wilderness by John Haines. It was in a pile of Alaska books a friend let me borrow, so I read it. Did I like it? Sure. Because Alaska. But the storytelling certainly didn’t keep my attention like others, and I found myself drifting while reading. 

I am fascinated by moose, especially because I share a playground and backyard with them. I read another book in said pile—Moose: Crowned Giant of the Northern Wilderness by Mark Raycroft, which is more of a picture book than an actual book. I learned tons of tidbits about the largest member of the Cervidae family!

Currently watching on Netflix/Peacock/HBO Max/Starz/AMC: Definitely getting back into a regular nightly streaming. We watched “Dear Child” on Netflix, which was creepy, but gripping. We also started watching “The Last of the Alaskans” on HBO Max. People always tell us about this and that Alaska show, but this particular one is older and really seems true to Alaska form! We’re actually learning so much from it! And when Justin plays poker, I’ve been watching “And Just Like That,” the “Sex in the City” sequel. I finished Season 2 this month and loved it, so much that I might even want to rewatch it!!