What Shall I Call Today’s Blog?

As I started to write this blog, its title eluded me. Today was a fairly busy one, but it had no theme.

It began with a continuation of electrical problems that began yesterday as I was using the vacuum. The power suddenly went off. Just when I was ready to shut off everything and check the breakers, fuses, etc., the power came back on. A few minutes later it did the same thing. It turned out the problem was low voltage and our EMS (electrical management system) was sensing it and shutting off the power to protect the coach. Later, the problem continued when we were simply watching TV and not demanding much electricity. Don finally shut off the power and used the generator for a while before we went to bed.

This morning we found another site and got permission from the campground host to move. Moving an RV 300 feet or 300 miles are almost the same. Everything has to be put in its place, the jacks retracted and slides moved in – all of which takes time. But now we have good power and the Datastorm dish found the satellite so we’re online, too.

But the first order of business after I got dressed was to go to the Post Office on Fort Richardson to retrieve a box of mail from our mail forwarding service in Rapid City and – finally – ***My Kindle***! Hurrah – I‘m emerging from withdrawal and can now get back to reading e-books!

As soon as we moved and got settled, we got in the car to leave. I had to go back for my checkbook, and Don spotted a small black bear near the dumpsters just a few yards from our motorhome! I scrambled for my camera and was able to get a few shots. The bear failed to get into the dumpsters, designed to be bear-proof, so he ambled on down toward our friends Jean and Claudette’s car and motorhome.

He went very close to their open door, and I saw Jean outside at the same time. I don’t know who was more surprised! Fortunately, there was no bodily contact, but we’ll all put this encounter up high on our list of memories!

We had several errands to run, including buying Don more sugar-free chocolate-covered raisins at Alaska Wild Berry Products. We stopped by the Alaska Native Medical Center, a hospital serving Alaska Natives and American Indians. The reason for our visit wasn’t our health – we don’t qualify to be treated there. It was because we got a tip from the docent at the Homestead Museum in Soldotna about a gift shop full of handmade crafts and exhibits of Native Alaskan art that were not to be missed. She was right – everything in the shop and the exhibits was really beautiful! Intricate carved tusks, beaded earrings and bags, carved wooden items, hand woven baskets, figurines, and many more one-of-a-kind items that obviously took lots of talent, time and patience to create. It was a special treat to see all these beautiful things, and I selected a pair of ivory earrings as a souvenir. I didn’t take pictures inside the hospital as I thought it might be disrespectful, so you only get to see my earrings unless you visit the hospital yourself.

The gift shop had warnings posted that items made from baleen (from inside whales’ mouths) and whalebone were not allowed to leave the U.S. But a friend said ivory was in the same category. So I’ll be sure to put the earrings away in a safe place when we go through Canada. (I hope none of my readers will tell on me!)

Later, we ran into Jean and Claudette at the local RV parts store. Don bought an anode rod for our water heater, as it needs replacement every so often. But all 4 of us declined to buy any more items because the prices were up to double what we are used to paying in the lower 48. I know this is Alaska and it costs more to get things shipped here. But those prices were over the top!

We found more reasonable prices at the Base Exchange, where Don bought a new router (ours is acting up and we don’t want it to quit when we’re far away from any source) and a compass for checking the likelihood the satellite dish will ‘see’ through the trees. I’ve been looking for a fleece vest, and I found this one for only $12.99!

Meanwhile, Dennis and Carol arrived in the campground and the 6 of us got together for happy hour. Dennis told us about the fishing trip he took yesterday with Gary and Larry. Read about their success by clicking the links to their blogs. Larry hit the jackpot!

We finished off Dennis’ bag of peanuts, so Carol wore the bag clip home as a hair ornament!

We all enjoyed our time on the Kenai Peninsula, but we’re glad to be away from the cool, damp and often windy weather.