Just a few pictures of the fast ferry Fairweather arriving in Sitka for my return trip back to Juneau, and the hills and mountains heading away from town.
I had a very excellent ferry ride back, as I always do. I really do love this mode of travel.
It is a slow, easy going and relaxing way to travel the state, and you both see wonderful scenery and meet wonderful people along the way.
When I arrived back in Juneau I looked out of the window while we were finalizing docking, and was pleased to see that my car was exactly where I had left it.
My pleasure quickly changed to frustration however when I realized that all of my car doors were frozen.
I tried all the pushing on doors / spraying water along the seals tricks and nothing worked.
Frozen solid.
I walked into the ferry terminal and one of the employees came out with me to my car, and we proceeded to spend the next 90 minutes (90 minutes!) working on both the drivers side and the passenger side trying to get something to work - moving from water to a small torch to a crow bar.
Finally, and after all of this time, we walked back into the terminal where another worker got pulled into the act and they found a can of de-icer.
Even that did not immediately result in an open door, and with both of them knowing that they would have to deal with another incoming ferry in just a few minutes (we could all see it in the channel coming into the final cove) things got a little rough.
They pulled and pry-barred and I tried not to look - but eventually the drivers side door did indeed open.
Now my drivers side door will not open from the outside (have to open the back door and reach into the front to open the front drivers door), but I was in.
My expensive battery works perfectly and the car started right away.
After warming the car for a long time, I had a slow drive home on snowy and icy roads.
And was glad that I had had the foresight to arrange for Jamie to stay one more night at the doggie-day-care place.
The seals on the doors are shot, and I'll have to glue them back when it warms up a bit, but vaseline on the seals hopefully will work for now - and no more locked doors.
If someone wants to steal my Craigslist POS car they can have at it (although where are they going to go in Juneau??)................
It was 20 degrees yesterday - cold air and lots of snow on the ground and in the trees that fell during that time that I was out of town last week.
By the end of my work day yesterday it was again snowing heavily, and I drove to the Valley to pick up my dog.
As much as I had a very good and relaxing and wonderful time in Sitka I missed my dog a lot.
It cost me more to house my dog than it did to house myself while I was away.
Stupid mutt is worth it though.
Somehow, without my even noticing it, she's wormed her way into my heart over the years and I am very glad that she showed up unannounced on my doorstep down in Tennessee and decided to adopt me.
Jamie and I walked about 2 miles this morning along our quiet country road.
Even though it was 20 degrees yesterday it was about 35 by the time we went outside this morning and the heavy snow was melting fast.
Juneau has been under a snow advisory all day today, but it has been too warm and only rain has fallen.
We walked this morning in windy and drizzling conditions.
It was a good walk.
The world sounds quiet to me right now, and even though today was not what most people would call a "nice day" it was a nice day.
We have lost an amazing amount of snow since last night. The road I live on, heading towards Glacier Highway which is about a mile away...........
My dog excited to be free after being stuck in a cage for too long.
They treated her well at day care, but it was not home.
I really missed her.
I think she missed me too, and curled up right beside me in bed last night............
All of the houses in these pictures are on my street..........
And many of them have an amazing view of the channel.
When it is not cloudy or foggy, they also have a stunning view of the Chilkats..........
I live in a "holler" surrounded by hills and pine trees.
It is a beautiful area, but truthfully sometimes I regret my decision to live at this house.
Partly because city (or at least suburban) living would many times be simpler (less commuting, city water, earlier snow ploughing, clearer roads, better cell phone service), and partly because being surrounded by hills means that sometimes the sun is not as accessible as I would like.
As with everything about living in Juneau though, those are concessions I make for privacy, country living, and accessibility to trails and waterways and beaches and parks.
Having written all that, I realize again that the concessions that I make are worth it............
Jamie having a big ol' time..........
Blurry picture while catching Jamie on the run.........
An old country gate in the snow...........
There are two trails on my road.
One of them is closer to the house and leads down to the cove at the end of my road.
The other one is just 100 yards from Glacier Highway.
I have walked on the trail only once a few weeks after I moved into the house last March.
There was a lot of snow on the ground, and I walked past the trail head, turned left on Glacier Highway and walked another couple of miles down the side of the road until I hit the other trail head.
The plan was to enter off the highway, walk the trail that is about 3 miles, pop out back on my road and walk back to the house.
Everything went according to plan until the last 1/4 mile or so of the trail.
Somehow and without realizing it at the time I missed a turn somewhere and ended up hitting a very long set of stairs.
Still not realizing my mistake, I walked up the stairs thinking that I was exiting the trail.
As I got closer to the top of the stairs however, I realized that I was walking on a private set of stairs in back of someones property.
I walked up to the back of the house, knocked on the back door, and smiled my most friendly smile when the homeowner came to the door.
After realizing where I was and what I had done, the homeowner invited me to walk around his house to access the road, rather than backtracking on the trail.
When I got to the road I realized I was only 100 feet from the trail head.
Apparently I am not the only person who has missed that turn.
I do not know how he got SO turned around on what is a relatively straightforward trail, but a few months ago a guy spent overnight on the trail when he got lost and could not make it out before dark...........
Jamie and I walked just a short while on the trail before turning back.
Walking on closed in trails is difficult when you have a dog on a leash - I am constantly untangling her from trees and bushes.........
My favorite house on this road.
I love the house, I love the view.
We had a good walk this morning, and right now my Jamie is sleeping soundly curled up in a ball on the opposite side of the couch from where I am wiring this, after having eaten half of my ham and cheese sandwich.
Life is again good in Dog World.............
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