Currently living/working: I had two shifts for the library this month, so clearly my winter work is winding down. Plus I was only in AK for 14/30 days, so there’s that logistical detail. With that being said, both of us have had writing projects this month, Justin is still doing his Visitor Center work & we had our first yurt rental! With summer’s unrelenting productivity hot on our heels, we tried to enjoy the last bits of rest and freedom …
Through the years, everyone told us: you need to check out Chattanooga; it’s an outdoor hub that seems right up your alley. But in all our dozens of road trips criss-crossing the country, somehow we only skirted the edges of Tennessee, and missed many of its highlights, including Chattanooga.
Currently living/working: February was a weird month. There was a blend of dog/housesitting (mostly me), press trip travel (Justin), travel to NJ/CT to take care of my mom (me), travel to Denver to see family, but perhaps more importantly, go to some concerts (Justin). And in between all the travel, we both worked a little. I started subbing at our local library again (like I did 2 years ago), just 2 days/week, while Justin continues his part-time Discover Denali visitor center job.
In May 1974, my parents purchased a 700-square-foot house for $32,500, and 50 years later on November 18th, 2024, I sold it for 10 times the amount they paid. (Side note—a young couple bought it as their first home. I love that it’s a similar story as my parents’ story. They already made some changes, and we love seeing what they are doing with it!).
When we visit Justin’s family in Colorado, it’s almost like we signed up for a triathlon at high altitude. The events include: eating the plethora of scones and soups Justin’s mom preps for our visit, snuggling the 4 cats across 3 households, and keeping up with our pre-teen nephews.
Currently living/working: Most of this month was spent living on a cruise ship, while the second half of the month was spent in Denver visiting Justin’s family. Current mood: The weight of my mom’s estate has lightened on my shoulders since I sold her house, but somehow I don’t feel 100% free? Could it be…
Currently living/working: We finished cleaning out my mom’s house in NJ & returned to Alaska’s heatless sun. Not for long since we are now in sunny Spain! Anyway, most of October, Justin has been busy with some writing deadlines & his Discover Denali job (it’s still part-time, but year-round), while I continued on the crash course of managing my mom’s affairs.
Not to be overly dramatic, but I just finished erasing my parents’ lives. This year, I’ve been an archaeologist, archivist, historian, donor, salesperson, recycler and waste management professional. That is what it takes when you clean out a home people have lived in for 50 years.
Justin’s sister, Jamie, is trying to go for the record of being our most frequent visitor, as she came in 2021, 2022 and now 2024 (and actually this is her 5th time in the state)! I’m convinced she loves Alaska as much as her brother does … The stars aligned when Jamie and Rachel had…
Currently living/working: July sped by in what felt like a loop-de-loop of time. Somehow we both guided a lot of hiking trips, cleaned a lot rentals, did our respective admin jobs and enjoyed bits of free time here and there. It’s hard to describe the rush of an Alaskan summer, but another Alaskan came up with a great analogy. Just imagine you are at a music festival & all your favorite bands are playing simultaneously. No matter which stage you pick to watch, you always miss something else.
Currently living/working: I’m ecstatic to say that I’m back in Alaska! TONS of big changes around here for all our summer hustles & beyond. Most notably, Justin is the new manager of Discover Denali, an organization dedicated to promoting tourism beyond Denali National Park and into the surrounding gateway communities. It will be sort of…
(1988 Note from Patrice to Mom) Please forgive me for all the times I talked fresh. (1993 Note from Patrice to Mom) I’m sorry I never show how much I love you, but I do love you a lot. Please don’t talk about this note or school anymore because it will make me grouchy. (1994…
Currently living/working: My time as the dutiful daughter in NJ will be winding down mid April as I’ll hand off the caregiver torch to my sister to take over the hospice care in her home (in CT) while I return to AK in time for our typical robust summer work schedule. Current mood: I’m trying…
I sleep in fits, thinking I hear the floor creaking from my mom walking around. I sleep in the basement, which has its own heating zone so I can drop the temperature down to 60 for prime sleeping conditions. Upstairs, the thermostat is set at 75, the carpeted floor and wood paneling contain 40 years…
There’s a trickle down byproduct of inheritance that people like to avoid thinking about: acquiring someone else’s mountain of stuff. Over the years, I’ve watched in horror as every inch of available space in my mom’s house filled up to its maximum capacity. I figured starting the monumental and daunting task of pairing down was…
Currently living/working: Justin joined me in NJ for a few weeks this month! Thank goodness for gig work and our convenient side hustle of virtual library presentations because trying to incorporate the tide of personal responsibilities and work goals into the caregiving seems impossible to me. Also, I sold at least 6 Between Each Step…
Dear Dad, Five years is both an eternity and a blink of an eye. I learned so much going through your death that I thought it would prepare me for others. I learned that proactivity is important. I’ve now realized it may not mean much in the long run. As it turns out you were…
Confession and disclaimer: If you’ve been keeping up on my blog the last month, you probably have noticed I have some heavy thoughts circulating in my mind. It’s hard not to be metacognitive when I have so much time and space while being my mom’s full-time caregiver. I intend to keep sharing, but I’m talking…
Currently living/working: I took a leave of absence from my job … Wait, who am I kidding? I’m a freelancer who makes her own schedule. For the foreseeable future, I’m an unpaid—but much appreciated—caregiver to my mom in NJ. It’s what I dubbed as my limbo life. Meanwhile, Justin is battling the dregs of winter…
Yes, I am still in NJ passing time and wondering do I go back to AK or stay with my mom—who despite having a terminal prognosis seems fairly stable, but embraces her fate waking up everyday and saying, “I just didn’t think I’d be alive today.” Reality bites, but I am practicing my best forms…